Patients' health records saved in databases could boost the efficiency of health markets in the EU but pose major challenges regarding interoperability and safeguarding patient privacy. 

OECD’s Economic Outlook containing analysis and projections for all OECD countries and other major world economies will be published on Tuesday 25 November 2008. Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel, OECD’s Chief Economist, will present the Economic Outlook at a news conference at 11.00 a.m. at OECD headquarters. The news conference will also be broadcast live on OECD's website.

Iceland could well compete with Croatia to become the 28th EU member state if it decided to join the bloc, Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn told EurActiv in an exclusive interview, taking stock of negotiations with prospective members and his role in the process, the importance of the Lisbon Treaty and his personal future.

EU culture ministers yesterday (20 November) rejected French proposals to curb online piracy through compulsory measures against free downloading, instead agreeing to promote legal offers of music or films on the Internet.

There are no shortcuts to EU accession, but if Iceland decided to apply for EU membership, negotiations could be wrapped up swiftly, possibly alongside those with Croatia, the current frontrunner, Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn told EurActiv in an exclusive interview.

After early opposition, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is now said to support a planned EU-wide stimulus package totalling €130 billion to restart the flagging European economy, according to a government spokesperson.

Despite divisions among political groups, the European Parliament yesterday backed the EU's 'Blue Card' scheme aimed at attracting high-skilled immigrants to Europe.

Cultural resistance and fear of integrating a large Muslim minority are leading Brussels to consider imposing restrictions on the free movement of Turkish workers when the country eventually joins the EU, Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn told EurActiv in an exclusive interview.

As European telecoms ministers head towards a "minimalist" deal to reform EU telecoms and internet rules, Information Society Commissioner Viviane Reding threatened to withdraw her proposal and put an end to the year-long negotiations.

After marathon discussions lead by French Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier last night (19 November), the EU 27 agreed to shift money to rural development as of 2009 and progressively liberalise the EU dairy sector before milk production quotas expire in 2015.