Atos Origin stated at a recent roundtable that the savings due to be made through the Operational Effectiveness Programme (OEP) will, without doubt, be insufficient to cover the Public Sector shortfall. It estimates that at least as much is required again.

With today's publication of the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Technology Initiative (JTI)'s second call for proposals for research, Europe stays the course to realise the potential of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies and to create a cleaner energy system for the future. Around €140 million have been allocated to this second call, with €71.3 million by the Commission matched by in-kind contributions of the industrial partners. The 29 project topics aim to put fuel cell and hydrogen energy technologies on the market two to five years sooner than what is estimated without the support it offers. Selected teams of researchers will investigate bottlenecks in the whole range of applications for these energy technologies, from cars to large scale power plants, as well as the whole supply chain from hydrogen production to demonstration of the market-readiness of applications. Breakthrough research should foster the use of hydrogen-fuelled buses and fuel cell vehicles. It will help develop hydrogen storage and improve fuel cells' durability, performance and the cost-efficiency to make green applications such as power stations or laptops ready for the market. This call is the second being launched by this EU-wide collaborative private-public partnership whose total budget amounts around €1bn to be invested by 2014.

The new influenza, antibiotic resistance, prevention of alcohol-related harm and patients’ rights are some of the issues on the agenda when the EU health ministers meet in Jönköping for the first informal ministerial meeting in Sweden, 6–9 July.
”These are concrete and important issues that affect a great number of people”, says Minister for Social Affairs, Göran Hägglund. Together with Maria Larsson, Minister for Elderly Care and Public Health, he is hosting the first two days of the meeting, on 6–7 July.On the following two days, 8–9 July, the ministers responsible for employment and social security issues will meet. On these days, the Minister for Employment Sven-Otto Littorin and the Minister for Social Security Cristina Husmark Pehrsson will take over as hosts. The theme for the second part of the meeting is exclusion and addresses the issue of how the unemployed and people on sick leave and disability pension can re-enter the labour market. In total, some 50 ministers are expected in Jönköping over the course of the four days.

Your Majesties,

Your Royal Highness,

Excellencies and dear colleagues,

Ladies and gentlemen

The European Commission has today adopted a Communication setting out its position on VAT grouping schemes. The EU VAT legislation gives Member States the option, for the purpose of administrative simplification, to regard as one single taxable person those who, while legally independent, are closely bound to one another by financial, economic and organisational links. The Communication includes guidelines which aim at ensuring a correct, coherent and uniform application of the VAT grouping option.

Today the European Commission adopted a "consumer enforcement package" to strengthen the EU-wide enforcement of consumer rules. The package consists of: a Communication setting out five priority areas for action, and a report on the first two years of application of the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Regulation   1  , which established an EU wide network of public authorities enforcing consumer rules in the Member States ("CPC Network"), for example, with EU wide investigations into websites selling airline ticket or ringtone subscriptions for children. Effective enforcement of consumer law is major priority for EU consumer policy - both in terms of ensuring that consumers feel the full benefits of their consumer rights in their daily lives, as well as establishing a level playing field for firms in a competitive single market.

The Commission adopted today guidelines for better transposition and application of Directive 2004/38/EC on the right of EU citizens and their families to move and reside freely. The guidelines clarify the rights of EU citizens and their family members and offer assistance to Member States on the measures they can take to tackle criminality, abuse and marriages of convenience.

 The European Commission has today proposed to set up a new microfinance facility providing microcredit to small businesses and to people who have lost their jobs and want to start their own small businesses. It will have an initial budget of €100 million, which could leverage more than €500 million in a joint initiative with international financial institutions, in particular the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group. The new facility is one of the actions announced in the Commission's communication: 'A Shared commitment for employment' on 3 June (see   IP/09/859   and   MEMO/09/259   ).

People who traditionally find it difficult to enjoy and participate in Scotland's cultural and creative life can do so if activities are better planned and co-ordinated at local level.

An extended consultation period would give the Western Isles task force set up to oppose plans that threaten 125 jobs vital extra time to make its case, John Swinney said today.