Spotlight on vocational skills – EUbusiness Week newsletter 767 – EUbusiness.com

EUbusiness Week 767 top stories: Brexit talks could be over by October 2018; EU takes action against UK and Germany over dieselgate; Reprieve for EU nature protection laws; Social media sites slow to act on hate speech; HSBC and 2 other banks fined EUR 485m for rate rigging; One in four Europeans over 15 is a smoker

Publisher’s Note

The importance of vocational skills was highlighted this week through a number of high-profile events in Brussels and around Europe in the first European Vocational Skills Week.

There are around 20 million job-seekers in Europe. Yet at the same time 40 per cent of all employers say they cannot recruit people with the right skills. As Commissioner Marianne Thyssen said, quality vocational skills are key to competitiveness, innovation and employability. Crucially, they also match labour market needs.
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Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Brexit talks could be over by October 2018

Negotiations with the United kingdom over withdrawal from the European Union could be over in 18 months, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said on Tuesday.
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2. EU takes action against UK and Germany over dieselgate

The Commission announced Thursday that it is to open infringement procedures against seven EU Member States for their handling of the dieselgate scandal.
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3. Reprieve for EU nature protection laws

The EU has ended uncertainty over the future of its flagship nature laws – the Birds and Habitats Directives – confirming they would be saved, and neither rewritten nor weakened.
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4. Social media sites slow to act on hate speech

U.S. social media such as Facebook and Twitter are taking too long to act on hate speech, the EU said Tuesday as it published an evaluation of a code of conduct signed in May.
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5. HSBC and 2 other banks fined EUR 485m for rate rigging

Credit Agricole, HSBC and JP Morgan have been fined a total of EUR 485 million by the Commission for participation in the Euribor cartel in euro interest rate derivatives.
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6. One in four Europeans over 15 is a smoker

Nearly 1 in every 4 persons aged 15 or over in the EU was a current smoker in 2014, according to figures published by Eurostat, the EU’s the statistical office.
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EUROPEAN LAW

December infringements: in its monthly package of infringement decisions, the Commission is pursuing legal action against EU Member States for failing to comply with their obligations under EU law.
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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

Schengen agreement to reinforce checks at external borders – Conclusions on corporate tax system for the EU – Investment plan for Europe: EFSI extension agreed – Eurogroup statement on Greece – Better data for fisheries: EU agrees on new rules for collection and use – Directive on combating terrorism agreement
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Council …

Commission Watch

Travel document fraud – European Agenda on Migration – EU-Turkey Statement – Car emissions infringement procedures – easier access to capital markets – Court action against France over wild birds – Kazakh airlines off EU Air Safety List – End of roaming charges – Structure of Earnings Survey -Intergovernmental agreements on energy – Investing in Europe’s Youth – European Solidarity Corps – Tobacco consumption – free WiFi4EU
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Parliament Watch

New Asylum Agency – Sakharov Prize to Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar – Visa suspension mechanism – educating children in emergency situations – new counter-terrorism law – Mandatory checks at EU external borders – reform of domestic rail services
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EU diary

12-15 Dec: European Parliament Committee Meetings
13 Dec: Social media for refugee labour market integration
14-15 Dec: European Economic and Social Committee plenary
15-16 Dec: European Council
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary