Code of conduct for Brussels lobbyists - EUbusiness Week no 394

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EUbusiness Week - Issue 394
4 April 2008
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week's Top Stories
=======================
1. Passport-free travel arrives at newcomers' airports
2. WTO rejects EU beef hormone ban but raps US, Canada
3. Eurozone struggles to cope with 'inflation spiral'
4. EU launches in-depth probe of Northern Rock bailout
5. Same-sex couples entitled to partner's pension: EU court
6. Italian mozzarella producers welcome Brussels' reprieve

Publisher's Note
================
The European Parliament's Constitutional Affairs Committee
this week called for a toughening of rules for the
thousands of lobbyists that congregate around the
Brussels institutions.

Recommendations include a mandatory public register for
lobbyists, as well as a code of conduct and sanctions for
those who flaunt it. Lobbyists and law firms would have to
disclose costs associated with lobbying, while NGOs would be
required to state their budgets and main funding sources.

Lobbying forms an essential part of the business of the EU
institutions and makes an important contribution to policy-
making. MEPs believe their report can also ensure "a level
playing field to lobbies and increase transparency".
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207068804.17

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Passport-free travel arrives at newcomers' airports
------------------------------------------------------
Border checks at airports in nine Schengen area newcomers
vanished at midnight on Sunday, allowing 400 million people
passport-free travel in the 24-country zone.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206835323.02

2. WTO rejects EU beef hormone ban but raps US, Canada
------------------------------------------------------
The World Trade Organisation has ruled that the EU, United
States and Canada failed to respect global trade rules in a
long-running row over beef treated with growth hormones.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206976621.9

3. Eurozone struggles to cope with 'inflation spiral'
-----------------------------------------------------
Consumer prices in the eurozone surged in March to the
highest level since the bloc was formed in 1999, official
data shows, fuelling concerns of an "inflation spiral".
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206976628.55

4. EU launches in-depth probe of Northern Rock bailout
------------------------------------------------------
The Commission has launched an in-depth state-aid
investigation into British authorities' bailout of the
recently nationalised British bank Northern Rock.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207126920.19

5. Same-sex couples entitled to partner's pension: EU court
------------------------------------------------------------
The EU's highest court has ruled that the surviving partner
in a registered same-sex couple may be entitled to a
deceased partner's pension.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207068764.41

6. Italian mozzarella producers welcome Brussels' reprieve
----------------------------------------------------------
For Italian mozzarella producers, the Commission's decision
to back off from a threatened import ban on the cheese
prevented the crisis in the industry from becoming a real
disaster.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206973021.56

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

Council Watch
-------------
Financial crisis: finance chiefs faced pressure on Friday
and Saturday to come up with concrete actions for fighting
the financial crisis in the face of divisions on the best
strategy.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207218721.03
Polish parliament ratifies EU treaty
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207135020.05
Philippe Starck artistic boss of France's presidency
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207078321.38
Belgium against Blair for EU presidency
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207072020.81
Tourism must not destroy Med environment: ministers
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207241221.96
http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Commission Watch
----------------
Australia: EC chief Jose Manuel Barroso and Australian Prime
Minister Kevin Rudd announced on Wednesday an agreement to
upgrade relations through a new partnership deal.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207152120.96
Commission keeps the door ajar for Ukraine
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207228620.64
Commissioner sees light at end of Cyprus tunnel
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207155720.63
Eurozone record inflation a growing concern: Almunia
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207144920.19
Commissioner raises threat of Olympics boycott
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206784032.09
http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

Euro-Parliament Watch
---------------------
Climate change: Parliament's Temporary Committee on Climate
Change has adopted its interim report examining the
scientific data on climate change.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/climate-change.51
Party closure case hits Turkey's image in Europe: MEP
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207068767.04

This week, a joint hearing of the Development Committee and
the Human Rights Subcommittee on Wednesday called for more
pressure to be put on the Burmese generals' regime through
better targeted sanctions. In other meetings, MEPs reviewed
progress on human rights in the world in 2007; the Foreign
Affairs Committee heard Enlargement Commissioner Rehn say
the EU wants the Western Balkans to become as "normal,
prosperous and boring" as Scandinavia, with the help of
Stabilisation and Association Agreements; and Androula
Vassiliou, the Cypriot Commissioner designate for Public
Health, Food Safety, Animal Health and Welfare appeared
before the Environment Committee for a three-hour grilling.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

EU diary
--------
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
====================

Comment
-------
Commenting on our piece "EU's biofuels target could be
amended amid concerns", Basil Miller writes:

"Running scared is not the answer. Setting sustainability
standards and second-generation cellulose-to-ethanol
technology are the ways forward, emphasised in the
REFUEL report and at other forums recently."
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1205453856.32
Discussion: http://www.eubusiness.com/discussion

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

24 Apr, Brussels: EU in International Affairs 2008
http://www.eubusiness.com/events/eu-international-affairs.08
More events: http://www.eubusiness.com/events

EUpress
-------
EEB: MEPs miss chance to protect workers from chemicals
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/eeb.08-04-03

BEUC: White Paper on Private Enforcement
http://www.eubusiness.com/Competition/beuc.08-04-03

Alter-EU: EU lobbying transparency - some way to go
http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/alter-eu.08-04-02

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

EUguides
--------
EU trade relations with Australia
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/eu-australia-trade

EU-US "Open Skies" Air Transport Agreement
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/open-skies-guide

EC probe into UK restructuring aid package for Northern Rock
http://www.eubusiness.com/Competition/northern-rock-eu.01
More guides: http://www.eubusiness.com/guides

EUjobs
------
Communications Officer, Interreg North Sea Programme
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/interreg-job.08-03-28

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

EUlinks
-------
Debate Europe - Democracy - Dialogue - Debate
http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/debate-europe
More links: http://www.eubusiness.com/links

EUbooks
-------
European Regulation of Consumer Product Safety
http://www.eubusiness.com/Books/consumer-safety

Unfair Commercial Practices Directive
http://www.eubusiness.com/Books/eu-fair-trading.bk
More books: http://www.eubusiness.com/EUbooks

Other news on EUbusiness this week
----------------------------------
EU, US, China plan high-level product safety meeting 3-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207241220.37
Eurozone business activity slows in March 3-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207215120.58
EU approves Heineken Scottish-Newcastle purchase 3-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207230420.46
EU court rules against PKK's inclusion on terror list 3-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207221420.93
EU approves Polish state aid for coal industry 2-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207134121.0
EU regulators probe state-aid for Britain's Channel 4 2-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207130520.67
EU regrets increase of Russian export duties for wood 1-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207068785.42
France, Germany close to deal on auto emissions 31-Mar
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206953226.92

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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