European Union News - 23 April 2009

The Commission welcomes the European Parliament's endorsement of a proposal to extend term of copyright protection for performers and record producers from 50 to 70 years. The Commission is also pleased that the Parliament's text has further strengthened the position of performers by introducing a new claim for session players amounting to 20% of record labels' offline and online sales revenue.

In its annual Progress Reports, the European Commission takes stock of the concrete reform achievements made by countries within the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) in 2008 and identifies the areas where further efforts are needed. Individual country reports for each country with an ENP Action Plan and a sectoral report accompany the policy paper.

A group of EU-funded researchers are counting the costs of the damage caused by invasive species in Europe. Writing in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, scientists from the DAISIE project highlight the invasive species with the greatest economic and environmental impacts. The findings of the project will contribute to the EU's Strategy on Invasive Alien Species.

During the latest Fusion for Energy (F4E) Governing Board the accession of Switzerland to F4E was reported to be formally approved by both chambers of the Swiss Parliament with an overwhelming majority.