On 10 March MEPs approved changes to EU accounting rules so that very small companies can be exempted from having to draw up annual accounts. It would be up to each Member State to grant the exemptions, depending on the impact the directive would ... (read more)

On 8 March International Woman's Day was celebrated focusing on equal rights and equal opportunities. Eurfound published a comparative analytical report which provides an overview of national studies of gender pay gap, examining policies and actio... (read more)

On 9 March the European Parliament adopted the revision of the "fines only" policy to rethink the fines strategy and tackle state aid. On-line advertising, and the telecoms, pharmaceuticals and dairy sectors, are listed as needing further action; ... (read more)

During its meeting on 8 March, Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) held a discussion on the European strategy for growth and jobs, with a view to preparing for the Spring European Council on 25 and 26 March.

The Employment Council has adopted its first-reading position on a draft directive aimed at improving the social protection of self-employed workers and of "assisting spouses" at its meeting on 8 March 2010. The UK was the only Member State to abs... (read more)

At its meeting on 8 March, the Employment Council adopted a directive extending workers' rights to parental leave from three to four months for each parent. At least one of the four months cannot be transferred to the other parent (i.e. it is lost... (read more)

At its meeting on Monday 8 March, the Employment Council adopted a decision establishing a 100 million euros European microfinance facility for employment and social inclusion following a first-reading agreement with the Europea... (read more)

On 3 March the European Commission launched the Europe 2020 Strategy to go out of the crisis and prepare EU economy for the next decade. The Commission identifies three key drivers for growth, to be implemented through concrete actions at EU and n... (read more)

Member States have never performed better in writing agreed Internal Market rules into national law on time, but still need to improve the way those rules are applied in practice, according to the European Commission’s latest Internal Market Sco... (read more)

On 2 March the European Commission announced its proposals to allow Member States to have decision on the cultivation of GMO's. Under the current legal framework, as decided by the European Council and the European Parliament, the Commission adopt... (read more)

At its meeting on 1 March 2010, the Competitiveness Council discussed a new EU strategy for the creation of growth and jobs, following a presentation by the Commission on the main elements of its communication on the EU2020 strategy, which is to b... (read more)

On 1 March the European Commission adopted a Green Paper which sets out the options for a European Union approach to the protection of forests and to information about forest resources and their conditions. Responses to the Green Paper from the pu... (read more)

As from 1 March 2010, European mobile phone operators are obliged under EU roaming rules to offer their customers a cut-off limit facility to protect them from 'bill shocks' for surfing the Internet with their mobile phones and laptops while trave... (read more)

On 1 March it was announced by EuroStat that Organic farming in the EU between 2005 and 2008 was up by 21%. In 2008, the five Member States with the largest organic area in the EU27 were Spain (1.3 mn ha), Italy (1.0 mn ha), Germany (0.9 mn ha), t... (read more)

On 1 March the European Commission added two names of agricultural products and foodstuffs to the Register of Protected Designations of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indications (PGI).The two names are added to the list of about 850 prod... (read more)

On 25 February MEPs set out their fishery reform priorities by adopting a non-binding report on a complete overhaul of the EU common fisheries policy. The report, drafted by Maria do Ceu Patrao Neves, a member of the Committee on Fisheries, was ap... (read more)

On 25 February the European Commission adopted a report on sustainability requirements for the use of solid biomass and biogas in electricity, heating and cooling. The report makes recommendations on sustainability criteria to be used by those Mem... (read more)

On 24 February Guido Milana's, vice-chair on the Committee of Fisheries in the European Parliament, put forward an own-initiative report on how to promote aquaculture. MEPs at the hearing stressed the importance of promoting quality fish farming t... (read more)

On 24 February the 'Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs' pilot project, financed by the European Commission, celebrated its one year anniversary from its official launch date in 2009. The second phase of the programme was launched in January 2010 and ... (read more)

On 24 February the European Parliament put forward a draft report on late payments which allows companies to get money owed to them quicker thanks to an update of the existing EU directive on late payment in commercial transactions. This is crucia... (read more)

On 23 February the Women’s Right's Committee approved for minimum maternity leave in the EU to be extended from 14 to 20 weeks, and be fully paid. Paternity leave was also approved to be two weeks long. This has not been made into legislation, a... (read more)

On 23 February the Agriculture Committee from the European Parliament met and stated that compulsory labelling of farm produce can ensure that consumers are fully informed on food quality and boost agricultural competitiveness. Protecting EU geogr... (read more)

On 22 February, the Agriculture Council from the European Council, met to discuss "market and crisis management" on the common agricultural policy (CAP) and where it will be heading after 2013. Ministers considered how to strike the right balance ... (read more)

On 18 February the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements EU Group (IFOAM), in cooperation with The Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari launched a dossier on the EU Organic Aquaculture Legislation.

The publication... (read more)

On 17 February, the European Commission announced that there are now two new Directorates-General which have been created following the approval of the new European Commission:

• DG Energy (ENER)
• DG Climate Action (CLIM) (read more)

On 16 February the Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Committee from the European Commission published its fourth issue of the European Gender Equality Law Review which several experts via their individual contributions, the indepe... (read more)

On 16 February PCG (Professional Contractors Group) launched a campaign on 'Britain's Brain Gain', a national advertising campaign spotlighting the rich talent pool amongst the UK's 1.4 million freelance workers and highlighting their £82 billion... (read more)

On 15 February the European Commissioner Dacian Cioloş for Agriculture and Rural Development stated that "We need an extensive public debate for a reformed, better tailored CAP". Commissioner Cioloş met with the Minister of Environment, Rural an... (read more)

On 11 February MEPs from the Employment and Social Affairs Committee and the Spanish Presidency reached an agreement on EU funding to help Europe's unemployed start up small businesses. A "microfinance facility" fund will be set up to allow credit... (read more)

On 11 February the 27 heads of states held an informal meeting to discuss the EU2020 Strategy. Despite discussions venturing onto the financial difficulties of Greece, the main points covered were the coordination of the economy with the EU's next... (read more)

The EU should create a "new climate diplomacy", and its future budget must provide enough funding to protect against, and adapt to, climate change, say MEPs in a resolution approved on Wednesday 10 February in Strasbourg. The EU's commitment to co... (read more)

The European Parliament elected the new European Commission by 488 votes to 137, with 72 abstentions, in Strasbourg on Tuesday 9 February. The vote took the form of a single ballot on the whole College of Commissioners, consisting of one Commissio... (read more)

The European Parliament approved on Tuesday 9 February a set of key principles to be implemented in the cooperation agreement governing relations between the EP and the Commission. Commission President Barroso endorsed MEPs' demands, reflecting th... (read more)

The European Commission announced the winner of the EU organic logo competition on 8 February 2010. Over the past two months, some 130,000 people have voted online to choose the new organic symbol from three finalists. The winning design is by Dus... (read more)

The newly elected President of the Committee of the Regions, Italian Socialist Mercedes Bresso, has encoraged the CoR to be more courageous in pursuing its political aims. The leader hailed the enormous political progress the institution has made ... (read more)

Following the initial consultation on the EU2020, the Commission will shortly present a formal proposal for the EU 2020 strategy, with a view to the EU's Heads of State and government adopting the strategy at their spring 2010 meeting based on the... (read more)

The EU Micro-finance Facility for business start-ups will be funded partly by its "Progress" employment and social solidarity programme and partly by unallocated margins in the EU budget, says a compromise agreement reached by MEPs and the Spanish... (read more)

Small firms have been hard hit by the economic crisis, and so must be given incentives and support, including easier access to credit, help with innovation, tax breaks and less red tape, MEPs on Parliament's Special Committee on the Financial, Eco... (read more)

Q: When will the Crisis End? A: When Employment Recovers!

At its recent informal Employment Council meeting in Barcelona, Ministers discussed the economic crisis and the different measures that are being taken to tackle it.

M... (read more)

A Eurochambres survey conducted among Chambers of Commerce throughout the EU shows that only 9 out of the 27 member states complied fully with the Services Directive by the 28 December 2009 deadline. Implementation in the remaining 18 countries is... (read more)

At their recent informal Employment Council meeting in Barcelona, Ministers expressed grave concern over unemployment rates in the EU. The European Commissioner for Employment, Vladimir Špidla, confirmed that "the Spanish Presidency is planning a... (read more)

A European Commission study, published on 1 February, recommends setting up a dedicated European body to oversee the implementation and enforcement of EU waste law. The study is part of a series of steps being taken by the Commission to improve wa... (read more)

The Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry has launched its new video award focusing on entrepreneurship. The award aims to encourage enterprising film lovers to prove their creativity and skills by producing a short video that deals with... (read more)

The European Parliament’s Rural Development Committee has voted on the last proposals from Member States/regions for using EU Recovery Plan and CAP Health Check funding and other transfers within the CAP to address issues including the economic ... (read more)

Agriculture can contribute to solving major problems such as climate change and the reduction of green house gas emissions, according to a European Parliament hearing. A report by Stéphane Le Foll MEP states that agriculture “has considerable p... (read more)

On 15 December the European Commission named five agricultural products and foodstuffs to the Register of Protected Designations of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indications (PGI). The names are added to the list of about 850 product nam... (read more)

On 10 March MEPs approved changes to EU accounting rules so that very small companies can be exempted from having to draw up annual accounts. It would be up to each Member State to grant the exemptions, depending on the impact the directive would ... (read more)