EC sparks anti-dumping debate - EUbusiness Week no 381

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EUbusiness Week - Issue 381
14 December 2007
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week's Top Stories
=======================
1. EU leaders sign landmark reform treaty
2. Court defends firms' right to move abroad to save costs
3. Schengen creates panic among visa-less Americans
4. EU agrees free trade access for 15 poor nations
5. EU acts over excessive advertising on Italian TV
6. Road accidents in Bulgaria way above EU average

Publisher's Note
================
Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson this week sparked a keen
debate on how to deal with the growing number of EU
companies shifting production to lower-cost countries
like China.

The idea of extending the definition of a European producer
to include EU-based companies that make goods abroad has
worried some Member States, who fear that reform could
weaken anti-dumping defences supposed to protect
companies producing in Europe.

Mr Mandelson warns, however, that Europe ultimately shoots
itself in the foot if it "responds to barriers with barriers
of our own", as so many European companies have
manufacturing operations abroad. With the EU trying to deal
with Europe's yawning trade deficit with China, plans for
reform are being reconsidered, and are now due in January.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197343022.17

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. EU leaders sign landmark reform treaty
-----------------------------------------
Leaders of the European Union signed a landmark treaty
Thursday to revitalise EU decision-making, but the show
of unity was marred by British Prime Minister Gordon
Brown's absence from the ceremony.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197550928.43
EU Lisbon Reform Treaty - main points
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197554526.83

2. Court defends firms' right to move abroad to save costs
----------------------------------------------------------
The European Court of Justice on Tuesday upheld the right of
EU companies to shift activities to another member state,
dealing a blow to trade unions seeking to prevent so-called
social dumping.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197379025.62

3. Schengen creates panic among visa-less Americans
---------------------------------------------------
More European borders come down this month and there is
panic among Prague's large US community with a last
minute rush to get visas in order or quit the country.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197336726.73

4. EU agrees free trade access for 15 poor nations
--------------------------------------------------
EU foreign ministers on Monday adopted rules allowing
practically free access to the European market for products
from 15 African, Caribbean and Pacific nations who have
agreed an interim trade deal with the bloc.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197307026.23

5. EU acts over excessive advertising on Italian TV
---------------------------------------------------
The Commission has begun infringement procedures against
Italy for allowing too many advertisements on television
in violation of EU rules.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197390721.63

6. Road accidents in Bulgaria way above EU average
--------------------------------------------------
The number of road accidents in Bulgaria exceeds the EU
average by around 20 per cent, costing the economy more
than EUR 500 million a year, a World Bank road safety
study shows.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197294425.36

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

Council Watch
-------------
Summit: EU leaders, at their summit on Friday, were to press
for increasingly open and fair markets, a message which they
hope will reach the ears of China's leaders in particular.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197480722.11
British treaty snub fuels PM's eurosceptic image
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197564423.62
Summit fails to mask sensitivities over EU-Africa ties
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197250322.14
EU warns of snubbing US climate talks without Bali deal
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197546429.15
http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Euro-Parliament Watch
---------------------
2008 Budget: MEPs endorsed Thursday the EU's 2008 budget
worth EUR 120.3 billion and including extra funding for the
bloc's Galileo satellite navigation network.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197555422.34
MEPs in favour of liberalising spare car parts market
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197464529.51
MEPs criticise Kadhafi trip to France
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197383520.86

In plenary session this week, Parliament adopted a
resolution on the Commission's Work Programme for 2008;
expressed its concern about the textiles sector, with a call
for better access conditions to other countries; urged more
urgency on Economic Partnership Agreements talks; called for
concrete action to reduce the ecological impact of Black sea
pollution; and called for the withdrawal of public funds
from extremist political groups.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

Commission Watch
----------------
Anti-trust: the Commission has defended its antitrust policy
after a senior advisor to French President Nicolas Sarkozy
described it as "perfectly absurd".
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197290822.21
EU braced for end of textile quotas
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197550021.53
http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

EU diary
--------
14 Dec, European Council
17 Dec, Agriculture and Fisheries Council
20 Dec, Environment Council
21 Dec, Ceremony of opening of Schengen borders
Jan-Jun 2008, Slovenia Presidency

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

EUbusiness Community
====================

Comment
-------
Commenting on our piece "Schengen creates panic among
visa-less Americans", Robert Andrews writes:

"In the long run the change will improve tourism. We wanted
to stay longer and will definitely come back for a visit
once our Spanish Visa has been approved. As with any change,
it will be difficult and there will be cost associated with
it. Looking at the big picture: We will see you soon!"
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197336726.73
Discussion: http://www.eubusiness.com/discussion

EUpress
-------
Jean Lambert, MEP: Court rules in favour of trade union
action against East European labour
http://www.eubusiness.com/Press/jeanlambert.07-12-11

ACEA: Open letter auto industry CEOs on Bali climate talks
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/acea-press.07-12-11

EEB: New air quality law too foggy
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/eeb-press.07-12-11

Reach Europe's decision-makers! Publish your organisation's
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Press: http://www.eubusiness.com/press

EUevents
--------
16 Jan 08, Graz: Central European Biomass Conference 2008
http://www.eubusiness.com/events/european-career-fair.07

11 Mar, Villach: Trust2008
http://www.eubusiness.com/events/trust2008.08
More events: http://www.eubusiness.com/events

EUjobs
------
Policy - Networking Assistant, European Volunteer Centre
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/cev-job.07-12-08

Executive Director, CEE Bankwatch Network
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/bankwatch-job.07-12-08
More jobs: http://www.eubusiness.com/jobs

EUguides
--------
EU budget 2008: breakdown
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/eu-budget-2008-guide

Unfair commercial practices Directive
http://www.eubusiness.com/SMEs/unfair-commercial-practices

Ambient air quality directive
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/ambient-air-quality
More guides: http://www.eubusiness.com/guides

EUlinks
-------
CAFE Programme - Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/cafe-air-pollution

Joint Africa-EU Strategy and Action Plan
http://www.eubusiness.com/Africa/africa-eu-strategy-plan
More links: http://www.eubusiness.com/links

EUbooks
-------
10 Fact Sheets to understand the Lisbon Treaty
http://www.eubusiness.com/Books/lisbon-facts-schuman
More books: http://www.eubusiness.com/EUbooks

Other news on EUbusiness this week
----------------------------------
Opera files antitrust complaint v Microsoft 13-Dec
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197546422.03
Namibia inks interim EU trade deal 13-Dec
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197555430.83
Singapore air passengers restrictions eased 13-Dec
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197553622.84
Mafia are 'EUR 150bn financial giants' 12-Dec
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197489721.96
Polish PM hails end of Russian meat embargo 12-Dec
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197480726.94
EU says Polish steelmaker misused state aid 12-Dec
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197469021.6
Eurozone industrial output stronger than expected 12-Dec
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197454621.9
Schengen puts up barrier between Slovenia, Croatia 12-Dec
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197424022.38
Turkey annoyed by EU stance on candidacy 11-Dec
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197321428.21
EU aid to help Britain cover cost of floods 11-Dec
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1197307021.76

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