Record year for Erasmus – EUbusiness Week newsletter 626 – EUbusiness.com

EUbusiness Week 626 top stories: Latvia gets thumbs up to join euro; Brussels unveils next building block in banking union; EU takes dispute with Russia over vehicle imports to WTO; EU probes telecoms giants over Internet services; Philippines, Venezuela carriers allowed back into EU skies; Top retailers pledge to make Bangladesh factories safe

This Week’s Top Stories

1. Latvia gets thumbs up to join euro
2. Brussels unveils next building block in banking union
3. EU takes dispute with Russia over vehicle imports to WTO
4. EU probes telecoms giants over Internet services
5. Philippines, Venezuela carriers allowed back into EU skies
6. Top retailers pledge to make Bangladesh factories safe

Publisher’s Note

Having taken full advantage of a European exchange scheme many years ago, I am pleased to note that the Erasmus programme last year helped a record 253,000 students to spend part of their studies or take up a job placement abroad, as well as some 46,000 teaching staff to teach or train abroad.

Erasmus does a sterling job in helping to boost students’ employability, with businesses valuing the hands-on-experience that Erasmus students gain in their job placements. With a budget of around EUR 14.5 bn for 2014-2020, the new Erasmus+ programme will no doubt continue to play its own part in continuing European efforts to combat youth unemployment.
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Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

1. Latvia gets thumbs up to join euro

The tiny Baltic state of Latvia received the green light from its European partners Tuesday to become the 18th member of the eurozone, even though the region’s long and debilitating crisis is far from over.
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Polish eurozone entry blocked for years: PM
IMF offers eurozone roadmap for growth and jobs

2. Brussels unveils next building block in banking union

The Commission unveiled Wednesday what it called the “second and final cornerstone” of its ambitious banking union, with proposals for dealing with failing banks.
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Romania to start talks on new IMF, EU deal

3. EU takes dispute with Russia over vehicle imports to WTO

The EU has filed a dispute with Russia over vehicle imports at the World Trade Organization, the first such challenge to Moscow since it joined the trade body almost a year ago.
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4. EU probes telecoms giants over Internet services

Anti-trust officials this week launched surprise investigations of several telecoms firms suspected of abusing their positions in Internet services, including Orange, Deutsche Telekom and Telefonica.
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5. Philippines, Venezuela carriers allowed back into EU skies

The Union on Wednesday allowed carriers Philippines Airlines and Venezuela’s Conviasa back into European airspace on the grounds of improved safety and compliance with EU regulations.
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6. Top retailers pledge to make Bangladesh factories safe

Seventy top retailers have promised to open their Bangladesh factories to safety inspections within nine months as part of a pact finalised and released in the wake of the deadly garment factory collapse.
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EUROPEAN LAW

UK opts out: Britain announced on Tuesday it would opt out of all EU measures on policing and criminal justice, but will seek to rejoin some including the controversial European arrest warrant scheme.
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Latest Court of Justice judgements
EU Law Firms
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Inside the EU Institutions

Council Watch

Greece: finance ministers, in their last meeting before the summer break, agreed Monday to unlock billions of euros in fresh aid for Greece on condition it press ahead with urgently needed reforms.
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Portugal seeks delay of international creditors’ next audit
Estonia says Europe overreacted to US cyber spying
French, German envoys caution Bulgaria over oligarchy ties
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Commission Watch

US trade talks: the landmark US-EU trade talks opened in Washington on Monday as the two sides also discussed US spying activities that infuriated Europeans and threatened to hold up what could be the world’s largest free-trade deal”.
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EU’s billions in aid to Egypt ‘under constant review’
China, Switzerland sign free trade agreement
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Parliament Watch

Le XXXPen: ParliaXXXXXXXXX II.
Cuba dissident Farinas finalXXXXXks up 2010 Sakharov prize
In committee this week, the Environment Committee advocated the promotion of advanced biofuels, and backed a law to halt the reckless scrapping of old ships; Fisheries MEPs approved rules for the EUR 6.5 bn Maritime and Fisheries Fund; and the Regional Development Committee approved new rules for investing EUR 325 bn in regional development projects across the EU in 2014-2020.
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EU diary

15 Jul, Agriculture and Fisheries Council
17 Jul, Commission proposes improving investigations and prosecutions against crimes to the EU budget
24 Jul, Commission adopts Communication on shadow banking and proposes draft regulation
24 Jul, Commission presents Communication “Towards a more competitive and efficient defence and security sector”
25 Jul, Economic and Financial Affairs Council (Budget)
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary