European Union News

How Europe's economy is governed and the recent Israeli boarding of the Gaza flotilla are just two things on the agenda when MEPs meet hold their sitting from 14-18 June. Members will also be taking a closer look at the role of credit rating agencies and the financial derivates market in the economic crisis. Progress on the Millennium Development Goals to slash poverty and financial for jobless construction workers in Ireland and Spain will also be looked at.

Norway, together with Belgium and Spain has been given the EU's go-ahead last month for a large-scale joint European marine research programme. The planned cooperation aims to boost knowledge of environmental conditions, marine resources and commercialisation in the seas and oceans managed by European countries.

EU environment ministers agreed to work together in the fight against drought and water scarcity and to support the development of an observatory which would reinforce prevention.

The Committee of the Regions, in cooperation with the European Commission, has launched a survey on sustainable energy policy in cities and regions.

The European Commission launched a public consultation today on a new EU children's rights strategy. The answers will be used to find out how EU policies can do more to promote children’s rights. The consultation will cover issues like child-friendly justice, violence against children, child poverty and child participation. It is open until 20 August 2010.

With the onset of the economic crisis in 2008, a very positive development of small and medium enterprises (SME) has come to a halt. Between 2002 and 2008, SMEs in the EU turned out to be the most important European Economy job engine. With 9.4 million jobs created between 2002 and 2008 SMEs outperformed large firms. This is in sharp contrast to an estimated loss of 3.25 million jobs in the SME sector over 2009 and 2010 further to the annual SME report.

Nearly 30 outstanding cultural heritage projects were honoured yesterday at the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage/Europa Nostra Awards at the Aya Irini (Topkapi Palace) in Istanbul, Turkey. Six of the projects received a grand prize and € 10,000 each.

Palma de Mallorca, in Spain, is hosting the Seminar on Consumer Safety in Palma de Mallorca, which was attended by the European Commission's Director of Consumer Affairs, Jacqueline Minor.

Recent corrections to previously announced government deficit figures notified by one member state have demonstrated the need to strengthen the monitoring of the quality of budgetary statistics data reported to Eurostat (the statistical office of the EU) in the context of the excessive deficit procedure. On 8 June, the Ecofin Council agreed on a general approach regarding a regulation that will facilitate this.

Clean bathing waters are vital for key economic sectors such as tourism and for plant and animal life. The annual bathing water report presented by the European Commission and the European Environment Agency shows that 96 % of coastal bathing areas and 90 % of bathing sites in rivers and lakes complied with minimum standards in 2009. It also describes where to obtain detailed and up-to-date information on bathing sites.

The Commission has decided to encourage industry, governments and NGOs to set up certification schemes for all types of biofuels, including those imported into the EU. It laid down what the schemes must do to be recognised by the Commission. This will help implement the EU's requirements that biofuels must deliver substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and should not come from forests, wetlands and nature protection areas. The rules for certification schemes are part of a set of guidelines explaining how the Renewable Energy Directive should be implemented.

The contribution of European territories, regions and cities to the Europe 2020 Strategy is the focus of the Open Seminar “ESPON Evidence for Regional Policy-Making” on 9 - 10 June 2010 in Madrid.