Workers deal a turning point – EUbusiness Week newsletter 823 – EUbusiness.com

EUbusiness Week 823 top stories: ‘Bad day for trade’ as US slaps tariffs on EU steel; Straws targeted in EU single-use plastics ban; New social fund, double Erasmus funding in new EU Budget; EU pharma waiver to boost generic drugs exports; Commission tables update to rules on excise duties; Brussels proposes tighter enforcement of fisheries policy

Publisher’s Note

When Brexit campaigners played the racism card in 2016, their main complaiint was that foreign employers could bring in foreign workers and pay them the lower rates of their native country, and undercut wages of the local workforce. On Tuesday MEPs voted in new rules to ensure equal pay and working conditions for posted workers – “a crucial step in addressing the legitimate concerns that many have, by ensuring that equal pay for equal work in the same workplace is guaranteed in law for the first time, as MEP Jude Kirton-Darling put it. This removes maybe the main genuine argument for Brexit, and could prove a turning point in the debate.
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Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. ‘Bad day for trade’ as US slaps tariffs on EU steel

The United States announced Thursday that it will impose additional duties of 25 and 10 per cent respectively on imports of steel and aluminium from the EU, starting 1 June.
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2. Straws targeted in EU single-use plastics ban

Plans to tackle marine litter, outlined on Monday, would ban ten single-use plastic products most often found on Europe’s beaches and seas, also lost and abandoned fishing gear.
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3. New social fund, double Erasmus funding in new EU Budget

For the next long-term EU budget, the Commission proposes to reinforce and better target several existing Funds including a new European Social Fund and double funding for Erasmus to EUR 30 billion.
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4. EU pharma waiver to boost generic drugs exports

The Commission is proposing to adjust intellectual property rules to help Europe’s pharmaceutical companies tap into fast-growing global markets and foster jobs, growth and investments in the EU.
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5. Commission tables update to rules on excise duties

An update of rules governing excise duty on alcohol within the EU would reduce costs for small alcohol-producing businesses and better protect consumer health.
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6. Brussels proposes tighter enforcement of fisheries policy

The Commission proposed Wednesday a number of improvements intended to modernise and simplify the way in which fishing rules are monitored and complied with in the EU.
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EUROPEAN LAW

Ritual slaughter: the EU Court of Justice confirmed Tuesday that ritual slaughter without stunning may take place only in an approved slaughterhouse, in a case referred by Belgium’s Flemish region.
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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

Ukraine further EUR 1bn in loans – Venezuela conclusions – Mutual recognition of goods – Land Salzburg: Austria fined for misreporting government debt data – Human rights and democracy in the world: EU annual report 2017 – Strengthening civilian CSDP – Deepening EU security cooperation with Asian partners – EU extends Syria sanctions by one year – Public access to Council documents 2017 report
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Commission Watch

US steel restrictions – EUR 40m aid for Bangladesh and Myanmar – Modernisation of civil judicial cooperation – EU Budget: strengthening Economic and Monetary Union, Reform Support Programme and European Investment Stabilisation Function, fight against fraud, cultural and creative sectors, double funding for Erasmus, new Social Fund, Regional Development and Cohesion Policy – financial aid for Greece, Poland, Lithuania and Bulgaria following natural disasters – Mergers: EC conditional approval of Liberty Global acquisition of Dutch cable TV operator Ziggo – Common Fisheries Policy – EU Trust Fund for Africa – EU Justice Scoreboard – Water reuse for agricultural irrigation – Single-use plastics – Pharmaceuticals intellectual property
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Parliament Watch

Car clocking: MEPs call for new legislation to combat odometer fraud – Nicaragua: MEPs condemn brutal repression – Facebook/Cambridge Analytica: MEPs pursue personal data breaches probe – Libya: EU efforts should focus on protecting migrants – Colombia: Santos thanks EU for support to peace process – Future of EU farming – Schengen area at a crossroads – EU budget: Parliament challenges Commission over cuts – Tougher defence tools against unfair imports to protect EU jobs and industry – EYE kicks off Friday – RescEU: MEPs vote to upgrade EU civil protection capacity – Human rights: breaches in Iran, Saudi Arabia and Sudan – MEPs call for end to precarious employment practices
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EU diary

4 Jun: Preparing supervisory reporting for the digital age
4-5 Jun: 13th European Nuclear Energy Forum
4 Jun: European Parliament Committee Meetings
4-5 Jun: Justice and Home Affairs Council
5-6 Jun: European Development Days (EDD2018)
5-7 Jun: EU Sustainable Energy Week 2018 policy conference
7-8 Jun: Transport, Telecommunications & Energy Council
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary