EUbusiness Week 650 top stories: EU upgrades growth forecasts but says reforms essential; Brazil’s president supports German Internet security plan; European rail workers protest liberalisation plan; Sweden slams EU for delay on hormone disrupting chemicals; Commissioner warns of misleading app developers; Bank card fraud rose in Europe in 2012: ECB
Publisher’s Note
As football fans look forward to this summer’s World Cup in Brazil, the country’s president Dilma Rousseff came to Brussels this week for a summit which re-affirmed the EU’s privileged relationship with a major economic partner.
Discussion focused on boosting economic growth, and on cyber-security. It was also important that both parties confirmed their commitment to an ambitious trade deal between the EU and Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela).
EU-Mercosur talks have stuttered for years. Success would help Europe in its efforts to export its way back towards growth, and open up new markets for Mercosur’s farmers.
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Regards,
Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness
1. EU upgrades growth forecasts but says reforms essential
Struggling out of the debt crisis, the EU on Tuesday felt confident enough to upgrade its economic forecasts, betting a modest recovery is sustainable if Member States stick to reforms.
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Germany has ‘unfair’ edge with low salaries: minister
2. Brazil’s president supports German Internet security plan
The Brazilian President has welcomed a German government proposal to create a European communications network to rival that of the US National Security Agency.
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3. European rail workers protest liberalisation plan
Thousands of rail workers from across Europe staged a demonstration in front of the European Parliament Tuesday to protest the plan to scrap national rail monopolies in the EU in five years’ time.
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4. Sweden slams EU for delay on hormone disrupting chemicals
Sweden has threatened to sue the Commission over a delay in identifying harmful chemicals in everyday products. The EC was supposed to set criteria by December 2013 for identifying endocrine disrupting chemicals in thousands of anti-bacterial products linked to cancers in children.
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5. Commissioner warns of misleading app developers
Just two weeks after suggesting the EU is on the cusp of a digitally-led economic bonanza, Justice Commissioner Reding has warned that web developers may be misleading consumers.
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6. Bank card fraud rose in Europe in 2012: ECB
Bank card fraud rose for the first time in four years in 2012, largely due to Internet fraud, data compiled by the European Central Bank showed on Tuesday.
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EUROPEAN LAW
Germany: Germany’s top court has struck down a three per cent electoral threshold for political parties to win European Parliament seats, in a move welcomed by fringe groups including a far-right party.
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Latest Court of Justice judgements
EU Law Firms
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Inside the EU Institutions
Council Watch
Ukraine: while saying it “hears” Ukraine’s dream of joining the EU, the bloc failed Monday to hold out the prospect of entry in spite of the regime change that began with pro-EU protests.
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Merkel urges Britain to stay in EU but cool on reform
Thousands protest in Iceland over EU membership bid exit
Council …
Commission Watch
Budget: former Italian prime minister Mario Monti has been handed the thorny task of finding new sources of funding for the EU budget, European authorities announced on Tuesday.
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Merkel’s conservatives back Juncker for Commission chief
Commission …
Parliament Watch
Switzerland: a Parliament debate on Switzerland’s decision to curb immigration erupted into a barrage of bitter exchanges and insults between right and left-wing MEPs.
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Austrian Haider’s daughter to run in EP elections
In plenary this week, MEPs agreed rules to make tobacco products less attractive to young people; urged the EU to help Ukraine with financial aid while enforcing targeted sanctions against those responsible for violence; and questioned Commission and Council on Member States’ implementation of the youth guarantee scheme.
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EU diary
3 Mar, Environment Council
4 Mar, Transport, Telecommunications & Energy Council
6 Mar, Justice and Home Affairs Council
7 Mar, Economic and Financial Affairs Council
10-12 Mar, 9th European Annual Symposium – EU Funds 2014
10-13 Mar, 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
Net migration to Britain soars, fuelled by EU arrivals 27-Feb
China bans Polish pork amid African swine fever scare 27-Feb
Greek bank tests to be announced next week 27-Feb
Faroe Islands steps up EU fish fight with WTO panel 26-Feb
Western Balkans gearing up for Horizon 2020 26-Feb
Eurozone inflation stable at 0.8% in January: Eurostat 24-Feb
Greek banks need EUR 5 bn cash injection: reports 23-Feb
