China calls off summit with EU - EUbusiness Week no 423

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EUbusiness Week - Issue 423
28 November 2008
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week's Top Stories
=======================
1. EU launches EUR 200bn stimulus package
2. EU proposes EUR 5bn drive for green cars
3. Commission urges collective redress for consumers
4. Germany threatened with court action over VW law
5. WTO rejects EU appeal over banana ruling
6. Majority of Icelanders want to join EU, adopt euro: poll

Publisher's Note
================
China this week called off its 1 December summit with the EU
in protest at plans by European leaders to meet the Dalai
Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader. China's move - accompanied
by cancellation of talks over an Airbus deal - reflects its
increasing economic might at a time of global crisis.

Whether this is enough to bully the EU into disregarding
China's brutal repression of the people of Tibet remains to
be seen. Many will agree with the European Chamber of Commerce
in China, however, which sees the decision as unhelpful at
this time of "significant economic slowdown", and as a
"lost opportunity".
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227729724.75

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. EU launches EUR 200bn stimulus package
-----------------------------------------
The European Commission called on Wednesday for a
200-billion-euro stimulus package to snap Europe's economy
out of recession through spending hikes and tax breaks.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227698222.3
Consumer, business confidence hits 23-year low
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227781023.52
Slump in Europe spreads wider
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227411122.79

2. EU proposes EUR 5bn drive for green cars
-------------------------------------------
The Commission has offered five billion euros to help car
makers produce safer and greener cars - an initiative to
be funded by the EU, industry and Member States.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227702722.72
EU fails to reach agreement on car emissions regime
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227622623.08

3. Commission urges collective redress for consumers
----------------------------------------------------
The Commission on Thursday urged EU countries to make it
easier for consumers to group their complaints in court when
they get ripped off but insisted US-style class action suits
were not the answer.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227805322.35

4. Germany threatened with court action over VW law
---------------------------------------------------
The Commission is threatening Germany with fresh court
action if Berlin does not modify within two months a
disputed law shielding Volkswagen from takeover.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227789122.59

5. WTO rejects EU appeal over banana ruling
-------------------------------------------
The World Trade Organisation on Wednesday rejected an appeal
by the EU against a WTO condemnation of its banana import
policies following a complaint by the United States and
Ecuador.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227718022.98

6. Majority of Icelanders want to join EU, adopt euro: poll
-----------------------------------------------------------
A large majority of Icelanders want their crisis-hit country
to apply for EU membership and adopt the euro, but their
enthusiasm has dwindled somewhat since the height of the
financial panic last month, a poll shows.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227536222.99

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

Council Watch
-------------
Blue Card: the EU's new "blue card" scheme to attract skilled
migrant workers has been postponed, the French presidency
announced on Thursday.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227812522.54
EU backs plans to limit text message prices abroad
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227802622.39
EU agrees EUR 1bn for farmers in poor countries
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227294121.97
Do not dilute EU climate goals: Merkel
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227694621.65
France sees December deal to end treaty impasse
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227793622.19
European states at odds over space funding priorities
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227645121.98
http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Commission Watch
----------------
Bulgaria: the Commission punished Bulgaria on Tuesday for
failing to adequately tackle corruption, cutting off its
access to hundreds of millions of euros in EU funding.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227620855.75
Bulgarian former official jailed for corruption
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227637022.02
EU confident of Czech treaty ratification
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227704526.56
http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

Euro-Parliament Watch
---------------------
Mumbai: MEPs told Thursday how they watched in horror as
suspected Islamic militant opened fire with machine guns
in the Mumbai attacks.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227794522.14

External Parliamentary Activities Week. At the ACP-EU Joint
Parliamentary Assembly in Papua New Guinea, the debate centred
on the Economic Partnership Agreement with the Pacific region
and the food crisis.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

EU diary
--------
28 Nov, Agriculture Council
1 Dec, Competitiveness Council
2 Dec, ECOFIN Council
4 Dec, Environment 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 "China blames France for row over
Tibet", Jay Casey writes:

"China's bullying behavior is reprehensible and should be a
warning for nations to not rely too much on the China market.
Too much engagement with China will lead to more of these
blackmail attempts by China to weaken our principles for
economic gain."
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227778321.98
http://www.eubusiness.com/discussion

Policy Forum
------------
Collective Redress: Going Around in Circles - BEUC
http://www.eubusiness.com/Consumer/beuc-press.08-11-27

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Briefing
--------
The EU and Germany's Volkswagen law
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/vw-law-guide

European Vocational Education and Training policy
http://www.eubusiness.com/Employment/training-vet-guide

European Economic Recovery Plan
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/economic-recovery.01

ICCAT revised recovery plan for bluefin tuna
http://www.eubusiness.com/Fisheries/tuna-recovery.08
More guides: http://www.eubusiness.com/guides

Events
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9 Dec, Brussels: Workshop on regional broadband
http://www.eubusiness.com/Internet/erisa.08

26 Jan, London: Telecoms Business Services
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More jobs: http://www.eubusiness.com/jobs

Links
-----
Employment in Europe Report (2008)
http://www.eubusiness.com/Employment/employment-europe.08

Europeana - the European Digital Library
http://www.eubusiness.com/Culture/europeana
More links: http://www.eubusiness.com/links

Other news on EUbusiness this week
----------------------------------
Istanbul unveils Capital of Culture 2010 plans 27-Nov
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227820621.71
Intel counter-attacks against Commission 27-Nov
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227740521.17
EU extends probe of drugmakers 26-Nov
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227720725.06
EU fails to reach agreement on car emissions 26-Nov
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227622623.08
Eastern members seek new climate proposal 25-Nov
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227620822.46
Swiss to enter EU no borders zone December 12 25-Nov
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227626221.88
Tuna fishing to be cut by 30 pct over two years 25-Nov
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1227620854.42
EU shines spotlight on Arctic, targets new policy 24-Nov
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/arctic-eu.01

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