European Parliamentary Research Service Blog

With European elections coming up in May 2019, you probably want to know how the European Union impacts your daily life, before you think about voting. In the latest in a series of posts on what Europe does for you, your family, your business and your wellbeing, we look at what Europe does for people wanting to gain digital skills.

We live in a digital age, where the fast pace of technological development is transforming our economies and societies profoundly. Almost all jobs now require some level of digital skills, as does participation in society in general. In this context, digital literacy has become a life skill and the inability to access or use the internet seems unthinkable to many of us. However, about 44 % of adults in the EU have low digital skills and about 20 % have never used the internet, which can hamper their social integration and personal development.

© Rawpixel.com / Fotolia

While education remains a responsibility of the individual Member States, the EU supports actions aimed at improving digital skills. Since 2007, ’digital competence’ has been recognised as one of the eight essential skills to have in relation to lifelong learning.

The EU has been investing for more than 20 years, under the Structural Funds, in digital literacy projects for all, including for socially disadvantaged groups. It has funded programmes aimed at helping teachers and learners with digital technologies, and research projects aimed at developing user-friendly accessible technology. As part of the New Skills Agenda for Europe initiative, an EU digital competence framework has been developed to better test abilities. A digital skills job coalition has also been launched, where the EU has gone into partnership with stakeholders to work together to help improve digital skills.

Further information

• EPRS briefing, Digital skills in the EU labour market, 2017, http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2017/595889/EPRS_IDA(2017)595889_EN.pdf
• EPRS briefing, Bridging the digital divide in the EU, 2015, http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2015/573884/EPRS_BRI(2015)573884_EN.pdf
• European Commission, New Skills Agenda for Europe, http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1223#qualifications

 

With European elections coming up in May 2019, you probably want to know how the European Union impacts your daily life, before you think about voting. In the latest in a series of posts on what Europe does for you, your family, your business and your wellbeing, we look at what Europe does for phone and internet users.

Almost all of us use telecom services: about 82 % of EU citizens have used the internet in the last 3 months, 360 million Europeans use it every day and there are around 700 million SIM cards currently in circulation in the EU.

The European telecom sector used to be run exclusively by state monopolies. However, in the 1980s the EU started promoting liberalisation, gradually opening the markets up to competition. This brought prices for telecom services down: the traditional providers’ share of the fixed-line telephone market shrunk, and in most countries consumers began paying less for national long-distance and international calls. New entrants in both the fixed-line and mobile markets have given consumers a greater choice of service provider and products. Thanks to EU action, roaming charges for calls, text messages and data were finally abolished on 15 June 2017. This means people travelling abroad within the EU are using their mobile phones much more than before. In effect, Europeans tend to spend on less on telecommunication services than the citizens or USA or Japan.

© F8studio / Fotolia

The EU has also done a lot to promote broadband. This has helped to reduce prices in most EU countries and means that 99.9 % of EU households now have access to fixed or mobile broadband. EU consumer protection laws, meanwhile, aim to guarantee a reasonable quality of service at affordable prices, ensure free access to emergency telephone numbers, the right to a written contract lasting just two years, transparent information, and the possibility to switch providers in a day without changing phone number.

Further information

• EPRS publication on roam like at home by default, http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2016/595857/EPRS_BRI%282016%29595857_EN.pdf
• EPRS publication on broadband as a universal service, http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2016/581977/EPRS_BRI(2016)581977_EN.pdf
• EPRS publication on European Gigabit Society, http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2017)603979

 

With European elections coming up in May 2019, you probably want to know how the European Union impacts your daily life, before you think about voting. In the latest in a series of posts on what Europe does for you, your family, your business and your wellbeing, we look at what Europe does for people who hate wasting food.

Approximately 88 million tonnes of food, or 173 kilograms per person, is wasted in the EU per year, according to estimates by an EU-funded research project FUSIONS. Households and processing together account for 72 % of EU food waste.

© SpeedKingz/ Shutterstock.com

In August 2016, an EU platform on food loss and food waste was established, to help EU countries tackle the problem. The European Commission has announced that it will try to clarify EU legislation make food donation easier and enable the use of former foodstuffs for animal feed. One important aim is to improve date marking: in particular ‘best before’ labelling, which consumers find confusing and can lead them to throw away food that could still be used. The Commission has compiled a set of good practices in food waste reduction on its food waste website, including examples of food redistribution programmes in EU countries.

The European Court of Auditors released a special report on combating food waste in January 2017. Under the new waste framework directive, the Commission will create a common methodology to calculate food waste by the end of 2019, and urge EU countries to reduce food waste by 30 % by 2025 and to halve it by 2030. The EU-funded research programme REFRESH, running until June 2019, is testing new approaches to tackle food waste through pilot projects. An EU-funded study on date marking, published in February 2018, will also inform EU prevention of food waste.

Further information

• European Commission’s Directorate General for Health and Food Safety website,
  https://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/food_waste_en
• European Commission’s Directorate General for Health and Food Safety website,
  https://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/food_waste/eu_actions_en
• EPRS | European Parliamentary Research Service: series of publications relating to food waste in Europe, https://bit.ly/2HECZxV

With European elections coming up in May 2019, you probably want to know how the European Union impacts your daily life, before you think about voting. In the latest in a series of posts on what Europe does for you, your family, your business and your wellbeing, we look at what Europe does for cooks and foodies.

As a cook or a ‘foodie’, you value products that are delicious, authentic and safe. Europeans enjoy a wide choice of top quality products, ranging from Greek olive oil, Spanish ham and Belgian chocolate, to Swedish herring. Thanks to the freedom of trading within the internal market, all of these products can be sold anywhere in the EU. You can be sure that the food is safe to eat because of EU food safety rules, strict limits for pesticide residues and mandatory information about allergens.

Some regional specialities have a long tradition and a reputation for high quality. EU quality logos protect such geographical products against cheating, so you know that a product sold as Parma ham is actually made in the Parma region according to quality standards.

Are you afraid that delicacies like bluefin tuna will disappear from the shelves, due to overfishing? Fishing quotas in EU waters are increasingly based on scientific criteria, to ensure that fish stocks have a chance to regenerate.

© M.studio / Fotolia

As a consumer, you are interested in what your food contains and how it is produced. EU rules ensure that food products are labelled with the ingredients and the nutritional value, and the EU organic label certifies that products satisfy strict rules regarding animal welfare and the use of pesticides and fertilisers.

In reaction to reports that branded products sold in new EU Member States use lower-quality ingredients than similarly branded products sold elsewhere, the European Commission issued guidelines to ensure that all consumers in the EU have access to the same high-quality products.

Further information

• EPRS publication ‘European Commission guidelines on dual quality of branded food products’, http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2017)608804
• Fact Sheets on the European Union: Food Safety,http://www.europarl.europa.eu/atyourservice/en/displayFtu.html?ftuId=FTU_2.2.6.html
• European Commission website on EU quality logos, https://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/schemes_en
• European Commission website ‘The organic logo guarantees’, https://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/organic/consumer-trust/certification-and-confidence/the-organic-logo-guarantees_en

Written by Marcin Grajewski,

© jpldesigns / Fotolia

US President Donald Trump met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for a historic summit in Singapore on 12 June 2018. They reached a short agreement that emphasised the North’s commitment to ‘work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula’, but provided no details on when Pyongyang would give up nuclear weapons or how that might be verified. Following the summit, the United States announced it had agreed with South Korea to suspend all planning on joint military exercises.

This note offers links to reports and commentaries from some major international think-tanks and research institutes on the summit. More reports on North Korea and related issues can be found in a previous edition of ‘What Think Tanks are thinking’, published in June 2018 before the summit.

Trump-Kim summit: Gambler’s diplomacy
European Council on Foreign Relations, June 2018

Trump-Kim summit: China and Kim are winners
Atlantic Council, June 2018

US–North Korea summit statement lacks definition
Chatham House, June 2018

Does China win or lose from the US-North Korea thaw?
Cato Institute, June 2018

US-North Korea summit explained: The key players’ views
KF-VUB, German Marshall Fund, June 2018

The Singapore summit’s uncertain legacy
Council on Foreign Relations, June 2018

No, the North Korean nuclear threat is not “over”
Carnegie Europe, June 2018

Are the Korean Peninsula and the world safer after Singapore?
United States Institute of Peace, June 2018

Faint praise for the Trump–Kim Singapore Summit statement
International Institute for Strategic Studies, June 2018

The North Korean summit is over: Now for the hard part
Center for a New American Security, June 2018

Singapore summit: North East Asia set for strategic realignment
Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, June 2018

US-North Korea summit: Singapore round goes to Chairman Kim
Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, June 2018

The conventional military balance on the Korean Peninsula
International Institute for Strategic Studies, June 2018

Success with North Korea still needs Japan
Rand Corporation, June 2018

Don’t dismiss the Trump-Kim summit so quickly
Brookings Institution, June 2018

Kim Jong-un’s two strategic decisions
Korea Economic Institute, June 2018

China’s Xi Jinping will sleep more soundly after the Singapore summit
Royal United Services Institute, June 2018

Singapore was just the first episode of Trump’s North Korea show
The German Marshall Fund of the United States, June 2018

How to increase pressure if diplomacy with North Korea fails
Atlantic Council, June 2018

Singapore summit: It’s a start, not a miracle
Heritage Foundation, June 2018

What does the Singapore summit mean for South Korea, China and Japan?
United States Institute of Peace, June 2018

Singapore summit: The meeting is the message
Council on Foreign Relations, June 2018

5 steps to take after Trump’s North Korea summit
Cato Institute, June 2018

Beyond the Trump-Kim summit: A coalition is critical for achieving denuclearization
Atlantic Council, June 2018

Kim Jong-un’s tools of coercion
Brookings Institution, June 2018

Deep Dish: Trump-Kim summit: What happened, why, and what’s next
Chicago Council on Global Affairs, June 2018

The Trump doctrine is winning and the world is losing
International Institute for Strategic Studies, June 2018

Difficulties integrating North Korean defectors suggest challenges in reunifying Korea
Rand Corporation, June 2018

Why this wasn’t Kim’s father’s – or grandfather’s – summit
Rand Corporation, June 2018

After North Korea summit, military cooperation can reduce tensions
United States Institute of Peace, June 2018

North Korea must come clean about its dirty money
Center for a New American Security, June 2018

Assessment of the Singapore summit
Center for Strategic and International Studies, June 2018

Read this briefing on ‘US-North Korea summit‘ on the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

Written by Katarzyna Sochacka and Clare Ferguson,

© European Union 2018 – Source : EP

The July plenary session highlights were: the continuation of the debate on the Future of Europe, this time with the Prime Minister of Poland, Mateusz Morawiecki, the discussion on the outcome of the European Council meeting of 28-29 June 2018, and the review of the Bulgarian and presentation of the activities of the Austrian Presidencies. The European Commission and Council participated in discussions on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. VP/HR Federica Mogherini’s statement on the migration crisis and humanitarian situation in Venezuela and at its borders was also discussed. Angola’s President, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, addressed Parliament in a formal sitting. Parliament approved, inter alia, proposals for a European Travel Information and Authorisation System, a European Defence Industrial Development Programme, financial rules applicable to the general EU budget and two amending budgets for 2018. Parliament agreed on the conclusion of a partnership agreement between the EU and Armenia and approved the reform of the electoral law of the EU. Three reports on the social and market aspects of the first mobility package were rejected and sent back to the Transport and Tourism Committee.

ETIAS

Parliament approved the trilogue agreement on proposals for a European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) to manage information on third-country nationals travelling into the Schengen area. Parliament wants to ensure that the information used in the proposed online system to address the current lack of information about visa-exempt nationals travelling into Europe, is strictly relevant, and that the system is secure, transparent and accountable.

Mobility Package

Parliament rejected the three reports, as amended, on postings, resting/driving times and cabotage (the social and market rules in the mobility package). Following a vote in the Transport and Tourism Committee (TRAN) on 4 June, and subsequent rejection of the negotiating mandates in plenary on 14 June, this new round of votes effectively returns the proposals to the committee.

While the majority of the TRAN committee voted in favour of enforcement requirements and specific rules for posting drivers in the road transport sector; and on daily and weekly driving times, minimum breaks and rest periods and positioning by means of tachographs, the Employment and Social Affairs Committee reintroduced its amendments to focus on drivers’ working conditions in the road transport sector.

Members also largely approved a report on reducing charges on heavy-duty vehicles for the use of certain road infrastructure. This report is part of the mobility package and a special legislative procedure applies, in which Parliament is only consulted.

Partnership Agreement between the EU and EAEC and Armenia

Parliament voted in favour of concluding the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between the EU and Armenia. Provisionally applied since 1 June 2018, the EU-Armenia Agreement was signed on 24 November 2017. In the non-legislative resolution adopted in parallel, Members considered the signature of this agreement to constitute an important step forward in EU and Armenia cooperation, and translates the commitment to deepening their political and economic relations.

European Defence Industrial Development Programme

Members adopted (478 votes to 179, with 23 abstentions) the European Defence Industrial Development Programme. Part of the European Defence Fund, where the EU has responded to increased security threats and key allies’ withdrawal of support, by creating a €500 million envelope to fund development of defence equipment and technologies, and boost the competitiveness of the EU defence industry. The proposed programme tightens up eligibility criteria, notably for third-country entities participating in programme financed actions. Priorities are direct management and a greater emphasis on SME access to the market.

Integrated farm statistics

Farm statistics provide evidence used to make decisions on where to allocate funding within the framework of the EU common agricultural policy. In line with its policy to update all its statistical data, the Commission proposes updating integrated farm statistics to make collection more flexible, detailed, and coherent, and to reduce the data collection burden. Parliament adopted the agreement on this draft regulation.

Reform of the electoral law of the European Union

Members of the European Parliament approved, by a comfortable majority (397 votes to 207, with 62 abstentions) the reform of the electoral law of the EU ahead of the European elections of May 2019. Among other things, the reform introduces minimum thresholds for larger constituencies, although these will not be implemented until the 2024 EU elections. The reforms also include provisions on extending voting to different methods, and increased data protection. The idea of enabling EU citizens to vote from third countries was, however, not taken up by the Council.

Financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union

Parliament discussed and approved the compromise agreed on the revision of the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union. The new revised Financial Regulation limits trust funds to external actions, retains the non-profit principle, and ends transfers from structural funding to the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), as well as maintaining the competences of the budgetary authority. Reforms to the financial rules for five regulations in the common agricultural policy field were agreed in December.

Amending budget No 2/2018: 2017 surplus

Parliament approved Amending Budget No 2 to the 2018 EU budget, which moves the surplus from the 2017 EU budget to the 2018 budget. The sum involved, €555.5 million, will decrease Member States’ contributions to the 2018 budget. The surplus is a result of a previous amending budget, plus the high level of competition fines feeding into the EU budget in 2017, as well as delays in spending.

Amending budget No 3/2018: Extension of the Facility for Refugees in Turkey

Parliament approved an amending budget for €500 million in aid to be paid in 2018 as the second tranche of the Facility for Refugees in Turkey. Parliament agreed to the funding for some 5 000 teachers providing education for over 300 000 refugee children in Turkey, on the condition that Parliament is fully associated in the decision-making process on the facility, when reviewed under the 2019 budgetary procedure.

2019 budget – trilogue mandate

Parliament also considered and adopted its mandate for trilogue negotiations for the 2019 draft EU budget, its position for initial negotiations with the Council. Parliament’s priorities for the 2019 budget are sustainable growth, innovation, competitiveness, citizenship, security, the fight against climate change, transition to renewable energy, migration, and young people.

Statute for social and solidarity-based enterprises

Parliament adopted a legislative-initiative resolution on a statute for social and solidarity-based enterprises, calling for a common definition, based on specific criteria, enabling enterprises with a positive social, environmental or community impact, that employ 14.5 million people, to overcome regulatory obstacles.

Opening of trilogue negotiations

Two parliamentary committees’ decisions to enter into interinstitutional (trilogue) negotiations were confirmed: four reports on financial services proposals (ECON); and on the European citizens’ initiative (AFCO). A confirmatory vote was held on the latter, allowing negotiations with the Council to begin. As for the proposal on copyright in the digital single market (JURI), the plenary voted against the decision to enter into interinstitutional negotiations, meaning the report will come back to the agenda for the September part-session.

Read this ‘At a glance’ note on ‘Plenary round-up – Strasbourg, July 2018‘ on the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

Written by Angelos Delivorias (1st edition),

© designer491 / Fotolia

Investment funds are products created to pool investors’ capital and to invest it in a collective portfolio of securities. In the European Union, the characteristics of a range of different types of investment funds have been established in Union law, and most funds on the market are categorised as one of these types. The market in the EU is smaller than in the United States, despite there being far more funds in the EU. This is the reason why the European Commission has adopted two legislative proposals: one for a regulation aligning national marketing requirements and regulatory fees and harmonising the process and requirements for the verification of marketing material by national competent authorities, and the other for a directive harmonising the conditions under which investment funds may exit a national market and allowing European asset managers to engage in pre-marketing activities.

Versions

• July 2018: ‘Cross-border distribution of investment funds‘ (1st edition)

Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2009/65/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Directive 2011/61/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to cross-border distribution of collective investment funds;
Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on facilitating cross-border distribution of collective investment funds and amending Regulations (EU) No 345/2013 and (EU) No 346/2013 Committee responsible: Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) COM(2018) 92
COM(2018) 110
12.3.2018 

2018/0041 (COD)
2018/0045 (COD)

Ordinary legislative procedure (COD) (Parliament and Council on equal footing – formerly ‘co-decision’) Rapporteur: Wolf Klinz (ALDE, Germany) Shadow rapporteurs:

  Alain Lamassoure (EPP, France)
Mady Delvaux (S&D, Luxembourg)
Syed Kamall (ECR, UK)
Matt Carthy (GUE/NGL, Ireland) Next steps expected: Publication of draft report.

Written by Monika Kiss (1st edition),

© macrovector / Fotolia

The rapid increase in the number of Europeans working in a Member State other than their own, the large number of daily cross-border commuters and the need for information on job opportunities and rights at home and abroad (ensured by good cooperation between national authorities) necessitates the establishment of a European-level coordinating body.

In response to the above circumstances, the European Commission has proposed to set up such a body – a European Labour Authority (ELA) – that would replace or reorganise, or cooperate with existing structures dealing with information for individuals and employers, mediate between national labour authorities and social security bodies, and gather viable data on posted workers and commuters.

Questions relating to the European Commission proposal concern the empowerment and role of the ELA, its internal structure and its relations to existing organisations in the domain.

Versions

• July 2018: ‘European Labour Authority‘ (1st edition)

Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a European Labour Authority Committee responsible: Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) COM(2018) 131 of 13.3.2018

2018/0064(COD)

Ordinary legislative procedure (COD) (Parliament and Council on an equal footing – formerly ‘co-decision’) Rapporteur: Jeroen Lenaers (EPP, the Netherlands) Shadow rapporteurs:

  Georgi Pirinski (S&D, Bulgaria)
Ulrike Trebesius (ECR, Germany)
Rina Ronja Kari (GUE/NGL, Denmark)
Joelle Mélin (ENF, France) Next steps expected: Vote on report in committee

Written by Gisela Grieger (2nd edition),

© bluedesign / Fotolia

Trade defence instruments (TDIs) play a vital role in countering unfair trade practices from third countries and in levelling the playing field for EU companies, notably in times of mounting global overcapacity in a number of sectors. In April 2013, the Commission adopted a proposal to modernise the EU’s basic Anti‑dumping and Anti-subsidy (AD/AS) Regulations. The reform was intended to enhance the transparency and predictability of investigations and increase the effectiveness and enforcement of AD/AS measures. Parliament adopted its position on the proposal in 2014, but the procedure was deadlocked in the Council until November 2016. Following interinstitutional negotiations, a political agreement was achieved in December 2017. After the Council’s adoption of its first-reading position in April 2018, the text was formally adopted by Parliament in May 2018.

In 2016, the legislative procedure on the reform of the methodology for calculating AD duties was launched as a second pillar of the TDI reform. See also our ‘EU Legislation in progress’ briefing on that proposal: Protection from dumped and subsidised imports.

Versions

• July 2018: ‘Modernising trade defence instruments‘ (2nd edition)

Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) 1225/2009 on protection against dumped imports from countries not members of the European Community and Council Regulation No 597/2009 on protection against subsidised imports from countries not members of the European Community Committee responsible: International Trade (INTA) COM(2013) 192 of 10.4.2013

2013/0103(COD)

Ordinary legislative procedure (COD) (Parliament and Council on equal footing – formerly ‘co-decision’) Rapporteur: Christofer Fjellner (EPP, Sweden) Shadow rapporteurs:

 

  David Martin (S&D, UK)
Sander Loones (ECR, Belgium)
Marietje Schaake (ALDE, the Netherlands)
Helmut Scholz (GUE/NGL, Germany)
Yannick Jadot (Greens/EFA, France) Procedure completed. Regulation (EU) 2018/825
OJ L 143, 7.6.2018, pp. 1-18

 

Written by Ana Claudia Alfieri (1st edition),

© mrfiza / Fotolia

Value added tax (VAT) is an important source of revenue for both national governments and the European budget and, from an economic point of view, a very efficient consumption tax. However, the rules governing intra-Community trade are 25 years old and the current common EU VAT system is vulnerable to fraud. Moreover, businesses doing cross-border trade face much higher compliance costs than those only trading domestically. The administrative burden for national tax administrations is also excessive.

The reform of the system is planned in several consecutive steps and will take some years. In the meantime, the present proposal will change the VAT Administrative Cooperation Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 904/2010). It introduces the concept of the ‘certified taxable person’ in the VAT Information Exchange System and addresses three types of cross-border fraud: carousel fraud, used car fraud and VAT-free import fraud.

Versions

• July 2018: ‘Stronger administrative cooperation in the VAT field‘ (1st edition)

Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EU) No 904/2010 as regards the certified taxable person; Amended proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EU) No 904/2010 as regards measures to strengthen administrative cooperation in the field of value added tax Committee responsible: Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) COM(2017) 567 of 4.10.2017

COM(2017) 706 of 30.11.2017 (amended proposal)

2017/0248(CNS)

Consultation procedure (CNS) – Parliament adopts a non-binding opinion only Rapporteur: Roberts Zīle (ECR, Latvia) Shadow rapporteurs:

 

 

  Gabriel Mato (EPP, Spain)
Olle Ludvigsson (S&D, Sweden)
Thierry Cornillet (ALDE, France)
Barbara Kappel (ENF, Austria)
Miguel Urbán Crespo (GUE/NGL, Spain)
Molly Scott Cato (Greens/EFA, United Kingdom) Next steps expected: Vote in plenary

Written by Ralf Drachenberg and Suzana Anghel,

© Fotolia

High expectations had built up before the June European Council meeting, in particular on migration. Prior to the meeting, the European Council President, Donald Tusk, had said that ‘the stakes are very high. And time is short.’ Thus, Heads of State or Government focused mainly on migration, with one reserving its position on the entire conclusions. Ultimately, a compromise satisfying the different interests was found: covering external border protection, solidarity, measures on a voluntary basis, and addressing secondary movements. The European Council also discussed security and defence, and economic and financial affairs. External relations and the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) received less attention than initially planned. In accordance with Article 14(2), it adopted a decision on the future composition of the European Parliament. On Brexit, EU-27 Heads of State or Government renewed their call on Member States, EU institutions and stakeholders ‘to be prepared at all levels and for all outcomes’. Finally, the Euro Summit called for further work on banking union and reform of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) ahead of a Euro Summit in December 2018.

1.  European Council commitments: Implementation and new deadlines

Boyko Borissov, Bulgarian Prime Minister and President-in-Office of the Council, provided an overview on the progress made in implementing previous European Council conclusions.

Table 1: New European Council commitments and requests with a specific time schedule

Policy area Action Actor Schedule Security and defence Simplify and standardise relevant rules and procedures on military mobility Member States 2024 Security and defence Review the implementation of the actions on military mobility Commission and the High Representative Spring 2019 Security and defence Present an action plan for a coordinated EU response to the challenge of disinformation High Representative, the Commission and Member States December 2018 Migration Progress report on the reform of the new Common European Asylum System Council Presidency 18-19 October 2018 2.  European Council meeting Migration

Despite a 95% reduction in detected illegal border crossings into the EU since October 2015, migration took centre stage at this European Council. President Tusk shared his reflections in his invitation letter, and made the case that ‘the people of Europe expect us … to show determination in our actions aimed at restoring their sense of security.’ German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, described migration as the potential ‘make-or-break challenge for the EU.’ As reflected in the conclusions, discussions over recent weeks have shown that, while all agree on the importance of the effective control of the EU’s external borders, some Member States’ focus was more on the issue of ‘solidarity’ while others concentrated on the challenge of ‘secondary movements’ (i.e. when refugees or asylum-seekers move from the EU Member State in which they first arrived to seek protection or for permanent resettlement elsewhere. See EPRS briefing).

Emphasising its comprehensive approach to migration, the European Council set out four areas of action, along the lines suggested by the Commission. The first is to consolidate the external dimension of migration policy: Heads of State or Government agreed to set up regional disembarkation platforms outside Europe, and to significantly step up the EU return policy. Yet, following the situation experienced with the rescue ships Aquarius and Lifeline, it was also agreed that, on a voluntary basis, Member States would share the effort to take care of rescued people on EU territory, according to international law. ‘Controlled centres’ would be set up in the Member States, to distinguish irregular migrants, who will be returned, from those in need of international protection.

Second, the European Council committed to enhancing the effectiveness of the return policy and better protecting the EU’s external borders: Heads of State or Government decided to expand the resources and mandate of Frontex.

Third, the European Council emphasised the need for increased support to partner states. It agreed to increase support to the Libyan coastguard, as well as to other countries of origin and transit. It called upon Member States to contribute further to the EU Trust Fund for Africa, and on the EU to develop the cooperation with the African Union. It also reiterated the importance of fully implementing the EU-Turkey Statement. With a view to the next MFF, it requested flexible instruments and called for ‘a dedicated, significant components for external migration management’.

Fourth, on the internal dimension of migration, the European Council emphasised that ‘secondary movements of asylum-seekers between Member States risk jeopardising the integrity of the Common European Asylum System [CEAS] and the Schengen acquis. Member States should take all necessary internal legislative and administrative measures to counter such movements and to closely cooperate amongst each other to this end.’ As regards the CEAS reform, whilst highlighting the progress made, with five out of seven files close to finalisation, the European Council admitted that further work was needed on the Dublin Regulation to find a consensus based on a balance of responsibility and solidarity. Missing its self-imposed June 2018 deadline, it invited the Council to conclude its work as soon as possible so as ‘to find a speedy solution to the whole package’.

Main messages of the EP President: Parliament’s President, Antonio Tajani, concurred on the creation of reception centres in Africa, support to Libya, and increase in funding for countries of origin and transit. For him ‘the overhaul of the asylum system remains the key to the whole problem’, including ensuring effective returns and secondary movements. He also argued that the EP’s text would be a good starting point as ‘it brings together a firm position with solidarity’ and that the whole asylum package should be approved as one without delay, and not separately.

Security and defence

As expected, the European Council took stock of progress made on European defence cooperation, stating that ‘Europe must take greater responsibility for its own security’. It renewed its commitment to increase defence spending, further develop capabilities and improve ‘operational readiness’ in order to enhance ‘strategic autonomy’. ‘Burden sharing’ may be discussed at the 11-12 July 2018 NATO Summit, where a new Declaration on EU-NATO cooperation is expected. Attending a session on EU-NATO cooperation, the NATO Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, stressed the good operational cooperation of the two organisations, though he admitted that ‘there are differences and disagreements between NATO allies’. He also emphasised that ‘Europe and North America need one another’. The European Council also discussed ways of countering hybrid threats, i.e. through intelligence cooperation within the EU and with NATO.

Main messages of the EP President: President Tajani commended the provisional agreement on the European Development Industrial Programme, which the Parliament will vote on at its July session. He welcomed the first ever ‘specific budget heading devoted to defence’ in the draft 2019 budget.

Jobs, Growth and Competitiveness

The European Council endorsed the integrated country-specific recommendations as discussed by the Council, thus allowing the conclusion of the 2018 European Semester. On taxation, it confirmed its support for the fight against tax avoidance and evasion at EU and global level. Reiterating the need to adapt taxation systems to the digital era, it called for progress on the Commission proposals on digital taxation and on VAT reform.

Main messages of the EP President: President Tajani stressed that fair taxation of EU companies was a priority for the Parliament, recalling the latter’s resolution of 15 March 2018 on a European minimum rate of corporation tax and for firms to be taxed in the place of value generation.

Innovation and Digital Europe

Heads of State or Government emphasised the need to deliver on remaining Digital Single Market legislative proposals by the end of the 2014-2019 legislative cycle. They called for a stronger and inclusive innovation ecosystem, in line with the informal discussion in Sofia on 16 May. They referred to the European Innovation Council pilot initiative under the next MFF to support disruptive innovation, and invited the Commission to launch a new pilot initiative on breakthrough innovation, under Horizon 2020. The European Council also raised the European data economy, encouraging further action to foster trust in data treatment and full enforcement of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). They addressed the need for a coordinated approach on artificial intelligence, and called for swift agreement on the data package, and on copyright and e-Privacy.

Main messages of the EP President: The President outlined positive developments towards completing a digital single market, with agreement reached on the Telecoms Code, as well as the adoption of a negotiating mandate on copyright reform by the EP Committee on Legal Affairs.

Other issues

The European Council welcomed the agreements brokered between the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Greece as well as Bulgaria, which ‘set a strong example’ for other countries in the Western Balkans seeking to ‘strengthen good neighbourly relations’. It endorsed the 26 June 2018 General Affairs Council decision to start accession negotiations with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Albania in June 2019, provided the two countries stay on the path of reform. Mr Stoltenberg expects the NATO summit to decide on opening accession negotiations with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, with full membership expected by 2020. (Albania has been a NATO member since 2009.)

Heads of State or Government discussed transatlantic relations, following the ‘open’ and ‘frank’ de-briefing by Donald Tusk on the outcome of the G7 Summit. They stressed that transatlantic relations were under strain with the multiplication of unilateral decisions taken by the US on climate, the Middle East and trade. As regards the tariffs imposed by the US on steel and aluminium products from the EU, they reiterated their support for the measures taken by the Commission to protect the EU market. The Commission President, Jean Claude Juncker, said that the current situation should be ‘de-dramatised’ and that he would raise these issues during his visit to the US in July. In a context of growing trade tensions, the European Council recalled the EU’s attachment to multilateralism, committing to work towards improving the functioning of the WTO, along with like-minded partners. It also called for the adoption of the regulation on the screening of foreign direct investments.

As expected, the European Council called on Russia to cooperate to establish ‘truth, justice and accountability’ concerning the downing of flight MH-17 over Ukraine in July 2014. The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, and the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, informed their colleagues about the status of the implementation of the Minsk Agreements. Given the lack of progress, the EU leaders agreed to prolong by six months the economic sanctions on Russia.

Due to time limitations, discussions on the post-2020 MFF were brief. However, in its conclusions the European Council took note of the package of proposals on the next MFF presented by the Commission in May, and invited’ the European Parliament and the Council to examine these proposals in a comprehensive manner and as soon as possible’. Yet, no timing was indicated for the expected conclusion of these negotiations – before or after the European elections.

Main messages of the EP President: President Tajani emphasised that the MFF ‘proposed by the Commission is not nearly ambitious enough’. On the timing, he reiterated that the ‘Parliament is ready and willing to launch formal and informal talks and enter into negotiations any time’.

3. Euro Summit

All Member States, except the UK, met for a Euro Summit in an ‘inclusive’ format, with the Presidents of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, and Eurogroup, Mário Centeno. The outcome was more modest than the Leaders’ Agenda had led to expect. Agreement was found on strengthening the ESM, which, as set out in Centeno’s letter, ‘will provide the common backstop to the Single Resolution Fund’. The Euro Summit statement referred to national contributions, including the Franco-German (Meseberg) one, but not the issue of a eurozone budget, which was not discussed. Decisions were postponed to a Euro Summit in December 2018, with the Eurogroup being invited in the meantime to pursue its work on the ESM and co-legislators to conclude the banking package.

Main messages of the EP President: Mr Tajani welcomed ‘the proposals on an enhanced fiscal capacity for the Union, a European Finance Minister and the conversion of the ESM into a European Monetary Fund, provided the Community method is employed to carry out these reforms’.

4.  European Council (Article50) meeting

EU-27 Heads of State or Government were briefed by the Commission’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, on the state of play in the Brexit negotiations. They adopted conclusions in which they welcomed the progress made on the Withdrawal Agreement, but also indicated that ‘other aspects still need to be agreed on, including the territorial application of the Withdrawal Agreement, notably as regards Gibraltar.’ The European Council (Article 50) expressed ‘its concern that no substantial progress has yet been achieved on agreeing a backstop solution for Ireland/Northern Ireland.’ On the future relationship, it called for an acceleration in the preparation of a political declaration, which required ‘further clarity as well as realistic and workable proposals from the UK’, and recalled that ‘if the UK positions were to evolve, the Union will be prepared to reconsider its offer’.

Main messages of the EP President: Mr Tajani stressed that ‘without an agreement on Ireland there can be no orderly Brexit … and no trust, and trust must be the basis for our future relations.’

This study has been written by Desmond Dinan, Professor of Public Policy, George Mason University, Virginia. Professor Dinan, who has been a Visiting Fellow at DG EPRS, is writing in a personal capacity.

For the first year in almost a decade, the European Council was not in crisis mode in 2017. Throughout the year, the political and economic situation in the European Union (EU) improved markedly.

© Fotolia

Brexit was a challenge, not a crisis. President Tusk devoted considerable attention to the matter in 2017. Because of his preparatory work, it took up surprisingly little time at EU-27 (Article 50) meetings, the format of the European Council dealing with the issue following the announcement by the United Kingdom (UK) of its intention to withdraw. Nevertheless, the European Council played a decisive role, first, on 29 April, by approving guidelines for opening negotiations with the UK; second, on 15 December, by agreeing to move to the second phase of the process, following the UK’s commitment to a divorce deal in the first phase.

The European Council met at 27 also to discuss the future of Europe. The European Council’s contributions included the Rome Declaration in March and the Leaders’ Agenda in October, an initiative to improve the working methods and output of the European Council, covering an 18‑month period. The European Council gave the Leaders’ Agenda its first real test in December, when it convened separate Leaders’ Meetings on migration and EMU reform (during a Euro Summit).

Migration remained the most contentious and time-consuming issue for the European Council, although it became less urgent by the end of 2017 thanks to a dramatic reduction in the number of migrants entering the EU across the central Mediterranean. The big fault line within the European Council centred on the relocation of migrants among Member States, with a number of leaders adamantly opposing mandatory quotas. The divide was clearly visible in December, when the European Council discussed migration under the auspices of the Leaders’ Agenda.

The European Council basked in good economic news in 2017. EU leaders addressed economic and social issues at the March European Council; discussed the digital economy at a special summit in Tallinn, in September; and participated in the Gothenburg Social Summit, in November. European Council meetings in 2017 were conspicuously devoid of EMU-related discussions until President Tusk convened an inclusive (EU-27) Euro Summit in December, under the auspices of the Leaders’ Agenda, to discuss EMU reform.

There were major advances in 2017 in the policy fields of security and defence. Growing international uncertainty undoubtedly helped. The most noteworthy development was the launch of permanent structured cooperation (PESCO), a Treaty-based framework to deepen defence cooperation among a self-selecting group of Member States, in December.

The most significant change in the composition of the European Council in 2017 was the arrival of French President Emmanuel Macron, in June. German Chancellor Angela Merkel won re-election in September, although lengthy negotiations to form a new coalition government kept her away from the November summit and delayed a much-anticipated infusion of new Franco-German energy into the future of Europe debate. President Tusk was re-elected to a second, two-and-a-half year term in March.

Antonio Tajani, President of the European Parliament, addressed the European Council at the beginning of each of its regular and some of its other meetings in 2017. President Tusk reported to Parliament in January 2017 on the outcome of the December 2016 summit; and later in 2017 on the outcome of that that year’s March, April, and October summits.

Read the complete in-depth analysis on ‘The European Council in 2017: Overview of decisions and discussions‘ on the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

Written by Marcin Grajewski,

© DarwelShots / Fotolia

The escalating trade conflict between the United States and other countries and regions, such as China and the European Union, coupled with a capricious outcome of the recent summit of the world’s seven most industrialised economies (G7) have raised a question mark over the U.S.’s continued commitment to the stability of the post-Cold War, rules based international economic and political order. The row, which is already affecting stock and bond markets, started when U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminium imports this year, under his ‘America First’ policy. Now that China and the EU have applied retaliatory tariffs, President Trump threatens to erect more trade barriers, for example against EU-made cars.

This note offers links to a series of recent commentaries and reports from major international think tanks and research institutes on the trade conflict, the outcome of the G7 meeting and the future of the international economic order. More reports on international trade can be found in a previous edition of ‘What Think Tanks are thinking’ published in March 2018.

G7 fiasco

The G7 is dead, long live the G7
Bruegel, June 2018

We need a new international order: Here’s why
Rand Corporation, June 2018

Trump just blew up the G-7: Now what?
Brookings Institution, June 2018

Why Russia should not re-join the G7
Rand Corporation, June 2018

The G-7 is dead, long live the G-7?
Brookings Institution, June 2018

Trump’s G-7 mistake is clear
American Enterprise Institute, June 2018

Present at the destruction?
Atlantic Council, June 2018

At G7 summit, Trump takes a wrecking ball to the West
Council on Foreign Relations, June 2018

Why the G7 is a zero
Chatham House, June 2018

Global order

Sustaining the global expansion
Brookings Institution, June 2018

Trump’s tariffs presage a world with no rules
Chatham House, June 2018

Can Europe save the world order?
European Council on Foreign Relations, June 2018

America’s pivot from the West
Hudson Institute, June 2018

Chatham house expert perspectives 2018: Risks and opportunities in international affairs
Chatham House, June 2018

Might unmakes right: The American assault on the rule of law in world trade
Centre for International Governance Innovation, May 2018

Trade rows

Trump, China, and tariffs: From soybeans to semiconductors
Peterson Institute for International Economics, June 2018

There’s a new tariff in town: Implications of Trump’s steel tariffs
Atlantic Council, June 2018

On trade, should allies treat the United States as a rogue nation?
Council on Foreign Relations, June 2018

Companies have workarounds in trade wars, but consumers will have to pay
Peterson Institute for International Economics, June 2018

Trump’s Canada feud signals weakness, not strength
American Enterprise Institute, June 2018

Is Trump in a trade war? An up-to-date guide
Peterson Institute for International Economics, June 2018

The Trump opportunity: Chinese perceptions of the US administration
European Council on Foreign Relations, June 2018

China’s retaliation to Trump’s tariffs
Peterson Institute for International Economics, June 2018

Trump’s Tariffs are hurting U.S. competitiveness
Council on Foreign Relations, June 2018

Trade wars: Just how exposed are EU Member States and industries to the US market?
Bruegel, June 2018

Europe should swallow its pride
Centre for European Policy Studies, June 2018

How Europe should respond to Trump’s steel tariffs
Centre for European Policy Studies, June 2018

Trump has cornered Congressional republicans on free trade
Chatham House, June 2018

Dangerous brinkmanship
Heritage Foundation, June 2018

World leaders didn’t take Trump at his word on trade. Now they’re in a pickle
Council on Foreign Relations, June 2018

Democracy in danger: Confusing the symptoms of disorder with its cause
Atlantic Council, June 2018

Trump and Europe: Atlantic hurricane season?
Centre for European Reform, May 2018

Trump’s hot-cold stance on China
Brookings Institution, May 2018

For Trump, it’s the trade deficit above all else
Chatham House, May 2018

Trump tariffs primarily hit multinational supply chains, harm US technology competitiveness
Peterson Institute for International Economics, May 2018

The EU should not sing to Trump’s tune on trade
Bruegel, May 2018

How Angela Merkel’s ‘gift’ of goodwill could boost Beijing-Berlin trade ties at Donald Trump’s expense
Carnegie Europe, May 2018

Trade without Trump: The way forward, a European perspective
Instituto Affari Internazionali, May 2018

Trade war: How tensions have risen between China, the EU and the US
Bruegel, May 2018

U.S. tariffs on China are well deserved
Hudson Institute, May 2018

NAFTA termination: Legal process in Canada and Mexico
Peterson Institute for International Economics, April 2018

Trade wars in a winner-take-all world
Centre for European Policy Studies, April 2018

The future of the United States and Europe: An irreplaceable partnership
Chatham House, April 2018

A safety net to foster support for trade and globalisations: International survey on attitudes towards trade and globalisation 2018
Bertelsmann Stiftung, April 2018

China: Forced technology transfer and theft?
Peterson Institute for International Economics, May 2018

Washington crossed a line on tariffs
German Marshall Fund, April 2018

Why this round of U.S. protectionism is different
Bruegel, April 2018

Tariff dispute is just one tussle in longer US–China struggle
Chatham House, April 2018

Trade Wars: What are they good for?
Bruegel, April 2018

Read this briefing on ‘International trade and the G7‘ on the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

Written by Zsolt G. Pataki and Evangelia M. Thoukididou,

What should innovation policy look like as we approach 2020 and prepare for the next Multiannual Financial Framework? Based on a proposal submitted by MEP Lambert van Nistelrooij, STOA held a workshop on 5 June 2018 to assess whether there is sufficient coordination among all stakeholders in view of the roll-out of the new, integrated EU innovation strategy.

Opening the event, STOA First Vice-Chair Paul Rübig, noted that, with more than 40 hubs across the continent, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) plays a key role in European innovation, and has the full support of the European Parliament. The EIT was created in 2008 and as an independent body, plays a crucial role in boosting and coordinating innovation and entrepreneurship across Europe with one simple idea: through diversity, there is strength.

© European Union 2018 – Source: EP/ Jan VAN DE VEL

Commissioner Tibor Navracsics, who is responsible for the EIT, presented the main factors hindering innovation in Europe: a shortage of skills, lack of infrastructure and poor investment. ´We have to create the right conditions for innovation’, he shared. The answer to the innovation challenges faced by Europe is increased collaboration with those within the innovation landscape – universities, research organisations, companies – both small and large, NGOs, and of course, its citizens. Commissioner Navracsics highlighted that solutions to the question of innovation must be targeted and tailored to local and regional capabilities and needs. Horizon 2020 and its successor should be complemented with national, regional and local resources wherever possible.

This is where the EIT comes in, as it has the ability to bridge the European, regional and local levels. Martin Kern, Interim Director of the EIT, represented the institute at the workshop and shared its achievements, as well as its goals and objectives going forward. He quoted Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen, who once said, ‘If someone is interested in the future of the EU look to the EIT’.

© European Union 2018 – Source: EP/ Jan VAN DE VEL

Indeed, with a strong portfolio of projects including Volocopter, Advantis and Alina, the future of the EIT looks promising. The EIT has managed its success through an innovation model that places it at the centre of educational institutions, research organisations and businesses, including SMEs. Martin Kern explained that the EIT would like to engage in increased collaboration with EU bodies, such as the European Innovation Council (EIC), in the same way it has already worked with the Joint Research Centre (JRC). During the workshop, Boris Dimitrov, CEO of Checkpoint Cardio, a medical start-up which has benefited from the services of EIT Digital, presented the key advantage provided by the EIT as being the access provided to consolidated funding across different European regions. Going forward, the EIT aims to increase participation from low-involvement members and continue dissemination of knowledge in less innovative regions of the EU.

 

© European Union 2018 – Source: EP/ Jan VAN DE VEL

Jean-David Malo, Director for Open Innovation and Open Science, DG Research and Innovation at the European Commission, referred to the Commission’s call for national and regional authorities to develop smart specialisation strategies for research and innovation. This will allow them to identify specific competitive advantages, which will serve as a basis for prioritising research and innovation investment under current and future cohesion policy. The communication on ‘Strengthening Innovation in Europe’s regions: Strategies for resilient, inclusive and sustainable growth‘, takes stock of the progress made in the area of decentralised innovation thus far. According to Lambert van Nistelrooij, MEP, this communication is largely descriptive and limits itself to ESI funds, Horizon 2020 and its successor, Horizon Europe.

Christian Ehler, MEP, and STOA Panel Member, discussed the integration of the EIT into broader programmes, such as the international dimension of European innovation policy. The European Parliament will be requesting an increase in the budget and Mr Ehler would like to see this go towards the third pillar of the Horizon Europe programme, from which the EIT can benefit. An increase in funding would allow for actionable initiatives that can translate academic research into business practice, a process in which the EIT can act as an experienced instrument.

© European Union 2018 – Source: EP/ Jan VAN DE VEL

As Mr Malo stated, with a €100 billion budget targeted at boosting the sectors of science and technology, transforming research into business opportunities will be possible for the first time. In the past two years, Europe has in fact created more start-ups than the US, but has failed to grow them into successful enterprises. Therefore, much of the new funding will go towards supporting scientists in creating tangible businesses and aiding them in their growth. This will be achieved through practical support and the provision of equity, in addition to the grants already offered in the growth stage. In the long-term, these actions aim to make companies not currently supported by banks and the fragmented venture capital market more attractive to private investors. The EIT will play an integral role in these initiatives, along with the EIC and the European Innovation Ecosystem, covering raw materials, energy, climate, food, health and digital innovation sectors, across which it holds specialised expertise.

To keep up to date with this project and other STOA activities, follow our website, the EPRS blog, Twitter and Think Tank pages.

#innovation4eu

Click to view slideshow.

With European elections coming up in May 2019, you probably want to know how the European Union impacts your daily life, before you think about voting. In the latest in a series of posts on what Europe does for you, your family, your business and your wellbeing, we look at what Europe does for air transport passengers.

Do you enjoy travelling by plane, visiting new destinations, friends and family, even for short periods? Whether you like city trips in Europe or going to the other side of the globe, travelling by air has become much more affordable and accessible over the last 25 years, largely owing to EU action in the field of civil aviation.

© pict rider / Fotolia

Air travel used to be controlled largely by national authorities and dominated by monopolistic national carriers. The creation of the internal market for aviation in the EU has, however, profoundly changed the way aviation operates. By removing many national rules and replacing them with European ones, the liberalisation of aviation has increased competition among airlines. This has resulted in new services and new players, in particular low-cost airlines, new connections, lower fares and wider access to air transport. The European Union has also reinforced common rules on safety and security, passenger rights (e.g. assistance and compensation for denied boarding, cancellations or delays) and promoted greater access to third countries via its external aviation policy.

Previously reserved for a minority of privileged people or business travellers, aviation has witnessed a surge in the number of passengers and destinations, giving a far greater choice to consumers who have access to more flights, more routes and more airports. The number of daily flights has risen from fewer than 10 000 in 1992 to around 23 000 in 2016 and the number of routes from fewer than 2700 in 1992 to around 7 400 now. It is easier and cheaper than ever to travel by air.

Further information

• EPRS publication on Airports in the EU: Challenges ahead, http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_IDA(2016)583820
• EPRS publication on EU external aviation policy, http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2016)582021
• European Commission’s Directorate General for Mobility and Transport, https://ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/air/aviation-strategy_en
• European Commission’s Directorate General for Mobility and Transport, https://ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/air/25years-eu-aviation_en

With European elections coming up in May 2019, you probably want to know how the European Union impacts your daily life, before you think about voting. In the latest in a series of posts on what Europe does for you, your family, your business and your wellbeing, we look at what Europe does for volunteers abroad.

Volunteering abroad is a way for you to enhance both your skills and your awareness of the various challenges around the globe. But how much do you know about the possibilities out there?

© mangostock / Fotolia

If you are a European citizen over the age of 18 or a long-term resident in the EU, you can become an EU aid volunteer. The initiative started in 2011 as a pilot project and is designed to contribute to providing humanitarian aid in disaster-affected communities all over the world. It gives you a chance to volunteer abroad for a period of 1 to 18 months. The programme covers the costs of accommodation, travel, insurance and a monthly allowance. By the end of 2017, more than 200 volunteers had been deployed to 28 non-EU countries to provide assistance in areas such as resilience building, gender issues support or disaster risk reduction. The places where you can volunteer include Senegal, Haiti and Colombia, among others. The programme also funds capacity building and communication. For the period 2014-2020, the EU Aid Volunteers initiative aims to deploy 4 000 EU citizens worldwide, so there are plenty opportunities for you to participate.

You can also volunteer in areas such as culture, environment and education thanks to another international volunteering initiative, the European Voluntary Service within the Erasmus+ programme. These projects are usually available in the EU or in neighbouring partner countries and last from 2 weeks to 12 months. In order to take part you must be aged between 17 and 30. So, now that you are fully informed, all you need to do is volunteer.

Further information

• EPRS publication on EU Aid Volunteers initiative, 2016 http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2016/593567/EPRS_BRI(2016)593567_EN.pdf
• European Commission’s website ‘EU Aid Volunteers’, http://ec.europa.eu/echo/what/humanitarian-aid/eu-aid-volunteers_en
• European Commission’s website ‘Erasmus +’, https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/opportunities/individuals/young-people/european-voluntary-service_en

Written by Lucienne Attard (The Directorate-General for the Presidency),

Austria will hold the EU Council Presidency from July to December 2018. Its presidency comes at the end of the Trio Presidency composed of Estonia, Bulgaria and Austria. The last time Austria held the Council Presidency was in 2006.

Austria has a federal system of government with the Chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, as head of government, a Vice-Chancellor and federal ministers. Chancellor Kurz has been in office since December 2017. The President and the government together form the executive branch in Austrian politics. The current government is a coalition government composed of the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) and the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ).

Austria has a bicameral parliamentary legislature consisting of two chambers: the National Council (Nationalrat) and the Federal Council (Bundesrat). The former currently has 183 members elected through proportional representation in a general election, while the Bundesrat has 61 members elected indirectly through provincial diets.

Political priorities of the Austrian Presidency

This note looks at the Austrian Presidency’s priorities, with those dossiers which figure in the Joint Declaration agreed to by the three institutions as priorities for 2018 until May 2019 marked with an asterisk (*).

A EUROPE THAT PROTECTS is the motto Austria has chosen for its Presidency. Austria considers that there have been several crises in recent years that have given rise to mistrust in the EU amongst European citizens. This mistrust needs to be addressed.

To this end, the Austrian Presidency has announced three main priorities for its term in office: security, competitiveness and stability. On security, it intends to focus on the fight against illegal migration, by securing Europe’s external borders, and on the reform of the Common European Asylum System. On competitiveness, it will work on matters related to the digital single market, specifically digitalisation. On stability, it has announced its intention to work towards EU accession of the Western Balkan countries.

A number of ongoing complex and challenging dossiers will also feature prominently during the second half of 2018, such as Brexit, the interinstitutional negotiations of a new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027and the reform of the EU.

Subsidiarity is another key element for the Austrian Presidency. The idea is that the scope of action of the EU would be re-defined via a ‘Subsidiarity Pact’, whereby tasks, which are better handled at Member State level, would be carried out at this level, thus taking decisions closer to the citizens. In the light of the upcoming European Parliament elections, this proposal may well find support amongst some Member States. The Austrian Presidency plans to hold a high-level conference in Bregenz, Austria on 15-16 November 2018, the conclusions of which would serve as substantial input to the European Council meeting in December 2018.

As part of the six-month roadmap, Austria will host several key events; most significant amongst these is the special summit on security, in Salzburg on 20 September 2018, and the EU-Asia conference on 23 and 24 November 2018. On the special summit on security, the Austrian Presidency position is that instead of fighting over the distribution of refugees, the EU must implement and improve external border protection. While Member States that are particularly under stress due to migratory flows should receive more support, it is also necessary to strengthen the mandate of Frontex as a way of combating illegal migration.

Read the full briefing here: Priority Dossiers under the Austrian EU Council Presidency.

The Directorate-General for the Presidency (DG Presidency) plays a key role throughout each parliamentary procedure, from its launch until its conclusion through the adoption of an EP resolution or legislative act, in particular in ensuring the smooth running of the plenary sessions. The staff of the DG play a key coordination role across the different services of the Parliament, and support Members in a wide range of activities. The Interinstitutional Relations Unit within DG Presidency, amongst other tasks, prepares a broad range documents concerned with strategic programming, such as on activities of the Commission and the Council.

With European elections coming up in May 2019, you probably want to know how the European Union impacts your daily life, before you think about voting. In the latest in a series of posts on what Europe does for you, your family, your business and your wellbeing, we look at what Europe does for fathers.

When fathers take leave to look after their children, the whole family benefits. Research shows there is a link between the amount of days’ leave fathers take and their satisfaction with their relationship with their child. Increasing fathers’ uptake of child-related leave is also considered beneficial for children’s development and gender equality. Fathers’ involvement in childcare also affects women’s decisions to have children. Despite this, fathers took only 2 % of the leave available to either parent in the EU in 2010. The EU wants to change that and give men more opportunities to get involved in caring for their families.

© Christin Lola / Fotolia

Thanks to EU law, mothers and fathers in all EU countries have the right to at least four months of parental leave each. In principle, this leave period can be taken by either parent, except for one month, which is non-transferable, to encourage fathers to take up more parental leave. The EU also offers protection from discrimination on the grounds of taking parental leave, which is especially relevant for fathers who wish to spend more time with their family, but are worried about possible negative consequences for their career. EU law guarantees job protection during and after such leave, which means that fathers are entitled to return to the same or equivalent job.

The EU is working on improving the current situation. It is considering the introduction of paternity leave and four months of non-transferable leave, both paid at least at the level of sick pay.

Further information

• EPRS publication on Maternity, paternity and parental leave in the EU, http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2017/599323/EPRS_BRI(2017)599323_EN.pdf
• European Commission’s Directorate General for Justice website, https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/justice-and-fundamental-rights/discrimination/gender-equality/equal-economic-independence_en
• European Commission’s Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion website, http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1311&langId=en

With European elections coming up in May 2019, you probably want to know how the European Union impacts your daily life, before you think about voting. In the latest in a series of posts on what Europe does for you, your family, your business and your wellbeing, we look at what Europe does for mothers.

Despite progress on gender equality, mothers are generally still the primary carers in the family. If they have young children, they are more likely to be unemployed than women without children, while the opposite is true for men. The EU is committed to gender equality and aims to narrow this gap. It also aims to improve leave provisions for both parents, so that they are better able to combine work and private life.

© sushytska / Fotolia

Thanks to EU law, all EU countries have common minimum standards for maternity leave: minimum 14 weeks, two of which are mandatory, paid at least as much as sick pay. Pregnant and breastfeeding workers are also entitled to protection against working conditions that would jeopardise their health and that of their babies, and against dismissal from the beginning of pregnancy to the end of their maternity leave. Each parent is entitled to at least 4 months’ parental leave. One month of this is in principle non-transferrable, with the aim of encouraging uptake by fathers. Under EU law, the rights to protection from discrimination and job security also apply to parental leave, meaning that mothers are entitled to return to the same or equivalent job when the leave ends. Before all these changes, some countries did not satisfy EU standards and had to improve their legislation.

The EU is now working on improving the status of mothers through new rules and enforcement of the existing ones on leave, especially regarding protection against dismissal. It is also encouraging countries to improve the accessibility and quality of early childhood education and care systems.

Further information

• EPRS publication on Maternity, paternity and parental leave in the EU, http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2017/599323/EPRS_BRI(2017)599323_EN.pdf
• European Commission’s Directorate General for Justice website, https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/justice-and-fundamental-rights/discrimination/gender-equality/equal-economic-independence_en
• European Commission’s Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion website, http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1311&langId=en

Written by Clare Ferguson,

European Parliament Strasbourg

Financial matters figure largely on the Parliament’s agenda for this last plenary session before the summer recess. The series of debates on the Future of Europe also continues, with a contribution from the Prime Minister of Poland, Mateusz Morawiecki, expected on Wednesday morning, followed by an address by the President of the Republic of Angola, João Lourenço, in a formal sitting on Wednesday lunchtime. Just as the summer recess begins, the Bulgarian Council Presidency comes to a close on 30 June, and Parliament will hear statements from the Council and the Commission on the outgoing presidency on Tuesday morning, as well as a presentation of the programme of activities of the Austrian Presidency, which starts on 1 July. The European Council and Commission will also make statements on Tuesday afternoon on the conclusions of the European Council meeting of 28 and 29 June 2018.

Parliament will begin its discussion of the EU’s finances with Amending Budget No 2 to the 2018 EU budget, which moves the surplus in the 2017 EU budget to the 2018 budget. The sum involved, €555.5 million, will decrease Member States’ contributions to the 2018 budget. The surplus is a result of the previous amending budget, plus the high level of competition fines feeding into the EU budget in 2017, and delays in implementation of programmes and therefore spending. Parliament will vote on a Committee on Budgets report on Wednesday lunchtime, followed by consideration of Amending Budget No 3 to the 2018 EU budget: Facility for Refugees in Turkey. Parliament’s Committee on Budgets has agreed to the allocation of funding for some 5 000 teachers currently providing education for over 300 000 refugee children in Turkey, on the condition that Parliament must be fully associated in the future decision-making process over the facility, when it comes up for review within the 2019 budgetary procedure. Returning to budgetary matters later on Wednesday afternoon, Parliament will also consider the mandate for trilogue for the 2019 draft EU budget, its position for initial negotiations with the Council. Parliament’s priorities for the 2019 budget are sustainable growth, innovation, competitiveness, citizenship, security, the fight against climate change, transition to renewable energy and migration, and young people. Parliament’s Committee on Budgets, however, notes that the current proposals leave very little flexibility for unexpected expenditure. Still on the budget, while the reform of EU financial rules for five sectoral regulations in the common agricultural policy field has already been separately agreed, Parliament will discuss the compromise its negotiators have agreed on the revision of the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union on Wednesday evening. The new amended Financial Regulation would limit trust funds to external actions; retain the non-profit principle and end transfers from structural funding to the European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI); as well as maintaining the competences of the budgetary authority. Finally, a statement is expected by the President of the Eurogroup on Wednesday afternoon on the conclusion of the third economic adjustment programme for Greece.

The related issues of EU migration and security are likely to eat up a fair proportion of the EU budget for some time to come. During the July plenary session, Parliament will consider the next building block in the EU’s efforts to increase its military capabilities, the European defence industrial development programme (EDIDP), to be discussed on Monday evening. The proposed programme would be part of the European Defence Fund, and the EU has responded to an increasing security threat and key allies’ withdrawal of support, by setting up an envelope of €500 million to fund the development of defence equipment and technologies and boost the competitiveness of the EU defence industry.

Still on security, Parliament will again consider proposals for a European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) to manage information about third-country nationals travelling within the Schengen area on Wednesday afternoon. The proposals seek to create an online system similar to those used in the USA and Canada to address the current lack of information about visa-exempt nationals travelling into Europe. Parliament wants to ensure that the information used in the system is strictly relevant, and that the system is secure, transparent and accountable.

When it comes to spending the EU budget, farm statistics provide the evidence used to make decisions on where to allocate funding within the framework of the EU common agricultural policy. In line with its policy to update all its statistical data, the Commission has made a proposal to update integrated farm statistics to make their collection more flexible, more detailed, more coherent, and to reduce the burden of data collection. Parliament will consider the agreed text on Monday evening.

Parliament will consider three current proposals on mobility in the EU during this session, in a joint debate on Tuesday afternoon. While the Transport Committee adopted the reports on social and market rules in the road transport sector, the Parliament as a whole did not endorse the committee’s mandates during the June session, and the three reports thus automatically come onto the agenda this session. While the majority of the Transport Committee voted in favour of enforcement requirements and specific rules for posting drivers in the road transport sector; and on daily and weekly driving times, minimum breaks and rest periods and positioning by means of tachographs, the Employment and Social Affairs Committee has decided to reintroduce its amendments in order to provide greater focus on working conditions for drivers in the road transport sector.

On employment more generally, a statute for social and solidarity-based enterprises would establish a common definition, based on specific criteria and good practices, enabling enterprises with a positive social, environmental or community impact, and which provide employment for 14.5 million people, to overcome regulatory obstacles. A great many legal forms of social enterprise exist in the EU, and Parliament will consider a recommendation to create a ‘European social label’ scheme on Thursday lunchtime.

Finally, with just under a year to go, Members are naturally turning their minds to the next European elections. On Wednesday afternoon, Parliament will vote on the reform of the electoral law of the EU which, among other things, sets new minimum thresholds for constituencies. While these will not be implemented until the 2024 EU elections, the proposals also include facilitating the extension of voting to different methods, and increased data protection. The idea of ensuring all EU citizens resident in third countries are able to vote was, however, not taken up by the Council. The Commission will also make a statement on the participation of persons with disabilities in the European elections on Thursday morning.

A list of all material prepared for this Plenary Session: European defence industrial development programme (EDIDP) (available in DE – EN- ES – FR – IT – PL) European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) (available in DE – EN- ES – FR – IT – PL) Integrated farm statistics (available in DE – EN- ES – FR – IT – PL) Reform of the electoral law of the EU (available in DE – EN- ES – FR – IT – PL) Road transport: Social and market rules (available in DE – EN- ES – FR – IT – PL) Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement with Armenia (available in DE – EN- ES – FR – IT – PL) Statute for social and solidarity-based enterprises (available in DE – EN- ES – FR – IT – PL) Amending Budget No 2 to the 2018 EU budget: Surplus of 2017 (available in DE – EN- ES – FR – IT – PL) Revision of EU financial rules (available in DE – EN- ES – FR – IT – PL) 2019 draft EU budget: Mandate for trilogue (available in EN) Amending Budget No 3 to the 2018 EU budget: Facility for Refugees in Turkey (available in EN)