Shipyard workers await EU ruling - EUbusiness Week no 409

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EUbusiness Week - Issue 409
18 July 2008
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week's Top Stories
=======================
1. Presidency eyes farm subsidy deal in November
2. Proposal to cap text message prices in the works
3. EU adopts emergency aid package for fishing sector
4. EU attacks smoke tax, cigarette smuggling
5. Spanish restrictions on energy takeovers illegal
6. Germany blocks East European workers until 2011

Publisher's Note
================
While many Europeans head for southern beaches, thousands of
Polish shipyard workers are left sweating over their jobs.
The Commission on Wednesday granted Poland two months to
work out new plans to salvage two historic Polish shipyards.

Since Poland joined the EU, Gdynia and Szczecin have
received aid measures worth over two billion euros. Under
EU rules which exist to avoid state bail-outs distorting
competition, these are not legal without restructuring or
privatisation plans to make the yards economically viable.
With luck these will be forthcoming. But there is some
irony that the symbols of Poland's anti-communist
opposition must now turn to the free market to stay alive.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216202541.1

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Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Presidency eyes farm subsidy deal in November
------------------------------------------------
French Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier says he hopes to
broker a deal on reforming the Common Agriculture Policy,
the EU's vast farm support scheme, in November.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216117022.65

2. Proposal to cap text message prices in the works
---------------------------------------------------
European mobile phone users could pay less to send
cross-border text messages under plans the Commission is
preparing as its patience runs out with operators who
have ignored calls to cut prices.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216121534.16

3. EU adopts emergency aid package for fishing sector
-----------------------------------------------------
EU fisheries ministers adopted late Tuesday an emergency
aid package worth up to two billion euros to help
fishermen cope with soaring fuel prices.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216155723.39

4. EU attacks smoke tax, cigarette smuggling
--------------------------------------------
The Commission has unveiled steps to tighten taxes on
cigarettes and tobacco across the EU, in an effort to
encourage people to stop smoking and combat smuggling.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216202522.38

5. Spanish restrictions on energy takeovers illegal
---------------------------------------------------
Europe's highest court ruled on Thursday that Spain broke
EU law by subjecting energy sector takeovers to special
regulatory scrutiny in a case that fuelled fears of
protectionism between Member States.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216286222.38

6. Germany blocks East European workers until 2011
--------------------------------------------------
Germany has decided to keep restricting free access to
workers from new Member States in eastern Europe till 2011.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216207923.82

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

Council Watch
-------------
EU Treaty: Irish politicians reacted angrily after French
President Sarkozy suggested Ireland should hold a second
referendum on the EU Treaty.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216199832.4
Britain officially ratifies EU Treaty: ministry
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216288021.77
Spain wraps up Lisbon parliamentary ratification
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216140423.59
Mediterranean, EU to boost ties with grand union
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1215913622.96
EU to toughen Zimbabwe sanctions next week
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216288025.53
http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Commission Watch
----------------
Lisbon: only Ireland among the EU's 27 Member States will
reject the controversial EU Treaty, Commission President
Barroso predicted in Rome on Tuesday.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216122421.57
Berlusconi backs Barroso to head Commission again
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216127201.73
French criticism of Mandelson 'makes him stronger'
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216127822.64
http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

Euro-Parliament Watch
---------------------
This week, ministers from the French Presidency took part in
meetings with almost all of Parliament's committees to
present their priorities. In committee, the Civil Liberties
Committee debated penalties for employers of illegal
immigrants, and also sought to beef up the data protection
provisions of a proposed decision on police and judicial
cooperation in criminal matters; the Transport Committee
said the Commission should allocate at least 40 per cent of
EU transport infrastructure appropriations to the railways
and prioritise freight; and the Environment Committee
proposed tougher limits on harmful exhaust emissions from
trucks, lorries and buses.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

EU diary
--------
20 Jul, Meeting of Ministers for space affairs
22 Jul, General Affairs and External Relations Council
24 Jul, Justice and Home Affairs Council

1 Sep, Informal Transport meeting
13 Sep, Informal ECOFIN meeting
21 Sep, Informal Agriculture meeting
25 Sep, Justice and Home Affairs Council
25-26 Sep, Competitiveness Council
29 Sep, Agriculture and Fisheries Council

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 "EU attacks smoke tax, cigarette
smuggling", Kimmo Korpilahti writes:

"Concerning to salary level here in Latvia as well as in
Poland smokes are already now even more expensive than in
Scandinavia for example. Same is with alcohol. Prices in
Latvia maybe seems nice for someone, but for us it's rather
high already. Those politicians should find some other
solutions. Not always the easiest way to act."
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216202522.38
Discussion: http://www.eubusiness.com/discussion

EUpress
-------
CI: EU now trailing US on irresponsible drug promotion
http://www.eubusiness.com/Consumer/consumers-int.04

BEUC: Don't spoil our holidays: lower SMS prices
http://www.eubusiness.com/Consumer/beuc.2008-07-17

FoE: green product proposals fall short of potential
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/foe-press.08-07-17
More press: http://www.eubusiness.com/press

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EUguides
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EU crackdown of ringtone scams
http://www.eubusiness.com/Telecoms/ringtone-scams-guide

Excise duty on tobacco products
http://www.eubusiness.com/Health/tobacco-duty-guide

Industrial Property Rights Strategy for Europe
http://www.eubusiness.com/Media/ipr-europe-guide

European Health Insurance Card
http://www.eubusiness.com/Health/ehic-guide
More guides: http://www.eubusiness.com/guides

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

16 Sep, Turin: EuCheMS chemistry congress
http://www.eubusiness.com/Chemicals/euchems.08
More events: http://www.eubusiness.com/events

EUjobs
------
Executive Director, ISIS Europe
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/isi-job.08-07-16

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http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/roma-job.08-07-16
More jobs: http://www.eubusiness.com/jobs

EUlinks
-------
Industrial Property
http://www.eubusiness.com/Rd/industrial-property

EU roaming tariffs
http://www.eubusiness.com/Telecoms/eu-roaming-tariffs

Community Fisheries Control Agency
http://www.eubusiness.com/Fisheries/fisheries-control
More links: http://www.eubusiness.com/links

Other news on EUbusiness this week
----------------------------------
EU ready to yield on banana trade dispute 17-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216224121.61
Slovakia preps isolated Roma for switch to euro 17-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216265522.08
EU threatens to cut Greek farm subsidies by 10 pct 16-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216211521.93
EU bans monopolies for music royalty collectors 16-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216213322.53
Eurozone official inflation spikes to record 4 pct 16-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216199822.03
EU urges extra safety for Slovak nuclear reactor 16-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216135948.67
EU receives Italian assurances on Alitalia 15-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216120621.52
German investor confidence at record low 15-Jul
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1216115227.16

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