European Union News

Mr. Rajendra Pachauri participated last 26 april 2008 in EP Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change before an audience of MEPs.

The European Parliament (EP) agenda for debate and voting has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union C 76 E/1.

8,000 pedestrians and cyclists are killed and 300,000 injured across the EU each year. The Transport Committee - in a vote on Wednesday - is backing Commission proposals to reduce this number via requirements for road vehicles covering systems for collision avoidance, frontal protection, brake assistance and other obligations for car manufacturers.

The economy has to contend with strengthening external headwinds but the euro area is showing resilience helped by strong growth in emerging markets, shows the latest Quarterly Report on the Euro Area (QREA). The most recent hard and soft data are consistent with the growth forecast announced on 21 February. The Report also looks at why growth and inflation have become more stable in industrialised countries in recent decades, a phenomenon economists refer to as the 'Great Moderation'. It shows that labour market reforms have succeeded in increasing employment levels but that there is a growing divide on the labour market, with the burden of reform falling on those not subject to standard labour contracts. It also shows that the economies of the Member States are reacting differently to the ongoing inflationary pressures. Finally, in its focus section, the QREA argues that East Asia could take inspiration from the European economic and monetary experience to the benefit of the region and indeed the whole world.

The Council of the European Union has agreed the appointment and replacement of members of the Governing Board of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop).

The first estimate for the euro area1 (EA15) trade balance with the rest of the world in January 2008 gave a 10.7 bn euro deficit, compared with -7.3 bn in January 2007. The December 2007 balance was -4.1 bn, compared with +2.3 bn in December 2006. In January 2008 compared with December 2007, seasonally adjusted exports and imports rose by 7.4%.

European Commission has announced the launch of a major EU control campaign aimed at preventing a repeat of last year's overfishing of Mediterranean bluefin tuna by a number of EU Member States.

The European Commission's Directorate-General for Research has issued a call for tenders for a study on mobility patterns and career paths of EU researchers.

Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden are world leaders in broadband deployment with penetration rates over 30% at the end of 2007, says the European Commission’s 13th Progress Report on the Single Telecoms Market issued today. These EU countries, together with the United Kingdom, Belgium, Luxembourg and France, all had broadband penetration rates higher than the US (22.1%) in July 2007.

The European Commission launched a new Call for proposals for indirect actions under the multiannual Community Programme to make digital content in Europe more accessible, usable and exploitable (The eContentplus Programme. The total budget earmarked for co-financing indirect actions is EUR 42,5 million and the deadline for receipt of proposals by the Commission is 12 June 2008 at 17.00 (Luxembourg local time).

The European Commission has given it's notice for the launch of three new calls for proposals as part of marie Curie actions. The calls are under the work programmes of the 7th Framework Programme of the European Community for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration Activities (2007 to 2013).

The Commission on the 19th of March 2008, adopted a proposal for a Directive aimed at facilitating the cross-border prosecution of traffic offences which imperil road safety. Technical measures and legal instruments are to be put in place which will enable EU drivers to be identified and thus prosecuted for offences committed in a Member State other than the one where his or her vehicle is registered. This will make an appreciable difference to road safety in Europe by bringing about a positive change of behaviour in both non-resident and resident drivers. It will also end the unequal treatment which often exists between these two groups of road users.