European Union News - European Union

Rules providing for systems providing mobile satellite services - such as broadband internet or mobile TV - to be selected at EU level in the future were backed by the European Parliament on Wednesday 21st of May 2008. MEPs approved a first-reading compromise, negotiated with Council beforehand, which aims to improve accessibility, speed, and quality of electronic communications services especially in rural areas. The report was adopted by 652 votes in favour with 16 votes against and 10 abstentions.

In adopting a report on the under-representation of women in the world of science, Parliament calls for gender balance on decision-making bodies, mainstreaming of the male-female dimension in research programmes and support for scientific careers for women to increase the number of women scientists in the EU. MEPs criticise the unambitious and insufficient EU target of 25 % and remind the Commission and the Member States that gender parity implies at least 40 % female representation.

The European Commission adopted its proposals, on the 20th May 2008, for upgrading relations with its Mediterranean partners through the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean. Following the decision of the Spring European Council the Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner presented the outline of the structures of the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean which aim at giving renewed vitality and visibility to the EU’s relations with Partners in the Mediterranean region. The policy paper also outlines ideas for the kind of projects that would constitute visible and tangible efforts at improving the lives and livelihoods of the region’s citizens.

The Kingdom of Belgium and Slovenia have issued two new commemorative 2-euro coins intended for circulation within the Community by April or May 2008. The designs are for the national side of the coin.

On the 21st of May 2008, the European Commission published its decision from the council for the establishing of the European Migration Network (‘EMN’) which will provide support and analysis  within the needs of Community institutions and of Member States’ authorities and institutions on migration and asylum. By providing up-to-date, objective, reliable and comparable information on migration and asylum, the Network aims to support policymaking in the European Union in these areas.

Europe has almost 70,000 km of coastline, and the maritime regions of the EU represent some 40% of both its population and its economy (GDP). Yet one of the key results of the year-long consultation which preceded the launch of the new Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP) was the pervasive sense among maritime stakeholders that the role of the maritime – whether on the economic, social or cultural level – is not widely understood or appreciated.

A committee from the European Parliment adopted the own-initiative on Turkey's progress towards accession. MEPs remained committed to accession as the goal of EU negotiations with Turkey, but said that both in Turkey and in the EU important reforms were needed in order to achieve this outcome.

Cohesion Policy programmes for 2007-2013 are set to boost jobs and growth throughout the EU's Member States and regions, thanks to intensive negotiations that have succeeded in formulating tailor-made solutions to challenges ahead. That is the message from Commissioners Danuta Hübner (Regional Policy) and Vladimír Špidla (Employment, Social Affairs, and Equal Opportunities), who presented the results of negotiations on the 16th May 2008.

The European Union has decided to celebrate the achievements and potential of Europe's ocean and seas by declaring 20 May as a dedicated "European Maritime Day". The official launch ceremony will be held in Strasbourg, where Commission President José Manuel Barroso, European Council President Janez Janša and the President of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Pöttering will sign a Joint Tripartite Declaration.

The EU is the second economic partner for Latin America-Caribbean region. Bilateral trade amounts around €160billion annually. In 2007 the EU represented around 14% of Latin American exports. For the Caribbean the EU is even more important as an export destination with 19% of products shipped to the EU. These numbers are constantly rising.

Via a new Calls for Proposals, the Executive Agency (EACEA) of the European Union, will finance roughly 1,500,000 euros towards projects supporting information activities for young people and youth workers on the 2009 European elections.

The European Commission has published an official recruitment notice for Director of the Directorate-General for innovation  and Technological Support.