Legendary retailer, Sir Philip Green, the owner of Arcadia Group, is backing the team from a London college who are competing in a worldwide student challenge at the World Retail Congress in Paris next week. Peter Jones, Josie Reeve, Dan Swanepoel and Yasmine Alom were chosen from 700 students at the Fashion Retail Academy, which […]
Eric Schmidt “How to lower Europe’s unemployment with disruptive innovation”
Innovation isn’t easy. It takes courage to experiment and advance a new idea and determination to ensure its widespread use. Europe has always excelled at this. Radio, television, and the standard for second-generation mobile communications, GSM, all originated in Europe. But past success won’t ensure Europe’s long tradition of innovation continues, writes Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman, Google […]
#EUDigitalMinds Series Launched By Kroes
It has been 25 years since the world wide web was invented and more than 2 billion people are now connected.Today, Information and Communication Technology is deeply intertwined with nearly every aspect of our economic and social activities, writes Neelie Kroes, Vice President, European Commission. When I started my job five years ago, as Commissioner for the Digital […]
Gardiazábal Rubial and Arthuis Slam Council Budget Draft
The Council’s version of the draft EU budget for 2015 disregards its own political pledge to spur economic growth and job creation, MEPs said after Council Presidency representative Enrico Zanetti presented it in plenary session on Tuesday. EU member states propose a budget of €145.077 billion in commitments and €139.966 billion in payments, i.e. cuts […]
United States Welcomes EU-Ukraine Association Agreement
“We congratulate the people of Ukraine on making history today, as the Ukrainian and European parliaments simultaneously ratified Ukraine’s Association Agreement with the European Union,” Marie Harf, Deputy State Department Spokesperson, said in a September 16 statement. “By forging ahead with this Agreement in the face of great challenges, Ukraine’s leaders have carried out the […]
European Researach ‘Making Good Progress’ says Geoghegan-Quinn
European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn said: “We have made good progress on the European Research Area in recent years. It is now up to Member States and research organisations to make good on their commitments and put in place the necessary reforms. The Commission will help where it can, including with […]
EU Science and Technology Flagships Sailing Smoothly
The European Commission published today a report on its ambitious science and technology Flagships. The report draws the lessons from setting up the first two such Flagships, Graphene and the Human Brain Project, each representing an investment of EUR 1 billion. It also sets out the future working arrangements for the two Flagships underway. European […]
Farage, “Poke the Russian bear with a stick, don’t be surprised if he reacts”
The EU should take a more proactive line on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and impose tougher sanctions on Russia, urged some political groups in Tuesday’s debate with EU Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Commissioner Štefan Füle. Others, however, stressed the need to “keep communication channels open”. “We want to see actions and not words […]
Applause For EU-Ukraine Association Agreement
The signing of agreements is rarely accompanied by applause, shouting and the flashing of victory signs, but this one was years in the making and responsible for a major change in European affairs. Many MEPs were quick to show their joy when the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement was ratified simultaneously by the Ukrainian and European Parliaments […]
Schaake Demands Clarity On Ukraine Trade Deal Postponement
Marietje Schaake, MEP, (ALDE/D66), has asked European Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht for clarity on the implementation of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine. The European Parliament ratified the agreement today, but last weekend it became clear that the European Commission and the Ukrainian government agreed to postpone the implementation of the trade […]