European Union News - European Union

The second call for projects under INTERREG IVC Programme was launched on October 27th, and will remain open until January 30th, 2009. All 27 Member States are eligible, as well as Norway and Switzerland. Priorities are mainly focused on two issues: innovation and the knowledge economy, and environment and risk prevention.

The "Var 2008" exercise is an on the ground test of the provision of help and efficiency of collaboration between the NRBC modules of nine European countries in the event of NRBC terrorist attacks.

The European Commission has put forward on October 31st, a proposal for a Regulation amending Regulation (EC) Nº 808/2004 concerning Community statistics on the information society – (COM (2008) 677 final).

The European Commission will fund with 600,000 €, European associations which are active at EU level in the field of education and training. This funding opportunity is based in a Call for Proposals under the Jean Monnet Lifelong sub-programme, which has been published in the OJEU on October 31st.

The European Commission has published in the Official Journal of the European Union on October 31st, 2008, Regulation (EC) Nº 1031/2008, amending Annex I to Council Regulation (EEC) Nº 2658/87 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff. These amendments aim to modernise the Combined Nomenclature and adapt its structures to legislative interests and simplification.

French Minister Michel Barnier chaired the third Agriculture and Fisheries Council of the French Presidency, which was held between October 27th and 28th, in Luxembourg. Major issues such as milk quotas, market intervention or some political agreements on fishing opportunities were at stake.

The European Commission has presented on the 27 october 2008 a proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on a Critical Infrastructure Warning Information Network (CIWIN) (COM(2008) 676 final)

The European Commission has approved funding for 143 new projects under the first call for the LIFE+ programme (2007-2013), the European fund for the environment. The projects are from across the EU and cover actions in the fields of nature conservation, environmental policy, and information and communication. Overall, they represent a total investment of €367 million, of which the EU will provide €186 million.

The European Commission proposed on October, 27th, new legislation for the establishment of  a Critical Infrastructure Warning Information Network (CIWIN) to strengthen information-sharing on critical infrastructure protection between EU Member States. This proposition follows Commission concern over the development of  the European Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection.

The European Union and the United States of America, concluded on October 22nd, 2008, an Agreement on the participation of the United States of America in the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo, EULEX KOSOVO. This mission was adopted by Joint Action 2008/124/CFSP of the Council in February 2008.

The European Parliament adopted the 2009 draft budget substantially higher than that adopted by Council in its July first reading. Commitments are set at €136 bn (1.04 % of GNI), payments are €124.5 bn (equivalent of 0.959% of EU GNI). Council had adopted a draft budget of € 133.9bn in commitments and €114.9 bn in payments. With this vote, Parliament has stayed within the margins of the Financial Perspective.