European Union News

The European Commission has adopted a a proposal extending the rules governing public access to documents issued by EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies. This proposal aims to extend the scope of current rules about access to information in order to put them into line with the Lisbon Treaty and create a single legal framework for the right of access to documents of all the institutions.

The EU Clinical Trials Register was launched by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on 22 March. This online register will give for the first time public access to information on interventional clinical trials for medicines authorised in the 27 EU Member States and Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The database also allows the public to search for information on clinical trials authorised to be carried outside the EU if these trials are part of a paediatric investigation plan.

The European Parliament Internal Market Committee agreed on 22 March that country of origin labels should be made mandatory for textiles imported from third countries and sold in the EU. This amendment to the new draft on textile labelling, which would provide for consumers not to be misled, would be compulsory for products from third countries and voluntary for EU products.

In a context in which cities are increasingly populated and need for water is growing exponentially, the World Water Day celebrated on 22 March, has been devoted in its 2011 edition to an adequate management of water in urban areas. Under the theme “Water for Cities – Responding to the Urban Challenge”, attention has been drawn to the need to ensure both water supply and adequate sanitation in all urban areas.

The European Commission and the Mies van der Rohe Foundation have announced the six finalists competing for the 2011 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture, the Mies van der Rohe Award. In this occasion, these six finalists have been shortlisted from 343 works in 33 European countries.

Key players in business, academia, finance, policy and green groups met together at the 10th Environmental Technologies Action Plan (ETAP) Forum on Eco-Innovation held on 22 March in Birmingham, where some business case studies on sustainable material management were presented. The event aimed to encourage innovation through cross-fertilisation between disciplines and sectors as well as identify and prioritise the key issues that need to be addressed by Government and EU action.

In order to pave the way for next Presidency trio to focus on the content of the budget instead of the procedure, the Hungarian Presidency is aiming to reach an agreement with the European Parliament concerning its role in this process. Hungarian Minister of State for EU Affairs, Enikő Győri, stated so at a European Economic and Social Committee’s public hearing held in Brussels on 21 March.

EU ministers in charge for energy met in Brussels on 22 March to held a debate over the recent developments in Japan and North Africa and their implications in global energy market and consequences over European energy supply. Briefed by the Commission over the last developments, ministers discussed the measures to be taken both at EU and national level. Regarding the debate around nuclear security, ministers pointed out that the global character of this issue would need for neighbouring countries to be involved in this risk assessment process.

The President of the Committee of the Regions, Mercedes Bresso, and the Commissioner for Energy, Günther Oettinger, called for stronger involvement of regions and cities for a sustainable Europe.Cities are home to 80% of the population in the EU and are responsible for 70% of its greenhouse gas emissions.

The European Railway Agency (ERA) issued on 21 March its Technical opinion regarding the safety related aspects of the Channel Tunnel Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) conclusions on the operation of rolling stock in the tunnel. The European Commission has welcomed this technical opinion as it paves the way to introduce more competition in the Channel Tunnel, ensuring the highest level in safety standards.

Although all Member states are currently experiencing difficult situations due to the economic crisis, the new Internal Market Scoreboard shows that most Member States are effectively transposing internal market provisions into national law. According to the Scoreboard, most Member states are meeting the target set by Heads of State and Government about the amount  Internal Market Directives for which the implementation deadline has passed, which stands at 0.9%.

The European Economic and Social Committee has suggested in its opinion on energy supply and neighbourhood policy, that the European Union should consider the security of its energy supply as one of the priorities of its external policy. In this opinion, the Committee came out in favour of appointing a high representative for energy policy to ensure that Europe speaks with one voice in this area.