Europactolus 1998. Directory of Programmes financed by the European Union

New reference titles from Lobby Sources Europe:
In European Access, No.3, June 1998, p25 we reviewed two titles from Lobby Sources Europe called 'Eurosources 1998' and 'Commi-Contact'. In this issue we review two further titles from the same publisher:

Europactolus 1998. Directory of Programmes financed by the European Union, 3rd ed.:
It has frequently been noted how inaccessible the EU budget is to analysis as published in the Official Journal. With no detailed contents section nor index it is virtually impossible to find out efficiently what budget lines exist which can offer outside organisations and agencies financial assistance.

It is to assist in this process that 'Europactolus' has been created by Lobby Sources Europe. It lists in a systematic way sources of finance from the Community budget. In separate chapters the following areas are covered: The Structural Funds; Other Community Funds: The EIB - Cohesion Fund - European Investment Fund - Humanitarian aid funds; Community research; Education, training, culture and media; Energy, coal-steel, environment; Social matters; Fisheries and agriculture; Initiatives in favour of SMEs; Developing countries; Central and eastern European countries, including PHARE; New Independent States, including TACIS; Japan; Miscellaneous. There is also a chapter on programmes that are currently in the process of adoption. At the beginning of the volume there is an alphabetical index to programmes and terms listed.

For each programme and initiative there is a brief description of the legal basis, objectives and procedures, contact addresses for further information and an Internet url (address), if available. 'Europactolus' is a useful title to obtain for those providing European information services, particularly as EU sources providing information on grants and loans are often not kept completely up-to-date.

Europactolus 1998. Directory of Programmes financed by the European Union, 3rd ed.
Lobby Sources Europe, 1998
Price: 6,600 BFr (Belgium) / 6,900 BFr (other EU countries)/ 7,200 BFr (other countries)

Acronymex 1998. How to decipher Community jargon:
The growth of the use of acronyms, abbreviations and other short-hand phrases in the 'language' of the European Union has been noted by many observers. The phenomenon is understandable in a multilingual community as a way of facilitating practical day-to-day communication. However, the multiplicity of the number of acronyms used can be daunting to those trying to follow EU developments. Hence, the creation over the past few years of a number of printed and Internet guides to acronyms. The latest is 'Acronymex 1998', a printed volume in both French and English of many of the commonly used acronyms in use today in the EU.

Acronyms listed include 1) those used for Community actions and programmes (such as ECVP: European Community Visitors Programme and NFS 1: Nuclear Fission Safety); 2) organisations and entities within the EU Institutions (such as ENVI: EP Committee on Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection and ECB: European Central Bank); 3) and non-EU organisations operating at an EU level such as trade and professional organisations (such as ANGO: Association for the Oilseeds, Animal and Vegetable Oils and Fats and Derivatives Trade in the EEC).