EUbusiness Week 522 top stories: West tightens screws as Kadhafi forces claim success; Euro-MPs back tax on financial transactions in vote; EU pulls up shy of bold climate emissions targets; Hungary’s amended media law ‘still a threat’; EU spotlights Baltic rail-freight firms in anti-trust probe; Dutch lead EU in rate of part-time women workers
This Week’s Top Stories
1. West tightens screws as Kadhafi forces claim success
2. Euro-MPs back tax on financial transactions in vote
3. EU pulls up shy of bold climate emissions targets
4. Hungary’s amended media law ‘still a threat’
5. EU spotlights Baltic rail-freight firms in anti-trust probe
6. Dutch lead EU in rate of part-time women workers
Publisher’s Note
International Women’s Day on Tuesday was an opportunity for the EU to showcase initiatives on equality such as the Women’s Charter and the Strategy for Equality between Women and Men, a gender equality plan to guide EU actions for 2010-2015.
Having more women in boardrooms makes good economic sense, says Commissioner Viviane Reding, leading to better economic productivity. She says the global financial crisis would not have happened with “Lehman Sisters”.
According to the EU’s 2010 report on equality between women and men, women continue to earn 17.5% less on average than men. But gender equality is not just about social justice. It is, says Mrs Reding, our social and economic responsibility.
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Regards,
Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness
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1. West tightens screws as Kadhafi forces claim success
Western powers tightened the screws on Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi on Thursday, reaching out to his opponents and deploying more warships as his forces claimed to have reversed the rebel tide.
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Euro-MPs urge EU to recognise Libya opposition
2. Euro-MPs back tax on financial transactions in vote
The European Parliament has backed the introduction of a tax on financial transactions they say could raise 200 billion euros per year to finance EU projects.
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EU promises fundamental reforms of ratings agencies
3. EU pulls up shy of bold climate emissions targets
The Commission on Tuesday set out recommendations for EU states to radically slash CO2 emissions by 2050, but avoided upsetting governments or industry with precise targets.
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4. Hungary’s amended media law ‘still a threat’
Press watchdogs voiced concern over Hungary’s media law Wednesday, depicting it as a “threat” to media freedom, even after Budapest amended the law in line with EU demands.
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5. EU spotlights Baltic rail-freight firms in anti-trust probe
The Commission has announced it is probing rail-freight companies in the Baltic states suspected of violating competition law.
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6. Dutch lead EU in rate of part-time women workers
The Netherlands has the European Union’s highest rate of women working part-time, says the Dutch statistics agency CBS.
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EUROPEAN CASE LAW
Single patent: a decades-long battle to allow companies to register patents just once across the single European market suffered a major setback with a damaging EU court judgement.
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Latest Court of Justice judgements
Official Journal latest issues
EU Law …
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Inside the EU Institutions
Council Watch
Kosovo: Serbia and Kosovo on Thursday reacted positively to their first direct talks since Pristina declared independence three years ago, fuelling hopes of a future breakthrough.
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Skopje ready to resolve name row with Greece: minister
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Commission Watch
Mediterranean: the Commission on Tuesday unveiled new policy guidelines towards Arab neighbours on its southern flank aimed at avoiding errors of the past by linking aid to political and economic reform.
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Maltese Commissioner apologises for pro-Kadhafi speech
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Euro-Parliament Watch
Turkey: MEPs criticised Wednesday Turkey’s “slow progress” in making reforms needed to pursue its bid to join the European Union, saying it was not “a true pluralist democracy”.
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Euro-MPs still dissatisfied with Hungary’s media law
Also in plenary this week, Parliament voted to restrict its own budget for 2012, given the economic, financial and social constraints on Member States.
Parliament …
EU diary
10-11 Mar, Competitiveness Council
11-12 Mar, Foreign Affairs Council – informal meeting
11 Mar, Extraordinary meeting of the European Council
11 Mar, Informal meeting of eurozone Heads of State
14 Mar, Environment 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
Danish activists protest for EU emission cuts push 10-Mar
Spanish banks have EUR 15bn shortfall: central bank 10-Mar
No quick solutions to eurozone problems: economist 10-Mar
Finland not authorised to back more EU loans 10-Mar
EU, Iceland hold talks in bid to end ‘mackerel war’ 9-Mar
Ryanair calls for EU to ban air traffic control strikes 8-Mar
