European Union News - 11 May 2012

The EU-Iraq Partnership and Cooperation Agreement will mean the establishment of a comprehensive platform for enhancing ties and cooperation in a wide range of areas, from political matters such as countering terrorism and promoting human rights, to trade and investment in key areas such as energy and services.
 

Eurostat published the 16th edition of its yearbook which presents a comprehensive selection of the statistical data. Among the figures report there are data on statistics, as for example that 79% of citizens aged 20 to 24 in the EU had completed at least upper secondary education in 2010.

The Spring forecast 2012-13 published by the European Commission shows that the EU economy is estimated to be currently in a mild recession, following the output contraction in late 2011. However, it is expected an acceleration in global growth, and thus it is foreseen a slowly recovery in the second half of the year on.

According to the judgement of the Court of Justice of the EU, the Netherlands failed to fulfil its obligations under the Directive on the award of public contracts because the province of North Holland laid down in the technical specifications (which determine the subject-matter of the contract) that certain specific labels used already for such province, or at least, labels based on comparable or identical criteria concerning the tea or coffee to be supplied should be used.

Ministers at the Education, Youth, Culture and Sports Council meeting adopted the decision which officially states Donostia-San Sebastián (Spain) and Wrocław (Poland) as European Capitals of Culture for 2016. According to the Council, the cities chosen must demonstrate current involvement in European artistic and cultural life, alongside their own specific features.