European Union News

The Transport Committee discussed on January, 22nd  legislative proposals to set up Intelligent Transport Systems, which will link travellers, vehicles and road infrastructure via new communication technology throughout Europe. Although MEPs and experts considered the benefits for sustainable transport, in terms of less congestion and fewer accidents, they also pointed out some possible problems relating to data protection.

Although the UCITS regulatory framework has proved to be very resilient during the current crisis, the depositaries of 4 UCITS funds who entrusted fund assets worth 1.6bn€ to Madoff entities, have not yet been recovered. The Commission considers that it is still premature to conclude if investors will not be indemnified, but will ensure that MS have dully implemented the provision of the Directive.

The signature of the "NIF Trust Fund Agreement" in the margins of the General Affairs and External Relations Council of January 26th 2009, will allow EU Member States to provide additional funds to the Neighbourhood Investment Facility (NIF), a key lever of the European Neighbourhood Policy.

The European Commission has launched a call for proposals under the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) Specific Work Programme SME, with the objective to promote entrepreneurial culture of young people, and entrepreneurship education. The projects funded will be part of the support given by the European Commission to the implementation of the Small Business Act.

The Official Journal of the European Union has published on january 26th, 2009 the Conclusions of the Council concerning a European partnership for international scientific and technological cooperation, which aims aims to develop better coherence and synergies between the various international scientific and technological cooperation activities carried out in Europe by Member States and the European Community.

The European Commission has launched a new Call for Proposals aiming to fund new actions under TEMPUS IV Trans-European cooperation scheme for higher education. The objective of Tempus Programme is to promote multilateral cooperation among higher education institutions, authorities and organisations from EU Member States and partner countries, focusing on the reform and modernisation of higher education.

The Official Journal of the European Union has published a new Call for Proposals under the Joint Harmonised European Union Programme of Business and Consumer Surveys, with the objective to carry out business and consumer surveys in Ireland. This co-operation will take the form of a framework partnership agreement between the Commission and the specialised bodies over a period of two years.

Members of the EP Civil Liberties Committee adopted on January 21st, by a large majority, a compromise reached with the Council by Claudio Fava, the MEP guiding the legislation through Parliament.  This deal paves the way for a first-reading agreement on the “sanctions directive” and will be debated at Parliament’s plenary session in Brussels on February, 19th.

The Official Journal of the European Union, OJEU, has published Directive 2008/121/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of January, 14th 2009, which is a recast version, of Directive 96/74/EC on textile names, and its subsequent substantial amendments. This Directives established the main rules with regard to the names, composition and labelling of textile products in order to ensure the proper functioning of internal market.

The European Commission has published in the Official Journal of the European Union on January 22nd 2009, a new Call for Proposals under the work programme “People” of the 7th Framework Programme of the European Community for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration Activities (2007 to 2013), concerning trans-national operation of the EURAXESS Services Network.

The Official Journal of the European Union published on January, 22nd 2009, the Communication from the Commission related to the “Temporary Community framework for State aid measures to support access to finance in the current financial and economic crisis”, which establishes some additional measures which Member States may implement in order to reduce the difficulties faced by companies to access financial instruments and to support investment in certain areas.

The European Council adopted on January 19th 2009, its Decision 2009/42/CFSP on support for EU activities in order to promote among third countries the process leading towards an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), in the framework of the European Security Strategy.  The overall objective of this Council Decision is to promote the participation of all stakeholders in the discussion on an ATT, integrate national and regional contributions to the international process under way, and to identify the scope and implication of a possible treaty on the trade in arms.