European Union News

Ministers meeting within the Competitiveness Council held in Brussels on 10 December adopted a decision aimed at facilitating the transition of the specific state aid regime currently applying for the coal sector to the general state aid rules applicable to all sectors in the EU. This Decision will extend under certain conditions the possibility to grant aids to coal mines until December 2018.

In the occasion of the celebration of the Human Rights Day, the European Union has reaffirmed its strong commitment to keep human rights at the centre of its external action. The European Union has underlined its strong commitment to do more to promote and defend human rights throughout the world. Support to human rights defenders is a key element of the EU’s human rights policy in its external action.

European Ministers of Defence meeting within the Foreign Affairs Council held in Brussels on 9 December 2010 stressed the need to turn the financial crisis and its impact on national defence budgets into an opportunity. This same argument was also but forward at the European Defence Agency (EDA) steering board meeting, held in the margins of the Council, which immediately took the challenge and committed to pooling and sharing offers potential for savings, while increasing interoperable capacities.

The Official Journal of the European Union published on 10 December 2010 Council Directive 2010/88/EU of 7 December 2010 amending Directive 2006/112/EC on the common system of value added tax, with regard to the duration of the obligation to respect a minimum standard rate. According to this Directive minimum standard will maintained in 15% for the next five years.

An increasing number of developing countries are outsourcing deforestation to help protect and restore their local forests, according to a new study. The research was funded in part by the REDD-ALERT 'Reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation through alternative land uses in rainforests of the Tropics' project.

The European Commission has adopted the mid-term review that looks at the implementation of the 2007 Consensus on Humanitarian Aid, which sets out the EU's common vision, approach and driving principles in humanitarian action. Achievements to date are analysed, and further efforts are outlined, with the goal that the EU remains a world leader in the provision of effective humanitarian aid.

The European Commission has put forward on 9 December 2010 a proposal aimed to boost the position of the producers in the dairy supply chain and prepare the sector for a more market oriented and sustainable future. This proposal is a response to the the needs of this pressured sector and falls within the framework of the general challenges pointed out by the future Common Agricultural Policy after 2013.

The European Commission has launched a public consultation in order to seek the views of consumers, businesses, Telecom operators and public authorities and gather their ideas on the best ways to boost competition in roaming services, while protecting the interests of European consumers and businesses. The consultation runs until 11 February 2011 and will provide a basis for a review of the current Roaming Regulation which the European Commission has to carry out before the end of June 2011.

The Official Journal of the European Union published on 9 December 2010, Regulation Nº 1151/2010 establishing some of the technical requirements for the implementation of the rules on population and housing censuses, as regards the modalities and structure of the quality reports and the technical format for data transmission. These rules aim at ensuring the correct and accurate transmission of data as well as interoperability of the technical formats between Member states.

Before an earthquake hits the Iberian Peninsula, specific patterns in seismic behaviour can be detected, Spanish researchers have found. Presented in the journal Expert Systems with Applications, the study could prove vital for researchers seeking to determine when an earthquake will strike. The team recognises, however, that the chances of forecasting an earthquake with 100% accuracy are slim.

The Economic and Financial Affairs Council meeting on 7 December reached a political agreement on a draft directive aimed at strengthening administrative cooperation between the member states in the field of taxation, one of a number of savings taxation and tax governance measures aimed at preventing tax fraud. Given the greater taxpayer mobility and a growing volume of cross-border transactions, one key element of this draft Directive is to fulfil member states' growing need for mutual assistance and exchange of information in this field.

According to a new Eurobarometer on graduate employability it seems that employers, when it comes to graduate recruitment, value what is known as 'soft' skills just as much as sector-specific and computer skills. Teamwork, adaptability, communication and language skills are among the characteristics which are most valued by employers who also consider experience as a key asset for employability.