Brussels, 20 June 2012 - While welcoming the release of the European Union’s Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings 2012-2016, Caritas Europa reminds the European Commission that this strategy needs more comprehensive approach to trafficking issues in order to follow the human rights-based approach.

Being a victim of crime is a traumatic experience. For victims of crime whilst abroad for business or holidays the trauma is compounded by language difficulties, lack of knowledge about the foreign justice system and cultural barriers which create obstacles to obtaining adequate support and protection.

"This has been a case of 'The Citizens of Europe versus the European Commission'", comments MEP Helmut Scholz (GUE/NGL) after the defeat of the ACTA agreement in a vote in the lead committee, the International Trade Committee (INTA) in the European Parliament. "Today marks a victory for democracy."

Brussels, 21 June 2012 – Two decades ago in 1992, a historic meeting of governments, business organizations and civil society organizations laid down a commitment to achieve sustainable development, named the Rio Declaration.

It heralded a whole new paradigm that embraced integrating economic growth, social equality and environmental sustainability (UNGA 1992).

The European Commission needs to encourage EU Member States to carry out maritime spatial planning, and co-operate on how they use their sea space, due to the growing number of users of Europe's seas - including offshore renewable energy - a new report, co-financed by the European Commission's Intelligent Energy Europe programme, finds.