European Union News

For the EU it is essential that the forthcoming global agreement sets the objective of limiting global warming to no more than 2°C above the pre-industrial level in order to prevent climate change from reaching dangerous levels at which irreversible and possibly catastrophic changes could occur. Keeping within this temperature ceiling will require worldwide emissions of greenhouse gases to be cut by more than 50% of 1990 levels by mid-century.

The European Union will be pressing for solid progress when formal negotiations to draw up a new United Nations climate change agreement start on 31 March in Bangkok, Thailand. The week-long meeting marks the first negotiating session since the UN climate conference in Bali last December decided to conclude the agreement by the end of 2009. The new agreement is intended to take effect once the Kyoto Protocol's targets for limiting greenhouse gas emissions from developed countries have expired in 2012.

The European Commission has published an amendment of the Decision 2005/338/EC in order to prolong the validity of the ecological criteria for the award of the Community eco-label to campsite service for 18 months which means that the criteria awards will remain until October 31, 2009.

On 21 December 2007, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Hungary, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia became part of the Schengen area. On Sunday 30 March 2008 at 0:00, the enlargement process will be completed by lifting air border controls between these countries and with the 15 states that were already part of the Schengen system.

The statistics concerning the Court of Justice’s judicial activity in 2007 reveal a distinct improvement compared with the preceding year. In particular, the reduction, for the fourth year in a row, of the duration of proceedings before the Court should be noted, as should the increase of approximately 10% in the number of cases completed compared with 2006.

The Eurosystem – comprising the European Central Bank (ECB) and the 15 national central banks of the euro area – and the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (Bank of Russia) launched last March 20, 2008 a three-year cooperation programme in the areas of banking supervision and internal audit.

Transnational Co-operation Programme for a European area in transition on the way to integration "South East Europe (SEE)" 2007-2013 under the European Territorial Cooperation Objective co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The Budgetary Control Committee is insisting on the setting up of a joint Parliament-Commission group to follow up in particular the supervision of the structural funds. This was the major development from Wednesday's votes in the committee, which saw all the EU's institutions and agencies accorded a recommendation that Parliament grant discharge for their financial management in 2006.

Despite repeated threats of a postponement, the Budgetary Control Committee is recommending that the Commission be granted discharge for its implementation of Community expenditure in 2006.

Among issues already influencing the debate on next year's EU budget are the European Parliament's new legislative and budgetary powers if the Lisbon Treaty is ratified and the membership of the next Commission and EP. Two reports adopted by the EP Budgets Committee on Thursday highlight MEPs' priorities and concerns in this context.

A report by Jutta Haug (PES, DE) on the budget framework and priorities for 2009 is the first programming text adopted by MEPs as part of preparations for the EU's next annual budget. It take account of the changes set to take place in 2009 that will have a major impact on the budget. Some are linked to the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty: the shift in the EP-Council balance of budgetary power in Parliament's favour and the scrapping of the distinction between compulsory and non-compulsory spending.  Others will follow from the 2009 European elections and the end of the present Commission's mandate. The MEPs elected in 2009 must be ready to use the new budget procedure in time for the 2010 budget.

Africa is home to some of the most valuable natural ecosystems and species on the planet. Worldwide, more than 16 000 plant and animal species are threatened with extinction. The monitoring of Africa's 741 protected areas (representing over two million square kilometres, i.e. nearly half the total area of the EU) plays a vital role in biodiversity protection, conservation and the sustainable management of natural resources. “The Assessment of African Protected Areas”, an online information system based on the latest advances in satellite technology, monitors trends in fire, vegetation, and rainfall. It allows park managers to compare current fire activity, vegetation growth or rainfall against seasonal norms. This information will help African nations to achieve the goal of reducing the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010.

The Commission supports committed journalism with the  launch of Lorenzo Natali Prize in its 16th edition. This prize is awarded to journalists defending human rights, democracy and development. This year it is open to all journalistic media: radio, television, written press, Internet.

The European Commission has decided on a far-reaching reorganisation of the Directorate-General in charge of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs. The former “DG FISH” becomes the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries and will now be known as DG MARE. There will be greater focus on Mediterranean fisheries and on control in international waters in line with the EU's commitment to fight illegal fishing. The new set-up takes effect on 29 March.