Design for growth – EUbusiness Week newsletter 586 – EUbusiness.com

EUbusiness Week 586 top stories: China pledges continued support to resolve euro crisis; MEPs call for robust oversight of shale gas development; Regulators near deal with publishers on e-book pricing; France will push for GM ban if cancer threat confirmed; Nine EU states baulk at board quota for women; Bulgaria moves to protect its rose oil business

This Week’s Top Stories

1. China pledges continued support to resolve euro crisis
2. MEPs call for robust oversight of shale gas development
3. Regulators near deal with publishers on e-book pricing
4. France will push for GM ban if cancer threat confirmed
5. Nine EU states baulk at board quota for women
6. Bulgaria moves to protect its rose oil business

Publisher’s Note

This week Industry Commissioner Antonio Tajani was at the European Design Innovation Summit in Helsinki presented with a report “Design for Growth and Prosperity”. In it are 21 recommendations on how to make better use of design in the innovation processes throughout Europe, and to exploit design as a driver of growth and competitiveness.

The policy ideas now pass to the Commission to move them forward. Commissioner Tajani for his part was clear that high quality in European products and services needs to be at the heart of our industrial policy, and innovation at the base of EU competitiveness.
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Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

EUROFFICE

Euroffice, supplier of stationery and office supplies online, selling to the UK and Italy – has sold to over 220,000 small businesses and will not be beaten on price.
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1. China pledges continued support to resolve euro crisis

China has pledged continued assistance to help tackle the eurozone debt crisis, saying Europe is “on the right track” but needs to implement the measures agreed to fix its problems.
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New Chinese ‘commitments’ to tackle spiralling emissions
China PM’s complaints lost in broadcast cut

2. MEPs call for robust oversight of shale gas development

The European Parliament wants tough regulation of shale oil and gas exploration and says Member States should be cautious as they proceed, especially over ‘fracking’ recovery systems.
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3. Regulators near deal with publishers on e-book pricing

European regulators say they are near a deal with giant publishers accused of e-book price fixing, weeks after media giants including Apple sealed a deal in the United States.
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4. France will push for GM ban if cancer threat confirmed

France will seek an immediate EU ban on imports of a genetically-modified corn made by Monsanto if a study linking it to cancer in rats is deemed credible, Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said on Thursday.
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5. Nine EU states baulk at board quota for women

Nine EU member states have joined forces to thwart EU moves to set a 40 per cent quota for women’s representation on the boards of listed companies, say EU diplomatic sources.
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6. Bulgaria moves to protect its rose oil business

Bulgaria, among the world’s largest rose oil producers, has launched a procedure to register its product as a protected geographical label within the EU, says the farming ministry.
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EUROPEAN LAW

Romania: Romania’s constitutional court ruled Wednesday that a government decree limiting its powers was in breach of the country’s constitution, the latest development in a months-long political saga.
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Court dismisses Farage appeal over Van Rompuy fine
Kosovo’s top prosecutor indicted over bribe
Latest Court of Justice judgements
EU Law Firms
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Inside the EU Institutions

Council Watch

South Africa summit: South African President Jacob Zuma urged EU leaders Tuesday to break a deadlock in talks on an Economic Partnership Agreement with the 15 nations of the Southern African Development Community.
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Slovenia to block Croatia’s EU accession over banking row
ECB’s new building to cost more than expected
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Commission Watch

German pay: Employment Commissioner Laszlo Andor has called for an increase in German salaries in order to help energise the EU’s struggling economy.
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Romania turmoil triggers cancellation of EU talks
Commissioner urges more transparency in Bulgarian media
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Parliament Watch

Natural resources: the European Parliament on Tuesday voted to end secret deals between governments and large oil, gas, mining and logging firms, demanding companies disclose payments in countries where they operate.
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Parliament wants new standardised EU passenger rights law
MEPs urge sanctions in Russia’s Magnitsky case
EP bids to alleviate asylum pressures
In committee this week, MEPs said the European Central Bank’s mandate could be overhauled to match the new position of the institution; urged a ban on shark finning on board vessels; and called for an improvement in consular protection for EU citizens abroad.
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EU diary

24-25 Sep, Agriculture and Fisheries Council
26-27 Sep, Informal Meeting of EU Ministers of Defence
26 Sep, New legal framework for medical devices
27 Sep, Commission to adopt Cloud Computing Strategy
4 Oct, Employment, Social, Health, Consumer Council
9 Oct, Economic and Financial Affairs Council
10-11 Oct, Competitiveness Council
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary