EUbusiness Week 523 top stories: After Japan ‘apocalypse’, EU agrees nuclear ‘stress tests’; ‘Historic’ EU budget pact draws flak; Europe refuses to limit subsidies to big farms; EU to end long-standing anti-dumping taxes against China; EU, Canada move to end long hormone beef row; Roma mayors raise hopes of minority in Slovakia
This Week’s Top Stories
1. After Japan ‘apocalypse’, EU agrees nuclear ‘stress tests’
2. ‘Historic’ EU budget pact draws flak
3. Europe refuses to limit subsidies to big farms
4. EU to end long-standing anti-dumping taxes against China
5. EU, Canada move to end long hormone beef row
6. Roma mayors raise hopes of minority in Slovakia
Publisher’s Note
International Consumer’s Day on Tuesday was an opportunity for the European Consumers’ Association to highlight how important an EU collective redress system would be for consumers.
A Commission public consultation on the issue is nearing its end. Its purpose is to identify common legal principles that should underpin collective actions across the EU, and examine how common principles could fit into the EU legal system.
Concerns about the introduction of ‘class actions’ along the US model into the EU legal order, or creating incentives for abusive litigation, have been allayed by the Commission’s firm opposition. Have your say, the consultation ends 30 April.
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Regards,
Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness
EUROFFICE Euroffice, the UK’s largest supplier of stationery and office supplies online, selling to the UK and Italy – have sold to over 220,000 small businesses and will not be beaten on price. |
1. After Japan ‘apocalypse’, EU agrees nuclear ‘stress tests’
European Union Member States on Tuesday agreed to subject their scores of nuclear power plants to safety “stress tests” to ward off risk of the “apocalypse” unravelling in Japan.
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Japan’s food under scrutiny
2. ‘Historic’ EU budget pact draws flak
Europe has thrashed out cross-border laws to punish states that flout budgetary limits in order to avoid a future debt crisis — but top figures criticised watered-down measures.
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ECB backs eurozone rescue plan, with reservations
3. Europe refuses to limit subsidies to big farms
Agriculture ministers have rejected capping subsidies to Europe’s biggest farms but compromised on a fairer share-out of funds between farmers in eastern and western Europe.
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Offspring of clones in food chain leaves EU in bind
4. EU to end long-standing anti-dumping taxes against China
The Commission on Wednesday signalled the end of anti-dumping taxes levied against Chinese and Vietnamese shoes, ending a corrosive trading row between China and Europe.
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5. EU, Canada move to end long hormone beef row
Europe and Canada on Thursday took a key step to ending a long row over Canadian hormone-treated beef, opening the way to normalising trade ties.
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6. Roma mayors raise hopes of minority in Slovakia
Slovak Roma are pinning their hopes on a record number of Roma mayors to change their status as members of the European Union’s most neglected and impoverished minority.
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EUROPEAN CASE LAW
Bluefin: Europe’s highest court says a European Union decision in 2008 to end the bluefin tuna fishing season in Spain a week later than in rival Mediterranean states was “invalid”.
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Latest Court of Justice judgements
Official Journal latest issues
EU Law …
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Inside the EU Institutions
Council Watch
Ireland: the eurozone’s biggest powers face weeks warring with a new Irish prime minister determined to obtain a cut in Dublin’s bailout costs after sharp exchanges at a key summit.
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NATO chief hopes Poland EU presidency boosts Russia ties
Luxembourg backs Romania, Bulgaria Schengen hopes
Council …
Commission Watch
Company tax: Europe has launched plans to give multi-national companies the choice of filing corporate tax returns just once, but a simmering row over Ireland’s business tax rates left their sponsor on the back foot.
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Stretched Japan asks EU to coordinate quake relief
Booming bonuses back in EU bank chief’s sights
Commission …
Euro-Parliament Watch
Finland: the far-right True Finns party has become the second-largest in Finland, a poll showed Thursday, after it surged to popularity on an anti-immigration, anti-EU platform.
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Turkish Cypriots free Greek Cypriot ex-MEP
This week, stress tests on nuclear reactors, Europe’s future energy mix and the lessons to be learnt from the ongoing nuclear accidents in Japan were on the agenda of Parliament’s Energy and Environment Committees; and the Civil Liberties Committee debated a watchdog report on the EU-US counter-terrorism data-sharing deal’s first six months.
Parliament …
EU diary
21 Mar, General Affairs Council
21 Mar, Foreign Affairs Council
23-24 Mar, European Parliament Plenary Session
24-25 Mar, European Council
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
EU bonds for Ireland, Romania attract strong demand 17-Mar
EU car sales bounce back in February 16-Mar
Eurozone inflation jumps to 2.4% 16-Mar
Thousands march in Hungarian free press protest 15-Mar
