European Union News

On the basis of a revised negotiating box prepared by the Cyprus presidency, the Council discussed the EU's multiannual financial framework (MFF) for the 2014-2020 period. With regard to the overall expenditure ceiling, some member states welcomed the presidency intention to reduce the figures proposed by the Commission and insisted on the need of better spending. Others defended the Commission proposal, arguing that the MFF was the major investment tool for promoting growth and creating jobs. They also expressed their willingness to reach agreement at a special European Council scheduled for 22-23 November.

The European Economic and Social Committee adopted at its September plenary session two opinions which called for specific regulations to be put in place in a bid to protect children against harmful advertising and damaging online content. The EESC highlights that it is being favoured e-commerce over child protection.

A loan of €200 million has been granted by the European Investment Bank (EIB) to Banco Santander for financing investment projects carried out by small businesses. Banco Santander will match this amount with a further €200 million, meaning that a total €400 million will be pumped into financing SMEs under the loan agreement.

Most of European citizens are in favour of more competition in national and regional rail. The total support is above 60% in all but Netherlands and Luxembourg. 78% of EU citizens think that more competition will be good for passengers. The survey results published by the European Commission shows that tough less than half of Europeans are satisfied with their railway systems, satisfaction has slightly improved since 1997.

The European Environment Agency (EEA) published a report which analyses the development of a set of indicators to measure progress against targets to halt biodiversity loss. The agency stresses that the continuing loss of biodiversity is a matter of growing concern in Europe. Yet measuring the extent of the loss and the threat it poses is a huge challenge.

Mayors from across the European Union and China met in the Committee of the Regions (CoR), in Brussels, and signed an agreement signalling the next phase in co-operation as part of a joint effort in promoting sustainable cities. President of the CoR, Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso, highlighted that the Forum offered the ideal platform to take a joint response to deal with these global challenges.

The European Court of Auditors (ECA) published a report which highlights that the European Commission, Eurostat and Member States have not yet achieved the full implementation of the European Statistics Code of Practice. Moreover, the EU Auditors stressed that the European statistical programme 2008 to 2012, the audit found that Eurostat had not designed it as an effective planning, monitoring and accountability tool.

MEPs urged to member states that global efforts to combat illegal fishing be stepped up, and improvements made to agreements with third countries which allow EU vessels to fish in their waters in a Fisheries Committee meeting. They also asked for banning to remove shark fins on board vessels.

A new report from the European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net) published by the European Commission shows that the European Small Claims Procedure to resolve small cross-border disputes is often under used. According to the report, this is mainly because judges are not aware of the procedure, something the Commission intends to tackle vigorously.

The EU will help China in meeting its environmental, energy- and carbon-intensity targets and in the long run, contribute towards achieving a global reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, following a new financing agreement signed by Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs, and Chen Deming, Minister of Commerce of the Republic of China.

A draft report authored by MEP Marianne Thyssen and presented to the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee underlines that the EU already has some tools in place to tackle the crisis, although a strong economic and monetary union in the future will require treaty changes. As European Parliament is now directly involved in the work of this task force, the Thyssen draft report will ultimately form a part of the mandate for MEP negotiators.

Environment Committee in the European Parliament underlined that oil firms must be held liable for the costs of any potential environmental damage - and have the means to pay - or else be denied licences to drill in EU waters. The Committee voted on 19 of September on the new legislation that will set minimum European standards for offshore oil and gas safety, regulating licensing, emergency plans and decommissioning of platforms.