Defence
Presidency
French Secretary of State for European Affairs, Jean-Pierre Jouyet presented the revitalisation of the European defence policy to NATO countries on... 2007 Activities
Court of Auditors
The President of the European Court of Auditors, Vitor Manuel da Silva Caldeira presented the annual activity report 2007 on 18th July. This court is... Laundering
Commission
On 17th July the European Commission threatened 15 Member States with legal action for not transposing European measures over to their national law... External Trade
Eurostat
According to figures published by Eurostat on 18th July euro area trade balance with the rest of the world in May 2008 gave a 4.6 bn euro deficit,... Ban Ki-Moon
Germany
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon met German Chancellor Angela Merkel on 15th July in Berlin. Their meeting focussed on peacekeeping measures,... France/Europe
Studies/Reports
In a study by the German Society for Foreign Policy (DGAP) entitled "Widersprüchliche Signale. Französische Europa-Politik zu Beginn der Pariser... EU/Mexico
Commission
In a Communication to the Council and the European Parliament adopted on 15th July, the European Commission has proposed a Strategic Partnership with... SMS
Commission
According to European Commission figures the cost of 2.5 billion SMS's sent or received from abroad with mobile phones in the EU is ten times higher... Interim Government
Belgium
Outgoing Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt succeeded in reaching agreement on 19th December to form an interim government until 23rd March next... Tobacco
Commission
On 16th July the European Commission presented a Report and a proposal for a Directive to amend the current EU excise duty legislation on tobacco. It... Security
Italy
On 16th July the Italian government achieved a confidence vote on the part of MPs 322 votes in favour, 267 against and 8 abstentions on a law... Italy/Roms
UN
Three experts on racism, minority rights and migrants sent by the UN to Italy expressed their concern on 15th July about the draft law on Roms drawn... Denmark/Foreign Policy
Publications
The Danish Foreign Policy Yearbook 2008 was published on 14th July last. This 12th issue looks into the Danish foreign policy and Denmark's position... France/Fisheries
Commission
The European Commission has refused to approve one of the main parts of the French government's aid plan for its fishermen that was presented at the... Treaty/Presidency
Publications
The July/September issue of the review "Confrontations Europe" has just been published. It is dedicated to the French Presidency and the Lisbon... Festival/Bayreuth
Culture
The Festival of Bayreuth (Germany) is taking place between 15th July and 28th August. This opera festival founded in 1876 by Richard Wagner and... Budget
Council
On 17th July the Economic and Financial Affairs Council unanimously adopted the general draft budget for the EU in 2009 on first reading. This... Partnerships
Foundation
As part of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union the Robert Schuman Foundation has established four partnerships to speak of... Media
Presidency
French Culture and Communication Minister, Christine Albanel took part in a European seminar on 17th and 18th July on public service media in the... End of the Crisis?
Belgium
After three days of discussion the Belgian King Albert II refused the resignation of his Prime Minister Yves Leterme. Given the difficulties in... Agriculture and Fisheries
Council
On 15th July the 27 Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers came to agreement on the emergency measures to be taken to overcome the crisis. European... Nicolas Sarkozy
Ireland
French President Nicolas Sarkozy travelled on 21st July in his capacity as President of the Council of the European Union to Ireland to "listen and... Exhibition/Bordeaux
Culture
The Architectural Centre of Bordeaux "arc en rêve" is offering an exhibition as part of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union on... Intellectual/Industrial Property
Commission
On 16th July the European Commission adopted a proposal to align the copyright term for performers with that applicable to authors. This would rise... Competitiveness
Presidency
The 27 European Ministers responsible for Research who met on 17th and 18th July worked on "a vision for 2020" for European Space Research (ESR) that... Universities
Studies/Reports
The Bruegel Institute has published a report assessing the performance and competitiveness of European universities. A study undertaken by the... Production
Eurostat
According to figures published by Eurostat on 17th July in the construction sector, seasonally adjusted production increased by 0.2% in the euro area... Bronislaw Geremek
Poland
Bronislaw Geremek was buried on 21st July at the cemetery of Stare Powązki. A national funeral was undertaken according to a military ceremony... Inflation
Eurostat
According to figures published by Eurostat on 16th July the annual inflation rate in the euro area lay at 4% in June 2008 in comparison with 3.7% in... Georgia
France
Georgian Foreign Minister Eka Tkeshelashvili travelled to France on 15th and 16th July where she met her French counterpart Bernard Kouchner and... World Trade
WTO
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has published a report entitled "Trade in a Globalizing World" on 15th July. This report looks into the winners... Treaty Ratified
Spain
On 15th July Spain completed the parliamentary ratification process of the Lisbon Treaty thereby becoming the 23rd Member State to validate the text.... Turkey/Cyprus
Greece
On 20th July Greek Foreign Minister, Dora Bakoyannis called on Turkey to put an end to the "unacceptable" situation of the division of the island of... Algeria
Germany
German Chancellor Angela Merkel travelled to Algeria on 16th July where she said she felt that both countries aspired to increase their relations... Fraud/Mobile Phones
Commission
On 17th July the European Commission warned that it might prosecute European internet sites which sell mobile phone services (ring-tones,... Franco-German
Foundation
On 3rd and 4th April an international seminar was organised in Bruges by the College of Europe and the Franco-German Institute of Ludwigsburg (DFI)... WTO
Council
Before the WTO meeing on 21st July and during an extraordinary meeting of the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 18th July European... Lisbon Treaty
UK
On 16th July the UK completed the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty by delivering the "instrument of ratification" in Rome where the European... National Union
Belgium
On 20th July, on the eve of the Belgian national day King Albert II called, "for union and tolerance" between the various communities of Belgium -... OSCE
Austria
On 17th July Austria Foreign Minister, Ursula Plassnik met her French counterpart Bernard Kouchner. The two ministers discussed the future of the... Europeanisation
Serbia
On 16th July Serb Foreign Minister, Vuk Jeremic met his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner in Paris. He again said that Serbia would not acknowledge... Italy
Russia
On 16th July Italian President Giorgio Napolitano was received at the Kremlin by his Russian counterpart Dmitri Medvedev. The two presidents spoke of... Agriculture
Commission
The rises in food prices in 2007 and 2008 have had a negative impact on many developing countries. The European Commission proposed on 18th July to... Immigration
Germany
On 16th July the German government adopted an action programme aiming to show that work migration can guarantee the continued existence of... Italy/VAT
Court of Justice
On 16th July the Court of Justice of the European Communities gave a decision condemning the Italian fiscal amnesty on VAT planned for in the Italian... Jean-Claude Trichet
ECB
In an interview in four European newspapers on 18th July, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the Irish Times, the Jornal de Negocios and the Figaro,... French Presidency
Parliament
On 15th, 16th, 17th July French Ministers presented the programme of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union to nearly all of the... Defence
France
On 17th July French MP Yves Fromion delivered a report entitled "Vers une industrie européenne de la défense" (Working towards a European defence...