Festival of Europe: European open days in EU seatsSaturday 7 and Sunday 8 May are the Open Days of the European Parliament, EU Commission, Council, the Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and other EU institutions in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg. Also this year, on the eve of the Feast of Europe (May 9, marking the anniversary of the declaration on 9 May 1950 by Robert Schuman which proposed the creation of a European community) visitors can attend guided tours, exhibitions, workshops and activities for children. Even decentralised representative EU seats open their doors. These include the representative seats of Commission and Parliament in EU27 capital cities and of EU bodies. For further information log on the official websites of EU institutions, with links from www.europa.eu. In its invitation to citizens the EU Assembly makes known, “Each working day, the European Parliament welcomes hundreds of visitors to its premises, with more than 300,000 people coming through the doors in 2010”. A special invitation is addressed to schools: “Parliament is a living environment where thousands of people are involved in drawing up EU legislation”. “In order to be a part of this atmosphere we recommend that you book a visit during the plenary meetings in Strasbourg or during the parliamentary activity in Brussels” (info: www.europarl.europa.eu). Visitors will be able to explore the EU Council Justus Lipsius building, “where the leaders and government ministers of the 27 Member States take decisions”. The theme of the Open Day at the Council is to energy and innovation. Hungary, which is currently chairing the Council of the EU, and the incoming Presidency, Poland, will be present at dedicated exhibitions.Eurostat: “employment denied” to youth under-25 Unemployment rates in Europe register a minor decrease, while youth entry in the job market remains a challenge. According to Eurostat the unemployment rate in EU27 at the end of March 2011 was at 9,5%, It was 9.7% in March 2010. The euro area (EA17) unemployment rate was 9.9% in March 2011. It was 10.1% in March 2010. Eurostat estimates that 22.828 million in the EU27 are unemployed. The lowest unemployment rates were recorded in the Netherlands, Austria, and Luxembourg (under 5%) and the highest in Spain (20.7%), Lithuania (17.3%) and Latvia (17.2). “Compared with a year ago, the unemployment rate fell in sixteen Member States, increased in ten and remained stable in Poland”. Under-25s register dramatically high unemployment rates, “the highest in Spain (44.6%), Greece (36.1%), Slovakia (35.2%)”. The job market appears inaccessible to young generations also in other EU countries, such as Bulgaria, Ireland, Italy and Poland (unemployment rates slightly above 30%).10 years of the euro, a competition and a commemorative coinA competition and a web vote to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the single currency, that recurs on January 1st 2012. The EU Commission launched a competition “to design the commemorative 2-euro circulation coin that all 17 euro-area Member States will issue to mark the anniversary”. “The euro binds us all together and is an achievement we should be proud of,” said Olli Rehn, European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs. “This design competition for the new commemorative coin is a great opportunity for ordinary people to make their own mark on their currency. The winner’s design will appear on millions of euro coins that will circulate throughout the euro area”, the Commissioner said, To enter the design competition, go to: www.eurocoin-competition.eu. Rehn underlined that “over 330 million people in 17 EU countries now share one currency – the euro. A common currency makes many things easier, such as comparing prices between countries, travelling and trade, since fees for exchanging money and exchange rate fluctuations having been eliminated. It also reinforces the need for sound economic and financial policies”. Contestants may submit their design via the website below from today, 29 April, until 20 May; the winning design will be selected via a public web vote in June. The winning design will be announced on 30 June 2011. Rehn underlined that “over 330 million people in 17 EU countries now share one currency – the euro. A common currency makes many things easier, such as comparing prices between countries, travelling and trade, since fees for exchanging money and exchange rate fluctuations having been eliminated. It also reinforces the need for sound economic and financial policies”. Contestants may submit their design via the website below from today, 29 April, until 20 May; the winning design will be selected via a public web vote in June. The winning design will be announced on 30 June 2011.
