Belgian PM first EU president – EUbusiness Week 467

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EUbusiness Week – Issue 467
20 November 2009
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week’s Top Stories
=======================
1. Belgian prime minister named first EU president
2. EU approves restructuring of Lloyds, ING, KBC banks
3. EU shuts down ringtone scam sites targeting youngsters
4. EU mishandled Intel case: ombudsman
5. Cash bonus still boosts Europe’s official car sales
6. ‘Let them eat vegetables’, Bardot tells EU

Publisher’s Note
================
The EU took a step forward on energy efficiency this week
with political agreement on the Energy Labelling Directive
and the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.

By 2020 all new buildings will have to be low-energy, and
demands for increased efficiency will need to be made on
all major renovations of existing buildings. As for the
labelling requirements, these now extend to products
such as hot water taps and showerheads.

This looks like another strong sign of intention in the run-
up to Copenhagen. However, implementation rests clearly on
each individual Member State, whose responsibility it is
to set the precise standards of energy efficiency.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/environment-energy.1hc

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Belgian prime minister named first EU president
————————————————–
European leaders chose Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van
Rompuy as the EU’s first president on Thursday, after
Britain dropped its backing for Tony Blair.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/summit-treaty.1jq
No obstacle too tough for new EU foreign chief Ashton
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/summit-treaty-life.1jm
Europe battling for global significance
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/summit-treaty.1im
The EU’s two new top jobs
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/summit-treaty-roles.1ii

2. EU approves restructuring of Lloyds, ING, KBC banks
——————————————————
The Commission has approved restructuring plans for British
bank Lloyds, Dutch counterpart ING and Belgium’s KBC bank,
all rescued by public bailouts during the financial crisis.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/banking-competition.1hi

3. EU shuts down ringtone scam sites targeting youngsters
———————————————————
European countries have closed down over 50 Internet
websites after a crackdown on mobile phone ringtone
scams often targeting youngsters.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/telecoms-consumer.1h4

4. EU mishandled Intel case: ombudsman
————————————–
The Commission was guilty of maladministration in its
record-busting anti-trust action against Intel, the
European Ombudsman said on Wednesday.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/us-chip-computer.1hf

5. Cash bonus still boosts Europe’s official car sales
——————————————————
Sales of new cars rose 11.2 per cent across Europe in
October compared to the equivalent figure last year,
boosted by cash-for-clunkers schemes which are soon to end.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/auto-sector-sales.1fu

6. ‘Let them eat vegetables’, Bardot tells EU
———————————————
Brigitte Bardot, French screen goddess turned animal rights
activist, wants the EU to institute a “Vegetarian Day” as
part of the battle against global warming.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/lifestyle-climate.1fa

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Inside the EU Institutions
==========================

Council Watch
————-
Russia summit: EU criticism of Russia’s rights record and
fears Moscow will delay its WTO entry clouded EU-Russia
talks on Wednesday, but the two sides aligned on climate
issues ahead of the key summit in December.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/russia-summit.1i7
European ministers agree Albania should be EU candidate
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/enlarge-albania.1ga
International community concerned over Bosnia
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/bosnia-diplomacy.1j4
Not time yet for Palestinian state: EU
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/mideast-diplomacy.1gj
http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Euro-Parliament Watch
———————
Women: twenty female Euro-MPs, in suits and ties, waved fake
CVs outside EU headquarters on Wednesday, calling for women
to be appointed to more of the European Union’s senior jobs.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/summit-treaty-women.1i0

The EU’s 2010 budget was agreed in conciliation between
Parliament and Council: they found funding for the EU
economic recovery plan and for closure of the Bulgarian
nuclear plant Kozlodoy, and agreed on emergency aid to milk
producers. Also this week, MEPs and national MPs debated
five-year priorities for justice, freedom and security; the
Parliament-Commission working party on lobbyists continued
its deliberations; and MEPs called for more effective
protection for European fishing vessels.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

Commission Watch
—————-
Bulgaria: the Commission announced Wednesday that it had
lifted a freeze on millions of euros in potential aid to
Bulgaria after Sofia improved its management of EU funds.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/bulgaria-aid.1hl
Sweden proposes Cecilia Malmstroem as Commissioner
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/sweden-commission.1h5
EU welcomes deal to cut tuna catch by 40 per cent
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/environment-fish.1ft
http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

EU diary
——–
19-20 Nov, Agriculture and Fisheries Council
23 Nov, Environment Council
23 Nov, European Parliament plenary
26-27 Nov, Education, Youth and Culture Council
30 Nov-1 Dec, Justice and Home Affairs Council
30 Nov-1 Dec, Employment, Social, Health, Consumer Council
2 Dec, Economic and Financial Affairs Council

The Week Ahead: http://www.eubusiness.com/events/EUcalendar
Long-term diary: http://www.eubusiness.com/events/eu-diary

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Analysis
——–
Picking the first European Union president has been more
like the medieval machinations that go into naming a pope
— all that is missing is the white smoke.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/summit-treaty.1io
http://www.eubusiness.com/features

Events
——
2 Dec, Brussels: Consultation meeting on service and social
robotics for the ageing population
http://www.eubusiness.com/Rd/social-robotics.09

16 Jan, London: Interconnection World Forum
http://www.eubusiness.com/Members/iir/
More events: http://www.eubusiness.com/events

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Jobs
—-
Economists/Senior Economists, European Central Bank
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/ecb.09-11-12

Deputy Secretary to the Committee of Ministers,
Council of Europe
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/coe.09-11-10
More jobs: http://www.eubusiness.com/jobs

Policy Forum
————
EU-Turkey Chambers Forum: a practical step forward in
Turkish preparation for EU accession
http://www.eubusiness.com/Turkey/eurochambres.09-11-17

EC outlines a vision of 80 pct renewable energy by 2050
http://www.eubusiness.com/Energy/erec.09-11-17
More press: http://www.eubusiness.com/press

Briefing
——–
Commission decisions on KBC, ING and Lloyds
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/kbc-ing-lloyds-ec

EU clean-up on ringtone scams
http://www.eubusiness.com/Consumer/ring-tones.01

EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard 2008
http://www.eubusiness.com/Rd/investment-2008
More briefings: http://www.eubusiness.com/guides

Other news on EUbusiness this week
———————————-
Russia, Ukraine reach gas compromise deal: Putin 19-Nov
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/russia-ukraine-gas.1js
EU moves to ending tariff on Chinese, Vietnam shoes 19-Nov
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/china-vietnam-trade.1j0
EU tells Alcoa to repay Italy state aid 19-Nov
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/italy-us-public-aid.1jt
EU accuses S & P ratings of abusing position 19-Nov
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/competition-finance.1iq
EU businesses invest in R&D despite economic crisis 18-Nov
http://www.eubusiness.com/Rd/eu-rd-investment.08
Latin American banana producers ‘accept EU offer’ 18-Nov
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/wto-trade-latam.1hu
EU, GM to meet on Opel 17-Nov
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/germany-usd-auto-gm.1h1
EU Court upholds graphite cartel fines 17-Nov
http://www.eubusiness.com/EUlaw/ecj-graphite-fines.01

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