European Union News

The European Commission has launched a public consultation to gather factual elements regarding tax problems arising arise in cross-border venture capital investments. Further to real cases of problems produced in these situations, the Commission also seeks to identify their causes, which Member States are concerned, as well as their economic cost both for investors and member states.

According to the annual Commission's report on access to documents, European citizens requested in 2011 access to a number of documents slightly lower that those requested in the previous year. The gradual reduction in the total number of documents requested might be due in part to the increasing awareness of citizens about their right to access documents and to Commission's efforts to add more and more documents to the public registry.

The European Commission has expressed its satisfaction with the commitment of the Spanish authorities to improve legal certainty for European citizens who purchased a property on the Spanish coast. This decision follows numerous complaints received from both Spanish citizens and citizens from other Member states who own properties in Spanish coast.

Two European groups have take part in the 2012 International AIDS Conference held in Washington D.C., USA, between 22 and 27 July. This conference, organized by the International AIDS Society, aims at presenting key scientific advances made in the fight against AIDS and providing a new opportunities to exchange experiences and knowledge.

The Governing Council of the European Central Bank decided to keep the interest rate applied to main refinancing operations at 0.75%. In a statement after this meeting, president of the Bank, Mario Draghi, highlighted the bank's support to the single currency stressing that the euro is irreversible.

The European Commission published on August 1 2012 its report on the activities carried out by the European Migration Network (EMN) since its creation. The report highlights the contribution made by the network to the policy-making process on asylum in migration.

The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) has published a study which examines how the use of financing schemes using payback clauses for training may encourage companies to invest in employees' training. These clauses allow companies to offer training to their workers by safeguarding their investment if the employee leaves the company.

The European Commission has adopted the first part of the 2012 Regional Action Programme for the Eastern Neighbourhood whose main objectives will focus on funding projects in the field of transport and environmental protection. The remaining part of the Action Programme is expected to be adopted in successive tranches over 2012.
 

The European Commission has announced its decision on deductions of fishing quotas for year 2012 to those Member States which exceeded their quotas in the previous year. This decision foresees for the first time a 50% increase on deductions for those countries which have repeatedly exceeded their quotas between 2009 and 2011.

The European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva, made a statement calling on parties involved in civil was in Syria to respect non-combatant civilians, especially women and children. Commissioner Georgieva expressed her concern on the situation and security of the people working with humanitarian organisations in the field.

This decision of the European Ombudsman is referred to a complaint filed in September 2011 by a Spanish lawyer. In his claim, the complainant alleged that the European Central Bank had not sufficiently justified the denial of access to a letter sent by the ECB to Spanish authorities where it allegedly included indications, recommendations and guidelines on budgetary matters.

The new technologies applicable to constructive methods represent an important opportunity not only for the construction of new buildings but also for renovation of the existing housing stock. This opportunity is one of the elements the European Commission has considered in its new strategy for the European construction industry, a sector which accounts for more than 10% of employment in the EU.