European Union News

Sport Unit of DG Education and Culture of the European Commission has issued a call for proposals for transnational projects proposed to be funded by public agencies and civil society organizations to identify and test appropriate networks and good practice in sport.

Since the outbreak of the financial crisis, the EU has examined how to avoid a similar event in future. On 18 May, the Ecofin Council reached an agreement on a mandate for the Presidency to negotiate with the European Parliament on a directive establishing an EU framework for managers of alternative investment funds, such as hedge or private equity funds.

Tomorrow is World Biodiversity Day and despite efforts around the globe, studies show that biodiversity – the rich variety of life on this planet – is diminishing at a startling rate. An innovative EU campaign to highlight this message is engaging thousands of people across the European Union and beyond. The campaign website has already received more than half a million visits, while over 56,000 people have shown their support for the campaign on Facebook.

The Spanish Secretary of State for the EU, Diego Lopez Garrido, said on Thursday that the EU Council of ministers in June will create a financial instrument to develop a comprehensive maritime policy and will promote the inclusion of a maritime aspect in EU security and defence policies.

The Europea Commission has recently unveiled the contents of the European Digital Agenda, the he first of seven flagship initiatives under the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The Digital Agenda focuses on seven areas, foreseeing some 100 follow-up actions, of which 31 would be legislative.

The European Parliament adopted a report calling for the implementation of projects of the Union for the Mediterranean (UFM), after two years of stagnation.

The completion of the single market, the sustainability of national debts and a grass-roots led EU cohesion policy are central to the success of the EU2020 strategy, insisted MEPs in a series of resolutions adopted on Thursday. The vote on Parliament's EU 2020 resolution has been postponed until June.

The European Parliament has given its green light to a proposal from the European Commission which makes it possible to use European regional funding to improve housing for marginalised communities. This measure, previously agreed by the Member States, will be particularly welcomed by the Roma population, estimated to include around 10-12 million people in Europe who often live in extremely deprived and segregated conditions.

Women play a key role in local communities but their contribution is often unnoticed and poorly rewarded. Ensuring equal opportunities for both sexes is vital to keeping the countryside alive.

On the initiative of the Spanish Presidency of the EU, the European Commission is to launch a project to promote accessibility in cities, according to Wednesday's announcement by the Spanish minister for Health and Social Policy, Trinidad Jiménez, at a press conference following the informal meeting of European disability ministers in Zaragoza.

People needing organ transplants should face shorter waiting times after Parliament approved on Wednesday a draft directive on quality and safety standards for human organs used for transplants. The directive covers all stages of the chain from donation to transplantation and provides for cooperation between Member States.

Six EU-funded education projects aimed at promoting social inclusion were named today as winners of the 2010 European Awards for Lifelong Learning. The winning projects are from Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom and involve partners from many other European countries. The awards were announced at a conference in Barcelona.