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Highlights
February 2013

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Highlights

Stories - February 2013

Council agrees on Youth Guarantee

28/02/2013 - Culture, education and youth / Employment and social rights / Institutional affairs

The Council reached a political agreement on the establishment of youth guarantee schemes which aim to ensure that unemployed young people are quickly offered employment or training. |PHOTOS|VIDEO |

MEPs cap bankers' bonuses and step up bank capital requirements

28/02/2013 - Economy, finance, tax and competition

Bankers' annual bonuses must not normally exceed their annual salaries and banks must hold more high quality capital to increase stability in the sector, says a deal reached by European Parliament and Council negotiators.

'Smart borders': enhancing mobility and security

28/02/2013 - Justice and citizens rights / Transport and travel

The Commission proposed a 'smart border package' to speed-up, facilitate and reinforce border check procedures for foreigners travelling to the EU. |PHOTOS|VIDEO 1|2|

Keeping the EU's space industry competitive and avoiding satellite collisions

28/02/2013 - Science and technology

The European Commission proposed measures to keep Europe's space industry competitive and to set up a European satellite collision avoidance system.

January 2013: Euro area annual inflation down to 2.0% EU down to 2.1%

28/02/2013 - Economy, finance, tax and competition / Statistics

Euro area annual inflation was 2.0% in January 2013, down from 2.2% in December 2012. A year earlier the rate was 2.7%. EU annual inflation was 2.1% in January 2013, down from 2.3% in December 2012. A year earlier the rate was 2.9%.

February 2013: Business and Consumer surveys

27/02/2013 - Business / Economy, finance, tax and competition

In February 2013, the Business Climate Indicator (BCI) for the euro area increased by 0.36 points to 0.73. The Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) continued its recovery that has started in October/November of last year.

Main results of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council

26/02/2013 - Agriculture, fisheries and food / Institutional affairs

As regards agriculture, ministers had a public debate on the direct payments regulation and the horizontal regulation within the framework of the common agricultural policy (CAP) reform. Concerning fisheries issues, ministers reached an agreement for a general approach on the basic
provisions of the common fisheries policy (CFP). |PHOTOS 1|2|VIDEO 1|2|

Health and Safety: Commission proposes to improve workers' protection against exposure to hazardous chemicals

26/02/2013 - Employment and social rights / Environment, consumers and health

The Commission has proposed to amend five existing EU health and safety Directives on protection of workers from exposure to harmful chemicals to align them with the latest rules on classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals.

EU and Ukraine: towards closer relations

25/02/2013 - Institutional affairs / External relations and foreign affairs

The 16th EU-Ukraine summit took place in Brussels. The objective of the meeting was to discuss the conditions for the signature of the Association Agreement and a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius in November. |PHOTOS 1|2|VIDEO 1|2|3|4|

Winter forecast 2012-14: Gradually overcoming headwinds

22/02/2013 - Economy, finance, tax and competition

While financial market conditions in the EU have improved substantially since last summer, economic activity was disappointing in the second half of 2012. However, leading indicators suggest that GDP in the EU is now bottoming out and we expect economic activity to gradually accelerate. |PHOTOS|VIDEO 1|2|

Tobacco in the EU : Exposure to second hand smoke reduced, but still too high, says Commission report

22/02/2013 - Environment, consumers and health

Protection from second hand smoke has improved considerably in the EU, according to a report published by the Commission. 28% of Europeans were exposed to second hand smoke in bars in 2012 – down from 46% in 2009. |VIDEO|

February infringements package: main decisions

21/02/2013 - Institutional affairs

The Commission has taken 151 decisions, including 15 reasoned opinions and 13 referrals to the European Union's Court of Justice, out of which 2 include financial penalties.

Social investment: Commission urges Member States to focus on growth and social cohesion

20/02/2013 - Employment and social rights

The Social Investment Package, presented by the Commission, gives guidance to Member States on more efficient and effective social policies in response to the significant challenges they currently face. These include high levels of financial distress, increasing poverty and social exclusion, as well as record unemployment, especially among young people. |PHOTOS|VIDEO 1|2|

Competitiveness Council: Agreement on Unified Patent Court signed

19/02/2013 - Business / Institutional affairs

22 member states signed the international agreement for establishing a Unified Patent Court (UPC). Once the agreement enters into force, the signatory countries will form a unified area in terms of patent law. |PHOTOS 1|2|VIDEO|

Foreign Affairs Council: EU Training Mission in Mali launched

18/02/2013 - Institutional affairs / External relations and foreign affairs

The EU's training mission in Mali (EUTM Mali) was launched by the Foreign Affairs Council. The objective of the mission is to support the training and reorganisation of the Malian Armed Forces. |PHOTOS 1|2|VIDEO 1|2|

Erasmus for All and education for growth and jobs

15/02/2013 - Culture, education and youth

The EU's education ministers discussed Erasmus for All, the reformed student exchange programme, and the contribution of education to creating jobs and growth. |PHOTOS|VIDEO|

Financial Transaction Tax under Enhanced Cooperation: Commission sets out the details

14/02/2013 - Economy, finance, tax and competition

The proposal follows EU Finance Ministers' agreement last month to allow the 11 Member States to move ahead with an FTT under enhanced cooperation. |VIDEO|PHOTOS|

Mislabelled meat products: towards a European coordinated response

13/02/2013 - Agriculture, fisheries and food / Institutional affairs

At an informal meeting, ministers from the most affected member states exchanged views and shared information on the recently discovered mislabelling of processed beef products containing horsemeat. |PHOTOS|VIDEO|

Safer products and a level playing field in the internal market

13/02/2013 - Business / Environment, consumers and health

The European Commission proposed new rules to improve the safety of consumer products circulating in the Single Market and to step-up market surveillance concerning all non-food products, including those imported from 3rd countries. |PHOTOS|VIDEO|

European Union and United States to launch negotiations for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

13/02/2013 - External relations and foreign affairs

When negotiations are completed, this EU-US agreement would be the biggest bilateral trade deal ever negotiated – and it could add 0.5% to the EU's annual economic output. |PHOTOS|VIDEO|

Ecofin sets guidelines for a sustainable economy

12/02/2013 - Economy, finance, tax and competition

The Ecofin Council discussed actions to support budgetary discipline and competitiveness, such as guidelines for the EU's 2014 budget, the annual growth survey, the alert mechanism report, and the fiscal sustainability report. |VIDEO|PHOTOS|

MFF agreed by EU leaders

08/02/2013 - Economy, finance, tax and competition / Institutional affairs

Things we learnt in the February plenary

08/02/2013 - Economy, finance, tax and competition / Institutional affairs

French president François Hollande spoke of the need for common growth-oriented policies when debating Europe with MEPs in Strasbourg, while the plenary sent a stark warning to governments not to try to impose unreasonable cuts on the EU budget.

EU Cybersecurity plan to protect open internet and online freedom and opportunity

07/02/2013 - Justice and citizens rights / Science and technology

The cybersecurity strategy – "An Open, Safe and Secure Cyberspace" - represents the EU's comprehensive vision on how best to prevent and respond to cyber disruptions and attacks. This is to further European values of freedom and democracy and ensure the digital economy can safely grow. |VIDEO|PHOTOS|

Leaders to focus on the budget framework and on trade

06/02/2013 - Economy, finance, tax and competition / Institutional affairs

European Council President Herman van Rompuy has invited the EU's heads of state or government to a meeting on 7 and 8 February. The main purpose, he stated in his invitation letter, is "to agree on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)". Other points on the agenda include trade and international relations. |VIDEO|

Stop overfishing: MEPs vote for ambitious reform

06/02/2013 - Agriculture, fisheries and food

A major reform of the EU's Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) which aims to cut fishing to sustainable stock levels, end dumping at sea, and base long-term planning on sound scientific data, was approved by Parliament.

Parliament backs law to tone down harmful traffic noise

06/02/2013 - Environment, consumers and health / Transport and travel

Noise limits for cars would be tightened to protect public health, under a draft law voted in Parliament. MEPs also recommended introducing labels to inform consumers about new cars' noise levels and adding sound to hybrid and electric vehicles to alert pedestrians.

European Commission strengthens the protection of the euro by means of criminal law

05/02/2013 - Economy, finance, tax and competition / Justice and citizens rights

The European Commission has proposed to crack down on criminals who counterfeit euro notes and coins. Counterfeiting of the euro is estimated to have cost at least €500 million since the currency was introduced in 2002.

Anti-Money Laundering: Stronger rules to respond to new threats

05/02/2013 - Economy, finance, tax and competition / Justice and citizens rights

The Commission has adopted two proposals to reinforce the EU's existing rules on anti-money laundering and fund transfers.

Council prepares February summit

04/02/2013 - Economy, finance, tax and competition / Institutional affairs

The Council examined draft conclusions for the European Council meeting to be held on 7-8 February. The main aim for EU leaders will be to agree on the EU's multiannual financial framework (MFF) for the 2014-2020 period. |VIDEOS|PHOTOS|

December 2012: Euro area unemployment rate at 11.7% - EU27 at 10.7%

01/02/2013 - Employment and social rights

The euro area (EA17) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 11.7% in December 2012, stable compared with November. The EU27 unemployment rate was 10.7%, also stable compared with November.

Selected Principal European Economic Indicators

Foreign Affairs Council meets in Brussels

01/02/2013 - External relations and foreign affairs

At the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council the focus was on the EU's southern neighbourhood. Other topics included the foreign policy priorities during president Obama's second term in office, the situation in Mali and Somalia as well proposed steps towards an EU policy in the Arctic. |PHOTOS 1|2|3|VIDEO 1|2|

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