Brussels briefing
More than a quarter of youngsters aged nine to 16 years who have smartphones and tablets say they have been bullied on or offline.
Some of the other findings of a study, that included Ireland, are equally disturbing — such as that close to a third of respondents have communicated with someone they have never met and have viewed sexual images.
Fianna Fáil MEP Pat the Cope Gallagher says the research shows that the EU needs to set up and fund a specialist EU- wide programme in order to educate and protect young people in this area.
SpirtsEurope head Paul Skehan says EU policy on alcohol should be evidence-based and he wants an open debate on the kind of research and evidence that is currently used.
Discussions on the damage caused by alcohol have become polemic and polarised between business on the one hand and temperance and health activists on the other.
He wants research paid for by the industry to be given the same weight as that carried out by those who hold strong anti-alcohol views. “Our view is that good research is good, no matter who funds it,” he said.
EU Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly has become embroiled in one of the most controversial issues involving the European Commission of the past decade.
John Dalli was forced to resign as health commissioner over suggestions he was aware of some form of bribes over tobacco legislation.
Documents relating to the controversial move should be released to the Corporate Europe Observatory, an NGO arguing for more transparency, O’Reilly said.
The commission, however, insists it cannot do so as Dalli is suing it in the European Court of Justice and the matter is sub judice — under judgment.
Re-shoring — bringing back jobs that companies had shifted abroad — is becoming a live issue in the EU.
Fine Gael MEP Seán Kelly says re-shoring is happening in the US where they have found good reasons to do so including labour costs, product quality, ease of doing business, and proximity to customers.
These same reasons must also apply to Europe, he says, and wants the EU to focus on bringing back many of the jobs lost to low-cost countries over the past three decades.
While many countries are playing down their beer culture, seeing it in terms of lager louts and drunken girls, Belgium is looking for Unesco World Heritage approval for its ale mores.
The government has submitted an application to Unesco asking that its more than 1,000 beers be recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.
They say they have the largest selection of authentic, locally produced beers in the world. ”
This unbelievable diversity in terms of colour, taste, and production methods makes up a huge part of the pride taken in our cultural and gastronomic heritage.”
The decision will be known next year.
Nobody is quite sure just how many people are involved in the black economy, but last year 11% admitted to a survey that they had bought goods or services from people working on the black in the past year.
The European Commission says undeclared work damages working conditions, deprives workers of social protection, puts their health and safety at risk and means less money for the state to spend on health and education.
“In the end, everybody loses” said Commissioner László Andor announcing his platform for all national authorities from social security to tax, unions and employers to come together and exchange data and best practice.
Do it the EU way — that’s the message from a British House of Lords committee that says the UK should adopt the EU’s Youth Guarantee Scheme, and drop its Youth Contract.
“The Youth Guarantee has been successful in other European countries,” it says, while its own contract has under-performed and is not liked by the private sector.
The EU funds available should be put towards pilot schemes in five regions in Britain with the highest unemployment, which qualify for additional EU money.
And rather than distributing it from London, the money should be given directly to local bodies, the committee said.
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