EU environment ministers have voted for a compromise deal that will allow individual member states to ban GMO crops if they wish. Those in favour of GMO – or Genetically Modified Organisms – can go ahead with planting them under … Read More
Category Archives: EU
More than two thirds of EU citizens are satisfied with urban public transport - Latvia at the top
The European Commission has published today the results of a Eurobarometer survey on urban public transport. According to the survey 69% of EU citizens are satisfied with public transportation, although the numbers vary widely across the EU, ranging from 88% … Read More
Austerity measures destroying EU social model
Austerity measures meant to pull Europe out of the crisis have put some 800,000 children into poverty. The findings, among others, are detailed in a 357-page World Social Protection report out Tuesday (3 June) by the Geneva-based UN offshoot, International … Read More
Centre-right wins most EP seats, but anti-establishment parties score well
The centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) won the most European Parliament seats, results on Sunday (26 May - 09.50 CEST) showed, but across Europe mainstream parties lost out to anti-establishment parties, with the biggest upset in France. European Parliament projections … Read More
EU court: Countries are entitled to reject benefit claims
Countries can reject benefit claims by citizens of other EU countries if they are engaging in ‘social tourism’, the advocate general of the European Court of Justice said yesterday in an opinion likely to be replicated in a final ruling. Germany … Read More
EU to reject Poland’s energy union plan?
The EU’s Energy Commissioner, Gunther Oettinger has criticised Polish prime minister Donald Tusk’s plan for a pan-European energy union. Speaking to German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Oettinger said that “gas is a product, not a policy weapon for the EU.” … Read More
Special Eurobarometer survey: Optimism and trust on the rise
Less than two weeks ahead of the European Parliament elections, a Special Eurobarometer survey “Europeans 2014″ published today provides a snapshot of the latest public opinion on the economic outlook in Europe and the future of the EU. These findings … Read More
Spring 2014 forecast: Growth becoming broader-based
The European Commission’s spring forecast points to a continuing economic recovery in the European Union following its emergence from recession one year ago. Real GDP growth is set to reach 1.6% in the EU and 1.2% in the euro area … Read More
EU blacklists 15 more Russian officials over Ukraine
The EU today added 15 more names to a travel ban list of Russian officials linked to events in eastern Ukraine, but unlike the US, it refrained from targeting businesses and trade with Russia. According to the legal text published in … Read More
From sunlight to jet fuel: EU project makes first “solar” kerosene
An EU-funded research project called SOLAR-JET has produced the world’s first “solar” jet fuel from water and carbon dioxide (CO2). Researchers have for the first time successfully demonstrated the entire production chain for renewable kerosene, using concentrated light as a … Read More
Danes the happiest EU workers, survey finds
Denmark has the EU’s happiest workforce, according to research published yesterday by Eurobarometer. Ninety-four percent of Danish workers are satisfied with their own conditions at work, the survey found, closely followed by Austrians and Belgians. Meanwhile, more than 80 percent … Read More
Russian-language EU-wide news channel promoted
Several journalists and media experts from the Baltics and Finland have sent a letter to the European Commission, calling for the creation of an EU financed television channel for Europe’s Russian speaking audience, reports the Latvian daily Diena. The authors … Read More
EU employees’ pension rights will be preserved in all member states
When relocating to another EU state, employees will be able to retain their full pension rights. This right is provided by the rules that were approved by the European Parliament yesterday. This directive is to be officially approved by the … Read More
Three EU countries back Ukraine’s use of force
Lithuania, Luxembourg and Sweden have explicitly backed Ukraine’s right to use force against pro-Russian separatists. Lithuania’s UN envoy, Raimonda Murmokaite, and her Luxembourg counterpart, Olivier Maes, made the statements at a snap UN Security Council (UNSC) meeting in New York … Read More
Estonian highway transport among the most polluting in Europe
The European Commission’s first ever results list of the transport sphere of the member states indicates that Estonia’s strength lies in the increasing market share of the railway transport while the high environmental impact of the highway transport is the … Read More
Poland, Sweden and UK propose EU police mission for Ukraine
The UK, Poland, and Sweden have proposed sending an EU police mission to Ukraine to build up its law enforcement bodies in the wake of February’s revolution. “Re-establishing confidence in the rule of law in Ukraine will be vital for … Read More
EU challenges Russia in the WTO over pork import ban
The EU yesterday launched a case in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) against the Russian ban on imports of pigs, fresh pork and certain pig products from the EU. Russia closed its market to the EU – cutting off almost 25% … Read More
Finnish Prime Minister Katainen seeks top EU job
The race for the European Union’s leadership has turned murkier, with the news that Finland’s prime minister is stepping down to seek a European role, while France is touting its ex-finance minister as its nominee for a European Commission post. … Read More
European Parliament cut customs duties on imports from Ukraine
About 98% of the customs duties that Ukrainian iron, steel, farm produce and machinery exporters pay at EU borders will be removed by a proposal backed by European Parliament on Thursday. This unilateral measure will boost Ukraine’s struggling economy by … Read More
EU projects help people with autism get a foothold on the employment ladder
A series of European Commission pilot projects have helped around 100 Europeans with autism from five EU countries to get into the job market, a new report released on World Autism Awareness Day (2 April), shows. The projects aimed to … Read More