================================================================

Europa Newsletter

Keeping up to date with the latest news

and developments on EU websites

16th September 2003 - issue 18

Next issue: 30th September 2003

================================================================

======== CONTENTS ========

Coming up...

In town, without my car!

The IGC: Preparing a Consitution for Europe

Agricultural Reform

Highlights

Recently published...

WTO, Cancún 2003

Water for Life

New laws to fight air pollution

LIFE 2003

More information from the last fortnight

Site in Focus...

Young Europeans

Citizens' Interests...

The EU at a glance ________________________________________________________________

======== COMING UP ========

In town

Without my car!

---------------

This week is European Mobility Week 2003. The week will culminate on Monday 22nd September with the 'In town, without my car!' day. Over 500 cities from all over Europe are preparing a whole week of events in their area dedicated to sustainable mobility, with over 900 towns involved in 'In town, without my car!' The aim of the week is to promote alternative means of transport that can promote greener, quieter and healthier cities. Over 80 million Europeans will be encouraged to get out of their car and think.

The main theme for European Mobility Week 2003 is Accessibility. Whilst events are not restricted to this theme alone, many events will examine how we can make transport accessible for everyone, marking the European Year of People with Disabilities. In a broader sense, the idea of Accessibility is to make transport and our cities' roads pleasanter places to live and travel ? creating more accessible cities for everyone.

Today, almost 40% of the transport sectors CO2 emissions are produced by using private cars in cities. Switching to more efficient and cleaner forms of transport would contribute to a reduction of traffic congestion, air pollution, pollution- related diseases and noise. City authorities, local organisations and NGOs have therefore joined forces to support European Mobility week. The week will be an opportunity to promote existing policies to reduce traffic congestion and share best practices, to launch new initiatives, and to raise awareness of the environmental consequences of our current car- loving habits. Overall, it is designed to make people think about alternative methods of transport.

European Mobility Week:

The IGC

Preparing a Constitution for Europe

-----------------------------------

On 4th October, the EU will launch the Intergovernmental Conference in Rome. On September 17th, the European Commission will present its opinion to the IGC. The document will outline the Commission's official position during the IGC negotiations, focusing on issues such as the number and selection of Commissioners. The European Parliament is due to present its opinion on 24th September.

Intergovernmental Conferences, or IGCs, are negotiations between Member States' governments on the Treaties of the EU. The next IGC is significant because the EU's Member States will negotiate a new Constitution for the European Union. The basis for the negotiations will be the draft Constitution for the EU, which was prepared by the European Convention and published in July 2003.

IGC:

/pp_convention_en.html

Agricultural Reform

-------------------

On 23rd September, the Commission will present a Communication on further Agricultural reforms. The package of proposals will examine the tobacco, olive oil, cotton and sugar sectors. The proposals are the next step in the EU's ongoing reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, or CAP.

The first part of the Communication will fulfil the Commission's commitment, made in June, to prepare further proposals for the reform of the tobacco, olive oil and cotton sectors. The second part of the Communication will set out different options for the reform of the sugar sector. The Council of the EU will then choose one of these options.

The aim of CAP reform is to improve the quality of farming produce and to encourage farmers to compete for the highest market return on their products rather than relying on trade- distorting subsidies from the EU. Many of the reforms will increase support for farming practices that respect the environment, animal welfare and our cultural heritage. The EU also hopes to redress the balance between EU agricultural markets and those of the developing world by cutting back on direct subsidies to farmers for the food that they produce. The proposals follow the legislative reforms agreed by the Council of the EU in June 2003.

The Commission began to review the CAP following the Berlin Council in 1999, which included agricultural reform in its Agenda 2000 programme. The original CAP was adopted in 1960 in order to secure food supplies at affordable prices in post-war Europe. Since then, EU agricultural practices and priorities have evolved, and the proposed reforms aim to reflect this.

CAP:

Highlights

----------

20th September

20th-23rd September

22nd-23rd September

22nd-25th September

Plenary session of the European Parliament. The session can

29th-30th September

----------------------------------------------------------------

All documents referred to in this section will be made available on Europa as soon as possible after publication. ________________________________________________________________

======== RECENTLY PUBLISHED ========

WTO - Cancún 2003

-----------------

The 5th WTO Ministerial Conference in Cancún, Mexico, ended in failure on 14th September. Negotiations broke down over the 'Singapore issues' ? a group of proposals for investment, competition, transparency in government procurement and trade facilitation. EU Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler stated that 'this is the more regrettable because the gaps on farm trade liberalization have finally started to narrow down'. A full report of the Ministerial can be found on the EU's special website on Cancún.

The EU expressed its disappointment over the failure of the Cancún talks, which are a severe blow to the Doha Development Agenda (DDA). EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy stated that the EU remains committed to the DDA as its number one trade policy. However, he said 'the DDA certainly needs intensive care. We should now take the broken pieces and see how to put them together.'

cancun/index_en.htm

Water for Life

--------------

On 4th September, the European Parliament voted in favour of the European Water Fund proposed by the Commission in April 2003. The fund would help people in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries obtain access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. The proposed Water Fund would build on the EU Water Initiative, which was launched during the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, South Africa in September 2002. Through the fund, the Commission hopes to create a catalyst that will attract major funding from a number of sources, including private investors. The European Council will now be asked to endorse this proposal.

Today, over 1 billion people have no access to safe drinking water, and more than 2 billion lack basic sanitation. At the WSSD, world leaders set a target to halve the number of people across the world without access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 2015. The new fund would help to promote initiatives, provide information, and help to build research and management capacity in ACP countries. It would also help to finance sustainable projects and activities.

water_paper_en.pdf

index_en.html

WSSD:

New laws to fight air pollution

-----------------------------------

A new European Directive to fight ozone pollution entered into force on 9th September. The new Directive means that Member States will have to alert the population and take immediate action when ozone concentrations in the air are above certain thresholds. It also sets long-term objectives to reduce ground-level ozone levels over the next seven years.

Whereas the ozone layer in the higher atmosphere provides protection from skin cancer and crop damage by filtering short-wave solar radiation, ground level ozone may have adverse effects on human health and vegetation. High levels of ozone pollution can cause respiratory problems and increase the symptoms of those suffering from asthma and lung diseases. Ground-level ozone formed from the emissions of volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides, from the petrochemical industry, solvents and cars, under the impact of sunlight and above average periods of sunshine. Because of the particularly hot weather in Europe this year, levels of ozone pollution soared in many EU countries.

The new Directive will oblige Member States to assess ground level ozone concentrations throughout their territory. If ozone concentrations exceed 180 micrograms per cubic metre, they must inform the public and provide health advice. They will also be obliged to consider short-term measures to prevent levels from rising above 240 micrograms per cubic metre, such as restricting road traffic and the use of solvents. Furthermore, the Directive requires Member States to implement long-term strategies to reduce ozone levels overall by 2010.

LIFE 2003

---------

On the 5th September, the EU announced financial support amounting to ?146 million for 198 environmental projects worldwide. ?69 million has been allocated for environmental innovation projects in the EU's current and future Member States under the LIFE-Environment scheme. The LIFE-Nature programme will award ?71 million to new nature conservation projects in the EU, contributing to the establishment of the EU's Natura 2000 network. Moreover, the EU has donated more than ?6 million for environmental projects in third countries under the LIFE-Third Countries programme. More details about the projects involved can be found on the Commission's environment website.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Swedish citizens voted against adopting the euro in a national referendum on 14th September. The EU took note of the decision of the Swedish people, but expressed confidence in Sweden's continuing involvement and support for the euro project for the EU as a whole.

The referendum was overshadowed by the tragic death of Mrs Anna Lindh, Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs. The EU extends its sincere condolences to her family, colleagues and the Swedish people. Commission President Romano Prodi stated that Mrs Lindh 'has taken and active part in the construction of our European Union, and her death will be deeply regretted by the Commission and all her European colleagues.'

=gt&doc=IP/03/1237|0|RAPID&lg=en&display=

----------------------------------------------------------------

Some of the EU's publications are now available in the languages of the new Member States. The General Publications office provides booklets and brochures that explain the European Union and its policies in a clear and accessible way.

----------------------------------------------------------------

An overview of the EU's international policy on drugs is now available on the Europa website. The EU believes that fighting international trade in illegal drugs is a shared responsibility of all countries and requires multilateral actions and solutions. Added to this, it recognises that fighting illegal drugs involves tackling both drugs supply and demand. Moreover, supply and use of illegal drugs is a reflection of psychological, cultural, social, economic and political conditions, and the EU will continue to involve initiatives to fight illegal drugs in its development policies, both in the EU's Member States and in third countries.

________________________________________________________________

======== SITE IN FOCUS ========

European Youth

--------------

The EU's Youth site is full of ways in which young people can get involved in the EU. The European Youth Programme promotes cultural exchange between young Europeans by encouraging them to meet each other and travel to different European countries and beyond. National Agencies in each of the 30 participating European countries can give advice on how to get involved with European Youth projects. By bringing young people between the ages of 15 and 25 into contact with other countries and cultures, young people can increase their understanding and broaden their outlook on the world. In 2003, the Youth Programme is concentrating on projects that promote social inclusion and fight racism and xenophobia. The programme also seeks to build partnerships with third countries, particularly in the Mediterranean region.

Projects supported by the Youth Programme generally fall into one of five categories: exchanges, voluntary service, youth initiative projects, joint actions and partnerships with third countries. Exchanges allow groups of young people from at least two participating countries to spend some time in each others' countries. Young people can spend between six and twelve months in voluntary service in a range of fields, giving them non-formal educational opportunities and also enriching the community in which they work. Youth initiative projects support ideas that have been instigated by young people, aiming to foster initiative and creativity amongst young people. Joint actions are crossover projects involving more than one field, and often they take place in collaboration with the Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci Programmes. Finally, the Youth Programme encourages any of these initiatives in partnership with third countries, in particular with its partners in the Mediterranean region. For each of these categories, a wide range of support measures are in place for people who want to participate in the Youth Programme.

The Youth Programme was set up in Spring 2000, incorporating the Youth for Europe and European Voluntary Service Programmes that had existed previously. In November 2001, the European Commission launched a White Paper on Youth, which followed eighteen months of consultation with young people, experts in the youth field, national authorities and NGOs. The White Paper outlines procedures for supporting Youth projects that develop the participation of young people in society.

You can find out more about the Youth Programme from the new User Guide, which is available in all 11 languages of the European Union.

Youth site:

socrates_en.html

new/leonardo2_en.html

cooperation_en.html

_______________________________________________________________

======== CITIZENS' INTERESTS ========

The EU at a glance

------------------

Getting to grips with the EU can be a bit hard sometimes. There are five main institutions, as well as several other bodies and agencies, all responsible for managing policies and activities that affect the whole of the European Union! If you are wondering where to start unravelling all of this information, the EU at a glance website would be a good start.

EU at a glance introduces the history, organisation and activities of the EU. There is a brief overview of the EU's Institutions and how they share the decision-making process in EU legislation. There is information on the different policy activities of the EU, outlining the Union's principle policy objectives and achievements, from the euro to the environment. The Union's Treaties are also explained, with links to the complete texts and explanatory documents.

The History page is a chronology of significant EU events, from the fledgling ideas of European leaders following World War II through to the present day. The origins and symbolism of the EU's flag and anthem are also explained. There are even pages explaining some aspects of 'eurojargon' to help you decipher some of the things you read in the paper.

Travelling in Europe provides advice for visiting other EU countries, answering practical questions from healthcare to the weather. Furthermore, the interactive maps allow you to find your way around the EU's current and future member states, whether for planning a trip or just to find a place mentioned in the news.

Throughout the site, links lead you to more detailed information. Publications are available on the history of the EU, its organisation and key statistics. There are also links to the national government websites of the EU's 15 Member States, the 10 future Member States and the Accession countries.

The EU at a glance:

The EU's Institutions:

Treaties and EU Law:

History:

Flag:

Anthem:

'Eurojargon':

Maps:

===============================================================

(c) European Commission 2003.

Non-commercial reproduction authorised, subject to acknowledgement of source. Follow the link below for further information on copyright, personal data protection and