Volcanic ash lessons for EU – EUbusiness Week 486

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EUbusiness Week – Issue 486
23 April 2010
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week’s Top Stories
=======================
1. Greece hit by debt downgrade as deficit widens
2. Ryanair U-turns on reimbursing travellers
3. International anti-counterfeit plans published
4. EU responds to consumers’ fears over Internet monitoring
5. Finland plans ‘massive’ renewable energy boost
6. Irish top Europe’s binge drinking chart: Eurobarometer

Publisher’s Note
================
Europe’s air traffic and a lot of frustrated travellers are
on the move again, following the chaos caused by the
volcanic eruption in Iceland.

Despite the huge economic impact, the Commission insists
airlines comply with EU regulations to reimburse air
passengers stranded by the crisis. It will however consider
a framework to facilitate state aid for airlines affected.

A review of current models for flight restrictions is
underway. With Eurocontrol having as its primary objective
the development of “a seamless, pan-European air traffic
management system”, this is clearly a good idea.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/iceland-volcano.478

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Greece hit by debt downgrade as deficit widens
————————————————-
Greece reeled on Thursday, insisting it will meet its tough
fiscal targets only to be hit with a gloomy EU revision of
its deficit, a daunting rise in borrowing costs and a new
debt ratings downgrade.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/greece-ecb-imf.48m
Greece races to finalise aid deal by May 15
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/greece-ecb-imf.48a

2. Ryanair U-turns on reimbursing travellers
——————————————–
Irish budget airline Ryanair says it will comply with EU
regulations to reimburse thousands of people stranded by
volcanic ash, in an abrupt reversal of its position.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/iceland-volcano.48n

3. International anti-counterfeit plans published
————————————————-
The EU has published formerly secret draft papers on an
international anti-counterfeiting deal, with no sign of a
mooted “three-strike” ban for on-line copyright breachers.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/us-counterfeit.482

4. EU responds to consumers’ fears over Internet monitoring
———————————————————–
The negotiation parties of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade
Agreement (ACTA) have published the documents of the 8th
round of negotiations held in Wellington on 12-16 April.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/acta.11

5. Finland plans ‘massive’ renewable energy boost
————————————————-
Finland’s government has outlined a plan to massively boost
renewable energy production to meet European Union
requirements on slashing greenhouse gas emissions.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/finland-climate.47s

6. Irish top Europe’s binge drinking chart: Eurobarometer
———————————————————
The frequency of binge drinking in Europe is highest in
Ireland, Romania, Germany and Austria, with more than one
in three people admitting to doing so once a week, an EU
survey showed on Wednesday.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/health-drink-poll.48c

EUROPEAN CASE LAW
=================
Security: the Commission has presented concrete actions to
boost citizens’ ability to work, travel and study outside
their home countries, thereby enhancing citizens’ security.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/citizens-security
Consumers must be repaid in full on long distance contracts
http://www.eubusiness.com/eulaw/EU.labour.01
ECJ upholds French law over Dali royalties
http://www.eubusiness.com/eulaw/EUIP.dali.01
http://www.eubusiness.com/eulaw
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Caselex offers Supreme Court cases linked to Community law
from national and European Courts. Free 30 day license for
EUbusiness readers – thereafter at a special introductory
discount of 20 per cent
http://www.eubusiness.com/caselex-30
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Inside the EU Institutions
==========================

Council Watch
————-
Health: reducing healthcare inequality in the EU was the
main objective of the informal meeting of health ministers,
to be held this Thursday and Friday in Madrid.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/health-equity
EU offers interim Kyrgyz gov’t political, financial help
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/kyrgyzstan-unrest.47m
http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Commission Watch
—————-
Competition: the Commission has adopted a new Regulation
that ‘block exempts’ distribution and supply agreements at
different levels of the production and distribution chain.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/antitrust-revised-rules
EC authorises Bulgaria to grant limited aid to farmers
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/state-aid-bg
EU extends aid for Bulgarian, Romanian bridge: report
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/bulgaria-romania.48p
http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

Euro-Parliament Watch
———————
Bradford: Bradford’s Madni mosque, in northern England, has
beaten 50 others to win the title of “Europe’s most
beautiful minaret,” Parliament was told on Tuesday.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/parliament-british.47o
Branson joins call for Britain to work with EU
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/britain-vote.48f

In plenary this week, Parliament expressed privacy concerns
ahead of a new round of negotiations with the US on
financial data transfers via the SWIFT network; and said
that the new citizens’ right to initiate EU laws should be
clear, simple, and easily accessible to all EU citizens.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

EU diary
——–
22-23 Apr: Council of Justice and Home Affairs
22-23 Apr: Informal Health Ministers Meeting
26 Apr: Council of Foreign Affairs (CAE) and Defence
27 Apr: General Affairs Council and Foreign Affairs Council
28 Apr: EU-Japan Summit
5-6 May: European Parliament Plenary Session

The Week Ahead: http://www.eubusiness.com/events/EUcalendar
Long-term diary: http://www.eubusiness.com/events/eu-diary

EUbusiness Community
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Analysis
——–
IMF: Europe’s debt crisis is sending investors flocking to
the emerging markets of Brazil, China and India, the IMF
has said, prompting analysts to ask if the crisis is
changing the world economic order.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/imf-economy-finance.47t

Volcanic ash cloud exposes Europe’s lack of coordination
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/iceland-volcano.47d
http://www.eubusiness.com/features

Policy Forum
————
Lobbying in Brussels by Europe’s 50 largest companies is
happening in secret despite attempts to secure transparency,
confirms new research from Friends of the Earth Europe.
http://www.eubusiness.com/environ/foe-press.10-04-22

Airline Associations Call on European Commission and Member
States to Commit to Urgent Relief Measures for Airlines
http://www.eubusiness.com/airlines/iaca.10-04-20

Capital requirements: no regulation before impact
assessment, say SMEs
http://www.eubusiness.com/sme/ueapme.10-04-20
More press: http://www.eubusiness.com/press

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Events
——
11 May, Brussels: Art of Farming – Sustainable Agriculture
http://www.eubusiness.com/agri/sustainable-agriculture.10

1 Jun, Geneva: Clean technology – European partnering event
http://www.eubusiness.com/environ/clean-technology.10
More events: http://www.eubusiness.com/events

Jobs
—-
EU public affairs and advocacy officer, ClientEarth
http://www.eubusiness.com/environ/clientearth.10-04-22

Laywer – Food Safety, EFTA Surveillance Authority
http://www.eubusiness.com/food/efta.010-04-20
More jobs: http://www.eubusiness.com/jobs

Briefing
——–
The Volcanic Ash Crisis and the EU
http://www.eubusiness.com/environ/volcanic-ash-eu.01

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): EU action plan
http://www.eubusiness.com/development/mdg.10

EC plan to improve mobility within the EU
http://www.eubusiness.com/eulaw/jfs-plan.02
More briefings: http://www.eubusiness.com/guides

Other news on EUbusiness this week
———————————-
Euro consumer confidence higher 22-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/eurozone-consumer.48o
Eurozone manufacturing rallies fast: market data 22-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/eurozone-economy.48i
EC authorises Austrian scheme for farmers aid 22-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/state-aid-austria
EU chamber says China business climate worsening 21-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/china-economy.47c
Customs security procedures: new portal 19-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/customs-portal
EU greenlights Polish CO2 emissions allocation plan 19-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/poland-emissions

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