Institutions

Latest news from the Institutions of the EU - European Parliament, European Commission and Council of the European Union.

Euro-Med Summit diplomatic triumph, but with little effect — 15 July 2008, 01:20 CET

President Nicolas Sarkozy and France, which currently holds the EU Presidency, scored a diplomatic triumph on July 13, successfully negotiating an EU summit with other Mediterranean countries.

The Treaty of Lisbon — 10 July 2008, 23:21 CET

The Treaty signed by the Heads of State or Government of the 27 Member States in Lisbon on 13 December 2007 will provide the EU with modern institutions and optimised working methods to tackle both efficiently and effectively today's challenges in today's world. In a rapidly changing world, Europeans look to the EU to address issues such as globalisation, climatic and demographic changes, security and energy. The Treaty of Lisbon will reinforce democracy in the EU and its capacity to promote the interests of its citizens on a day-to-day basis.

EU Presidency — 30 June 2008, 22:47 CET

The Presidency of the Council of the European Union rotates every six months. It is the responsibility of the Presidency to ensure that the Council makes decisions on issues that fall within its competence. The Presidency has three main responsibilities: it chairs the work and meetings of the Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER) and some 200 other committees and working groups; it drafts the agendas for the meetings; and it chairs European Councils or EU Summits. It is also the Presidency's responsibility to represent EU Member States in dealings with other EU institutions, in particular the European Commission and the European Parliament. In addition, the Presidency, together with the European Commission, represents the European Union on the international stage. France took over the EU Presidency on 1 July 2008.

Lobbyist's register - first step towards EU lobbyism transparency? — 23 June 2008, 14:17 CET

Latest news from the Institutions of the EU - European Parliament, European Commission and Council of the European Union.

New Commission EU lobby register 'weak and unbalanced' — 23 June 2008, 13:56 CET

Latest news from the Institutions of the EU - European Parliament, European Commission and Council of the European Union.

European Commission register of interest representatives - guide — 23 June 2008, 13:31 CET

Latest news from the Institutions of the EU - European Parliament, European Commission and Council of the European Union.

Ireland Lisbon Treaty Referendum 2008 — 09 June 2008, 17:14 CET

In this website the Referendum Commission attempts to explain as simply as possible: what you are being asked to decide in the referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon; what the Lisbon Treaty is about. Others will argue for a 'Yes' or a 'No' vote. The Referendum Commission's role is, however, simply to explain what the Lisbon Treaty referendum is about and encourage you to vote.

Public interest organisations call for equal treatment under new lobby register — 29 May 2008, 17:39 CET

Latest news from the Institutions of the EU - European Parliament, European Commission and Council of the European Union.

European Ombudsman consults on public access to EU databases — 15 May 2008, 13:12 CET

The European Ombudsman has launched an EU-wide consultation process on access to information contained in databases. This follows a complaint from a Danish journalist about the refusal of the European Commission to disclose data on beneficiaries of EU agricultural subsidies.

European Ombudsman consultation on access to EU databases — 15 May 2008, 12:37 CET

The European Ombudsman has launched a consultation process within the European Network of Ombudsmen on access to information contained in databases. This follows a complaint from a Danish journalist about the refusal of the European Commission to disclose data on beneficiaries of EU agricultural subsidies. The Commission justified its refusal on grounds of confidentiality. Furthermore, it argued that the EU's rules on access to documents apply to databases only if the data can be easily retrieved.

Lobbyists activities - EP Legislative Observatory texts — 08 May 2008, 23:33 CET

Development of the framework for the activities of interest representatives (lobbyists) in the European institutions - European Parliament Legislative Observatory - COM(2007)0127 - A6-0105/2008

ALTER-EU welcomes EP vote on mandatory lobbyists register — 08 May 2008, 23:25 CET

Latest news from the Institutions of the EU - European Parliament, European Commission and Council of the European Union.

Increasing turnout at European elections — 18 April 2008, 22:37 CET

The European Parliament (EP) is failing to project an image, good or bad, of itself in the minds of over half of Europe's citizens.

European Ombudsman annual reports — 15 April 2008, 19:19 CET

Annual reports on the European Ombudsman's activities. The European Ombudsman investigates complaints about maladministration in the institutions and bodies of the European Union.

EU lobbying transparency a step closer but still some way to go - Alter-EU — 02 April 2008, 20:29 CET

Latest news from the Institutions of the EU - European Parliament, European Commission and Council of the European Union.

Manners, Mr. Arabaci... — 28 March 2008, 21:12 CET

Manners, Mr. Arabaci...

Anti-EU petition in Austria: a "success" says the far-right FPOe — 28 March 2008, 17:38 CET

 

Debate Europe - Democracy - Dialogue – Debate — 28 March 2008, 12:50 CET

Help give direction to the future of Europe. Join in any number of debates and give us your views on the challenges facing Europe today. Do you think it's going in the right direction? Are the institutions making a difference where it really counts? Are they being overly meddlesome in trivial areas and not meddlesome enough in others, such as securing jobs and protecting consumers? Where do you stand on the climate change debate? Where do you see Europe's borders ending? Take this opportunity to play your part in defining the road ahead.

french leader — 13 March 2008, 06:16 CET

french leader

Euro MPs' payments system to be reformed — 12 March 2008, 23:12 CET

The European Parliament has announced a review of the way its deputies pay their assistants, after revelations of abuses of the system.

Agencies of the EU — 07 March 2008, 12:42 CET

A number of specialised and decentralised European Union agencies have been established to support the EU Member States and their citizens. These agencies are an answer to a desire for geographical devolution and the need to cope with new tasks of a legal, technical and/or scientific nature.The EU’s agencies are grouped into four categories: Community agencies - Common Foreign and Security Policy agencies - Police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters agencies - Executive agencies.

European Commission fails to act against conflicts of interest — 06 March 2008, 22:08 CET

Latest news from the Institutions of the EU - European Parliament, European Commission and Council of the European Union.

European Defence Agency — 15 February 2008, 19:03 CET

The European Defence Agency has been created to help EU Member States develop their defence capabilities for crisis-management operations under the European Security and Defence Policy.

ALTER-EU rings alarm bell over European Commission backtracking on lobbying transparency — 14 February 2008, 23:28 CET

Latest news from the Institutions of the EU - European Parliament, European Commission and Council of the European Union.

Janez Jansa presents Presidency priorities to Parliament — 17 January 2008, 18:59 CET

The Prime Minister of Slovenia and current President of the European Council, Janez Jansa, presented his country's priorities for the next six months to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 16 January. Among his priorities were EU-wide recognition of a 'fifth freedom', that of the free flow of knowledge, and the implementation of commitments to tackle climate change.