European Union News

The full Parliament has given the green light to the revision of the directive regulating the capital requirements of banks. The approved changes will improve risk management and help prevent future financial crises like the present. The legislation, which will be implemented from late 2010, will forbid banks lend more than 25% of their funds to a single customer (or customer group) and will introduce a 5% retention for the securitization of bank products, such as resale mortgage securities.

18 projects and student mobility activities funded by the EU's education and training programmes today received the 2009 European Awards for Lifelong Learning. The awards recognise the important role of these innovative and creative projects and activities in modernising education and training systems in Europe.

The European Parliament wants to make it compulsory for assisting spouses to have social security cover. MEPs are also keen to strengthen the maternity leave rights of self-employed women and assisting spouses. The directive on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health at work of pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or are breastfeeding has been referred back to the Women's Rights Committee.

Notice has been given on May 7th 2009, of the launch of a restricted call for tenders (ref.EuropeAid/128163/C/SER/Multi), aiming at the organisation of conferences, seminars and meetings in the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, the Union for the Mediterranean and the European Neighbourhood Policy — Regional Cooperation South. Applicants may submit their proposals until June 9th 2009.

At their vote in Plenary Session on May 6th 2009, MEPs have amended a political agreement reached with the Council on the reform of the regulatory framework for electronic communications, including mobile and fixed telephones, broadcasting, wireless and fixed internet. This means that the whole "telecom package" is likely to be subject to conciliation in Parliament's next legislative term after the European elections.

The European Union and the Trade Department of the United States have reached on May 6th 2009, an understanding which allows a way forward in the long-running dispute over hormone-treated beef. According to the agreement the US would not impose new “Carousel” sanctions over a set of EU products, and would in return enjoy additional duty-free access to the EU market for the type of high quality beef traditionally exported by the U.S.

The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), as part of the events on Europe Day, opens its doors to senior secondary and tertiary establishments of the greater Thessaloniki area, inviting pupils and students, along with their teachers and professors, to find out more about vocational education and training in the European Union.

Any advertisement that reflects the technical characteristics of refrigerators, washing machines or furnaces should indicate the energy consumption of the product, according to the Parliament decision. MEPs who have voted on the directive that governs the energy labeling, suggest that the label of a product is valid for three to five years and the energy rating standards are updated regularly.

The European Commission today launched the eYouGuide, a new online tool giving practical advice on the "digital rights" consumers have under EU law. This guide, which responds to a call from the European Parliament in 2007, addresses consumer issues like the rights towards your broadband provider, shopping on the web, downloading music and protecting your personal data online and on social networking sites.

The first European SME Week, which will take place all around Europe between May 6th to 14th 2009, is a campaign to promote entrepreneurship across Europe and to inform entrepreneurs about support available for them at European, national and local level. Under the slogan, “Small business, big ideas” more than 1000 events will take place in 35 countries. EU SME Week will allow SMEs to discover an array of information, advice, support and ideas to help them develop their activities.

This model proposed by the Commission includes a fully private and accountable Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), accompanied by an independent judicial body, as well as a "G12 for Internet Governance" – a multilateral forum for governments to discuss general internet governance policy and security issues. This proposal aims to provide an alternative to the impending expiry of the agreement under which ICANN currently manages the governance issues on the Internet.

EP President Hans-Gert Pöttering, has commemorated the fifth anniversary of the expansion that joined 10 new countries to the EU. Pöttering stressed during the opening plenary session in Strasbourg, the importance of this historic moment as the "culmination of the reunification of Europe" and stressed that enlargement has strengthened the stability, democracy and the role of the EU in the world. The president also defended the role of the Treaty of Lisbon to meet the challenges of the future.