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NI ministers travel to Brussels NI ministers travel to Brussels
(about 2 hours later)
The First and Deputy First Ministers are due to travel to Brussels later on Tuesday.The First and Deputy First Ministers are due to travel to Brussels later on Tuesday.
Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness are giving their response to a European Union Task Force report. Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness will be having talks on how the Assembly can maximise the funding it gets from Europe.
It suggested ways for Northern Ireland to use European expertise to support innovation. The recent expansion of the EU means Northern Ireland is only entitled to half the money it used to get.
The ministers are expected to meet the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, during their visit. It is understood the ministers will also make the case for a conflict resolution centre to be set up in NI.
Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness are giving their response to a European Union Task Force report which suggested ways for Northern Ireland to use European expertise to support innovation, during their visit.
They are also expected to meet the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, as well as the President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pottering.
Meetings are also scheduled with the European internal markets commissioner, Charlie McCreevy and the trade commissioner Baroness Ashton.
The European Union has expanded from 15 countries to 27 since 2004.
Although Northern Ireland remains one of the poorest regions of the UK - with annual economic output per person around 20% below the UK average - it is now close to the overall EU average.
That means it no longer qualifies for as much money as before.
A total of £1.6bn in regional development funding was sent from Brussels between 2000 and 2006, however that figure is £830m in the years up to 2013.