MEPs debate on Wednesday morning whether the EU's €315 billion investment plan to fuel Europe's economic recovery by mobilising public and private investment is delivering. According to the European Commission, the first year of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) has been promising. Follow the discussion with Commissioner Jyrki Katainen live online from 9.00 CET. How it works The aim of EFSI, run by the European Investment Bank (EIB), is to provide public support for projects that are economically viable,...

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The European Commission adopts a Strategy for international cultural relations which will contribute to making the EU a stronger global actor. The Strategy aims at encouraging cultural cooperation between the EU and its partner countries. The Strategy for international cultural relations presented by the European Commission and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini proposes a strategic framework for deeper and more effective international cultural relations. The Communication adopted also puts forward  a new model for...

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MEPs urge the EU Commission to put forward proposals against unfair trading practices in the food supply chain, so as to ensure fair earnings for farmers and a wide choice for consumers, in a resolution voted on Tuesday. The aim should be to ensure fair and transparent trade relations among food producers, suppliers and distributors. Fair trading should in turn help to prevent overproduction and food waste, they add. "The initiatives taken so far have not been effective. That's why...

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On 8 June 2016, the Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) agreed, on behalf of the Council, a negotiating stance on new rules on prospectuses for the issuing and offering of securities.  The draft regulation is aimed at reducing one of the main regulatory hurdles that companies face when issuing equity and debt securities. It sets out to simplify and alleviate administrative obligations related to the publication of prospectuses in a manner that still ensures that investors are well informed. "This is an important...

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According to the Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, Ronald Plasterk, ‘Digitisation offers unprecedented opportunities, especially in terms of the relationship between the government, citizens and businesses.’ However, the minister and other speakers at the Digital and Open Government conference were keen to stress that digital information must strike a balance between government interests and those of citizens. Confidence in digital government In the group sessions held on the first day of the conference, the opportunities were clearly outlined. Decision...

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Tax avoidance by companies cost EU countries €160-190 billion in lost revenue a year. MEPs will discuss new measures to fight the most common practices on Tuesday 7 June and vote on them the following day. Read more about the legislation and check our infographic that shows corporate tax rates and respective tax income by member state. The proposal The directive that has been proposed by the European Commission is based on the principle that taxes should be paid where profits...

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“Generally speaking, please tell me if you are very satisfied, rather satisfied, rather unsatisfied or not at all satisfied with the quality of the air and the noise level in your city?" inhabitants of 83 European cities were asked in 2015. Results show significant disparities between capital cities in the European Union (EU), with levels of satisfaction regarding air quality ranging from 22% to 88% and for noise levels from 31% to 82%. Full text available on EUROSTAT website Compliments of...

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As the 21st member of Mission Innovation the EU will accelerate global clean energy innovation with the objective to make clean energy widely affordable. The European Union has joined Mission Innovation, a global initiative on clean energy, at its inaugural ministerial meeting in San Francisco on 1-2 June. This initiative was launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2015 (COP21) in Paris with the aim of reinvigorating and accelerating public and private global clean energy innovation. In joining Mission Innovation,...

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Your Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen, And looking into the room, dear friends, I am very happy to be with you. And I would like to thank all those who organised this event. I do know that behind the scene, many things have to be made and we should never forget those who are making our public appearances a success. I am a great collector of summits. And my collection is growing every day and very quickly: the Euro, Greece, Russia, migration, everything. But...

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