EU microfinance bears fruit – EUbusiness Week newsletter 762 – EUbusiness.com

EUbusiness Week 762 top stories: Commission outlines work programme for 2017; EU corporate tax reform targets multinationals; MEPs call for limit on trans fats in food; Public websites to be accessible to all; EC presents 2017 Atlantic, North Sea fishing quotas; MEPs call on Turkey to free journalists

Publisher’s Note

The role of microcredit in Europe’s economy was highlighted at this week’s Microfinance Day in Brussels. Microfinance is a source of financial services for small businesses that would otherwise lack access to banking and related services – such as young self-employed, women and rural communities.

EU microfinance initiatives are set to generate over EUR 1 billion of microloans across Europe, giving entrepreneurs a much-needed springboard to start and develop a business. As the European Investment Fund’s CEO said: “The role of microfinance as a tool for job creation and economic growth is becoming more apparent in the European economy”.
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Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Commission outlines work programme for 2017

The Juncker Commission presented its third annual Work Programme Tuesday, aiming to “deliver a Europe that protects, empowers and defends”, and to focus on the big challenges that Europe faces.
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2. EU corporate tax reform targets multinationals

The Commission has announced plans for major reform of corporate tax, clamping down on tax avoidance by multi-nationals, who at last stand to be taxed where they make their profits.
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3. MEPs call for limit on trans fats in food

The European Parliament voted Wednesday for mandatory limits on industrially-produced trans fats, which may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, infertility, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and obesity.
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4. Public websites to be accessible to all

The websites of hospitals, courts and other public sector bodies will have to be made accessible to disabled and elderly people, under new EU-wide rules approved by the Parliament on Wednesday.
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5. EC presents 2017 Atlantic, North Sea fishing quotas

The Commission has presented its proposal for next year’s fishing quotas in the Atlantic and the North Sea, in preparation for the Fisheries Council in December.
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6. MEPs call on Turkey to free journalists

In a resolution adopted on Thursday, the EU’s Parliament called on Turkish authorities to free journalists being held “without compelling evidence of criminal activity”.
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EUROPEAN LAW

France Telecom: the EU Court of Justice has rejected an appeal by France Telecom against a Commission decision over the company’s financing of reform of pensions for its civil servants.
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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

Syria sanctions – EU-CELAC relations – Santo Domingo Declaration – EU 2017 budget: Council cannot accept EP amendments – EU-African Union relations – EU-LAC Foundation constitutive agreement signed – Climate finance: EU and member states’ contributions up to EUR 17.6 bn in 2015
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Council …

Commission Watch

Transport Scoreboard – fishing opportunities Atlantic and North Sea 2017 – Brussels Airlines, TAP Portugal code-sharing – Residence permits for non-EU citizens – Weight of economic activities – space policy – EU support to Community of Latin America and Caribbean States (CELAC) – Business demography characteristics – corporate tax reform – climate finance – Organic farming – German electricity demand response scheme – government debt
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Parliament Watch

Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar win 2016 Sakharov Prize – European volunteering – nuclear threats – Turkish press – MEPs back operation to liberate Mosul – industrial trans fats in food – influx of pests – EU economic priorities – Online public services – Protecting migrant children – Commission Work Programme – EU gas storage capacity
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EU diary

2-9 Nov: Business delegation Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia
3-4 Mov: EU macroregional Strategy for Danube region forum
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary