Already effective in nine Member States, the liberalisation of gas and electricity markets comes into effect throughout the European Union from July 1, 2007. Consumers of electricity and gas across the whole EU now have the right to freely choose their supplier. Competitive prices, a quality service and consumers’ rights protection should be the benefits of this liberalisation, started more than 10 years ago by the European Commission. The liberalisation of the gas and electricity markets should also reinforce the interconnections between the Member States and ... continua

The fight against climate change has been organised in such a way that it offers developing countries opportunities for economic and social development.
With their signature of the Kyoto Protocol, most industrialised countries have agreed to limit their CO2 emissions through a quota system.
If need be, however, they may make use of a mechanism that allows them to buy additional emission rights on international markets from developing or emerging economies, which have no limits on their emission levels.
If developing or emerging countries ... continua

Nearly half the population of Ireland is overweight and many can be described as obese. To tackle tihs worrying situation head on, the Irish Food Board has decided to launch a major project aimed at teaching people to eat more healthily from a very young age.
Interviews:Michael Maloney, Director of the Irish Food Board
Danielle Mc Nulty, Teacher, St Peters National School
Prof. Philip James, Chairman of the International Obesity Task Force
Dr Andres Varela, Puerta de Hierro Hospital
Markos Kyprianou, European Commissioner for Health & Consumer Protection
... continua

Visit the site: www.mostra.com

Erika and Prestige. These two names are synonymous with tragedies that highlighted the vulnerability of Europe's coastline. In response to these disasters, the EuropeanUnion took a series of supplementary measures to make its seas safer.
Interviews:Commissioner Jacques Barrot, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of transports
Alfons Guinier, Secretary General, European Community Shipowners' Association
Captain Jim Bird, Nautical Surveyor, Southampton Marine Office
Francois Lamoureux, General Director, European Commission
Robin Middleton, Secretary ... continua

The European Union has been leading international efforts to fight climate change since global warming first moved onto the political agenda in the late 1980s. Europe has been instrumental in the development of both the United Nations convention to combat climate change and of its Kyoto Protocol. Interviews:Matthias Duwe: Climate Action Network. Jos Delbeke: Director of climate change policy - European Comision. Vincent Michel:Holcim. Visit the site: www.mostra.com Download subtitles:

Interviews: Jean Pierre Cugier,GRAPPA - INRAProf. Marc Boogaerts, KUL - Catholic University of LeuvenStavros Dimas, European Environment CommissionerHans Lokke, "NoMiracle" project coordinatorMarianne Bruus Pedersen, ResearcherHenri Cestier, Agriculteur - Farmer Visit the site: www.mostra.com

There are between ten and twelve million Roma living in the European Union today– roughly equal to the populationof a medium-sized EU Member State, like Belgium or Greece.
Yet despite the fact that the Roma have played an integral part in European history and culture for over seven centuries, most of us still know very little about them. And what we think we do know is more often than not based on ignorance, prejudice and stereotypes.
This has led to a situation where millions of Roma in the EU today face extreme levels of social deprivation. 
Unemployment in ... continua

If we want a competitive Europe that creates jobs, then people and goods have to be able to move around easily and quickly, and without harming the environment.That is the aim of the trans-European transport network, a huge continental-scale programme that will interconnect the national transport infrastructures to create a genuine trans-European network.
Clip 1: The trans-European transport network TEN-TClip 2: High-speed rail axis in the southwest of EuropeClip 3: Lyon-Budapest priority rail axisClip 4: Paris-Bratislava priority rail axisClip 5: Warsaw-Helsinki ... continua

In Europe, fishing is generally quite targeted. Fishermen know what they want to catch and use the appropiate methods and techniques. Despite this, when they bring their nets in, they often find other fish and marine organisms mixed up with the target species: thus is what is called the by-catch.
Everything in the net has to be sorted and only the fish that can be sold are kept. The rest are returned to the sea, ehre they stand little chance of surviving after the shock of being hauled to the surface. These are what are called discards.
Interviews:Dr. Andy Revill: ... continua