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European Commission and Member States to assess barriers restricting access to regulated professions
02/10/2013 - Employment and social rights
The European Commission has adopted a communication announcing the start of an evaluation of national regulations on access to professions.
21/10/2013 - Justice and citizens’ rights
The Commission is presenting suggestions on how to reduce gun related violence in Europe. It identifies actions at EU level, through legislation, operational activities, training and EU funding, to address the threats posed by the illegal use of firearms.
08/10/2013 - Justice and citizens’ rights
Justice ministers had an in-depth discussion on the “one-stop-shop” mechanism, which is a key issue in the proposal for a General Data Protection Regulation. The Council agreed on a general approach on the proposal for a directive on the protection of the euro and other currencies against counterfeiting by criminal law.
03/10/2013 - Institutional affairs / EU regional and urban development
The support, under the European Solidarity Fund, still needs to be approved by the European Parliament and the Council. Providing it is, it will help to contribute to the emergency costs incurred by the public authorities in these four member states because of the disasters.
23/10/2013 - Business, taxation and competition / Economy and the euro
A new standard VAT return, which can cut costs for EU businesses by up to €15 billion a year, has been proposed by the Commission. The aim of this initiative is to slash red-tape for businesses, ease tax compliance and make tax administrations across the Union more efficient.
Commission unveils list of 250 infrastructure projects that may qualify for €5,85 billion of funding
14/10/2013 - Energy, environment and climate
These "projects of common interest" (PCI) will benefit from accelerated licensing procedures and improved regulatory conditions and may have access to financial support from the Connecting Europe Facility, under which a €5.85 billion budget has been allocated to trans-European energy infrastructure for the period 2014-20.
11/10/2013 - Institutional affairs
In a session marked by the tragedy off the coast of Lampedusa, Parliament held a minute of silence for the victims and then debated with the Commission how to improve how refugees are received in the EU.
29/10/2013 - Statistics
This is the first of a new series of annual publications providing statistical analyses related to important European Commission policy frameworks or other phenomena in society.
31/10/2013 - Employment and social rights / Statistics
The euro area seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 12.2% in September 2013, stable compared with August. The EU28 unemployment rate was 11%, also stable compared with August.
08/10/2013 - Consumer affairs and public health
A draft law to make tobacco products less attractive to young people was passed by Parliament. All packs should carry a health warning covering 65% of their surface.
22/10/2013 - Consumer affairs and public health
Stricter monitoring and certification procedures to ensure full compliance and traceability of medical devices such as breast or hip implants were agreed by Parliament.
09/10/2013 - Transport and travel
New rules on maximum flight times for pilots and cabin crew should now be adopted by the European Commission, as a resolution calling on it to withdraw them was voted down in Parliament's plenary session.
23/10/2013 - Economy and the euro / Justice and citizens’ rights
The EU should suspend its Terrorist Finance Tracking Program (TFTP) agreement with the US in response to the US National Security Agency's alleged tapping of EU citizens' bank data held by the Belgian company SWIFT, says a non-binding resolution voted by Parliament.
11/10/2013 - Transport and travel
The Council agreed its general approach on new railway safety rules. The revised directive, a recast of the 2004 railway safety directive known as the '4th railway package', proposes centralised safety certificatication for EU rail operators.
09/10/2013 - Employment and social rights
A virtual professional qualifications card, to make it easier for doctors, pharmacists, architects and other professionals to move to and practice in another EU country will be introduced by a new draft law voted by Parliament.
18/10/2013 - Business, taxation and competition / Enlargement, external relations and trade
Commission President José Manuel Barroso and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper have today reached a political agreement on the key elements of a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) after months of intense negotiations between EU Trade Commissioner De Gucht and Canadian trade Minister Ed Fast.
18/10/2013 - Enlargement, external relations and trade
The Foreign Affairs Council focussed on EU trade issues, including mandates for investment agreement negotiations with China and with ASEAN countries.
03/10/2013 - Business, taxation and competition / Economy and the euro
The European Commission has launched a consultation inviting stakeholders to share their views about crowdfunding: its potential benefits, risks, and the design of an optimal policy framework to untap the potential of this new form of financing.
14/10/2013 - Justice and citizens’ rights
With this vote, the European Parliament (which decides with the Council of Ministers on an equal footing on this proposal), paves the way for further progress of the draft law in the EU legislative process.
24/10/2013 - Institutional affairs
At their meeting on 24-25 October 2013, EU leaders discussed the digital economy, economic and social policy, the Economic and Monetary Union, the Eastern Partnership and migration flows. They also issued a statement on recent developments concerning possible intelligence issues.
- Statement by President Barroso following the European Council meeting
- Remarks by President Herman Van Rompuy following the European Council
- Statement by President Barroso following the first session of the European Council
- Remarks by President Herman Van Rompuy following the first session of the European Council
- More information on the October European Council
