EDiMA, the European Digital Media Association, is an alliance of new media companies whose members provide new media platforms offering European consumers a wide range of online services, including e-content, media, E-commerce, communications and information/search services. EDiMA represents the interests of the new media sector in Europe in policymaking.

ACT is an international grassroots advocacy and education organization representing more than 5000 small and mid size app developers and international technology firms. It is the only organization focused on the needs of small business innovators from around the world. ACT advocates for an environment that inspires and rewards innovation while providing resources to help its members leverage their intellectual assets to raise capital, create jobs and continue innovating. In addition to its small business membership, ACT and ACT 4 Apps has several sponsor members including:

The Industry Coalition for Data Protection (ICDP) is comprised of 16 associations representing thousands of European and international companies who are building, delivering, and advancing the digital experience.

Members of ICDP and some of their corporate members include:

The Obama administration has found itself trying to placate the leaders of closely allied nations who have discovered the extent of NSA surveillance in their countries. The flood of spying scandals raises the question over whether the negotiating edge such secret eavesdropping provides is worth the reputational damage to Washington.

The views expressed here after are those of Professor Roland Vaubel, a member of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and not those of AALEP

Reforming the European Parliament

The European Commission’s embrace of interest groups is part of a long history of engagement and interaction. The Commission consults widely with representative associations and civil society during the policy making process. Interaction with interest groups is also institutionalized in the open consultation process, many ad hoc committees , and most explicitly in the Social Dialogue procedure and the two consultative bodies, the Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee. The logic behind these interactions is simple.

On 14 October 2013, the European Parliament's Constitutional Affairs Committee took a major institutional step by voting overwhelmingly for the European Parliament to decide where and when it meets. The report, which seeks to invoke MEP's new powers under Article 28 of the Lisbon treaty to propose treaty change is expected to be voted by parliament as a whole at the November pleanary session.

European Council Meeting Agenda: 24-25 October 2013

Topics: 1.Digital Economy, Innovation and Services; 2.Growth, Competitiveness and Jobs; 3. Economic and Monetary Union and 4. Eastern Partnership Summit.

1. Digital Economy, Innovation and Services

The European Council will hold a thematic discussion on the digital economy, innovation and services. In particular, the European Council will:

(a) discuss the state of play of the digital agenda, with a view to providing guidance towards the completion of the Digital Single Market by 2015;

Combattre le Front National aux élections européennes impose désormais que les partis politiques pro-européens s’engagent à désigner leurs candidats, au moins leurs têtes de liste dans chacune des euro-circonscriptions, avant les élections municipales des 23 et 30 mars 2014. Le Parlement européen ne saurait, en effet, être un lieu pour recaser tel ou tel battu des scrutins législatif de 2012 ou à venir de 2014, souvent en attente de reconquérir un mandat national ou d’obtenir un éventuel maroquin ministériel.

Since its inception in 2001, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) has emphasized the key role of the private sector in contributing to Africa’s economic growth and development. Notwithstanding the paramount importance of the private sector, African private sector’s participation in NEPAD programmes has been rather limited, due to its weak development as well as limited awareness of and institutional ability to benefit from the opportunities in NEPAD programmes.