Open skies deal on EU horizon - EUbusiness Week no 346

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EUbusiness Week - Issue 346
9 March 2007
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week's Top Stories
=======================
1. EU summit breaks off without climate agreement
2. Spain given week to drop restrictions on E.ON Endesa bid
3. Microsoft licenses technology under EU antitrust mandate
4. India sees quick solution to alcohol row with EU
5. Ex-communist EU newcomers embrace nuclear power
6. European women better educated, worse paid than men

Publisher's Note
================
An "unprecedented" agreement that could create a vast "open
aviation area" was how Transport Commissioner Barrot
described the 'open skies' deal which EU and US
negotiators reached last Friday, after three years of talks.

The agreement, which would replace existing bilateral air
transport agreements between EU members and the US, clears
the way for tougher competition and cheaper tickets for
consumers.

Protectionism by Congress scuppered the last attempt at an
agreement in November 2005. EU transport ministers will now
vote at their March 22 meeting with a view to the accord
coming into force at the end of October.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/open-skies.7

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. EU summit breaks off without climate agreement
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European Union leaders broke off talks late Thursday with
no final agreement on an ambitious action plan to fight
climate change.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Energy/eu-summit.5

2. Spain given week to drop restrictions on E.ON Endesa bid
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The Commission has given Spain a week to drop restrictions
on a bid by German energy group E.ON for Spanish power
company Endesa.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Competition/eon-endesa.08

3. Microsoft licenses technology under EU antitrust mandate
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Microsoft has announced its first software licensing deal
under a program mandated by a 2004 EC anti-trust ruling.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Competition/microsoft-eu.85

4. India sees quick solution to alcohol row with EU
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India expects a quick solution to a major row with the EU
and the United States over alcohol duties ranging as high
as 550 per cent.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/india-wto.16

5. Ex-communist EU newcomers embrace nuclear power
--------------------------------------------------
Former communist newcomers to the Union have openly embraced
nuclear energy and are actively developing the sector.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Energy/nuclear-eu.0

6. European women better educated, worse paid than men
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Women are filling most new EU jobs but still face barriers
to equality with male counterparts, not least where pay is
concerned.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Employment/gender-equality-eu.06

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

Council Watch
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Renewable energy: German Chancellor Angela Merkel has
defended plans for a binding EU target on the use of
renewable energy sources, amid criticism from businesses
that the costs are unknown.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news_live/1173366001.39
EU bickers over birthday card message
http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/berlin-declaration.73
EU offers olive branch to Iran on nuclear issue
http://www.eubusiness.com/Energy/eu-iran.18
EU urges NKorea to quickly end nuclear weapons program
http://www.eubusiness.com/news_live/1173272405.4

http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Commission Watch
----------------
Finance: Bulgaria, Latvia and Romania were warned Wednesday
against loosening budget discipline, while Belgium and Spain
won high marks for the quality of their public finances in
an EU review of their accounts.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/convergence.67
EU carrot of membership candidate status for Serbia
http://www.eubusiness.com/news_live/1173204002.36

http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

Euro-Parliament Watch
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Group meetings this week.

http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

EU diary
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12-13 Mar, Conference of Sports Ministers
12-13 Mar, Ministerial HIV/AIDS Conference
12-15 Mar, EP-Plenary
14-15 Mar, EU - ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting
15 Mar, Telecoms and Information Society Council
19-20 Mar, Agriculture and Fisheries Council
22 Mar, Transport, Telecoms and Energy Council

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

Community
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PressZONE
---------
EBA welcomes European Court of Justice ruling. Will Member
States finally take heed? - European Betting Association
http://www.eubusiness.com/SMEs/eba-gambling.2007-03-06

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

Events
------
19 Mar, Brussels: The Brussels Tax Forum
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/brussels-tax-forum

16-17 Apr, Barcelona: SME Banking Europe 2007
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/sme-banking-europe

Events: http://www.eubusiness.com/events

Other stories on EUbusiness this week
-------------------------------------
Cyprus parties threaten to block euro adoption 8-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Euro/cyprus-euro.07
EU wants to know if cloned animals are safe to eat 8-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Food/cloned-animals.6
Ecuador asks WTO panel to intervene in EU banana war 8-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/ecuador-bananas.45
EU hikes financial aid to Ukraine 7-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/1173283214.97
EU approves state aid to Britain's Post Office 7-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Competition/post-office.81
Euro timetable should not slow down Romanian reforms 6-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Euro/imf-romania.47
Eurozone retail sales ease in Jan on German VAT hike 6-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Factsfig/eu-retail.33
Pakistan airline says EU ban 'discrimination' 6-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/pakistan-flights.49
Court rules against Italian prosecution of bookies 6-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/SMEs/eu-court-bookies.74
Eurozone 2006 economic growth trimmed to 2.6 pct 6-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Factsfig/eurozone-growth.25
Eurozone services sector loses steam in February 5-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Factsfig/eurozone-services.42
Europe moves to safeguard Galileo frequencies 5-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Telecoms/galileo-frequencies.24

Internet Monitor
================
2007 report on equality between women and men
http://www.eubusiness.com/Employment/gender-equality-07

European Consumer Consultative Group 2006 - 2009
http://www.eubusiness.com/Consumer/consultative-group

List of airlines banned within the EU
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/banned-airlines

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