Better regulation on the agenda – EUbusiness Week newsletter 705 – EUbusiness.com

EUbusiness Week 705 top stories: Merkel sets tough line at EU summit with eastern partners; Greece in final stretch of troubled loan talks; ECB sees no need to start tapering QE, minutes show; Parliament in surprise vote for ‘conflict minerals’ ban; EU urged to do ‘much more’ to protect wildlife; Britain must stay in reformed EU: business head

Publisher’s Note

The Commission this week addressed a key complaint from voters in the European, and UK, elections – too much red tape in EU legislation and not enough transparency in the EU decision-making process. The Better Regulation Agenda aims to cut burdens for SMEs, boost openness and transparency in EU decision-making, and improve the quality of new laws.

Some are worried about the threat to health, safety and environmental standards. The Commission’s challenge is to get right the balance between better and less regulation.
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Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Merkel sets tough line at summit with eastern partners

German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the EU’s eastern partners Thursday not to expect too much of the bloc and warned Russia to mend its ways over Ukraine if it wanted to rejoin the G7 club of top nations.
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Armenia, Belarus baulk at Riga summit declaration: sources

2. Greece in final stretch of troubled loan talks

Greece on Monday entered the final stretch of tortuous talks with its international creditors on a bankruptcy-saving loan deal, with the government calling for a breakthrough by the end of the month.
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Merkel, Hollande to meet Greek PM in Riga

3. ECB sees no need to start tapering QE, minutes show

The European Central Bank revealed Thursday that its governing council believes its contested bond purchase programme is working and there is no talk of scaling it back just yet.
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ECB, under fire, changes rules over publishing speeches

4. Parliament in surprise vote for ‘conflict minerals’ ban

Europe’s legislators on Wednesday unexpectedly voted in favour of a law requiring firms to ensure they do not use so-called conflict minerals from Africa and other areas that end up funding warlords.
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China rare earths export quota scrapped after WTO ruling

5. EU urged to do ‘much more’ to protect wildlife

Member States must step up efforts to protect vulnerable wildlife and habitats from the effects of human activity, with little improvement in conservation since 2007, a report said on Wednesday.
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Europe’s bathing waters cleaner, says Brussels

6. Britain must stay in reformed EU: business head

The head of Britain’s biggest business lobby made his case in favour of EU membership in a speech on Wednesday amid heated debate about the in-or-out referendum to be held by 2017.
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Airbus flies into Britain’s ‘Brexit’ debate

EUROPEAN LAW

German truckers: the Commission has launched legal action against Germany, accusing the government of illegally applying the national minimum wage to a number of trucking and haulage companies from Austria, Poland and Hungary.
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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

UK referendum: Prime Minister David Cameron was to start face-to-face discussions at a summit Friday with European partners on renegotiating Britain’s position in the EU ahead of his in-out referendum by 2017.
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EU backs naval mission to end migrant crisis
Luxembourg PM first gay EU leader to marry
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Commission Watch

Migrants: Brussels may have to water down controversial plans for quotas to spread Mediterranean refugees around Europe amid growing opposition, unexpectedly led by France, officials said on Tuesday.
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Mogherini on Middle East trip as bus row flares
Cyprus wants bigger EU role in peace talks: negotiator
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Parliament Watch

Migrants: Euro-MPs on Wednesday accused some Member States of passing the buck by rejecting a Brussels plan for binding quotas for refugees making the dangerous Mediterranean crossing.
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Hungary’s Orban angers MEPs over death penalty, migrants
Parliament targets Thailand in boat people resolution
Parliament leader ribs ‘big loser’ Farage
Also this week, MEPs approved new rules on insolvency to give struggling companies a second chance to improve their financial situation; demanded action to halt the spread of killer bacteria on oilve trees; and pressed the Commission not to withdraw a draft EU directive on maternity leave.
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EU diary

26 May: Foreign Affairs Council
27-29 May: Urbanisation in Europe and the world
27 May: European Parliament plenary session
27 May: Commission proposes 2016 EU Budget
28-29 May: Competitiveness Council
28 May: Commission adopts monthly infringements package
28-29 May: European Maritime Day Conference
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary