European Union News - 06 April 2011

MEPs adopted a 2012 estimates with an increase of 2.3% over 2011, which means a figure of 1 725 billion Euro. On the other hand, it represents five tenths below the current rate of inflation in the EU.

MEPs backed the renewal of a fisheries protocol which expired on 31 December.  The new arrangements redefine fishing opportunities for EU vessels such as increasing from 57 to 70 vessels; 45 of those will be for tuna seiners and 25 surface longliners from France, Italy, Portugal and Spain.

MEPs adopted a report in which they ask to act quickly and coordinated to protect temporary to the refugees. Furthermore, EP urges to the Council to put in place an action plan for the resettlement of displacers and also believes that Frontex cannot be the main tool to help the Italian island of Lampedusa to cope the migration crisis in the Mediterranean.

The Hague Maintenance Convention sets up a worldwide system for recovering child support and other family maintenance payments. It creates a common legal framework between the EU and non-EU countries, thus that authorities cooperate in enforcing maintenance claims and debtors can no longer escape by leaving the EU. It also provides for free legal assistance in international child support cases.

European public bodies produce thousands upon thousands of datasets every year - about everything from how our tax money is spent to the quality of the air we breathe.  The Open Data Challenge We are challenging designers, developers, journalists, companies, researchers and others to people to come up with something useful, valuable or interesting for European citizens, built using open data. The main goal is developping an 'app' reusing open data from any European public organisation. 20 000 Euro in prize money to be won in the Open Data Challenge.

In order to help the guiding of national Roma policies and mobilise funds available at EU level to support inclusion efforts, the European Commission presented on 5 April 2011 the European Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies. According to this Framework, which focuses in access to education, jobs, healthcare and housing, Member States should set individual national Roma integration goals in proportion to the population on their territory and depending on their starting point.