Focus
St. Edward's College, was one of the participating schools in the first run of this year's Euroscola day, and the only College which represented Malta. Seeing that Malta is such a small and relatively insular island, Maltese students cherish participating in international events such as this and the Edwardian Sixth Formers were no exception. Twenty four first year students from St Edward's IB Sixth Form were chosen to represent the school on the day.
For the second time, the European Parliament Prize for Journalism will be awarded in 2009. It will be awarded to journalists who have covered major European issues or promoted a better understanding of the EU institutions and/or EU policies.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
'It's Your Choice!' - The European Parliament launches the European Elections Campaign
The European Parliament today launched its communication campaign aimed at encouraging 375 million European voters to participate in the European Elections, which will be held in 27 Member States in June 2009. The choice facing European citizens is the main message of the institutional campaign. The European Parliament, in fact, is asking citizens questions such as: "How open should our borders be? What kind of energy do we need? How can we find a balance between family and work?" The answers, which will be given by citizens, place an emphasis on the fact that by voting in the European Elections the people will decide the direction which Europe will take in the years to come.
Young people wishing to further enhance their knowledge of European Affairs are being invited to apply for paid and unpaid traineeships with the European Parliament Office in Malta. They would form part of a team based at Europe House in Valletta geared to explaining the role of the European Parliament and its impact on Maltese citizens.
Europe Day 2009 kicked off with the now traditional annual Football Festival organised by the European Parliament Office in Malta. This event was held at the Floriana Football Club where forty football nurseries took part in friendly non-competitive football.
In order dispel the incorrect impression given in a number of articles in the foreign and local press the EP Office would like to clarify the issue of the status of those persons elected to fill the extra seats in the European Parliament provided for in the Lisbon Treaty.
In December 2008 the European Council declared that should the Lisbon Treaty be ratified the twelve relevant countries should receive the extra MEPs allotted to them in the Lisbon Treaty not at the next Elections in 2014 but during the 2009-2014 legislature, and if possible in 2010.
The Lisbon Treaty will only enter into force if it is ratified by Ireland following a referendum in the autumn (probably in October) and is signed by the Presidents of Poland and the Czech Republic whose Parliaments have already ratified the Treaty.
In December 2008 the European Council declared that should the Lisbon Treaty be ratified the twelve relevant countries should receive the extra MEPs allotted to them in the Lisbon Treaty not at the next Elections in 2014 but during the 2009-2014 legislature, and if possible in 2010.
The Lisbon Treaty will only enter into force if it is ratified by Ireland following a referendum in the autumn (probably in October) and is signed by the Presidents of Poland and the Czech Republic whose Parliaments have already ratified the Treaty.
Nicolette Busuttil, a 20-year-old law student who provides voluntary service among asylum seekers in the Safi and Hal Far detention centres is Malta's nominee for this year's European Charlemagne Youth Prize.
The European Parliament is offering paid traineeships for a five-month period to persons with disabilities, as a positive action measure aimed at facilitating the integration of disabled people in the workplace.
