European Union News

Breaches of intellectual property rights (IPR) on the internet are a growing problem for the economy and require a response at EU level, including the removal of barriers to a single digital market by granting EU-wide copyright licences, according to members of the European Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee.

The European Commission has announced today a humanitarian aid decision worth €3 million to cope with the consequences of tropical storm Agatha  in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras

European Environment Agency and European Commission have presented two new instruments that will help in the fighting against the loss of biodiversity in European ecosystems.

A new European Commission report shows that EU telecoms markets have become more competitive thanks to the Commission's guidance in the consultation and review process known as the 'Article 7 procedure', whereby national telecoms regulators inform the Commission in advance of their plans to regulate parts of their national telecoms markets. As a result, citizens and businesses enjoy greater choice of services and cheaper prices.

Innovation is key to boosting economic growth, and governments should resist the urge to cut spending on activities that are 'essential for a country's future, the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) has warned.

A single energy market, sustainable production and security of energy supply will be the key topics at a joint meeting of MEPs and MPs from all EU Member States on 7 and 8 June at the European Parliament in Brussels. 

EIBURS provides grants to University Research Centres working on research topics and themes of major interest to the Bank. EIB sponsorships, of up to EUR 100 000 per year for a period of three years, are awarded through a competitive process to interested University Departments or Research Centres, associated with Universities of EU, Accession or Acceding Countries. Call is open until September 10th 2010.

Three French films funded by European Union's MEDIA programme of support for the European audiovisual sector have been awarded with several prizes in the latest edition of Cannes International Film Festival.

The EESC discussed the social dimension of the crisis and called for a necessary complement to macro-economic policies aimed at getting Europe out of the predicament in the framework of the debates of the Biennial Conference

The summit will be hosted by President Dmitri Medvedev, accompanied by Foreign Minister Serguei Lavrov. The EU will be represented by Herman van Rompuy, President of the European Council, and José Manuel Durao Barroso, President of the European Commission. High Representative/Vice-President, Catherine Ashton, and Commissioner for Trade, Karel de Gucht will also participate.

This year's Green Week, the biggest annual conference devoted to European environment policy, will take place from 1 to 4 June at the Charlemagne Building in Brussels under the slogan "Biodiversity - our lifeline"

The meeting of the Council of Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Ministers will focus on pushing forward the Digital Agenda and studying measures to guarantee the supply of natural gas.