July 2013 Economic, monetary and financial situation Agreement on the operating procedures for an exchange rate mechanism in Stage Three of Economic and Monetary Union On 21 June 2013 the European Central Bank and the national central banks of the Member States whose currency is not the euro signed an agreement amending the Agreement of 16 March 2006 between the European Central Bank and the national central banks of the Member States outside the euro area laying down the operating procedures for an exchange...

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On July 4, 2013, Ms. Fleur Pellerin, Minister Delegate for SMEs, Innovation and the Digital Economy, unveiled the French government’s five-part support plan for Big Data. A five-part support plan The five parts of the plan involve: introducing data-scientist educational programs; setting up a technology center to give startups access to databases and web archives; boosting finance for innovation through a new seed capital fund for Big Data; creating flagship projects in the field; and utilizing social networks both at local...

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If you are a researcher currently based in North America (US and Canada), enter the competition by posting a video featuring your science slam on our LinkedIn site, or upload it on YouTube or DropBox and send the link directly to northamerica@euraxess.net before 10 September 2013. Up to 7 entries will be invited to join the EURAXESS Science Slam North America 2013 finals to be held on the campus of the American University in Washington, DC on 24 September 2013. The...

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Lowered tariffs and harmonised standards – this is where the real savings for businesses and consumers will be achieved in the future free trade agreement between the EU and the US. To help reach the goal of having compatible standards across the both sides of the Atlantic, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) today agreed to expand their current scientific co-operation to 10 different areas. The trade and investment...

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European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services Michel Barnier - Speech at the Transatlantic Policy Network -- Washington, 16 July 2013 Some people must have looked at the launch of the TTIP negotiations last week like an aircraft taking off against a strong headwind. I can’t deny that negotiations will be tough. There are discussions about which topics should stay off the table. There will be other sticking points in the coming months. But let’s not lose sight of the broader picture....

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The first round of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations kicked off last Monday in Washington, DC.  The EU-U.S. transatlantic economy represents the largest economic relationship in the world, accounting for nearly 30 percent of global  merchandise trade, about 40 percent of world trade in services, and nearly half of global GDP. In 2011, European investment in the U.S. accounted for 70 percent of total FDI in the United States, and Europe’s investment ows to the U.S. were...

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SPEECH BY Michel BARNIER, European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services on Interdependent swaps markets need interactive cross-border rules at Brookings Institution - Restoring Momentum in Transatlantic Cooperation on Financial Reform // Washington DC, 15 July 2013 Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank both the Global Financial Markets Association and the Brookings Institution for inviting me to speak bright and early on a Monday morning. The ancient Mesopotamians invented derivatives, or ‘swaps’ as you call them here in the...

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The European Commission, EU Member States and European industry will invest more than €22 billion over the next seven years in innovation for sectors that deliver high quality jobs. Most of the investment will go to five public-private partnerships in innovative medicines, aeronautics, bio-based industries, fuel cells and hydrogen, and electronics. These research partnerships will boost the competitiveness of EU industry in sectors that already provide more than 4 million jobs. They will also find solutions to major challenges for...

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European Commissioner Michel Barnier and United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman Gary Gensler today announced a Path Forward regarding their joint understandings on a package of measures for how to approach cross-border derivatives. Commissioner Barnier said that “our discussions have been long and sometimes difficult, but they have always been close, continuous and collaborative talks between partners and friends.” Chairman Gensler said, “With these joint understandings, together, we’ve taken another significant step in our mutual journey to bring transparency...

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