Nothing new for the time being...

Nothing very special has happened in the EU during this last week, so the only thing that could be of interest to you at the moment might be the exam paper! Well, on Monday we will be finishing our notes and perhaps there will be some time to spend on previous exam papers, so that you can get an idea of their structure and content.

What's more, by the end of next week you can have a look at a choice of questions that could be possibly included in the exam paper, the so-called "sos questions"!!! These will be posted the soonest possible, I promise!!!

Missing pages from students' booklets

Those students who don't have some pages in their booklets are kindly requested to email me so that I can provide them with what is missing.

Don't forget the EU fun zone!

Test your EU knowledge in a playful way! EU can also be fun, especially for those who belong to the "eurosceptics" category!

"It's not them and us, it’s you and me": thousands to celebrate cultural diversity across Europe on 9 May

"It's not them and us, it’s you and me": thousands to celebrate cultural diversity across Europe on 9 May
In each EU Member State, European Commission Representations and EUROPE DIRECT Information Centres will organise over 500 events to celebrate Europe Day on 9 May. The main theme this year is intercultural dialogue. Through the celebrations thousands of people will be able to explore the many faces of the EU.
European Commission Vice-President Margot Wallström said: "Europe Day is an occasion for the EU Institutions to show their human face and for people to see that Europe is about people, and not just institutions or legislation."

Celebrating unity and diversity

For the 22nd time this year on 9th May thousands of people across the European Union will celebrate Europe Day: the fact that Europe is more peaceful, democratic and united.
The date is significant because on 9 May 1950, France's then Foreign Minister, Robert Schuman, issued a statement known as the Schuman Declaration. In it he set out a vision for a more united Europe, and for the institutions needed to make it work.
This year's 9 May events will form part of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue with the theme: "It's not them and us, it’s you and me". They will celebrate the many strands of Europe's rich cultural mix, and promote dialogue between people from different cultures living in Europe.
Over 500 events to choose from
Events will include everything from concerts to competitions, from open-air festivals to film screenings, and from debates to round-tables with politicians. In fact, European Commission offices and EUROPE DIRECT Information Centres will hold over 500 events.
In 2007 hundreds of thousands of people took part in the fun. And this year's calendar is busier and more varied than ever.

Highlights include :

• Greece – an open air concert at Syntagma Square anchored around climate change and the environment featuring international and Greek singers and musicians.
• Germany - an international conference on Jewish music as a force for integration in Europe.
• Spain - "Madrid in Dance" festival.
• Poland - a Europe Day Street Parade in Warsaw
• Malta - secondary school students will take classes in the cuisines of different European and non-European countries.

EU Youtube videos available

Youtube videos about EU issues is always available at http://uk.youtube.com/eutube. Take a look!

The euro at ten

As EU celebrates ten years of its single currency, Slovakia gets the nod to join eurozone in 2009.
Ten years ago this month, EU leaders took the historic decision to launch the euro. The currency hit the streets in January 1999 and the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) was born.
Now some 320m Europeans in 15 countries – more than the population of the US – use the same currency and benefit from an integrated EU market.
The euro has also helped us run sound public finances and macroeconomic policies – all of which have created more jobs.

Another report out today found that Slovakia meets the requirements for joining the euro - stable prices and exchange rates, low interest rates, government deficits and debt, and compatible national laws. The commission will recommend that EU governments approve Slovakia's membership of the eurozone from 1 January 2009.
The other EU countries assessed (mostly recent members from the East, but also Sweden) were found not to meet the conditions for membership.

More on economic issues

I am back!

Well, it's been a long time since I last updated my blog, but Easter Holiday and lots of family and school duties have kept me from making postings.

Anyway,things change very quickly in the EU, so this month's archive will be full of fresh news!