European Union News

The European Commission presented am ambitious package of proposals to boost the international competitiveness of the EU's aviation industry, which include opening negotiations with key partners to access new business opportunities in the fast growing markets, developing new tools to fight unfair competition and creating the right regulatory conditions to stimulate investment.

An EU-funded research project, the Eurocloud project, looks set to drastically cut the electricity and the installation costs of servers in cloud computing data centres. It has adapted low-power microprocessor technologies, typically used in mobile phones, to work on a much larger scale. Preliminary measurements show that using these technologies reduces power needs by 90%, compared to conventional servers.

Members of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted an opinion on the cost of non-Europe. They stressed that it is important in mapping a way out of the financial crisis, but also because it is crucial to the success of the Europe 2020 strategy and the next Multiannual Financial Framework.

The European Commission launched a new plan aimed at unlocking the full potential of the cultural and creative sectors in the EU to boost jobs and growth. In particular, this strategy aims to increase the competitiveness and export potential of these sectors, as well as to maximise their spill-over benefits for other areas such as innovation, ICT and urban regeneration.

The European Commission decided to challenge the United States non-compliance at the WTO, following the review of US efforts to comply with a World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruling on illegal subsidies in the so-called "Boeing case". The European Union shows that the US has not lived up to its obligations.

The European Commission proposed two Regulations that aim to ensure that patients, consumers and healthcare professionals can reap the benefits of safe, effective and innovative medical devices. The medical device sector is highly innovative, particularly in Europe and has an estimated market value of around €95 billions.

The Internal Market Committee in the European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution which points to difficulties for EU citizens at opening bank accounts, registering cars and having professional qualifications recognized in the EU and blames these problems on member states' reluctance to implement EU rules swiftly, coordinate with each other and inform citizens of their rights.

The European Union has decided to provide new support to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), that will allow it to continue to fulfil its mandate and to reach its total strength of 17,731, as authorised by the UN. EU support covers costs such as troop allowances, costs of the police and civilian component of the mission, medical care, housing, fuel, and communication equipment.

For Galileo, the European GPS system, public awareness is 57% in average, while in 2007 it was 40%. For the Global monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) programme the awareness is 38% whereas it was only 22% in 2009, says a recent published Eurobarometer. Also, most Europeans are very positive about space activities in general.

The European Commission announced a new support package for the EU's Eastern Neighbourhood. €23 million will be allocated with the aim at helping to improve security, boosting trade and increasing mobility for people living in the region. In addition, this project will provide training, equipment, infrastructure and advice.

The European Commission adopted a proposal aimed to apply new rules with regard to the publication of information on the beneficiaries of European agricultural funds. The proposal takes into account the legal constraints inherent to the protection of personal data by setting certain limits. This proposal follows a Court of Justice of the European Union judgment which, on 9 November 2010, had partially invalidated the regulations on transparency in the agricultural sector.

A report published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) shows that many parts of Europe have persistent problems with outdoor concentrations of PM and ground level ozone. Overall, almost a third of Europe's city dwellers are exposed to excessive concentrations of airborne particulate matter (PM).