Minister on fact finding visit to Brussels
13 June 2007
Employment and Learning Minister, Sir Reg Empey, visited Brussels this week and undertook an intensive programme of engagements.
He met with both senior EU representatives and officials as he was keen to build on the earlier discussions on the European initiatives recently announced in Belfast by President Barosso. He also wanted to explore key European policy developments that impact on the work of his Department.
The Minister met with President Barosso and Catherine Day, Secretary General of the European Commission when they visited Northern Ireland in May 2007 to launch the three new EU initiatives. He met with Catherine Day again during this visit to discuss the President’s Initiatives further.
The Minister said: "The President’s Initiatives are very welcome and my Executive colleagues and I want to take full advantage of this valuable offer to work with the European Commission and other European Institutions to support Northern Ireland’s growth as a knowledge based economy. The President gave his commitment for a long term engagement and I, with my Department, want to ensure that Northern Ireland can benefit and contribute fully as an EU region.
"My meetings with Vladimir Spidla, Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities and Odile Quintin, Director General of Education, Youth and Culture, have further convinced me of the high level of interest being taken in Northern Ireland by senior people in the European Commission."
The Minister also discussed ways that Northern Ireland can learn from work being done across the EU in priority areas such as Essential Skills, university research and helping those who face barriers to work, including people with disabilities, find and keep a job.
The Minister commented: "There is a wealth of experience across the EU and I am keen that we learn from the work being done by others to allow us to put in place projects and policies that have proved successful. Northern Ireland has the potential to be a region of ‘best practice’ in Europe and I intend to make the most of that opportunity.
The Minister attended a seminar on 13 June on the Lisbon Agenda, ‘A more social Lisbon - Equipping our citizens to prosper in the global economy’, at which Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Education and Skills, was the keynote speaker. Sir Reg explained that while the seminar focused on howthe UK is tackling the skills challenge, it clearly demonstrated how a shared commitment to the Lisbon Agenda will enable us all to prosper in the global economy.
He said: "We in Northern Ireland are contributing to the Lisbon goals. My Department is committed to increasing the employment rate and improving the skills of the workforce to enable productivity levels to increase and at the same time attracting business to Northern Ireland. Equipping people with the right skills increases their aspirations and enables them to adapt to changing job markets. In my opinion, education, skills and lifelong learning are central to the Lisbon Agenda for Jobs and Growth."
During his visit the Minister also met with Hans-Gert Poettering, President of the European Parliament and representatives from the UK Permanent Representation in Brussels to discuss both strategic and day to day EU policy developments of interest to his Department.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. Lisbon Agenda - The 2000 Lisbon Council committed Europe to becoming the most successful and competitive knowledge based economy in the world by 2010. It set a ten year strategy to include almost all of the EU’s economic, social and environmental activities. Further details can be obtained at: http://europa.eu 
2.President's Initiatives - President Barosso visited NI on 1 May 2007 and met the First Minister/deputy First Minister. President Barosso, in addition to offering his personal and Commission support to the new Executive, announced three initiatives:
- ·a study into the particular challenges facing the NI economy;
- ·a Taskforce in the Commission so that NI can benefit from experience across the European Union in creating growth, innovation and opportunity;
- ·to extend and expand the exchange of officials programme.
The Department of Finance and Personnel will lead on the Presidency Initiatives.
3. Media queries to the Department for Employment and Learning Press Office on 028 9025 7872.