European Union News

Since its launch in 1987, the Erasmus programme has helped 2 million students carry out a part of their studies or a work placement in another European country. 31 students, one per country participating in Erasmus, have now been chosen to symbolically represent the 2 millionth student at a conference taking place on 5-6 October in Lund, Sweden. During this conference, stakeholders are discussing the way forward for the Erasmus programme and more broadly debate the issue of opening up opportunities to all young people to go abroad for learning purposes.

With the United Nations summit on climate change in Copenhagen just around the corner, local and regional solutions to this environmental problem is one of the priorities of the Open Days 2009. A full track of workshops that make up this great meeting concerns about "Regions and climate change: Europe's way to sustainable regional development"

The Committee of the Regions' plenary session, to be held on 5 and 7 October, in parallel with the OPEN DAYS - European Week of Regions and Cities, will reflect the main themes in current EU institutional and political affairs. The session's main theme will be the battle against the effects of climate change and preparations at regional and municipal level for the Copenhagen summit.

From today until Thursday, Brussels is the center of European regional policy through the OPEN DAYS 2009, the biggest event of the EU regional policy in the year, which will bring together more than 7,000 policy-makers, professionals and officials from academia, business and civil society at European, national and regional levels. The innovation and development as engines of growth will be a key point in the seminars and events being held in the Belgian capital.

After the "No" that the Irish delivered in June 2008, amended reforms in the Lisbon Treaty by the European Union seem to have satisfied the country, and its voters have approved its ratification by 67.3% of the vote. For the Treaty to enter into force it only needs the positive votes of Poland and the Czech Republic.

Brussels will become the capital of the regions and cities with the organisation of “Open Days 2009 - European Week of Regions and Cities” where over 7,000 European, national and regional policy-makers, practitioners and representatives of business, civil society and academia will participate in 125 seminars and other events in Brussels.

The European Commission confirmed that in September 2009 it has sent a Statement of Objections to British Airways, American Airlines and Iberia, members of the oneworld airline alliance, in relation to their proposed cooperation on passenger air transport services on transatlantic routes which the Commission considers may be in breach of European rules on restrictive business practices. The procedure was opened formally in April 2009.

The Official Journal of the European Union has published the information related to the state aids for France Télévisions. It is an invitation to submit comments pursuant to Article 88(2) of the EC Treaty. The European Commission authorized only 450 out of 2,000 meuros.

The Official Journal of the European Union has published on the second October a Directive amending Council Directives 77/91/EEC, 78/855/EEC and 82/891/EEC, and Directive 2005/56/EC as regards reporting and documentation requirements in the case of mergers and divisions. The objective of the new Directive is to reduce administrative burdens relating in particular to publication and documentation obligations of public limited liability companies within the Community.

The euro area (EA16) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 9.6% in August 2009, compared with 9.5% in July. It was 7.6% in August 2008. The EU27 unemployment rate was 9.1% in August 2009, compared with 9.0% in July. It was 7.0% in August 2008. For the euro area this is the highest rate since March 1999 and for the EU27 since March 2004.

European Commission has released €3million to address immediate humanitarian needs in Indonesia after the earthquake that struck close to Padang. More than 700 people are dead and there are thousands of missing people.

The European Commission has declared the official start of operations by EGNOS, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service, with its Open Service now available for free to businesses and citizens. EGNOS is Europe's first contribution to satellite navigation and a precursor of Galileo, the global satellite navigation system that the European Union is developing.