European Union News - 2009

The Council of the European Union has formally designated on May 12th 2009 Guimarães (Portugal) and Maribor (Slovenia) to be the European Capitals of Culture in 2012, followed by Marseille-Provence (France) and Košice (Slovakia) in 2013. This decision follows the recommendation made by the Commission following the steps of the selection committee of the cities that hold the European Capital of Culture.

The European Commission is promoting cycling as a healthy and safe way to travel in cities at the 15th Velo-City conference, organised by the Brussels Region and which opened today in the presence of Vice-President Antonio Tajani, responsible for transport. The world's largest conference related to cycling takes place in Brussels, at Tour & Taxis until Friday 15 May and brings together one thousand participants from across the world to discuss the future of cycling in cities.

The European Commission has signed a Joint Statement with the African Development Bank and World Bank where these institutions renew their commitment with developing countries. In their Statement, these three Institutions acknowledge that the crisis calls for more coordination of infrastructure development in Africa, outlining their shared concerns shared and highlighting the priority interventions required at this time.

Co-organised by the European Commission, the Czech Presidency and the Committee of the Regions, the 3rd edition of the European Enterprise Awards showcases and rewards the most innovative initiatives to promote entrepreneurship and small business at national, regional and local level.

The European Commission has adopted Decisión (2009/377/EC) of May 5th 2009, published in the Official Journal of the European Union on May 12th 2009, adopting implementing measures for the consultation mechanism and the other procedures referredto in Article 16 of Regulation (EC) No 767/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the Visa Information System (VIS) and the exchange of data between Member States on short-stay visas (VIS Regulation).

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has launched a programme for 2009 in Serbia aimed at combating the financial crisis and bringing the country closer to the European Union. The Bank has also signed signed a new Framework Agreement with the Republic of Serbia aimed at laying down the EIB activity in the country. A first loan of 250 M€ for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and priority projects in the country, via the National Bank of Serbia, was signed in Belgrade on May 11th, as the first in a series of operations that are expected to see the EIB support Serbia’s real economy in 2009-2010.

The European Parliament has given its approval to the creation of  Media Mundus audiovisual cooperation programme with third countries for the period 2011-2013, financed with 15 million euros. With him, it is intended to boost the competitiveness of European cinema at the international level and encourage collaboration in this field between the EU and the outside.

150 citizens from across the EU who have been taking part in a unique pan-European debate on how to tackle the economic and social challenges facing Europe are meeting top policy-makers in Brussels to hand over their recommendations at a European Citizens’ Summit.

Six hundred European officials will return to their old school this year, many of them on or around Europe Day, May 9. The idea is to "give Europe a face" and to take part in discussions with school students on European issues of interest to them. The 'Back to School' initiative, which started in 2007, is run this year in nine EU Countries from March to November.

Saturday 9 May is the Festival of Europe. Some of the European Institutions will be opened to visitors for the occasion.

The President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Philippe Maystadt welcomed the call made to support SMEs in Eastern Partnership countries at the Eastern Partnership Launch Summit in Prague. As Mr. Maystadt highlighted such support is vital for sustainable economic development and EIB's lending activities will improve SMEs’ access to long-term finance, which is particularly important in this time of financial crisis.

The European Parliament has adopted four resolutions on the impact of the Treaty of Lisbon on May 7th 2009. The election of the new Commission, extending the powers and budgetary affairs and justice in the EU, and relations between national parliaments and the European, are among the issues highlighted in the resolutions.