More than 90% of EU citizens find quality and price an important factor when buying food, and more important than origin (71%) and brand (47%) – indeed they were deemed "very important" by 65% (quality) and 54% (price), according to a new EUROBAROMETER survey on food security, food quality and the countryside, which is published today. Quality labels are important for two-thirds of respondents, and there is an improvement on previous years in the recognition of the different EU quality...

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The European Commission has today announced the final and biggest ever set of calls for proposals for research under its Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). In total, €8.1 billion will support projects and ideas that will boost Europe's competitiveness and tackle issues such as human health, protecting the environment and finding new solutions to growing challenges linked to urbanisation and managing waste. The funding – which is open to organisations and businesses in all EU Member States and partner countries -...

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The European Commission has published a call for proposals to support Transatlantic Civil Society Dialogues between the European Union and the United States.  Funding is available for projects that strengthen dialogues on a wide range of issues, including the continuation of the consumer dialogue, a transatlantic development and humanitarian dialogue with a special focus on the security nexus in development, and a transatlantic environmental dialogue focusing on energy issues and climate change. All shall involve a broad set of stakeholders...

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The single market has been at the core of the European project from the start, and today, instead of being blocked by national borders and barriers, people, goods, services and money move around the EU nearly as freely as they do within a single country.    Between 1992 and 2009, measures creating the single market generated an additional 2.75 million jobs and 2.15 percent in growth in the EU. Today, trade among EU member countries accounts for 17 percent of...

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European Union leaders meeting in Brussels yesterday and today took decisive measures to safeguard financial stability, restore confidence and revive economic growth. Leaders agreed that the European Stability Mechanism could recapitalize banks directly as soon as a EU-wide single banking supervisor will be in place. The existing firewalls will be used in a flexible and efficient manner to stabilize markets for Member States complying with the fiscal and economic policy rules, guidelines and recommendations. A "Compact for Growth and Jobs" will...

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Commissioner Barnier welcomes the European Council's agreement on the seat of the Unified Patent Court – the final element in the patent package "I am pleased that the Member States have reached the long-awaited agreement allowing for the achievement of our initiative on the European unitary patent. The compromise reached today is a decisive step towards the creation of a unitary patent and a common patent court in Europe. The reform will create a simpler application process and considerably reduce the...

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Investors express “cautious confidence” in Europe’s future attractiveness La Baule, France, 20 June 2012 – Despite the fragility of the Eurozone economy, inward investment continued to rise in Europe in 2011 with the total number of projects significantly higher than pre-crisis levels, according to Ernst & Young’s 10th annual European Attractiveness Survey. This report combines an analysis of international investment into Europe over the last year with a survey of more than 800 global executives on their views about how...

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Ahead of European Union leaders meeting in Brussels this week (June 28-29), the EU institutions today presented a proposal which outlines a blueprint for a single European banking supervision, a common deposit insurance and resolution framework, and further budgetary and economic integration among EU Member States. The report, drawn up by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, Eurogroup President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, proposes to move over the next...

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A new report by the EU-U.S. High Level Working Group on Jobs and Growth highlights opportunities to deepen and broaden the transatlantic trade relationship.   Leaders on both sides of the Atlantic welcomed the interim report, noting that bold initiatives to expand trade and investment could significantly contribute to their jobs and growth strategy. "We are encouraged by the Report's analysis of the benefits of an ambitious and comprehensive market opening arrangement for agricultural and manufactured goods, services and investment, the identification...

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European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso welcomed the strong resolve shown by G20 leaders to promote growth and jobs and their commitment to fully and speedily implement financial reform and build a more responsible and solid international financial sector. In their joint statement following the G20 Summit in Los Cabos, President Van Rompuy and President Barroso also noted that G20 leaders recognized the value of the European project and the Euro. "They welcomed the...

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