Europe eyes Bretton Woods II - EUbusiness Week no 417

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EUbusiness Week - Issue 417
17 October 2008
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week's Top Stories
=======================
1. EU united on finance but cracks appear elsewhere
2. EU, Caribbean sign new trade pact
3. EU states thrash out compromise on liberalising energy
4. Commission shoots for understanding with China on Africa
5. Scientists sound the alarm on digital music players
6. EU to restore cereals import duties after price slump

Publisher's Note
================
A new Bretton Woods accord is needed to bring order back
into global finance, say Europe's leaders. The Bretton
Woods agreements laid out the framework for a stable world
financial system as leading powers rebuilt their economies
after World War II.

At his meeting with President Bush this weekend, French
President Sarkozy will push for a global drive to improve
financial regulation and oversight and a new role for the
IMF to avert future crises. The two leaders will no doubt
address a few other issues such as hedge funds, credit
rating agencies, minimum reserve ratios for banks and
clamping down on executive pay packages and improving
overall transparency.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1224160325.27

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. EU united on finance but cracks appear elsewhere
---------------------------------------------------
EU leaders headed home Thursday from a summit that saw unity
on fixing the global financial system but schisms when it
came to the climate pact and repairing ties with Russia.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1224172925.77
Leaders adopt vast new immigration plans
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1224156723.18

2. EU, Caribbean sign new trade pact
------------------------------------
The EU and 13 Caribbean countries have signed a trade deal
aimed at guaranteeing the region privileged access to
Europe's markets.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1224093721.75
EU 'betrayed' development goals with Caribbean pact: Oxfam
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1224150427.36

3. EU states thrash out compromise on liberalising energy
---------------------------------------------------------
EU nations have agreed on rules for liberalising their
energy markets, securing the deal by including measures to
prevent sector giants from taking too much control.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1223659021.43

4. Commission shoots for understanding with China on Africa
-----------------------------------------------------------
The Commission has proposed a raft of measures to boost
"mutual understanding" with China on Africa, where Beijing's
growing economic clout has caused unease in Europe.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1224089221.2

5. Scientists sound the alarm on digital music players
------------------------------------------------------
European scientists have sounded the alarms about the
dangers of using digital music players, warning that
listening to them too long and too loud can cause
permanent hearing loss.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1223905631.49

6. EU to restore cereals import duties after price slump
--------------------------------------------------------
The EU will restore import duties on cereals in the wake of
a price slump that has removed the need to boost supplies,
says the Commission.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1224170227.48

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

Council Watch
-------------
Russia: two months after the war in Georgia and a day after
a false start to peace talks, EU leaders were not yet ready
Thursday to negotiate upgrading ties to reflect Russia's
hydrocarbon superpower status.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1224163922.31
France thrives as Europe's crisis-manager
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1223985721.93
Lech Walesa to help group mull Europe's future
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1224177421.33
EU slams Mugabe, threatens new Zimbabwe sanctions
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1223901121.96
http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Commission Watch
----------------
Barroso: European conservative leaders on Wednesday
supported a second term for Commission chief Jose Manuel
Barroso, whose mandate runs out late next year.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1224099121.77
Pay row as ex-Commissioner becomes Baron Mandelson
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1223907421.78
Bosnia 'must reform constitution' to join EU
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1223644622.81
http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

Euro-Parliament Watch
---------------------
Committee meetings and political groups week. The groups
devoted most of the week to preparing for next week's
Strasbourg plenary. This will include a debate with the
French President on the EU summit, second reading votes on
the rights of agency workers and on airport charges,
legislation on clean road vehicles and the awarding of
the Lux Prize for European Cinema.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

EU diary
--------
15-16 Oct, European Council
24 Oct, Justice and Home Affairs Council
24-25 Oct, ASEM Summit (Asia-Europe forum), Beijing
27-28 Oct, Agriculture and Fisheries Council
4 Nov, Ecofin Council
10 Nov, Gen'l Affairs and Ext'l Relations Council

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

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

Comment of the Week
-------------------
Commenting on our piece "EU seeks to boost rights for online
shoppers", Reino Routamo writes:

"In fact, the proposed rules would cut the present rights
in Finland. When making joint rules, the EU should allow
the previous ones to remain valid when they are better /
safer etc. To compete with NEW rules afterwards, could be
made subject to approval."
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1223484421.34
http://www.eubusiness.com/discussion

EUpress
-------
Italy and Poland fail to scupper EU climate change deal
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/foe-press.08-10-16

Europe's growers come together over Plant Protection plans
http://www.eubusiness.com/Chemicals/hta-press.08-10-14

Reach Europe's decision-makers! Publish your organisation's
press releases and other content directly onto EUbusiness.
http://www.eubusiness.com/aboutus/premium-partners

EUguides
--------
Cross-border euro payments
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/euro-payments-guide

Revision of EU rules on Deposit Guarantee Schemes
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/deposit-guarantee-guide

EU - Caribbean Economic Partnership Agreement
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/eu-caribbean-epa
More guides: http://www.eubusiness.com/guides

EUevents
--------
6 Nov, Cyprus: European Conference on e-Learning
http://www.eubusiness.com/events/ecel.08

27 Nov, Reading: Management Leadership & Governance
http://www.eubusiness.com/events/acad-conf.08-06-13
More events: http://www.eubusiness.com/events

EUjobs
------
Manager, European Affairs, CFA Institute
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/cfa-job.08-10-16

Internship, Transparency International
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/ti-job.08-10-16
More jobs: http://www.eubusiness.com/jobs

EUlinks
-------
Cariforum - Economic Partnership Agreement
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/cariforum-epa
More links: http://www.eubusiness.com/links

Other news on EUbusiness this week
----------------------------------
US says WTO reaffirms ruling in beef hormones row 16-Oct
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1224172923.91
Solution near for Poland's troubled shipyards: Tusk 16-Oct
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1224175621.87
Serbia to unilaterally implement EU accord 16-Oct
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1224176523.39
EU business R&D spending still on the up 16-Oct
http://www.eubusiness.com/Rd/eu-business-rd.31
Bulgarian parl't adopts 1st conflict-of-interest law 16-Oct
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1224164826.94
Europeans launch Fuel Cell and Hydrogen JTI 16-Oct
http://www.eubusiness.com/Energy/fuel-cell.02
EU squashes banana cartel 15-Oct
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1224066722.21
EU funds built ski run on snow-free Danish island 13-Oct
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1223904722.81

Market Research: http://www.eubusiness.com/market-research
Companies: http://www.eubusiness.com/europages
RSS: http://www.eubusiness.com/aboutus/eubusiness-rss
http://www.eubusiness.com/Currency-converter

Newswire online: http://www.eubusiness.com/Newswire

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