EUROPEAN COMMISSION:DG Education and Culture

DG Education and Culture

Top news Education and Training Monitor 2016 published The 2016 edition puts the spotlight on education priorities most in need. On top of the list are the equity dimension, the need for responsive education systems and the inclusion of refugees through education to boost social cohesion and mobility between generations. Read more... Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions mark their 20th Anniversary On 8 November, MSCA kicked off their 20th Anniversary in the presence of Commissioner Tibor Navracsics and Vice-President of the European Parliament Mairead McGuinness. Read more...

News Views from the European Education, Training and Youth Forum Read more... Civil society organisations and their contribution to inclusive education Read more... Elefsina to be the European Capital of Culture in Greece in 2021 Read more... The European Border Breakers music Awards are back! Read more... Young graduates receive architecture awards at Shaping European Cities event in Venice Read more...

Success stories of the month Creating international opportunities for artists and curators Young curators and artists often struggle to promote themselves internationally – so the Curators’ Network project set out to help. Read more... Increasing awareness of international training opportunities The STORY project aims to improve the accessibility and quality of international traineeships, and to increase awareness of the opportunities available across Europe. Read more...

Top event 30 November - 1 December 2016 A Great Start in Life Conference

Events 1 September 2016 - 31 January 2017  Information Days on the Erasmus+ International Dimension Actions 29 November 2016  20 Years of Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions 1 - 2 December 2016  25 years of MEDIA : Investing in Creativity, Building the Future 31 January 2017  Sport Infoday

Studies and publications Report - Structural Indicators for Monitoring Education and Training Systems in Europe 2016 Read more... Report - National Student Fee and Support Systems in European Higher Education – 2016/17 Read more... E-tutorials on the international dimension in Higher Education Read more... Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree Catalogue Read more... Guide for experts on quality assessment for Erasmus+ centralised actions Read more...

Calls 10 January 2017  MSCA - Innovative Training Networks 17 January 2017  Erasmus+ Key Action 3 - VET-Business Partnerships on Work-based learning and Apprenticeships 2 February - 4 October 2017  Erasmus+ - Call for proposals 2017 EAC/A03/2016 9 February 2017  Erasmus+ Key Action 2 - Capacity Building in the Field of Higher Education 2017 16 February 2017  Key Action 1 - Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees 22 February 2017  Framework Partnership Agreement with a European policy network in the field of education of children and young people with a migrant background 22 February 2017  Framework Partnership Agreement with a European policy network in the field of the key competences including an emphasis on literacy and numeracy 22 February 2017  Framework Partnership Agreement with a European policy network on teachers and school leaders 23 February 2017  Jean Monnet - Activities 2017 28 February 2017  Erasmus+ Knowledge Alliances 2017 1 March 2017  MEDIA - Distribution - Support to sales agents 2015 20 April 2017  MEDIA - Support for Content Development of Single Project 2017 25 May 2017  TV Programming 2017 6 June 2017  Distribution Selective Scheme – Support for the transnational distribution of European Films 2017 1 August 2017  MEDIA - Distribution Automatic Support 2016 3 October 2017  MEDIA - Distribution – Support to sales agents 2016

Results of calls Erasmus Charter Selection 2017 Read more... EPALE National Support Services Read more... MEDIA - Support to Online Distribution 2016 Read more... MEDIA - Networking of cinemas 2016 Read more...

ΕΥΡΩΠΑΪΚΗ ΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΗ:Δέσμη παραβάσεων του Μαρτίου: κυριότερες αποφάσεις

Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή

Δέσμη παραβάσεων του Μαρτίου: κυριότερες αποφάσεις

Βρυξέλλες, 26 Μάρτιος 2015

 Στη μηνιαία της δέσμη αποφάσεων για υποθέσεις παραβάσεων, η Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή κινεί διάφορες νομικές διαδικασίες κατά των κρατών μελών που δεν συμμορφώνονται σωστά με τις υποχρεώσεις που υπέχουν δυνάμει του δικαίου της ΕΕ. Οι εν λόγω αποφάσεις καλύπτουν πληθώρα τομέων και αποβλέπουν στην εξασφάλιση της ορθής εφαρμογής του δικαίου της ΕΕ προς όφελος των πολιτών και των επιχειρήσεων.

Η Επιτροπή έλαβε σήμερα 98 αποφάσεις, συμπεριλαμβανομένων 11 αιτιολογημένων γνωμών και8 παραπομπών στο Δικαστήριο της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης. Επίσης, η Επιτροπή θέτει στο αρχείο ορισμένες υποθέσεις στις οποίες τα ζητήματα με τα αντίστοιχα κράτη μέλη έχουν επιλυθεί, χωρίς η Επιτροπή να χρειάζεται να συνεχίσει περαιτέρω τη διαδικασία.

Ακολουθεί συνοπτική παρουσίαση των κυριότερων αποφάσεων. Για περισσότερες πληροφορίες σχετικά με τη διαδικασία παραβάσεων, βλ. MEMO/12/12. Για περισσότερες λεπτομέρειες σχετικά με όλες τις αποφάσεις, μπορείτε να συμβουλευτείτε το μητρώο αποφάσεων για υποθέσεις παραβάσεων.

ΕUROPEAN COMMISSION:EU mobilises efforts to end Ebola and alleviate its impact

EU mobilises efforts to end Ebola and alleviate its impact

The European Union is scaling up its response to the Ebola epidemic. Copyright: ©MSF/Martin Zinggl

The “Ebola: from emergency to recovery” conference is taking place in Brussels under the patronage of the European Union. While international efforts have reduced the number of Ebola infections, it is critical to prevent an increase in new cases.

The “Ebola: from emergency to recovery” conference is taking place in Brussels under the organisation and patronage of the European Union.
While international efforts have reduced the number of Ebola infections in recent months, it is critical to maintain the momentum to prevent a sharp increase in new cases.
The conference today aims to sustain the international mobilisation and to plan the next steps in the fight both against the current outbreak and the Ebola virus in general.

Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, said: "To end Ebola and ensure sustainable development in the affected region is the best way to honour the memory of the victims. I would also like to pay tribute to all those who have been involved in the outbreak response with expertise, dedication and courage. Together with our Member States, we have mobilised more than €1.2 billion for the fight against this disease. And we will continue to help until we win the battle against Ebola”.

European Commission:Environment report shows benefits of EU action

European Commission -

Environment report shows benefits of EU action

03 March 2015

A new report published today shows that a coordinated EU environment policy has delivered substantial benefits for citizens over the past five years. Europeans enjoy cleaner air and water, send less waste to landfill and recycle more; while environmental policies drive jobs and growth. But the report warns that Europe's long-term goal of "living well, within the limits of our planet" – the aim of the General Union Environment Action Programme (7th EAP)– cannot be achieved with the current level of ambition of environment and related policies.
The European Environment — State and Outlook 2015 Report (SOER 2015) prepared by the European Environment Agency is an integrated assessment of Europe's environment that includes data at global, regional and country levels, as well as cross country comparisons. It also looks at the next five years and beyond and sends a clear warning of the risks of environmentaldeterioration, in turn affecting human well-being and prosperity. The analysis calls for more integrated policy making – a call the Commission is responding to with a series of environmental initiatives for 2015, including a new, broader package on the Circular Economy, a review of the EU Biodiversity Strategy, an action plan on Ocean Governance and a modified Air Quality package.
European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella said:
"I see the State of the Environment Report 2015 as the 'starting line' of my mandate. The report clearly shows that EU environmental policies are delivering benefits. Environmental policies are also delivering jobs. The rapid growth of the green economy even during the worst years of the recession bodes well for Europe's competitiveness.
We must stay ever vigilant to ensure that good policy, well implemented, means excellent environmental results both on land and at sea. Innovative investment to safeguard prosperity and quality of life are a priority. The long-term investment we make today can ensure that in 2050 we live well, and within the limits of the planet.

Resource efficiency/circular economy
The Report makes clear that protecting the environment is a solid economic investment. Between 2000 and 2011, green industries grew by more than 50 % in the EU, making them one of the few sectors to have consistently flourished despite the crisis.The Report also shows that waste management is improving, although the European economy remains far from circular, with too much waste buried underground and an untapped potential for recycling and energy recovery.
The Commission is aiming to redress the balance in 2015 with an ambitious circular economy package—to transform Europe into a more competitive resource-efficient economy, and address a range of economic sectors in addition to waste. Getting most value from resources requires looking at all stages of the life cycle of products, from the extraction of raw materials through to product design, production, distribution and consumption; repair and re-use schemes; and waste management and increasing the use of secondary raw materials.

Nature and Biodiversity
The Report underlines that Europe is not on track to halt biodiversity loss, as habitats for animals and plants continue to disappear. Marine biodiversity, in particular, remains under threat. In the course of 2015 (a year dedicated to Natural Capital), the Commission will complement the findings of the Report with an in-depth report on the "State of Nature". This in turn will feed into a mid-term review of the EU Biodiversity Strategy and the ongoing evaluation of the EU's nature legislation, to improve effectiveness and reduce the administrative burden.
Green Week, the largest annual EU event on environment policy, takes place in Brussels from 3 to 5 June this year under the title "Nature - our health, our wealth". It will offer an opportunity to reflect on how the EU can continue to address the nature and biodiversity challenges ahead, to assure sustainable long-term growth and prosperity.

Ocean governance
As outlined in the Report, Europe faces the double challenge of restoring and protecting our seas' ecosystems whilst keeping maritime and coastal activities at the heart of the EU's economy and society. The EU is committed to the responsible management of the seas and to taking a leading role in international ocean governance discussions. This year the European Commission will launch a wide consultation exercise to help shape the Commission's next steps on ocean governance. Alongside this, the EU will keep working with its international partners and global institutions such as the UN to secure wide ranging political commitmentfor this agenda.

Climate action
On climate, policies are delivering results, with greenhouse gas emissions falling by 19% since 1990 while the EU economy grew by 45%. Renewable and energy efficiency 2020 targets are also within reach. The EU is therefore on track to meet our climate and energy EU2020 objectives. However, according to the European Environment - State and Outlook 2015 Report, existing policies and measures will not be sufficient to meet the longer-term goal of 80-95% emission reductions by 2050, turning Europe into a low-carbon economy. The Commission is already responding to this call, preparing new policy proposals to reach the 40% emission reductions by 2030 agreed last year by the European Council.

Air quality
The Report shows the air we breathe today is much cleaner than in past decades. Emissions of a number of air pollutants such as sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NO_x) have fallen considerably over recent decades, mainly as a result of EU air quality legislation. Despite these achievements, however, poor air quality remains the number one environmental cause of premature deaths in the European Union. The EU will be proposing a modified Air Quality Package to ensure the best approach that will achieve results in this area.

Background
The European Environment — State and Outlook 2015 Report provides a comprehensive assessment of the state, trends and prospects of the European environment, placing it in a global context. It informs European environmental policy implementation and analyses the opportunities to modify existing policies in order to achieve the EU's 2050 vision of living well within the limits of theplanet. It has been prepared by the European Environment Agency (EEA) as a joint undertaking in close collaboration with the European environment information and observation network (Eionet), as well as European Commission services.

European Commission

EU Annual Growth Survey 2015: A new Momentum for Jobs, Growth and Investment

Brussels, 28 November 2014

The 2015 Annual Growth Survey (AGS) published by the European Commission today focuses on putting Europe firmly back on a path of sustainable job creation and economic growth. The arrival of the new Commission, with an ambitious agenda for Jobs, Growth, Fairness and Democratic Change, is the right moment to generate a new momentum. By proposing an ambitious Investment Plan to mobilise at least € 315 billion of additional public and private investment over the next three years, Europe is turning a page (Investment Plan press material). This is part of the European Commission's overall approach to support job creation and get Europe growing. As part of this approach, the Commission, in its Annual Growth Survey 2015, recommends pursuing an economic and social policy based on three main pillars: (1) a boost to investment, (2) a renewed commitment to structural reforms and (3) the pursuit of fiscal responsibility.


Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis, responsible for the Euro and Social Dialogue said: "The European Union is facing a risk of prolonged low economic growth, which would aggravate the already serious social problems in parts of the Union. This is why today we propose a strategic policy mix based on investment, structural reforms and fiscal responsibility. We call for urgent action involving governments, parliaments and social partners at EU level and in each Member State. By acting together now, we can make sure that the conditions for sound and sustainable growth in the future are met and that our citizens have more opportunities for employment."
Marianne Thyssen, EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, commented: "Job creation, social policies are at the heart of our agenda and feature prominently in the Annual Growth Survey. We should all take ownership of this. Member States that courageously reformed their labour markets have proven that reforms really pay off. This should inspire other Member States to follow suit. The € 315 billion Investment Plan that the Commission presented can boost the results to even higher levels."
The AGS launches the annual cycle of economic governance, sets out general economic priorities for the EU and provides Member States with policy guidance for the following year. Despite the efforts made at national and EU level, the recovery of the European economy is still weak and fragile. This in turn is hampering progress in reducing the high level of unemployment and poverty. Restoring confidence and getting the entire EU to grow again can only be done by working together: it requires a determined commitment from Member States to do things differently at national level. Given the important differences between the economic situation in the Member States, the right approach will inevitably vary from country to country. To give a common direction and steer national approaches, the Commission recommends three main pillars for the EU's economic and social policy in 2015:
1. A boost to investment

EUROPEAN COMMISSION/EMPLOYMENT:Commission proposes €33,5 million from the Globalisation Fund to help former workers in France, Greece and Poland to find new jobs

European Commission

Brussels, 11 November 2014

Employment: Commission proposes €33,5 million from the Globalisation Fund to help former workers in France, Greece and Poland to find new jobs

The European Commission has proposed to provide France with €25.9 million, Greece with €6.4 million and Poland with €1.2 million from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) to help redundant workers respectively from Air France, Fokas department stores and Fiat Auto Poland to adapt their skills and facilitate their transition into new jobs. The proposals concern a total of 5,263 workers (3,886 Air France, 600 Fokas department stores, 777 Fiat Auto Poland). EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility Marianne Thyssen commented: "Many sectors and industries in Europe are going through major structural changes, as a consequence of globalisation. The European Globalisation Fund is a concrete expression of European solidarity. It will continue to help Member States to re-integrate people who have lost their job into the labour market and support them to adapt their skills. Through this fund, we are accompanying workers who experience hardship in the difficult transition to new jobs and I have the intention to maximize its performance during the coming years." Since starting operations in 2007, the EGF has received 130 applications. Some €536 million has been requested to help more than 116,000 workers. In 2013 alone, it provided more than €53.5 million in support. The Fund continues during the 2014-2020 period as an expression of EU solidarity. Press releases with detailed information are available online. (for more information: Mina Andreeva – Tel.: +32 229 91382)

Statement by the European Commission and the European Central Bank following the first post-programme surveillance mission to Portugal

Brussels, 05 November 2014

Staff teams from the European Commission and the European Central Bank (ECB) visited Portugal from 28 October until 4 November to conduct a first post-programme surveillance (PPS) mission. This was coordinated with the IMF's first post-programme monitoring (PPM) mission. Staff from the European Stability Mechanism also participated in the mission on aspects related to its Early Warning System.
Economic and financial conditions in Portugal have generally improved since the end of the EU/IMF-supported programme in June. Sovereign yields remain low, in line with developments elsewhere in the euro area and normal market-financing is being gradually restored. Nevertheless, economic recovery is constrained by high levels of debt in the public and private sector and by an increasingly weak external environment which highlights the need for further competitiveness gains. The pace of budgetary consolidation has been adversely affected by a series of one-off factors, despite strong revenue performance. Moreover, efforts to reduce the underlying structural budget deficit have clearly slackened. Progress in structural reforms has lost momentum, with an uneven pace of implementation across policy areas.
The composition of growth in the Portuguese economy has shifted in recent months. Weaker external demand and a number of temporary factors weighed on export performance in the first half of the year and led to a notable decline in the contribution from the external side. At the same time, domestic demand – and more specifically private consumption – has strengthened, supported by a strong labour-market performance. Economic growth in 2014 and 2015 is expected to be slightly below the current projections of the Government. Risks to the near-term economic outlook are to the downside and are, in particular, related to uncertainty in the external environment.
The Government expects a nominal budget deficit of 4.8% of GDP in 2014 (pending the statistical assessment of the Banco Espírito Santo (BES) resolution operation) which includes 1.1% of GDP deficit-increasing one-off factors that do not affect the budgetary position in 2015. On 15 October, the Government presented its draft budget for 2015 which targets a nominal deficit of 2.7%. This target is higher than the 2.5% of GDP required under the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP) and committed to under the programme. The mission projects a nominal budget deficit of 3.3% of GDP for 2015 based, among other factors, on less optimistic assumptions on the budgetary impact of macroeconomic developments and of the consolidation measures. Meanwhile, the adjustment in the underlying structural deficit is also likely to fall considerably short of what is required under the EDP, reflecting a fading consolidation effort. The debt-to-GDP ratio, which stood at 128% at the end of 2013, is expected to be lower by the end of this year and to continue on a downward path thereafter, if supported by sufficiently high primary budget surpluses and nominal GDP growth.
The Portuguese banking sector continues to deleverage amid improving liquidity conditions. The results of the ECB’s comprehensive assessment have generally confirmed the solvency of the sector, notwithstanding the recent resolution of BES. Yet, looking ahead it is important that the opportunity provided by the comprehensive assessment to strengthen further the resilience of the banking system as a whole is seized. While most banks still project losses in 2014, cost-saving measures are now beginning to yield positive results. However, future profitability remains challenging, not least in light of the domestic macroeconomic environment.
The mission expressed concern that the pace of structural reform appears to have diminished considerably since the end of the programme, in some cases reversing past achievements. Notably, while it remains to be seen whether recent policy measures relating to collective wage bargaining could on balance contribute to a better alignment of wages to productivity developments, the decision to increase the minimum wage could make the transition into employment for the most vulnerable even more difficult. Moreover, efforts to reduce excessive rents in network industries, in particular in energy, need to be stepped up. The mission recalled the importance of increasing the flexibility and competitiveness of the Portuguese economy to underpin the still nascent economic recovery. It therefore urged the Government to maintain an ambitious reform agenda for the future. There is also a need to more systematically monitor and evaluate the impact of reforms.
Borrowing conditions for Portugal have further improved since the end of the programme, amid generalised investor optimism and a continued search for yield. Recent episodes of financial-market volatility are, however, a reminder that managing high levels of sovereign debt remains a challenge for the Government.
The mission would like to thank the Portuguese authorities and the IMF for their constructive and open discussions. The next PPS mission will take place in spring 2015.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION:EDUCATION AND CULTURE newest

Erasmus+ Call and Programme Guide for 2015 The Erasmus+ Programme Guide for the 2015 General Call for Proposals was published in English on 06/10/2014, with further language versions to follow at the end of October.	European Border Breakers Awards 2015 European awards anounced for pop, rock and dance artists with the best cross-border success. Ten winners have been selected, and you can now vote for the 'Public Choice Award'
Matera to be 2019 European Capital of Culture in Italy Selection panel of independent experts recommended that Matera should be awarded the title European Capital of Culture in 2019. Next steps for the European Alliance for Apprenticeships The European Commission and UEFA sign partnership agreement. Erasmus+ Online Linguistic Support Edvard I. Moser and his wife May-Britt Moser win Nobel Prize European Cinema: Why we need (more of) it? Youth and the world
Nov Information and Communication Technologies for Language Learning 13-14 2014
Calls for Proposals Erasmus+ Programme - Call for proposals 2015 Reference: EAC/A04/2014 Deadline: 22/01 - 01/10/2015 For the most up-to-date information on CALLS please check the Calls for Proposals section of our funding opportunities page.
Calls for Tender Study on the contribution of sport to regional development through the structural funds Reference: EACEA/2014/07 Deadline: 14/11/2014 For the most up-to-date information on TENDERS please check the Calls for Tender section of our funding opportunities page.

Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή:ενισχύει την έρευνα για τον Έμπολα με 24,4 εκατ. ευρώ

Βρυξέλλες, 23 Οκτωβρίου 2014

Η Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή ανακοίνωσε σήμερα ότι θα διαθέσει 24,4 εκατ. ευρώ από τον προϋπολογισμό της ΕΕ για την έρευνα σχετικά με τον ιό Έμπολα, η οποία είναι εξαιρετικά επείγουσα. Η χρηματοδότηση θα διοχετευθεί σε πέντε έργα, από μεγάλης κλίμακας κλινικές δοκιμές ενός πιθανού εμβολίου ως τη δοκιμή γνωστών και νέων ενώσεων για τη θεραπεία του Έμπολα. Τα κονδύλια που προέρχονται από το πρόγραμμα της ΕΕ για την έρευνα και την καινοτομία,Ορίζοντας 2020, θα χορηγούνται μέσω μιας ταχείας διαδικασίας ώστε το έργο να μπορεί να ξεκινήσει το συντομότερο δυνατό. Η Επιτροπή συνεργάζεται επίσης με τη βιομηχανία με σκοπό την περαιτέρω ανάπτυξη εμβολίων, φαρμάκων και διαγνωστικών μεθόδων για τον Έμπολα και άλλες αιμορραγικές νόσους στο πλαίσιο της Πρωτοβουλίας για τα Καινοτόμα Φάρμακα.

Vice-President of the European Commission and member of the Commission responsible for Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Euro "European Banking Union in the making"

European Commission

Jyrki KATAINEN

Vice-President of the European Commission and member of the Commission responsible for Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Euro

"European Banking Union in the making"

Euro 50 Conference

Lisbon, 15 September 2014

Good morning ladies and gentlemen.

Today, we have brought together a group of experts and distinguished professionals who have no doubt watched developments related to the establishment of the Banking Union with a careful, critical, and constructive eye. During the course of the day, panel sessions will provide the opportunity to analyse the merits of this important project, its key aspects, and dare I say possible shortcomings; questions will be raised about the rules we have spent many long nights negotiating, the structures we are in the process of implementing, and the impact these will have on financial health, stability, and market confidence.

I am thus grateful for the opportunity to open the discussion with some views on where we have come from, where we stand today, and where we want to be tomorrow. I say what I am about to say without any rose-tinted spectacles, fully aware that we are not yet across the finish line.

Why do we need a Banking Union? I believe that the Banking Union will provide a stable basis on which to build greater financial stability; that can help support future growth via a healthier, more resilient banking sector; and that can ultimately regain the market confidence this crisis has shattered. Financial fragmentation should diminish and credit to the real economy should be reactivated: this is an important pillar of our comprehensive strategy for growth and investment.

For years now, we have seen that the banking sector has often been either the source or an amplifier of shocks. And thanks to the ever-present banking-sovereign link, these shocks have reverberated, weakening national economies, spreading contagion across the EU and, in some cases, more broadly.

The financial crisis has made clear that not only for those countries which share the euro, but for the European Union as a whole, a deeper economic and monetary union and an integrated banking system are needed to support long-term financial stability. Banking Union is therefore not only a crisis management tool that enables us to repair the damage done by past loopholes or oversights. The objectives at its very core are to restore the proper functioning of the internal market by mitigating fragmentation, ending unnecessary national ring-fencing and thus completing the architecture of the economic and monetary union, as well as of the EU as a whole.