A light news day with heavy stories. A Europe-wide organ shortage for transplant patients could be relieved by better coordination of transplants in European hospitals. MEPs are looking into the matter. Financial supervision is in the spotlight once again

The News: Fixing the EU's organ shortage - Financial Supervision without power

Hundreds of Europeans die each year   due to the shortage of organs.

Attention has turned to financial   supervision bodies that will be set up.

which include combating climate change   and human rights in Russia.

waiting to receive a heart,   a liver, or a lung

die each year   due to a shortage of organs,

as there is a lack of   cooperation between Member States.

Until now no common legislation   deals with the security and quality

working with the organisations dealing   with national transplants

and a hospital coordinator in each state.

So the least time is lost between the   need for an organ, and it being ready.

The EU is planning to set up a   national authority in each Member State,

which will see to it that future common   quality and security norms are respected.

A system of organ traceability   will also be put in place,

aiming to guarantee   the health of organ receivers.

Some continue to   wait in the absence of donors.

Changing the law,   could improve the situation.

In certain countries, such as my own   you are an organ donor

unless you say the contrary to the notary,

you must say you want to be   a donor whilst still alive.

Being a donor by default   is a good way to increase

The next step will be a committee vote   followed by a plenary vote in April.

Yes to a financial supervisory body,   but its decisions cannot be obligatory.

That was compromise agreed upon by   EU leaders in December.

Otherwise this would have required   changes to the Treaties,

If this is to work governments must   strengthen coordination and cooperation.

No binding decisions means   we need other tools.

Banks, insurance and securities sectors   will each have a watchdog

to set common rules and flag up   problems at an early stage.

But EU leaders have a veto on all   the watchdogs' decisions.

There will be a fight between   European demands

because it involves   the last big competence

that remains at national level   in national central banks.

It’s important to get the new rules right   in order to climb out of recession.

Businesses are still fragile,   and unemployment is on the rise.

If we don't stimulate industry growth   we won't create new jobs

or provide social security   for Europeans,

MEPs want more say in how the bodies   work, but the EU can’t afford delay

the world emerging from the crisis   may be different.

Shanghai will be the world's financial   centre replacing London and New York.

MEPs vote on the plan, probably in June,   with the new bodies in place by 2012.

EP President Jerzy Buzek   denounced the “brutal treatment”

of Russian human rights activists   in Moscow.

About 100 activists were recently   arrested during a peaceful demonstration.

One of the detainees was Oleg Orlov,   head of Memorial,

2009 winner of the parliament’s Sakharov   Prize for freedom of thought.

Mr Orlov and the other activists   have now been released.

Last month, similar misfortune befell   another 2009 Sakharov prize winner.

Could do better - that was the opinion   of the EP’s environment committee on

the proposals to reduce greenhouse gas   by developed countries.

31 January was the deadline to submit   definitive offers to the UN.

in comparison to 1990 levels under   certain conditions.

On the other side of the Atlantic, the US   is offering a 3% cut based on 1990 levels.

Overall Europeans are pretty happy   with their lot.

But satisfaction falls when questioned on   the management of public administrations

or how their countries   tackle poverty and inequalities.

These are the results from the new   Eurobarometer survey.

A Commission report   on Europe’s social situation

says that EU citizens spend more of their   income on housing than 10 years ago.

Housing now eats up   a fifth of disposable income.