Industrial renaissance needed – EUbusiness Week newsletter 645

Publisher’s Note

Key challenges and opportunities for European manufacturers were this week set out in a Communication prepared by the Commission for the European Council in March.

An “Industrial Renaissance” would have Member States adopt measures on energy, transport, and digital communications networks, while investment in innovation, skills and access to finance would be accelerated through dedicated EU funds.

Good intentions, though whether re-industrialisation adds up to competitiveness is doubtful. But recovery in the eurozone is stuttering, and business will welcome concrete measure to speed up growth.
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Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

1. Ukraine seeks way out of deadly crisis

Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych met with the opposition Thursday for crunch talks in search of a way out of a crisis that has turned parts of Kiev into a battle zone, as pressure builds on him from the EU.
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Ashton to meet Yanukovych, opposition in Kiev next week

2. Europe’s 2030 climate plan draws mixed response

Environment watchdogs rejected Europe’s 2030 greenhouse gas-curbing plan as inadequate Wednesday but the UN climate chief hailed it as a “positive” step towards a new international pact against global warming.
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EU issues framework for shale gas exploitation

3. EU consults on US trade pact investment protection terms

The Commission is to seek public comment on controversial investment protection provisions being negotiated as part of a massive EU-US free trade deal.
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4. EU takes Germany to task over auto air conditioning

The Commission has formally taken Germany to task for breaching rules on the environment in a row over car maker Daimler’s air conditioning coolant.
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5. Fewer financial institutions in euro area in 2013: ECB

The number of banks and financial institutions in the euro area continued to decline in 2013, falling by 3.8 per cent from the figure in 2012, the European Central Bank said on Tuesday.
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6. Riga launches stint as European cultural capital

Latvians marked the start of Riga’s tenure as one of two European capitals of culture with an emotional ceremony recalling the Baltic states’ 1989 fight for independence from the Soviet Union.
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EUROPEAN LAW

Short-selling: the European Court of Justice on Wednesday rejected a British suit that the EU securities authority does not have the right to ban short-selling, a practice widely blamed for stoking financial market volatility.
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Slovenia accuses Croatia of breaching 2013 bank deal
Latest Court of Justice judgements
EU Law Firms
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Inside the EU Institutions

Council Watch

Iran: the EU suspended a range of sanctions against Iran after Tehran began implementing a deal to curb its nuclear programme.
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EU finds fault with Kiev, but association accord still open
Russia will not intervene in Ukraine protests: Putin spokesman
EU warns Israel, Palestinians of ‘price to pay’ if talks fail
EU signs up for military mission in Central Africa
Council …

Commission Watch

Serbia: Serbia officially set off on a long march to be the Union’s 29th member, starting long and possibly fraught talks Tuesday to bring its laws into line with European standards.
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Turkey PM tells EU he won’t budge on controversial reform
European Liberals to back Verhofstadt as Commission head
EU to help resolve Panama Canal dispute
Commission …

Parliament Watch

Five Star: the leader of Italy’s anti-establishment party which shook up politics last year insists he is not anti-European and that his Five Star movement would win seats in European Parliament elections in May.
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Parliament approves Germany’s Lautenschlaeger for ECB seat
This week MEPs and national parliament colleagues met at the beginning of the annual EU national fiscal policy coordination cycle; while an EP hearing voiced deep concern over the pressure on civil society organisations and LGBT rights in Russia just two weeks before the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
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EU diary

24 Jan, Water innovation – EUR 50m to support innovative solutions in water-related challenges
28 Jan, Economic and Financial Affairs Council
28 Jan, EU-Russia Summit
3-6 Feb, European Parliament Plenary Session
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary

Other news on EUbusiness this week

Incoming Czech finance minister says euro ‘no problem’ 23-Jan
Eurozone activity hits high as recovery speeds up 23-Jan
Eurozone gov’t debt off highs, still far above limit: 22-Jan
US free trade talks spark food safety fears in Europe 22-Jan
Britain claims flag victory in Brussels fight 21-Jan
Debate rages over whether deflation ‘ogre’ is real 19-Jan

EUbusiness Community

Press

Ireland leads the way in Europe in tackling the tobacco epidemic
EU energy targets slammed – Friends of the Earth
Europe opens doors to dangerous fracking – FoEE
MiFID: IMD 2 best place to regulate insurance investment products
More press …

Jobs

Policy Officer, Carbon Market Watch
Director, Prudential Regulation Division, Association for Financial Markets in Europe
Public Affairs Manager/Officer, European Competitive Telecommunications Association
More jobs …

Guides

2030 framework on climate and energy
Minimum principles for shale gas – Recommendation
Consultation on provisions in EU-US trade deal on investment and investor-state dispute settlement
EU action plan to support development of blue energy
More guides …

Events

11 Feb, Brussels: Press Conference European 112 Day
19 Mar, Oil & Gas Telecommunications
27 Feb, Warsaw: Fourth Annual Smart Grids Smart Cities Forum
21 May, Crete: Seventh Planta Europa Conference
More events …

Publications

SMEs, resource efficiency and green markets
European Union & Public Affairs Directory 2014
More publications …

Links

Mission Growth: Europe at the Lead of the New Industrial Revolution

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)

Joint Customs Operations (JCO)

More links