European Union News - 01 June 2012

All three committees advising the International Trade Committee rejected last 31 of May the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). Their positions are not binding on the Trade Committee, which adopts its own position as lead committee on 21 June.

The European Commission asked to Austria and Poland to notify the measures they are taking to transpose EU rules on defence procurement within the next two months. According to the Commission, if the Directive is not fully implemented in all Member States, companies and taxpayers alike cannot reap the benefits of easier access to a transparent and open defence market.

Commissioner for Development announced the launching of a new initiative to fight discrimination in developing countries. This new package will be available for NGOs and civil society groups to tackle incidences of any kind of discrimination on the ground. The funding will be launched through the Commission's Call for Proposals in 2013.

According to the figures published by Eurostat, the euro area seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 11.0% in April 2012, stable compared with March. With regard to the EU unemployment rate was 10.3% in April (in March reached the 10.2%).

The European Commission published a report that shows how 'citizenship education' is already integrated into primary and secondary school curricula in all EU Member States. The report also shows that improving knowledge and skills for teaching the subject remains a challenge, however, with only two countries (UK - England and Slovakia) offering training for prospective specialist teachers in initial teacher education programmes.

The Council adopted a decision approving the signing and provisional application of a multipartite free trade agreement with Colombia and Peru. This agreement remains open for signatures by Bolivia and Ecuador. In addition, the Council also launched free trade negotiations with Vietnam.