European Union News - European Union

The European Council published on November, 11th, 2008, Framework Decision 2008/841/JHA, adopted on October, 24th, 2008, on the fight against organised crime. This Decision follows Commission's Communication of March, 2004 about the measures to be taken on the fight against terrorism and other forms of serious crimes.

The EC has published a call for tender related to health and high risk insurance — Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and Instrument for Stability.

The European Commission published in the Official Journal of the European Union, OJEU, on November, 8th, 2008, the Regulation (EC) Nº 1104/2008, of October 24th, 2008, on migration from the Schengen Information System (SIS 1+) to the second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II).

The European Commission proposed fishing possibilities and fishing effort for 2009 for the main stocks in the North-East Atlantic, including the North Sea. This takes account of the latest scientific advice on the state of fish stocks from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), advice from the Commission’s own Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee on Fisheries (STECF) and input from stakeholders. Most stocks of fish continue to be overfished in 2008. Highest reductions will be cod, prawns and anglerfish.

The Official Journal of the European Union has published the European Commission consolidated financial statements for the financial year 2007 with a surplus of EUR 7,462 million.

The European Union published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) of November 7th, 2008, a Call for Proposals on European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research (COST). COST promotes within the EU new research networks, with an innovative, interdisciplinary and general character.

Commission adopted its annual strategy paper for the EU’s enlargement policy on November, 5th, 2008, highlighting the role the EU’s enlargement policy plays in the Union’s strategic interest in stability, security and conflict prevention. The Commission also reviews the progress achieved in the Western Balkans and Turkey over the last year and spells out the challenges ahead, setting the agenda for accession processes in the area.

At the Council of EU economy and finance ministers (ECOFIN Council) of November, 4th, chaired by the French Minister for the Economy, Industry and Employment, Christine Lagarde, the ministers focused their discussions on the pursuit of efforts to respond to the financial crisis, citing the coordination of national action to support the financial sector, the granting of assistance to EU countries affected by the crisis and the common messages that the EU should present at the debate on overhauling the international financial system.

The European Commission has adopted its 2009 Legislative and Work Programme, which announces the main initiatives it intends to present next year. In 2009, the Commission will follow up on the initiatives launched in recent weeks to address the financial crisis and to set out a European framework to address the economic downturn. At the same time, the Commission will use the final year of its mandate to complete the work already under way.