Category Archives: General

House of European History opened in Brussels

House of European HistorySince May 6th the “House of European History” has been open to the public in Brussels on the initiative of the European Parliament. This museum is devoted to the past but also to the future and offers a chronological, transnational vision of “European integration”.

From myths and discoveries to the chaos and cohesion of the 20th century, the House of European History will take visitors on a journey along the path of Europe’s history and challenge them to contemplate its future.

The House of European History is located in the beautifully renovated Eastman Building in leafy Parc Léopold. Its exhibits are available in all 24 official European Union languages and entrance is free. Tailored resources are available for schools, families and groups, offering a fascinating experience for all.

Visitors are encouraged to think about the Europe of today, the status and position of the European Union, and the part that everyone can play in shaping Europe’s future.

A visit normally takes around 90 minutes.

House of European History

Key Data on Teaching Languages at School in Europe – 2017 Edition

Key Data on Teaching LanguagesThere are over 60 official languages in Europe. It is a continent of considerable linguistic diversity, and that breadth is only increasing with recent migration flows.
The 2017 Edition of Key Data on Teaching Languages at School in Europe depicts the main education policies regarding teaching and learning of languages in 42 European education systems.

Some of the questions answered in the report:

  • How long do students spend studying foreign languages?
  • What are the ten most commonly offered foreign languages?
  • Do foreign language teachers travel abroad for training?
  • How many immigrant students speak the language of schooling at home?
  • Plus much more

Although the main focus of the report is on foreign languages, some information about the regional/minority and classical languages in the curriculum is provided. The report also discusses the language support measures available for newly arrived migrant students.

More information and report

Open consultation on Erasmus+ and predecessor programmes

30 years Erasmus+This public consultation is designed to support the mid-term evaluation of Erasmus+.
The mid-term evaluation covers the activities undertaken under the Erasmus+ Programme during the period 2014-2016.

The open public consultation is an important part of the assessment of how well the Erasmus+ programme has been working and whether and how it should be amended in the future. It is also important to know your views on how well these predecessor programmes have worked in the past.

Deadline: 31 May 2017. Check here for more info.

The European Parliament must do more to improve lobby transparency

100 organisations for lobby transparencyOver 100 civil society organisations warned MEPs in an open letter that the Commission’s proposal risks providing even less transparency to the public than the current one and that if they are serious about transparency in the big EU institutions then they must start with their own house.

A few weeks before Commission, Parliament and Council are expected to start negotiating a revision of the joint EU Transparency Register, the Alliance for Lobby Transparency and Ethics Regulation (ALTER-EU), Civil Society Europe and Transparency International EU have brought together a broad civil society coalition to make key demands that will ensure meaningful reform.

To guarantee reforms that deliver greater lobby transparency, rather than a weakened register, the signatories urge MEPs to champion the following points during the negotiations:

  • a strong commitment by MEPs to only meet registered lobbyists
  • a financial commitment to help the register secretariat ensure data quality
  • maintaining the existing definition of lobbying, which includes direct and indirect lobbying
  • a commitment to a legally-binding lobby register in the longer-term

The letter is supported by more than 100 organisations active in areas such as worker and consumer rights, environment and public health protection, education and development cooperation.

CSO letter on EU lobby transparency