European Union News

The EU's scientific and technical research committee (CREST) and the European Research Advisory Board (EURAB) have published two reports on recommendations for enhancing research and innovation. The EU's scientific and technical research committee (CREST) has published a set of 14 recommendations to help Member States and Europe's regions to better exploit the synergies between the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) and Structural Funds to boost research and development (R&D) performance. In addition, the EURAB has called for measures to increase the use of Structural Funds for enhancing research and innovation.

The European Commission presented its strategy to get a sustainable economy by 2050 based in a resource efficient growth. It proposes among other things tools and indicators to help guide action in Europe and internationally. It is an agenda for competitiveness and growth based on using fewer resources when the EU produces and consumes goods and creating business and job opportunities from activities such as recycling, better product design, materials substitution and eco-engineering.

The European Commission published a Communication in which sets out the strategy and principles it intends to apply when using EU criminal law to strengthen the enforcement of European policies and protect the interests of the citizens. The Commission highlighted that it is essential to design a clear European Criminal Policy enabling the Union to define if, when and how to use criminal law to better enforce a policy.

The European Commission presented its reform strategy to boost graduate numbers, improve teaching quality and maximise what higher education can do to help the EU economy emerge stronger from the crisis. It proposed, among the EU-level initiatives, including a multi-dimensional university ranking and an 'Erasmus for Masters' loan guarantee scheme for students taking a full degree course abroad.

The special report issued by the European Court of Auditors (ECA) shows that thanks to the European agri-environment support aims to respond to society's increasing demand for environmental services by encouraging farmers and other land managers to introduce or continue to apply agricultural production methods compatible with the protection and improvement of the environment. The report shows on the other hand, the existing problems concerning the aid amounts.

A new Commission communication on using research and innovation to boost regional competitiveness highlights the need to exploit synergies between the EU's regional policies and research and innovation programmes. In the communication, the Commission points out that ultimately, the EU's research and regional policies have a common goal, namely creating jobs and growth.

The European Commission will provide €10 million in emergency relief to the victims of the monsoon floods in Pakistan and €5 million to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of Bangladeshis. The Commission's humanitarian assistance will reach out to the victims, bringing them shelter, food, water and healthcare.

Manufacturing production was 4.5% higher than a year ago, but was almost unchanged compared to the first quarter, in the last three months to July 2011. In addition, EU manufacturing production in recent months has been affected by supply disruptions stemming from the Japanese tsunami.

An EU-funded pan-European initiative to operate a sustainable infrastructure for managing and safeguarding biological information in Europe has been given the go-ahead by five European countries. The Memorandum signed represents a first step towards the implementation and construction of a sustainable infrastructure for managing and safeguarding biological information in Europe. The researchers of this initiative hope that it will support life science research and its translation to related fields in medicine, the environment and bio-industries.

According to a Commission report, Europe urgently needs to address the social dimension of higher education more forcefully and coherently, particularly in view of the economic downturn. Member States need to open up opportunities for more people to benefit from higher education, matching this objective with coherent measures, funding and monitoring to evaluate their impact.

Finance Ministers of the EU have reached an agreement on Economic Governance Package. The Polish Presidency will now complete the necessary formal procedures in order to make possible for the European Parliament to vote the package already. According to the Ecofin, the new rules will improve budgetary discipline in the Member States and strengthen stability of the EU economy.

The European Commission new proposals aim to provide a stronger EU-based evaluation and monitoring system to verify and ensure the application of the Schengen rules, and for a more structured European decision-making mechanism that could allow for the temporary reintroduction of internal border controls in case of serious threat to public policy or internal security.