' Open skies' boost for transatlantic travel - EUbusiness Week no 393

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EUbusiness Week - Issue 393
28 March 2008
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week's Top Stories
=======================
1. Transatlantic travel set for big 'open skies' boost
2. Italy under EU pressure over mozzarella scare
3. EU launches antitrust probe of Visa Europe
4. EU farm aid recipients to be named under new rules
5. Brussels targets cross-border VAT fraud
6. Wine in EU 'contaminated with pesticides'

Publisher's Note
================
Welcome back to a shortened version of the newsletter. I
hope you had a good Easter break.

I would like to apologise for the difficulties many of you
have been experiencing in trying to access the site in
recent weeks. We have been working hard to sort out the
problems, and I am glad to report that our work appears at
last to be paying off, with a significant improvement in
speed of access throughout the day.

Apologies again, and please let us know if access is still
slow for you.
http://www.eubusiness.com/contact-info

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Transatlantic travel set for big 'open skies' boost
------------------------------------------------------
Transatlantic travel is set for a shake-up starting on
Sunday when the new EU-US aviation pact takes effect,
leaving in the slipstream many old rules that discouraged
competition on flights between the two continents.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206501423.83
London's Heathrow seeks boost from 'open skies'
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206648202.56

2. Italy under EU pressure over mozzarella scare
------------------------------------------------
The spectre of a new food scare loomed over Europe on
Thursday as Italy faces a possible EU ban on imports of
mozzarella cheese because of high levels of dioxins in
the milk used to make it.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206648229.24

3. EU launches antitrust probe of Visa Europe
---------------------------------------------
The Commission has launched an anti-trust probe into
payments card giant Visa Europe in case fees for
cross-border transactions broke EU competition rules.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206533820.67

4. EU farm aid recipients to be named under new rules
-----------------------------------------------------
EU nations next year have will have to lift the lid on their
agricultural handouts, naming the farmers who receive them
and listing the amounts delivered, the Commission has
announced.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1205947272.53

5. Brussels targets cross-border VAT fraud
-------------------------------------------
The Commission has proposed new measures to tackle cross-
border sales tax fraud that is hitting national coffers.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1205769720.94

6. Wine in EU 'contaminated with pesticides'
--------------------------------------------
Wines sold in the European Union systematically contain
traces of pesticides, a group of environmental
associations says.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206551936.38

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

Council Watch
-------------
Farm subsidies: farm ministers have rejected a proposal to
sharply reduce the biggest agricultural subsidies, a measure
that would have hit British and German farmers.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1205767021.84
France, Britain vow new 'entente amicale'
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206658021.56
Polish PM confident of ratifying Lisbon Treaty
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206648227.81
Portugal to ratify Lisbon Treaty next month
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206461832.96
West holds fire ahead of Zimbabwe elections
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206502336.25
China warns EU to steer clear of Tibet issue
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206648213.57
http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Commission Watch
----------------
Lobbying: the Commission refuted a claim on Tuesday that
industry representatives enjoy too much influence on expert
panels that help the EU executive draft legislation.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206455523.09
http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

Euro-Parliament Watch
---------------------
After the Easter break, MEPs debated the situation in Tibet
and the outcome of the European Council. In committee, the
Transport Committee called for better protection for
pedestrians and cyclists; the Committee for Environment,
Public Health and Food Safety proposed a wide range of
measures, including a European donor card, to tackle
problems like organ shortage, transplantation risks and
organ trafficking; the Budgets Committee highlighted MEPs'
priorities and concerns over the 2009 EU Budget in the
context of Parliament's new legislative and budgetary powers
if the Lisbon Treaty is ratified; and also approved funding
from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for
Portugal and Malta.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

EU diary
--------
28-29 Mar, Ministers of Foreign Affairs informal
4-5 Apr, Finance Ministers informal
9 Apr, EP plenary session
11-13 Apr, Environment Ministers informal
14 Apr, Agriculture and Fisheries Council
14-16 Apr, Ministers for Competitiveness informal
17-18 Apr, Ministers for Health informal
17-18 Apr, Justice and Home Affairs Council

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

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

EUevents
--------
23 Apr, San Sebastian: International Public e-Procurement
http://www.eubusiness.com/events/eipa.08

6 May, Riga: Eastern Baltic Aquaculture Conference
http://www.eubusiness.com/events/eurofish.08
More events: http://www.eubusiness.com/events

EUpress
-------
EEB: On course for full EU mercury export ban
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/eeb-press.08-03-27

EuroCommerce welcomes investigation into Visa Europe
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/eurocommerce.01

EC Expert Groups dominated by industry: ALTER-EU
http://www.eubusiness.com/EUlaw/alter-eu-press.08-03-25

Reach Europe's decision-makers! Publish your organisation's
policy papers and news directly onto EUbusiness.
Press: http://www.eubusiness.com/press

EUguides
--------
Single European Telecoms Market 2007 Progress Report
http://www.eubusiness.com/Telecoms/single-telecoms-eu.32

Road safety - cross-border enforcement
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/road-safety-eu.01
More guides: http://www.eubusiness.com/guides

EUjobs
------
European Policy Adviser, HelpAge International
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/helpage-job.08-03-25

Policy Advisor, Climate Change, EU Development, Oxfam
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/oxfam-job.08-03-25
More jobs: http://www.eubusiness.com/jobs

EUlinks
-------
Quarterly report on the euro area - March 2008
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/q1-euro-area
More links: http://www.eubusiness.com/links

EUbooks
-------
Britain in the European Union Today (Politics Today)
http://www.eubusiness.com/Books/britain-eu-politics

National Parliaments and European Democracy
http://www.eubusiness.com/Books/european-democracy.bk
More books: http://www.eubusiness.com/EUbooks

Other news on EUbusiness this week
----------------------------------
EU, Russia seal veterinary deal 27-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206552027.8
Low-cost airlines urge air traffic control shakeup 27-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206550022.09
EU mulls measures against Canada over seal hunting 27-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206537713.34
Eurozone feeling 'pinch' of market swings 26-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206532921.95
Surge in eurozone January new industrial orders 26-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206527545.89
Fewer US tourists coming to Paris: tourism office 25-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206463620.9
'No' to Aer Lingus bid to stop Ryanair voting rights 25-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1205927221.18
Brussels seeks to punish bad drivers abroad 19-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1205935325.87

Companies: http://www.eubusiness.com/europages
EUfunding: http://www.eubusiness.com/funding
http://www.eubusiness.com/Currency-converter
http://www.eubusiness.com/aboutus/eubusiness-rss

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

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