European Union News - 2008

On the 17th June 2008, the European Commission published notification of an Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty Cases where the Commission raises no objections. The decision was adopted on the 30th April 2008 to execute an aid scheme in the form of a direct grant for "Extending Broadband Reach" in Scotand.

At the conference "MOVING TOGETHER TOWARDS A NEW CULTURE FOR URBAN MOBILITY: Citizens' views on EU research for sustainable urban transport" held on the 16th June 2008 at the European Economic and Social Committee, citizens from the 27 EU member states dialogued with EESC members, experienced stakeholders and decision-makers in the urban transport sector. The Citizens, representing the different cultures and urban settings of Europe, emphasised the need to stop the excessive use of cars and to boost walking, cycling, public transport use and information services to obtain more liveable cities. They also called for stronger involvement of citizens in EU transport research to make it more applicable and bring it closer to the needs of all transport users.

On Tuesday 17th June, the European Parliament ITRE Committee adopted the report of Ms. Eluned Morgan (PES, UK) concerning "common rules for the internal market in electricity" In line with the European Parliament position, the EESC supports the principle of the effective unbundling of transmission system operators, electricity supply and production activities. In its recent opinion on the "Third legislative package on the electricity and gas markets", the EESC refuses the alternative option known as "Independent 'System Operator" that enables vertically integrated companies to retain the ownership of their network assets. EESC Member Carmelo Cedrone (Group II-Employees, Italy), believes that the behaviour of some Member States that oppose  ownership unbundling conflicts with the spirit of the original Commission proposal, which aimed to create a viable internal energy market.

For the first time in its 33-year history, the ACP-EU Council of Ministers has come out with a joint political resolution on top-of-agenda issues such as food prices, Economic Partnership Agreements and regional integration, and the effectiveness of development aid. ACP-EU is the Africa - Caribbean - Pacific - European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly

On the 16th June 2008, the European Commissioner for Science and Research, Janez Potočnik, officially launched the network of European Researchers in Japan. Consulted through an on-line survey, the European researchers working in Japan have pronounced themselves very much in favour of this network (74% of the respondents) and expressed their specific needs: to develop their contacts and get access to information on career development, research funding and Europe-Japan cooperation opportunities. The tool set up for them by the European Commission will answer these needs with interactive tools of information and networking.

According to te most recent figures from Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, the Euro area annual inflation up to 3.7% in May 2008.  Euro area annual inflation was 3.7% in May 2008, up from 3.3% in April. A year earlier the rate was 1.9%. Monthly inflation was 0.6% in May 2008. EU annual inflation was 3.9% in May 2008, up from 3.6% in April. A year earlier the rate was 2.1%. Monthly inflation was 0.6% in May 2008.

Delocalisation is not Europe’s number one ‘job-killer’ was the tag line for the major international conference, organised by Eurofound in Poznań, Poland, 3th-5th June 2008.

On the 11th June, the European Commission published in the Official Journal of the European Union, proposal for the Council decision fixing the financial contributions to be paid by the Member States contributing to the European Development Fund (second instalment for 2008). 105,000,000 euros is destined for the 9th European Development Fund and 1000 million eiros for going to the Commission.

On 6th June 2008, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration by which the undertaking Economic Zones World FZE (‘EZW’, United Arab Emirates) belonging to the Dubai World Group acquires control of the whole of the undertaking Gazeley Ltd (‘Gazeley’, United Kingdom) by way of purchase of shares.

On the 14th June 2008 the European Commission published in the Official Journal of the European Union (oJ) information concerning the Authorisation for State aid pursuant to Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty Cases where the Commission raises no objections. One such aid scheme dating back to the 6th May 2008 was grated to all economic sectors in Northern Ireland (United Kingdom).

The 6th JRC Energy efficiency workshop on "Effective Policies and Financial Mechanisms for Energy Efficiency in Buildings", organised by the JRC Institute for Energy (IE) on 3-5 June 2008 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, has been very successful with over 60 participants, from the new EU Member States (apart Malta), and a large number of Balkans countries.

On 21st May 2008 the European Root Certification Authority (ERCA) celebrated the performance of the 50th key certification session provided to Member States and other associated countries in the context of the European legislation on the digital tachograph system.