EU Publications

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Share of renewable energy in the EU 2017 — 14 February 2019, 00:15 CET

Today's Eurostat report shows that the EU is on track for reaching its renewable energy target for 2020. In 2017, the share of energy from renewable sources in gross final consumption of energy in the EU, reached 17.5%, up from 17.0% in 2016 and more than double the share as in 2004 (8.5), the first year for which the data are available.

Briefing Paper: The EU's response to the "dieselgate" scandal — 07 February 2019, 13:25 CET

The question of discrepancies between laboratory figures and vehicle emissions on the road was brought into sharp focus with the discovery of the manipulation of vehicle emissions systems by the Volkswagen group, the so-called "dieselgate" scandal, which came to light in September 2015. This briefing paper sets out the actions taken, at the level of the European Union and Member States, and describes changes made to the system for measuring vehicle emissions after September 2015. The paper does not seek to assess whether the actions taken and proposed have solved the problem.

2019 Association Implementation Report on Georgia — 01 February 2019, 00:08 CET

In line with the revised European Neighbourhood Policy, this report sets out the state of play of Georgia’s commitments under the EU-Georgia Association Agreement (AA) since the meeting of the EU-Georgia Association Council of 5 February 2018 and ahead of its next meeting of 5 March 2019.

Erasmus+ annual report 2017 — 24 January 2019, 21:11 CET

In 2017 Erasmus+ continued to support the implementation of the four objectives of the 2015 Paris Declaration on promoting citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination through education. In particular, it strengthened the focus on common values and inclusive education across all its actions, and prioritised them in a number of key calls for proposals, following the presentation and subsequent proclamation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, which establishes the importance of quality and inclusive education, training and lifelong learning as its first...

Integrating Students from Migrant Backgrounds into Schools in Europe: National Policies and Measures — 17 January 2019, 23:21 CET

This Eurydice report investigates what top-level education authorities across Europe do to promote the integration of students from a migrant background into schools. It presents a comparative mapping of a wide range of national policies and measures aimed at placing newly arrived migrant students in schools and addressing the various issues related to them. It also offers a deeper analysis of some of the key policies that can enable schools to welcome students from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds and to take into account students’ holistic and emotional needs in order to encourage their learning and development. The report focuses on top-level regulations and recommendations covering primary, general lower and upper secondary education as well as school-based initial vocational education and training. In Part I, a comparative analysis covering all countries describes the existing policies and measures that impact the way newly arrived migrant students are placed in schools (in the reference year 2017/18) and how schools address the various issues related to them. Part II analyses policies in ten selected education systems along two main dimensions: the way diversity is accommodated and how migrant students' well-being is addressed. The report also analyses the comprehensiveness of policy approaches, which puts equal emphasis on the diversity and well-being side.

Special Report of the European Ombudsman in strategic inquiry OI/2/2017/TE on the transparency of the Council legislative process — 17 January 2019, 22:32 CET

Following her inquiry into the transparency of legislative discussions in the preparatory bodies of the Council of the EU (the 'Council'), the Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, is sending this special report to the European Parliament to seek its support on the matter.

Eurobarometer 90 - Public opinion in the European Union — 21 December 2018, 15:20 CET

According to a new Eurobarometer survey released on 21 December, for the first time, a majority of Europeans think that their voice counts in the EU. The number of Europeans who have a positive image of the EU increases. Support for the Economic and Monetary Union and for the euro is at a record high,with three-quarters of respondents (75%) in the Euro area in favour of the EU's single currency.

Impasse in the WTO Dispute Settlement Body - Consequences and Responses — 13 December 2018, 15:45 CET

As the United States maintains its block on appointments of new members to the Appellate Body, there is growing concern about the pending incapacitation of the dispute settlement function of the World Trade Organisation. If the WTO can no longer offer effective dispute resolution, some argue, there is a risk that the whole WTO system of rules will collapse. However, while it is important to defend the integrity and effectiveness of dispute resolution, the rules-based system is about more than just the resolution of disputes. What is needed now is measured analyses of the interim options for the WTO if the impasse continues. This Policy Brief reviews some of these options, including the use of "no appeal agreements" and the establishment of alternative plurilateral mechanisms for dispute resolution. It concludes that the alternatives have their own weaknesses and risks, and that the best way forward is for WTO members to pursue constructive and inclusive cooperation in order restore trust in the trade rules and in the good faith of other members.

Experiences and perceptions of antisemitism - Second survey on discrimination and hate crime against Jews in the EU — 10 December 2018, 17:11 CET

This report outlines the main findings of European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights' second survey on Jewish people's experiences with hate crime, discrimination and antisemitism in the European Union - the biggest survey of Jewish people ever conducted worldwide. The findings make for a sobering read. They underscore that antisemitism remains pervasive across the EU - and has, in many ways, become disturbingly normalised. The important information provided herein can support policy-makers across the EU in stepping up their efforts to ensure the safety and dignity of all Jewish people living in the EU.

Towards Decarbonising Transport - A 2018 Stocktake on Sectoral Ambition in the G20 — 07 December 2018, 12:13 CET

CO2 emissions from transport are still rising. If immediate action is not taken, more radical measures will be unavoidable in the future. This is the top line conclusion from the newly released joint report by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), REN21 and the Berlin-based think tank Agora Verkehrswende. This new report provides a summary for each G20 nation, including data on CO2 emission trends in the national transport sector, climate policy targets and measures for lowering emissions. The data make clear that only three countries from the G20 have set targets for reducing emissions in the transport sector: Germany, France and Japan.

Permanent Atlas of the European Union — 06 December 2018, 23:44 CET

With its 28 Member States and its 510 million inhabitants the European Union is the world's leading economic power. The euro is the second reserve currency. And yet Europe is too often criticised for the vicissitudes of its construction. So that in the end it remains greatly misunderstood. This Atlas of the European Union is an introductory work of reference to the Union, its institutions, each of its Member States and their overseas territories, via their history, their culture and their reality. With over 50 maps, original information sheets and summarised statistics, it offers a unique portrait of Europe that is accessible to the widest audience. It is a vital tool to learn about and understand the issues at stake in the 21st century and the challenges that Europe faces in a world undergoing deep change. Drafted by experts at the Robert Schuman Foundation - one of the leading think-tanks devoted to Europe - this book provides easy access to information about Europe.

Investment Openness in Europe: Investment Screening and Implications for EU-China Investment Relations - ECIPE Bulletin No. 2/2018 — 22 November 2018, 22:37 CET

In the context of the proposal to establish an EU investment screening framework and the ongoing negotiations of the EU-China investment agreement, ECIPE in cooperation with the Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA) organised a discussion with stakeholders on the threats and opportunities of Chinese investments in European technology and European investments in China in September 2018. This bulletin is based on stakeholder opinions expressed during this discussion, as well as subsequent stakeholder consultations conducted by the authors.

Export. Thrive. Change the World: Seven steps to export success for businesses that wont let Brexit stop their global growth — 21 November 2018, 23:12 CET

Export. Thrive. Change the World is a practical guide for small business owners who would like to export but are unsure how. Jennifer addresses the major concerns she has encountered whilst working with small business owners including Brexit. Then shares her seven steps to export success. Jennifer intends to provide business owners with all the tools and resources necessary to export.

Monitoring drug use in recreational settings across Europe: conceptual challenges and methodological innovations — 15 November 2018, 23:15 CET

This report explores how data on drug use are captured through surveys of targeted populations in recreational settings. The benefits and challenges of monitoring drug use in recreational settings are identified, as are emergent data sources and methodological innovations. The report draws on cutting-edge debates within social research, sociology and critical drug studies to encourage dialogue between researchers and with monitoring agencies.

Patents and self-driving vehicles — 06 November 2018, 18:29 CET

This study provides a comprehensive picture of current trends and emerging leaders in self-driving vehicle technologies. Drawing on the EPO's most recent patent information, including as yet unpublished patent applications, and incorporating advanced technology expertise in the field, it is a unique source of intelligence which will enable policy-makers and industry leaders to understand and anticipate the significant changes that are on the way.

Labour market and wage developments in Europe - Annual review 2018 — 25 October 2018, 21:50 CET

The 2018 edition of the Labour Market and Wage Developments in Europe shows that job creation continued to progress in 2017 and the first half of 2018 and analyses the reasons behind this improvement. The report also focuses on short and long term determinants of moderate wage growth in the EU and on wage convergence in Central and Easter European member states. The report analyses the labour market from a macroeconomic perspective. It provides an analysis of recent employment and wage developments, looking at the euro area and the EU as a whole in comparison with its global trading partners.

Cooperation in Europe’s Digital Economy: How do Countries Position Themselves? — 18 October 2018, 23:53 CET

This paper focuses on the European Union members' stances on digital-policy reform and on their own understanding of the costs and benefits of the growth of the digital economy. In this paper, we identify three groups of countries – digital managerialists, digital frontrunners, and digital convergers. Each group has different positions on matters of digital openness, and those differences typically reflect how the digital sector sits in national economies and the relative size of digital endowments. The paper also suggests new ways for countries to cooperate in current or new constellations, which will allow them to profit from other countries’ experiences, and to fully develop their own policy preferences as well as a clear understanding of appropriate digital reforms for them.

The Next Steps for the Digital Single Market: From Where do We Start? — 18 October 2018, 23:52 CET

Even if there is a great deal of variation between the performance of different EU economies, the EU is trailing behind many other economies and could increase the economic outcome of digitzation. In this paper, we have focused on defining economic concern about the digital performance of Europe and outlining conceptual problems in work to create a Digital Single Market. In the past five years, reforms under the DSM label have much been focused on digital-specific regulations, and – unfortunately – several of these efforts have added new layers of regulatory complication to data-based commerce in Europe. For the future, a real ambition to improve the speed of digitization and its economic outcomes will have to be combined with general single-market policies that knock down barriers between EU countries.

Women and men in ICT: a chance for better work - life balance - research note — 05 October 2018, 11:47 CET

Rapid technological advancements and digitalisation are transforming the world of work and how we live our day-to-day lives. There is an increasing demand for digital skills and higher qualifications across a wide variety of sectors. However, only around 17 % of the almost 8 million ICT specialists are women, and the number of women graduating from ICT studies has been decreasing over the last decade. The vast under-representation of women in ICT shows a waste of highly qualified human resources and has larger implications for the wider economy. In particular, it threatens the EU’s innovative and economic potential in the future and contradicts the EU’s highest political priority of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Following the request by the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union (2018), the overall objective of this research note is to deepen the understanding of the major enabling and hindering factors for a more balanced uptake of ICT jobs by women and men. This research note seeks to provide an important contribution to the EU-level commitments to combat occupational segregation and to better comprehend and design relevant policy measures to enhance work–life balance.

Women in management: Underrepresented and overstretched? - Eurofound policy brief — 04 October 2018, 23:54 CET

Despite years of gender equality legislation, men outnumber women in management positions by two to one. While structural barriers continue to impede women's career advancement, women themselves may be deterred from becoming managers if they perceive that it would have a negative impact on their working and personal lives. What is the experience of women in management roles and how can their under-representation in management be addressed? These are the questions this policy brief seeks to answer by looking at the job quality of managers, both female and male, and the impact a management job has on personal life.

The Swiss Cheese of Trade Policy: The Case Against Product Exclusions in Trade Agreements - ECIPE Policy Brief No. 6/2018 — 24 September 2018, 15:47 CET

There have been calls to exclude certain products from trade agreements because they cause damages to public health or the environment. Lately, campaigns for product exclusions have included chemicals (generally or specific chemicals like glyphosate), sugary drinks and candy (or sugar generally), and alcoholic beverages. Previously the same case has been made for tobacco products. In this paper, it is argued that product exclusions are neither legally feasible nor desirable. Measures to exclude products would run foul of the rules and market-access commitments that countries have agreed in the WTO, and that serve as a basis also for other trade deals, like bilateral Free Trade Agreements. Importantly, excluding products from current market-access commitments in the WTO would per se do nothing with regard to public health because the main effect is that local production of the excluded goods would substitute goods that are now imported. The conclusion is that trade policy is not a tool for regulatory ambitions. Nor does it stand in the way for regulations that aim to improve public health. Trade policy concerns trade, and the instruments and agreements that exist for the pursuit of better and less-discriminatory trade conditions simply cannot be used for sundry regulatory proposals, however relevant they may be.

"Achieving Greater Diversity in Broadcasting - special focus on Gender" - Comparative Background Paper — 20 September 2018, 17:57 CET

Final revised version of the EPRA Comparative Background Report on "Acheving Greater Diversity in Broadcasting - special focus on Gender; benefits and best practice approaches" by Ofcom (UK) on behalf of EPRA. The purpose of the comparative report was to provide an overview of the different roles and approaches adopted by national audiovisual regulatory authorities in promoting greater gender representation and portrayal both on- and off-screen, and raising some points for regulators to consider.

Burnout in the workplace: A review of data and policy responses in the EU — 13 September 2018, 22:58 CET

This report looks at the extent of burnout experienced by workers in the EU, based on national research. As a starting point, the report sets out to consider whether burnout is viewed as a medical or occupational disease. It then examines the work determinants associated with burnout and looks at the effects of burnout, including psychosocial and physical work factors, work intensity and work organisation. It also reviews national strategies and policies regarding this issue, the involvement of the social partners in the current debate, as well as preventive actions currently in place.

State of the Union 2018 brochure — 13 September 2018, 22:36 CET

Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Commission, delivered his fourth State of the Union Address on 12 September 2018. This year's speech comes in the lead up to the 2019 European elections and the ongoing debate about the future of the European Union at 27.

Special report no 23/2018: Air pollution: Our health still insufficiently protected — 11 September 2018, 18:31 CET

Air pollution causes great harm to European citizens’ health. Each year, about 400 000 people die prematurely due to excessive air pollutants such as dust particles, nitrogen dioxide and ozone. For about 30 years, the EU has had clean air legislation that sets limits to the concentrations of pollutants in the air. Nevertheless, bad air is still common today in most of the EU Member States and in numerous European cities. We found that European citizens still breathe harmful air mostly due to weak legislation and poor policy implementation. Our recommendations aim to strengthen the Ambient Air Quality Directive and to promote further effective action by the European Commission and the Member States, including better policy coordination and public information.

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Libcast’s Online Video Platform in the limelight at BETT 2015 — 28 January 2015, 16:17 CET

Libcast of France will be showcasing its Online Video Platform at BETT 2015 in London, in January. The specialist company’s innovative and versatile solution enables users to host, manage and broadcast lectures live or in streaming mode. With 200,000 users, Libcast’s technology has already been chosen by many universities and schools, including leading colleges in France and Norway.