A common European data space – EUbusiness Week newsletter 826 – EUbusiness.com

EUbusiness Week 826 top stories: Talks launched for ‘ambitious’ EU-Australia trade deal; Brussels activates retaliatory duties on US imports; EU confirms deal on energy savings and governance; MEPs’ copyright reform proposals cause Internet concern; Talks set to start on pan-European pension; Luxembourg told to recover EUR 120m Engie state aid

Publisher’s Note

Following up on the excitement over GDPR, EU negotiators provisionally agreed this week the second half of the data equation, rules for the free flow of non-personal data. This is important because it will break down localisation barriers blocking the free flow of data – thus helping businesses make full use of cloud services, choose the most cost-effective locations for IT resources and switch between service providers. It is important because it will create ‘a European data space for all types of data’, and boost the economy by an estimated growth of up to 4% GDP by 2020.
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Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Talks launched for ‘ambitious’ EU-Australia trade deal

EU Trade Cecilia Malmstroem met with Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull Monday to officially launch negotiations for a comprehensive trade agreement between the EU and Australia.
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EU launches trade talks with New Zealand

2. Brussels activates retaliatory duties on US imports

The EU’s ‘rebalancing measures’ in response to US tariffs on steel and aluminium came into effect Friday, targeting steel products, agricultural goods and other products worth some EUR 2.8 billion.
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3. EU confirms deal on energy savings and governance

EU decision-makers have reached agreement on a 32.5 per cent target for energy savings by 2030, as well as a new instrument to help Member States deliver on Europe’s energy and climate goals.
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4. MEPs’ copyright reform proposals cause Internet concern

Plans to update EU copyright rules, including measures to monitor and filter virtually all uploads to the Internet, backed by MEPs Wednesday, have been termed a ‘vote for mass internet censorship’.
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5. Talks set to start on pan-European pension

EU states have asked the presidency to start negotiations with the Parliament on a proposal for a pan-European pension product that would make it easier for people to put money aside for their old age.
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6. Luxembourg told to recover EUR 120m Engie state aid

Luxembourg allowed two Engie group companies to avoid paying taxes on almost all their profits for about a decade, without any valid justification, the Commission finds.
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EUROPEAN LAW

Malta birds: Malta has failed to fulfil its obligations under EU law in its adoption of a derogation regime to allow the trapping of seven species of wild birds, the European Court of Justice ruled on Thursday.
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Le Pen must repay EUR 300,000: EU Court
Latest news from the European Court of Justice
EU law firms
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Inside the EU Institutions

Council Watch

Coordination of social security systems – Leave and flexible work for parents and carers – Transparent and predictable working conditions – Partnership Council meeting between EU and Armenia – Easier access to professions – Posting of workers – mutual recognition of freezing and confiscation orders – new rules for Eurojust – easier access to online information and procedures – illegal competition practices in the internal market – pan-European pensions – amendment of visa code – South Pacific regional fisheries
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Commission Watch

Antitrust: Qatar Petroleum investigation – World Atlas of Desertification – humanitarian aid to Uganda and Kenya, Sudan and South Sudan – EU-New Zealand trade talks – free flow of non-personal data – Energy Union – illegal Luxembourg tax benefits to Engie – US steel and aluminium tariffs – EU Syria Trust Fund – DIGITAL4HER conference – Article 50 negotiations – EU-Morocco partnership – Facility for Refugees in Turkey – Cohesion Policy beyond 2020 – EU-Australia trade talks – Artificial Intelligence impact
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Parliament Watch

Further measures to curb use of antimicrobials – Future ACP-EU partnership: MEPs agree on concrete objectives – Copyright: MEPs update rules for the digital age – Energy Union: deals on efficiency targets and governance – Asylum: deal to update EU fingerprinting database – EU job-search aid worth EUR 9.9m for 1,858 former Air France workers
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EU diary

25 Jun: Foreign Affairs Council
25 Jun: European Parliament Committee Meetings
25 Jun: Environment Council
26 Jun: European Week of bees and pollinators 2018 symposium
26 Jun: Workshop on Solvency II public disclosure
26 Jun: Webit.Festival Europe
28 Jun: Workshop on sailplane licensing requirements
28 Jun: European Parliament Committee Meetings
28-29 Jun: European Council
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary