An Urban Agenda for Europe – EUbusiness Week newsletter 707

Publisher’s Note

Europe’s cities – in which 70% of the population now live – are the engines of its economy, providing jobs and services and serving as hubs of creativity and innovation. They also have huge economic, social and environmental challenges.

A public consultation confirms the need for a European role in helping cities address common challenges and contribute to EU priorities such as the Energy Union. We look forward to a Euro-Parliament report later this year; and next week’s Declaration from the Latvian EU Presidency at a Cohesion Council where EU ministers will, for the first time, be called upon to commit to develop a shared EU Urban Agenda.
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Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

1. IMF confirms delay in Greek debt payments to end June

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was set to hold fresh talks with European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker and creditors on Friday, with all sides working feverishly to secure a deal.
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IMF confirms delay in Greek debt payments to end June

2. ECB won’t roll back QE, wants Greece to stay in euro

The European Central Bank says its ultra-easy money policies are working and it has no plans to roll them back any time soon, while insisting it wants Greece to stay in the euro.
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ECB chief calls for government reforms now

3. Climate: G7, EU still lag 2 C pathway, says monitor

The major industrialised economies are far off track in helping the world meet the UN’s global warming target, a monitoring group said on Thursday.
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4. EU opens China solar industry dumping probe

EU regulators have opened a probe into the solar power panel industry in China, in response to accusations that Chinese companies were dodging import duties by exporting via Taiwan and Malaysia.
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5. EU says too soon for animal testing ban

The EU pledged Wednesday to phase out animal testing in Europe but said it would be “premature” to ban it outright as demanded by a petition with 1.1 million names.
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6. Drugs report: two new legal highs found per week

The use of traditional drugs such as heroin is falling, but new, often toxic “legal highs” are appearing at a record rate of two per week, according to a new EU report.
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EUROPEAN LAW

Benefits: unemployed EU migrants can be barred from claiming benefits during the first three months of their stay in another member state, says a top ECJ legal adviser.
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EU targets France in Uber fight
Germany sent to EU court over airport security
Latest news from the European Court of Justice
EU law firms
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Inside the EU Institutions

Council Watch

Latvia: Latvia’s parliament has elected Defence Minister Raimonds Vejonis as the Baltic state’s new president, making him the EU’s first Green Party head of state.
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Most Brits want to stay in EU: poll
Sturgeon warns of new Scots independence vote after Brexit
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Commission Watch

Asylum: the Commission is ready to discuss new ways to admit and distribute asylum seekers in the EU, the Migration Commissioner said on Tuesday, after Paris and Berlin urged it to rethink its plans.
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EU and Cuba to resume talks June 15
EU needs ‘more leadership’ on US free trade deal
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Parliament Watch

Russia: European Parliament head Martin Schulz on Tuesday said he was limiting access to the institution to the Russian ambassador to the EU and one other diplomat in retaliation for a travel ban imposed by Moscow on 89 European citizens — many of them Kremlin critics.
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Top German MEP says UK’s Cameron could lose EU veto
Infographic: how the majority of EU legislation gets created
This week, internal market MEPs strengthened the EU ban on trade in seal products; and MEPs discussed with experts the potential of using graphene, seen as the wonder material of the 21st century.
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EU diary

7-8 Jun: The EU at the G7 summit in Germany
8-11 Jun: European Parliament plenary session
8 Jun: Transport, Telecommunications & Energy Council
10-11 Jun: high level summit with Latin American & Caribbean states
10-12 Jun: EuroNanoForum 2015 Conference
11-12 Jun: Transport, Telecommunications & Energy 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

France, Germany call for reinforced eurozone 3-Jun
Blatter resignation first step to restore trust: EU 3-Jun
Eurozone unemployment drops to 11.1% in April 3-Jun
Japan taps Van Rompuy as haiku diplomat 3-Jun
Eurozone inflation rises to 0.3% in May 2-Jun
G7 nations push for ‘code of conduct’ for bankers 29-May

EUbusiness Community

Jobs

Legal Affairs & Trade Policy Adviser, European Engineering Industries Association
EU Media and Communications Officer, Oxfam International
Director HR Operations & Shared Services, European Patent Office
Communication Specialist-Project Analyst, Fondation de Luxembourg
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Press

Rich countries sweep billions in public finance for coal under the rug
Who is investing in experiments with genetically engineered chimpanzees?
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Guides

International ocean governance – consultation
Capital requirements for banks’ exposures to CCPs – transitional period extended
Transmissible animal diseases: informal deal
Fishing Opportunities in the EU for 2016 – consultation
Consultation on a Circular Economy
New status for single-member private limited liability companies
More guides …

Events

15 Jun, Brussels: TTIP – Increased Trade for Better Living?
23 Jun, Budapest: European Funding Academy
9 Jul, Porto: Second European Conference on Social Media
21 Jul, Las Palmas: e-Commerce and Digital Marketing
14 Sep: Research Management Training for Early-Stage-Researchers
More events …

Publications

European Drug Report 2015: Trends and Developments

European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) report 2014

More publications …