The annual European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS) provides a comparative assessment of research and innovation performance and the relative strengths and weaknesses of national research and innovation systems. It covers the EU Member States as well as Iceland, Israel, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, and Ukraine. On a more limited number of globally available indicators, the EIS also rates Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Japan, the Russian Federation, South Africa, South Korea, and the United...

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General comments 577 seats renewed at the National Assembly, the most important chamber of the French Parliament; The second round confirms the solid victory of President Macron’s party, La République En Marche (LREM), although slightly below the latest forecast, with a total of 350 seats obtained by its candidates and those of the ally party Modem, representing more than 60% of the National Assembly. This absolute majority should allow the new President to adopt his forthcoming reforms. The center-right...

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The European Investment Bank (EIB) has provided BNL Gruppo BNP Paribas with a total of EUR 250m via two new agreements to finance SMEs and public entities on a local and national level, as well as midcap companies for research and innovation projects.  The contracts include in particular:  financing of EUR 200m that can be used either by SMEs (businesses with fewer than 250 employees) or – for a maximum share of 30% – by publicly-owned companies of any size;  financing of EUR 50m...

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June 8, 2017 -    How can we shape and respond to globalisation? This question has become increasingly important as today, local issues are increasingly global and vice versa. We now see an ongoing vivid and welcome public debate about the effects and causes of globalisation. Today, I am in Paris to take part in the OECD Ministerial Council meeting, which this year carries the headline "Making globalisation work ". The goal of the meeting is to explore policies that can result...

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While millions of young people enter the labor market every year, the chance of landing a traditional full-time job with benefits are getting slim. Global youth unemployment is on the rise and many young people are opting to work in what’s known as the sharing economy. In this podcast, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde shares her thoughts about policies that might help today’s youth better adapt to the changing nature of work. Read Christine Lagarde’s Straight Talk about millennials and the...

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Plans for new compulsory greenhouse gas cuts under the Paris agreement were backed by MEPs on Wednesday, following a debate on the announced U.S. withdrawal. These cuts will help deliver on the EU’s overall target for 2030 on all policies - a 40% cut from 1990 levels. The EU is committed to these cuts in the framework of the Paris Agreement. The legislation will make it possible to break down the EU targets into binding, national ones for sectors not covered...

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1. We, the Heads of State and Government and high-level representatives, meeting in New York from 5 to 9 June 2017 at the United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 of the 2030 Agenda, with the full participation of civil society, and other relevant stakeholders, affirm our strong commitment to conserve and sustainably use our oceans, seas and marine resources tor sustainable development. 2. We are mobilised by a strong conviction that our ocean is...

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Living and working in Europe, Eurofound’s 2016 yearbook, provides a snapshot of developments and trends in the work and lives of Europeans as described in the research activities of Eurofound over 2016. Despite the strains on the European Union – slow economic recovery, rising euro-scepticism and the UK vote to leave the EU – Eurofound’s work reported much good news for its citizens in 2016. Full-time, permanent employment rose across all pay categories; the gender employment gap is narrowing...

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