European Union News

The Official Journal of the European Union published on July 23rd a Communication from the Commission to all farmers concerning set aside from 2009. The proposal is the logical follow-up of Council Regulation (EC) No 1107/2007 fixing the rate for compulsory set aside at zero in 2008.

Those guidelines are part of the Community actions aiming to the dynamization of the railway sector, which have included legilative developments for liberalization of the sector and interoperability of the rail european network. As a third pilar,  the Commission considers this support to be justified in certain circumstances in view of the substantial adaptation costs necessary in that industry.

On the 22nd July the Official Journal of the European Union has published the Common Position (EC) No 15/2008 adopted by the Council on 6 June 2008 with a view to adopting Directive about establishing the fundamental principles governing the investigation of accidents in the maritime transport sector and amending Directives 1999/35/EC and 2002/59/EC

In July 22nd the Official Journal of the European Union published the Summary of the Commission Decision declaring the concentration between Google and Double Click compatible with the common market and the functioning of the EEA Agreement. This Decision was accompanied by the positive opinion of the Advisory Committee on Mergers, and the Final report of the Hearing Officer.

On the 22nd July the Official Journal of the European Union has published the Common Position (EC) No 15/2008 adopted by the Council on 6 June 2008 with a view to adopting Directive about  Community vessel traffic monitoring and information system.

The Official Journal of the European Union has published last 18th July the Commission Decision of 11 July 2008 amending Decision No 2007/60/EC as regards the modification of the tasks and the period of operation of the Trans-European Transport Network Executive Agency.

The Commission, in a Decision published in the Official Journal of the European Union in July 21st, established the bodies that for their special nature have the right to access certain confidential data for scientific purposes

The Official Journal of the European Union has published last 19 July it has published the non-opposition to a notified concentration agreed on 11 July 2008 by the competition services of the Commission. It has been declared compatible with the common market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004.

The purpose of the Green Paper is to foster a debate on how knowledge for research, science and education can best be disseminated in the online environment. The Green Paper aims to set out a number of issues connected with the role of copyright in the "knowledge economy" and intends to launch a consultation on these issues.

The Headquarters' Agreement between the Government of Spain and the Community Fisheries Control Agency will be signed and the doors of its provisional premises in Vigo will be symbolically opened.

With the objective to facilitate further amendments on the existing legislation on rail interoperability, and given that some amendments have already been done in Directive 2004/50/EC, the Official Journal of the European Union published on July 18th Directive 2008/57/EC on the interoperability of the rail system within the Community.

The Official Journal of the European Union has published last 17th July the agreement of the European Commission in relation to compatibility of aids under Article 87(3) (c) of the EC Treaty given that the measure is in line with the Community Framework for State aid for Research and Development and Innovation.