EGCA & EGLA E-Zine No. 22

Ezine No. 22 – May 2017


Commission launches financial incentive for European Green Capital and European Green Leaf applicants!


The European Commission has launched the competition for the 2020 European Green Capital (EGCA) and 2019 European Green Leaf Awards (EGLA).

For the first time, to celebrate the 10th year of the European Green Capital competition, the Commission will award a financial incentive to the winners. The 2020 EGCA (cities having more than 100,000 inhabitants) winner will receive €350,000 and 2019 EGLA (cities of smaller size, with a population of 20,000 and up to 100,000)[1] winner will receive €75,000.

Winning European Green Capital and European Green Leaf cities have enjoyed increased levels of tourism, positive international media coverage, increased international profiles, networks and alliance opportunities, foreign investment, public financial support, emphasis on environmental projects and momentum to continue improving their environmental sustainability.

Check out the Rules of Contest for both competitions here and for more information see our website.

[1] Subject to the approval of the EU 2018 Budget and approval by the College of the 2018 Financing Decision for the EU LIFE Programme
VISIT THE WEBSITE



Call for applications for European Green Capital 2020 and Green Leaf Awards 2019


Does your city have what it takes to be the next European Green Capital winner? The EGCA 2020 and EGLA 2019 are now open for applications.

Cities with a population of over 100,000 people can apply for the ECGA. Use the eligibility check on our website to see if your city can apply for the 2020 competition cycle.

Are you a smaller city? Then you could be eligible for the EGLA. The competition is open to cities with a population of 20,000 and up to 100,000 people. See if you are eligible for the award in the ‘who can apply’ section of our website.

You can apply for the awards on our website. The deadline for applications is Wednesday 18 October 2017 at 16.00 CEST (GMT +2).

The EGC and EGL awards give cities an opportunity to make lasting changes that will improve quality of life for all. Winning the award brings numerous benefits. Not only do winning cities receive support from the European Green Capital Network (EGCN) and European Green Leaf Network (EGLN), they receive positive attention from all over the world, spurring investment and boosting tourism. Most importantly, it gives citizens a sense of pride in their city.

Applicant cities have communicated the benefits of going through the competition process, receiving expert opinion on how they can improve their approach to sustainable development and benchmarking themselves against other cities.



Shortlisted cities and Awards for the European Green Capital Award 2019 and European Green Leaf Award 2018.


On Friday, 2 June 2017, we will find out who will be European Green Capital 2019 and European Green Leaf 2018 at the Awards Ceremony in Essen. Just over a week to go! The awards ceremony will be streamed live on Friday 2 June from 13.00 CEST (GMT +2) at this link.




Ghent (Belgium), Lahti (Finland), Lisbon (Portugal), Oslo (Norway) and Tallinn (Estonia) are shortlisted as finalists for the European Green Capital Award with Leuven (Belgium), Ludwigsburg (Germany) and Växjö (Sweden) shortlisted for the European Green Leaf Award.



Finalists for both awards were shortlisted by an independent panel of experts. The next step for the finalists is to present their city to the Jury, showing their ongoing commitment to sustainability and their ability to act as a role model for other cities.


Applicant Workshop for 2020 European Green Capital Award



A Workshop for those cities who are preparing applications for the 2020 European Green Capital Award will take place in Brussels, Belgium, on 27 June, Conference Centre A ‘Albert Borschette’, Room 2C, Rue Froissart 36, Brussels. The workshop will consist of an overview of the evaluation process, key elements of winning bids and various communication and technical aspects of the awards process and bid preparation. The Applicant Workshop will be held in English with interpretation into French, Spanish, German and Italian.

Attendees will also have a chance to hear from previous winners, Essen and Nijmegen, on their experience of applying for the Award and building their European Green Capital programme. An expert from the evaluation panel will also be in attendance to offer advice on what makes a quality application and those aspects which impress the expert panel.

For those who cannot attend, the workshop will be live streamed with a link to the stream via the European Green Capital Award website and social media channels to be posted closer to the date. For further information on the Application Workshop please click here.



EU Green Week 2017



The European Commission's annual Green Week is taking place from 29 May to 2 June 2017 across three locations in Malta, Belgium and Germany. The theme this year is ‘Green jobs for a greener future', focusing on policies that create employment in the environmental sector.

There will be a high level conference in Brussels, starting off with a welcome from Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs & Fisheries, European Commission followed by a TEDx session on sustainable employment.

There will also be a number of partner events, such as workshops, tours, seminars and job fairs, across Europe. If you can’t make it to any of these events, you can also take part through online and social media events.

The overall theme of Green Week 2017 is that of ‘Promoting sustainable development of cities and ensuring they become more liveable stimulates innovation and creates green jobs in our urban areas’. Green Week is scheduled to close in Essen, Germany, current European Green Capital. The award ceremony of the European Green Capital 2019 and European Green Leaf 2018 will take place right after Green Week closes on Friday 2 June.

Find out more about how you can participate in EU Green Week 2017 here.



Essen, European Green Capital 2017



Mayor of Essen Mr. Thomas Kufen and members the Essen Green Capital Project Team pictured at the ‘One Tree Per Child’ event in March 2017.

Following in the footsteps of Bristol, European Green Capital 2015, and ‘s-Hertogenbosch, member of the European Green Capital Network, the city of Essen teamed up with ‘One Tree Per Child’, the Western Ruhr Region Biology Field Station, and local primary school children to plant 75 trees just outside the city in March 2017. These are the first of 675 trees that will be planted to expand the woodland area near the Ruhr River.

Essen has also hosted a number of conferences, such as ‘Conference Bio Waste’ and workshops such as ‘Food is Worth More’.

Visit Essen’s Green Capital website to see what else the city has done in its year as European Green Capital. Visit the ‘One Tree Per Child’ website to find out more about this initiative.



City Diary


We will be publishing citizen diaries from winning EGCA cities to highlight the vital role that citizens play in achieving the Award and to give greater insight into life in a European Green Capital. The diaries will be published in the City Diary section of our website.

The first City Diary comes from 11 year old Lars Westra from Nijmegen. Lars is an environmental and social entrepreneur with a goal of empowering children to take positive action for sustainable development. Lars impressed us as someone who shares the values of the European Green Capital Award and we are sure he will impress you too! Read more about Lars here.




Galway, European Green Leaf 2017


Galway was officially launched as the 2017 European Green Leaf in March 2017.



Chief Executive of Galway City Council, Mr. Brendan McGrath, Mayor Noel Larkin and Deputy Director-General, DG Environment, Ms. Joanna Drake pictured at the official launch of Galway Green Leaf 2017 in Galway, Ireland.

One of Galway’s main priorities as European Green Leaf is to prevent waste. The ‘Love Your Mug’ campaign, organised by the SAOL Café in NUI Galway, is focusing on reducing the amount of disposable drinking cups used. In just five weeks, the campaign prevented an impressive 662 drinking cups from going to landfill.

For more information on Galway City as European Green Leaf 2017, visit the City Council’s website.

ΕUROPEAN COMMISSION:VulnerABLE: Improving the health of those in isolated and vulnerable situations

VulnerABLE: Improving the health of those in isolated and vulnerable situations

This European initiative shall increase our understanding of how best to improve the health of people who are living in vulnerable and isolated situations across Europe.
The project targets specific vulnerable and isolated populations such as children and families from disadvantaged backgrounds; those living in rural/isolated areas; those with physical, mental and learning disabilities or poor mental health; the long-term unemployed; the inactive; the 'in-work poor'; older people; victims of domestic violence and intimate partner violence; people with unstable housing situations (the homeless); and prisoners.

Due to their circumstances, these groups may be more at risk of poor health and/or face barriers in accessing healthcare services. The project will assess their particular health needs and challenges, as well as identify best practices to support them and ultimately improve their health.

Over its two-year lifetime, the 'VulnerABLE' project will involve:

• Interviews with individuals and organisations who work first-hand in the field of health inequalities (such as the World Health Organisation and local authority networks);
• Detailed research into the health needs of people in isolated and vulnerable situations, including a face-to-face survey and in-depth focus groups with them;
• Bringing together the leading thinkers in this area and enabling them to contribute to future strategies to prevent isolation and vulnerability;
• Training materials and capacity-building workshops for national and regional authorities who are active in delivering healthcare services and who have a vital role to play in tackling health inequalities;
• Regular news updates, direct communication with experts and a one-day conference to spread awareness of the project's findings amongst national and regional authorities; public health experts; health professionals; and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Asking the experts - focus groups offer insights into the health needs of vulnerable people

VulnerABLE held eight focus groups in Brussels, London, Athens and Marseilles, bringing together academics, medical practitioners, national and European non-governmental organisations, and key health organisations, such as the World Health Organisation and the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless.

Participants exchanged ideas on the health needs of the eight vulnerable groups mentioned below and the main barriers affecting their access to healthcare. They put forward suggestions on the most effective ways of supporting those target groups. An emerging theme from all the focus groups is the importance of engaging with target groups at all stages of service, policy design and implementation to ensure that their needs are really met.

Other key findings:

1. A holistic approach drawing on health, education and employment policy is necessary to improve the health of children and families from disadvantaged backgrounds.
2. Rural doctors and policy makers are starting to adopt more creative strategies such as mobile health units, screening services, and e-prescriptions to reach patients in rural/isolated areas.
3. Campaigns and the media can be effective tools in raising awareness, avoiding stigma and changing society’s perceptions of those with physical, mental and learning disabilities or poor mental health.
4. Health-related training should be provided for all professionals who work with the long-term unemployed, the inactive and, the ‘in-work poor’, to inform these groups about their health rights, prevention and available primary health services.
5. Creating ‘age friendly environments’ can maintain the independency and mobility of older people, for example ‘dementia-friendly municipalities’ where there is an awareness of dementia across all services such as supermarkets, retailers and transport.
6. Effective training programmes support doctors to identify and respond to individuals who have experienced domestic and intimate partner violence.
7. Peer-to-peer networks and interaction between people in different types of accommodation can empower homeless people and improve their health.
8. Human rights principles should underpin the treatment of prisoners, such as ensuring prisoners' rights to privacy, person-centred care and adequate patient choice over their treatment.

The findings from the focus groups, along with results from the project's survey and literature review, will be used to develop capacity-building sessions for regional and national authorities, offering practical guidance on how to support vulnerable groups in policy decisions. 

EUROPEAN COMMISSION:DG Education, Youth, Sport and Culture update

DG Education, Youth, Sport and Culture

Newsletter - April 2017 Top news Success stories of the month News Top event Events   Studies and publications Calls Results of calls Social media

Top news New schools initiative to help young people travel abroad The newly-launched Move2Learn, Learn2Move initiative will fund the travel of at least 5,000 young people to other EU countries. Read more... Winners of the EU Heritage Prize 2017 announced The 29 winners from 18 countries were selected out of 202 applications from 39 countries, nominated by organisations and individuals. Read more...

Success stories of the month Supporting athletes to pursue a dual career For many athletes in Europe, combining a sporting career with work or education can be a challenge. The Networks of Knowledge project aimed to create better support structures to help athletes manage dual careers. Read more... ICT training puts students on the front foot 3D modelling and design skills are increasingly important within the footwear industry – so the INGA 3D project was designed to make sure that industry-specific 3D skills would be taught in schools. Read more...

News Online survey: help shape the future of Erasmus+ Read more... 30,000 registrations on School Education Gateway – are you one of them? Read more... Two new eTwinning publications on schools and teaching released Read more... EU Prize for Literature 2017 winners announced Read more... European Heritage Label: 25 sites pre-selected by the Member States Read more... Kaunas to be the European Capital of Culture 2022 in Lithuania Read more... European Heritage Awards 2017: Vote for your favourite project Read more...

Top event 1 - 7 May 2017 European Youth Week Go to related site

Events 25 April 2017  Infoday on Social Inclusion through Education, Training and Youth Call EACEA 17/2017 6 - 14 May 2017  Europe Day 2017 - Open doors at EU institutions 11 - 15 May 2017  European Heritage Congress 15 May 2017  EU Prize for Cultural Heritage Awards Ceremony 23 May 2017  EU Prize for Literature Awards Ceremony

Studies and publications Overview of the Higher Education system in Partner Countries (Regions 1,2,3,4 and 7) Read more... Information on Capacity Building projects in the field of Higher Education Read more... Catalogue of Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees Read more... Leaflet - Erasmus+ Sport Small Collaborative Partnerships Read more...

Calls 16 April 2017  MEDIA - Support to Sales Agents 2017 27 April 2017  Culture - Support to European Platforms 2017 27 April 2017  MEDIA - Support for Film Festivals 28 April 2017  MEDIA - Distribution Automatic Support 2017 28 April 2017  Vacancy - Contract agent (FGIV) Information and Communication Adviser 28 April 2017  Vacancy - Contract agent (FGIII) Information and Communication Adviser 2 May 2017  Sector Skills Alliances 2017 22 May 2017  Erasmus+ Social inclusion through education, training and youth 30 May 2017  MEDIA - TV Programming 2017 14 June 2017  MEDIA - 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+ Civil Society Cooperation Youth 2017 Read more... Erasmus+ Civil Society Cooperation in the field of Education and Training and Youth Read more... Culture - Support to European Networks Read more... MEDIA - Support for Film Festivals deadline 1 Read more... MEDIA - Distribution Selective Scheme Read more... MEDIA - Distribution Support to sales agents 2016 Read more... MEDIA - Support for Access to Markets Read more

European Commission:Western Mediterranean: Actions for the sustainable development of the blue economy

European Commission Western Mediterranean: Actions for the sustainable development of the blue economy Brussels, 19 April 2017 Today the European Commission launches a new initiative for the sustainable development of the blue economy in the Western Mediterranean region. The region covers economic hubs like Barcelona, Marseille, Naples and Tunis. It also includes tourist destinations like the Balearic Islands, Sicily and Corsica. The sea's biodiversity is under severe pressure with a recent report by scientists from the Joint Research Centre indicating that 50% has been lost in the last 50  years. In addition to this are recent security and safety concerns from the increase in migration from the South to the North. This initiative will allow EU and neighbouring countries to work together to  increase maritime safety and security, promote sustainable blue growth and jobs, and preserve ecosystems and biodiversity. Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries said: "Millions of holiday makers have a happy association with the Western Mediterranean. Like the millions more who live across the region, they understand  the fragile link between conserving national habitats and traditions and ensuring  economic viability. Blue economy is important for each of the countries involved  and they have recognised the strength of working together." Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement  Negotiations, said: ''This new regional initiative recognises and taps into the  economic potential of the Mediterranean Sea and its coast lines to further enhance economic growth, contribute to job creation and eventually the s tabilisation of the region. It is an important step towards closer coordination and cooperation among participating countries." The initiative is the fruit of years' of dialogue between ten countries of the Western Mediterranean region who are ready and willing to work together on  these shared interests for the region: five EU Member States (France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Malta), and five Southern partner countries (Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia). It follows up on the Ministerial Declaration on Blue Economy endorsed by the Union for Mediterranean (UfM) on 17 November 2015. The goals of the initiative By fostering cooperation between the ten countries concerned, this initiative has three main goals: A safer and more secure maritime space A smart and resilient blue economy Better governance of the sea. Gaps and challenges have been identified and a number of priorities and targeted  actions have been set for each goal. For Goal 1 priorities include cooperation between national coast guards and the response to accidents and oil spills. Specific actions will focus on the upgrade of  traffic monitoring infrastructure, data sharing and capacity building. For Goal 2  priorities include new data sourcing, biotechnology and coastal tourism. For Goal 3, priority is given to spatial planning, marine knowledge, habitat conservation and sustainable fisheries. The initiative will be funded by existing international, EU, national and regional funds and financial instruments, which will be coordinated and complementary. This should create leverage and attract funding from other public and private investors This "Initiative for the sustainable development of the blue economy of the Western Mediterranean" is another example of the EU's successful neighbourhood policy. Barely three weeks ago, the EU secured a 10-year pledge to save Mediterranean fish stocks. The MedFish4Ever Declaration, signed by Mediterranean ministerial representatives from both Northern and Southern coastlines on 30 March, involves  8 Member States (Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Slovenia, Croatia, Greece, and Cyprus) and 7 third countries (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey, Albania, Montenegro). The two projects will enhance each other in protecting the region's ecological and economic wealth. Background The initiative is based on the Commission's long-standing experience with sea basin and macro-regional strategies (such as the Atlantic Strategy, the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region and the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region). It is also based on over two decades of work within the 5+5 Dialogue, which has created strong ties between the participating countries. Furthermore, the initiative builds on other EU policies linked to the region, such as the European Neighbourhood Policy Review priorities and the recent Communication on International Ocean Governance. The initiative is presented in two documents. A Communication outlines the main challenges, shortcomings and the possible solutions. A Framework for Action presents  the identified priorities, actions and projects in detail, with quantitative targets and deadlines to monitor progress over time. Some of the actions could extend well beyond the countries in question and even beyond the sub-basin. For More Information Communication Framework for Action MEMO/17/1001 MEDFISH4ever Declaration Ocean governance Blue Growth

ΕUROPEAN COMMISSION latest

18 April 2017Brussels, Belgium

Imports of organic products: New EU electronic certification system





A new system of electronic certification to better monitor imports of organic products becomes applicable tomorrow.


The EU becomes a global leader in traceability and in the collection of reliable data on trade of organic products

The new electronic certification system will contribute to enhancing food safety provisions and reducing potential fraud. It will also reduce the administrative burden for operators and authorities, and provide much more comprehensive statistical data on organic imports.

Both paper and e-certification will be used during a 6-month transition period. As of 19 October 2017, organic imports will be covered only by e-certification.

In practical terms, the changes will require the addition of these import certificates into the Trade Control & Expert System – the existing EU electronic system for tracking movements of food products across the EU.

Accessible 24/7, the Trade Control & Expert System has been shown to facilitate trade by enabling trade partners and competent authorities to easily obtain information on the movements of their consignments, and speeding up administrative procedures. It also proved to be an invaluable tool in facilitating the rapid reaction to health threats by tracing the movements of consignments and facilitating the risk management of rejected consignments.

12 April 2017Brussels, Belgium

College discusses Hungary, Children in Migration, Security

Commission discusses legal issues in Hungary, adopts Communication on Children in Migration, reviews relocation progress and reports on Security Union.

The College of Commissioners held a debate today on recent developments in Hungary which have raised concerns about compatibility with EU law and the common values on which the Union is based.

The College discussed the Hungarian Higher Education Act, a draft law concerning foreign funding of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the 'Stop Brussels' national consultation, and ongoing legal concerns in the fields of asylum and non-discrimination. The College agreed to take forward individual infringement cases at the end of April. The Commission will also swiftly complete a thorough legal assessment of the Higher Education law and decide on next steps. On the draft law on 'foreign' NGO funding, the Commission will closely monitor the process and will review it after an analysis of the legal issues at stake. Finally, with regards to the 'Stop Brussels' consultation, the Commission decided to prepare and make public its own response.

The issues discussed relate to the respect of Union law and the respect of the Union's common values as enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union. Taken cumulatively, the overall situation in Hungary is a cause of concern for the Commission. The College therefore agreed to start a political dialogue with the Hungarian authorities, the other Member States and the European Parliament.

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Over the past two years, a growing number of children in migration have arrived in the EU, many of them without their families. While EU and Member States' legislation provide a solid framework for protection, the recent surge in arrivals has put national systems under pressure and exposed gaps and shortcomings. This is why the Commission set out today a series of actions in a dedicated Communication on Children in Migration to reinforce protection at all stages of the process.  Child protection is a central priority in the European Agenda on Migration and the Commission will continue to support Member States' efforts through training, guidance, operational support and funding.

The Commission also adopted today its eleventh progress report on the EU's emergency relocation and resettlement scheme. Member States have made steady progress, setting a new monthly record, with the total number of relocations now standing at 16,340. However, more efforts are needed from all Member States to ensure that all people eligible are relocated over the coming months. On resettlement, Member States have continued to make significant progress, with safe and legal pathways being provided to 15,492 persons so far. Today's report includes targeted recommendations for Member States to help improve the relocation and the resettlement process.

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Finally, the Commission presented its sixth report on progress made towards an effective and genuine Security Union. The report outlines the implementation of priority files in the area of security. It also sets out the Commission's view on future EU priorities to combat serious and organised crime and identifies eight specific threats, namely (1) cybercrime, (2) drugs crime, (3) migrant smuggling, (4) organised property crime, (5) trafficking in human beings, (6) firearms trafficking, (7) VAT fraud and (8) environmental crime. These priorities should feed into the new EU Policy Cycle for 2018-2020 to ensure effective cooperation between Member States in addressing the most pressing criminal threats facing the EU.

10 April 2017Brussels, Belgium

Commission publishes 2017 EU Justice Scoreboard

The Commission published the 2017 EU Justice Scoreboard giving an overview of the efficiency, quality and independence of justice systems in the EU.

The EU Justice Scoreboard gives a comparative overview of the efficiency, quality and independence of justice systems in EU Member States and helps national authorities to improve the effectiveness of their judicial systems. Effective justice systems are essential to build trust in the single market and create a business and investment-friendly environment. The 2017 Scoreboard presents data on the safeguards in place in the different Member States to guarantee the judicial independence of judges. This reflects the strong importance of rule of law for the EU.

The 2017 edition also looks for the first time at how easily consumers can access justice and which channels they use to submit complaints against companies. It also shows the length of criminal court proceedings relating to money laundering offences.

Key findings of the 2017 edition include:

• Shorter civil and commercial court proceedings since the first report five years ago, including in a number of Member States whose justice systems are facing challenges;

• Mixed results on consumer protection enforcement, with the length of administrative proceedings and judicial review varying by country. Many consumer issues are solved directly by consumer authorities and they don't need to go to courts;

• Varied lengths of cases against money laundering, from less than half a year to almost three years  for proceedings dealing with anti-money laundering offenses;

• Limited access to justice for poorer citizens, with some Member States providing no legal aid in some types of disputes for citizens whose income is below the poverty threshold;

• Limited use of ICT tools in some countries, in particular the use of electronic signatures is very limited in over half of EU countries, while new data underlines the importance of electronic communication for well-functioning justice systems;

• Improved or stable perception of judicial independence among the general public and business, in more than two-thirds of Member States, compared to 2016; where there is a perceived lack of independence, interference or pressure from government and politicians is the most stated reason.

• Quality standards to avoid lengthy proceedings absent in some Member States, although most Member States do have standards fixing time limits or timeframes in place.

The findings of the 2017 Scoreboard are taken into account for the country-specific assessments carried out within the 2017 European Semester process. The country reports for Member States were published on 22 February 2017 and include findings on the justice systems of a number Member States (Belgium, Bulgaria, Spain, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia) (see IP/17/308).