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Maastricht, The Netherlands: The European Union is trying something new in the run-up to EU elections in May.

The four main candidates to head the European Commission held a televised debate on Monday, the first of its kind, in Maastricht in The Netherlands.

The town has a significance in the structure of Europe. It's where the accord was signed to bring in the single currency - the euro.

The four candidates are: Jean-Claude Juncker, representing the European People's Party; GuyVerhofstadt, the Alliance of Liberal Democrats in Europe, Ska Keller, the Green Party; and Martin Schutz, the Socialist and Democrats Party.

Schulz is also the current president of the European Parliament.

"As the president of the Commission, I want to give back to the Europeans justice and fairness and to show that European institutions are there to care about their individual interests as ordinary citizens. I want a Europe of citizens and not a Europe of banks and speculates..." said Schulz.

The only people allowed in the room for the event were students from Maastricht university.

"We have many debates...whenever there is an election, there are debates, with the candidates, of course. But the problem with the European debate, I think, is that the knowledge of the voters is not exceptionally high as it would be with domestic elections," said a student.

"We all have our scepticisms about Europe but it's nice for us to be able to partake in something like this and really, really refreshing for the city as well," said another.

"I think it's a great thing that they're organising this debate because it comes to the minds of people that there is something like a presidential election going on and that it's important to talk about issues," said a third student.

Excerpt from:
EU politicians in first TV debate ahead of elections

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Could the European Union's ban on apple imports containing a potentially harmful chemical hurt Canadian apple exporters?

TORONTO When you go to the grocery store and pick up a shiny apple, have you ever wondered why it looks so perfect?

Its because farmers spray non-organic apples in a coating to help eliminate any of those unsightly, natural brown spots that creep up when apples are stored, called scald. And the European Union believes that at least one of the chemicals diphenylamine, or DPA is potentially harmful to our health.

Its not the chemical itself, according to the EU. Its a byproduct of DPA that occurs when it breaks down, called nitrosamines. It has long been known that nitrosamines are a carcinogen. It hasbanned the import of any apples containing DPA of over 0.1 parts per million (ppm) which began in March.

Apple producers in both Canada and the United States use DPA on non-organic apples. In Canada, itsuse on apples is 0.42 ppm.

Its not used on all varieties, Jennifer DeEll, who leads a quality control program for theOntario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, told Global News. Within North America, its still allowed up to 5 ppm.

The Pest Management Regulatory Agency, a division of Health Canada, has initiated a special review of 23 active ingredients, one of which is DPA.

When asked how long the review would take, Health Canada said in a statement to Global News, Diphenylamine is currently under special review based on the European Union decision. During the special review, Health Canada will assess the concerns identified in the European decision. Once the assessment is completed, the proposed decision will be published for consultation before making a final decision.

The apples that are affected are some of the most popular: red delicious, Courtland, Macintosh and empire, just to name a few.

Read more here:
Enjoying that apple? European Union thinks it contains carcinogens

THE SHARD , London, the tallest building in the European Union
87-storey skyscraper in London 306 metres (1004 ft) high.

By: unique

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THE SHARD , London, the tallest building in the European Union - Video

The European Union has left a sour taste among mango exporters with its decision to temporarily ban the import of Alphonsos from India from May 1 due to the alleged presence of pests in them. The trading community pegs the loss because of the ban at more than Rs100 crore as India is the leading exporter of mangoes in the world. India accounts for more than half of the total mango production in the world.

Industry experts said the development will adversely affect thousands of Mumbai-based businessmen who regularly send mangoes as gifts to their clients and lovers of the fruit in Europe. "There are thousands of businessmen, especially from the diamond trader community, who send gift boxes containing mangoes during this season to their clients. The ban will not just affect them but also other mango lovers from Europe who will be deprived of the king of fruits," said APMC director Sanjay Pansare, who is also an expert in vegetable and fruit trade.

A doting father who had planned to take a box of mangoes for his daughter in Europe is saddened with the ban. "It is upsetting as my daughter loves mangoes. I was looking forward to taking a box of mangoes when I travel there in May," said the senior professional employed with a private firm in Mumbai.

The 28-member European Union announced the ban on the import of mangoes from India after a certain consignment imported last year was found to be infested with pests. The ban has also been imposed on snake gourd, bitter gourd, taro plant, and egg plant. A revision of the ban will take place before December 31, 2015.

Maharashtra, which produces large quantities of Alphonso, Badami, Kesar, Neelam and Payari varieties of mangoes in Sindhudurg, Raigad and Ratnagiri region, is among the leading exporter of mangoes to foreign countries, including the US, Gulf and parts of Europe. Most of these fruits are exported from Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. Airport sources said airlines stop taking other export commodities to accommodate the rush of mango consignments, which forms about 80 per cent of perishable export during the peak months of May and June. An Air India spokesperson, however, told dna: "The ban by EU will not affect the earnings of the airlines as export of mangoes will be substituted by other commodities."

The UK imports nearly 16 million mangoes from India and the market for the fruit is worth nearly 6 million pounds a year.

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European Union bans import of mangoes from India

Photo credit: thinkstockphotos

The recent decision by the grouping's Standing Committee on Plant Health came after 207 consignments of fruits and vegetables from India imported into the EU in 2013 were found to be contaminated by pests such as fruit flies and other quarantine pests.

The temporary ban - proposed by the European Commission and endorsed by the Committee - includes mangoes, eggplant, the taro plant, bitter gourd and snake gourd, and prohibits the import to tackle the "significant shortcomings in the phytosanitary certification system of such products exported to the EU".

Though the prohibited commodities represent less than 5 per cent of the total fresh fruits and vegetables imported into the EU from India, the potential introduction of new pests could pose a threat to EU agriculture and production, the committee noted.

UK's Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) that is backing the ban said it was necessary due to pests which could threaten the country's 321 million pound salad crop industry of tomato and cucumber.

The UK imports nearly 16 million mangoes from India and the market for the fruit is worth nearly 6 million pounds a year.

A revision of the ban will take place before December 31, 2015.

Businesses claimed they will lose hundreds of thousands of pounds due to the ban.

Wholesalers and retailers in Indian-dominated regions of the UK have opposed the ban, which comes into effect on May 1, saying it will hit them hard.

"This is Euro-nonsense and bureaucracy gone mad. Indian mangoes have been imported to Britain for centuries. I am furious with the lack of consultation with those who will be affected by the ban," said Indian-origin MP Keith Vaz, who has written to the European Commission president after his constituents in the city of Leicester made a plea.

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European Union bans Indian Alphonso mangoes, vegetables from May 1