A new strategy to improve customs risk management, together with a detailed action plan, was adopted by the Commission today. Robust customs risk management is essential to protect the safety and security of the EU and its citizens, the interests of legitimate traders and EU financial interests, while at the same time enabling the smooth flow of trade. As the volume of trade grows and the international supply chain becomes ever more complex and fast-moving, the framework for customs...

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Brussels, 20 August 2014 - Tomorrow Galileo, the EU's satellite navigation programme, will send two more satellites into space, reaching a total number of 6 satellites in orbit. The lift-off will take place at the European spaceport near Kourou in French Guiana, at 14.31 CET and can be viewed via live streaming here. The launch marks another milestone for Galileo as a step towards a fully-fledged European-owned satellite navigation system. These two satellites are the first of a new...

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By Martine Reicherts,  EU Justice Commissioner | IFLA World Library and Information Congress | Lyon, France 18 August 2014 Main messages Just as work on the data protection reform has picked up speed and urgency, detractors are attempting to throw a new spanner in the works. They are trying to use the recent ruling by the European Court of Justice on the right to be forgotten to undermine our reform. They have got it wrong. And I will not let them...

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Each day, American businesses are firing on all cylinders to create jobs and drive America's economic growth. Just last month, our private sector added jobs for the 53rd straight month, the longest streak on record. In total, American businesses have added 9.9 million jobs since early 2010. Last week, we saw another sign of progress, as the number of available jobs rose to the highest level in more than 13 years. American business owners advertised 4.67 million jobs in June,...

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GDP stable in the euro area and up by 0.2% in the EU28 +0.7% and +1.2% respectively compared with the second quarter of 2013. Seasonally adjusted GDP remained stable in the euro area1 (EA18) and rose by 0.2% in the EU281 during the second quarter of 2014, compared with the previous quarter, according to flash estimates2 published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In the first quarter of 2014, GDP grew by 0.2% in the euro area and...

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Grabbing a glass or typing an email: these are some everyday gestures that are not possible for people with serious physical impairments – even though they have the will and the brainpower to do so. EU-funded projects such as TOBI (Tools for Brain-Computer Interaction) are working on technologies that could greatly improve the quality of life of people such as 20-year-old Francesco or 53-year-old Jean-Luc. Brain-Computer Interaction has allowed them to regain control of paralysed limbs, surf the web...

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Manual gives details on “join-up” of asset quality review (AQR) and stress test Manual outlines the stress test quality assurance process, which ensures a rigorous exercise Publication of the manual adds to the transparency of the comprehensive assessment and the credibility of the exercise The European Central Bank (ECB) has today published a manual detailing how it will incorporate findings from its AQR into stress test projections. It also describes the stress test quality assurance process, which is vital to ensuring that...

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By Christina Sevilla, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Small Business In the United States and in the European Union, small and medium businesses are the backbone of the economy and critical motors of growth and job creation. Small businesses that export grow faster, add jobs faster, and pay higher wages than small companies in the same sector that serve purely domestic markets. Helping more small and medium enterprises do business and find partners across the Atlantic, and unlocking opportunities for...

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See also IP/14/890 1. General information about Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) Why is it important to protect IPRs? As the EU’s 2020 Strategy underlines, the protection of IPRs is key to the EU economy. By giving people the incentive to be creative and innovative, IPRs foster economic growth, creating and protecting millions of jobs. What customs measures are in place at EU level to protect IPRs? Since 2003 EU rules lay down the provisions for customs actions to protect and enforce intellectual property rights...

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Every summer millions of Europeans descend upon the continent’s airports on their way to sunshine and adventure. As airport users explode in number, so does the cost and environmental footprint of running an airport. Did you know that as airports get bigger and bigger they each consume as much energy as small cities? Think only about the lighting, heating and air conditioning systems in these huge transport hubs. That is why European researchers have used Commission funding to develop...

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