Season’s Greetings from EUbusiness – EUbusiness Week newsletter 839 – EUbusiness.com

EUbusiness Week 839 top stories: Legislators sign off on reform of EU electricity market; States agree 30 pct cut in truck CO2 emissions by 2030; EU agrees 2019 fish quotas for Atlantic and North Sea; EU closes in on single-use plastics ban; EU ups WTO action against China over technology transfers; Provisional deal for framework against bad loans

Publisher’s Note

Astonishing news: Europeans have a more positive image of the EU than they did last year, says Eurobarometer public opinion survey no 90. Yes, citizens’ biggest concern is immigration (40%), but support for Economic and Monetary Union and the euro are at a record high … and a large majority (83%) even support free movement. Who knows? The legacy of Brexit could yet be positive. Many Brits now look forward to a People’s Vote next year, and maybe ending this nightmarish chapter in our history. I wish you the Season’s Greetings and Best Wishes for a Peaceful, Healthy and Happy New Year. The next newswire goes out in January.
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Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Legislators sign off on reform of EU electricity market

EU legislators agreed Wednesday to new electricity market rules to better integrate renewable energy, help consumers switch energy providers and end state subsidies to the most polluting coal power plants.
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2. States agree 30 pct cut in truck CO2 emissions by 2030

Environment ministers adopted a ‘common position’ on future CO2 standards for trucks and buses Thursday, the first time the EU is setting CO2 emission reduction targets for heavy-duty vehicles.
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3. EU agrees 2019 fish quotas for Atlantic and North Sea

After intense negotiations, fisheries ministers reached agreement Wednesday on 2019 catch limits for the main commercial fish stocks in the Atlantic and North Sea.
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4. EU closes in on single-use plastics ban

Provisional plans to ban single-use plastics agreed by the EU institutions target products most often found on beaches such as plates, cutlery, straws and cotton buds, and abandoned fishing gear.
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5. EU ups WTO action against China over technology transfers

The EU is stepping up its challenge in the World Trade Organisation to practices that force European companies to give up sensitive technology and know-how as a precondition for doing business in China.
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6. Provisional deal for framework against bad loans

The EU presidency and Parliament have agreed a new framework for dealing with banks’ bad loans, including capital requirements for banks with non-performing loans on their balance sheets.
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EUROPEAN LAW

‘Like’ button: using Facebook’s ‘Like’ button – which processes users’ personal data – on your website makes you jointly responsible for that stage of the data processing, in the Opinion of the EU top Court’s Advocate General.
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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

LIFE programme position agreed – CO2 emission standards for trucks – future EU space programme – Creative Europe programme 2021-2027 – internet domain name .eu governance – plastic waste – illicit trafficking in cultural goods – environmental reporting obligations – rules on business insolvency – EU justice, rights and values fund – Visa Information System – Green finance – Civil protection – anti-money laundering
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Commission Watch

Antitrust: US Dollar sovereign and agency bond trading cartel, NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros, and Sky in pay-TV probe – support for Palestine refugees – Protecting workers against cancer-causing chemicals – State aid: Gibraltar tax advantages, Bavarian project for Gigabit broadband networks, France, Germany, Italy, UK plan to give EUR 1.75 bn public support to microelectronics project, Greek reductions in renewable electricity and cogeneration surcharges – cheaper cross-border payments – Brexit “no-deal” Contingency Action Plan – Visa non-reciprocity – W Balkans visa liberalisation – EU-U.S. Privacy Shield review – unfair trading practices in food supply chain – illicit trade in cultural goods – Clean Energy for All Europeans package – Africa-Europe Alliance
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Parliament Watch

EU deal on electricity market rules to benefit both consumers and environment – Parliament and Council agree drastic cuts to plastic pollution of environment
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EU diary

25 Dec: Christmas Day
1 Jan: New Year’s Day
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary