High marks for French presidency - EUbusiness Week no 426

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EUbusiness Week - Issue 426
19 December 2008
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week's Top Stories
=======================
1. Europe keeps US poultry off Xmas menu over chlorine use
2. Euro-MPs reject plan to allow longer working week
3. EU eases state aid rules because of credit crunch
4. Court backs Ryanair over Brussels in Belgian airport row
5. Parliament toughens toy safety rules ahead of Xmas
6. Emergency phone number 112 in use throughout EU

Publisher's Note
================
France ends its six-month EU presidency with pretty high
marks, clinching agreement on climate change and an economic
stimulus plan at last week's summit. The Union - though
maybe not the Commission - has emerged stronger from a
'crisis presidency' which included the launch of a Union
for the Mediterranean, the summer conflict in Georgia, the
global credit crunch and a dip in relations with China.

Good luck to the Czech Republic, which takes over the reins
on 1 January.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229242622.48

I wish you the Season's Greetings, and a healthy and
successful New Year. The next newswire will be sent
out at the beginning of January.

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Europe keeps US poultry off Xmas menu over chlorine use
----------------------------------------------------------
EU farm ministers on Thursday rejected attempts to lift a
ban on US poultry which is washed in chlorine, ensuring
that American turkeys will not grace Europe's Christmas
dinner tables.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229609822.52

2. Euro-MPs reject plan to allow longer working week
----------------------------------------------------
The European Parliament has rejected plans by Member States
to allow employees to work more than 48 hours a week under
certain conditions.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229514422.46

3. EU eases state aid rules because of credit crunch
----------------------------------------------------
The Commission said on Wednesday it was relaxing EU state
aid rules until the end of 2010 to help companies secure
crucial financing in the face of a credit crunch.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229513534.12

4. Court backs Ryanair over Brussels in Belgian airport row
-----------------------------------------------------------
The European Court of First Instance has ruled in favour of
Ryanair in a state aid row with the Commission over special
concessions granted to the Irish budget airline by Brussels
Charleroi airport.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229507221.64

5. Parliament toughens toy safety rules ahead of Xmas
-----------------------------------------------------
The European parliament on Thursday toughened rules on toy
safety, banning the use of toxic substances and requiring
more visible warning signs.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229617921.91

6. Emergency phone number 112 in use throughout EU
--------------------------------------------------
The Europe-wide emergency services phone number, 112, is now
up and running in all 27 EU Member States, officials in
Brussels have announced.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229356923.47

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

Council Watch
-------------
Czech Presidency: the Czech Republic will oversee EU
business professionally when it assumes the bloc's
presidency, despite the eurosceptic stance of its
president, its deputy prime minister promises.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229527921.61
Ireland takes high-stakes gamble with EU poll re-run
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229219222.05
Slovenian veto slows Croatia's progress towards EU
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229602622.28
Ministers start annual haggle over fishing quotas
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229628730.49
http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Euro-Parliament Watch
---------------------
Climate change: Parliament has approved the EU's climate
change package, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions
by 20 per cent by 2020, lifting the last hurdle to the plan.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229513521.59
MEPs approve bank deposit guarantee lift to EUR 100,000
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229610722.44
Euro-MPs approve 2009 budget
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229615228.95
Parliament allows pints and miles to stay on
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229453221.56

Also this week, Parliament approved updates of financial
services rules for clearing and settlement and credit
claims; and adopted an agreement establishing common points
of reference for vocational education and training.
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

Commission Watch
----------------
Commission: the Commission and its president Jose Manuel
Barroso have emerged weakened from the whirlwind French
presidency of the EU when national governments have taken
centre stage.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229480221.18
Montenegro formally applies to join Union
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229351535.73
EU recovery plans to add 0.85 pct GDP growth: Almunia
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229646723.54
Barroso sounds 'doubts' over Swiss company tax reform
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229360528.89
http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

EU diary
--------
18-19 Dec, Fisheries Council
22 Dec, EU-Brazil Summit
1 Jan, Czech Republic presidency begins

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

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

Policy Forum
------------
Tough CO2 legislation must be matched by support for
car industry
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/acea-press.08-12-18

FARE welcomes Court's decision in Charleroi case
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/fare-press.08-12-18

Concern about burdensome working time directive: ESBA
http://www.eubusiness.com/Employment/esba-press.08-12-18

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

Briefing
--------
Intelligent Transport Systems Action Plan
http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/intelligent-transport

Patient safety in Europe
http://www.eubusiness.com/Health/patient-safety-europe
More briefings: http://www.eubusiness.com/guides

Events
------
13 Jan, Brussels: European conference on software services
http://www.eubusiness.com/Rd/eu-ecss.08-11-11

26 Jan, London: Telecoms Business Services
http://www.eubusiness.com/Members/iir/business09
More events: http://www.eubusiness.com/events

Jobs
----
Internship, European Credit Research Institute
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/ecri-job.08-12-14

Technical Officer, European Waste-to-Energy Plants
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/cewep-job
More jobs: http://www.eubusiness.com/jobs

Links
-----
Agreement on work-related stress: report
http://www.eubusiness.com/Social/work-related-stress

Public procurement: list of Contracting Authorities in EU
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/contracting-authorities

Green paper on the European Workforce for Health
http://www.eubusiness.com/Employment/workforce-health
More links: http://www.eubusiness.com/links

Other news on EUbusiness this week
----------------------------------
Latvia rescue talks 'in last steps' 18-Dec
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229628723.16
Turkey takes further step towards joining EU 18-Dec
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229604422.23
EU to ban 22 dangerous substances from pesticides 18-Dec
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229606221.64
EU legal advisor backs return of Nth Cyprus property 18-Dec
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229601722.86
Eurocrats hail new Indonesian aviation law 18-Dec
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229581923.08
Britain vows to defend 48-hour EU opt-out 17-Dec
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229520725.96
Bulgarian farmers protest EU subsidy payment delays 17-Dec
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229526125.78
EU eases transfer of defence-related products 16-Dec
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1229452321.5

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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