Pace of reform for education and training systems to be stepped up

Member States must accelerate the pace of reform in their education and training systems or large proportions of the next generation will face social exclusion. This was the conclusion reached by the Commission in its Communication published on 10 November on "Modernising education and training: a vital contribution to prosperity and social cohesion in Europe".

The matter is urgent. While the EU benchmark on increasing the number of maths, science and technology graduates has been achieved, too little progress has been made to attain the benchmarks for improving young people's qualifications and competences. There are still 80 million low-skilled workers on the job market.

"Levels of public and private investment in education and training are still insufficient to accomplish the necessary reforms and to contribute to the Lisbon strategy of growth and jobs," said European Commissioner in charge of Education, Training, Culture and Multilingualism Ján Figel'.

The Communication will be used in the progress report for the implementation of the Education and training 2010 work programme, which must be jointly agreed with the Council in February 2006.

To facilitate Member States, the Commission has also adopted a proposal for a Recommendation on Key Competences which sets out the essential skills, knowledge and attitudes that every European should have to prosper in a knowledge-based society and economy.

Eight key competences were identified: communication in the mother tongue; communication in foreign languages; basic competences in maths, science and technology; digital competence; "learning to learn"; interpersonal, intercultural and social competences and civil competence; entrepreneurship; and cultural expression.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

Commission reveals new plans to make work pensions 'portable'

From 2008, European citizens will be able to switch jobs and emigrate without losing out on work pension benefits. This was the idea behind the proposal for a directive on the portability of pension rights that was put forward by the Commission on 20 October.

"If we expect workers to be mobile and flexible we cannot punish them if they change jobs," said Vladimír Špidla, the Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities. "Pension rights must be fully transferable."

The proposal is therefore designed to reduce the obstacles to mobility within and between Member States caused by current supplementary pension scheme provisions.

The obstacles relate in particular to the conditions of acquisition of pension rights, the conditions of preservation of dormant pension rights, and the transferability of acquired rights.

The proposal for a directive does not however deal with the self-employed nor social security contributions. Neither does it concern individual nor state-run pension schemes which have already been subject to Community provisions for 30 years.

The proposal for a directive on making work pensions portable forms an integral part of the European Strategy for Growth and Jobs as it enables workers to switch jobs and country more easily.

In the EU-15, a third of all workers changed their jobs every five years and 9 percent of employees changed employer every year.

By way of example, supplementary pension schemes affect 95 percent of employees in the Netherlands, 43 percent in the United Kingdom, 10 percent in France and 0.6 percent in Poland.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia knocking on EU's door

The European Union on 9 November opened the door to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (fYROM) as a candidate state, hailing the country as a "European success story" four years after it drew back from the brink of civil war.

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, which applied for membership of the EU in March 2004, is a "stable democracy and a functioning multi-ethnic state", and on the basis of the country's "remarkable achievements" the Commission recommended that it be accepted as a candidate by the 25 EU Member States.

No date has been set for the official start of membership talks, but the Macedonian Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski said that the decision was a "one-way ticket" to full membership.

The EU Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, also expressed support for the fYROM's EU bid.

For Macedonia to make further progress towards EU membership, the 25 EU Member States will have to unanimously approve the opening of membership talks with the country at the mid-December summit.

The Commission will closely monitor developments in all areas in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. It will present a report to the Council on the progress achieved by the country by the end of 2006.

The Commission's Opinion on fYROM's EU application is part of the Enlargement Package 2005.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

Euro: new Member States need to step up efforts

Euro coins and notes © Ann Vaessen; Manuel PueyoNew Member States of the European Union planning to adopt the euro as their national currency  must step up efforts if they are to be ready in the next few years, outlined the European Commission in a report published on 4 November.

The Commission also prompted the new members to do more to calm the fears of their citizens about price increases following the introduction of the euro.

According to a Eurobarometer survey carried out in September, three quarters of citizens in new Member States are afraid the changeover will lead to excessive prices.

Estonia, Slovenia and Lithuania, which plan to join the eurozone in 2007, are the best prepared of all the 10 new members. Slovakia, which plans to adopt the euro in 2009, was also praised for the practical preparations it has made.

But the Commission insisted that the forerunners, namely Estonia, Slovenia and Lithuania need to do more to prepare for the changeover, such as converting computer and bookkeeping systems.

The European Commission did not say which countries were ready to adopt the euro. This will be determined in the Convergence Report which the Commission will issue in 2006.

In order to join, Member States must comply with the 'Maastricht' convergence criteria, i.e. have low inflation rates, small budget deficits and limited currency fluctuations against the euro.

 What are the target dates?

• 1 January 2007: Estonia, Lithuania and Slovenia
  
• 1 January 2008: Cyprus, Latvia and Malta
  
• 1 January 2009: Slovakia
  
• 2010: Czech Republic and Hungary
  
• Poland must still set a target date
  

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

Plan D to bridge gap between Europe and its citizens

Photo of the Stakeholders' Forum on "Bridging the gap: how to get Europe and its citizens together?"On 7-8 November the European Economic and Social Committee and the European Commission held a Stakeholders' Forum in Brussels on "Bridging the gap: how to get Europe and its citizens together".

In an open and relaxed atmosphere, more than 200 participants coming from European institutions, the world of communication and journalism, and civil society decided on the topics to be covered during the workshops which dealt with the following questions: how can Europe and its youth be brought closer? Should European affairs be taught in schools? What message should be conveyed? What role and responsibility do the media have?

"The aim" of this new approach to dialogue is "to launch a new form of communication" on the challenges facing Europe which will "have a constructive outcome," said Anne-Marie Sigmund, President of the European Economic and Social Committee when opening the forum.

The points raised in the workshops were debated in public by political figures, such as Commission Vice-President Margot Wallström in charge of Communications and Interinstitutional Relations, EESC Vice-President Roger Briesch, and MEPs Jo Leinen and Andrew Duff.

The EU can only work "if people are part of writing the 'script' - if it is possible for them to relate to and identify with the project as a commonly agreed venture," asserted Commissioner Wallström. "This is where Europe as a political project must improve its performance, by giving citizens a sense of ownership of the EU."

The outcome of the forum and the recommendations made will contribute to the forthcoming white paper on an EU communications strategy.

To ensure more systematic cooperation, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Commission signed a protocol on cooperation on 7 November. This will enable closer cooperation regarding the citizen communication policy whose purpose is to create an open space for dialogue and debate.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

EU energy markets not open enough

Member States must implement the market opening measures required under the EU's gas and electricity directives more effectively. This is what came out of a report on the Internal Market in electricity and gas published by the Commission on 15 November.

"The Commission will continue to put pressure on Member States to implement measures that are key to achieving a higher level of growth and competitiveness in Europe," warned Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs. "If this does not happen, stronger action will be needed."

The report confirms that cross-border competition is not yet sufficiently developed to provide customers with a real alternative to their national suppliers. Key indicators in this respect are the absence of price convergence across the EU and the low level of cross-border trade.

If energy markets are malfunctioning, it is mainly because Member States are slow at implementing the second electricity directive. A large number of Member States were up to a year late in implementing the directives, others still have not done so, and many have taken a rather "minimalist" approach to implementing the directives.

The Commission opened infringement procedures against Member States for failure to implement the Directives and, in June 2005, took six Member States to the European Court of Justice.

The Commission will continue its competition energy sector inquiry and identify adequate remedies that may include action under the EC Treaty's rules on restrictive business practices, monopolies and state aid and a possible revision of EU merger rules.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

Reduction of animal testing

Industry associations from the pharmaceuticals, chemicals, cosmetics, and biotechnology sectors and the European Commission agreed to reduce animal testing at a conference  on 7 November. "The agreement underlines that the EU is in the lead for animal protection. We do not only wish to reduce animal testing, but also want to bring it to an end in the long run," said Commissioner Günter Verheugen responsible for Enterprise and Industry. Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik added: "We will support the partnership by increasing our efforts to support research, development and evaluation of alternative testing methods under the new Research Framework Programme." The development of new methods will not only reduce animal testing, but also increase competitiveness of European industry. A task force will set up an action programme with concrete activities during the first quarter of 2006. It will be designed in the perspective of identifying barriers to progress and propose appropriate solutions in order to promote the development, validation and regulatory acceptance of alternative approaches. Despite all the efforts in Europe, about 10.7 million animals are used per year (2002).

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

Funding, lobbies, transparency

Who gets Community funding? What influence do lobbies have? What rules of conduct do those in charge of the European institutions have to follow? European citizens keep asking all kinds of questions about 'Brussels'. It is for this reason that the College of Commissioners launched a Transparency Initiative on 9 November. Stakeholders will be consulted as of 2006 on how to improve transparency on the Community Funds, consultation with civil society and the role of the lobbies and NGOs in the European decision-making process. In the meantime the European Commission will continue its progress on transparency by taking concrete actions to improve its own transparency vis-à-vis Europe's citizens. A central web portal will soon give access to information on end beneficiaries of Community funds and the coverage of the existing Commission register of documents will be improved.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

Global monitoring of natural disastersThe Commission is working on a new monitoring system to deal with natural disasters. The pilot phase of Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) was launched on 14 November. Natural and manmade catastrophes have been all over the news lately, and GMES will ultimately allow to better anticipate and manage crisis situations. It will gather relevant earth observation data, for example concerning environmental pollution, floods or forest fires or earthquake. "GMES will improve our capacity to respond to natural catastrophes," explained Vice-President Günter Verheugen responsible for Enterprise and Industry. "At the same time it will promote the competitiveness of the European space industry." GMES is an EU-led initiative. The European Space Agency (ESA) will manage the implementation of the space segment.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

Malawi food crisis

On 8 November, the Commission allocated a further €5 million to help tackle the food crisis in Malawi. "At a time when media attention is directed towards other humanitarian tragedies elsewhere in the world, Malawi seems to be considered as a forgotten crisis," said Development and Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Louis Michel. "For us, it is not." This year, Malawi had the worst crop production of the past seven years. It is estimated that approximately 4.2 million people - 34 percent of the population - do not have enough production or income to meet their minimum food requirements from now until the next harvest in March 2006. Maize prices have increased, and the most vulnerable households, many of whom are already affected and weakened by HIV and AIDS, cannot get access to food. The additional €5 million will be channeled through NGOs and UN agencies to stop any further deterioration of the nutritional situation of the most vulnerable groups in the country. The Commission and other donors, working in partnership with the Government of Malawi, started mobilising themselves in April to meet the anticipated shortfall. The Commission will continue to work in partnership with the Government of Malawi to closely monitor the situation as it evolves and to respond accordingly.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

Communicating European Research

Around 3 000 participants including project co-ordinators, journalists and other communication professionals, press officers and representatives from research organisations came together on 14-15 November in Brussels for a conference on Communicating European Research. The conference was organised by the Commission's Directorate General for Research and its purpose was to share best practices and to define strategies to improve communication, outreach and dissemination of research results to the public and the press at European level. The conference also hosted a huge exhibition  of over 10 000 m2 which presented successful communication initiatives. It was also the occasion to present the state of play of the 7th Framework Programme of the EU.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

Financial Services Action Plan

On 7 November the Commission published the first part of its evaluation  of the Financial Services Action Plan (FSAP). The evaluation focuses on the adoption process for measures put forward in the Action Plan. "It is our job to ensure that the measures we adopt are of the highest possible quality, reflect the reality on the ground and have the potential to bring tangible benefits," said Internal Market and Services Commissioner Charlie McCreevy. As part of the next stage, the Commission is giving all interest parties the opportunity to express their views on the process of the adoption of the FSAP. It is particularly interested in views on the general perception of the FSAP process, on consultation, on the Lamfalussy process and on the lessons learned from the FSAP. Those interested have until 31 January 2006 to send their views to the following address: markt-fsap-evaluation@cec.eu.int. All responses will be carefully considered and analysed, and will be incorporated into a final report on part 1 of the FSAP evaluation, which is expected to be published by April 2006.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

Scientific Technology Options Assessment

The fourth STOA annual lecture will take place on 23 November at the European Parliament. This year's STOA focuses on climate change. Professor Guy Brasseur, Director of the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, will give a lecture entitled "Climate in the 21st Century: how severely will it change?" The lecture will be followed by an open discussion, moderated by Dr. Peter Stern, Editor of Science Magazine. There will also be a workshop on CO2 emissions reduction and an exhibition of the Joint Research Centre on climate change. STOA  is an official body of the European Parliament. It provides Parliament Committees with expert and independent assessments in the scientific and technological fields.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

EuroMed partnership celebrates its 10th anniversary

Heads of State and Government from the countries belonging to the Euro-Mediterranean partnership are meeting together on 27 and 28 November in Barcelona to commemorate the partnership's tenth anniversary.

The Barcelona Summit will provide an opportunity to review the progress made over the last ten years and to mark the beginning of a new phase in Euro-Mediterranean relations.

The realities of the 21st Century call for the revision of the Barcelona Declaration as well as a new action plan.

It was with this backdrop that the European Commission unveiled a new five-year work programme last April to reinforce the Euro-Mediterranean partnership.

The Commission proposes, in particular, to increase aid for education from the EU and its Member States to Mediterranean partners by 50 percent.

In addition to education, the new work programme also undertakes to reinforce economic integration between the EU and its Mediterranean partners, as well as to uphold democracy and human rights. Both parties should also reach agreement on a roadmap to create a free trade area by 2010.

These proposals will be looked at during the Barcelona Summit.

If you want to know more about the EuroMed Partnership...

The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, or Barcelona Process, saw daylight in Barcelona on 27-29 November 1995. In the Barcelona Declaration, the Euro-Mediterranean partners established the three main objectives of the Partnership:

• The definition of a common area of peace and stability through the reinforcement of political and security dialogue (Political and Security Chapter);
  
• The construction of a zone of shared prosperity through an economic and financial partnership and the gradual establishment of a free-trade area (Economic and Financial Chapter);
  
• The rapprochement between peoples through a social, cultural and human partnership aimed at encouraging understanding between cultures and exchanges between civil societies (Social, Cultural and Human Chapter).

The EuroMediterranean Partnership comprises 35 members: 25 EU Member States and 10 Mediterranean Partners (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey).

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

Agreed documents by Israel and Palestinians on Movement and Access from and to Gaza - Agreement on Movement and Access and Agreed Principles for Rafah Crossing

Negotiators from Israel and the Palestinian Authority November 15 achieved an agreement on facilitating the movement of people and goods within that Palestinian Territories and on opening an international crossing on the Gaza-Egypt border that will put the Palestinian in control of the entry and exit of people.
The negotiations were facilitated by US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, European Union High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana and the international community's envoy for the Israeli disengagement from Gaza, James Wolfensohn.
The details of the agreement are contained in two documents— Agreement on Movement and Access, and Agreed Principles for Rafah Crossing.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

2689th EDUCATION, YOUTH AND CULTURE Council meeting, Brussels 14-15 November 2005

Main Results of the Council

The Council adopted:

• four partial political agreements on the programmes Media 2007, Culture 2007, Lifelong learning and Youth in action;
  
• a joint action establishing an EU police mission for the Palestinian Territories;
  
• a common position and a regulation concerning restrictive measures against Uzbekistan following the events in May 2005 in Andijan;
  
• a common position with a view to the adoption of a directive aimed at increasing safety standards and improving the operation of the Community air traffic control system through the issuing of Community air traffic controller licences.

(M$ Word version)

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

PRESS BRIEFING European Defence Agency Friday 18 November 2005 at 10.00

The European Defence Agency Steering Board will hold a meeting in Brussels next Monday 21 November, at which Defence Ministers will decide whether to implement a code of conduct for greater competition in defence procurement.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

EU-AFGHANISTAN JOINT DECLARATION - Committing to a new EU-Afghan Partnership

The European Union and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan are committed to a secure, stable, free, prosperous and democratic Afghanistan as laid out in the Afghan Constitution adopted on 4 January 2004 [14 Dalwa 1383]. Both parties wish to see Afghanistan play a full and active role in the international community and are committed to building a prosperous future free from the threats of terrorism, extremism and organised crime.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

163rd meeting of the Committee of Senior Officials for Scientific and Technical Research (COST) - Reading, United Kingdom, 22-24 November 2005

To mark the 30th Anniversary of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), the COST Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) will hold its 163rd meeting at the premises of the ECMWF. The meeting will be chaired by Professor Francesco Fedi. The Director of ECMWF, Dominique Marbouty, will give an academic lecture on the subject "The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts in the 21st Century - Result of a COST Action".

Established in 1971, COST is the oldest and widest European intergovernmental network for cooperation in research. One of the early COST Actions evolved to become an independent international organisation with its own headquarters: ECMWF was set up. The Convention came into force on 1 November 1975. At present, the Centre is supported by 26 European States.

(M$ Word version)

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

EU Military exercise (MILEX 05) from 22 November to 1 December 2005

The European Union (EU) will conduct a military exercise (MILEX 05) from 22 November to 1 December 2005 in the framework of the European Defence  Policy (ESDP). The EU is conducting this type of exercise (MILEX) for the first time.
MILEX 05 will focus on key military aspects and it will be the first time that an EU Operation Headquarters (OHQ) will have been fully activated as part of an EU exercise. It will concentrate on the interaction between an EU OHQ in Paris, France andd an EU Force Headquarters  (FHQ) in Ulm, Germany in the context of an autonomous EU-led military operation.

(M$ Word Version)

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

The Week Ahead 21 - 27 November 2005

• Fight against terrorism
  
• Services directive
  
• Port services
  
• Monetary dialogue
  
• 2006 budget
  
• WTO
  
• Bulgaria/Romania
  
• Euromed
  
• ACP-EU Assembly

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

REACH: MEPs strike a balance between health, the environment and industry

The first step in a great legislative marathon has taken place in the European Parliament. MEPs reached their fist reading position on the REACH package. The House approved a legislative package that will considerably benefit the environment and public health as well as taking the interests of industry into account. The fears of SMEs about over-regulation also found an echo with MEPs. REACH is one of the most complex issues the Parliament has ever been asked to consider.

Parliament's President Josep Borrell said, "The European Parliament has shown that it lives up to its responsibilities and, as legislator, has responded to some of the fears of the Europeans, ensuring  competitive jobs together with a high level of protection of health and the environment."

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

European Parliament to join WTO talks

A thirty-strong delegation of MEPs is to participate in the WTO Ministerial Meeting in Hong Kong in December. They will also take part in a parallel meeting of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO, which is jointly organised by the European Parliament and the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

MEPs concerned about Secret detention centres in Europe

Opening the debate on "secret detention centres in Europe" Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security, Franco FRATTINI said that there had been widespread reporting in the reputable media on the alleged existence of CIA secret detention centres. Many Member States, he recalled, had already made statements on the issue and have categorically denied the allegations. If such centres did exist, he said, it would be a grave infringement of both European and national law.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

Cutting road accidents by half by 2010

The UK and Sweden may have the safest roads in the EU if statistics on road traffic fatalities are to be believed. But every death on the roads means the tragedy of a life cut short and the UK is far from immune. On 8 September 2005, two accidents in Hampshire and in Wales resulted in the death of 10 people in the space of two hours: nearly all of them were in their teens or early 20s.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

Strasbourg Plenary - summary of debates and results of votes (24-27 October 2005)

• Opening of the Session
  
• MEPs debate Europe's social models and free movement of workersMEPs debate Europe's social models and free movement of workers
  
• Parliament wants to double Erasmus grant by 2013Parliament wants to double Erasmus grant by 2013
  
• Waste cannot be traded just like other goodsWaste cannot be traded just like other goods
  
• Boosting EU support for cultural exchange and heritageBoosting EU support for cultural exchange and heritage
  
• Strong support for European film and digitalisationStrong support for European film and digitalisation
  
• MEPs keen to support exchanges of European youthMEPs keen to support exchanges of European youth
  
• President of Chile Ricardo Lagos addresses the European ParliamentPresident of Chile Ricardo Lagos addresses the European Parliament
  
• Tony Blair tells MEPs how Europe should face up to globalisationTony Blair tells MEPs how Europe should face up to globalisation
  
• An EU approach to economic immigration?An EU approach to economic immigration?
  
• Parliament highlights dangers of Avian Flu pandemicParliament highlights dangers of Avian Flu pandemic
  
• Legal protection of biotechnological inventionsLegal protection of biotechnological inventions
  
• Greenhouse effect: fluorinated gases in the dockGreenhouse effect: fluorinated gases in the dock
  
• Food additives and sweeteners under reviewFood additives and sweeteners under review
  
• The fight against organised crime - strengthening EuropolThe fight against organised crime - strengthening Europol
  
• MEPs call for €1 and €2 notesMEPs call for €1 and €2 notes
  
• EU budget 2006 - more money for research and youth programmesEU budget 2006 - more money for research and youth programmes
  
• MEPs call for common code of good administrative behaviour for all EU institutionsMEPs call for common code of good administrative behaviour for all EU institutions
  
• Human Rights resolutions: Western Sahara, Uzbekistan and Tenzin Delek RinpocheHuman Rights resolutions: Western Sahara, Uzbekistan and Tenzin Delek Rinpoche

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

Conciliations and Codecision: overview of 2nd reading under way (italicized comments mine)

• Minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents (optical radiation) (1992/0449B) This is actually in Conciliation (3rd reading)
  
• The management of waste from the extractive industries (2003/0107) This is actually in Conciliation (3rd reading)
  
• Restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous chemicals and preparations (phtalates) / safety of toys (1999/0238)
  
• Patentability of computer-implemented inventions (2002/0047)

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

Migeru, thanks for the round up - and the commentary. Much appreciated.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

Seriously a lot of work...and important information too. I think this information is probably mostly of interest to us folks are on the activist side (the LocustWatch crew, for example), but the question is, based on all the information you are digging up out of these reports, what might be the best way to deal with this information. Maybe should pick areas of interest and generate discussion via diaries? Thoughts?

 (I also plead a bit guilty here, as I am on the home stretch on this big research report...so will be more available for comment after next week).

"Once in awhile we get shown the light, in the strangest of places, if we look at it right" - Hunter/Garcia

I would say that there is a a lot of inforamtion... eh ehhe (obvious)
I will make a difference between standard news or releases and those aspectsthat really would engage us on discussion-activity.

I would concentrate on lobbying, engage european citizens and liberalizaion policies.

I would highligh those three areas and discuss if we should do anything about it.

This is my take...

A pleasure

I therefore claim to show, not how men think in myths, but how myths operate in men's minds without their being aware of the fact. Levi-Strauss, Claude

I just took a quick tour through the list...and whoa...a LOT of big and interesting issues going on. I will come back a little later dig a little deeper. Amazing amount of stuff cooking...

"Once in awhile we get shown the light, in the strangest of places, if we look at it right" - Hunter/Garcia