EU meets Medvedev in Siberia - EUbusiness Week no 406

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EUbusiness Week - Issue 406
27 June 2008
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week's Top Stories
=======================
1. EU proposes single European legal status for SMEs
2. EP committee backs plans against hidden air charges
3. Commission launches online registry for lobbyists
4. EU seeks to ban most dangerous pesticides
5. EU declares war on illegal fishing
6. Poland sends EU plans for shipyard overhaul

Publisher's Note
================
EU leaders have their first opportunity to meet new Russian
president Dmitry Medvedev at the EU-Russia summit in
Siberia. They need to address some sensitive issues - EU
access to Russian oil and gas fields, Georgia, Kosovo, and
Polish meat - before they can make real progress on the
road to a new strategic partnership agreement.

While the EU is Russia's first trading partner and by far
the largest investor, the potential for economic cooperation
is not being fully exploited. After eight years of strained
ties under Vladimir Putin, the talks offer an opportunity
for a more positive turn in EU-Russia economic relations.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214497032.21

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

MARKET RESEARCH: Carbon Emissions Trading
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The impact of carbon emissions trading across the
electricity value chain
http://www.eubusiness.com/market-research
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1. EU proposes single European legal status for SMEs
----------------------------------------------------
The Commission sought on Wednesday to make it easier for
small and mid-sized companies to do business across Europe's
borders with proposals for a single EU legal status.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214413323.4
Small Business Act for Europe - guide
http://www.eubusiness.com/SMEs/sba-guide.08-06-25

2. EP committee backs plans against hidden air charges
------------------------------------------------------
A European Parliament committee has approved EU plans
requiring that air fares clearly include all extra charges,
so that passengers know exactly what they are paying.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/air-fares-ep.24
EU seeks to end fragmentation of European airspace
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214402523.43

3. Commission launches online registry for lobbyists
----------------------------------------------------
The Commission has launched an online, voluntary registry
for the thousands of lobbyists gravitating around the EU's
executive arm, but critics have complained it is toothless.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214224322.85

4. EU seeks to ban most dangerous pesticides
--------------------------------------------
EU farm ministers have proposed stricter rules on the use of
pesticides in Europe, including bans on those found to be
carcinogenic or otherwise toxic to humans, with provisos.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214240522.5

5. EU declares war on illegal fishing
-------------------------------------
Member States have agreed to step up the fight against
illegal fishing with plans for hefty fines for the worst
offenders, amid a row over whether tuna fishermen
declared all of their catches.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Fisheries/illegal-fishing.01

6. Poland sends EU plans for shipyard overhaul
----------------------------------------------
Poland has sent plans to overhaul and privatise three
historic Baltic Sea shipyards to the EU as a midnight
deadline imposed by the EU for government blueprints looms.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214495222.73

TRAVELLING ABROAD?
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Inside the EU Institutions
==========================

Council Watch
-------------
Iran: Member States on Monday agreed new sanctions over
Tehran's nuclear programme, notably banning the country's
largest bank, Bank Melli, from operating in Europe.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214225224.89
British court rejects bid to force EU treaty vote
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214392622.18
Austria's left wants referendum if EU treaty modified
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214498841.37
France in Libya talks over Mediterranean Union plans
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214490723.28
End of EU sanctions on Cuba deals US a setback
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214417823.04
http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Commission Watch
----------------
WTO: an "acceptable" WTO deal is still possible, says the
Commission, but it is urging other countries to make
concessions in the long struggling talks.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214394422.12
EU to inspect Europe's immigrant detention centres
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214496122.32
Barroso hits back at criticism of Commission
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214066821.54
Czech Republic must return EU funds in fraud probe
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214401656.36
Anti-discrimination drive gets rolling in Czech Rep.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214064122.17
http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

Euro-Parliament Watch
---------------------
In committee this week, the Legal Affairs Committee urged
new rules so that companies are not left in the dark on the
investment policies of hedge funds or private equity
investors who buy up their shares; the Civil Liberties
Committee debated a draft directive for a Blue Card,
intended to overcome labour shortages in some sectors of the
economy by attracting highly skilled staff from non-EU
countries; the Industry Committee called for coordinated use
of "digital dividend" spectrum frequencies; the Employment
and Social Affairs Committee heard the French Presidency's
priorities, with key reference to the Working time
directive; and the Agriculture Committee called for a
ban on animal cloning for food.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

EU diary
--------
26-27 Jun, Summit EU - Russian Federation
27 Jun, Handover Meeting
1 July, Start of French EU Presidency

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

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

EUpress
-------
ETUC wants precautionary principle for nanotechnology
http://www.eubusiness.com/Rd/etuc-press.08-06-26

EC to investigate compliance with car labelling law
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/foe-press.08-06-26

Single Sky Package II: welcome step towards Single Sky
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/iaca-press.08-06-26
Press: http://www.eubusiness.com/press

Vulcanus programme: EU firms hosting Japanese trainees
http://www.eubusiness.com/Japan/vulcanus-japan.01

Reach Europe's decision-makers! Publish your organisation's
press releases and other content directly onto EUbusiness.
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EUguides
--------
Mobile phone termination rates
http://www.eubusiness.com/Telecoms/termination-rates-guide

European Private Company
http://www.eubusiness.com/SMEs/european-private-company

Small Business Act - public procurement guidelines
http://www.eubusiness.com/SMEs/sba-procurement
More guides: http://www.eubusiness.com/guides

EUevents
--------
10 Jul, Lausanne: European Conference on e-Government
http://www.eubusiness.com/events/eceg.08

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

EUjobs
------
Executive Director, IMI Joint Undertaking
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/imi-job.08-06-24

Lawyer specialised in structured financing, EIB
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/eib-job.08-06-24
More jobs: http://www.eubusiness.com/jobs

EUlinks
-------
"Small Business Act" for Europe
http://www.eubusiness.com/SMEs/sba-ec-link

Europass
http://www.eubusiness.com/Employment/europass
More links: http://www.eubusiness.com/links

Other news on EUbusiness this week
----------------------------------
EU gives News Corp go-ahead for Premiere stake 25-Jun
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214410623.91
Court rules post-9/11 Olympic Airways aid legal 25-Jun
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214391721.51
Eurozone factory orders jump unexpectedly 25-Jun
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214388121.73
Go-ahead for EUROSTARS, assisted living programmes 24-Jun
http://www.eubusiness.com/Social/eurostars.03
EU confirms industrial tuna fishing season closure 24-Jun
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214217121.95
Eurozone business activity contracts: survey 23-Jun
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214212621.72
New searches in Liechtenstein tax scandal: report 22-Jun
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214074921.66
Young people turned away from EU treaty: poll 21-Jun
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1213974135.18

Market Research: http://www.eubusiness.com/market-research
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