With the focus on reaching a partial general approach on the CAP Reform before the end of the year, the Agriculture and Fisheries Council today continued the discussions on the reform proposals. The Agriculture Ministers of the EU examined today, during the first day of the AGRI-FISH Council in Luxembourg, the Regulation proposal on direct payments, over two round table discussions....

The EU 2013 Budget, as well as the Multiannual Financial Framework and several other crucial issues concerning the EU will be discussed during the European Parliament’s (EP) two Plenary Sessions of  October 22 and 23 and  25 and 26 in Strasbourg....

Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and quotas for the Baltic Sea were agreed today, October 22, in the Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRI-FISH) taking place in Luxembourg.  Discussions on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) will continue in tomorrow’s meeting with a view of reaching an agreement for a partial general approach....

The Cyprus Presidency will highlight the importance of Mediterranean cooperation as an instrument to ensure peace, stability and growth in the region, during a Conference on October 24 and 25 in Lefkosia (Nicosia). The Conference is organised together with the European Territorial Cooperation Programme MED and the Neighburhood Cross-border Cooperation Programme in the Mediterranean Sea Basin ENPI MED and will include participants from neighbouring Mediterranean countries....

The Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment of Cyprus and chair of the Environment Council of the EU, Mr Sofoclis Aletraris, and the Environment Commissioner of the EU, Mr Janez Potočnik, have welcomed the agreement achieved on the results of the 11th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, in a joint statement after the conclusion of the Conference....

The EU Single Market was highlighted today as one of the European Union’s greatest achievements and was signaled out as a potentially crucial element for helping the EU achieve growth and create new jobs. The Cyprus Presidency, on the occasion of the EU Single Market Week, organised the “Single Market for Growth” conference in Nicosia to commemorate the 20 year anniversary of the EU Single Market’s creation....

The implementation of a holistic policy, including a range of interventions related to promoting children’s well-being and reducing child poverty and social exclusion should be a priority for Member States, particularly in times of economic crisis where the risk of child poverty and social exclusion is high in several Member States....

In the past few decades, we have seen the term ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ (CSR) enter our daily lexicon.Concerning actions promoted by companies on a voluntary basis, which are over and above their legal obligations towards society and environment, corporate social responsibility must become an integral part of corporate and business strategy, according to the European Union....

The European Council, which consists of the Heads of State or Government of EU Member States, together with its President Mr. Herman Van Rompuy and the President of the Commission Mr. José Manuel Barroso, met in Brussels on October 18 and 19. The European Council, which defines the general political direction and priorities of the European Union, discussed, inter alia, the future of the Economic and Monetary Union and in particular the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM), the situation in Greece, the Compact for Growth and Jobs as well as issues relating to foreign policy....

Negotiations in the Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRIFISH) concerning the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) reform package have entered a final stage, as the Council  is expected to reach an agreement on  the package’s third element; the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) 2014- 2020....

The imperative need for efforts to protect biodiversity to focus on the application of the Convention on Biological Diversity, was stressed by Cyrpus’  Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, Mr. Sofoclis Aletraris during his address at the Conference on Biological Diversity on behalf of the European Union and its Member States in Hyderabad, India....

Future steps to strengthen cooperation and partnerships between the relevant bodies fighting for the eradication of trafficking in human beings, were debated during today’s Conference in Brussels which marked the 6th EU Anti-Trafficking Day. During the Conference entitled Working Together towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings: 'The Way Forward’, ways to reinforce prevention, victim protection and assistance as well as the prosecution of offenders were also discussed....

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, visited the European Parliament today to debrief the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) on the October 15 Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), on behalf of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission (HR/VP), Catherine Ashton....

The Tripartite Social Summit, held in Brussels today, October 18, provided an opportunity for European Union Institutions and the social partners to discuss the importance of promoting growth, employment and social inclusion as well as the significant role the social partners can play in an improved EU governance....

Leadership and worker participation for improving occupational health and safety at work was the main topic on the agenda in discussions facilitated by the Cyprus Presidency during a Conference on Health and Safety at Work.  The Conference was organised by the Department of Labour Inspection, in cooperation with the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, and was held at the ‘Filoxenia’ Conference Centre, in Lefkosia (Nicosia) on October 18, 2012....

Cyprus’ Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr. Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis attended today, October 17, the EU– Lebanon Association Council which took place in Brussels, on behalf of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, Baroness Catherine Ashton....

Cyprus’ Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr. Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis chaired the EU – Cape Verde Political Dialogue Ministerial Meeting which took place today, October 17 in Brussels.  Dr. Marcoullis chaired the meeting on behalf of the High Representative of the Union on Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Catherine Ashton....

Draft conclusions for the upcoming European Council meeting of October 18-19 were the main focus of the General Affairs Council (GAC) meeting, which took place today, 16 October, in Luxembourg. During the meeting, which was chaired by Cyprus’ Deputy Minister for EU Affairs, Ambassador Andreas D....

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, chaired today the annual EU-OSCE Ministerial meeting, on behalf of the High Representative of the Union on Foreign and Security Policy, Baroness Catherine Ashton. The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) was represented by the Irish Minister of State, Ms Lucinda Creighton, on behalf of the OSCE’s Irish Chair in Office....

The General Affairs Council (GAC) has just agreed on a partial general approach on elements of the Cohesion Policy package for 2014-2020. This is an important achievement for the Cyprus Presidency and as Deputy Minister Ambassador Andreas D. Mavroyiannis, who chaired the meeting, stated, "cohesion policy is not only the most important tool of the EU for reducing disparities between the levels of development of the different regions, but  also constitutes a very effective catalyst for growth and employment"....