European Union News - European Union

European citizens seem to be mobilising for the 4-7 June European elections, says a TNS Opinion survey commissioned by the European Parliament. The numbers saying that they plan to vote is clearly up on previous surveys, even though doubts remain as to whether they will in fact do so. Interest in the elections also seems stronger.

On the eve of the Parliament elections the European Commission has set out its record of achievement. Among these achievements, the Commission has made the re-unified European Union work to the benefit of its citizens and has brought increased stability and prosperity to a Union of 27 Member States. It has responded decisively to the financial and economic crisis, and has implemented an integrated approach to fighting climate change and securing energy supply. The Commission has sought to shape globalisation so that it is inclusive, better regulated and reflects European values.

The European Commission and a consortium of several European publications launched today PRESSEUROP.EU, the first multilingual website containing press articles on EU affairs.

One month after the Commission forwarded its recommendation to the Council decision, it has ratified the appointment of four cities as European Capitals of Culture for the years 2012 and 2013.

Payment card fraud has become an increasing criminal phenomenon in Europe. This serious international crime, which can only be tackled successfully by close cooperation between the relevant law enforcement authorities and by coordination and centralisation of all information at European level, has focused the International Conference on Payment Card Fraud held in  Szczytno (Poland).

The European Commission and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe will give the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture Mies van der Rohe Award 2009, to the architects behind the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet, Oslo, Norway:  Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, Tarald Lundevall, Craig Dykers, of Snøhetta,on May 28th.

One fifth of Europe’s reptiles and nearly a quarter of its amphibians are threatened, according to new studies commissioned by the European Commission and carried out by IUCN which will be presented on World Biodiversity Day. Most of the pressure on these declining species comes from mankind's destruction of their natural habitats, combined with climate change, pollution and the presence of invasive species.

 The Polish youth project "YOUrope needs YOU" was awarded the first prize in the European Charlemagne Youth Prize (ECYP) competition on 19 May in Aachen. Through a series of high school workshops run by university students, this project uses informal methods to convey to teenagers interesting facts about Europe. The second and the third prize went to the "European Festival of university theatre of Albi" (France) and to "Gumboot Diplomacy" (Germany) respectively.

Between 4 and 7 June, 375 million citizens across 27 countries, from Helsinki to Lisbon, from Dublin to Vilnius, are called to the polls to elect the European Parliament. In a video message posted on his website, the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, urges people to turn out and vote.

In its meeting in Luxembourg 06 April 2009 the Council of the European Union, Justice and Home Affairs, adopted a decision transforming Europol into an EU agency from 01 January 2010. The new agency will have its seat in The Hague, the Netherlands.

The Education Council, which met in Brussels, was informed of the key points of the reform of the European Schools system adopted by the Board of Governors of the European Schools in Stockholm at the end of April. Following the presentation given by the Swedish Presidency of the European Schools, the Commissioner responsible for administrative affairs, Siim Kallas, welcomed the positive outcome of the ambitious reform process begun in 2005 at the instigation of the Commission and Parliament, and urged the Member States to disseminate the curriculum and the European Baccalaureate as widely as possible in their national schools.