Chambers Ireland Weekly Digest-2nd July 2018
- GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION (GDPR) – Training your Employees
Every day, your employees handle personal data and are the cause of 80% of data breaches. Chambers Ireland have now partnered with Olive Media (GDPRcourse.com) to bring to you an easy and cost-effective solution to your compliance challenge. The course outlines the steps needed in order to ensure your business is in compliance with the regulations.
Course cost is €35 per person
To begin your GDPR compliance solution please just simply clink on this link which will take you to a registration and payment page.
You will then be sent a link to begin your training.
You can also offer this service to your members and Chambers will receive an 8% commission on every member’s employee that uses the training. Chambers will have their own system to track the usage by members, illustrated in the link above. Please let me know that you will be making this service available to members and we can talk you through the service.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact james.kiernan@chambers.ie.
2.HR Information for Business- Peninsula Weather Guide
As the country enjoys blue skies, unbroken sunshine and near-record temperatures, it seems a lot of the hard-working people of Ireland are wondering what temperature the mercury must hit for it to be legally too hot to work?! Employers will likewise be curious to know how the extraordinarily hot temperatures impact on their legal duty to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of their employees at work. Please circulate the attached note from Peninsula Ireland on how best to approach with the warm weather in the workplace. To find out how to safeguard your business against claims under health and safety legislation call Peninsula’s 24-hour advice line on 1890 252 923
3.Trade News/Info for Exporters- DBEI announce new round of tariff suspension/quotas
The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation has announced (1 July 2018) a new round of the tariff suspension/quota schemes and is calling for applications from manufacturers in the chemicals, microelectronic and related sectors. The tariff suspension scheme offers the possibility for such companies to import raw materials, components or intermediate products from outside the European Union free from tariff duty, if the item cannot be sourced in the EU.
Closing date and time for the receipt of the next round of applications is 5.30p.m. on Friday, 27th July 2018. Applications should be sent by e-mail to tariffschemes@dbei.gov.ie and posted to the Department at the address below. Please note that late or incomplete applications will not be accepted by the Department. The suspension of duties on these applications, if they are successful, will come into effect 12 months after the application is made.
Further information on the Tariff Suspension or Quota Scheme may be found here:https://www.dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Trade-Investment/EU-Tariff-Suspension-and-Quota-Scheme/
4.Department of Business, Enterprise & Innovation – Brexit Preparedness Notices
Efforts are currently underway to reach an agreement to ensure the withdrawal of the UK from the EU occurs with minimum disruption and to put in place a framework for a future relationship which will enable the closest possible EU-UK relationship post Brexit.
However, the UK’s notification of its intention to withdraw from the EU has created significant uncertainties. The European Commission has therefore sought to clarify what the situation will be for a number of business sectors in the event that no agreement is reached to mitigate the impacts of the UK’s withdrawal.
Notices have been issued in respect of industrial products, company law, trademarks, auditing and import and export licenses as well as a range of other areas. A list of the notices published to date are available to view on the Commission’s website at the following link: European Commission Brexit Preparedness
The Department of Business, Enterprise & Innovation (DBEI) is encouraging firms to review these notices and consider relevant actions that may be required to mitigate any potential negative impacts that may arise for them in terms of Brexit.
If you have any queries regarding these Brexit Preparedness Notices or the industrial sector which your business operates in, with regards to preparing for Brexit, please contact our EU & International Affairs Manager Emma Kerins, via her email address: Emma.Kerins@chambers.ie
5.Consultation on Irish Water’s Non-Domestic Tariff Harmonisation
The CRU has published Irish Water’s proposals for a new Non-Domestic Tariff Framework which will apply to Irish Water’s non-domestic (business) customers. The purpose of the Framework is to generate a more harmonised suite of tariffs for non-domestic water and wastewater customers. The Framework will set out the ‘rules’ for how tariffs are designed and how customers will be transitioned to their new tariffs over time. Irish Water hopes that a more harmonised approach will benefit customers in terms of transparency, simplicity and equity. The CRU wishes to seek views from interested parties on each of Irish Water’s proposals before the CRU makes a decision on the tariff design and transitional aspects of the new Framework.
To view the relevant information, please visit https://www.cru.ie/document_group/establishing-irish-waters-non-domestic-tariff-framework/
Please contact Elisha elisha.collierobrien@chambers.ie by Tuesday, July 31st COB.
6.LGiU Briefing Series on Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards Winners –Limerick City & County Council’s regeneration programme: Model of pathways to employment in the hospitality and catering industry
The Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) is publishing a series of briefings looking at the winners of the Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Governance (ELG) Awards from 2017. The LGiU will showcase each of the best in practice projects that won at our Awards in 2017 over the coming weeks.
Please find attached the 15th instalment in the series of LGiU briefings on Chambers Ireland ELG Awards 2017 Winners, this week featuring the winners of the Health and Wellbeing category, Limerick City & County Council’s regeneration programme: Model of Pathways to employment in the hospitality and catering industry.
7.European Commission Rules of Origin Questionnaire and Test Tool
The European Commission has released an online test tool and questionnaire, aimed at exporters, that has been designed to give information to operators and to help address their needs in relation to Rules of Origin.
The below link will give you access to the anonymous questionnaire and the test version of the online tool. It will take approx. 10-15 minutes to complete the form.
http://madb.europa.eu/madb/indexPubli.htm
After filling in the questionnaire you are asked to try the test version of a ‘decision tree’. This ‘tree’ is a draft tool to aid EU exporters in determining whether their products comply with the Rules of Origin set out in our FTAs. The questionnaire will be available online until 31 July 2018.
You may wish to send this notice out to your members and contacts.
8.Save the Date: European Parliament of Enterprises 2018
The European Parliament of Enterprises (EPE), hosted by Eurochambres every two years, is scheduled to take place in the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday, the 10th of October 2018. More information on the event will be circulated in the coming weeks.
Several Chambers have sent delegates to the EPE in the past and their Chambers have benefited because of their participation.
If you have any questions about the event, please contact emma.kerins@chambers.ie
9.Doing Business in Brazil: FIMAN 2018 – International Cassava Fair – Brazil, 20-22 Nov 2018
FIMAN will gather industrial professionals, producers, national and international suppliers of cassava and cassava modified starch. This trade fair covers a vast number of industry sectors such as: starch & flour producers, environmental solutions, packaging, wholesalers/retailers, cooperatives, farmers, chemical industry, food industry, textile industry and agricultural machinery. To download the digital brochure, please visit:
http://www.fiman.com.br/archives/folder-fiman.pdf
10.Trade Event- Growing Your Business in Thailand, 17 July 2018
The Royal Thai Embassy, in partnership with Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, KPMG, Eastern Economic Corridor Office, Chang beer and with the participation of UK Export Finance, are organising a Roadshow for the Eastern Economic Corridor of Thailand. Come along to learn more about the investment opportunities in the market. For more information and for registration, please visit the website here.