EU News - 16 November 2012

The Commission called on member states for more cooperation to complete the internal energy market

The European Commission called on member states in a Communication to step up their efforts to transpose and implement the existing EU internal energy market rules. Furthermore, the European institution announced that it will work with Member States to empower consumers and to reduce state interventions which distort markets.

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44 Nobel laureates and 130,000 citizens signed a letter urging EU leaders to invest in research and innovation

The European Commission welcomed a delegation led by Nobel laureates Sir Tim Hunt and Professor Jules Hoffman that have presented an open letter, signed by 44 Nobel laureates and 6 Fields medallists, and 130,000 people from Europe and around the globe, which emphasises the importance of EU funding for research and innovation, and warns against the consequences of budget cuts in these areas.

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The UK organisation Outset is the winner of the 6th European Enterprise Promotion Awards

The European Commission announced the winner of the Enterprise Promotion Awards 2012. According to the Commission, the UK organisation Outset has been awarded for creating a unique approach to supporting start-ups by helping society’s most vulnerable groups to find work through self-employment and enterprise. Cyprus, Sweden, Italy, Portugal and Turkey also received prizes for driving enterprise with new and innovative local solutions.

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The EESC called for more transparency and more effective citizen participation in the EU

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) should be a key player in the process of helping to bring citizens closer to the EU project and providing the platform for the institutions to listen and better take into account the views of its citizens, as means to the full implementation of Article 11 of the Lisbon Treaty.

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New international Protocol signed by the EU to stop illicit trading of tobacco products

The European Commission announced that on behalf of the EU and its member states it signed the Protocol on the Elimination of the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products. It was adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) with the EU acting as one of the Parties. The Protocol contains provisions on the control of the supply of tobacco products, and is an important part of a comprehensive tobacco control policy.

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