EUbusiness Week 553 top stories: Battle begins over ‘refounding’ of Europe; EU beefs up Iran sanctions, eyes oil and finance in 2012; Boeing-Airbus battle deepens over EU reparations bid; US ‘concerned’ about EU airline carbon rules; Europe launches Chinese language tourism website; HIV spreading in Europe, but AIDS cases declining: study
This Week’s Top Stories
1. Battle begins over ‘refounding’ of Europe
2. EU beefs up Iran sanctions, eyes oil and finance in 2012
3. Boeing-Airbus battle deepens over EU reparations bid
4. US ‘concerned’ about EU airline carbon rules
5. Europe launches Chinese language tourism website
6. HIV spreading in Europe, but AIDS cases declining: study
Publisher’s Note
One of the obstacles to the growth of online business in Europe has been that consumers are often left with no effective means of redress with traders if things go wrong.
The Commission this week came to their aid with plans for EU-wide processes of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to enable consumers to solve disputes without going to court, regardless of where in the single market they bought the product or service. An online procedure is also envisaged.
The proposed directive obliges Member States to ensure disputes can be submitted to an ADR procedure, and businesses will have to inform consumers of the ADR schemes available. The hope is that this will reduce fears of fraud and encourage them to buy more across EU borders.
More …
Regards,
Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness
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1. Battle begins over ‘refounding’ of Europe
The European Union began a nine-day battle on Thursday over federal-style changes to save the eurozone, with French President Sarkozy saying Europe needs to be “refounded”.
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Corruption making euro debt crisis worse: NGO
2. EU beefs up Iran sanctions, eyes oil and finance in 2012
The EU, piling pressure on Iran after the attack on the British embassy, has beefed up sanctions over Tehran’s nuclear programme and is threatening to hit its oil and finances next.
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EU and Syria trade escalating diplomatic blows
3. Boeing-Airbus battle deepens over EU reparations bid
The EU responded Thursday to a WTO deadline to say how it is making reparations over illegal state aid to plane maker Airbus, but US and Boeing reaction indicated the long-running fight has many more rounds to come.
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4. US ‘concerned’ about EU airline carbon rules
The United States made clear at Monday’s EU-US summit that it remains “concerned” about EU plans to charge all airlines for carbon emissions when flying in and out of Europe.
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5. Europe launches Chinese language tourism website
The European Travel Commission has launched a Chinese language version of its tourism website in a bid to attract more wealthy Chinese holiday-makers to the continent.
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6. HIV spreading in Europe, but AIDS cases declining: study
HIV infections continued to rise in Europe in 2010, but thanks to treatment the number of cases of full-blown AIDS has dramatically declined in recent years, says a report.
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EUROPEAN CASE LAW
Computer programming: a computer programming language cannot be protected by copyright, the adviser to the EU’s top court said on Tuesday in an opinion that could affect the competitive IT industry.
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Vietnam cuts jail term of French-Vietnamese blogger
Latest Court of Justice judgements
EU Law Firms
EU Law …
Inside the EU Institutions
Council Watch
Euro crisis: Germany wants next week’s EU summit to agree to automatically sanction countries that violate eurozone stability rules, writes Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle.
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Serbia pressed to help stop north Kosovo border unrest
Austerity endangers Europe’s military ambitions
Council …
Commission Watch
Summit: Euro Commissioner Olli Rehn says leaders must take a leap of faith with meaningful cross-border integration at their summit next week, or see the Union break up.
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EC staff face Brussels move over Kabul works
Bosnia will seek EU candidacy in December
Commission …
Euro-Parliament Watch
Treaty change: the Parliament has told Germany and France, who want to change the EU’s treaty in response to the debt crisis, that MEPs will demand a six-month no-holds-barred public consultation.
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Parliament gave its consent to Croatia’s EU membership on Thursday, but called on Zagreb to address challenges on judicial reform, corruption and organised crime. Croatia could become the EU’s 28th Member State on 1 July 2013.
Parliament …
EU diary
1-2 Dec, Employment, Social, Health, Consumer Council
5-6 Dec, Competitiveness Council
6 Dec, General Affairs Council
9 Dec, European Council
12-15 Dec, European Parliament plenary session
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
Three-quarters of Poles oppose joining eurozone 1-Dec
Vietnam losing attraction: European business group 1-Dec
EU to lose if free trade talks with Gulf states fail 30-Nov
Eurozone inflation stuck at official 3.0% in Nov 30-Nov
Eurozone unemployment hits record 10.3% in October 30-Nov
Could Euro contagion doom Obama in 2012? 30-Nov
