european commission

The President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso met with the President of the Catalan Government Artur Mas in Brussels. Barroso recognised the Catalan Government's efforts to reduce public deficit. Mas emphasised the importance of making Catalan an official EU language. Mas was accompanied by the Christian-Democrat Josep Antoni Duran i Lleida and the new Catalan Delegate to the European Union, Joan Prat.

In order to receive EU funding to subsidise part of the language courses for Erasmus students, the Spanish Government has labelled Valencian Catalan as a different language. Both dialects were considered as the same language in all previous documents to the EU, an opinion shared by all the universities

Günther Oettinger, European Commissioner for Energy, told CNA that within the next 40 years, a single market with Northern Africa will exist, he “is sure” about it. In addition, Oettinger stated that the main obstacle for a truly effective European energy single market is the lack of key infrastructures. In this sense, he stressed the need to build electric lines through the Pyrenees and the Alps, linking Central and Southern Europe with Northern Africa.

In response to a parliamentary question by the Member of the European Parliament, Ramon Tremosa, from the Association of Liberals and Democrats of Europe (ALDE) group, the EC wages for this railway network to be built before the end of 2012. This rail track is an essential part of the Mediterranean Rail Corridor, which will link Southern Spain to France via the Mediterranean harbours.

Catalan sanitary company Roca has been fined 38.7 million euros for participating in a cartel (agreeing on prices competitors) with 16 other sanitary companies for over 12 years. Masco informed the European Commission of the covert operation.