European Commissioner Mairead McGuinness opens ‘Europe is Our Future’ series at UL

Pictured at the University of Limerick for the Europe is our Future: Opportunities in Your Sector Across Europe event co-organised by the IIEA and Enterprise Ireland were, Mairead McGuinness, European Commissioner for Financial Services, Financial Stability and Capital Markets Union, Anne Lanigan, Regional Director for the Eurozone, Central and Eastern Europe, Enterprise Ireland, Dan O’Brien, Chief Economist, IIEA, Professor Kerstin Mey, President UL and Leo Clancy, CEO Enterprise Ireland. Picture: Alan Place

Speakers at the event discussed funding opportunities for small and medium-sized Irish enterprises in the EU market 
By I Love Limerick correspondent Ava O’Donoghue

As part of Enterprise Ireland and the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA)’s Europe is Our Future series, European Commissioner for Financial Services, Financial Stability, and the Capital Markets Union Mairead McGuinness visited the University of Limerick campus on Monday, July 11.

The series of ‘Europe is Our Future’ events provides an overview of the benefits of trading and doing business in the EU Single Market, and discusses the funding opportunities that the EU provides for Irish Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the EU’s single market.

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European Commissioner Mairead McGuinness opened the series by giving an address that highlighted opportunities for Irish SMEs.

“There are opportunities for Irish SMEs in the EU’s single market. We are part of a market of 440 million people. And we share a common currency – the euro – with 18 other EU countries, soon to be 19 as Croatia joins the Eurozone on Jan 1, 2023,” Commissioner McGuinness said.

“That means there is a lot of potential for Irish businesses to seize export opportunities – without customs checks, tariffs, or differing regulations. As European Commissioner I am working with my colleagues to make the single market function as efficiently as possible, especially when it comes to capital, financing, and investment so that businesses can take full advantage.”

The event took place in the School of Medicine on the University’s North Campus and was attended by UL President Professor Kerstin May among others, including Enterprise Ireland CEO Leo Clancy.

Speaking about the event,  Clancy said, “Following the UK’s decision in 2016 to leave the EU, Enterprise Ireland has had a strategic focus to support Irish exporters to diversify into the EU and the Eurozone in particular. This strategy has delivered, with exports to the Eurozone by companies supported by Enterprise Ireland now at record levels, exceeding 6 billion in 2021, up 10% on the previous year. After the UK, the Eurozone is now the second largest export market for Enterprise Ireland client companies.

“However, the level of untapped opportunity is significant and presents increasing opportunities as Europe looks to bring supply chains closer to home. With a strong reputation as trusted, innovative, friendly, and flexible, we are strongly encouraging Irish companies to look to Europe for their future.”

For more information on Enterprise Ireland, go HERE 

For more stories on University of Limerick, go HERE