European Union News - European Union

MEPs at the Civil Liberties Committee debated on the concerns as to whether the laws implementing Hungary's new constitution are compatible with EU rules and values. Some MEPs favoured awaiting the European Commission's analysis of the laws, while some MEPs proposed a "fundamental rights check" to determine whether there is a risk of a serious breach of EU values.

The European Commission takes the Council to the Court of Justice for failing to adopt the Council Regulation on the annual adjustment to the remuneration and pensions of EU staff as anticipated in the Staff Regulations. The main problem is the adjustment on salaries and pensions of EU officials. Both follow an increase or decrease regarding the national civil servants salaries and pensions.

The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) published his strategic planning document for 2012 called the Inventory, which focuses in the cornerstones of his consultation work for 2012, while not neglecting the importance of other legislative procedures where data protection is concerned.

The Defence data for 2010 shows among other findings that total defence spending by EDA remained constant at €194 billion. The Defence Data exercise has been running for five years and it has been published by the European Defence Agency (EDA).

In most cases, the EU institutions reply positively to the European Ombudsman. P. Nikiforos Diamandouros, the European Ombudsman, however, has expressed his concern about the high number of unsatisfactory follow-up replies (10 out of 33) which the European Commission provided in response to his critical remarks.

2012 is the European Year of Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations. The 2012 year's theme is, according to the European Commission, an occasion to reflect on how Europeans are living longer and staying healthier than ever before, and to realise the opportunities that represents. 2011 was the European Year of Volunteering.

The European Commission has extended to 12 weeks the period given to citizens, businesses and non-governmental organisations to comment on plans for new policies and legislation. In addition, the Commission has also introduced an alert service for upcoming initiatives.

Guimarães (Portugal) and Maribor (Slovenia) are the European Capitals of Culture 2012 as from 1 January. However the official programme of events begins on 13 January in Maribor and 21 January in Guimarães. Both cities have a busy calendar of events planned for the year.

In the Second Evaluation Report on EU Pilot, the European Commission considers that this initiative is no longer a project in its early and experimental phase. According to the results of the report, the projects has now become a well-established working method which is delivering results for the Commission, as well as for the participating Member States and citizens. Therefore, the Commission is exploring the possibility to extend the EU Pilot as an instrument for problem-solving and prevention.

The European Medicines Agency’s Management Board has endorsed the work programme and budget 2012. The work programme forecasts a stable number of applications for marketing authorisation for human and veterinary medicines in 2012. The work programme is accompanied by a budget of €222.5 million, an increase of 6.5% over 2011.