The Barroso Northern Ireland Taskforce

Background Created in 2007 Not financial help Increased access to EU officials Identify and maximise EU opportunities Barroso to step down in 2014

Thematic Groups & Desk Officers Groups Competitiveness and Employment ▫Gordon Browne Innovation and Technology ▫Una Downey Climate Change and Energy ▫Keith Brown Social Cohesion ▫Alastair Campbell

Role of the Desk Officers Policy Funding Profile

Work to date Contacts established within DG REGIO, EAC, Climate, EMPL, AGRI, Research, SANCO, Justice, ENTR, etc Opportunities, calls and requests for partners targeted to appropriate contacts in NI Significant policy developments fed back to Northern Ireland Programmes of meetings organised for stakeholders visiting from Northern Ireland Factsheets on funding streams and EU networks Successful digital broadband event held in office Attendance at working groups Outward visits by four Ministers, more to come Partner search – targeting and finding potential partners Raising awareness in Northern Ireland

Priorities Social Cohesion Lifelong Learning Creative Industries Structural Funds European Citizenship Competitiveness & Employment Lifelong Learning Tourism Further Education Youth Unemployment Innovation and Technology FP7 & Horizon 2020 European Innovation Partnership Digital Broadband Climate Change and Energy Life+ State Aid TENS-T

Looking forward Promote Northern Ireland’s interests ▫NI input into and awareness of evolving policies ▫NI presence where possible Networking and lobbying ▫More contact with other regions ▫Identification of allies from further afield ▫Better communication within Northern Ireland Holding regular events ▫Each of the themes to hold events in Brussels and in Northern Ireland Planning for the future ▫Identify main themes of new funding programmes. ▫Much yet to be decided/agreed, but many of the themes will remain