AGENDA/08/16
Brussels Friday 25 April
Top News from the European Commission28 April to 25 May 2008
Background notes from the Spokesperson’s service for journalists
The European Commission reserves the right to make changes
Monday 28 April:
Spring 2008 Economic Forecasts
Tuesday 29 April:
Fifteen years of monitoring dangerous chemicals in the EU
Wednesday 30 April:
Improving European biopharmaceutical research
Monday 5 May:
The Commission, Parliament and the Council bring together the three
monotheistic religions to discuss climate change and reconciliation
Monday 5 and Tuesday 6 May:
Forum on a renewed social agenda: Opportunities, access and solidarity in 21st century Europe
Tuesday 6 May:
Presentation of the 2009 Preliminary Draft Budget (PDB)
Tuesday 6 May:
The Commission wants to better inform energy consumers about their rights
Wednesday 7 May:
Regular Convergence Report on euro adoption
Wednesday 7 May:EMU @10:
Successes and challenges after 10 years of Economic and Monetary Union
Thursday 8 May:
Consumers - Mid-term report on the enforcement phase of the Airline
Ticket Sweep Investigation
Friday 9 May:
European civil servants in charge of development go back to school
for Europe Day
Tuesday 13 May:
Improving the fight against fake goods
Wednesday, 14 – Thursday, 15 May 2008:
What is the future for the Canary Islands, the Azores, Madeira and the four French overseas departments?
From Wednesday 14th to Friday 30th May:
Three international opportunities for Commissioner Dimas to defend European policy in the battle against climate change
Thursday 15 and Friday 16 May:
Brussels Economic Forum
Friday 16 May:
EU-Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Summit
Monday 19 May:
European films in the spotlight at Cannes Film Festival
Tuesday 20 May:
The "health check" of the CAP reform
Tuesday 20 May:
Advanced Safety features and Tyres for Cars
Monday 28 April: Spring 2008Economic Forecasts
The news:
The Commission will publish its spring economic forecasts for 2007-2009, including on economic growth, inflation, employment and the general government debt and deficits.
For 2008, the Commission last forecast an economic growth of 1.8% for the euro area and 2.0% for the EU. The February 21 interim forecasts also put euro area inflation at 2.6% this year and 2.9% for the EU.
The background :
The Commission publishes economic forecasts four times a year: in the spring and in the autumn, plus two lighter exercises in between – the interim forecasts – for the seven largest EU economies and EU and euro area aggregates.
The event:
Press Conference by Commissioner Joaquín Almunia at the Berlaymont in Brussels at 12.15 hrs. IPand economic forecasts on the day.
- Video and photo coverage by EbS.
The sources:
IP/07/1666 - Autumn 2007 Economic Forecast (9 November 2007)
IP/08/274 - Interim Forecasts (21 February 2008)
European Commission websites:
Commissioner Amunia's website:
- I-044194 Chemical Industry: "REACH" system 10/2003 (Industrial site of BASF in Antwerp, Belgium; Polymers and Polyamid Production Unit;Test Laboratories on site; Public Exhibition on the activities of the chemical industry)
- I-052548 VNR: Safer chemicals within REACH 2007
- I-056995 REACHing for a safer use of chemicals 04/2008
The contacts:
Amelia Torres+32 2 295
Marisa González+32 2 295
Tuesday 29 April: Fifteen years of monitoring dangerous chemicals in the EU
The news:
The European Chemicals Bureau (ECB), at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, celebrates 15 years of monitoring dangerous chemicals, and hands over its experience to the newly created European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in Helsinki.
The background:
Established in 1993, the European Chemicals Bureau (ECB) carried out all the scientific and technical work needed to implement EU legislation related to chemicals. Throughout these fifteen years, the ECB has played an important role in ensuring a high level of protection for workers, consumers and the environment through the identification of dangerous chemicals.
The ECB has contributed substantially to the new chemicals regulation, REACH, that entered into force 1 June 2007, This regulation provides a more coherent legislation in this field, replacing about 40 pieces of existing legal text. The REACH regulation will improve human health and the environment while maintaining the competitiveness of the chemicals industry.
The ECB will officially hand over its activities to the new European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) on 1st June 2008.
The event:
A conference in Varese, Italy will take place on 29th April, 2008, with the participation of the Executive Director of ECHA and the Deputy Director General of JRC, to celebrate ECB's contribution to EU legislation in the chemicals field, . .
A Memorandum highlighting the contributions of ECB will be published.
The sources:
ECB website:
The website of IUCD, the International Uniform Chemical Information Database:
Institute for Health and Consumer Protection web site:
Commissioner's Potocnik's website:
The contacts:
Michel Claessens+32 2 295 99
Sophie Andersson+32 2 295 02 08
Wednesday 30 April: Improving European biopharmaceutical research
The news:
At the conference on the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) Joint Undertaking, key players will present the scientific priorities for biopharmaceutical research in 2008.
Journalists are invited to discover and discuss the future of European biopharmaceutical research and find out in detail how this innovative Joint Undertaking will distribute its funds.
IMI’s objective is to accelerate the discovery and development of innovative medicines, by removing major bottlenecks in the drug development process. Boosting Europe’s competitiveness in biopharmaceutical innovation and fostering Europe as the most attractive place for pharmaceutical R&D are the long term goals of IMI.
The background:
The Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) is a fundamentally new and the first of its kind public private partnership between the European Community and the pharmaceutical industry totalling to €2billion. The conference will provide detailed and concrete information on this ambitious undertaking, the call and evaluation process as well as the call topics and will be a meeting place for all stakeholder communities, particularly policy-makers, industry and research.
The event:
Press conference at 14h with Commissioner Potočnik and Arthur Higgins, President European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), in the Charlemagne building, Brussels
The sources:
Websites:
Innovative Medicines initiative:
Joint Undertaking governance structure:
Commissioner's Potocnik's website:
The contacts:
Michel Claessens+32 2 295 99
Sophie Andersson+32 2 295 02
Monday 5 May:The Commission, Parliament and the Council bring together the three monotheistic religions to discuss climate change and reconciliation
The news:
Around twenty senior figures from the Christian, Jewish and Muslim religions from eleven Members States (France, United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Poland, The Netherlands, Sweden, Italia, Greece, Romania and Lithuania) will meet in the Berlaymont in Brussels to talk about the sensitive issues of climate change and reconciliation between peoples.
Among the religious dignitaries present, Dr Richard Chartres, Bishop of London; Pastor Dr Letizia Tomassone, vice-president of the Federation of Evangelical Churches of Italy; Dr Mohamed Bechari, president of the National Federation of Muslims in France and secretary-general of the European Islamic Conference; the chief rabbi of Poland, Michael Schudrich; Emmanuel, Metropolitan of France and representative of the Patriarch of Constantinople; and Cardinal Audrys Juozas Backis, Archbishop of Vilnius.
The meeting will be chaired by José Manuel Barroso, Hans-Gert Pöttering and Janez Janša, Presidents of the European Commission, Parliament and Council respectively.Some Commisioners – names to be confirmed- will also take part in this exchange of views.
The background:
This is the fourth in a series of annual meetings launched by President Barroso in 2005.However, this year's interfaith meeting has a particular significance,as 2008 has been designated the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue.Moreover, it has become clear that religions and faith communities, like civil society as a whole, play a key role in the search for sustainable solutions to the challenges faced by Europe and the wider world.This is why the conference has, on this occasion, been given the title "Meeting the challenges of climate change and reconciliation through intercultural dialogue".
The event:
From 09.00 to 14.30: Meeting held in the Berlaymont building, rue de la Loi 200.
- 09.45: Individual photo session with the religious leaders on the 13th floor (meet at 09.30 in the Berlaymont reception for the accredited journalists)
- 12.30:Press conference and group photograph in formal dress, in the Berlaymont press room.For the list of all religious dignitaries present, contact:
- EBS Coverage
The sources
IP/07/670 – former meeting in 2007
European Year of Intercultural Dialogue website:
- I-054107 Building a Europe based on human dignity": meeting between José Manuel Barroso, Angela Merkel, Hans-Gert Pöttering and religious leaders 15/05/2007
The contacts
Johannes Laitenberger+32 2 296
Jens Mester:+32 2 296
Monday 5 and Tuesday 6 May: Forum on a renewed social agenda: Opportunities, access and solidarity in 21st century Europe
The news:
The European Commission is holding a major conference to discuss how Europe should respond to its current social challenges in an era of globalisation and create discussion on how Europe should renew its social agenda. The event aims to:
- Provide a platform for a social policy dialogue that is responsive to new challenges in European societies.
- Open a discussion aimed at public engagement and consensus building in the context of new social realities and ensuring the best way forward.
- Produce input that will ultimately feed into the preparation and definition of the renewed Social Agenda in June 2008.
The Commission will also present a new Social Situation Report "Social Cohesion through Equal Opportunities" which presents some key findings from the EU's new tool for monitoring the social situation and, in the future, social trends, namely the EU-SILC (Statistics on Income and Living Conditions).
The background:
The Social Policy Agenda forms part of the integrated European approach towards achieving economic and social improvements, known as the Lisbon Strategy. One of the starting points of the Conference is the renewed Social Agenda adopted in 2005, which describes the EU’s roadmap for modernising and improving the European social model as: “A social Europe in the global economy: jobs and opportunities".
Building on the initial results of the consultation, a ‘Communication on Opportunities, Access and Solidarity’ was adopted in November 2007. It set out a range of possible responses to the social challenges that Europe faces. This document sets the context for renewing the social agenda over the medium term and provides a solid basis for discussions at the Conference.
The event:
The conference will take place at the Charlemagne building, Please register via this site:
A press conference with Commissioner Vladimír Špidla will take place on 6 May at 11.15 in the Charlemagne.
- EBS Coverage of the Press conference
The sources:
Conference website:
The Citizens' Agenda and the Social Agenda 2005-2010:
- Pictures to illustrate various projects funded by the Structural Funds are taken from existing video stockshots.
The contacts:
Katharina von Schnurbein +32 2 298 14
Carmel Dunne +32 2 299 88
Tuesday 6 May: Presentation of the 2009 Preliminary Draft Budget (PDB)
The news:
The Commission to present its EU budget proposal for 2009, the first major step in the EU's annual budget procedure.
The Preliminary Draft Budget (PDB) 2009 forecasts both commitments (legal pledges to provide financing) and payments (actual cash or bank transfers to beneficiaries). Appropriations (i.e. funding) for commitments and paymentsdiffer as multi-annual programmes and projects are usually committed in the year they are decided, but are only paid for as programmes and projects get rolling.
The background:
The planned timetable for the adoption of the 2009 EU budget is:
- Mid-July: first reading of the Council and the first Conciliation meeting
- End-October: first reading of the European Parliament
- End-November: second reading of the Council and the second Conciliation meeting
- End-December: final adoption by the Council and the European Parliament
The event:
Press conference with Commissioner Grybauskaite at 11:30 in the Berlaymont press room, Brussels.
- Press Conference covered by EbS
The sources:
Financial Programming and Budget website:
EU budget 2008 publication:
Commissioner's website:
- I-055992 Signature of the EU 2008 budget -18/12/2007
- I-055493 Speech by Dalia Grybauskaite on the budget reform (extracts) - 05/11/2007
The contacts:
Cristina Arigho+32 2 298 53 99
Roger Nunn +32 2 295 36 47
Tuesday 6 May: The Commission wants to better inform energy consumers about their rights
The news:
The Commission will organise a Conference on the Promotion of the Rights of Energy Consumers. The aim is to improve the implementation of energy consumer rights and the information to consumers.
To this end, the conference seeks to propose a new approach to inform consumers by means of a European Energy Consumer Checklist, designed to answer questions from local consumers about local or regional retail markets. The Commission will prepare a list of relevant questions and invite national stakeholders to provide definitive answers that will form an easily accessible data pool containing all local information.
The conference will also launch the Citizens' Energy Forum, by analogy with the existingFlorence and Madrid Forums of the electricity and gas industries. This new forum will serve as a platform for all stakeholders to work together to improve the functioning of retail markets to the benefit of business and consumers alike. Finally, a list of voluntary commitmentswill be proposed by stakeholders, in particular industry, with a view to extending industry best practices throughout the EU.
Among speakers, there will be Commissioners Kuneva and Piebalgs, Tomaz Jersic, Secretary of State in the Slovenian Ministry for Economy and representing the Presidency of the Council, and Mia de Vits, member of the European Parliament's Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection.
The background:
This conference is the follow-up to the Commission’s communication ‘Towards a European Charter on the Rights of Energy Consumers’ (5 July 2007). TheCommission's Energy Consumer Policy has two goals: the efficient functioning of the retail market and promoting consumer interests through consumer rights and public service.
Consumers represent 27% of the total EU electricity consumption market. If public authorities succeed in creating the right conditions for consumers to exercise their choice, looking for the most advantageous offer, they can be key drivers of the European energy economy. Empowered with accurate information and choices, consumers can through their own decisions make a very real contribution to sustainable development. But consumers will only play their full role if they are aware of their rights and confident that their rights will be properly implemented.
The event:
Commissioners Kuneva and Piebalgs will give an opening address at 10h. Afterwards there will be a presentation of the European Energy Consumer Checklist and an Exchange of Industry best practice. The event takes place in the Conferences Centre Borschette, rue Froissart, 36 ; 1049 Bruxelles.
The Event will be broadcasted live at
The sources:
MEMO/07/278 - Towards a European Energy Consumers’ Charter
European Commission’s website for energy consumers’ rights:
European Commission’s campaign website for energy consumers’ rights and opening of
the energy markets:
- I-053453 Energy: Market Liberalisation
The contacts:
Ferran Tarradellas Espuny +32 2 296 62 93
Helen Kearns+32 2 298 76 38
Marilyn Carruthers+32 2 299
Emer Traynor+32 2 292
Wednesday 7 May: Regular Convergence Report on euro adoption
The news:
The Commission will adopt its regular Convergence Report assessing progress made by the 10 European Union countries with a so-called 'derogation' to be able to adopt the euro. The 10 are Bulgaria, CzechRepublic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Sweden. According to Article 122(2) of the EU Treaty, the Commission (and the European Central Bank) must report on the subject every two years. The Member States concerned can also request that their readiness for the euro be assessed at any other moment. Slovakia early this month formally requested for an assessment.
As is usual, the report will examine whether a high degree of sustainable convergence has been achieved by reference to the four convergence criteria relating to price stability, the government budgetary position, exchange rate stability and the long term interest rate. It also checks the compatibility of national legislation with the EMU chapter of the Treaty as well as with the Statute of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB) and of the ECB.
The background:
The last regular Convergence Report was published in December 2006. The 2008 Report will be the opportunity to assess for the first time the degree of convergence of Bulgaria and Romania.
The euro was introduced on the 1st of January 1999. After the adoption of the euro by Slovenia, in 2007, and by Cyprus and Malta in 2008, the euro area presently has 15 EU members and 320 million people out of the EU's total of 495 million.
The event:
Press conference by Commissioner Almunia (see separate Top News on 10 years of EMU) – Time to be confirmed.
- EBS Coverage
The sources:
2006 Convergence Report – IP/06/1681 (5 December 2006):
2007 Convergence Report on Cyprus – IP/07/674 (16 May 2007):
007 Convergence Report on Malta– IP/07/673 (16 May 2007):
All relevant documents concerning the euro area enlargement:
Commissioner Almunia's website:
The contacts:
Amelia Torres+ 32 2 295 4629
Marisa González+ 32 2 295 1925
Wednesday 7 May: EMU @10: Successes and challenges after 10 years of Economic and Monetary Union
The news:
The Commission is expected to adopt a Communication to the Council and the European Parliament that will take stock of the many successes of the euro but will also look at improving the functioning of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) bearing in mind the pressing challenges of globalisation, population ageing and climate change.
The Communication will be accompanied by a broader staff Report, which builds on extensive contributions from the academic world and other eminent experts that are already available on a special EMU@10 webpage on Ecfin's website (see below).