European Union News - European Union

The European Ombudsman has opened an investigation into the European Commission's "Early Warning System" (EWS). This computerised information system lists companies, NGOs, associations or other parties which, according to the Commission, are deemed to pose a threat to the financial interests of the European Union. All EU institutions and bodies may block or suspend contracts or payments to entities listed under certain EWS warning levels.

The European Commission has launched a Call for Proposals under the 2009 work programme “People” of the 7th Framework Programme of the European Community for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration Activities (2007 to 2013), whose main objective is to support training and career development of researchers though Marie Curies Scheme, for EU Member States or Associated Countries.

The new Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and the Council on waste management has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union, on November, 24th. This Directive will repeal and replace certain other Directives about waste handling in the Community.

The European Commission has delivered its Annual Report on monitoring the Application of Community Law. This report shows how the Commission is translating Better Regulation objectives into real actions, and assesses the results of EU law enforcement and infringement proceedings, also analysing the ways in which the EU informs businesses and citizens about EU la enforcement.

The Commission published in the Official Journal of the European Union, OJEU, on November, 19th, 2008 some new calls for proposals under the 2008 People work programme and under the 2009 Cooperation and Ideas work programmes of the 7th EC Framework Programme of the European Community for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration Activities (2007-2013) and under the 2009 work programme of the 7th Framework Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) for Nuclear Research and Training Activities (2007-2011).

The Annual report, published on November, 12th, 2008, presents the activities of the EU Solidarity Fund in 2007 covering, as in previous reports, three areas: the treatment of new applications received in the course of 2007, monitoring of the ongoing implementation of grants, and the assessment of implementation reports with a view to preparing these for closure.

The summit of the main countries and institutions concerned by the financial crisis, held in Washington on November, 15th 2008, brought together the Heads of State and Government of the G20, the Secretary General of the United Nations, the Director General of the IMF, the President of the World Bank, the President of the European Commission and the President of the Financial Stability Forum. They jointly adopted a common declaration aiming to strengthen cooperation between the countries in order to tackle this crises situation.

The OJEU published on November, 14th, the Codified version of Regulation (EC, EURATOM) Nº 1101/2008, adopted by the European Parliament and the Council, on the transmission of data subject to statistical confidentiality to the Statistical Office of the European Communities. This version comes after the substantial amendment of Council Regulation (Euratom, EEC) Nº 1588/90.

The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), Budget Unit has launched a tender of organising conferences in Member States, candidate countries or other countries.

On November, 10th, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) adopted an opinion on the Final Report by the EU-US High Level Contact Group on information sharing and privacy and personal data protection, which was presented by the Presidency of the European Union (EU) in June 2008. The Report defines common principles on privacy and data protection as a first step towards the exchange of information between the EU and the United States (US) to fight terrorism and serious transnational crime. It also identifies options for a possible instrument that would apply the agreed common principles to data transfers.

The Official Journal of the European Union has published on the 12th november a corrigendum to Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 of 11 July 2006 laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund.

The Official Journal of the European Union published on November, 12th, 2008, the Council Joint Action 2008/851/CFSP adopted on November, 10th, on a European Union military operation to contribute to the deterrence, prevention and repression of acts of piracy and armed robbery off the Somali coast. This action comes after the UNSC's and the Council's expressions of concern about the upsurge of piracy attacks off the Somali coast, which affect humanitarian efforts and international maritime traffic in the region and contribute to continued violations of the UN arms embargo.