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MEPs keep alive greener farming by Friends of the Earth Europe — last modified 13 March 2013, 17:27 CET

Members of the European Parliament today voted to continue the process of 'greening' European agriculture. However the changes don't go far enough, says Friends of the Earth Europe which is calling for much stronger measures to protect the environment and the majority of small farmers.

EU updates law on air passengers' rights by European Consumers’ Organisation — last modified 13 March 2013, 17:23 CET

A major update of EU regulation on the rights of passengers and obligations of airlines when flights are cancelled or face long delays has been launched today (March 13).

Business confidence declines further as recession spreads, survey finds by European craft and SME employers’ organisation — last modified 12 March 2013, 13:54 CET

European SMEs’ confidence declined for the fourth semester in a row as a downturn due to a sluggish internal demand is feeding through all Member States, according to a survey conducted by UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, and its members.

Hidden impacts of Europe's appetite for land by Friends of the Earth Europe — last modified 07 March 2013, 13:09 CET

Europe must urgently tackle its over-use of the world’s land, finds a new report from Friends of the Earth Europe, released today.

Lobby register review: it's now or never for mandatory transparency by Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation in the EU — last modified 07 March 2013, 10:37 CET

The review of the Commission and Parliament's Joint Transparency Register) – foreseen to take place two years after its launch – is already underway. ALTER-EU believes this is an unmissable opportunity to make the voluntary lobby register mandatory, with improved disclosure requirements.

Funding - loans and grants from the European Union by EUbusiness — last modified 06 January 2014, 12:21 CET

The EU provides funding in the form of loans and grants for a broad range of projects and programmes covering areas such as education, health, consumer protection, environmental protection and humanitarian aid. Funding is managed according to strict rules which help to ensure that there is tight control over how funds are used and that funds are spent in a transparent and accountable manner. EU funding is complex, since there are many different types of programmes managed by different bodies. Over 76 per cent of the EU budget is managed by the Member States. This includes the structural funds - which finance regional policy, social and training programmes, as well as agriculture (including support for farmers).

The impact of the economic crisis on the situation of women and men and on gender equality policies by EUbusiness — last modified 28 February 2013, 15:34 CET

Have men and women been impacted differently by the crisis in Europe? On 19 December 2012 the European Commission published a report on the consequences of the crisis on women and men from a social and economic point of view. This report proposes a thorough analysis as regards employment, poverty and social inclusion (including material deprivation, education, housing, health and long-term care), covering 33 European countries between 2005 and 2012.

Capital requirements: SMEs welcome deal to transpose "Basel III" rules in the EU by European craft and SME employers’ organisation — last modified 28 February 2013, 13:30 CET

UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers' organisation, warmly welcomed the agreement reached between the EU institutions last night on the implementation in the Union of the "Basel III" rules on capital requirements.

Winter forecast 2013 by EUbusiness — last modified 22 February 2013, 13:28 CET

On 22 February, the Commission published its first winter economic forecast for the euro area and the European Union as a whole. The forecast covers a wide range of indicators including gross domestic product (GDP), inflation, employment and public finances for 2012‑14.

Data protection: SMEs welcome vote at ITRE Committee, urge LIBE to follow by European craft and SME employers’ organisation — last modified 20 February 2013, 22:14 CET

UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation, welcomed today’s vote at the European Parliament’s Industry Committee (ITRE) on the revised data protection regulation.

Internal Market Scoreboard: a record-breaking 15th anniversary edition - Edition 26 by EUbusiness — last modified 19 February 2013, 14:09 CET

Despite the challenging times, EU Member States have performed better than ever in transposing EU rules into national law on time according to the European Commission's Internal Market Scoreboard published today. The Single Market has a key role to play in bringing Europe out of economic stagnation. But it does not deliver benefits automatically: timely transposition of legislation is a necessary condition for achieving the policy objectives set out in the directives. The Internal Market Scoreboard was first published fifteen years ago, and today's edition shows great improvements by Member States. The EU average transposition deficit – the percentage of Internal Market Directives that have not been transposed into national law in time – has decreased from 6.3% in 1997 to a record new level of 0.6%, i.e. below the 1% target agreed by the European Heads of State and Government in 2007 and close to the 0.5% deficit proposed in the Single Market Act in April 2011.

MEPs vote on emissions trading reform – Friends Of The Earth Europe comment by Friends of the Earth Europe — last modified 19 February 2013, 11:26 CET

Members of the European Parliament's environment committee voted today in favour of a proposal to delay the introduction of permits into the EU Emissions Trading System.

Data protection: it’s not about Facebook, it’s about us, SMEs tell Parliament by European craft and SME employers’ organisation — last modified 19 February 2013, 11:23 CET

UEAPME speaks at SME Intergroup; warns against extending to all SMEs the obligation to nominate a data protection officer

A Banking Union for the Euro Area by IMF — last modified 15 October 2013, 11:06 CET

A banking union for the euro area would provide an integrated approach to oversee the safety and stability of the financial system as a whole. According to a new paper from International Monetary Fund staff, a successful banking union should eventually include three key elements: a single supervisory mechanism to oversee the rules and contain the buildup of risks; a single resolution authority to deal with weak or failing banks; and common safety nets to sustain depositor confidence in the event of shocks.

Major overhaul of EU product safety rules by European Consumers’ Organisation — last modified 13 February 2013, 19:00 CET

The European Union is to update a landmark consumer law on the safety of non-food products sold within Europe. The General Product Safety Directive (GPSD) governs safety standards to prevent for example injuries from defective products and limit exposure to hazardous chemicals.

ACEA welcomes President Obama’s intention to launch EU-US Free Trade Negotiations by European Automobile Manufacturers Association — last modified 13 February 2013, 17:12 CET

Speaking in the United States’ Congress at his annual State of the Union address last night, President Barack Obama gave a clear signal that he intends to reinforce ties between the US and the EU. His announcement of the launch of talks on a “comprehensive” Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Union is an important step in building a larger, freer and fairer market for both European and American goods and services.

Commission report on progress by Kosovo in fulfilling the requirements of the visa liberalisation roadmap by EUbusiness — last modified 12 February 2013, 15:18 CET

The European Commission presented on 12 February the first report on the progress achieved by Kosovo in fulfilling the requirements of the visa liberalisation roadmap. It evaluated Kosovo’s progress in each block of the visa roadmap and made a set of recommendations for the Kosovo authorities in areas where more decisive action is needed to obtain visa-free travel for its citizens.

Only 1 out of 4 EU citizens are aware of 112 as the European emergency number by 112 Foundation — last modified 11 February 2013, 17:58 CET

Only 1 out of 4 citizens are aware of 112 as the emergency number to dial all over the European Union.

Aluminium, cotton and lithium needlessly wasted, new report shows by Friends of the Earth Europe — last modified 14 February 2013, 23:09 CET

Europe is failing to manage its resources sustainably, unnecessarily sending valuable materials to incineration and landfill, according to a report published today (Thursday February 14) by Friends of the Earth Europe.

EU parliament votes to overhaul fisheries policy by Greenpeace European Unit — last modified 06 February 2013, 15:18 CET

A historic vote in the European Parliament in Strasbourg today has brought the prospect of a fast recovery of Europe’s fish stocks one step closer, according to Greenpeace.