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The Ministry of Regional Development and Local Government of Republic of Latvia has launched the 1st Call for Proposals of the Estonia – Latvia – Russia Cross Border Cooperation Programme 2007-2013. Available EU funding for the 1st Call is 23 648 491 EUR. The deadline for submission of project proposals is 29 November 2010.

Since 1988, annual budget of European Union (EU) is planned according to the Financial Framework. The Financial Framework is the EU multiannual budget planning mechanism that indicates the maximum amount and the composition of foreseeable Community expenditure, the structure and ceiling for own resources, and the amount of annual EU budget.

The General Affairs Council heard the presentation of the priorities of the Belgian presidency, including the practical implementation of the Europe 2020 Strategy, the response to the financial and economic crisis, climate change, the revision of the EU's multiannual financial framework, as well as the implementation of the Stockholm multiannual programme on justice and home affairs.

On 26 July at the General Affairs Council (GAC), the Foreign Ministers of the EU Member States formally agreed on the proposal from the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton (High Representative) for a Council Decision establishing the organisation and functioning of the European External Action Service (EEAS).

The World Cup is over and life in Africa is returning to normal, but it is anything but "fair play" with life expectancy for some 30 to 40 years less than for Europeans. There are many reasons, from bad governance, the financial crisis and climate change to natural disasters, extreme poverty, wars and greed.

Recognising that bank pay packages encouraged the reckless behaviour that contributed to the current economic crisis, MEPs came up with measures to curb bonuses during the July plenary.

Albert Dess, head the European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development delegation to Latvia, admitted at a meeting with Saeima Deputy Chairwoman Solvita Aboltina (New Era) and members of the Saeima European Affairs Committee that the current system of direct payments is unfair to farmers in the Baltic countries, who receive even five times smaller payments than farmers in certain other European Union member states, the Saeima Press Service informed LETA.

During a meeting with Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov in Skopje yesterday, President Valdis Zatlers expressed support towards Macedonia's integration into the European Union and NATO, LETA was informed by the president's press service.

The European Commission on Wednesday recommended admitting Estonia to the euro area on January 1, 2011, the Estonian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

To mark the 60th anniversary of the idea of a united Europe, events dedicated to the European Union will be held all over Latvia during the European Week, from 5 to 9 May.
On 9 May 1950, five years after the end of World War II, the Foreign Minister of France Robert Schumann conceived a seemingly utopian plan – to unite the European countries (including France and Germany, two states hard to reconcile so far) for joint action.