Welcome Croeso Cardiff EDC News May 2012

helping you find out about the European Union and the countries of Europe promoting debate about the EU and European issues encouraging you to ask questions, give your opinions and make suggestions to the EU

Follow Cardiff EDC on Facebook

Wednesday 9 May 2012 at 6.00 pm Europe Day Quiz Event at the Cardiff EDC Team hard at work Ronen, our quizmaster Winning team

European Capitals of Culture 2012 Guimarães (Portugal) and Maribor (Slovenia)

Denmark holds the EU Presidency for the period January-June

Forthcoming talks and events in Cardiff with a European theme

Contact: Ian Stafford Engaging with the New European Economic Governance Architecture – A Half-Day Conference Wednesday 2 May 2012 Venue: Council Chamber, Glamorgan Building Cardiff University Time: – Participants: Rhodri Morgan, Former First Minister of the Welsh Assembly Government / Professor Kenneth Dyson, Cardiff University / Professor Bela Greskovits, Central European University / Dr Daniel Naurin, University of Gothenburg / Jonathan Scheele, European Commission, Head of Representation in the UK / Kay Swinburne MEP, Conservative Party / Derek Vaughan MEP, Labour Party / Jill Evans MEP, Plaid Cymru

Contact: Jenny Hulin Round Table on the French Presidential Election Wednesday 16 May 2012 Venue: Room 2.18, Park Place Cardiff University Time: Why Nicolas Sarkozy’s Fast Presidency ran out of Steam Alistair Cole, Professor of Politics at Cardiff University, Convenor of the French Politics specialist group of the Political Studies Association, and member of the Franco-British Council How the 2012 Presidential Election was won David Hanley, Emeritus Professor of French Politics, Cardiff University Marine le Pen and the de-diabolisation of the French National Front James Shields, Professor of French at Aston University Brothers in Arms? Francois Hollande, Jean-Luc Melenchon and the French Left Gino Raymond, Professor of French at the University of Bristol

Details of language courses now available French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish plus Croat, Polish, Russian and Turkish

Cardiff is named European Capital for Sport Cardiff has been successful in securing the prestigious title of European Capital of Sport The announcement was made by officials from the European Capitals of Sports Association (ACES) at an event held in Valencia this week. It was recognised that Cardiff has firmly established itself as a leading city for sport, offering state of the art stadiums and facilities including the Millennium Stadium, SWALEC Stadium and Cardiff International Sport Stadium. Leader of the Council, Cllr Rodney Berman said: "There is no denying the city already has a fantastic sporting pedigree”. Ther e is no den ying the city alre ady has a fant astic spor ting pedi gree ”. Cardiff has been named European Capital of Sport

Recently published reports on topics relating to Wales and Europe …

Click on image to download report

In the News… Tuesday 8 May RAPEX Annual Report 2012 published RAPEX is a Community rapid alert system for dangerous products. It ensures that information about dangerous products withdrawn from the EU market and/or recalled from consumers is quickly circulated between Member States and the European Commission, with the aim of preventing or restricting the selling of these products on the market.

In the News… Tuesday 8 May Commission adopts Communication on State Aid Modernisation (SAM) The main objectives of this integrated strategy are fostering growth in the internal market by supporting targeted and non-distortive state aid, focusing enforcement on aid cases with the biggest impact on the internal market, as well as streamlined rules and faster decisions.

In the News… Wednesday 9 May Europe Day

In the News… Friday 11 May Spring 2012 Economic Forecast The Commission publishes its spring economic forecast for for Gross Domestic Product (GDP), inflation, employment and public finances, amongst other indicators, for all 27 European Union countries, plus the EU and euro area aggregates.

In the News… Tuesday 15 May 2012 European Neighbourhood Policy Package adopted

European Citizens’ Initiative Launched 1 April

Travelling around Europe? Find out your rights… Rail – Air – People with reduced mobility…

112 is the common telephone number to ring in ALL EU Member States to get through to the Emergency Services

Looking for information on these subjects or anything else connected with Europe? Please ask EDC staff or use

April 2008 – March 2013 is now freely available to libraries, schools and public bodies in Wales Please ask for details

Sign up to receive information at

New website from the EU bringing together information for children about the EU

A new electronic one-stop-shop for access to justice information throughout the EU

EU citizenship resources available…

CITZALIA A virtual role-playing game and social networking forum to boost citizens' understanding of how the EU works Two new educational games from the European Central Bank

Fraternité2020 Their goal is to make European exchange programmes like Erasmus or the European Voluntary Service (EVS) more attractive in order to enable more European citizens to spend time in another country

Find out what is happening … Give your opinions and participate...

Welsh Members of the European Parliament Jill Evans Kay Swinburne Derek Vaughan John Bufton Click on image to connect to MEP’s website

Elections in Europe May 2012 Hungary Presidential Election 2 May 2012 France Presidential Election (Second Round) 6 May 2012 Greece Parliamentary Election 6 May 2012

Elections in Europe May 2012 Serbia Parliamentary Election 6 May 2012 Armenia Parliamentary Election 6 May 2012