European Union News - European Union

Ten years after the historical Bologna Declaration that resharped European higher education, another ministerial conference will take place in Leuven and Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium), hosted by the Benelux Ministers in charge of this area. The meeting aims to to take stock of the achievements of the Bologna Process, set a new agenda, and agree priorities for the European Higher Education Area for the next decade up to 2020

Organic food meets fresh design: The European Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development is inviting all design and art students from the 27 EU Member States to enter the EU-wide organic logo competition. The competition offers a prize that money just can’t buy: The winning logo will be introduced as the official logo for organic products throughout the European Union in July 2010.

At a time when our personal data is accumulating on the internet and in databases, a Parliamentary report warns against the dangers of 'profiling' of European citizens on the basis of criteria such as ethnicity, religion, gender or age, especially by the police. MEPs warn against the excesses of the system and call on Member States to shed light onto these practices. The report was adopted with 372 votes in favour, 12 against and 17 abstentions.

The European Parliament has voted in favor of amending the directive on taxation of savings income, with the objective of eliminating the tax opacity of Belgium, Luxembourg and Austria, and to curb tax havens. In a report adopted by the plenary is proposed that all Member States have, by July 2014 to share information fully tax on savings income.

The European Commission has adopted a Communication paving the way for a new classification of agricultural areas with natural handicaps. With the help of scientific experts, the Commission has identified 8 soil and climate criteria as a basis for objectively and clearly classifying such areas. However, before presenting a legislative proposal, the Commission needs more data to assess their feasibility. Therefore, Member States are asked to provide simulations using national data to show how the criteria might work. The new classification system is likely to be in place in 2014; meanwhile the current system remains in force.

On the eve of the donors’ conference for Pakistan, the European Commission has adopted a new three year programme to fight terrorism, trafficking and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The 2009-2011 Indicative Programme for the Instrument for Stability includes the first global counter-terrorism measures developed by the Commission together with experts from EU Member States. Key priorities are Pakistan and Afghanistan as well as the Sahel region in Africa.

Following the steps of the selection committee of the cities that hold the European Capital of Culture, the Commission has forwarded a recommendation to the Council to ratify the Portuguese city of Guimaraes, and Maribor, in Slovenia, as European Capitals of Culture 2012.
 

An opinion poll on interest in the 4-7 June European elections and on EU policy issues reports that 34% of possible voters surveyed across the EU say they are already certain that they will go and vote in June, while 19% of respondents said they were already certain that they would not vote.

The European Commission has adopted an initiative introducing new and tougher targets for the payment of EU funds which it manages directly. The proposals aim to step up ongoing efforts and speed up cash flow to beneficiaries, and will apply to €15 billion of funds that have specific payment times covering areas like research, education and youth, energy and transport.