Legal action to support single market – EUbusiness Week newsletter 841 – EUbusiness.com

EUbusiness Week 841 top stories: Brussels adopts negotiating mandates for US trade deal; EU-Japan data sharing agreement comes into effect; No backstop, no consent to UK Withdrawal Agreement: MEPs; EU fines Mastercard EUR 570m for breaking antitrust rules; EU highlights investors’ residence scheme risks; Erasmus+ pivotal role in building a more inclusive Europe

Publisher’s Note

Notices to Cyprus and Portugal over access to activities of engineers and architects; Croatia over restrictions for lawyers; France, Poland and Ireland regarding restrictions on advertising in the services sector: these are some of the infringements decisions in the Commission’s January package.

Effective enforcement of EU rules allows professionals and businesses to provide their services around Europe. And eliminating current obstacles boosts the single market for services to allow it to approach full economic potential. More is needed though, says Commissioner Bienkowska, and states must step up efforts “to adopt legislative proposals tabled by the Commission as part of its Services Package”.
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Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Brussels adopts negotiating mandates for US trade deal

The Commission has adopted negotiating directives for the trade talks with the United States: one on conformity assessment, and one on the elimination of tariffs for industrial goods.
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2. EU-Japan data sharing agreement comes into effect

The adequacy decision adopted Wednesday by the Commission allows personal data to flow freely between the EU and Japan on the basis of strong protection guarantees.
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3. No backstop, no consent to UK Withdrawal Agreement: MEPs

MEPs made clear Thursday that Parliament will not give its consent to a UK Withdrawal Agreement which does not include the backstop-insurance against a hard border in Ireland.
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4. EU fines Mastercard EUR 570m for breaking antitrust rules

The EU fined Mastercard EUR 570 million Tuesday for breaching EU antitrust rules, by preventing merchants finding better conditions with by banks established elsewhere in the Single Market.
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5. EU highlights investors’ residence scheme risks

Investor citizenship and residence schemes operated by some European states imply a number of risks for the EU, including money laundering, tax evasion and corruption, says an EU report.
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6. Erasmus+ pivotal role in building a more inclusive Europe

More people than ever before are taking part in the Erasmus+ student exchange programme, the number of projects supported continues to grow, and the programme is becoming more inclusive, says a report.
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EUROPEAN LAW

Good Friday: Austria’s granting of a paid public holiday on Good Friday only to employees who are members of certain churches constitutes religious discrimination prohibited under EU law, the EU’s top Court ruled Thursday.
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Latest news from the European Court of Justice
EU law firms
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Inside the EU Institutions

Council Watch

Better work-life balance for EU citizens – EU-League of Arab States relations – Wider reuse of public-sector data – African Union ministerial meeting – EU-ASEAN ministerial meeting – Syria sanctions list – Chemical weapons sanctions – Nicaragua conclusions – electricity market design
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Council …

Commission Watch

State aid 2018 Scoreboard – skimmed milk powder public stocks sold – Erasmus+ report – EU-Ethiopia cooperation – January infringements package: ECB documents, VAT, property registration tax, asylum, energy efficiency in buildings, family benefits – impact of ‘no-deal’ Brexit on EU fisheries – energy infrastructure – Mastercard fine – new rules for sharing of public sector data – Antisemitism in Europe – digital prescriptions
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Parliament Watch

Measures to reconcile career and private life – Welfare of transported animals – EU-Singapore free trade deal – Consumers’ rights against defective digital content – 2021-2027 EU Budget – Romanian Presidency priorities – plans to promote water reuse for agricultural irrigation – Consumer protection against misleading and unfair practices – Hostile propaganda: EU must develop a firm response
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EU diary

28-30 Jan: HepHIV2019 conference
28 Jan: Agriculture and Fisheries Council
28-29 Jan: European Parliament Committee Meetings
29 Jan: Civil protection work programme information day
29 Jan: Conference on countering online disinformation
30-31 Jan: European Parliament plenary session
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary