France urges EU farm output boost - EUbusiness Week no 396

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EUbusiness Week - Issue 396
18 April 2008
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week's Top Stories
=======================
1. EU close to reaching energy deal with Iraq
2. EU says China top source of risky goods
3. EU in contact with banks about rival to Visa, MasterCard
4. EU ready to boost Bosnia ties following police reform deal
5. Europe launches first procurement for ITER
6. EU go-ahead for air quality directive

Publisher's Note
================
As soaring world food prices threaten 100 million people in
poor countries with deepening poverty, France this week urged
Europe's agriculture ministers to boost EU farm output and
stick to its position in WTO trade negotiations.

France's resistance to reform of the CAP, and its call for
increased development aid to farmers in poor countries, does
not go down well with some of her partners. France is the
biggest recipient of EU farm subsidies and resists pressure
to cut the Union's farm spending budget.

France's drive for more protectionist policies is also
unlikely to receive support from the Commission. Trade
Commissioner Mandelson suggested Thursday that the current
crisis in fact has the potential "to benefit people in the
developing world because many have a comparative advantage
in agriculture".
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208171825.29

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. EU close to reaching energy deal with Iraq
---------------------------------------------
The European Union and Iraq are close to signing an energy
cooperation deal, Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso said
on Wednesday, as Europe strives to reduce dependence on
Russian oil and gas.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208350022.92
Iraq close to new energy law to ease investments
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208345523.06

2. EU says China top source of risky goods
------------------------------------------
China is the main source of risky products in Europe and toys
are the item most commonly found to pose a risk to consumers,
the Commission reports.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208428325.76

3. EU in contact with banks about rival to Visa, MasterCard
-----------------------------------------------------------
The Commission says contacts have been held with banks on
setting up a payments card network that could rival Visa
and MasterCard in a sector it says lacks competition.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208354522.83

4. EU ready to boost Bosnia ties following police reform deal
-------------------------------------------------------------
EU officials have hailed Bosnia's adoption of long-disputed
police reforms, saying it opened the way for the Baltic state
to sign the first accord on the way to EU membership.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208367123.1

5. Europe launches first procurement for ITER
---------------------------------------------
Fusion for Energy, the agency responsible for Europe's
contribution to the international experimental thermonuclear
reactor (ITER), is expected to unlock new business
opportunities for industry with the launch of its
first ever procurement.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Energy/iter-procurement.01

6. EU go-ahead for air quality directive
----------------------------------------
The legal text of the EU's air quality directive - which
merges a number of EU pollution laws into a single
directive - was adopted by the Council on 14 April.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/air-quality.01

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

Council Watch
-------------
Berlusconi: Silvio Berlusconi's return to power in Italy has
caused concern in Brussels, amid fears that the flamboyant
eurosceptic media baron is not the man to pull his country
out of its economic woes.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208269038.8
EU reels Poland in for overfishing cod
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208187124.28
Juncker sees financial crisis dragging into 2009
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208269023.06
Less than third of Irish plan to vote for treaty
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208168223.65
http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Commission Watch
----------------
Ireland: Jose Manuel Barroso warned Ireland on Thursday
that the EU has no plan B if Irish voters reject its
controversial new treaty in a crunch upcoming referendum.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208419320.63
EU to tighten net on illegal fishing: Commissioner
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208457122.83
Human rights part of GCC-EU accord: Ferrero-Waldner
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208375223.1
EU defends biofuel goals amid food crises
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208180852.01
http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

Euro-Parliament Watch
---------------------
Ombudsman: the EU ombudsman on Tuesday hailed measures
announced by Euro-MPs to make their system of payments
to themselves and their assistants more transparent.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208277122.34
Poll clash: Irish MEP attacked after EU treaty meeting
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208269922.4

Also this week, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki told a
joint meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee that he could
see tangible progress in his country; and the Committee on
Women's Rights and Gender Equality adopted a report on the
under-representation of women in the world of science.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

EU diary
--------
17-18 Apr, Ministers for Health informal
17-18 Apr, Justice and Home Affairs Council
21-24 Apr, EP Strasbourg plenary session
23 Apr, EU-Japan Summit
28 Apr, EU-Croatia Stabilisation and Association Council
28-29 Apr, Gen'l Affairs and Ext'l Relations Council
5 May, Informal Meeting of Transport Ministers

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 "France will push to harmonise EU
company tax", Antonio M. Graca writes:

"It is just a shame that Portugal, one of the poorest
countries on EU, where more than 20 per cent of the
population lives below the poverty line is obliged, by its
own government, to pay one of the highest rates of European
VAT (21 per cent) with the agreement of all other European
Union members without even an eye blink! Not to mention the
fact that we also pay one of the highest taxes on petrol
and even VAT on that tax too.."
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207594929.26
Discussion: http://www.eubusiness.com/discussion

EUpress
-------
Eurochambres: Action and commitment the keys to SME growth
http://www.eubusiness.com/SMEs/eurochambres.08-04-17

BEUC: RAPEX report - A step in the right direction
http://www.eubusiness.com/Consumer/beuc-press.08-04-17

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Rapid Alert System for non-food consumer products (RAPEX)
http://www.eubusiness.com/Consumer/rapex-08-guide

EU product safety stocktaking exercise follow-up
http://www.eubusiness.com/Consumer/product-safety.02

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

EUevents
--------
14 May, Slovenia: Responding to Environmental Change
http://www.eubusiness.com/events/bridgingthegap.08

21 Jul, Greece: Euro-Conference on Artificial Intelligence
http://www.eubusiness.com/events/ecai.08
More events: http://www.eubusiness.com/events

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http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/errc-job.08-04-09
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EUbooks
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More books: http://www.eubusiness.com/EUbooks

Other news on EUbusiness this week
----------------------------------
EU 'no' to unfettered US access to databases 17-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208444520.77
Greek tobacco growers protest EU subsidy cuts 17-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208442720.37
German state wants to keep minority VW blocking stake 17-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208420220.65
Eurozone inflation jumps to record 3.6 per cent 16-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208337423.09
EU sees Turkmenistan gas export offer breakthrough 16-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/Energy/turkmenistan-gas.01
EU backs Montenegro's WTO bid 15-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208251022.67
EU defends biofuel goals amid food crises 14-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208180852.01
EU's Indonesia airline ban 'unfair': ministry 14-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1208142122.79
Upsurge in measles across Europe: EU agency 11-Apr
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207909040.52

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