Infringements day at the EC – EUbusiness Week newsletter 694

Publisher’s Note

The Commission has announced this month’s infringements proceedings, with legal actions against eight Member States for failing to comply with their obligations under EU law.

Referrals to the Court of Justice include Denmark for not properly transposing European rules on rail safety; Greece over poor waste water treatment; and Germany for failure to remove trade barriers for pyrotechnic goods.

A mixed bag, but examples of how the Commission, as guardian of EU law, performs its duty to make sure it is applied correctly in the Member States – ensuring full and proper implementation of European legislation, for the benefit of citizens and businesses.
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Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

1. EU unveils plans for historic single energy market

The EU unveiled plans Wednesday for a continent-wide single energy market to reduce its uneasy reliance on Russian supplies and cut a massive annual import bill of EUR 400 bn.
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Gazprom threatens to cut off gas to Ukraine, Europe

2. France gets until 2017 to meet EU deficit rules

The EU is giving France two more years until 2017 to bring its budget deficit back into line, meaning the eurozone’s second biggest economy avoids an embarrassing fine for now.
More …
European Semester 2015: country-specific updates

3. EU asks WTO to help settle trade dispute with Russia

The Union asked the World Trade Organization on Thursday to help settle a dispute with Russia over “excessive import duties” on refrigerators and other products.
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EU announces aid to pork industry hit by Russian ban

4. Ireland passes EU’s first tobacco plain packaging law

Ireland became Thursday the first Member State to pass a law introducing mandatory plain packaging for tobacco products, prompting the tobacco industry to threaten legal action.
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5. Google unveils reorganisation in Europe

Google says it is launching a reorganisation of its European operations in the face of a tougher regulatory environment.
More …

6. ECB unveils new 20-euro banknote

The European Central Bank has unveiled the new 20-euro banknote, nine months before it starts circulating from November.
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EUROPEAN LAW

US deserter: the EU’s top court has backed a decision by Germany to deny asylum to a former US soldier who deserted on the grounds that the Iraq war was unlawful.
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Latest news from the European Court of Justice
EU law firms
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Inside the EU Institutions

Council Watch

Greek debt: Greece will prioritise EU-acceptable reforms, a government source said after eurozone finance ministers granted Athens a four-month loan extension.
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Not ‘a single euro’ for Greece till pledges met: Germany
Concern in Britain over diminished role on world stage
Council …

Commission Watch

Gas talks: the EU has invited the Russian and Ukrainian energy ministers to Brussels on Monday for talks on resolving a bitter gas supply dispute which threatens deliveries to Europe.
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EU hails Bosnia reform pledge
Commission …

Parliament Watch

European left: leaders of embattled mainstream European left parties met in Madrid seeking to regain lost ground as they tried to strike a balance between “suicidal austerity” and financial “responsibility”.
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This week, a new draft text on an EU system for the use of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data was discussed in the civil liberties committee; MEPs approved draft legislation to tackle the imbalances of supply and demand of emission allowances, which is holding back investment in green technologies; and the Budgets Committee recommended EU job-search aid for redundant workers in Belgium, Germany and Poland.
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EU diary

2 Mar: European Parliament Committee Meetings
2-3 Mar: Competitiveness Council
3 Mar: High-level international conference on Ebola
3 Mar: European environment – state & outlook 2015
5 Mar: Transport, Telecommunications & Energy Council
5 Mar: European Parliament Committee Meetings
6 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

ExxonMobil says Russia sanctions could cost it $1 bn 26-Feb
Greece reform plan lacks ‘clear’ commitments: IMF 24-Feb
EU truck makers face EUR 4 bn fine for price-fixing 24-Feb
IMF approves EUR 1.2 bn credit line for Serbia 23-Feb
EU probes EUR 12.4 bn GE-Alstom deal 23-Feb
Eurozone business activity hits seven-month high 20-Feb

EUbusiness Community

Press

UK companies file more European patents in 2014
Auto industry reacts to Energy Union package
SMEs have mixed feelings on Energy Union Strategy
Energy Union: old wine in new bottles?
More press …

Jobs

Media Officers, European Investment Bank
Communications & Resource Development Officer, Transparency International
Legal Advisor, European Chemicals Agency
E-ELT Programme Controller, European Southern Observatory
More jobs …

Guides

Commission February infringements package: referrals to European Court of Justice
Communication – Achieving the 10% electricity interconnection target – helping energy cross borders
Energy Union: Communication – The Paris Protocol
Energy Union Factsheet
More guides …

Events

18 Mar, online: Webinar on clinical trials for Horizon 2020 projects
26 Mar, Paris: 4FUN Workshop for regulators in Paris
29 Jun, Paris: European Conference on Networks and Communications – EuCNC 2015
More events …

Publications

Promoting uptake of parental & paternity leave among fathers in the EU
Post-visa liberalisation monitoring for Western Balkan countries
General report on the activities of the European Union 2014
More publications …

Links

How digital is your country? Digital Economy & Society Index

More links