MEPs grill would-be Commissioners – EUbusiness Week 473

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EUbusiness Week – Issue 473
15 January 2010
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week’s Top Stories
=======================
1. Spain signals ambitious presidency
2. Barnier pushes new EU finance reform agenda
3. Court of Auditors slam EU aid policy
4. EU demands patent papers in pharma probe
5. Europe’s jobless recovery laid bare
6. ECB reveals rise in fake euro seizures

Publisher’s Note
================
Euro-MPs had their chance to gauge the future quality and
direction of the European Commission this week. In US-style
confirmation hearings, they heard France’s candidate Michel
Barnier push a new regulatory reform agenda, and the Czech
Stefan Fuele back Turkey’s bid to join the EU. They were
less impressed however with Bulgaria’s Rumiana Jeleva, with
concerns over alleged financial impropriety and mafia links.

The Parliament’s role is to ensure that the Commissioners
are up to the job, independent and pro-European. While it
cannot reject any one Commissioner, MEPs can vote down the
entire team at their plenary session on 26 January.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/parliament-bulgaria.28q

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Spain signals ambitious presidency
————————————-
Spain has shown it intends to play a driving role in the EU
during its presidency — at the risk of being snubbed, as
happened this week over a bold economic proposal.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/spain-economy.28v

2. Barnier pushes new EU finance reform agenda
———————————————-
France’s Michel Barnier, nominated as Europe’s new financial
services overlord, pushed a new regulatory reform agenda on
Wednesday, all the while seeking to reassure London
financial circles.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/finance-france.28s

3. Court of Auditors slam EU aid policy
—————————————
The European Court of Auditors has criticised the way the
Commission channels aid through United Nations bodies,
challenging the method’s efficiency and its effectiveness.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/un-aid-audit.28g

4. EU demands patent papers in pharma probe
——————————————-
The EU’s competition regulator has demanded to see a
“selected number” of patent deals reached by pharmaceutical
companies as part of a probe into generic medicines.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/industry-pharma.27r

5. Europe’s jobless recovery laid bare
————————————–
The human cost behind Europe’s jobless recovery is laid bare
with data showing that one in every 10 workers across the
continent’s core euro currency area is now unemployed.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/eurozone-economy.26f

6. ECB reveals rise in fake euro seizures
—————————————–
The number of fake euro banknotes seized in the second half
of 2009 was eight per cent higher than in the first six
months, continuing a trend that began in late 2007.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/ecb-bank-money.27a

EU LAW
======
Age discrimination: maximum age limits for some professions,
such as dentistry and fire fighting, is permissible,
following a ruling from the European Court of Justice.
http://www.eubusiness.com/eulaw/maximumage.01
ECJ interprets insider dealing
http://www.eubusiness.com/eulaw/EU_insidertrading.01
Britain ‘wrong’ to stop aid to terror suspects’ wives
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/britain-attacks.29r
http://www.eubusiness.com/eulaw
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Caselex offers Supreme Court cases linked to Community law
from national and European Courts. Free 30 day license for
EUbusiness readers – thereafter at a special introductory
discount of 20 per cent
http://www.eubusiness.com/caselex-30
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Inside the EU Institutions
==========================

Euro-Parliament Watch
———————
Foreign affairs: Europe’s new foreign affairs chief won
tepid support Monday at her parliamentary confirmation
hearing after failing to impress a number of MEPs with
what they called vague answers to policy questions.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/politics-parliament.27n
Euro-MPs lash Bulgarian PM in Commissioner row
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/parliament-bulgaria.29v
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

Commission Watch
—————-
Transport: the EU’s appointee for Transport Commissioner
urged caution Thursday on the rapid introduction of body
scanners in airports, saying that tests must first be
carried out on the devices.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/attacks-aviation.299
Commissioner-to-be backs Turkish membership
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/enlarge-turkey.283
EU gives EUR 3 million in aid to quake-hit Haiti
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/haiti-quake-aid.28f
http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

Council Watch
————-
Greece: European finance ministers will seek next Tuesday
to pressure Greece to improve the reliability of its
economic statistics, after scathing criticism from Brussels.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/greece-finance.29w
Aid ministers to hold emergency talks on Haiti
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/haiti-quake-aid.29d
Ukraine must join EU in five years: Tymoshenko
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/ukraine-vote.292
Slovenia, Croatia ready to clear way for Zagreb’s EU talks
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/slovenia-croatia.28n
http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

EU diary
——–
15-17 Jan, Energy and Environment Ministers informal
18-21 Jan, EP Strasbourg plenary session
18 Jan, Foreign Affairs Council (Development)
18 Jan, Agriculture Council
19 Jan, Council of Economy and Finances (ECOFIN)
20-21 Jan, Justice and Home Affairs informal

The Week Ahead: http://www.eubusiness.com/events/EUcalendar
Long-term diary: http://www.eubusiness.com/events/eu-diary

EUbusiness Community
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Analysis
——–
Speaking on green growth, Richard Branson, chairman of
Virgin, called for high carbon taxes on energy intensive
industries (and he explicitly included aviation in this),
with the money going to clean energy investments – Stephen
Tindale, Climate Answers
http://www.eubusiness.com/Members/climateanswers/10-01-14
http://www.eubusiness.com/features

Policy Forum
————
HRTP: Training course in Japan for EU industrial managers
http://www.eubusiness.com/japan/eu-japan.02

EU 2020 strategy must not turn a blind eye to the public
sector, warn SMEs
http://www.eubusiness.com/sme/ueapme.10-01-13
More press: http://www.eubusiness.com/press

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Events
——
29 Jan, Brussels: Benefiting from EU research projects
http://www.eubusiness.com/topics/research/ecoinno2sme.10

19 Apr, London: Network Strategy Forum 2010
http://www.eubusiness.com/Members/iir/network-strategy.10
More events: http://www.eubusiness.com/events

Jobs
—-
Junior project manager, Platte Consult GmbH
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/platte.10-01-10

Legal Professional, European Telecommunications Standards
Institute
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/etsi.10-01-10
More jobs: http://www.eubusiness.com/jobs

Briefing
——–
Protection of video game users
http://www.eubusiness.com/media/video-games-protection

Language use in consumer information
http://www.eubusiness.com/consumer/information-language
More briefings: http://www.eubusiness.com/guides

Geographical Indications and Designations of Origin
http://www.eubusiness.com/topics/food/origin-protection
More briefings: http://www.eubusiness.com/guides

Links
—–
Spanish EU Presidency Work Programme
http://www.eubusiness.com/european-council/spain-presidency

Special Report No 16-2009 “The European Commission’s
management of pre-accession assistance to Turkey”
http://www.eubusiness.com/europe/turkey/eca-report-16

Special Report No 15/2009 “EU assistance implemented
through United Nations organisations: decision-making
and monitoring”
http://www.eubusiness.com/development/eu-un-assistance.10
More links: http://www.eubusiness.com/links

Other news on EUbusiness this week
———————————-
Inuit sue to overturn EU seal product ban law 14-Jan
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/greenland-canada.29x
EU to quiz France over pressure on Renault 14-Jan
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/france-auto-company.29s
EU slams Serbia over Kosovo parallel courts 14-Jan
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/kosovo-serbia.29l
European industry turns back to black 14-Jan
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/eurozone-economy.28x
France unwilling to ban bluefin tuna fishing 13-Jan
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/france-politics.28j
WTO set for June first ruling on EU Boeing complaint 12-Jan
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/wto-trade-dispute.288

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