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Economy

November 2011

"Small Business, Big World - a new partnership to help SMEs seize global opportunities"

The European Commission proposes a new strategy aimed at helping small and medium-sized enterprises to expand their business outside the European Union. This could trigger new dynamism for European economy.

The new strategy sets out 6 fields of action:

1. Strengthening and mapping the existing supply of support services??

2. Creating a single virtual gateway to information for SMEs

3. Making support schemes at EU level more consistent

4. Promoting clusters and networks for SME internationalisation

5. Rationalising new activities in priority markets

6. Leveraging existing EU external policies

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/market-access/internationalisation/index_en.htm

EU GDP

The European Commission's autumn automatic forecast projects that GDP in the EU will stagnate until well into 2012. EU GDP growth for 2012 is forecast at about 0.6%, down from an estimated 1.6% in 2011. By 2013, a return to slow growth of about 1.5% is expected. For the UK, the revised estimate is for 0.7% growth in 2011, dropping to 0.6% in 2012 with a modest rise to 1.5% in 2013. The Commission's forecast for eurozone growth is 1.5% in 2011, 0.5% in 2012 and 1.3% in 2013.

October 2011

Economic Crisis

EU leaders and bank officials struck an agreement on 27 October to write off 50% of Greek debt in a deal that will see weaker banks receive aid from the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF). The deal, which has been months in the making, came after talks between the Institute of International Finance (IIF) and EU officials in Brussels.

The 50% cut is intended to help Greece arrive at a 120% debt to GDP ratio by 2020, according to a summit statement following the eurozone leaders’ agreement. It was a voluntary bond exchange with a nominal discount of 50% on notional Greek debt held by private investors. Banks will be receiving a €30-billion sweetener in exchange for the deal which will partly come from the EFSF and partly from money made by the Greek government on privatisation of state assets.  In addition, leaders agreed to €100 billion in funding to help Greece surmount its debts.

Economic Infrastructure

The recent launch of the first two operational Galileo satellites represents a significant milestone in achieving Europe’s very own smart satellite navigation system. The satellites, which were launched from Kourou, French Guiana and will reach an orbit of 23 000 kilometres, will bring numerous benefits to both businesses and citizens. From 2014, the new constellation will enable improved services, including more precise in-car navigation, effective road-transport management, and search and rescue services. The new signal will also help achieve more secure banking transactions as well as reliable electricity provision, which all rely heavily on satellite navigation technologies to work efficiently. The overall economic impact of Galileo is estimated to be around €90 billion over the next 20 years. Galileo is expected to deliver €90 billion additional revenues for industry.
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/satnav/galileo/index_en.htm

Potential new EU investment in Cumbria

The European Commission has adopted a draft legislative package launched on 6th October which will frame cohesion policy for 2014-2020.  The new proposals are designed to reinforce the strategic dimension of the policy and to ensure that EU investment is targeted on Europe's long-term goals for growth and jobs ("Europe 2020") focussing on fewer investment priorities in line with these objectives and harmonises the rules related to different funds, including rural development and maritime and fisheries, to increase the coherence of EU action.  The County Council is making the case for as much benefit and finance as possible to come into the County"

MEPs call for global green economy targets

The UN’s Rio de Janeiro summit on sustainable development (“Rio+20”) should set "accountable targets", including global goals on renewable energy and energy efficiency, according to a resolution approved by the European Parliament on 28th September 2011.

Parliament’s set of recommendations for next year’s event - due to take place 20 years after the first Earth Summit in 1992 – was approved with 449 votes in favour, 103 against and 45 abstentions.

“We call on industrialised and developing countries to work together to reduce the global environmental footprint.  Only firm action now will allow the world’s growing population to share its limited natural resources fairly and sustainably in the future,” said Jo Leinen (S&D, DE), Chair of the European Parliament’s Environment Committee.

Warning of the pressures of climate change, MEPs say that biodiversity and natural resources – such as water, soil and forests - must be properly valued and accounted for. Parliament supports the European Commission’s call for a "Green Economy Roadmap" and stresses that sustainable growth needs new measures and “accountable targets”, including global goals to increase renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The EU will submit a unified position to the UN by the beginning of November, after which international negotiations will lead into the Rio de Janeiro summit in June 2012.

Towards a better understanding of the economic value of Volunteering

Participants in a high-level conference on volunteering, held in Warsaw in September, pledged to spare no effort to sustain the momentum generated by the European Year of Volunteering in a bid to make life easier for volunteers.

“Volunteering is a formidable way of instilling values underpinning active citizenship”.

Responding to fears about the negative impact that the current economic crisis can have on the future of volunteering, Staffan Nilsson, European Economic and Social Committee President said that “the crisis, no matter how serious and gloomy it is, cannot be an excuse for pushing everything else aside - including aspects that are intrinsic to the very fibre of our society, such as volunteering".  He added that one in four Europeans engaged in voluntary activity.  However, the economic value of volunteering remains largely unknown and it is about time that this changed.

László Andor, European Commissioner responsible for employment, social affairs and inclusion, underlined the role that volunteering can play in creating a truly inclusive labour market.  “Volunteering boosts employability by helping people acquire new skills”, he stated and went on to say that the European Commission will strive towards a formal recognition of skills acquired through volunteering.

Research, Innovation and Science Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn tells the BBC about the battle of the knowledge superpowers.

September 2011

Statement by EU Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Olli Rehn on the approval of economic governance reform by the European Parliament

"Today [29th September] we have reached a milestone through a historic vote by the European Parliament.  It will pave the way for creating a real economic union to complement the monetary union.”  The adopted package represents a fundamental change to the way the Economic and Monetary Union is governed.  It will ensure fiscal discipline and facilitate economic stability, which is crucial for sustainable growth and job creation.  The "six-pack" is an essential basis for future reforms, as outlined by President Barroso in his State of the Union speech today.

Environment

Energy and Transport

December 2011

EU  Consultation out on 6th December 2011 on the EU Renewable Energy Strategy

The consultation is online only tp://ec.europa.eu/energy/renewables/consultations/20120207_renewable_energy_strategy_en.htm 

You can download/view the strategy and renewable energy directive.  

The closing date for the Consulation is 7th February 2012.

This public consultation wants to get views on how far the current policy framework remain valid in the medium term, e.g. until 2030.  Interested parties are requested to consider the specific questions addressed in the consultation document.

It covers the general policy approach, financial support, procedures, grid integration of electricity from renewable energy sources, market integration, renewables in heating and cooling, renewables in transport, sustainability, regional and international dimensions and technology development.

The consultation is aimed at the public authorities, member states authorities, private organisations, industry associationsm SME's, citizens, consumer organisations, trade unions, NGO's, environmental organisations and consultancies.

October 2011

European Citizen's Energy Forum

The 4th meeting of the European Citizens' Energy Forum took place in  London on 26 and 27 October 2011. Commissioners Oettinger and Dalli greeted participants by means of a video message. Lord Mogg provided
opening remarks on behalf of Ofgem as host of the Forum and chair of the Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER) and chair of the Board of Regulators of ACER. The Forum was chaired by the Commission and attended by the national and European consumer associations, representatives of the Member States, national energy regulators, representatives of the Energy Community and Norway, the electricity and gas industry and the independent Ombudsmen. The particular focus of the Forum was on the development of competitive retail markets that benefit consumers. All the speakers of the opening session considered that consumers should be at the centre of EU energy policy and that the London Forum had a key role to play in this regard and stressed the importance of better engaging with consumer representation across Europe
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/gas_electricity/forum_citizen_energy_en.htm 
 

People 

November 2011

European Commission Recruiting Translators

The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) is launching a selection procedure to set up a database of successful candidates from which to recruit contract staff in the field of translation.

The database of successful candidates will be made available to the various translation departments in the European Institutions. The positions will be based in Brussels and Luxembourg depending on the needs of the services.

Am I eligible?

You must be:

• a citizen of an EU country;

• educated to degree level.

You must have:

• a perfect command of one of the official languages of the European Union;

• a thorough knowledge of English, French or German, must be different from language 1 above;

• a thorough knowledge of one of the official languages of the European Union, different from languages 1 and 2 above.

Click the link below for all documents.

http://europa.eu/epso/apply/today/contract_en.htm

UK gets EU Project for Mobile Security

October 2011

Health - dioxin contamination

A Commission proposal designed to protect consumers and industry against possible dioxin contamination was recently endorsed by Member States during a meeting of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH). The proposal includes four measures to further reduce the risk of contamination in the food chain, which are to be implemented throughout the EU by mid-2012. These measures are designed to avoid expensive food recalls from the market, which can cost industry millions of euros. John Dalli, EU Health and Consumer Commissioner welcomed Member State support for the Commission proposal.

Global economy impact on health

The Interim Second Report on Social Determinants of Health’ shows the impact of the economic crisis on health in Europe discussed during the 61st session of the World Health Organisation Regional Committee for Europe.  It highlights how the global economic recession has impacted on health and well-being in Europe.  For more information visit the EPHA website.

Safer Social Networking

In 2011 the Commission has presented the first batch of findings of the second independent assessment of the implementation of the Safer Social Networking Principles for the EU.

The European Commission wants to ensure that Europeans can enjoy all that new technologies have to offer without worrying about threats to their privacy or viewing inappropriate content.

Much of its efforts has focused on children and teenagers, who have become massive users of social networking sites, and active users of the Internet as a whole.  Over the past decade, the European Commission has been tackling the issue of online child empowerment and protection, particularly through its Safer Internet Programme.

Massive increase in social network members:

• 41.7 million regular users of social networking sites in 2008 in Europe
• 107.4 million regular users of social networking sites by the end of 2012 in Europe
• 250,000 sign up to social networks every day worldwide

Consumer Protection

October 2011

Consumer Markets Scoreboard

Financial and property services & fuel markets badly rated. The ultimate aim of EU consumer policy is to make sure that the EU Single Market offers European consumers a greater choice of products and services, ease of comparing offers, competitive prices and effective complaints handling.
On this basis, the European Commission has decided to probe the consumer credit and fuel markets in particular and identify policy responses. It has found that those markets are the most at risk of badly functioning for consumers.
A scoreboard published on 21 October reveals that services markets continue to underperform for consumers, with financial services (e.g. consumer credit) and network services (e.g. electricity) all below average. Overall, investments (including pensions and securities), real estate services and mortgages are the three lowest performing consumer markets.
Across the EU, other service markets which are not working well for consumers are: TV provision, electricity services, internet provision, mobile phone services, current bank accounts and consumer credit ("loans and credit cards"). Goods markets on the whole appear to be working considerably better, except for second-hand cars and vehicle fuels.

Common European Sales Law - expanding consumer choice and boosting trade

• Most small and medium-size enterprises in the European Union (EU) - nearly 99% of which are micro and small companies - cannot afford to trade across EU borders because selling abroad means adapting sales contracts for up to 26 different legal systems.

• European consumers miss out on better deals and a wider choice of products because a trader refuses to sell in their country and because they are uncertain of their rights when buying abroad.
  This is why the European Commission – the EU's executive body – is proposing a common European Sales Law that is identical in all EU countries.

• allowing firms to choose to use the same contract law whether they sell to one or several EU countries 

• granting a high level of consumer protection through clear consumer rights.

It will not replace national laws but will allow sellers that are considering entering a new market to offer an optional system of contract law rules that are identical in all EU countries.  Those who do not want to use it can simply continue using the existing national contract law rules. Both parties have to agree on the Common European Sales Law.
UK: 64% of British retailers active or interested in selling to consumers outside their national market said they were held back by a range of contract-law related obstacles in transactions with consumers and 50% in transactions with other businesses. 49% of British businesses said they would use a single EU contract law for cross-border sales to consumers and 44% for cross-border transactions with businesses. Under the Common European Sales Law, if a business fails to deliver the goods, a consumer can require the business to do so. Such a general right does not exist in the UK.

Buying on the internet : it's now safer for consumers to shop for tickets online following EU action

Buying tickets for music and sporting events on the internet is now much less likely to end in tears, following a crackdown on problematic websites which sold tickets to non-existent events or which failed to explain whether the buyer would get a refund or not, if the event was cancelled. 88% of the websites selling tickets for cultural and sporting events, checked for breach of EU consumer rules, now comply with EU law (compared with only 40% in 2010), and further improvements can be expected as cases are brought to the courts.  The EU co-ordinated "Sweep" investigation was launched in September 2010 by national authorities in all Member States, Norway and Iceland.  The problems identified included: incomplete or misleading information about the price of tickets; unfair terms and conditions; incomplete or misleading information about the trader.  Sites have been corrected, usually voluntarily, but in some cases penalties were imposed.

EU Funding and Projects

November 2011

Representatives of the 27 EU Member States and the European Parliament met on 8th November for the first time since the start of the budget conciliation procedure on 1 November to try and find compromises on the priorities and size of the EU's 2012 budget.

EU Arrangements from 2014 Onwards

October 2011

EU Structural Funds Package (Draft)

The European Commission has adopted a draft legislative package for EU regional, employment and social policy for 2014-2020. The package includes an overarching regulation setting out common rules for governing the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund (ESF), the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). The Commission has also adopted proposals for two instruments in the area of employment and social policy - the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) and the Programme for Social Change and Innovation (PSCI), as well as a communication on the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF).

Cohesion policy’s investment will be channelled through the same three funds:

• the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); 

• the European Social Fund (ESF); and

• the Cohesion Fund.

In addition, a new facility will be created called the "Connecting Europe Facility" (CEF). The CEF will aim to accelerate the development of priority infrastructure in transport, energy and information technologies. €10 billion of the Cohesion Fund will be ring-fenced for this facility which will be managed directly by the Commission. The Cohesion Fund will continue to support transport infrastructure in Member States with a GNI below 90% of the EU average.

The new legislative package has been introduced to align the policy to the goals for achieving agreed targets on employment, education, poverty, innovation, research and development and climate set out the EU long-term strategy for growth and jobs, Europe 2020.

The new elements in the package, as compared to previous legislation are:

• Concentration on 'Europe 2020' - including fixed minimum allocations for a number of priority areas where the EU has set targets such as energy efficiency and combating social exclusion and poverty.

• Better coordination of various EU actions - for example, Member States will be allowed to combine ERDF, ESF and Cohesion Fund in 'multi-fund' programmes to better suit their growth plans, improve coordination and to allow the biggest impact.

• Rewarding performance - including incentives to deliver Europe 2020 objectives.

• Sound macro-fiscal environment - including establishing a tighter link between cohesion policy and European economic governance, such as the excessive deficit procedure. To ensure EU investments are not undermined by unsound macro-economic policies or by weak administrative capacity the Commission can ask to review programmes or suspend the funding if remedial action is not taken.

• Reinforcing territorial cooperation – this includes the EU INTERREG programme – as a means of addressing policy gaps and driving up innovation;
  

• Territorial cohesion - including a clear focus on sustainable urban development;
  

• Further simplification - including introducing simplified reimbursement rules.

This package has now got to be debated by the European Parliament and the European Council. Cumbria County Council is working with colleagues and partners nationally and in the North West UK region to promote Cumbria's best interests in securing ongoing opportunities and funding for Cumbria post 2013.

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