European Union News

Siim Kallas, Vice-President of the European Commission and Transport Commissioner, set out the the Commission's priorities for passenger ship safety in a keynote speech delivered at a major passenger ship safety conference in Brussels. The priorities are based in promoting industry voluntary measures, intensifying enforcement and implementation; and regulatory measures. In addition, the Commission launched a public consultation in this subject.

The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) adopted an opinion which highlights the lack of precision of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) about the measures to be deployed to tackle infringements of intellectual property rights ('IP rights') on the Internet. According to the EDPS, it may have unacceptable side effects on fundamental rights of individuals, if they are not implemented properly.

4.4 million more nights (+4.9%) were spent in tourist accommodation establishments in the European Union in January 2012 in comparison to January 2011. According to Eurostat, with the exception of Portugal and Malta, this increase was reflected in the national figures of all Member States.

The epSOS project develops an eHealth framework and ICT infrastructure that intends to enable secure access to patient health information among different European healthcare systems. The project, according to the European Commission, uses the European Health Insurance Card as one of the tools for identifying patients.

The European Parliament approved a resolution which calls on the European Commission to propose a Seventh Environmental Action Programme (EAP) as soon as possible, and MEPs also ask that the Programme must take steps and set targets to protect the EU's environment and spur more efficient use of energy and natural resources.

The conference organized by the European Commission and Cooperatives Europe in Brussels on 23 of April will be used by Vice President Antonio Tajani, Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship as an opportunity to consult stakeholders on whether and how to simplify the regulation on the European Cooperative Society.

The European Commission has published a report in which it shows itself in agreement with the expert panel view that evaluated the European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP). The evaluation results showed that this Programme is a successful European public-public partnership so far.

The Foreign Affairs Council welcomed the changes in Burma/Myanmar and therefore, in order to encourage the reform process, has decided to suspend restrictive measures imposed on the Government with the exception of the arms embargo. In a resolution adopted in last plenary session, the European Parliament called on Member States to suspend those restrictive measures.

According to the first notification from Eurostat with regard to figures to 2011, Euro area and EU government deficit at 4.1% and 4.5% of GDP respectively. In addition, in the euro area the government debt to GDP ratio increased from 85.3% at the end of 2010 to 87.2% at the end of 2011, and in the EU from 80.0% to 82.5%.

The social partners representing the professional football sector signed their first agreement setting minimum contract requirements, in order to ensure that player contracts throughout Europe meet certain minimum standard among other things.

The European Parliament approved a resolution which calls for building into key EU policies the biodiversity conservation. On this way, MEPs also highlights that environmentally harmful subsidies should be named and phased out by 2020, and to redirect the CAP towards compensating farmers for delivering public goods.

The European Parliament approved a resolution in which calls call on the Commission and Council to explore any measures to avoid such situations in the future, including the partial suspension of tariff preferences. The resolution was adopted by 458 votes in favour, 71 against and 16 abstentions.