European Union News - European Union

One week after her hearing before MEPs, the candidate for the position of Commissioner of International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Rumiana Jeleva, has resigned from her appointment. European Parliament's vote on next commission unlikely before February.

Nikiforos Diamandouros has been re-elected European Ombudsman. Mr Diamandouros, who has held the position since 2003, was backed by 340 MEPs in a secret plenary vote.

The European Commission and the Spanish Presidency of the EU will tomorrow launch the 2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. Under the slogan “Stop Poverty Now!”, the campaign aims to put the fight against poverty – which directly affects one in six Europeans – centre stage across the EU during 2010. European Commission President José Manuel Durão Barroso and Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero will inaugurate the Year at a launch event to be held tomorrow in Madrid.

Members of the Europeoan Parliament urged that the EU deliver on its aid pledge as soon as possible and give a solid commitment to reconstruction. "Our goal is to ease suffering and our commitment to rebuild is long-term", said EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Lady Ashton in her first statement to Parliament.

The European Commission marked the opening of the International Year of Biodiversity with a paper setting out future options for biodiversity policy. Despite past efforts, species extinctions are continuing at alarming rates, and a new vision is required to halt these losses. The EU’s goal of stopping animal and plant extinctions by 2010 has not been reached. Now more action is planned – for proper long-term protection of biodiversity by 2020.

Until 30 November 2009, young people born after 1985 have submitted their designs for the poster competition of the day in Europe. Among the candidates, a jury comprising representatives of the European Commission and European experts in graphic design and communication has selected ten finalists. Now, all European citizens have the opportunity to vote for their favorite.

The European Commissioner designate for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, pledged to move research, innovation and science 'to the heart of European policy' in her hearing at the European Parliament on 13 January.

After the catastrophic earthquacke that has devasted Haiti, the European Commission and its department of Humanitarian Aid have launched a new aid decision to provide assistance to victims.

The foreign ministers of the European Union are meeting today in Brussels at a special meeting to coordinate the actions of EU aid to Nicaragua after the severe earthquake last week.

This year for the third time the European Parliament Prize for Journalism will be awarded to journalists who have covered major European issues or promoted a better understanding of the EU institutions and/or EU policies. The deadline for applications begins January 15 and closes on March 31, 2010