European Union News - 2008

"The EU has a significant role to play in fostering social success" is the message set forth by Vladimír Špidla, Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities at the two-day conference on 'Responding to new social realities' which took place in Brussels on May 5th 2008. The event, brought together all EU and national players, set the stage for a new Communication on the EU Agenda for Opportunities, Access and Solidarity, planned for June 2008.

The European Commission has authorised on the 5th of May, a State aid measure by Germany aimed at supporting the development of an electronic fare management system for public transport, the so-called "e-ticketing system". The approved State aid amounts to approximately € 9.75 million and will be granted between 2007 and 2009.

The European Commission has adopted a Communication on the application of the slot allocation Regulation. The Communication clarifies a number of issues in order to ensure a better implementation of the existing rules and to improve the efficient use of scarce capacity at congested Community airport. In particular, it signals the acceptance of "secondary trading" of airport slots between air carriers.

The European Commission approved an aid programme for the acquisition and modernisation of rolling stock in the Czech Republic. The Czech Government is set to spend CZK 4,800 million (EUR 173 million) under this programme between 2008 and 2013.

The European Commission has adopted guidelines for State aid to railway undertakings. The guidelines clarify the rules governing public funding of these businesses. This is one way the Commission is boosting the liberalisation of the industry and ensuring that public funding contributes to sustainable mobility in Europe.

The Commission has expresed Non-opposition to the notified concentration between Renault, Russian Technologies and AvtoVaz. On 8 April 2008, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to declare it compatible with the common market.

Last 1st May it has been published the first call for proposal of the AAL Joint Programme with a total budget of 57.7 M€ to develop projects under the topic "ICT based solutions for Prevention and Management of Chronic Conditions of Elderly People".

The European Commission has published the report on the implementation of the Culture 2000 programme last 29 april 2008 in the document COM(2008) 231 final.

The Commission has adopted changes to the rules of access to documents from EU institutions. These changes reaffirm the Commission's commitment to transparency, up-date the rules to reflect recent case-law and aim to allow the institutions to be more efficient in responding to requests from citizens.

According to the latest figures published by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, the euro area's (EA15: consists of Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia and Finland) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate stood at 7.1% in March 2008, unchanged compared with February. It was 7.5% in March 2007. The EU271 unemployment rate was 6.7% in March 2008, also unchanged compared with February. It was 7.3% in March 2007.

The European Commission has adopted guidelines for State aid to railway undertakings. The guidelines clarify the rules governing public funding of these businesses. This is one way the Commission is boosting the liberalisation of the industry and ensuring that public funding contributes to sustainable mobility in Europe.

The European Commission has authorised, under EC Treaty state aid rules, €143 million of aid, which the Romanian authorities intend to grant to Ford for the production of vehicles and engines in Craiova, in the South West of Romania.