In 2011, the government deficit1 of both the euro area2 (EA17) and the EU27 decreased in absolute terms compared with 2010, while the government debt1 rose in both zones. In the euro area the government deficit to GDP ratio decreased from 6.2% in 20103 to 4.1% in 2011, and in the EU27 from 6.5% to 4.5%. In the euro area the government debt to GDP ratio increased from 85.3% at the end of 2010 to 87.2% at the end of...

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Brussels, Tuesday 24 April 2012 Today, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) adopted his Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). The Opinion shows that the lack of precision of the Agreement about the measures to be deployed to tackle infringements of intellectual property rights ('IP rights') on the Internet may have unacceptable side effects on fundamental rights of individuals, if they are not implemented properly. It underlines that many...

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University of Copenhagen Copenhagen, 23 April 2012 Prime Minister, Rector, ladies and gentlemen, dear students, It is a real pleasure to be here for this debate with you today. It is indeed my second time in the University of Copenhagen. Copenhagen is not only the oldest university in Denmark but also one of the most respected academic institutions in Europe. A university which sums up much of what is best about Europe, a sense of enquiry, the search for excellence, and an...

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At a meeting of the Standing Committee yesterday on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH), Member States endorsed a Commission proposal on the establishment of a European Union list of permitted flavouring substances and a transitional measure on other flavourings. While flavourings have a long history of safe use in a wide variety of food, consumers and companies currently face divergent national provisions. These two new pieces of legislation, which will enter into force once the comitology procedure will...

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EU Commission welcomes Parliament’s endorsement of risk-sharing instruments for Member States worst hit by the financial crisis, to contribute to investment and job creation Brussels, 19 April 2012 - The European Parliament has today approved the Commission’s proposal enabling the use of cohesion policy allocations still available to back-up guarantees and loans by financial institutions such as the European Investment Bank (EIB). EU funds will be used to create so-called “risk-sharing instruments”. The measure is intended to address the serious...

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On 26 April, the Commission will organise a conference in Brussels on the enforcement of intellectual property rights, in association with the Danish EU Presidency. This Conference follows on from a Commission Public Hearing in June 2011 and a public consultation on the application of Directive 2004/48/EC on the enforcement of intellectual property rights. It is expected to provide further valuable stakeholder input on intellectual property policy, in the context of a review of the Directive by the Commission. Over...

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