Financing social and cohesion policy in an enlarged EU: plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose?

The development of the Open Method of Coordination, agreement on the Lisbon Agenda and EU enlargement offered the prospect of a new and substantial EU social policy agenda. This article considers EU social and cohesion policies in the context of the recent negotiation of the EU budget for 2007—13. We find the Commission's wish to redistribute EU spending in favour of these policy areas and new member states was thwarted by key political features of EU budget making: CAP spending levels which are downwardly sticky; institutional arrangements which provide for budget making as, at best, a zero-sum game; and the preferences of contributor member states in the EU-15 to contain overall spending while preserving their net budget positions. Questions are thus raised as to the ability of the EU to make any progress, from a budgetary perspective, on the social and cohesion policy agenda in an enlarged EU

Employment in Europe 2003: Statistical Annex

Statistical annex to accompany Employment in Europe 2007, including macro economic indicators, key employment indicators, and data sources and definitions

Employment in Europe 2007: Statistical Annex

Statistical annex to accompany Employment in Europe 2007, including macro economic indicators, key employment indicators, and data sources and definitions

Employment in Europe 2005: Statistical Annex

Statistical annex to accompany Employment in Europe 2005, including macro economic indicators, key employment indicators, and data sources and definitions

Equal Rights in Practice: Key Voices 2004

[Excerpt] We have thus chosen to focus this year on the critical factors and actors in the enforcement of the anti-discrimination Directives emanating from Article 13 of the Amsterdam Treaty on “Race” and “Equal treatment in the workplace” This collection of independent opinions, bringing together views from stakeholders ranging from National Authorities, NGOs, specialised bodies and experts in the field, provides a vivid testimony to the processes which are leading law and policy makers from paper to practice; from the written legislation, through to the day-today realities of changing attitudes and practices throughout European societies

Employment in Europe 2006: Statistical Annex

Statistical annex to accompany Employment in Europe 2006, including macro economic indicators, key employment indicators, and data sources and definitions

Innovative Financing at a Global Level

The European Commission services published a staff working document assessing the main sources of innovative financing under discussion. The analysis shows that for some of the instruments a "double dividend" of both raising revenues and improving market efficiency and stability could be reaped, in particular by putting a price on risk-taking in the financial sector and on carbon emissions.European Union, taxation, financial transaction tax, bank levy, bonus tax, carbon tax, financial institutions

Overcoming barriers to the implementation of alternative fuels for road transport in Europe.

The success of implementing alternative fuels for road transport depends on their cost, performance and reliability. This paper focuses on the use of natural gas and LPG, hydrogen and biofuels in Europe. A brief presentation is given of their technical development status, their market potential, and barriers to their implementation in various market segments. Some market barriers are common to many new technologies, and can be overcome through adequate policy measures at European level. Generally, a combination of policies is required, and a number of supporting measures increase their effectiveness. The following policies affecting energy use in transport are discussed: market incentives, policies targeting technology and vehicle efficiency, and overall system improvement

Serological surveillance reveals patterns of exposure to H5 and H7 influenza A viruses in European poultry

Influenza A viruses of H5 and H7 subtype in poultry can circulate subclinically, and subsequently mutate from low to high pathogenicity with potentially devastating economic and welfare consequences. European Union Member States undertake surveillance of commercial and backyard poultry for early detection and control of subclinical H5 and H7 influenza A infection. This surveillance has moved towards a risk‐based sampling approach in recent years; however quantitative measures of relative risk associated with risk factors utilised in this approach are necessary for optimisation. This study describes serosurveillance for H5 and H7 influenza A in domestic and commercial poultry undertaken in the European Union from 2004 to 2010, where a random sampling and thus representative approach to serosurveillance was undertaken. Using these representative data, this study measured relative risk of seropositivity across poultry categories and spatially across the EU. Data were analysed using multivariable logistic regression. Domestic waterfowl, game birds, fattening turkeys, ratites, backyard poultry and the “other” poultry category holdings had relatively increased probability of H5 and/or H7 influenza A seropositivity, compared to laying‐hen holdings. Amongst laying‐hen holdings, free‐range rearing was associated with increased probability of H7 seropositivity. Spatial analyses detected ‘hotspots’ for H5 influenza A seropositivity in western France and England, and H7 influenza A seropositivity in Italy and Belgium, which may be explained by the demographics and distribution of poultry categories. Findings suggest certain poultry category holdings are at increased risk of subclinical H5 and/or H7 influenza A circulation, and free‐range rearing increases the likelihood of exposure to H7 influenza A. These findings may be used in further refining risk‐based surveillance strategies, and prioritising management strategies in influenza A outbreaks