European Union News

The European Commission has accepted the request made by Spain to restrict the access of Romanian workers to its labour market until December 31st 2012. This measure is mainly due to the effect that these migration flows are having in the Spanish labour market, which is experiencing the highest rate of unemployment in the European Union.

New European research has shown that a North Sea wind farm provided a new natural habitat for organisms living on the seabed and it has little negative effect on the fauna around it. This North-Sea wind farm, which has the total capacity to provide energy for up to 100,000 households, contributed significantly to the biodiversity of the area, with their research turning up organisms such as mussels, anemones and crabs. Furthermore, the Dutch researchers warn that the impact of a wind farm depends on its location and on the depth of the surrounding sea.

The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) has decided to revoke the duties imposed on stainless steel sheet and strip in coils from Germany and Italy. The US were the second biggest market for EU steel exports in 2010, a sector whose exports are estimated at 32 billion euro. Lifting the duty against European exports would resolve one of the EU’s long standing trade irritants with the US.

Given the gravity of the situation in Libya, the Council of the European Union has decided to extend the sanctions imposed to the regime of Muammar Gaddafi by including two entities in the black-list. These entities whose assets have been frozen are either under the control of Muamar Gadafi or could be a source of funding for his regime. These measures further the sanctions already imposed at the beginning of the crisis back in March 2011.

According to the EU Survey on R&D Investment Business Trends, worldwide corporate investment in research and innovation proved resilient to the global recession in 2009. The data released by the Survey show that top companies based in the EU expect their global research and development investments to grow by 5% annually from 2011 to 2013, highlighting the
strategic importance that the largest corporate investors attach to R&D.

European researchers have created a driver-assistance system which gives cars the 'intelligence' they need to respond to their surroundings and differentiate between fog and darkness. The envelope aims to develop an inexpensive optical sensor system for the wind-shields of small and medium-sized cars which, according the researchers, will help reduce the number of accidents on the roads.

This tool developed by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is a plug-in to IUCLID 5 designed to help companies to carry out their Chemical Safety Assessments (CSA) and preparing their Chemical Safety Reports (CSR). This new version of the tool enables the users to generate the exposure scenarios for communication to downstream users.

Created by the Committee of the Regions in 2009, the European Entrepreneurial Region (EER) Prize aims to reward those European regions with outstanding support to entrepreneurial vision. European regions wishing to submit an application for EER 2013 Prize can do so until November 10th 2011. The Committee of the Regions will announce a maximum of three winning regions by the beginning of 2012.

The European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards celebrates a new edition in 2012. This initiative awards excellence and dedication by architects, craftsmen, volunteers, schools, local communities, heritage owners and media. Its aim is stimulate creativity and innovation. The deadline for submission of entries is until 1 October 2011.

With the help of European funds, a team of German and Italian scientists has developed a new research with peptides that act by a novel inhibitory mechanism and curb cancer cell growth in drug resistant ovarian cancer cells. The scientists point their research will go a long way to helping the some 200,000 women who are diagnosed annually worldwide with ovarian cancer.

Jean-Claude Trichet, the President of the European Central Bank has made a statement after the recent developments with regard to the tensions happened in some financial markets in the euro area. The President of the ECB reaffirmed what the Governing Council agreed on the 4 of August, its support to the economies of the euro area.

The European Commission welcomed the Russian competent authorities decision to cancel the temporary import requirements for fresh EU vegetables. This decision is taken following the epidemiological evidence that the E.coli infection was over.