EC sends out cartel warning - EUbusiness Week no 341

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EUbusiness Week - Issue 341
26 January 2007
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week's Top Stories
=======================
1. Ex-communist newcomers face slower growth in 2007
2. Serbia 'could start EU accession talks soon'
3. EU unveils plans to tackle rising airport costs
4. EU plans fruit and veg aid overhaul
5. Bird flu returns to EU with confirmed case in Hungary
6. Europeans will forego privacy to fight discrimination

Publisher's Note
================
On Wednesday, the European Commission imposed fines of EUR
750m on eleven companies for taking part in a cartel
affecting switchgear equipment used in electricity
substations. This is the largest fine the Commission has
ever imposed on a single cartel.

The cartel lasted for more than 16 years and involved large
companies which accounted for virtually all the supply of
these products on the European market. Cartels cheat
consumers, and few European businesses can now be unaware
of the seriousness with which the EU now regards anti-
competitive activities.
http://users.eubusiness.com/Competition/power-cartel.96

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Ex-communist newcomers face slower growth in 2007
----------------------------------------------------
The European Union's new ex-communist member states
continued to enjoy an economic boom in 2006, but are likely
to face a slowdown this year, the World Bank said in a
study released on Thursday.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/world-bank.04

2. Serbia 'could start EU accession talks soon'
-----------------------------------------------
Serbia could start accession talks with the EU as soon as a
government is formed following last weekend's elections, the
coordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe
said on Tuesday.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Serbia/eu-serbia.62

3. EU unveils plans to tackle rising airport costs
--------------------------------------------------
The Commission has put forward plans to tackle skyrocketting
airport fees charged to airlines, and ultimately to
passengers.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/airport-costs.35

4. EU plans fruit and veg aid overhaul
--------------------------------------
The Commission on Wednesday set out plans to update its aid
scheme for fruit and vegetable farmers.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Agri/eu-agri-aid.78

5. Bird flu returns to EU with confirmed case in Hungary
--------------------------------------------------------
Hungarian authorities on Wednesday reported an outbreak of
bird flu in the south-east of the country, the first
instance of the virus in the EU since August.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Health/bird-flu-hungary.94

6. Europeans will forego privacy to fight discrimination
--------------------------------------------------------
Most EU citizens are prepared to share sensitive personal
information on their religion or ethnic origin to battle
discrimination.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Social/discrimination.14

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Inside the EU Institutions
==========================

Council Watch
-------------
G8, EU agenda: German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday
launched a fierce defence of free trade as she laid out an
ambitious agenda for her leadership of the G8 and the EU.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/davos-merkel.82
Merkel, Putin end Russia talks at odds on energy security
http://www.eubusiness.com/Energy/eu-russia-energy.31
EU moves to fully implement Iran sanctions
http://www.eubusiness.com/news_live/eu-iran.36
EU agrees to talks on stronger ties with Ukraine
http://www.eubusiness.com/Ukraine/eu-ukraine.99
http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Commission Watch
----------------
WTO: WTO members have entered an "endgame" in global-free
trade talks that will determine the success or failure of
years of tough negotiations in the coming months, said
Peter Mandelson.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news_live/wto-ec.94
EU urges member states to improve finances
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/eu-stability-pact.86
http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

Euro-Parliament Watch
---------------------
CIA: a parliamentary committee has approved a report alleging
that Britain, Germany and Italy knew of covert US flights in
Europe, the seizure of terror suspects by CIA agents and
their detention in secret centres.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news_live/cia.73
Top Socialist MEP slams EU leaders
http://www.eubusiness.com/news_live/ep.88

At committee meetings this week, German ministers briefed
Members on the priorities of the German Presidency. The
Agriculture Committee voiced itself in favour of a cautious
approach to reforming the wine sector; the International
Trade Committee gave the go-ahead for EU macro-financial aid
to Moldova; and the Industry and Internal Market committees
held a hearing into a proposal regulation to cut the cost of
using mobile phones abroad.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

EU diary
--------
29-31 Jan, European Renewable Energy Conference, Brussels
29 Jan, Agriculture and Fisheries Council, Brussels
30 Jan, ECOFIN Council, Brussels
31 Jan, Mini EP Plenary, Brussels
11 Feb, Meeting of Trade Ministers, Brussels
12-13 Feb, Informal Meeting of Culture Ministers, Berlin
12-13 Feb, Gen'l Affairs and Ext'l Relations, Brussels
13 Feb, EP Plenary, Strasbourg
The Week Ahead: http://www.eubusiness.com/events/EUcalendar
Long-term diary: http://www.eubusiness.com/events/eu-diary

Community
=========

PressZONE
---------
Doha: If WTO negotiators fail to reach an agreement on the
core of the deal by Spring 2007 not only do we stand to lose
the benefits of multilateral trade liberalisation, but the
costs of failure will be diverse and severe - AmCham EU
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/doha-amchameu.42

Debating auditors' liability in public interest - FEE
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/auditor-liability-fee

Join PressZONE and publish your organisation's policy papers
and news directly onto EUbusiness.
http://www.eubusiness.com/press

Events
------
13 Feb, Pisa: Conference on digital libraries
http://www.eubusiness.com/Internet/digital-libraries.67
14 Feb, Lyon: Renewable Energy Exhibition and ecobatir
http://www.eubusiness.com/Energy/renewable-energy-ecobatir
7 Mar, Brussels: Lobbying in the EU
http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/eu-lobbying
Events: http://www.eubusiness.com/events

Other stories on EUbusiness this week
-------------------------------------
EU business pleads for revival of WTO talks 25-Jan
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/1169744425.05
EU court upholds Europe-Japan Club cartel fines 25-Jan
http://www.eubusiness.com/Competition/europe-japan-cartel.98
EU probes Spanish electricity sector illegal state aid 25-Jan
http://www.eubusiness.com/Energy/spain-electricity.78
British pension protection 'inadequate': EU court 25-Jan
http://www.eubusiness.com/Social/uk-pensions.05
WTO to probe Mexican duties on EU olive oil imports 24-Jan
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/eu-olive-oil.01
Scientists petition open access to EU funded research 23-Jan
http://www.eubusiness.com/Rd/eu-research-access
Storm interrupts Russian oil to Europe via Ukraine 21-Jan
http://www.eubusiness.com/Energy/russia-oil-eu.14

Internet Monitor
================
Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/stability-pact

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