The EU and its Member States are the world’s biggest donors of aid, providing more than 50% of the money spent globally to help poor countries. Part of this aid is channeled through EU-funded projects worldwide where the European Commission is responsible for delivery and results.

How effective are current EU aid mechanisms? Do they represent value for money for Europeans? Do they make a real impact on the lives of people living in developing countries?

Backed by the EC EuropeAid Co-operation Office, the European Journalism Centre is holding an intensive three-day briefing for EU journalists in Brussels. It is a chance to discover in detail the challenges of development aid and discuss the EU's role in promoting good governance, democracy and peace.

Sessions feature meetings with key Commission officials, NGOs and independent experts and focus on concrete projects and results as well as the key policies underpinning these actions.

The financial and economic crisis is constructed on the same lines of the existing divides within society.

Women are particularly vulnerable during this economic downturn because of their marginalized economic status. They still earn less than men and they are less likely to hold leadership positions in business and government. They are more likely to be hurt by the crisis. Single-parent households, the vast majority headed by single mothers, are at risk of falling below the poverty level during economic downturns.

Can they count on the European financial leadership and on the Euro to protect them from the worse? What’s the EU’s response to the crisis?

On behalf of the European Commission, the European Journalism Centre (EJC) has the pleasure to invite you to take part in a two-day seminar aiming at looking for answers to these and other pressing questions.

This event, scheduled for 6-7 July in Brussels, will provide selected participants the opportunity to discover how European economic and financial policies affect women and families by the means of open and free discussions with key EU officials and politicians, civil society representatives and independent experts.

The KPF-EJC Fellowship Programme was set up by the Korea Press Foundation and the European Journalism Centre to promote journalistic exchange and to foster dialogue between journalists from the Republic of Korea and the European Union member states. The 2009 edition of the KPF-EJC Fellowship Programme will take place in Korea from the 19 till 29 August.


The main goal of the visit is to promote a better understanding of South Korea. The programme will consist of lectures, meetings and interviews covering politics, economy, society and culture. A group-tour with various social and cultural activities will also be included.


EU journalists with at least five years' experience as full-time professionals are eligible to apply. The KPF-EJC will provide fellows with a payment in national currency equal to 500 euros to partially cover the flight ticket. Accommodation, local transport, interpretation and subsistence fees will be covered by the organisers.


The European Journalism Centre is responsible for the pre-selection and recommendation of candidates. The final selection will be based on the CV and the motivation letter. A recommendation letter from the editor will be considered as a plus.


In particular, the candidate should provide information about the media he/she works for, the current position within the media, main areas of expertise and the main reasons for applying to the Fellowship Programme.

EU's monetary chiefs have called the euro one of the greatest success stories of European integration, arguing that it has allowed the countries using it to react more effectively to the global crisis. European Journalism Centre is creating a topical seminar, giving Swedish journalists a chance to focus on the question of whether Sweden should consider joining the euro, as other EU members are currently doing.

The three day seminar (1-3 September) is a co-operation with Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs of the European Commission. It takes place in Brussels and focuses on the hottest issues in EU’s economic and financial agenda.

The seminar, which will anticipate the upcoming Swedish Presidency of the European Union starting in July 2009, is tailored to Swedish journalists specialised in economic and financial issues.

Participants will have the opportunity to cover a session of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) and a press conference of the Eurogroup. The seminar also includes a series of briefings by key players from the EU institutions, members of the Brussels-based press corps and independent experts.

The seminar will also analyse the EU's response to the financial crisis and the role of the European currency in the stability of European markets. EU Member States are currently seeking to address this challenge with national economic programmes and reform plans, whether in the form of subsidies for key industries or state funds aid.

Like the Danes and the Icelanders, Swedes have grown increasingly favourable to swapping their crisis-hit krona for the euro. However, most Swedes still support the Swedish krona.

The euro is currently used in 16 European Union countries. Sweden, Denmark and the United Kingdom are the only old EU members that have not adopted the currency.

As the euro celebrates its tenth anniversary, some of the new member states are overtaking Sweden, Denmark and the UK. Slovakia became the sixteenth country to adopt the EU single currency after joining the zone on 1 January 2009. The number of EU citizens sharing the euro now stands at 323 million.

Early registration for this seminar is essential, as places are limited. Please note that the entire seminar will be conducted in English.

The European Union shares its borders with countries facing many challenges. It cannot afford to be indifferent to the arc of instability that runs from Belarus to North Africa, passing through Ukraine, Moldova, the Western Balkans, the Caucasus and the Middle East.

With the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), the EU has reached out to its neighbours to increase their prosperity and stability, indirectly improving security across Europe. The policy goes beyond existing relationships. It offers a deeper political relationship and economic integration as well as a strengthened co-operation through gradual adoption of European norms. It presents every neighbour country the opportunity to engage with the EU while following its own path. Those who want to advance relations through the ENP are already seeing their commitment matched with new opportunities in terms of assistance: technical help, political support, and more aid money.

Yet, how effective is the policy? How committed are the involved parties? And do these funds achieve concrete results for the security of our boarders and welfare of our neighbours?

This intensive briefing scheduled in Brussels and Chisinau provides journalists an opportunity to discover more in-depth the current state of play of the ENP and in particular to discuss migration and regional stability.

Meetings with key EU officials, diplomats, local authorities, civil society organisations, independent experts and discussions with correspondents will help participants’ gaining a comprehensive overview on three different matters: the ENP policy, the EU relations with the visited neighbouring country and its internal political and economical situation.

For EU affairs, many people think of Brussels and Strasbourg, the European Commission and European Parliament.

Yet the history of European integration began neither in Brussels nor Strasbourg - it began in Luxembourg, the birthplace of Robert Schuman. Luxembourg is home to several institutions: the European Court of Justice, the European Investment Bank, the Court of Auditors and Eurostat, to name but a few.

They may not be as high profile as the EC or EP, but they play a key role in providing data and rulings on many aspects of EU life. In turn, they are quietly crucial to balanced and accurate reporting on EU affairs.

To connect these institutions with media from candidate countries, Luxembourg's Foreign Ministry is sponsoring a one-week information briefing. Run by the European Journalism Centre, this features two days in Zagreb and four in Luxembourg. Visits to the town of Schengen and meetings with government and institution officials provide a great overview for journalists attending the event.

For EU affairs, many people think of Brussels and Strasbourg, the European Commission and European Parliament.

Yet the history of European integration began neither in Brussels nor Strasbourg - it began in Luxembourg, the birthplace of Robert Schuman. Luxembourg is home to several institutions: the European Court of Justice, the European Investment Bank, the Court of Auditors and Eurostat, to name but a few.

They may not be as high profile as the EC or EP, but they play a key role in providing data and rulings on many aspects of EU life. In turn, they are quietly crucial to balanced and accurate reporting on EU affairs.

To connect these institutions with media from candidate countries, Luxembourg's Foreign Ministry is sponsoring a one-week information briefing. Run by the European Journalism Centre, this features two days in Ankara and four in Luxembourg. Visits to the town of Schengen and meetings with government and institution officials provide a great overview for journalists attending the event.

The EJC and Nihon Shinbun Kyokai (NSK), the Association of Newspaper Publishers and Editors of Japan, invite you to apply for the NSK-EJC fellowship programme from 27 September- 9 October 2009. The programme has seminars on Japanese politics, economics and culture, and a three-day group tour of Japanese cultural highlights. NSK will cover the cost of flight expenses (up to 500 euro equivalent), accommodation and local transport. Applicants should be under 40 years of age, have good English and 5 years' experience as full-time professional journalists. Print journalists or editors especially encouraged to apply.

Download the application form here

Further information can be found here. Please contact EJC project assistant Maria Manta if you have any further questions.

Applications from EU journalists only please.


Deadline: 10 July 2009.

This new series of press visits organised by the European Journalism Centre in co-operation with DG External Relations of the European Commission will discuss - through meetings and debates with officials, diplomats as well as with outside experts and Brussels-based journalists - the latest developments and the initiatives of the EU in its relations with Russia.

This seminar will give journalists the opportunity to analyse and discuss the current initiatives and projects currently conducted in the field of trade, security and foreign affairs.

This new series of press visits organised by the European Journalism Centre in co-operation with DG External Relations of the European Commission will discuss - through meetings and debates with officials, diplomats as well as with outside experts and Brussels-based journalists - the latest developments and the initiatives of the EU in its relations with Brazil.

This seminar will give journalists the opportunity to analyse and discuss the current initiatives and projects currently conducted in the field of trade, security and foreign affairs.

This new series of press visits organised by the European Journalism Centre in co-operation with DG External Relations of the European Commission will discuss - through meetings and debates with officials, diplomats as well as with outside experts and Brussels-based journalists - the latest developments and the initiatives of the EU in its relations with Syria.

This seminar will give journalists the opportunity to analyse and discuss the current initiatives and projects currently conducted in the field of trade, security and foreign affairs.

For EU affairs, many people think of Brussels and Strasbourg, the European Commission and European Parliament.

Yet the history of European integration began neither in Brussels nor Strasbourg - it began in Luxembourg, the birthplace of Robert Schuman. Luxembourg is home to several institutions: the European Court of Justice, the European Investment Bank, the Court of Auditors and Eurostat, to name but a few.

They may not be as high profile as the EC or EP, but they play a key role in providing data and rulings on many aspects of EU life. In turn, they are quietly crucial to balanced and accurate reporting on EU affairs.

To connect these institutions with media from candidate countries, Luxembourg's Foreign Ministry is sponsoring a one-week information briefing. Run by the European Journalism Centre, this features two days in Skopje and four in Luxembourg. Visits to the town of Schengen and meetings with government and institution officials provide a great overview for journalists attending the event.

This new series of press visits organised by the European Journalism Centre in co-operation with DG External Relations of the European Commission will discuss - through meetings and debates with officials, diplomats as well as with outside experts and Brussels-based journalists - the latest developments and the initiatives of the EU in its relations with India.

This seminar will give journalists the opportunity to analyse and discuss the current initiatives and projects currently conducted in the field of trade, security and foreign affairs.

The European Union shares its borders with countries facing many challenges. It cannot afford to be indifferent to the arc of instability that runs from Belarus to North Africa, passing through Ukraine, Moldova, the Western Balkans, the Caucasus and the Middle East.

With the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), the EU has reached out to its neighbours to increase their prosperity and stability, indirectly improving security across Europe. The policy goes beyond existing relationships. It offers a deeper political relationship and economic integration as well as a strengthened co-operation through gradual adoption of European norms. It presents every neighbour country the opportunity to engage with the EU while following its own path. Those who want to advance relations through the ENP are already seeing their commitment matched with new opportunities in terms of assistance: technical help, political support, and more aid money.

Yet, how effective is the policy? How committed are the involved parties? And do these funds achieve concrete results for the security of our boarders and welfare of our neighbours?

This intensive briefing scheduled in Brussels and Cairo provides journalists an opportunity to discover more in-depth the current state of play of the ENP and in particular to discuss modernisation and social development.

Meetings with key EU officials, diplomats, local authorities, civil society organisations, independent experts and discussions with correspondents will help participants’ gaining a comprehensive overview on three different matters: the ENP policy, the EU relations with the visited neighbouring country and its internal political and economical situation.

For EU affairs, many people think of Brussels and Strasbourg, the European Commission and European Parliament.

Yet the history of European integration began neither in Brussels nor Strasbourg - it began in Luxembourg, the birthplace of Robert Schuman. Luxembourg is home to several institutions: the European Court of Justice, the European Investment Bank, the Court of Auditors and Eurostat, to name but a few.

They may not be as high profile as the EC or EP, but they play a key role in providing data and rulings on many aspects of EU life. In turn, they are quietly crucial to balanced and accurate reporting on EU affairs.

To connect these institutions with media from candidate countries, Luxembourg's Foreign Ministry is sponsoring a one-week information briefing. Run by the European Journalism Centre, this features two days in Podgorica and four in Luxembourg. Visits to the town of Schengen and meetings with government and institution officials provide a great overview for journalists attending the event.

This new series of press visits organised by the European Journalism Centre in co-operation with DG External Relations of the European Commission will discuss - through meetings and debates with officials, diplomats as well as with outside experts and Brussels-based journalists - the latest developments and the initiatives of the EU in its relations with Iraq.

This seminar will give journalists the opportunity to analyse and discuss the current initiatives and projects currently conducted in the field of trade, security and foreign affairs.

The European Union shares its borders with countries facing many challenges. It cannot afford to be indifferent to the arc of instability that runs from Belarus to North Africa, passing through Ukraine, Moldova, the Western Balkans, the Caucasus and the Middle East.

With the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), the EU has reached out to its neighbours to increase their prosperity and stability, indirectly improving security across Europe. The policy goes beyond existing relationships. It offers a deeper political relationship and economic integration as well as a strengthened co-operation through gradual adoption of European norms. It presents every neighbour country the opportunity to engage with the EU while following its own path. Those who want to advance relations through the ENP are already seeing their commitment matched with new opportunities in terms of assistance: technical help, political support, and more aid money.

Yet, how effective is the policy? How committed are the involved parties? And do these funds achieve concrete results for the security of our boarders and welfare of our neighbours?

This intensive briefing scheduled in Brussels and Baku provides journalists an opportunity to discover more in-depth the current state of play of the ENP and in particular to discuss energy and sustainable development.

Meetings with key EU officials, diplomats, local authorities, civil society organisations, independent experts and discussions with correspondents will help participants’ gaining a comprehensive overview on three different matters: the ENP policy, the EU relations with the visited neighbouring country and its internal political and economical situation.

This new series of press visits organised by the European Journalism Centre in co-operation with DG External Relations of the European Commission will discuss - through meetings and debates with officials, diplomats as well as with outside experts and Brussels-based journalists - the latest developments and the initiatives of the EU in its relations with Belarus.

This seminar will give journalists the opportunity to analyse and discuss the current initiatives and projects currently conducted in the field of trade, security and foreign affairs.