EUbusiness Week 516 top stories: Europe’s elite ride to euro’s defence; EU extends hacker-induced emissions trading halt; Airbus expects $45bn from US in WTO subsidies row; Eurozone periphery diverges ever more in growth indicator; EU delays report into rising food price speculation; EU ready to aid pork farmers after prices tumble
This Week’s Top Stories
1. Europe’s elite ride to euro’s defence
2. EU extends hacker-induced emissions trading halt
3. Airbus expects $45bn from US in WTO subsidies row
4. Eurozone periphery diverges ever more in growth indicator
5. EU delays report into rising food price speculation
6. EU ready to aid pork farmers after prices tumble
Publisher’s Note
The European Commission this week launched a public debate on reform of EU public procurement rules in the light of Europe’s economic difficulties and tighter public budgets.
The aim is to make life easier for both public authorities and for companies bidding for contracts in Europe. Issues include access of smaller companies to procurement markets, reducing red tape and promoting European cross-border procurement.
Public procurement accounts for roughly 17 per cent of the EU’s GDP, and EU rules for awarding contracts need to be more transparent and competitive. They also have a key role to play in encouraging job creation and economic growth.
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Regards,
Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness
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1. Europe’s elite ride to euro’s defence
European leaders in Davos have rushed to defend the euro, with France’s Nicolas Sarkozy declaring he would never let it fail and Europe’s top central banker denying there was a crisis.
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EFSF takes key step towards eurozone bonds
2. EU extends hacker-induced emissions trading halt
The EU extended a freeze on trading in carbon credits ordered after hackers broke into national trading registries and stole and then sold millions of euros worth of polluting rights.
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3. Airbus expects $45bn from US in WTO subsidies row
Airbus expects the final WTO ruling on an EU complaint against Washington over subsidies paid to US rival Boeing to award Europe $45 billion in compensation.
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4. Eurozone periphery diverges ever more in growth indicator
Eurozone business activity in debt-pressured peripheral states again lagged markedly in January, according to analysis of a closely-watched survey into manufacturing and services trends.
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5. EU delays report into rising food price speculation
The Commission has postponed the release of a report into commodities speculation that was heavily criticised by France, citing an absence of evidence.
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6. EU ready to aid pork farmers after prices tumble
Agriculture Commissioner Bacian Ciolos says Brussels is ready to step in to aid pork farmers hit by a slump in prices sparked by a German contamination scare.
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EUROPEAN CASE LAW
Contact lenses: banning the sale of contact lenses on the Internet on the grounds of consumer health is disproportionate to consumer health requirements, the ECJ has ruled.
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EU justice delays decision on Kosovo organ trade case
Court refuses trademark for chocolate rabbits
Latest Court of Justice judgements
EU Law …
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Inside the EU Institutions
Council Watch
Presidency: Hungary has promised to issue a prompt response to the EU’s questions about its much-criticised media law, saying it was confident the legislation was in line with EU rules.
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Russia crash row tests Poland ahead of EU helm
Kosovo PM faces new claim after trafficking report
EU set to sanction 160 Lukashenko associates
Council …
Commission Watch
Uzbek: Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov headed into a storm over his human rights record Monday as the EU and NATO offered the controversial leader his first official visit to Brussels.
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Europe wrong-footed on China rare earths response
EU calls on Egypt to respect right to protest
Commission …
Euro-Parliament Watch
Croatia: Croatia could become a full-fledged EU member in January 2013 at the earliest according to Parliament’s rapporteur for the country, reports a local daily.
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MEPs seek to extend Iran sanctions
Cuban dissident Farinas released after detention
Buzek urges inquiry into murder of Ugandan gay activist
This week, the EU-South Korea free trade accord moved a step closer when the Trade Committee backed a compromise on safeguard measures to protect European industry if threatened by a surge in South Korean imports; and the Legal Affairs Committee approved plans to use the enhanced co-operation procedure to create a unitary patent system in the EU.
Parliament …
EU diary
31 Jan, Foreign Affairs Council
31 Jan, General Affairs Council
4 Feb, European Council
7-8 Feb, Informal Meeting of Transport Ministers
14-17 Feb, European Parliament Plenary Session
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary
RESOURCES
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Summaries of EU Legislation
EU Decision-Making
Treaties of the European Union
Key EU Legal Terms
Other news on EUbusiness this week
EU drags Greece to court over filthy lake 27-Jan
UK faces EU court action over ship pay discrimination 27-Jan
EU takes aim at Sweden’s wolf hunt 27-Jan
Finnish power firms divest to comply with EU rules 26-Jan
EU bans mega Greek airline merger 26-Jan
McDonald’s probed in Estonia euro-switch 25-Jan
