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EUROPE DIARY |
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Europe Diary A calendar of events from European institutions for journalists and broadcasters, updated monthly |
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Please check entries before broadcast or
publication – see contacts at end of Diary |
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August 2008 Most European
institutions close for the month of August. There are no European Parliament meetings
until 1 September |
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3 August Budapest. Hungarian Grand Prix. www.formula1.com 7 August Frankfurt. European Central Bank governing council
meeting. www.ecb.eu 8-24 August Beijing. Olympic Games. Nicolas Sarkozy has said he
will attend the opening ceremony "on behalf of the EU" with France
currently holding the EU presidency. Many MEPs have condemned the move
because of 15 August Europe. EbS, the European Union’s
"Europe-by-Satellite" service for TV professionals, will change
transponders on Sirius 4 to a new frequency, so satellite receivers at
participating TV stations will need realignment. Details on the link: ec.europa.eu |
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15-23 August Saravejo. The 14th Sarajevo Film Festival, the
biggest in the Balkans. www.sff.ba 17-23 August Stockholm. World Water Week is the international
forum for the water supply industry, facing increasing challenges around the
world. www.worldwaterweek.org 22-24 August Edinburgh. MediaGuardian Edinburgh International
Television Festival. www.mgeitf.co.uk 27 August - 6 September Venice. 65th Venice International Film Festival.
www.labiennale.org |
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September 2008 |
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1-2 September La Rochelle. Informal meeting of EU Transport
Ministers. www.eu2008.fr 1-4 September Strasbourg. European Parliament plenary session. www.europal.europa.eu 4 September Frankfurt. Meeting of the European Central Bank
Governing Council. www.ecb.eu 4-5 September Limoges. Conference on the future of sheep farming
in 5-6 September Avignon. Informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers
in the six-monthly "Gymnich" Council. www.eu2008.fr 7 September Liege. Belgian Grand Prix. www.formula1.com 8-9 September Angers. Informal meeting of EU Health Ministers. www.eu2008.fr 9 September Evian. EU-Ukraine bilateral summit, with energy
supply from Ukraine possibly on the agenda, while the large former Soviet
state wants signs that it might be considered for EU membership in the longer
term. www.eu2008.fr 11-13 September Rivas. Third International Social Forum on
Migration. www.september18.net 11-16 September Amsterdam. IBC. The annual conference and exhibition
of broadcasting technology which attracts 40,000 visitors. www.ibc.org 12-13 September Nice. Informal meeting of EU Finance Ministers. www.eu2008.fr 12-13 September Berlin. "Open Channels and Intercultural
Dialogue" is a conference about open television community channels in
Europe that give access to non-professionals. www.open-channels.eu/en/events.html 15-16 September Brussels. EU Foreign Ministers meet. www.eu2008.fr 15-18 September Poznan. International Fair for Food and
Agricultural Products. www.polagra-food.pl 15-23 September Berlin. The Berlin International Literary
Festival. www.literaturfestival.com 16-17 September Lille. GMES Forum 2008. Global Monitoring for
Environment and Security is a European initiative to harness satellite and
remote data-gathering technologies. www.forumgmes.eu |
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16-22 September European Mobility Week promoting alternative transport to the
car, ending on "Car-free day" on 22 September. www.mobilityweek-europe.org 18-19 September Bordeaux. European Tourism Forum 2008 with awards for
the best European destinations. www.ec.europa.eu 21 September Slovenia. Parliamentary election 21-23 September Annecy. Informal meeting of EU Agriculture and
Fisheries Ministers. They are expected to discuss plans to reduce the size of
22-25 September Strasbourg. European Parliament plenary session. www.europarl.europa.eu 25-26 September Brussels. EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers
meet. www.eu2008.fr 25-26 September Brussels. EU Trade, Research and Industry Ministers
meet in the Competitiveness Council. www.eu2008.fr 26 September London. The Royal Television Society holds a
one-day international conference on the future of broadcasting. www.rts.org.uk 26 September European Day of Languages 28 September Austria. Parliamentary Election following the
collapse of Chancellor Gusenbauer’s coalition government 28-29 September Bordeaux. Informal meeting of EU overseas
Development Ministers. www.eu2008.fr 29 September Marseilles. EU-India 29-30 September Paris. Third Security Research Conference
considers the use of new technology in security and anti-terrorism. www.src08.fr 29-30 September Brussels. EU Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers
meet. www.eu2008.fr 30 September - 1 October Brussels. The Congress of European Farmers will
debate the volatile food markets and consider sustainable production looking
ahead to a reformed CAP after 2013. www.farmerscongress.eu |
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October 2008 |
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1-2 October Deauville. Informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers. www.eu2008.fr 2 October Frankfurt. Meeting of the European Central Bank
Governing Council. www.ecb.eu 7 October Luxembourg. EU Finance Ministers meet. www.eu2008.fr 8 October Slovenia. Parliamentary election 8-9 October Brussels. European Parliament mini-plenary. www.europarl.europa.eu 9-10 October Luxembourg. EU Transport and Energy Ministers meet. www.eu2008.fr 13-14 October Luxembourg. EU Foreign Ministers meet. www.eu2008.fr 15-16 October Brussels. European Summit. Leaders of the 27 member states will be trying to find a
solution to the impasse over the Lisbon Reform Treaty, rejected in the Irish
referendum. www.eu2008.fr 17 October Montreal. EU-Canada |
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20-21 October Luxembourg. EU Environment Ministers meet. www.eu2008.fr 20-23 October Strasbourg. European Parliament plenary session. www.europarl.europa.eu 22-31 October Rome. The Third Rome International Film
Festival. www.romacinemafest.it 24 October Luxembourg. EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers
meet, t.b.c. www.eu2008.fr 25 October Berlin. Awards evening for Prix Europa for
broadcast and online journalists. www.prix-europa.de 27-28 October Luxembourg. EU Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers
meet. www.eu2008.fr 27-28 October Malmo. 13th Annual Conference on Sustainable
Innovation – design and technology for the future. www.cfsd.org.uk 30-31 October London. Chatham House Conference on Technology and
the Developing World. +44 20 7957 5754. www.chathamhouse.org.uk |
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2008-2009 The Irish referendum which decisively rejected the EU Lisbon Reform Treaty has thrown the union into confusion. Legally all 27 member states were required to ratify the Treaty before the end of 2008 so that it could apply from January 2009 in time for the European Parliament elections in June. Unless a solution is found (and Ireland is resisting pressure to re-run its referendum) the elections will operate under the Nice Treaty. This will cut the number of MEPs from the current 785 to 736, and the number of Commissioners will have to be reduced to fewer than one per member state. The current French Presidency is seeking to keep the rejected treaty in play. Sarkozy and Merkel have both declared that without the Lisbon Treaty there can be no further EU enlargement. |
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A fundamental review of the EU budget is now taking place, with the aim of the Commission making recommendations by early 2009. This autumn, Denmark’s government is expected to hold a referendum on four "opt-outs" which currently prevent full Danish participation in some EU areas. The opt-outs include the euro, but it is not clear whether Danes will be asked to vote on joining the Eurozone. The EU focus on the Balkans continues, with likely candidate status before long for Bosnia and Serbia as well as Croatia and Macedonia. Croatia fears that the Irish No vote will delay its accession talks. By September, 3,700 EU troops are expected to be deployed in Chad. |
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2009 European Parliament Elections
year. FYR Macedonia may be allowed to start entry talks if the dispute with
Greece over the country’s name can be settled, and Bosnia hopes for EU candidate
status. Slovakia aims to adopt the euro this year. A general election is due
in Germany. |
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2010 This is a possible date for
Croatia to become the 28th member of the EU; 2011 is more likely. The 10
countries that joined the EU in 2004 were aiming to qualify to adopt the euro
by this year at the latest. This is the target year for the EU’s
Defence Capability Goal, aiming to translate the EU Security Strategy into
actions, such as a European Defence Agency and the creation of joint battle
groups. |
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All information on the European Events Diary should be checked with
the appropriate European department before publication. T-Media cannot accept
responsibility for the accuracy of the information provided |
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Contacts |
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All EU press releases are posted on europa.eu/press_room The "virtual press office" carries news releases, background material and video-streaming. europa.eu/comm/press_room TV coverage on Europe-by-Satellite europa.eu/comm/ebs TV topical features are available free from Mostra Communication. www.tvlink.org Email media@mostra.com to request tapes (Beta or DV-Cam) +322 537 4400 EU news, information and contacts are also available on Europe Direct. www.europa.eu/europedirect The easiest site to use is www.eu4journalists.eu European Commission: Media information is handled by the Directorate-General for Communication. Commission contacts can be found via ec.europa.eu/contact Each Directorate-General (DG) has its own Information Unit. Call the general number in Brussels – +322 299 1111 – and ask for the spokesperson of the appropriate DG for political matters and interview requests with the Commissioner, or for the information unit of the directorate (e.g. Agriculture DG or Environment DG) For broadcast facilities: Tony O’Donnell, Head of News, Audiovisual Division at DG Communication. +322 295 0804. anthony.o’donnell@ec.europa.eu A/V Planning Office: +322 295 2123. planning-audiovisual@ec.europa.eu |
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European Parliament: www.europarl.europa.eu Audiovisual Division in Brussels: +322 284 4811 Audiovisual Facilities Planning Office: +322 284 2010 tvplanning@europarl.europa.eu Information and Broadcast Facilities: Kirsten Tingsted. +322 284 4817. ktingsted@europarl.europa.eu www.europarl.ep.ec/dg3/audiov/en/ftv.htm London Office of the Parliament: +44 20 7227 4300. www.europarl.org.uk EU Council of Ministers: consilium.europa.eu Press Office: +322 285 6319 Head of the Press Office: Dominique-Georges Marro. +322 285 6423 press.office@consilium.europa.eu French Presidency website: www.eu2008.fr Council of Europe: www.coe.int CoE Press Service. Cathie Burton +333 88 41 28 93 pressunit@coe.int Alun Drake (audio-visual) +333 88 41 25 64 alun.drake@coe.int European Court of Human Rights: Andrew Cutting andrew.cutting@coe.int NATO: www.nato.int Press Service: +322 707 5041. press@hq.nato.int |
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Europe Diary August 2008 |
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