EU data protection overhaul – EUbusiness Week newsletter 709

Publisher’s Note

Talks between the EU institutions on new data protection rules are set to start on 24 June following a Council meeting this week. MEPs, who adopted their position in March last year, will now look to move quickly to agree a roadmap towards finalisation of the reform by the end of 2015.

Differences remain, such as on consumer rights and duties of businesses. But the fact that the EU is at last pushing ahead with data protection reform will encourage many people in the business, hoping to make better use of innovative digital services such as big data and cloud computing.
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Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

1. EU calls Greek crisis summit as talks end without deal

The EU called an emergency eurozone summit next week after Greek debt talks ended Thursday without a deal, sparking warnings of an “accident” that could push Athens out of the euro if there is no breakthrough by the end of the month.
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What happens if Greece defaults?
Key sticking points in Greece debt clash

2. Pope slams nations which ‘close the door’ to migrants

Pope Francis said those who “close the door” to refugees seeking a safe haven in Europe should ask God’s forgiveness, as tensions rose in the EU over the migrant crisis.
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EU border agency launches ‘hotspot’ to tackle migrant crisis
Europe spends EUR 11.3 bn deporting migrants since 2000

3. EU releases world tax havens blacklist

The EU published its first list of international tax havens on Wednesday as part of a crackdown on multinational companies trying to avoid paying tax in the bloc.
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4. Euro-MPs back animal cloning ban

The Euro-Parliament has backed a ban on cloning farm animals and products derived from them, citing deep public unease at the prospect they could make it onto supermarket shelves.
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5. EU takes legal action against German road toll

The Commission is taking legal action against German plans to introduce a road toll for its motorways, says Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc, amid concerns it discriminated against non-Germans.
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6. ‘Brexit could be your Waterloo!’ Le Monde warns Britain

France’s Le Monde newspaper used Thursday’s 200th anniversary of Napoleon’s defeat to issue a warning to Britain — in English — saying: “Beware, Brexit could be your Waterloo!”
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EUROPEAN LAW

ECB: the European Central Bank scored a landmark victory Tuesday when the EU’s top court ruled its scheme to buy potentially unlimited amounts of government bonds was legal.
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‘Lego man’ trademark challenge blocked by EU court
Belgian watchdog takes Facebook to court over privacy
Latest news from the European Court of Justice
EU law firms
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Inside the EU Institutions

Council Watch

Russia: Member States agreed Wednesday to extend damaging economic sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis by another six months to the end of January 2016.
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British PM faces down first Eurosceptic rebellion
EU migrant talks hit rocks amid Italy row
Poland says Europe’s peaceful period ‘now over’
Council …

Commission Watch

Cuba: the EU and Cuba have made progress on normalising strained ties but sharp differences over human rights remain a problem and require more work, EU sources said Wednesday.
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EU, Mexico agree to ‘modernise’ free trade deal
EU frowns on Hungarian border fence against migrants
Pro-Europe mayor leads Moldova capital race
Commission …

Parliament Watch

National Front: a new grouping of European far-right parties, called Europe of Nations and Freedom, is to be formed around France’s National Front, the French party leader Marine Le Pen announced in a statement on Monday.
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Greek resistance hero to step down from European Parliament
This week the EP struck an informal deal with Council and Commission to remove the technical obstacles that differing national standards and procedures place in the way of rail operators and rolling stock manufacturers; and environment MEPs called for new legislation on a circular economy, with binding waste-reduction targets, revamped ecodesign legislation and measures to break the link between growth and the use of natural resources.
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EU diary

22 Jun: Foreign Affairs Council
24 Jun: European Parliament plenary session
25 Jun: Circular economy conference
25-26 Jun: European Council
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary

RESOURCES

EU Law Firms
Summaries of EU Legislation
EU Decision-Making
Treaties of the European Union
Key EU Legal Terms

Other news on EUbusiness this week

Slovenia extends labour restrictions for Croatians 18-Jun
German tourists ‘definitely’ still welcome in Greece 18-Jun
ECB says banks soak up of EUR 74 bn in cheap loans 18-Jun
Russia to prolong embargo if EU extends sanctions 18-Jun
France to add 10,500 housing places for migrants 17-Jun
Ghost villages haunt Slovakia’s economic success 14-Jun
S&P puts negative outlook on Britain’s top AAA rating 12-Jun

EUbusiness Community

Jobs

Agriculture and Environment Manager, Fertilizers Europe
Fundraiser, Friends of the Earth Europe
EU Affairs Manager, Wellcome Trust
Advisor, Payments, European Savings & Retail Banking Group
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Press

Pope urges action on climate change: Friends of the Earth reaction
Energy Efficiency Directive: 10 Member States lag behind in providing clear audit rules
Data Protection Regulation should encapsulate SME specificities
European Parliament shows no appetite for food from cloned animals
More press …

Guides

Action Plan for Fair and Efficient Corporate Taxation
Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base relaunch
Renewable energy progress report 2015
More guides …

Events

13 Jul, Porto: Energy and Environment Research
21 Jul, Las Palmas: e-Commerce and Digital Marketing
27-29 Aug, Riga: Drug Discovery Conference
14 Oct: European Food Safety Authority Scientific Conference
More events …

Publications

Improving working conditions across Europe: EU-OSHA report
Impact of intellectual property rights intensive industries in the EU
More publications …

Links

EC website on non-cooperative tax jurisdictions

More links