For more than a year, MEPs were averse towards a new groundhandling regulation, which includes services such as loading and unloading of baggage, cleaning or servicing and refuelling of aircrafts at airports. Last year, the Commission proposal was rejected by both the competent Transport Committee and the plenum of the European Parliament. This week now the surprise turn: following a further debate of the dossier, a narrow majority of EU representatives now voted in favour of the proposal.

The upcoming European Parliament elections will probably be brought forward by two weeks to 22 to 25. May 2014. This move shall increase voter turnout and speed up the decision by the Parliament regarding a new Commission President.

Air passenger rights have been regulated in an EU Regulation since 2005. Nevertheless, many travellers still have problems to assert their rights, a fact that the Commission concedes in its statements on the new Regulation proposal. The difficulties concern various aspects such as lost baggage, withheld meals, accommodation or unpaid compensation. In line with its own statements, the Commission now wants to strengthen passenger rights in a new Regulation proposal.

Where there's a will there's a way, says an old proverb, which may be used to understand the proposal made by the EU Commission this week on the practical implementation of the Youth Employment Initiative. The European Council proposed this Initiative at its meeting held on 7 and 8 February 2013. EUR 6 billion will be made available for the Initiative for the period 2014-2020. The Commission has now put forward the required financing proposal so that European funds may already be used by 1.1.2014 e.g. for the Youth Guarantee.

Today, 8 March, marks International Women’s Day. However, many ask themselves, whether this day is really a cause for celebration. The EU Commissioner for gender equality, Viviane Reding, once put it in a nutshell, when she said: “As long as we need to celebrate Women's Day, it means that we do not have equal rights. […]The goal is equality, so that we no longer need such days." The EU Commission has only recently proposed a women quota on boards, a necessary and long overdue step towards more equality.

According to Nordic freight associations, drivers and trade unions, wage dumping, violation of driving time and rest periods as well as living in a lorry, staying in the home country only every six months in extreme cases, is the reality on Europe’s roads. However, following the liberalisation of road freight transport, the European Commission is sitting back, putting the ball in the corner of European Social partners and EU Member States.

According to estimates by the European Commission, EU Member States lose about EUR one billion each year through tax evasion and tax avoidance. The Commission therefore introduced a package of measures at the end of last year, which shall reduce the loss of tax revenue. The Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs of the European Parliament has now presented a draft report on the Commission package, which, even though supporting the course taken by the Commission, requires further action.

For some weeks now, social housing has been discussed at EU level as another important aspect of services of general interest. Both the European Economic and Social Committee and the European Parliament are currently in the process of preparing a relevant text of a resolution. Now MEP Karima Delli has presented a draft report on social housing, which indeed put forward a number of positive approaches in respect of a European social housing policy.

On Friday, 22 February, the EU Commission presented its European Economic Winter Forecast 2013. The eurozone will remain mired in recession in 2013 and unemployment will rise to 12.2 %. For Austria, the Commission expects unchanged levels of unemployment (4.5 %) and a slight increase in GDP (0.7 %).

About three weeks ago, the European Commission presented its new plans on the further liberalisation of railways. A few days ago, Transport Committee MEPs debated the so-called Fourth Railway Package.