EC Budget marks historic shift - EUbusiness Week no 354

==========================================================
EUbusiness Week - Issue 354
4 May 2007
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
==========================================================

This Week's Top Stories
=======================
1. Bush, EU leaders deadlocked on climate change
2. SKorea formally decides to open EU trade talks
3. EU presses China in WTO talks over copyright piracy
4. EU final warning over 'regulatory holiday' for D Telekom
5. New EU countries work to eliminate US visa requirements
6. 86 per cent of Poles are satisfied with EU

Publisher's Note
================
"Today's budget proposal marks a historical shift for the
EU," said Budget Commissioner Dalia Grysbaukaite as she set
out the Commission's draft Budget for 2008. For the first
time, spending on growth and employment policies takes a
bigger share of the budget than agriculture, rural
development and the environment.

The EC proposes EUR 129.2 billion in spending commitments -
an increase of 2 per cent compared to 2007, while payment
appropriations reflect last year's underspend at EUR 121.6 bn
- a 5.3 per cent increase. The plans are consistent with EU
spending reform, says Ms Grysbaukaite, and reflect a shift
in EU goals towards competitiveness, growth and cohesion. A
review of spending priorities, agreed by the Member States
in 2005, will take place around the middle of this year.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Agri/eu-budget-2008.56

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

SPONSOR OFFER
**********************************************************
Find an Office in Europe! Instant Offices Europe offers
serviced office space in European markets.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Instant-offices
**********************************************************
Sponsor EUbusiness Week
For details of how to reach our membership of over 65,000
business professionals, please call Emma Kettle on +44
(0)20 7692 4848 or email us at sales_eub@eubusiness.com .
http://www.eubusiness.com/Advertise
**********************************************************

1. Bush, EU leaders deadlocked on climate change
------------------------------------------------
US President George W. Bush and visiting European leaders
agreed Monday to define global warming as a serious problem
requiring "urgent" action, but were deadlocked on what
concrete remedies to apply.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/us-summit.61

2. SKorea formally decides to open EU trade talks
------------------------------------------
South Korea's government on Tuesday gave formal approval
for the start of free trade talks with the EU, one month
after wrapping up a landmark deal with the United States.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/korea-trade.44

3. EU presses China in WTO talks over copyright piracy
------------------------------------------------------
The EU is "watching very closely" WTO consultations
between Washington and Beijing over copyright piracy
and is demanding "results" from the Chinese.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/china-wto.74

4. EU final warning over 'regulatory holiday' for D Telekom
-----------------------------------------------------------
The Commission has issued a final warning before taking the
German government to court over a "regulatory holiday"
granted to Deutsche Telekom to build a high-speed
Internet network.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Telecoms/deutsche-telekom.6

5. New EU countries work to eliminate US visa requirements
----------------------------------------------------------
Seven new EU countries plan to hire a lobbyist in the
United States in a bid to persuade lawmakers there to
eliminate visa entry requirements.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/us-visas.41

6. 86 per cent of Poles are satisfied with EU
---------------------------------------------
Three years after joining the Union, 86 per cent of Poles
believe it has had a positive effect, compared to 69 per
cent who supported entry in 2004, a poll reveals.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Poland/poland-eu.28

SPONSOR OFFER
**********************************************************
Viking Direct Office Supplies
Shop online with Viking Direct for the best business to
business office supplies service on the Internet!
http://www.eubusiness.com/viking
**********************************************************

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

Commission Watch
----------------
Ombudsman: the EU's administration remains disconnected
from Europe's citizens with some civil servants believing
it is enough just for them to avoid unlawful behaviour,
the European Ombudsman reported on Thursday.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/ombudsman.71
EU institutions open doors to public this weekend
http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/eu-open-day.53
http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

Council Watch
-------------
Turkey: Turkey's political crisis and the army's role in
the presidential election could fuel opposition to
Ankara's quest to join the EU and harm its membership
chances, analysts say.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Turkey/turkey-eu.17
EU reiterates commitment to tackle global warming
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/global-warming.27
http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Euro-Parliament Watch
---------------------
This week, Parliament's Environment Committee adopted a
report calling for a ban on exports and imports of mercury
from 1 July 2010 and for stricter rules on storage; members
of the Human Rights Subcommittee debated freedom of
expression on World Press Freedom Day; the Fisheries
Committee proposed amendments to a Commission plan for cod
stocks in the Baltic Sea; and a hearing organised by the
Subcommittee on Security and Defence urged Member States to
pool their space technology, starting with satellites.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

EU diary
--------
7-8 May, Agriculture and Fisheries Council
8 May, EU - Gulf Cooperation Council
8 May, Economic and Financial Affairs Council
14-15 May, Ext'l Relations, Security, Development Council
15 May, EU-Troika - African Union
15-16 May, Gender Equality/Family Affairs informal
15-16 May, European Conference of Tourism Ministers

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

Community Resources
===================

EUpress
-------
Environmental and health NGOs welcome the results of the
vote from Parliament's Environment Committee on the proposal
to ban EU mercury exports and ensure the safe storage of
surplus mercury - EEB
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/mercury-eeb.07-05-03

Publish your organisation's policy papers and news directly
onto EUbusiness.
Press: http://www.eubusiness.com/press

EUevents
--------
14 May, Paris: Bridging the Broadband Gap
http://www.eubusiness.com/Telecoms/broadband-gap

31 May: Brussels Economic Forum 2007
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/brussels-economic-forum
Events: http://www.eubusiness.com/events

EUbooks
-------
Innovation and globalisation effects in European banks
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/globalisation-banks.bk

EU research in road transport
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/transport-research.bk
Books: http://www.eubusiness.com/EUbooks

EUjobs
-------
Information and Communication Officer, European
Older People's Platform
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/age-job.07-04-30

External Affairs Manager, EuropaBio
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/europabio-job.7425
Jobs: http://www.eubusiness.com/jobs

EUlinks
-------
i-techpartner - technology alliances and investments
http://www.eubusiness.com/Rd/i-techpartner

E-Communications household survey
http://www.eubusiness.com/Internet/e-coms-survey
Links: http://www.eubusiness.com/links

EUguides
--------
Roaming Charges ahead of EP vote
http://www.eubusiness.com/Telecoms/mobile-roaming-ep.qa

Retail Financial Services Green Paper
http://www.eubusiness.com/Consumer/retail-financial.qa
Guides: http://www.eubusiness.com/guides

Companies: http://users.eubusiness.com/europages
EUfunding: http://www.eubusiness.com/funding
Resources: http://www.eubusiness.com/resources

Other news on EUbusiness this week
----------------------------------
Hong Kong journalist wins EU journalism prize 3-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/Media/natali-prize-07.48
EU, NATO build pressure on Russia in Estonia row 3-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/Russia/1178211609.55
EU raids suspected cartel of oil equipment makers 3-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/Competition/marine-hose.18
Eurozone jobless eases to record low of 7.2 pct 2-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/Factsfig/jobless-eu.13
EC consults on how to achieve biofuel targets 2-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/Energy/biofuels-consultation
Higher poverty risk for non-EU migrants: study 1-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/Social/migrants-poverty.41
European households increasingly digital 1-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/Internet/household-survey
US, EU ink 'open skies' pact 30-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/open-skies.32
New GM maize find in US shipment to Europe 30-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/gm-maize.56
Eurozone economic confidence slips in April 30-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/economic-confidence.81

Newswire online: http://www.eubusiness.com/Newswire

==========================================================
EUbusiness Week is a free service - please help us keep it
that way. Pass it on to your colleagues and friends and
suggest they register for their own copy.
==========================================================

Subscription Information
========================
To subscribe:
Register at http://www.eubusiness.com/Newswire

To unsubscribe:
To change your subscription options, go to
http://lists.eubusiness.com/mailman/listinfo/newswire

Any problems email service@eubusiness.com

Privacy Statement
http://www.eubusiness.com/privacy

----------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2007 EUbusiness Ltd. All rights reserved.
May be reproduced in any medium for non-commercial purposes
as long as attribution is given.
==========================================================
EUbusiness Ltd
Westminster House, Kew Road
Richmond, Surrey TW9 2ND, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7692 4848
http://www.eubusiness.com
==========================================================
Registered in England and Wales number 3803196