Ten years of EMU - EUbusiness Week no 399

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EUbusiness Week - Issue 399
9 May 2008
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week's Top Stories
=======================
1. Consumers ripped off by online airline tickets
2. Commission delays ruling on GM products
3. EC eyes pollution tolls for truckers
4. EP committee for splitting electricity groups
5. EU sues Italy over Naples rubbish crisis
6. EU still far from agreeing biofuel standards

Publisher's Note
================
Slovakia is on course to adopt the euro in January 2009,
according to this week's Convergence Report on euro
readiness - swelling to sixteen the original membership of
the eurozone, which started with eleven countries in 1999.

Ten years of Economic and Monetary Union, which the EU
celebrates this May, has brought price stability and lower
interest rates, and boosted trade and investment. Results
on output and productivity growth have not been so good,
and the Commission suggests improving budgetary monitoring
and economic policy coordination among eurozone members.

While short on substance, the proposals should at least
rekindle a debate about the European Central Bank's
independence and the interest of France and Italy in
giving politicians a bigger role in running the eurozone.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1210167122.5

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

MARKET RESEARCH: Pharmaceuticals in the EU
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A Guide to Pharmaceuticals in the European Union: The
Impact of EU Enlargement
http://www.eubusiness.com/market-research
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

1. Consumers ripped off by online airline tickets
-------------------------------------------------
Consumers are getting ripped off by misleading information
for airline tickets sold online, Consumer Commissioner
Meglena Kuneva said on Thursday, promising a crackdown
if the industry fails to clean up its act.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1210246327.06
EU drops maximum carry-on luggage limit
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1209991621.86

2. Commission delays ruling on GM products
------------------------------------------
The Commission has ordered more tests on whether several
genetically modified products should be allowed in Europe,
putting back a decision on whether to give approval.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1210162622.34

3. EC eyes pollution tolls for truckers
---------------------------------------
Europe's truckers would have to pay for the pollution,
traffic jams and noise they cause if the Commission
gets its way.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1209985322.45

4. EP committee for splitting electricity groups
------------------------------------------------
A key committee at the European Parliament voted late on
Tuesday in favour of requiring power companies to split
their generation businesses from transmission networks.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1210149123.39

5. EU sues Italy over Naples rubbish crisis
-------------------------------------------
The Commission is suing Italy before the Court of Justice
for failing to tackle a rubbish crisis around the Italian
city of Naples, hoping to force Rome to take urgent action.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1210069021.56

6. EU still far from agreeing biofuel standards
-----------------------------------------------
The EU remains far from agreeing on how to tighten its rules
for using biofuels, diplomats are saying, amid growing
opposition towards such forms of energy.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1210185123.08

COLUMBUS DIRECT TRAVEL INSURANCE
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Inside the EU Institutions
==========================

Council Watch
-------------
Berlusconi: whether Naples rubbish, ailing Alitalia's fate
or the public finances, Italy and the Commission have no
shortage of sore points likely to ensure rocky relations
between Brussels and the incoming government.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1210088822.35
France pledges not to snag Turkey's accession talks
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1210090623.92
Europe woos Serbia with free visas ahead of election
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1210071722.24
Lithuania, Poland join forces on EU-Russia negotiations
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1210266123.03
Lithuania, Latvia ratify Lisbon treaty
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1210239122.33
Luxembourg PM early favourite for EU president
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1209997922.91
http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Euro-Parliament Watch
---------------------
Lobbying: Parliament voted on Thursday in favour of
tightening rules regulating the 15,000 lobbyists that
gravitate around the EU institutions.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1210246322.16

At their mini-plenary session this week, MEPs urged clearer
guidelines on how to apply EU rules in the area of sport;
called for a "precautionary approach" on the management of
deep-sea fish stocks; adopted a non-binding report on
support for cotton; and called for EU-US economic ties to
be strengthened. In committee, MEPs pronounced themselves
in favour of concluding a free-trade accord between the EU
and the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

Commission Watch
----------------
Deficits: the Commission said on Wednesday that disciplinary
deficit action should be lifted against Italy, Portugal,
Slovakia and the Czech Republic, judging they have
sufficiently improved their finances.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1210159921.75
EU to boost aid to Myanmar if easier access allowed
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1210267923.52
Italy proposes successor to Frattini as Commissioner
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1210282322.87
Top envoy urges EU to quickly sign key pact with Bosnia
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1210169862.75
http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

EU diary
--------
9 May. Europe Day celebration
14 May, Economic and Financial Affairs Council
16 May, Summit EU - LAC (Latin America & Caribbean)
15-16 Mya, EU-US Open Skies Agreement 2nd stage talks
19 May, Maritime Policy - European Maritime Day
19-20 May, Agriculture and Fisheries Council
19 May, EP plenary

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 "British, French leaders push EU to
help small business", Henry Maigurira writes:

"Who you know and how much money is in your pocket have
always been significant contributors to entrepreneurial
success. New research by Harvard Business School professor
Ramana Nanda explores new wrinkles in this age-old formula
- and how government policy may impact entrepreneurship."
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1209567724.96
Discussion: http://www.eubusiness.com/discussion

EUpress
-------
ALTER-EU welcomes EP vote on mandatory lobbyists register
http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/alter-eu-lobbyists

EUROCHAMBRES: EU Budget - more needed for 'competitiveness'
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/eurochambres.08-05-07

Friends of the Earth: EU food agency under fire over GMOs
http://www.eubusiness.com/Food/foe-press.08-05-07

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

EUguides
--------
Airline Ticket selling website - EU Enforcement Results
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/airline-tickets.02

Tempus Programme
http://www.eubusiness.com/Education/tempus-guide

EMU and the euro
http://www.eubusiness.com/Euro/emu-euro-guide
More guides: http://www.eubusiness.com/guides

EUevents
--------
3 June, Bled: European Charter for Small Enterprises
http://www.eubusiness.com/events/charter-conference.08

12 June, Brussels: Corporate Social Responsibility
http://www.eubusiness.com/events/csr-conference.08
More events: http://www.eubusiness.com/events

EUjobs
------
Deputy Director General, European Central Bank
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/ecb-job.08-05-01

Head of Communication Unit, INTERREG IVB
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/jts-job.08-05-03
More jobs: http://www.eubusiness.com/jobs

EUlinks
-------
2008 Convergence Report of the Commission
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/convergence-report.08

Towards EMU@10 - Research resources
http://www.eubusiness.com/Euro/emu-10

Lobbyists activities - EP Legislative Observatory texts
http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/eu-lobbyists
More links: http://www.eubusiness.com/links

EUbooks
-------
Biofuels for Transport: Implications for Energy & Farming
http://www.eubusiness.com/Books/biofuels-for-transport

SMEs and European Integration
http://www.eubusiness.com/Books/smes-eu-integration
More books: http://www.eubusiness.com/EUbooks

Other news on EUbusiness this week
----------------------------------
EU opens new Chinese anti-dumping probe 8-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1210260723.05
Vienna and Bratislava joint candidates for EIT HQ 8-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/Rd/eit.03
Eurozone retail sales fall unexpectedly in March 7-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1210151847.63
EFSA takes new look at baby bottle chemical 6-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1210087922.83
France seeks to avert eurozone tensions with Germany 6-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1210070821.63
EU approves STX Shipbuilding's stake in Aker Yards 6-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1209983522.31
Innovative Medicines boost for pharmaceuticals sector 6-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/Pharma/innovative-medicines.01
EU rules out linking Russia up to Nabucco pipeline 5-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1210005122.62
EU files cartel charges against marine hose makers 5-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1209996121.99

Market Research: http://www.eubusiness.com/market-research
Companies: http://www.eubusiness.com/europages
EUfunding: http://www.eubusiness.com/funding
RSS: http://www.eubusiness.com/aboutus/eubusiness-rss
http://www.eubusiness.com/Currency-converter

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

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