European Union News - January 2011

By means of a series of new proposals adopted on 18 January 2011, the European Commission intends to take advantage at EU level of all the social, economic and organisational potential brought by sport. These initiatives, which are based on the results of consultations carried out by the European Commission, will mean the launch of twelve new projects in 2011.

The European Commission has requested from a certain number of pharmaceutical companies information about the patent settlement agreements concluded between originator and generic companies in 2010. This second monitoring exercise carried out by the Commission after the competition sector inquiry of 2009 which pointed to significant risks for European consumers stemming from certain types of patent settlements.

The new Hungarian media law which has created important controversy over the first weeks of Hungary's EU Presidency, was the object of a heated debate at the Civil Liberties and Culture Committees in Strasbourg on 17 January. While some MEPs urged for the immediate withdrawal of the law, some others defended the option to wait until the Commission releases the results of its legal assesment.

In a joint statement delivered on 17 January by High Representative Catherine Ashton and and Vice-President Štefan Füle, the European Union reaffirmed its solidarity with Tunisia and its people. The statement highlights the importance to ensure a new unity Government that ensures a peaceful democratic transition, and EU's will to provide any support for that objective.

The Memorandum of Understanding signed on 17 January by the Vice-President of the European Investment Bank responsible for FEMIP and the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean will allow to establish a close collaboration in the Mediterranean region in areas of economic, social and sustainable development. It will mark a significant step in the operational activity of the Union for the Mediterranean.

The dual circulation period ended in Estonia on Friday 14 January, and the euro is now the only currency to be legal in the country. The changeover was very smooth and successful and no major problems were encountered as banks, post offices and retailers have been coping well with the extra workload caused by the changeover process and the parallel handling of two currencies.

This is one of the main findings revealed by the report presented by the European Commission on 16 December on the progress of the Ambient Assisted Living joint programme. The report highlights very high levels of involvement by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in projects as well as strong levels of financial support by participating countries, and makes some recommendations to ensure ongoing positive results.

A single dose of vaccine against A(H1N1) pandemic influenza provided a good level of protection against the disease during the winter flu season 2009-2010, new research shows. The vaccine was particularly effective in those aged under 65 and in people without chronic conditions. The findings, published in the journal PLoS Medicine, offer an insight into the effectiveness of this winter's vaccine, which is designed to offer protection against H1N1 as well as other strains of influenza. Early indications are that H1N1 is the predominant strain in circulation this winter.

The Eurochamber opens on 15 January the period for all interested professionals to submit their works for the European Parliament Journalism Prize 2011. This Prize aims to give puiblic recognition to journalists who have covered major issues at European level or promoted better understanding of EU institutions or policies.

The Autumn 2010 Eurobarometer figures demonstrate that European citizens clearly see stronger European coordination and joint action as part of the solution for the European Union to emerge from the doldrums and return to strong economic growth and higher employment. Despite the differences in the economic situation between member states, a majority of citizens support EU action and approve the direction taken through the implementation of the Europe 2020 strategy.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) highlights in its latest annual report that OECD members and non-members must drive science, technology and innovation (STI) investment in order to contend with intensified global competition and bolster long-term growth. STI offers societies the potential to tackle the myriad challenges they face, such as health issues and demographic change and therefore it is crucial to maintain STI investment.

On 12 January 2011 the European Commission announced the creation of a loan guarantee fund to make easier for film producers to access bank financing. The MEDIA Production Guarantee Fund will support film producers throughout Europe helping, for example, to cover a proportion of a loan in the event of non-payment by a producer due to bankruptcy.