In a resolution, the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee of the European Parliament intends to urge the European Commission to prepare an assessment on the introduction of a Financial Transaction Tax. Apart from that, the European Union shall support a contribution of the financial sector to overcome the burden, which caused the financial and World Financial and Economic Crisis, at G20 level.

The Swede Cecilia Malmström, one of probably 9 women of the future Commission, this week attended a hearing by the European Parliament. The current Justice Department will be split: in future, one Commissioner will be in charge of Justice and Fundamental Rights; another will be responsible for Home Affairs. The hearing was dominated by issues of migration and asylum.

Spain has taken over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the fourth time, for the first time in a trio with Belgium and Hungary. The Spanish Presidency starts with some reforms in the EU structure being in place: the Lisbon Treaty has come into force and a new Commission takes office. Under the motto “Innovating Europe”, the Presidency will try over the next 6 months to get the financial, economic and employment crisis under control.

In a 3-hour hearing this week, the Hungarian commissioner-designate for employment and social affairs László Andor answered the questions of the MEPs. In demand were pragmatic ideas and long-term visions. The setting of the hearing did not do justice to these requests. László Andor left many concrete questions unanswered and did not get involved in details.

This week in Brussels, Michel Barnier, the French Commissioner-designate for the internal market and services, was responsible for one of the most convincing appearances during the current hearings of the candidates for the future Commission by the European Parliament. His attempt to draw a clear line under the neoliberal course of his predecessors has been successful.

Siim Kallas has been a member of the European Commission since November 2004; now he will be in charge of transport. During the hearing, he addressed the most important current topics such as the reduction of greenhouse gases, intelligent transport systems or urban mobility. As a self-confessed Liberal, Kallas, however, did not spend much time elaborating on working conditions.

Commissioner Janez Potočnik, who has already been a member of the European Commission since Slovenia joined the EU in 2004, was previously responsible for Science and Research. For the period between 2010 and 2014, he will now be in charge of the environmental sector within the European Commission. On Wednesday he attended a hearing conducted by the members of the Environmental Committee in the European Parliament.

The Ministers for Health and Social Affairs met in Brussels this week. The Employment Council should have been the icing on the cake of the Swedish Presidency – far from it! Although there were many dossiers on the agenda, the Council meeting was dominated by orientation debates, the introduction of working documents, the acceptance of conclusions and the approval of statements. Only two political agreements were achieved - on the Parental Leave Directive and on the so-called “Self-Employed Directive“.

This week, the European Commission presented the “Employment in Europe Report 2009”. The report is the main instrument of the Directorate-General Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities to analyse the employment and labour market developments within the European Union and the candidate countries. Key message of the report: the current crisis has a massive impact on the EU labour markets and undoes the largest part of the employment growth achieved since the year 2000.

The European Commission published a Communication on the Future of Transport already in June. Last week, the Commission held a conference with interest representatives on this subject. The Commission wants to realise CO2-free transport by 2050. If the Commission has its way, infrastructure should increasingly be financed via Public Private Partnerships. Rail transport shall become even more competitive; national passenger transport shall be liberalised.