European Union News

The European Commission has announced the inclusion of 2009 data into the Financial Transparency System (FTS). This on-line database, which goes back to 2007 and contains more than 114.000 entries, has been upgraded to allow more search options, and provide information on Commission administrative expenditure.

The European Commission has extended its authorisation under EU state aid rules of the Dutch and Slovenian bank guarantee schemes and the Greek and Polish bank support measures, until 31 December 2010. According to these extended measures banks should pay higher premiums for the guarantees provided by the State. This measure is intended that banks choose to finance themselves without recourse to state aid and avoid market distortions.

The European Commission put forward on July 1st a proposal to reduce translation arrangements for a future EU Patent. This proposal which is the final element needed for a single EU Patent to become a reality, is based on the three language system at the European Patent Office (EPO) and, if adopted, would drastically reduce existing translation costs.

The European Commission has granted 30.3 M€ as 50% contribution for programmes running in 14 member states between one and three years, for the promotion of EU agricultural products including fruit and vegetables, meat, dairy products, honey, flowers, fibre flax, PDO, PGI and TSG and organic products.

Keeping Europe the world's top tourist destination is the objective of the European Commission. For that reason, the Commission has issued a Communication outlining a policy that aims at supporting this essential sector of the European economy and proposes initiatives to promote its competitiveness, its sustainable and quality-based development and the visibility of Europe as an outstanding tourist destination.

On July 1st 2010 Belgium takes the floor, starting the six-months period of Presidency of the Council of the European Union. In order to celebrate this special occasion, Belgian Presidency will organize on Saturday July 3rd, the day after official opening ceremony, a unique festival to celebrate this special occasion.

In its Opinion on the Internet of Things and reuse of Public Sector Information (2010/C 175/09) published in the Official Journal on July 1st 2010, the Committee of the Regions highlights the potential that commercial and non-commercial uses of PSI can have as an asset for citizens in future applications to enhance the value of the IoT domain.

Negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council ended late on June 29th  with a deal for new rules on capital requirements for banks and a cap on bonuses for bankers. This new EU wide law, the first cap on how bankers are paid worldwide, will transform the bonus culture and end incentives for excessive risk taking.

A consultation on key questions arising from the issue of net neutrality has been launched by the European Commission on June 30th. The Commission wants to know more about potential problems linked with certain forms of traffic management and whether the new telecom rules are sufficient to tackle them, technical and economic aspects, quality of service considerations and whether net freedoms may be affected. Interested parties are invited to send their opinions by September 30th.

BUSINESSEUROPE and the Federation of Enterprises in Belgium will host the 8th European Business Summit (EBS) on June 30th and July 1st 2010, held in Brussels. This platform for EU business debate will count with the presence of presidents Barroso and Van Rompuy as well as many EU Commissioners, EU business CEOs and top executives.

The Spanish six-months Presidency has come to an end with the approval of what will be the roadmap for European growth and economic modernisation, the EU 2020 Strategy, and a series of measures which will allow the economic union to be consolidated, both key priorities of the Spanish programme.

MEPs are neither trying to ban the sale of eggs by the dozen nor the sale or marketing of Nutella. MEP Renate Sommer, who is steering legislation on food labelling through the European Parliament, stressed that there will be no changes to selling foods by number. Selling eggs by the dozen, for example, will not be banned.