EU mulls European class actions - EUbusiness Week no 347

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EUbusiness Week - Issue 347
16 March 2007
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week's Top Stories
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1. EU hopes for deal on mobile phone roaming rates end June
2. EU fails to ease Russian concerns on Polish food exports
3. EU proposes lifting diesel taxes to avoid 'tank tourism'
4. British Airways loses antitrust appeal in EU court
5. EU warns against further delays to Galileo system
6. Irish lead European binge-drinking league

Publisher's Note
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Consumers Affairs Commissioner Meglena Kuneva this week
promised a major boost for consumer rights as she set out
a new EU consumer policy strategy for 2007-2013.

The strategy includes a major study on the issue of group
redress, to enable groups of consumers to lodge court cases
against unscrupulous companies. However, the EC is keen to
avoid the excesses of the American class action model.

Business organisations are also concerned about the US
example. However, they will support the main aim of the
strategy: to build trust, give people more choice and value
for money, and boost the retail side of a Single Market
which is, as Ms Kuneva put it, still "fragmented in 27
national mini-markets".
http://www.eubusiness.com/Consumer/eu-consumers.72

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. EU hopes for deal on mobile phone roaming rates end June
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EU telecoms ministers reached broad agreement on trimming
the high cost of using mobile phones abroad Thursday,
raising hopes for a "roaming fees" deal to be sealed
by the end of June.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Telecoms/eu-roaming.2

2. EU fails to ease Russian concerns on Polish food exports
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Despite months of efforts, the EU has failed to allay
Moscow's concerns about the safety of Polish food exports.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Food/poland-food.16

3. EU proposes lifting diesel taxes to avoid 'tank tourism'
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The Commission is proposing to lift minimum diesel taxes to
discourage hauliers from tanking up in EU countries with
the lowest rates.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/diesel-taxes.37

4. British Airways loses antitrust appeal in EU court
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British Airways has lost its appeal against an EU court
decision to fine the company EUR 6.8 million for abusing
its dominant market position in Britain.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Competition/ba-court.92

5. EU warns against further delays to Galileo system
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The Commission says it will examine new ways to complete
the Galileo satellite navigation system after the project
stalled amid doubts about profitability.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Telecoms/eu-galileo.93

6. Irish lead European binge-drinking league
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One in 10 Europeans confesses to regular binge-drinking,
according to a Eurobarometer study published on Wednesday.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Social/binge-drinking.47

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Inside the EU Institutions
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Council Watch
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ASEAN: the EU and the Southeast Asian grouping ASEAN agreed
on Thursday to deepen political ties amid concerns that
human rights abuses in Myanmar will hinder efforts to reach
a free trade deal between the blocs.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/eu-asean.12
EU maintains wait-and-see approach to Palestinian gov't
http://www.eubusiness.com/news_live/1173960012.09
Germany to throw massive treaty party
http://www.eubusiness.com/news_live/1173808805.09

http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Commission Watch
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Bosnia: the EU has voiced disappointment after another round
of talks on key police reforms in Bosnia stalled ahead of
Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn's visit to Sarajevo.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news_live/1173970801.42
Verheugen warns against political interference at Airbus
http://www.eubusiness.com/news_live/1173895201.67

http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

Euro-Parliament Watch
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Bank mergers: Members of Parliament have backed plans to
limit central banks' powers to scrutinise banking mergers.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/bank-mergers.77
Parliament backs transatlantic aviation deal
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/1173891602.04
MEPs back UN Kosovo self-rule plan
http://www.eubusiness.com/news_live/1173736811.27
Romanian gov't delays EU polls amid political crisis
http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/romania-eu.52

At their plenary session in Strasbourg this week, MEPS
adopted a report on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR);
a resolution on community action on the provision of cross-
border healthcare; and a report on beef and veal produce.
They also called for more reform in Bosnia and for an end
to illegal bird hunting in Malta.

http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

EU diary
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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
27 Mar, Ecofin 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
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EU water policy under attack - World Development Mov't
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/water-wdm.2007-03-15

Consumer policy strategy: a promising future - BEUC
http://www.eubusiness.com/Consumer/beuc.2007-03-15

CSR: mixed results from EP damage limitation attempt
http://www.eubusiness.com/SMEs/ueapme-csr.2007-03-14

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

Events
------
26 Mar, Barcelona: Health Care Congress Europe 2007
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
-------------------------------------
Montenegro seals pact on future EU membership 15-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/news_live/1173978017.47
EU puts off airplane hand luggage limit to November 15-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/hand-luggage.91
Let us manage our wolf population, Finland tells EU 15-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/wolves-finland.74
Labour migration to Ireland may have peaked 15-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Employment/ireland-migration.22
EU launches legal action to crack glass cartel 14-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Competition/glass-cartel.21
Eurozone employment growth hits 5-yr high in 2006 14-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Factsfig/eurozone-jobs.87
WTO upholds complaint against Brazil retreads rules 13-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/eu-tyres.53

Internet Monitor
================
Attitudes towards alcohol - Eurobarometer
http://www.eubusiness.com/Health/eurobarometer-health

European Neighbourhood Policy
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/neighbourhood-policy

European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net)
http://www.eubusiness.com/Consumer/ecc-net

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