Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 30: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of EU Directives for which his Department has responsibility remaining to be implemented; the directives that are overdue; the number of reasoned opinions received from the EU Commission since 2002 regarding delays or non-implementation of such directives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15472/07]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

There are currently a total of sixteen Directives due to be transposed by my Department up to 2010. Four of these Directives are overdue and the following is the position with regard to implementation progress. Directive 2004/22/EC of 31 March 2004 concerning harmonisation of measuring instruments had a transposition deadline of 30 April 2006 and has an expected date of implementation of 27 April 2007. Directive 2003/72/EC supplementing the Statute for a European Cooperative Society with regard to the involvement of employees had a transposition deadline of 18 August 2006 and has an expected date of implementation of 15 May 2007. Directive 2006/109/EC adapting Directive 94/45/EC on the establishment of a European Works Council reason of the accession of Bulgaria and Romania had a transposition deadline of 1 January 2007 and has an expected date of implementation of 29 September 2007. Directive 2004/109/EC on minimum transparency requirements for listed companies had a transposition deadline of 20 January 2007 and has an expected date of implementation of 30 May 2007.

Another five Directives are due for transposition during 2007 and seven further Directives are scheduled to be transposed in 2008 and subsequent years.

My Department has received 23 Reasoned Opinions from the European Commission related to overdue Directives since 2002. The outstanding issues concerning all but one of the Directives have been resolved satisfactorily. Proceedings are ongoing in the European Court of Justice in relation to a finding against Ireland for incorrect transposition of Directive 92/100/EC related to rental rights and lending rights in the field of intellectual property. Corrective measures are being taken in the context of draft legislation to introduce a public lending right. On 16 April the Copyrights and Related Acts (Amendment) Bill 2007 was published. This bill will be introduced to the Oireachtas as soon as possible.