Rocky start to French presidency - EUbusiness Week no 407

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EUbusiness Week - Issue 407
4 July 2008
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week's Top Stories
=======================
1. EU boosts worker and health rights
2. EU hopes to conclude US data protection deal in 2009
3. EU to reduce fines on cartels that admit guilt
4. EU opens bidding for Galileo satnav network
5. Finance Council to back registering ratings agencies
6. One third of EU states still discriminate against gays

Publisher's Note
================
France's EU presidency got off to a shaky start on 1 July,
with Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany seeking to delay
final ratification of the Lisbon Treaty; and with French
President Sarkozy accusing Trade Commissioner Mandelson of
making too many concessions on agriculture at the WTO
world trade talks.

As the largest recipient of EU farm subsidies, France's
attempt to review the Union's negotiating stand at the Doha
talks will not go down well with the free-trade majority of
Member States. They are more likely to agree with Mr
Mandelson when he says that "At a difficult time in world
trade negotiations, the EU needs to maintain its unity".
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214913722.73
France's presidency priorities
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214708531.7

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. EU boosts worker and health rights
-------------------------------------
The EU has unveiled new plans to tackle discrimination
against aged or handicapped people, strengthen workers'
rights and clear up health care across Europe's borders.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214999227.8

2. EU hopes to conclude US data protection deal in 2009
-------------------------------------------------------
The EU hopes to conclude next year a deal to protect
personal data given to the United States to fight terrorism,
but a senior negotiator has warned of tough talks ahead.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1215002825.1

3. EU to reduce fines on cartels that admit guilt
-------------------------------------------------
The Commission said on Monday it would reduce fines on
companies it accuses of running illegal cartels by
10 per cent if they admit guilt.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214822877.62

4. EU opens bidding for Galileo satnav network
----------------------------------------------
The Commission is inviting bids for contractors to
participate in the construction of the EU's much
delayed Galileo satellite navigation network.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214926342.9

5. Finance Council to back registering ratings agencies
-------------------------------------------------------
Finance ministers are set to step up scrutiny of credit
rating agencies at their July 8 meeting by backing plans
to require their registration in Europe.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1215016322.12

6. One third of EU states still discriminate against gays
---------------------------------------------------------
A third of EU states are still failing to ensure equal
rights for gays and lesbians, a report by the bloc's
rights watchdog found on Tuesday.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214926322.54

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

Council Watch
-------------
Climate change: environment ministers cleared some ground on
Thursday as they debated how to achieve the dream of
slashing the EU's carbon pollution by 2020.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1215109921.48
South American leaders blast EU, farm subsidies
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214935326.48
France, Spain approve text of EU immigration proposal
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1215117124.21
Cyprus ratifies EU treaty
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1215104522.07
EU will only accept Tsvangirai as Zimbabwe leader
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214938021.97
http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Commission Watch
----------------
Farm aid: the Commission will propose next Tuesday to tap
unspent money in the EU's agriculture budget to help
farmers in poor countries.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1215090123.05
Britain must rein in deficit by March 2010
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214997423.45
EU defends immigration rules after Mercosur criticism
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1215014522.8
Bulgarian farming agency chief quits over EU funds
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1215019021.69
EU denounces Belarus online media restrictions
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214924522.17
http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

Euro-Parliament Watch
---------------------
This week, border management, and the need for balance
between freedom and security, was the subject of a
discussion between MEPs, national MPs and visiting experts;
Commissioner Joaquin Almunia told the Economic and Monetary
Affairs Committee that the latest inflation figure was
"a matter of deep concern"; and MEPs prepared for next
week's Strasbourg plenary session.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

EU diary
--------
7 Jul, Justice and Home Affairs informal
8 Jul, Finance Ministers Council
10 Jul, Employment and Social Affairs informal
13 Jul, Paris Summit for the Mediterranean

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 "US-EU private data sharing
agreement at hand", Virginia Brown writes:

"What exactly would the right to sue the US government
entail? The right to correct wrong information? Ever notice
the cost of entering the US legal system? What ever happened
to EU data protection laws? Wake up Europe. Once you give
the info, you cannot get it back."
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214701322.06
Discussion: http://www.eubusiness.com/discussion

EUpress
-------
BEUC: Cross Border Health Care
http://www.eubusiness.com/Health/beuc.2008-07-02

Eurochambres: Renewed Social Agenda: confusing patchwork
http://www.eubusiness.com/Social/eurochambres.08-07-02

EEB assesses achievements of Slovenia Presidency
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/eeb-press.08-06-30

EU-Japan: EU firms hosting Japanese trainees
http://www.eubusiness.com/Japan/vulcanus-japan.01
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------
Monitoring Consultant Europe, Dods EU Monitoring
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http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/plan-job.08-06-24
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Trends in EU Health Care Systems
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Health Law and the European Union (Law in Context)
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More books: http://www.eubusiness.com/EUbooks

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http://www.eubusiness.com/Employment/globalisation-fund

EU Agency for Fundamental Rights
http://www.eubusiness.com/Living_in_EU/fundamental-rights
More links: http://www.eubusiness.com/links

Other news on EUbusiness this week
----------------------------------
EC to propose Canadian seal skins import ban 3-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1215100922.92
May Eurozone retail sales stronger than expected 3-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1215077521.92
Med tuna ranches feel pinch as EU halts fishing 3-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1215050522.35
EU clears aid for Samsung plant in western Slovakia 2-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214996521.9
EU tells Greece to recover EUR 230m aid from shipyard 2-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214997421.16
EU lifts ban on Bulgaria 'swine fever' pork imports 1-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214928147.41
EU to end rule requiring farmers to keep land fallow 1-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1214916422.26

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