The European Commission presented its “enlargement package” stressing the importance of the Copenhagen Criteria and the values of the European Union.

It insists on the rule of law, economic governance, democracy, the respect of fundamental rights and the settlement of conflicts between European countries. The development of the negotiation process with Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia (ARYM), Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania Turkey and Iceland was developed.

In its yearly follow-up report the Commission proposed granting candidate status to Albania which has been aspiring to this since 2009. The Commission is advocating taking up talks again with Turkey again, in spite of the repression in June.

Read the report

Do you know what is active citizenship? Do you know what the Alliance of the European Year of Citizens – gathering and representing European and national organisations – is doing during the whole year to promote active citizenship?

If you want to know what we are doing, check this out!

Two infographics and the making-of video to explain you what is the European Year of Citizens Alliance and what are we doing everyday to promote active citizenship as a core element of the European democracy in the frame of the European Year of Citizens 2013.

Check it out!

The Survey of Adult Skills is an international survey conducted in 33 countries as part of the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). It measures the key cognitive and workplace skills needed for individuals to participate in society and for economies to prosper.

The evidence from this Survey will help countries better understand how education and training systems can nurture these skills. Educators, policy makers and labour economists will use this information to develop economic, education and social policies that will continue to enhance the skills of adults.‌

The first results are published here

The European Parliament launched its institutional information campaign leading up to the European elections in 2014, aiming in particular to emphasise the political nature of Parliament, the impact of its actions on the lives of EU citizens and the new powers it enjoys following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty.
These imperatives have paved the ground for an institutional campaign based on the notion that this time it’s different.

You are kindly invited to take an active role by using the free of charge one-stop-shop for down loading communication materials at your disposal via the newly created Download Centre http://www.europarl.europa.eu/downloadcentre.