The 28 Member State National "Drugs" Coordinators visited Abrigado Centre, a drug consumption room in Luxembourg
The 28 National "Drugs" Coordinators from the Member States visited the Abrigado Centre in Luxembourg on 29 September 2015, as part of their visit to Luxembourg. Established in 2005, this centre has offered a consumption room for drug users and a night shelter, medical care, washing machines and wardrobes. The concept is not yet widespread across the world: there are consumption rooms in five other EU Member States.
On the invitation of the ENVE Commission of the Committee of the Regions, Camille Gira defends the "Habitat" and "Wild Birds" Directives in light of the REFIT programme assessment
On 28 September 2015, Luxembourg's Secretary of State for Sustainable Development and Infrastructure, Camille Gira, was invited by the Environment, Climate Change and Energy (ENVE) Commission of the Committee of the Regions to take part in a round table dedicated to the "fitness check" of the "Habitat" and "Wild Birds" Directives made by the European Commission as part of the "Regulatory Fitness and Performance programme" (REFIT). This round table was organised while the Committee of the Regions is drawing up an opinion on the quality assessment of these two directives, for which Roby Biwer is the rapporteur. For Camille Gira, a challenge to the directives within the framework of the REFIT programme would send a "devastating political message" and be a "sign of surrender".
October is the “European Cybersecurity Month (ECSM )”
European Cyber Security Month (ECSM) is a European Union advocacy campaign supported by DG CONNECT and ENISA, the European Agency for Network and Information Security. Its purpose is to promote cyber security among citizens, to change their perception of cyber-threats and provide up to date security information, through education and sharing good practices.
Informal meeting of Ministers of Health – Dementia and healthcare for migrants on the agenda of the Ministers' discussions
EU Health Ministers met in Luxembourg on 24 and 25 September 2015 for an informal meeting devoted to dementia, healthcare for migrants and the impact of the cross-border healthcare directive on mobility and patients' rights, as well as the impact of trans fatty acids in foods.The Luxembourg Minister for Health, Lydia Mutsch, who chaired the meeting, highlighted during a press conference that dementia constitutes "a real socio-economic challenge, which seriously tests the viability of our healthcare systems and requires a multi-sectoral response".
Luxembourg Sustainability Forum 2015 - Jeremy Rifkin calls for the Third Industrial Revolution
The Luxembourg Sustainability Forum 2015, organised in the context of the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the EU, was held in the Grand Duchy on 24 September 2015. A number of experts discussed the concept of responsible finance, as well as the means to revamp territories and digital technology for sustainable development. The highlight of the conference was the presentation by American economist and futurist, Jeremy Rifkin, who spoke on his theory of a Third Industrial Revolution.
European Youth Conference – Youth representatives together with representatives from the Member States adopt Final Joint Recommendations on Empowerment of young people for political participation
Following an 18-month work cycle and two European Youth Conferences held in Rome (October 2014) and in Riga (March 2015), youth representatives, together with representatives from European Union (EU) Member States meeting in Luxembourg from 22 to 24 September 2015 for the fourth cycle of Structured Dialogue, adopted 15 Joint Recommendations on “Youth Empowerment for political participation in the democratic life in Europe”. Luxembourg Minister of Education, Children and Youth, Claude Meisch, gave the closing speech of this conference organised by the Luxembourg Presidency and called on young people to "stand up and express their views".
Informal meeting of Health Ministers - the prevention of dementia is a priority for the Luxembourg Presidency
The Luxembourg Health Minister, Lydia Mutsch, who is chairing the informal meeting of EU Health ministers on 24 and 25 September 2015, emphasised that dementia is one of the health priorities of the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the European Union. "We really insisted on putting the subject on our Presidency agenda, because 47 million people are affected worldwide, including 6 million in Europe", she said upon her arrival at the meeting.
Informal meeting of Ministers for Energy - Ministers examine the great potential provided by new technologies for energy transition
European energy transition and the potential of new energy technologies were the main items on the agenda at the informal meeting of Energy ministers held in Luxembourg on 23 September 2015. The discussions at the informal meeting focused on three issues: economic growth offered by European energy transition, possible synergies between energy and development aid and investment in the energy sector. At a press conference held at the end of this informal Meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy, Étienne Schneider, who chaired the meeting, confirmed that there is "a lot to gain" from growth and job creation" in the energy field.
Consumer and Competition Day – Online platforms and their growing role as marketplaces at the heart of the second round table
After a first round table devoted to geoblocking, the second part of the Consumer and Competition Day, held on 21 September 2015 in Luxembourg, focused on online platforms and their role as "marketplaces". Such platforms, the importance of which is found to be growing for the future digital single market, fulfil a variety of functions (online shops, social networks or price comparison sites) but raise questions about their nature (retailers, intermediate service hosts), their liability in the case of disputes and possible distortions of competition.