European Union News

"Solar Decathlon Europe”, the project from Autonomous University of Madrid, is the winner in the  category of communication of the annual Sustainable Energy Europe Awards 2011, organized in the framework of the EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW), held from 11 to 15 April.

On 31 March the European Parliament held a debate about ethics in the emerging new technologies. ETICA's final event, presenting its findings, was hosted by the EP's science assessment panel, STOA. One of the conclusions was the need to open a deeper debate on the ethical problems that may arise in the use of these new technologies.

MEPs at Trade Committee gave a green light to new rules aimed at making exports of arms for sport and recreational uses more transparent and efficient, while helping to fight illegal trafficking. One of the main goals of this report is establishing rules for export authorisation and the import and transit of firearms.

In the framework of EU-US Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial held in Gödöllo (Hungary), Neelie Kroes, European Commission Vice President for the Digital Agenda, EU Home Affairs Commissioner, Cecilia Malmström, and Secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano agreed to strengthen trans-Atlantic cooperation in cyber-security by defining the issues to be tackled by the EU-US Working Group on Cyber-Security and Cyber-Crime.

According to a report presented by the European Commission, there are current limitations in assessing the socio-economic implications of “cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops” in the European Union. The report, based on information principally provided by Member States, reveals that the existing information is often statistically limited and that it is frequently based on already preconceived ideas about GMO cultivation. The Commission also presents an analysis of the socio-economic dimensions of GMO cultivation as reported in the international scientific literature and in the conclusions of research projects funded under the European Framework Programme for Research.

Under the so-called “clearance of accounts procedure”, the European Commission claims for a total of € 530 million of EU agricultural policy funds unduly spent by Member States.

The Culture Committee of the European Parliament issued a report with a range of measures to promote mobility among young Europeans and improve educational and training opportunities. According to MEPs, among the measures needed are to increase funding for EU youth mobility programmes and EU-wide recognition of qualifications. Support for education-business cooperation, paid traineeships and measures to tackle discrimination in education are also taken into account in the report.

European Commission will direct €10 million at  intensifying the evacuation of foreigners from Libya and the repatriation to their home country. The European Union has been leading international humanitarian efforts both inside Libya and at the borders since the beginning of the conflict.

The European Commission launches a public consultation to design a 'strategic innovation agenda' of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) fwhich the Commission is due to propose by the end of this year. The agenda will outline the Institute's main priorities until 2020, focusing on the Institute's mission and objectives, funding and future themes. It will be presented by the end of the year by the Commission.

The statistical office of the European Union (Eurostat) published the results of Eurobarometer public opinion survey with questions on culture. The publication includes chapters on cultural employment, enterprises and external trade, cultural expenditure and participation as well as a chapter on cultural sites and museums. In 2009, 1.5 million people worked as writers or artists, equivalent to 0.7% of total employment in the EU27.

Justice and Home affairs Council meeting held on 11 and 12 April, mainly focused on migration and border related issues concerning the situation in the Southern neighbourhood region -among many other topics- and adopted conclusions on the subject. In addition, ministers discussed the recent Commission communication on the EU Framework on National Roma Integration Strategies.

MEPs from the Environment Committee approved a report in which consider that to allow EU countries to ban or restrict the use of GMOs (genetically modified organisms) on environmental grounds, giving them better legal protection in the event of challenges from trading partners opposed to a ban.