Do we want to improve Europe, or give it up?

This week EC president Barroso delivered the 4th State of the Union Address in the European Parliament, and what is being called the Case for Europe.

"My answer is clear', he continued: 'Engage! If you don't like Europe as it is: improve it!

As any human endeavor the EU is not perfect. Controversies about the division of labour between the national and European levels will never be conclusively ended. 

Not everything needs a solution at European level. Europe must focus on where it can add most value. It does not have to meddle where this is not the case. 

The EU needs to be big on big things and smaller on smaller things."

The key messages are ready for your dissemination and/or debate!

3 million Erasmus students in Europe !!!

More than 3 million students have benefitted from EU Erasmus grants since the exchange scheme's launch in 1987. The statistics, covering the 2011-2012 academic year, also show that the programme enabled more than 250 000 Erasmus students – a new record – to spend part of their higher education studies abroad or to take up a job placement with a foreign company to boost their employability.

Erasmus is considered one of the most successful programmes of the European Commission!!!

The average monthly Erasmus grant, designed to cover part of the additional costs of living abroad and travel, was €252. The grant, which has remained stable for the past three years, is topped up in some countries by national, regional or institutional funds.

Erasmus+, the new EU programme for education, training, youth and sport, due for launch in January 2014, will build on the legacy of Erasmus by offering opportunities for 4 million people to study, train, teach or volunteer abroad by 2020. The programme is expected to have a budget of around €14.5 billion for 2014-2020 - 40% more than funding for the current education and training mobility programmes.

There is also an ERASMUS programme for Enterprises.

Trivia: a student leaving on an Erasmus exchange has 15% chances to find its mate and form an "Erasmus couple"!

In Romania numarul de studenti care pleaca cu burse Erasmus a ramas relativ constant, 4568 pe an.

Studentii prefera sa plece in cele mai multe cazuri in Franta, Spania si Germania, si ne vin in general studenti francezi si spanioli. Mai multe statistici se gasesc in raportul Erasmus in Romania.

Did you pick the right mean of transport? Do the right mix of urban mobility!

The European Commission’s Sustainable Urban Mobility campaign, launched in July 2012, is a three-year initiative aiming to support sustainable urban mobility campaigners in the European Union’s 28 Member States, plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

The central objective of this campaign is to promote the advantages of combining different modes of transportation. 

The campaign bears the slogan ‘Do the Right Mix’, and aims to highlight and advertise the fact that by using different modes of transportation for each journey as appropriate, people can improve their health, their finances and the environment.

Check out the Mobility Map!

Romania are un proiect inscris pe harta pentru Bucuresti - I like bike! 

asa sa fie oare ?...

60 seconds movie on EU Blue Belt: Commission eases customs formalities for ships

European "Silicon Valley": Skype, Spotify and Angry Birds creators promote Digital Europe

Web entrepreneurs worldwide have an enormous impact on the economy and society: the majority of new jobs are created by start-ups and 45% of Europeans would like to be their own boss if they could. 

With this mind set, the European Commission wants that young Europeans to be inspired by home-grown entrepreneurs, so their bright ideas start and stay in Europe!

So, to give a living proof example for web businesses, the EC launched the 

European "Silicon Valley" of  online entrepreneurship.

The Digital Leaders of Europe are nominated on the Startup Europe Leaders Club - the first part of Startup Europe initiative (Digital Agenda priority).

...nici un roman, din pacate...

EU budget - myth busted !!!

In the context of the European Council decision to reduce the 2014-2020 EU budget and the on-going negotiations on European budgetary cuts, the European Commission launches more communication campaigns addressing the EU budget (multi-annual financial programming, spending justification and budget lifecycle transparency). See also my previous post: Is the EU budget well spent?

The new campaign is very citizen-friendly and busts multiple EU budget related myths:

Myth: The EU budget is enormous!

Myth: The EU budget is constantly on the rise – whereas national governments reduce their spending!

Myth: The bulk of EU expenditure goes into administration!

Myth: The EU budget is riddled with fraud!

Myth: The EU budget is decided by Eurocrats without any democratic procedures!

Myth: The EU costs too much!

Myth: The EU finances silly projects like dog training centres or Elton John concerts!

Myth: The Commission wants to introduce a direct EU tax and increase the tax burden on citizens!

Myth: Most of the EU budget goes to farmers!

Myth: Cohesion policy is an expensive charity!

Download also the "EU Spending - a myth-buster" brochure.

An Open, Safe and Secure European Cyberspace

The European Union is committed to assure that the European  fundamental rights, democracy and the rule of law are protected in cyberspace. This is why the European Commission, together with the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has published a cyber security strategy alongside a Commission proposed directive on network and information security (NIS).

 

The strategy articulates the EU's vision of cyber-security in terms of five priorities:

• Achieving cyber resilience
• Drastically reducing cybercrime
• Developing cyber defence policy and capabilities related to the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP)
• Developing the industrial and technological resources for cyber-security
• Establishing a coherent international cyberspace policy for the European Union and promoting core EU values

Find out more on European Cyber Security Strategy.

 

some cyber security statistics:

an estimated 150,000 computer viruses in circulation every day,

148,000 computers compromised daily,

56.8% of respondents had experienced over the past year NIS incidents with a serious impact on their activities,

12% have already experienced online fraud and 89% avoid disclosing personal information,

 while only 26% of enterprises in the EU had a formally defined ICT security policy.

 

European Commission fines Microsoft with €561m !!!

2 years ago I was blogging about this - "The EC killed Internet Explorer" and I was happy because the Commission won the case against the IT giant Microsoft for the Internet Explorer browser monopoly on Windows operating systems.

 

Today, for the first time in history, the Commission fined a private company for non-compliance and did it with a huge fine of €561 million for failing to include the browser ballot in Windows 7 SP1. With 15 million people not shown the ballot, the EC is effectively fining Microsoft €37 per user.

 

Microsoft said the failure to show the browser ballot was a "technical error" but the EC was not convinced and motivated their decision by the fact that this failure is considered a serious infringement to competition and European enforcement policy!

 

An important decision of the EC that creates a precedent and maybe a new will give ideas for new ways to increase the European budget that faced massive cuts for the first time since the EU was borne.

 

This fine practically compensates the huge costs the EC pays for Microsoft licenses, so it's like the institutions will use Windows and Office for free for a long time :) way to go !!!! the next fine it will be for Oracle ;))

 

Reflection points:

• Microsoft didn't considered seriously the Commission warnings and legal commitments, but they will from now;
• The Internet Explorer browser is a very important piece of software for Microsoft and they are not willing to sacrifice it ... cheap;
• The Commission likes big fines but gave no explanations on how the cost of €37 per impacted user was calculated?

Read more: Microsoft fined €561m for missing browser ballot |

Note: The European Commission has fined Microsoft, the global leader in PC operating systems, 2.2 billion euros (1.8 billion pounds) over the past decade, making it the world's biggest offender of European Union business rules (source Reuters.com).

Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs

"We want to empower Europeans to fill the jobs that will drive the next ICT revolution", Commission President José Manuel Barroso.

 

What does he mean?

 

Basically the EC tries to address the 900 000 job vacancies expected to exist in Europe in Information and Communication technologies (ICT) by 2015; and the fact that the number of fresh ICT graduates and skilled ICT workers is not keeping up. The ICT workforce in Europe in 2011 amounted to 6.7 million, which is 3.1% of the overall workforce.

 

With the Coalition for Digital Jobs (don't know why it's called Grand...), the Commission has sought pledges in the following key areas: Training and matching for digital jobs, Mobility, Certification, Awareness raising, Innovative learning and teaching.

 

Some linked European initiatives:

• Academy Cube - an European alliance between industrial companies and institutions; primarily intended for academics, graduates and job seekers – ideally from the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).
• EU Skills Panorama - a website presenting quantitative and qualitative information on short- and medium-term skills needs, skills supply and skills mismatches.

 

Si de data asta, Romania e la coada clasamentului european cu cei mai multi cetateni fara cunostinte PC/IT, si anume peste 60%! Pare uimitor, tinand cont ca IT-istii nostri sunt vestiti in Europa; dar statisticile pulicate de Eurostat nu pot fi negate. Alte statistici (Panorama) arata ca in Romania IT-istii ,ca procent din numarul total de angajati, au un procent extrem de scazut in comparatie cu media europeana.

e-Skills Manifesto

e-Skills Manifesto Points the Way to a Job-rich and Digitally Capable Europe

The e-Skills Manifesto deep dives into policy development opportunities and the role that all stakeholders across the European Union must play in the development of a cohesive action plan to develop and promote e-skilled labour in Europe. 

It is a result of the second e-Skills Week 2012 campaign.

In Romania aceasta initiativa este sprijinita de AsociatiaIT.

Alo? Europe? I have a question!

Do you want to find out what Europeans want to know about Europe?

Europea Direct - that is the central contact centre of EU - might have an idea.

If we read an Europe Direct quarterly activity report of 2012 we find out:

• that each quarter almost 20.000 questions are asked by Europeans (around 10% of inquiries come from Romania);
• the top 10 subjects are: EU general, institutions and Member States; Employment and social affaire; Justice and european rights;
• UK is mostly interested by the Free Movement of Workers while Spain about Economic Crisis and budgetary issues - not a big surprise;
• the European Citizens' Initiative - it's not so popular :(
• in average there are less inquiries than in 2009 or 2010.

In Romania, Europe Direct este bine reprezentat cu centre de informare si documentare.

A se vedea harta.

Vreo intrebare din public?

is the EU budget well spent?

Some think it is! and they created also a website: http://wellspent.eu/ that tells the story of some  smart & green European projects...too few in my opinion (as the EC published last week a list with around 100 successful projects).

Nimic despre Romania pe site-ul mai sus mentionat...poate fiindca banii nu sunt bine cheltuiti? cine stie...insa Bulgaria este mentionata cu proiectul de renovare al metroului din Sofia!!! Nice, nu? ca noi nu am reusit sa atragem bani pentru metroul nostru, ba chiar lucrarile s-au amanat...

Anyway, http://wellspent.eu/, take a look at the video - it's well done ;)

Good examples of EU funded projects

"The European Union budget is relatively small (around 1% of EU GNI), but it can make a big difference." 

This is what the EC thinks and this is why last week published a list with successfully funded projects from EU budget (in the same day when the Council was negotiating the Multi Financial Framework, that is the EC budget until 2020). Smart PR trick!

The list contains references to almost 100 european projects, from which only 3 had beneficiaries from Romania:

• Major EU investment for a pan-European scientific research hub in Romania – Funding: almost EUR 180 million (ERDF) - adica super laser-ul ce se va construi la Magurele;
• Enabling the disabled of Europe – Funding: EUR 32 391.47 - ceva donatii pe la Petrosani;
• Bakery production for local community of over 85 000 people – Funding: EUR 920 107 (EAFRD) - o brutarie la Cluj.

Read about the EU funded projects in investing in our future - on press release.

2013 - Anul european al cetatenilor (European Year of Citizens)

Comisia Europeană şi-a propus să desemneze anul 2013 drept "Anul european al cetățenilor", pentru a marca 20 de ani de la înființarea cetățeniei Uniunii Europene consemnată în Tratatul de la Maastricht (1993).

European  Civil society organisations and networks members of the EESC Liaison Group (European Year of Citizens 2013 Alliance) welcome Commission’s proposal to put Union citizenship at the heart of the political agenda, and launched a manifesto to raise awareness on Union citizens' rights, with a view to facilitating the exercise of the right of free movement and residence. 

Cititi acest manifest in limba romana (promovat in Romania de Asociatia Pro Democratia).

The European Year of Citizens 2013 is dedicated to the rights that come with EU citizenship. Over this year, we will encourage dialogue between all levels of government, civil society and business at events and conferences around Europe to discuss those EU rights and build a vision of how the EU should be in 2020.

it`s about EUROPE, it`s about YOU!

COPERNICUS is the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES)

GMES/Copernicus este un program finantat de Comisia Europeana ce implica monitorizarea pamantului (Terra) din spatiu, folosind tehnologii bazate pe navigarea prin sateliti.

Galileo and GMES/Copernicus are complementary systems making use of satellite technologies. Both systems have their strategic value as each of them has its own mission, which do not overlap. Galileo is essentially a ‘navigation’ system providing a permanent and more accurate than ever positioning and timing services worldwide. GMES/Copernicus is an ‘Earth observation’ system providing information on the state of our environment and improving the security of our citizens.

In mod concret GMES/Copernicus va ajuta la monitorizarea gazelor cu efect de sera, a gazelor reactive (calitatea aerului), a stratului de ozon (radiatii UV) si a aerosolilor (temperatura aerului).

By choosing the name Copernicus we are paying homage to a great European scientist and observer: Nicolaus Copernicus:

The Copernicus programme is not only a tool to improve the quality of life of European citizens, but also has the potential to become a major contributor to Europe's strategy for growth and employment.

RAPID press release for COPERNICUS.

Exista si un website dar nu e gata inca :(

www.copernicus.eu 

European Year of Citizens 2013

Under the slogan "it's about Europe, it's about YOU", the European Year of Citizens 2013 is dedicated to the rights that come with EU citizenship.

 

Over this year, we will encourage dialogue between all levels of government, civil society and business at events and conferences around Europe to discuss those EU rights and build a vision of how the EU should be in 2020. One of the actions (from European Commission and Committee of Regions): The EU Citizens Passport!

 

The EU Citizens Passport is an information leaflet with a difference: it mimics the look and feel of a real passport, and is full of useful information about the European Union. It also provides a brief summary, in 24 languages, of the EU-level rights that come with the European Union Citizenship that all nationals of the European Union's member states enjoy in addition to their national rights.

20 years of EU Single Market !!!

Europe must act now to create more prosperity and jobs. And it must do this urgently in the wake of the financial crisis. That is why the European Commission adopted the Single Market Act, a series of measures to boost the European economy and create jobs.

Since 1992, the Single Market has brought tremendous benefits and created new opportunities. But free movement of goods, services, capital and people does not always happen smoothly. There is no truly integrated European market in some fields. Pieces of legislation are missing. And administrative obstacles and lacking enforcement leave the full potential of the Single Market unexploited.

En octobre 2012, la Commission a proposé un second paquet de mesures (Acte pour le marché unique II) afin de continuer à développer le marché unique et d’exploiter tout son potentiel pour stimuler la croissance.

Read more about the implementation of the Single Market.

Single Market Policies cover living and working in the EU, a single market for goods, for services, financial services and capital markets, etc.

EU Prize for Literature 2012 - celebration of Europe's best emerging authors

The aim of the European Prize for Literature is to put the spotlight on the creativity and diverse wealth of Europe’s contemporary literature in the field of fiction, to promote the circulation of literature within Europe and encourage greater interest in non-national literary works.

The works of the selected winners (one per country participating in the prize on a rotation basis) will reach a wider and international audience, and touch readers beyond national and linguistic borders.

The prize (5.000 Euro for each winner) is financed by the Culture Programme of the European Union whose objective is to achieve three main goals: to promote cross-border mobility of those working in the cultural sector; to encourage the transnational circulation of cultural and artistic output; and to foster intercultural dialogue.

The competition is opened to all 37 countries involved in the EU Culture Programme run by EC - DG EAC. This year the selected countries are: Austria , Croatia , France , Hungary , Ireland , Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Poland , Portugal, Slovakia and Sweden. So, 12 winners, Romania is not on the winners' list. Maybe next year...

The prizes were awarded in November 2012 in Brussels.

Greva la Comisia Europeana

Comisia negociaza intens zilele acestea planul bugetar 2014-2020 intr-un context destul de tensionat si nesigur: Germania cere federalizare, UK vrea sa plece, Cipru cere reduceri de 50 mld Euro, economia europeana e inca subreda, banii se gasesc greu si toate guvernele UE tin cu dintii de bugetele proprii.

In acest context, cand mai toate administratiile statelor membre fac drastice reduceri bugetare si de personal, si administratie europeana trebuie sa faca sacrificii. Statele membre au cerut acest lucru iar managementul UE "is committed" sa transmita un mesaj politic de solidaritate: "Do More with Less", unde LESS se traduce prin crestere zero de personal, eficientizarea muncii, norma minima de 8 ore de munca pe zi, eliminarea redundantelor administrative, rationalizare in tot si toate. 

Ahh, era sa uit ce era mai important: cateva beneficii salariale (alocatiile de exemplu) ar fi si ele timid amenintate de acest program de sacrificiu european. Si de aceea, toate sindicatele Comisiei (da, sunt mai multe) au organizat pe 8 Noiembrie o greva generala si o adunare a grevistilor in fata sediului central al Comisiei de la Brussels - cladirea Berlaymont:

O imagine mitica: cativa functionari europeni au parasit birourile cu gratii la ferestre (a se vedea poza) si au iesit in strada la o manifestare pasnica pentru protejarea drepturilor de munca. Comisarii au privit multimea de la nivelul penthouse iar statele membre au facut poze de peste drum (din cladirea Consiliului) si le-au trimis guvernelor de acasa. 

Cei pro-greva zic ca nu e corect sa dai ceva si apoi sa iei inapoi, ca fara pachete atractive nu poti atrage competentele inalte, ca cei de la NATO au salarii si mai mari, ca doar est-europenii vor mai fi motivati sa se muta la Brussels pentru un post european si ca daca se vor economii atunci sa se taie de la agricultura si cercetare, nu de la administrativ (ce reprezinta doar 6% din bugetul total).

Cei anti-greva considera ca prea e mare rasfatul la Comisie, ca salariile de mii de euro nu sunt intotdeauna justificate, ca este nevoie de solidaritate si implicare, ca idealurile europene nu poate fi motivat doar prin beneficii materiale, si ca sindicatele Comisiei sunt doar o pierdere de timp si de bani. 

Acum, retoric si in fond, ce e de fapt amenintat: bugetul, functionarul sau visul...european? 

On verra!

everyday incompetence....

sfaturi practice pentru o eschiva profesionala de succes:

• daca nu vrei sa raspunzi la emailuri timp de cateva saptamani, spui ca ai fost out of office...desi nu ai mesaj in outlook...si prin urmare daca trece o saptamana si ai fost plecat "virtual" esti scutit de treaba si poti sa ignori emailurile primite la intoarcere - fii autoritar daca trebuie sa argumentezi si nu ezita sa dai vina pe solicitant; 
• iar daca primiti emailuri in CC, desi problema este in aria ta de responsibilitate, poti sa o ignori linistit si apoi argumenteaza ca daca primesti cererea in CC nu esti autorizat si nu ai capacitatea de a o rezolva - cu alte cuvinte, poti sa ii dai delete din prima!
• iar daca colegul insista cu solicitarea si  te streseaza, incearca sa ii spui ca e nou pe la comunitate si nu prea stie cum merge treaba ... atunci cand merge... adica nu ezita sa ii tragi una peste bot ca sa stie de frica si daca viitoare sa se gandeasca de 2 ori inainte de ati solicita un serviciu!

Functioneaza? Cu siguranta, fiindca eu am inghitit in sec si nu am avut curajul sa ii zic in fata ca isi bate joc de mine...si uite asa incompetenta rezista indiferent de vremuri...

lucram la Comisie si asta ne ocupa tot timpul...