EU News
Upcoming EU Challenges
30 August 2005
After a six-week summer break the EU is now officially back at work and faces the same problems it left in July. As the EU approaches the autumn term, it lacks a budget for 2007 onwards, is deadlocked on the EU Constitution and must address divergent views over "Social Europe."
Weblink: http://euobserver.com/?aid=19745&rk=1
New EU Commission approach to Dialogue and Communication with European Citizens
22 August 2005
On the 20th of July, the Commission approved an “Action Plan to Improve Communicating Europe by the European Commission”. The plan is made up of 50 actions aimed at improving the Commission's capacity and skills to communicate European policies.
Weblink.
New Member States Call on Blair to Tackle EU Budget
31 August 2005
Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic have called on London to step up its effort to solve the two-month deadlock over the next EU budget.
Weblink: http://euobserver.com/?aid=19748&rk=1
European Voice Article “EU to finance half of ‘poverty disease' fund
1-7 September 2005 Volume 11 no.30
At next week's replenishment conference in London (5-6 September), the EU plans to commit itself to financing 50% of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria budget for 2006. Louis Michel, the Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian aid, is expected to contribute about € 100 million of the Union's budget to the Fund. The European Voice article points out that even though the EU remains the largest donor to The Global Fund, Greece has only contributed € 300,000, Austria € 1m and Portugal € 2.5m since 2001.
Commission Spent € 1.5 million on World Youth Day
19 August 2005
The European Commission contributed € 1.5 million to the Catholic festival known as the World Youth Day which was held in Cologne, Germany from the 16th to the 21st of August. The money was taken from a special event budget line and was said to serve the “elements which correspond to the European Union's values and focus on solidarity and active citizenship”. Pope Benedict XVI conservative views on condoms have been criticized by young Catholics. Many of them strongly feel that the Church needs to keep up with modern times and start spreading a more realistic message to young people who want to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS.
Weblink: http://euobserver.com/?aid=19703&rk=1
Slovenian Population Gap
16 August 2005
A study published in Slovenian Business Week found that the number of young people in Slovenia has been falling steadily for the past 20 years. According to population projections made by the National Statistics Office, the proportion of people aged 15-29 will fall below 20% by 2008. The birth rate among young people is equally low. Only one out of five women gives birth before reaching the age of 29 and the birth rate among youngsters up to 21 years is negligible.
Weblink: http://www.gzs.si/eng/news/sbw/head.asp?idc=19265
Is The Future of Europe Peril?
11 August 2005
On the 20th of June, Olli Rehn, the European Commissioner for Enlargement, addressed a European Policy Centre (EPC) “Breakfast Policy Briefing” in cooperation with the EPC's strategic partner, the King Baudouin Foundation in Brussels. The Commissioner stated that EU enlargement should go ahead despite the Union's latest political crisis, as the history of the EU enlargement has proven to be a great success story, especially for European security. Furthermore, Commissioner Rehn acknowledged that while a pause for reflection on the EU treaty was necessary, the momentum for enlargement should continue based on the principles of consolidation, conditionality and communication.
Weblink
|
