MEPs vote to delay post liberalisation - EUbusiness Week no 364

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EUbusiness Week - Issue 364
13 July 2007
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week's Top Stories
=======================
1. Court orders EU regulators to pay damages in landmark case
2. WTO takes up US complaint against EU's banana duties
3. EU proposes complete elimination of tariffs
4. EU increases cash to rival Fulbright programme
5. Estonia to appeal EU ruling cutting carbon emissions
6. Eurozone institutes see 3.0 per cent growth this year

Publisher's Note
================
Members of the European Parliament voted to do away with
state monopolies in postal services on Wednesday, heralding
the final phase of EU postal liberalisation. As expected,
MEPs want the Commission's deadline delayed by two years,
allowing competition for letters weighing less than 50
grams from 1 January, 2011.

Postal workers in some Member States are unhappy with the
plans and have staged stoppages and rallies against them.
The Commission predicts few changes for consumers, however.
It points to the perceived success of Britain, Finland, the
Netherlands and Sweden, which have already opened their
postal markets to competition.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Consumer/1184155224.75

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Court orders EU regulators to pay damages in landmark case
-------------------------------------------------------------
The European Court of First Instance has ordered EU antitrust
regulators to pay damages to French firm Schneider for
wrongfully blocking its takeover bid of a rival,
potentially opening a floodgate to other cases.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Competition/1184144416.61
Ryanair sues Commission over competition complaint
http://www.eubusiness.com/Competition/1184068801.43

2. WTO takes up US complaint against EU's banana duties
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The World Trade Organisation on Thursday agreed to rule on a
US complaint against the EU's banana import regime.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/1184241601.79

3. EU proposes complete elimination of tariffs
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The EU has called for the complete elimination of tariffs in
its proposal to South Korea before a second round of free
trade negotiations.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/1184047201.83

4. EU increases cash to rival Fulbright programme
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The EU says it will increase financing for its Erasmus
Mundus exchange for students from outside the bloc in a
bid to rival the prestigious US Fulbright programme.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Education/1184248802.42

5. Estonia to appeal EU ruling cutting carbon emissions
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The Estonian government is to launch a legal challenge to
the Commission's decision to slash its 2008-2012 carbon
dioxide emissions quota.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/1184238001.29

6. Eurozone institutes see 3.0 per cent growth this year
--------------------------------------------------------
Three eurozone economic institutes, Insee in France, Ifo in
Germany and the Italian Isae forecast growth of 3.0 per cent
in the 13-nation area this year.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Factsfig/1184252402.35

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

Council Watch
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IMF: France won key EU backing on Tuesday for former French
finance minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn to lead the
International Monetary Fund despite British calls for
a candidate from outside Europe.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/1184061626.18
Terrorism fight top priority for presidency: Portugal
http://www.eubusiness.com/Living_in_EU/1183986001.77
EU in no rush to replace 'anti-terror' chief
http://www.eubusiness.com/Living_in_EU/1183860001.87
http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Commission Watch
----------------
Palestinian aid: the EU will release a further EUR 80 million
in aid to the Palestinians, External Relations Commissioner
Benita Ferrero-Waldner said on Wednesday.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/1184173201.59
Member States urged not to reopen reform treaty debate
http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/1184090406.1
EU presses France's Sarkozy over economic policy
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/1184072401.9
Commissioner warns France not to sink Turkey's candidacy
http://www.eubusiness.com/Turkey/1183716002.0
http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

Euro-Parliament Watch
---------------------
Plane tickets: MEPs adopted Wednesday new measures aimed
at clearing up the cost of plane tickets by forcing airlines to
include all taxes and other charges in their prices.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/1184176801.59

At the Strasbourg plenary session this week, Parliament
appointed ministerial-level representatives for the
Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) to draft the new EU
treaties, which starts on 23 July. MEPs also called on the
European Central Bank to be cautious about further rises in
interest rates; adopted a report on a European future
maritime policy; endorsed a report on reducing regional
development disparities; welcomed recent reforms in the
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; and called on Member
States and the Commission to tackle the problem of
cardiovascular disease, today's biggest killer in Europe.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

EU diary
--------
13 Jul, ECOFIN Council (Budget)
16 Jul, Agriculture and Fisheries Council
19 Jul, Competitiveness Council Informal meeting (Science)
20 Jul, Competitiveness Council Informal meeting (SMEs)
21 Jul, Informal Meeting of Ministers for Development
24 Jul, Agriculture and Fisheries Council
26 Jul, Ministerial Conference: Cultural Forum for Europe

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

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

EUpress
-------
EP vote on postal services strikes good balance - UEAPME
http://www.eubusiness.com/Competition/ueapme.07-07-11

Clearing and Settlement Code of Conduct: implementation work
must go on - European Banking Federation
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/ebf.07-07-10

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EUevents
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23 Jul, Frankfurt: Globalisation and the Macroeconomy
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/ecb.07-06-22

20 Sep, Barcelona: Role of business in global governance
http://www.eubusiness.com/SMEs/eabis-07
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EUbooks
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The REACH Chemicals Directive - full text
http://www.eubusiness.com/Chemicals/eu-reach-directive

Panorama of energy
http://www.eubusiness.com/Energy/energy-panorama.bk
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EUjobs
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Communication Officer, European Wind Energy Assoc.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/ewea-job.07-07-10

Consultant - Senior Consultant, LOGOS Public Affairs
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/logos-job.07-07-04
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http://www.eubusiness.com/Education/erasmus-mundus

EU sun exposure pictograms
http://www.eubusiness.com/Health/sun-exposure
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EUguides
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EC White Paper on Sport
http://www.eubusiness.com/Media/sport-white-paper

EU Green Paper on bio-preparedness
http://www.eubusiness.com/Living_in_EU/bio-preparedness

Solvency II guide
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/solvency-II.guide

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Other news on EUbusiness this week
----------------------------------
Eurozone growth slows marginally in first quarter 12-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/Factsfig/1184234412.81
Slovakia mulls private motorway financing 12-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/Slovakia/1184256001.84
Eurozone industrial output grows 0.9 pct in May 12-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/Factsfig/1184234402.15
ECB's Trichet warns over inflation pressures 11-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/1184169601.73
French court challenges state gaming monopoly 11-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/Media/1184155201.36
EU appeals for clemency for foreign medics in Libya 11-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/Employment/1184151602.14
Court annuls EU ruling in De Beers-Alrosa case 11-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/EUlaw/1184144401.67
Spain pulling contaminated Chinese toothpaste: EU 11-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/Consumer/1184090401.65
Two-thirds of Swedes want EU treaty referendum 10-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/Sweden/1184076001.84
Call for tenders: SMEs in energy research projects 10-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/Energy/sme-energy-research
EU court advisor raps Italy over helicopter contracts 10-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/Italy/1184061628.89
EU aviation experts to assess Indonesian airlines 6-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/1183712402.02

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