1. Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union
Preliminary EPSCO Work Programme
1st January – 30th June 2013
EPSCO team
Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU

2. EPSCO TEAM – Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU

3. EPSCO Team – Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU
Paul Brennan
Attaché
Tel:
Mob:
Dympna Boyle
Attaché
Tel:
Mob:
Fiona O’Sullivan
Attaché
Tel:
Mob:
Colin Byrne
Attaché
Tel:
Mob:

4. EPSCO Team – Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU
Julie Anderson
Attaché
Tel:
Mob:
Tamás Kugyela
Policy Officer
Tel:
Mob:
Deirdre Curley
Executive Officer
Tel:
Mob:
Caroline Duhig
Administration
Tel:

5. PRIORITIES

6. General Priorities of the Irish Presidency
Overarching Objective – Stability, Jobs & Growth
Restoring Confidence in the European Economy
Securing the EU’s future budgetary and policy framework for 2014 – 2020
Developing the Green Economy

7. SQWG Dossiers - Paul Brennan / Deirdre Curley
Employment / Health and Safety
SQWG – Legislative Dossiers
Enforcement Directive on the Posting of Workers
Chaired by Fiona Flood (Dublin)
Trialogues on Electromagnetic Fields (EMF)
Trialogues on the Programme for Social Change and Innovation (PSCI)

8. SQWG Dossiers - Paul Brennan / Deirdre Curley
Employment / Health and Safety
SQWG – Legislative Dossiers (Yet to Be Published)
Revision to the legislative underpinnings for the Tri-partite Social Summit
Draft decisions of Council authorising ratification by Member States of ILO Conventions on Chemicals (published) & Domestic Work
“Chemical Handling” amendment of  5 H&S Directives to protect workers in conformity with latest Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulations
Proposal to remove the exclusion of seafarers from the scope of several Labour law Directives
Working Time for workers on Inland Waterways (framework agreement of sectoral social partners under Article 155 TFEU)

9. SQWG Dossiers - Paul Brennan / Deirdre Curley
Employment / Health and Safety
SQWG – Non-Legislative Dossiers
3rd European semester – building on lessons learnt in close liaison with SPC and EMCO
Council Conclusions on the AGS and JER for adoption at February EPSCO following their joint preparation by SPC and EMCO
Tripartite Social Summit -14 March 2013
Draft EU guidelines in preparation for the G20 Labour and Employment Ministers meeting in July 2013

10. SQWG Dossiers – Dympna Boyle / Colin Byrne
Social Affairs / Social Protection
SQWG – Legislative Dossiers
Supplementary Pensions Rights Directive (Dympna Boyle)
Proposal for a Regulation on the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (Colin Byrne)

11. SQWG Dossiers – Dympna Boyle / Colin Byrne
Social Affairs / Social Protection
SQWG – Non - Legislative Dossiers
Youth Guarantee (Dympna Boyle)
SQWG – Non - Legislative Dossiers (Yet to be Published)
Social Investment Package (Colin Byrne)

12. SQWG Dossiers – Julie Anderson/Tamás Kugyela
Skills
SQWG – Legislative Dossiers
European Globalisation Adjustment Fund
Chaired by Vincent Landers (Dublin)

13. SQWG Dossiers – Fiona O’Sullivan
Equality
SQWG – Legislative Dossiers
Gender Equality on Company Boards Directive
Chaired by Pauline Moreau (Dublin)
Article 19 Directive (Anti-discrimination)
Chaired by Deaglán O Briain (Dublin)
Maternity Leave Directive

14. SQWG Dossiers – Fiona O’Sullivan
Equality
SQWG – Legislative Files (Not yet Published)
Proposal for a Directive on the enforcement of the Freedom of Movement of Mobile EU Workers
[European Accessibility Act]

15. SQWG Dossiers – Fiona O’Sullivan
Equality
SQWG – Non-Legislative Dossiers
Review of the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action: Women and the Media
Roma

16. FORMAL & INFORMAL MEETINGS

17. Important EPSCO Dates
Informal Meeting of EPSCO Ministers 7th – 8th February 2013
Dublin Castle
EPSCO Council th February 2013
Brussels
EPSCO Council th – 21st June 2013
Luxembourg

18. EPSCO Council (Provisional) Agenda – 28th February
Non Legislative
European Semester 2013
Policy Debate
Council Conclusions on AGS and JER
Employment Guidelines
Social Situation Report
Youth Employment Package – (poss) political debate and Council recommendation on youth guarantee
Social Investment Package – Presentation by Commission
Tri-partite Social Summit
Legislative
Posting of Workers – (poss) General Approach
AOB
EMCO and SPC Work Programmes

19. EPSCO Council (Provisional) Agenda – 20th June
Non Legislative
European Semester 2013
Policy Debate
Endorsement of Joint Opinion of EMCO and SPC
Social Investment Package – policy debate and Council Conclusions
Women in the Media (Beijing Platform of Actions) – Council Conclusions
Legislative
Posting of Workers – General Approach / (poss) Political Agreement
Supplementary Pensions Rights Directive – (poss) General Approach
Gender Equality on Company Boards – Progress Report / (poss) General Approach
Article 19 Directive – Progress Report
Free Movement of Workers Directive – Progress Report
Draft Council Decisions on ILO Conventions on Chemicals and Domestic Work – Progress Report / General Approach

20. Informal Ministerial Meeting
Venue and Time: Dublin Castle, 7th – 8th Feb
Workshop 1: Active inclusion for jobless households, with a focus on youth initiatives
Workshop 2: Job Rich Recovery: key actions for future skills needs in ICT
Workshop 3: Labour market engagement of older women
Attachés Programme: Will follow on the Friday afternoon/evening..

21. Other Meetings
High Level Group on Gender Mainstreaming Dublin 10th – 11th January
Presentation of Pres Priorities to EP FEMM Committee 22nd January
Presentation of Pres Priorities to EP EMPL Committee 23rd January
Foundation Forum “Social & Employment Policies
for a Fair and Competitive Europe” (Dublin) 14th – 15th Feb
Informal SPC Dublin 7th – 8th March
Informal EMCO Dublin th – 12th March
Commission on the Status of Women, New York 4th – 15th March
Tripartite Social Summit Brussels 14th March
9th European Regional Meeting of ILO Ministers – Jobs,
Growth and Social Justice (Oslo) 8th – 11th April
OECD LEED Conference - "supporting local job creation,
youth employment and effective policy delivery at local
level" (Dublin-Kilkenny) 27th – 28th March
Occupational Safety and Health Conference Dublin 22nd April
Social Investment Package Conference (Brussels) TBC (probably April)

22. Other Meetings Occupational Safety and Health Presidency Conference /
Bilbao OSH Agency Best Practice Awards Day, Dublin 22nd- 23rd April
Gender Equality Conference: Women’s Economic
Engagement and the Europe 2020 Agenda 29th and 30th April
MISSOC (Dublin) th – 16th May
64th Senior Labour Inspectors(SLIC) Thematic day, Dublin 21st - 22nd May
European Social Fund Technical Co-operation
Conference (Dublin) 22nd – 23rd May
EURES Working Group (Dublin) 22nd – 24th May
Conference on Strengthening Institutional Arrangements
for Protecting Equality and Human/Fundamental Rights TBC
102nd International Labour Conference (Geneva) 5th – 21st June
Meeting of the Heads of the Public Employment Service 20th – 21st June

23. WORKING PARTY MEETINGS

24. SQGW Meetings – January and February (provisional)
Day
Meeting
Mon 7th Jan
Presentation
Fri 1st Feb
Women on Company Boards
Tues 8th Jan
Youth Guarantee
Mon 4th Feb
Mon 14th Jan
Article 19 (Half Day)
EMF Trialogue Preparation (Half Day)
Tue 12th Feb
Posting of Workers
Wed 16th Jan
Wed 13th Feb
Mon 21st Jan
Thur 14th Feb
Council Conclusions AGS/JER (Half Day)
Mon 28th Jan
Fund for European Aid to Deprived
Mon 18th Feb
Wed 30th Jan
Supplementary Pension Rights Directive
Tue 19th Feb
EGF
Thur 31st Jan
Posting of Workers (Half Day am)

25. SQGW Meeting Dates, March – June (very provisional)
April
May
June
6th
11th
17th
12th
22nd
10th
15th
23rd
25th
24th
20th
19th
29th
31st
26th
27th

26. Thank You