European Union News

A EU-funded project highlighted that the development of components for new-generation high-speed broadband core networks can work well for the future of nanotechnologies. The BOOM project that kicked off in 2008, was set up to respond to the increasing demand for bandwidth-hungry Internet applications.

The European Commission announced the European Business Awards for the Environment 2012 nominees which include companies from Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, Austria, Portugal, Slovakia, Finland and the United Kingdom. The winners will be announced at the a ceremony in the framework of the Green Week that will take place on 24 of May 2012.

The European Court of Auditors (ECA) published a report in which it states that the effectiveness and efficiency of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) spending on financial instruments for SMEs were hampered by the regulatory framework being inappropriate for the different types of financial instruments used.

Eight in ten of the working population across Europe think that the number of people suffering from job-related stress over the next five years will increase. According to a survey results published by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), many expect that it will be a major increase.

The Council held a discussion on the multiannual financial framework (MFF) for the 2014-2020 period in which it was discussed the first elements of the negotiating box outlining the most central issues and options for certain parts of the MFF. On the other hand, the Danish Presidency of the EU Council expressed its intention to establish the basis for a substantive discussion by the European Council in June, so as to enable the MFF to be adopted by the end of the year.

The European Commission acted to ensure that this two Member States comply with their obligations to implement EU rules on defence procurement. In particular, the Commission is concerned that they have failed to fulfil their commitments under the Directive regarding procurement of arms, munitions and war material for defence purposes, and also the procurement of sensitive supplies, works and services for security purposes. The European Institution may refer the matter to the Court of Justice if the national authorities do not reply satisfactorily within two months.

The General Affairs Council meeting adopted the regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin which supposes a single legal instrument. This convention is going to facilitate the application of identical rules of origin for the purpose of diagonal cumulation of origin for goods traded in the Euro-Mediterranean zone.

Eurostat published its figures in computer skills registered in 2009 on the occasion of the e-Skills Week 2012. According to this figures, the share of computing graduates was 3.4% of all university graduates in 2009, compared with 4.0% in 2005 in the EU. In addition, the share of individuals having used a PC varies between 50% in Romania to 96% in Sweden.

The proposed new rules intend to ensure that European ships are only recycled in facilities that are safe for workers and environmentally sound. In particular, the Commission proposes a system of survey, certification and authorisation for large commercial seagoing European vessels, covering their whole life cycle from construction to operation and recycling.

According to the latest figures published by Eurostat, the number of asylum applicants rose in 2011 to 301,000. In 2010, there were 259,000 asylum applicants. The main countries of citizenship of these applicants were Afghanistan, Russia, Pakistan, Iraq and Serbia, and the highest number of applicants recorded in France, Germany and Italy.

Mayors and President of the Regions from all EU Member States adopted the “Copenhagen Declaration”. The Declaration expresses the political will of European cities and regions to achieve a sustainable urban development. Moreover, cities and regions called upon the European Union to share its best practices.

The Commission presented a new interactive web-based tool on adaptation to climate change. CLIMATE-ADAPT has been developed with the support of the European scientific and policy making community, and will help users to access, disseminate and integrate information. It is hosted and managed by the European Environment Agency (EEA).