SME network’s crucial role – EUbusiness Week newsletter 544 – EUbusiness.com

EUbusiness Week 544 top stories: Euro fund clears key German test, as Greece awaits audit; Europe presses ahead with controversial financial tax; Palestinians to export direct to EU, avoiding Israel; Higher airline prices loom under EU emissions scheme; EU launches legal action against over energy markets; EU sounds death-knell for cod-supper next year

This Week’s Top Stories

1. Euro fund clears key German test, as Greece awaits audit
2. Europe presses ahead with controversial financial tax
3. Palestinians to export direct to EU, avoiding Israel
4. Higher airline prices loom under EU emissions scheme
5. EU launches legal action against over energy markets
6. EU sounds death-knell for cod-supper next year

Publisher’s Note

At the Enterprise Europe Network annual conference this week, the European Commission announced an extension of this key support network for smaller businesses (SMEs), opening new contact points in Japan and doubling its presence in China.

The EEN has a crucial role in supporting SMEs, helping them to benefit from the internal market by focusing on innovation, and also to access international markets. In the current economic climate, it is even more important to encourage European businesses to profit from the still growing markets in Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe.
More …

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

VULCANUS IN EUROPE

Strengthen your working team & open your doors to Japan, through hosting a Japanese trainee — The EU-Japan Centre is recruiting European companies willing to host Japanese engineering students for an 8-month placement.
More …

1. Euro fund clears key German test, as Greece awaits audit

Europe’s rescue fund cleared a major hurdle when German lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to beef it up, boosting markets as attention turned to a key international audit of debt-mired Greece.
More …
The debt crisis in the eurozone

2. Europe presses ahead with controversial financial tax

Europe went ahead with landmark proposals to tax the financial sector on Wednesday, ignoring US opposition in a move also sure to provoke a row with London which fears capital flight from the City.
More …
EU financial transaction tax: what’s covered, what’s not

3. Palestinians to export direct to EU, avoiding Israel

The European Parliament has given its green light to a deal enabling Palestinians to export farm and fish products directly to the European Union from next year, without transit through Israel.
More …
EU eyes trade talks with Arab Spring nations next month

4. Higher airline prices loom under EU emissions scheme

Travellers could see a new charge on their tickets to fly between Europe and North America after the EU begins forcing airlines to buy carbon emission permits next year.
More …

5. EU launches legal action against over energy markets

The EU has launched legal action against 18 of its 27 Member States over a failure to implement bloc law domestically in a bid to open up gas and electricity markets.
More …

6. EU sounds death-knell for cod-supper next year

EU officials on Tuesday ordered Scottish and Irish trawlers to stop catching cod, king of fish-and-chip suppers, for the whole of 2012.
More …

EUROPEAN CASE LAW

UK residency test: Britain is discriminating against citizens from other EU nations by subjecting them to a residency test before they can get certain social security benefits, the Commission said on Wednesday.
More …
Tymoshenko trial enters final stage in Ukraine
Latest Court of Justice judgements
Official Journal latest issues
EU Law …

Inside the EU Institutions

Council Watch

Belarus: Poland slammed authoritarian Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday as the EU headed into a long-awaited summit with ex-Soviet states amid mounting concern over rights abuse both in Belarus and Ukraine.
More …
EU lifts sanctions against iconic Gbagbo-era figures
EU president should be directly elected: Schauble
Council …

Commission Watch

Euro fund: the Commission has welcomed German approval of new powers for the eurozone rescue fund and says it is confident all 17 eurozone states will complete ratification by mid-October.
More …
Trade chief says ‘flexibility’ needed on India trade deal
EU calls for removal of barricades in Serbia-Kosovo border
Commission …

Euro-Parliament Watch

Budget: EU states that let their deficits spin out of control could face stiff fines after the European Parliament adopted on Wednesday tougher budget rules to shield the bloc from future crises.
More …
In plenary session this week, Euro-MPs gave their green light to future economic governance plans; adopted a proposal to extend the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund crisis measures until the end of 2013; said they would not seek a court decision on the EU-Morocco fisheries agreement; and voiced support for Palestine’s bid for statehood.
Parliament …

EU diary

29-30 Sep, Competitiveness Council
3 Oct, Eurogroup
10-11 Oct, Foreign Affairs Council
17-18 Oct, European Council
20-21 Oct, Agriculture and Fisheries Council
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary