European Union News - 20 June 2008

EU Consumer Commissioner Meglena Kuneva announced on the 20th June 2008, the results of a new EU wide survey on e-commerce and cross border trade. The figures show that even though e-commerce is taking off at national level, cross-border e-commerce is failing to keep pace. From 2006 to 2008, the share of all EU consumers that have bought at least one item over the internet has increased significantly (from 27% to 33%) whilst cross border e-commerce is stable (6% to 7%). The pattern is similar for those with internet access at home - 56% of consumers with internet at home have made a purchase (in any country including their own) by e-commerce compared to 50% in 2006, while only 13% (of those with internet access at home) made a cross-border e-commerce purchase compared to 12% in 2006.

On the 21st June 2008, Commissioner Vladimír Špidla will launch the 2008 ‘For Diversity. Against Discrimination.’ truck tour as part of the EU's Europe-wide anti-discrimination information campaign. The tour will kick off at the United Islands of Prague music festival (Czech Republic), where 20,000 visitors are expected – before going on to visit 20 cities in 10 different EU countries over the next four months. The initiative – now in its fifth year – aims to raise awareness of the right to a life free of discrimination and has so far reached half a million people. The campaign aims in 2008 to build on the success of the 2007 European Year of Equal Opportunities for All, to which its activities last year were closely linked.

The Commission has presented, on the 20th June 2008, a Report on the progress achieved during the first year of the Black Sea Synergy initiative, which was launched in April 2007. The initial results show the practical benefits this new regional approach can bring, and its potential for the future.

European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Louis Michel, has welcomed the unanimous decision by EU member states to fully lift measures on Cuba. This decision to lift the diplomatic measures, which have already been suspended since January 2005, allows the EU to fully re-engage in a political dialogue with Havana.

The Agriculture & Fisheries Council will meet in Luxembourg on Monday 23 (starting at 2 p.m.) and Tuesday 24 June (starting 9.30 a.m.), under the Presidency of Mr Iztok Jarc, Slovenian Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Food. Commissioners Mariann Fischer Boel, Androulla Vassiliou and Joe Borg will represent the Commission at the meeting.

In adopting a joint resolution on the crisis of the fisheries sector due to the rising fuel price, MEPs expresses their solidarity with the EU fishermen and call on the Commission and the Council to envisage measures in order to resolve the present situation in the fisheries sector. MEPs furthermore call on the Member States to speed up procedures to enable the payment of aid on de minimis aid in the fisheries sector.

EU Consumer Commissioner Meglena Kuneva, in a speech in London, on the 20th June 2008, set out five priority areas for action for consumer policy in the digital age. These include: a single, simple set of consumer contract laws, the need to reconsider restrictions imposed by suppliers on distribution over the internet, a critical assessment of the use of business models based on geographical discrimination online, clamping down on the "next generation" of unfair commercial practices that are emerging online; and addressing critical privacy issues, in particular the conditions under which consumers give informed consent for the use of their personal data. The overall aim is to open up the Internal Market through e-commerce to deliver the full benefits to consumers.

On the 20th June 2008 the European Commission published a report considering and approaching common topics for debate concerning the actual Common Agricultural Policy. The report published offered explanations and the opinion of the Commission with reference to these topics.

On 2 April 2008, the Commission decided not to oppose the between Bridgepoint and Pret a Manger. The EC also declare it
compatible with the common market.

At the request of the European Commission Delegation in China and in agreement with the Ministry of Science and Technology, the JRC Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC) provided a scientific and technical support package to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Centre of Earth Observation and Digital Earth (CAS/CEODE), in order to contribute to post Wen Chuan earthquake disaster measures, such as damage assessment for reconstruction planning and future disaster risk reduction initiatives.

The European Commission has made available aid totalling €162.4 million from the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to help deal with the consequences of devastating floods that hit regions in England, Northern Ireland and Wales during the summer of 2007.

On Tuesday 24 June, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the Committee of the Regions (CoR) hosted in Brussels the High-level conference on the "Civilian Applications of GALILEO", which they co-organise together with Business Bridge Europe.