European Union News - European Union

Up to 750,000 million euros could be mobilised thanks to the agreement signed by the ministers of the Eurozone to help EU countries with a high deficit or problems with their public debt.

The European Commission together with the Spanish Presidency organise the  Ministerial and stakeholder conference 'TEN-T Days 2010: Trans-European Transport Networks – drawing up the EU Core-Network' for an integrated, efficient and environmentally friendly European transport system.

A Joint Parliamentary Meeting has been organised by the European Parliament and the Spanish Parliament (Cortes Generales) on the topic, 'Towards a European Energy Community for the 21st Century?'.

The Council adopted aswell an action plan for unaccompanied minors arriving illegally in the European Union. The objective is to set common standards for receiving them, legal guardianship, identifying them, tracking down their families and repatriating them.

EU proposes new rules across Europe to monitor the credit rating agencies and opens a public debate on the management of financial institutions.

An agreement to fight international drug trafficking and to move forward on establishing enhanced cooperation in terms of legislation regarding divorces and separations are some of the main legislative matters that the ministers of Justice and Interior will be debating in the JHA Council, which will take place on 3 and 4 June in Luxembourg.

Complaints about difficulties in exercising the citizen's right to free movement, obtaining residence permits for third-country family members, and having qualifications recognised, made up a large share of almost 2,000 citizens' petitions received by the European Parliament in 2009, says the Petitions Committee's annual report. Citizens are entitled to speedy redress and greater transparency from all EU institutions, and petitions can help deliver them, it said.

A single energy market, sustainable production and security of energy supply will be the key topics at a joint meeting of MEPs and MPs from all EU Member States on 7 and 8 June at the European Parliament in Brussels. 

The EESC discussed the social dimension of the crisis and called for a necessary complement to macro-economic policies aimed at getting Europe out of the predicament in the framework of the debates of the Biennial Conference

This year's Green Week, the biggest annual conference devoted to European environment policy, will take place from 1 to 4 June at the Charlemagne Building in Brussels under the slogan "Biodiversity - our lifeline"

Germany, Belgium and Latvia have joined nine EU Member States in asking for legislation that will bring legal certainty to international couples wishing to divorce. The aim is to lessen the burden on children and to protect weaker partners during divorce disputes. Other EU countries keep the right to join when they want.