Biofuels not the answer - EUbusiness Week no 401

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EUbusiness Week - Issue 401
23 May 2008
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week's Top Stories
=======================
1. EU plans farm shake-up in face of record food prices
2. Polluters face EU sanctions for environmental abuse
3. Rise in fake health care goods danger to EU consumers
4. EU to scrutinise Microsoft's promise to open up Office
5. German lawmakers come up with new 'VW law'
6. EU investment in India surges past China in 2007

Publisher's Note
================
The European Parliament this week responded to the
Commission's target for biofuels to account for 10 per
cent of all vehicle fuel by 2020 by calling for more
research into their impact on climate change.

Friends of the Earth have criticised European banks for
funding the rapid expansion of biofuel production in
Latin America, which they say encourages large scale
deforestation. Brazil, on the other hand, has warned
Europe against erecting biofuel import barriers.

Commissioner Verheugen expressed his own doubts Saturday:
"It makes no sense to make car fuel from plants that ought
to provide human and animal food". His comments can only add
to growing doubts about whether the EU should continue a
policy of elevating biofuels to an environmental priority.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211371322.88

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. EU plans farm shake-up in face of record food prices
-------------------------------------------------------
The Commission urged Tuesday a shake-up of Europe's farm
sector to ramp up production in the face of soaring food
prices, with Britain and France braced for battle over
hand-outs to farmers.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211277722.6
Main points of EU farm reform proposals
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211300222.18

2. Polluters face EU sanctions for environmental abuse
------------------------------------------------------
Illegal polluters in Europe face criminal sanctions for
serious abuse of the environment, either on purpose or
through negligence, under new measures adopted by the
European Parliament.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211374924.78

3. Rise in fake health care goods danger to EU consumers
--------------------------------------------------------
The number of fake personal health care goods entering
Europe is on the rise and poses a danger to consumers,
says an EU customs report on counterfeiting and piracy.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211194921.75

4. EU to scrutinise Microsoft's promise to open up Office
---------------------------------------------------------
The Commission said on Thursday it would scrutinise a
decision by Microsoft to make its Office programme
compatible with a rival document format.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211444223.33

5. German lawmakers come up with new 'VW law'
---------------------------------------------
German lawmakers have worked out a new "Volkswagen law"
which still retains Lower Saxony's de facto veto ruled
illegal by Brussels last year.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211458621.31

6. EU investment in India surges past China in 2007
---------------------------------------------------
The flow of European cash into Indian firms surged more
than fourfold last year, far surpassing EU investments
into Chinese companies, estimates from Eurostat show.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211195822.7

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

Council Watch
-------------
Russia: Member States have agreed to launch talks on a new
partnership accord with a revived and powerful Russia,
ending an almost two-year impasse within the EU.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211363221.7
European leaders call for nuclear power revival
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211476625.35
Mediterranean ministers hammer out terrorism policy
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211464026.79
Poland to table EU partnership for eastern states
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211397422.78
EU, Latin America leaders struggle with trade talks
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211043722.99
Irish PM urges Yes vote as EU poll looms
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211476622.11
http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Commission Watch
----------------
Euromed: the Commission unveiled Tuesday plans to boost
ties with the EU's southern neighbours, but they dealt a
blow to France's vision of a grand Mediterranean Union
which has angered Turkey.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211305623.49
Turkey set to push ahead with EU membership talks
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211374024.02
EU hopes for deal with Ukraine in 2009
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211479321.88
EC deplores 'dialogue of the deaf' with Myanmar junta
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211383923.5
http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

Euro-Parliament Watch
---------------------
Food stocks: Parliament on Thursday called on the EU to set
up "food stocks" to avert future crises.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211457731.14
Myanmar junta should be tried for humanity crimes: EP
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211455026.57
Parliament calls for freeze on Sudan leaders' assets
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211476624.26
EP calls for greater gender parity in science
http://www.eubusiness.com/Rd/gender-parity.20
Euro-MP wants a much lower auto CO2 target: report
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211354225.34

Also at their Strasbourg plenary session, MEPs refrained,
after assurances from the Commission, from opposing a draft
Regulation on REACH-compliant substance testing methods for
chemical substances; called on the US to end discrimination
between EU citizens on visas; expressed a strong belief that
the cloning of animals for economic purposes should be
banned; and, in a report on aid effectiveness to developing
countries, called for simpler aid procedures and the
phasing out of economic policy conditionality.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

EU diary
--------
21-22 May, European Competition and Consumer Day
21-22 May, Education, Youth and Culture Council
24-25 May, European Disability Forum
25-27 May, Informal Meeting of Agriculture Ministers
26 May, EU - Gulf Cooperation Council
26-27 May, Gen'l Affairs and Ext'l Relations Council
27 May, EU - Turkey Association Council
29-30 May, Competitiveness Council

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

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

EUpress
-------
EEB: Beneficial to cut air pollution from power plants
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/eeb-press.08-05-21

FoE: European banks finance damaging agrofuels
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/foe-press.08-05-19

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

EUguides
--------
Protection of the environment through criminal law
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/guide.2008-05-22

European Green Capital Award
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/green-capital-guide

Notice on state aid in the form of Guarantees
http://www.eubusiness.com/SMEs/state-aid-guarantees

CosIng cosmetic ingredients database
http://www.eubusiness.com/Consumer/cosmetic-ingredients

2007 customs seizures of counterfeit goods
http://www.eubusiness.com/Consumer/customs-counterfeit.07
More guides: http://www.eubusiness.com/guides

EUevents
--------
2 June, Brussels: European Development Cooperation to 2020
http://www.eubusiness.com/events/edc-2020.08-05-08

9 June, Galway: European Conference on Information Systems
http://www.eubusiness.com/events/ecis.08
More events: http://www.eubusiness.com/events

EUjobs
------
Water Economist, European Investment Bank
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/eib-job.08-05-19

Advocacy Officer, Front Line
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/frontline-job.08-05-19
More jobs: http://www.eubusiness.com/jobs

EUlinks
-------
European Maritime Day
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/european-maritime-day

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

Impact of EU Law on International Air Transportation
http://www.eubusiness.com/Books/eu-law-air-transport
More books: http://www.eubusiness.com/EUbooks

Other news on EUbusiness this week
----------------------------------
EU to probe GDF for antitrust breaches 22-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211450522.02
EU poised to ban Ukrainian sunflower oil 22-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211374999.43
Eurozone factory orders slump more than expected 22-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211447822.74
Croatia to privatise shipyards in EU reforms 21-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211385722.23
EU 'studying' new WTO negotiating drafts 20-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211286722.35
EU cautious welcome for India free trade proposals 20-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211287624.09
EU to appeal against WTO banana ruling 20-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211281322.66
EU states opposed to ending ban on US poultry 19-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211219224.01
Estonia: first major slowdown since joining EU 19-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211209341.33
1st EU licence for pre-pandemic bird flu vaccine 19-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1211187722.06

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