EUbusiness Week 565 top stories ECB chief says liquidity measures ‘unquestioned success’; Eurozone growth revised down to 1.4% in 2011; EU ready to legislate to break glass ceiling for women; Ashton in far north to reach EU policy on Arctic; Raw chicken bacteria on the rise in Europe: study; Bologna picks up prize for bid to keep cars off streets
This Week’s Top Stories
1. ECB chief says liquidity measures ‘unquestioned success’
2. Eurozone growth revised down to 1.4% in 2011
3. EU ready to legislate to break glass ceiling for women
4. Ashton in far north to reach EU policy on Arctic
5. Raw chicken bacteria on the rise in Europe: study
6. Bologna picks up prize for bid to keep cars off streets
Publisher’s Note
The new European carbon tax on airlines, in force since 1 January, has attracted much criticism from around the world. China, Russia and the United States all say the tax violates international law. On Thursday, the chairman of Airbus’ parent company EADS said China has blocked purchases of Airbus planes by Chinese companies in reaction to the plan.
The Commission is refusing to back down on the measures, which it says will help the EU achieve its goal of cutting carbon emissions by 20 per cent by 2020. It is however happy to talk about the possibility of equivalent measures outside Europe. A worldwide solution is clearly preferable to a Europe-only one. A delay on rolling out the tax could also be on the cards.
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Regards,
Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness
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1. ECB chief says liquidity measures ‘unquestioned success’
European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said on Thursday that recent action to flood the eurozone banking system with unprecedented volumes of cash had been an “unquestioned success”.
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ECB accepts Greek bonds as collateral again
The eurozone-IMF rescue for Greece: the main points
2. Eurozone growth revised down to 1.4% in 2011
The eurozone economy slowed at the end of last year and is now in a “mild recession”, EU officials said on Tuesday in a blow to stock markets falling on Greek debt worries.
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3. EU ready to legislate to break glass ceiling for women
The EU warns it is ready to legislate to get more women into boardrooms, after just 24 out of the EU’s estimated 20 million businesses signed up to a voluntary initiative.
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4. Ashton in far north to reach EU policy on Arctic
Foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton visited a Norwegian archipelago near the North Pole on Thursday to lay the groundwork for a common EU policy on the resource-rich Arctic.
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5. Raw chicken bacteria on the rise in Europe: study
A type of bacteria mostly found in raw chicken meat that can cause diarrhoea and fever is on the rise in the EU, according to a report from European food safety agencies.
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6. Bologna picks up prize for bid to keep cars off streets
The Italian city of Bologna’s bid to cut pollution by keeping cars off streets saw it handed a top EU award Monday, with Lanarca in Cyprus and the Croatian capital Zagreb named runners-up.
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EUROPEAN LAW
Hungary: Hungary has been given a month to bring controversial laws into line with EU principles and avert court action, as well as revive a stalled bid to secure international loans.
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Croatian student fined for offence to EU flag
Latest Court of Justice judgements
EU Law Firms
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Inside the EU Institutions
Council Watch
French elections: Europe’s main conservative leaders deny any plot to snub French Socialist presidential hopeful Francois Hollande, but experts say they are nevertheless nervous about the untested candidate’s plans.
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Ireland to vote in favour of EU fiscal treaty: poll
Poland to nix EU’s 2050 climate targets
Finnish PM leaves door open for job as Eurogroup chief
Council …
Commission Watch
Spain: Spain is hurtling towards an embarrassing test case of new EU budget rules and possibly big fine for a “grave” breach of deficit limits, the Commission said on Monday.
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EU offers Haiti another EUR 100m in aid
EU to fund last phase of Sarajevo library rebuilding
Commission …
Euro-Parliament Watch
This week Parliament’s political groups prepared for next week’s plenary session, where there will be votes on cross-border inheritances, the international cocoa agreement, EP electoral law reform and the progress of Iceland, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia towards possible future EU membership.
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EU diary
8 Mar, Justice and Home Affairs Council
9-10 Mar, Meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers (informal)
9 Mar, Environment Council
12 Mar, Eurogroup
12-15 Mar, European Parliament plenary session
13 Mar, Economic & Financial Affairs Council
16 Mar, Foreign Affairs Council meeting (trade issues)
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
No conflict between Bundesbank, ECB, Draghi says 9-Mar
Hungary seeks IMF-EU loan talks as soon as possible 8-Mar
Dutch consumption lowest in eurozone: Central Bank 8-Mar
Commission approves Anglo takeover of De Beers 6-Mar
