Mixed welcome for EU working rules - EUbusiness Week no 404

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EUbusiness Week - Issue 404
13 June 2008
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week's Top Stories
=======================
1. Ireland's EU treaty referendum too close to call
2. EU spares energy groups from being broken up
3. Merkel and Sarkozy resolve car emissions dispute
4. Mastercard Europe drops fees under EU pressure
5. Growing number of Danes oppose switching to euro
6. German women earn 22 per cent less than men

Publisher's Note
================
After years of deadlock, EU employment ministers this week
agreed common rules on allowing a working week of over 48
hours and more rights for temporary agency workers.

With Britain against tightening the rules, the two texts had
been linked to support a push for compromise. The deal would
mean equal treatment of agency workers with permanent
employees - welcomed by the European Trade Union Confederation
- and working weeks of up to 60 or 65 hours after negotiations
with employers - attacked by Eurochambres for the
"administrative and financial burden" it will place on SMEs.

‘Two for the price of one’ offers are often too good to be
true. This particular deal is likely to provoke heated debate
in the European Parliament.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213107422.92

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Ireland's EU treaty referendum too close to call
---------------------------------------------------
Ireland on Thursday held a knife edge vote on the EU's new
reform treaty, with rejection certain to plunge the Union
into a new crisis.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213307222.49
EU options should Ireland reject Lisbon Treaty
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213183942.19
Current state of ratification
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213206463.41

2. EU spares energy groups from being broken up
----------------------------------------------
EU Member States have struck a deal sparing big gas and power
companies from being broken up as part of a controversial
shake-up of the sector aimed at firing up competition.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1212765455.38

3. Merkel and Sarkozy resolve car emissions dispute
---------------------------------------------------
France and Germany have reached a deal resolving their months-
long dispute on EU-wide plans to reduce car emissions.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213027322.65

3. EU spares energy groups from being broken up
----------------------------------------------
Member States have struck a deal sparing big gas and power
companies from being broken up as part of a shake-up of the
sector aimed at firing up competition.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1212765455.38

4. Mastercard Europe drops fees under EU pressure
-------------------------------------------------
MasterCard Europe said Thursday it would drop its fees for
cross-border transactions after EU regulators threatened to
fine the payment card giant.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213293722.63

5. Growing number of Danes oppose switching to euro
---------------------------------------------------
While nearly half of Danes favour swapping their krone with
the euro, there is mounting scepticism in the Scandinavian
country to joining the eurozone, a poll suggests.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213010235.83

6. German women earn 22 per cent less than men
----------------------------------------------
German women earn nearly one-quarter less than men, and face a
bigger wage gap than their counterparts in the rest of the
Union, says Labour Commissioner Vladimir Spidla.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213020122.38

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

Council Watch
-------------
Turkey: EU ambassadors on Thursday gave the green light for
Ankara to open two more of the 35 policy chapters that all
candidates must navigate to sign up to Europe's rich club.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213270322.47
French Senate moves to scrap Turkey entry measure
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213194722.62
France maintains plea for fuel tax curb
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213258622.62
France, Italy, Portugal, Spain seek EU fishing help
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213265823.18
Bush: global climate pact possible on my watch
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213104723.41
http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Commission Watch
----------------
Oil prices: the Commission has recommended that Member
States take targeted action to help those worst hit deal by
soaring oil prices, amid a wave of protests by Europe's
fisherman and truckers.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213180326.02
Britain under EU pressure to rein in budget deficit
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213180324.61
EU urges China to boost investment in product safety
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213179422.01
EU points to 'worrying' signs of US protectionism
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213200183.47
http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

Euro-Parliament Watch
---------------------
French marriage: some 150 members of the European Parliament
have sent a petition to the French justice minister denouncing
a court's annulment of a marriage on the grounds that the
Muslim bride was not a virgin.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1212765422.61

Committee meetings and political groups in Brussels this week,
with most of the time devoted to preparations for next week's
Strasbourg plenary. The agenda includes the first reading of
legislation on the return of illegal immigrants,
liberalisation of the energy market and carbon emissions from
fuel; plus second readings on water quality standards and
waste reduction. There will be a debate on the 19-20 June EU
summit and a formal address by Asma Jahangir, UN Special
Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

EU diary
--------
13-14 Jun, G8 Finance Ministers' Meeting
14-17 Jun, ASEM Finance Ministers' Meeting
16-17 Jun, General Affairs and External Relations Council
16-19 Jun, Strasbourg EP plenary session
17 Jun, Accession Conference with Croatia
17 Jun, Accession Conference with Turkey
19-20 Jun, EU Summit

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

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

EUpress
-------
UEAPME: energy package bow to monopolistic national champions
http://www.eubusiness.com/Energy/ueapme.2008-06-11

Greenpeace: France and Germany drive down climate targets
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/greenpeace.08-06-10

CEA: MCR calculation could threaten Solvency II regime
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/cea-press.08-06-10
Press: http://www.eubusiness.com/press

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EUguides
--------
Working Time and Working conditions for Temporary Workers
http://www.eubusiness.com/Employment/working-time-temps

EU-US Trade and Investment
http://www.eubusiness.com/USA/eu-us-trade-investment

Animal by-products
http://www.eubusiness.com/Food/animal-byproducts
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EUevents
--------
7 Jul, Toulouse: Knowledge for growth
http://www.eubusiness.com/events/knowledge-for-growth.08

11 Sep, Brussels: SME Banking in Europe
http://www.eubusiness.com/jacobfleming
More events: http://www.eubusiness.com/events

EUjobs
------
Project Manager, European Organization for Security
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/eos-job.08-06-08

Chair in European Union Law, European University Institute
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/eui-job.08-06-01
More jobs: http://www.eubusiness.com/jobs

EUlinks
-------
The life of women and men in Europe: statistical portrait
http://www.eubusiness.com/Employment/gender-stats.08

Ireland Lisbon Treaty Referendum website
http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/lisbon-treaty.ie
More links: http://www.eubusiness.com/links

Other news on EUbusiness this week
----------------------------------
EU to maintain suspension of cereals import duties 12-Jun
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213294621.75
EU to open anti-dumping probe into US biodiesel imports 12-Jun
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213297323.69
European regulators approve breast cancer drug 12-Jun
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213288322.44
More disease outbreaks in Europe with climate change 12-Jun
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213275732.57
EU hits EON, GDF with antitrust charges 12-Jun
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213257723.0
Court rejects O2 claim over Hutchison mobile phone ads 12-Jun
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213262263.72
EU seeks ban on Malaysian seafood 11-Jun
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213199222.75
EU probes Italian state loan to Alitalia 11-Jun
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213180321.96
EU plans for telecoms watchdog 'see little support' 10-Jun
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213094821.62

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