Voluntary lobbyists register from 2008 - EUbusiness Week no 348

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EUbusiness Week - Issue 348
23 March 2007
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week's Top Stories
=======================
1. Transatlantic 'open skies' deal ready for take-off
2. Antitrust watchdog targeting up to 10 cartels in 2007
3. EU mulls its own version of the US Green Card scheme
4. Colombia follows Ecuador to challenge on EU banana rules
5. EU takes action to halt Polish road in fragile forest
6. Turks favour religious, ethnic pluralism: poll

Publisher's Note
================
Every day sees the arrival of new lobbyists in Brussels,
working to influence decisions taken by EU Institutions
So the European Commission this week tackled concerns
about undue corporate influence on EU policy-making
by announcing a public register for Brussels lobbyists.

They will be invited to register on the new 'interest
representative register' from 2008, stating publicly
who they represent and what their objectives are,
their sources of funding and their major clients.

Strangely, registration will for the moment be voluntary.
There appears to be little reason why the Commission should
dally any more on the road to effective EU lobbying transparency.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/eu-lobbying.61

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Transatlantic 'open skies' deal ready for take-off
-----------------------------------------------------
EU transport ministers gave clearance on Thursday for plans
to free up the transatlantic aviation market under a long-
sought 'open skies' accord expected to drive down ticket
prices.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/open-skies.39

2. Antitrust watchdog targeting up to 10 cartels in 2007
--------------------------------------------------------
The EU's top anti-trust regulator said on Tuesday she
expected to break up as many as nine or 10 cartels this
year and set a new record in annual fines handed out to
offending firms.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Competition/kroes.64

3. EU mulls its own version of the US Green Card scheme
-------------------------------------------------------
Inspired by the famous American 'Green Card' scheme, the
Commission is considering introducing its own 'blue card'
system to attract more qualified immigrants.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Living_in_EU/eu-blue-card.24

4. Colombia follows Ecuador to challenge on EU banana rules
-----------------------------------------------------------
Colombia on Thursday became the second country to lodge a
complaint at the WTO against the European Union's banana
import rules.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Agri/eu-bananas.78

5. EU takes action to halt Polish road in fragile forest
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The Commission sought a court order Wednesday to halt the
construction of a road in an ecologically fragile part of
northeast Poland, upping the ante in a standoff with Warsaw.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/poland-road.32

6. Turks favour religious, ethnic pluralism: poll
-------------------------------------------------
Most Turks believe the state should help preserve different
religious and ethnic groups in the face of rising
nationalism, according to a poll published Monday.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Living_in_EU/turkey.55

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

Council Watch
-------------
Galileo: Transport ministers have threatened to seek
alternatives for completing the Galileo satellite navigation
system unless the current consortium resolves key problems.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Telecoms/galileo-transport.42
EU makes first contact with non-Hamas Palestinian minister
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/eu-hamas.51
Germany sends EU leaders final Berlin Declaration draft
http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/berlin-declaration.99
EU marks 50th birthday amid uncertain future
http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/eu-50.22

http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Commission Watch
----------------
Mandelson: EU trade chief Peter Mandelson said on Thursday
that he would step down in 2009.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/mandelson.21
Quarter of Europeans think EU has made life better: poll
http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/1174273201.85
Europe too politically correct: Barroso
http://www.eubusiness.com/news_live/1174525202.16

http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

Euro-Parliament Watch
---------------------
Euro: ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet has defended the
track record of the euro since its launch in 1999 in the
face of growing criticism from French presidential
candidates.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/trichet-euro.22
EU's biggest party unveils 50th anniversary text
http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/eu-50-epp.69
Cardinal laments EP 'pressure' on societal issues
http://www.eubusiness.com/Social/ep-society.21

In committee meetings this week, the Agriculture Committee
looked at ways to make the fruit and vegetable sector more
competitive; the Public Health Committee urged renewed
efforts in the fight against AIDS; the Budgets Committee
withdrew its reservations about rural development
appropriations for 2007; and the Trade Committee called on
the Commission to make the conditions for economic
partnership agreements less onerous conditions for ACP
countries.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

EU diary
--------
27 Mar, Ecofin Council
28 Mar, EU Troika - Central Asia
28 Mar, Mini EP Plenary
16-17 Apr, Agriculture and Fisheries Council
19-20 Apr, Informal Meeting of Health Ministers
19-20 Apr, Justice and Home Affairs Council
20-21 Apr, Informal Meeting, Economics and Finance

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

Community
=========

PressZONE
---------
Voluntary lobby register: too timid step - ALTER-EU
http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/alter-eu.21

Meat-and-bone meal smuggling scandal greater than suspected
- Foodwatch
http://www.eubusiness.com/Food/bonemeal-foodwatch.92

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

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

25 Apr, Sofia: Int'l bioenergy forum for Sth east Europe
http://www.eubusiness.com/Energy/bioenergy-forum

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

Other stories on EUbusiness this week
-------------------------------------
EU takes Greece to court over TV liberalisation 22-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Media/tv-greece.1
EU charges US with giving Boeing aid of EUR 18bn 22-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/airbus-boeing.31
EU extends sanctions against Belarus 22-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/belarus-eu.45
EU concerned about Microsoft gaining market share 22-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Competition/microsoft-eu.62
Eurozone new industrial orders ease in January 22-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Factsfig/industrial-orders.82
Heavy EU fines for France over water nitrate levels 21-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/france-nitrates.38
Russia discovers new salmonella in German chicken 21-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Food/salmonella.65
Ireland basks in role as the EU success story 21-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Employment/ireland.18
WWF tries to force EU to lower North Sea cod quota 20-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Fisheries/cod-wwf-eu.22
China ambitions hover over Airbus-Boeing WTO dispute 20-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/airbus-boeing-wto.44
EU launches action against suspected videotape cartel 20-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Media/videotape.67
New EU food reference labs open for business 20-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/Food/eu-food-reference

Internet Monitor
================
EU Transparency Initiative
http://www.eubusiness.com/EUlaw/eu-transparency

The EU at a Glance
http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/eu-at-a-glance

Community Reference Laboratories
http://www.eubusiness.com/Food/community-reference-labs

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