Commission warns over deficits - EUbusiness Week no 433

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EUbusiness Week - Issue 433
20 February 2009
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week's Top Stories
=======================
1. EU sweetens energy plan for France, Italy
2. EIB may boost loans to ailing auto sector
3. EU ultimatum to Spain on pensioner healthcare
4. Expanding EU desperately seeking interpreters
5. EU satisfied by US use of SWIFT data transfers
6. Poles lagging in EU's analogue TV switch-off

Publisher's Note
================
As the economic crisis burns ever wider holes in public
coffers, the Commission this week began moves to rein in
the budget deficits of six Member States who have failed to
keep deficits to under the three per cent of gross domestic
product required by the EU's Stability and Growth Pact.

The Commission is promising flexibility given the
exceptional difficulties caused by the crisis that has hit
bank lending and consumer spending and put jobs and
businesses at risk. The question is how much time the
Commission will give the countries concerned to turn
their budgets around.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1234954023.31

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Publisher, EUbusiness

International Finance Corporation: CONSULTANT NEEDED
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1. EU sweetens energy plan for France, Italy
--------------------------------------------
The Commission on Thursday proposed extra funding for
France and Italy in a controversial multi-billion-euro
energy project package, which Germany slammed as "a
jumble of national wish lists.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1235073722.71

2. EIB may boost loans to ailing auto sector
--------------------------------------------
The European Investment Bank is to consider lending seven
billion euros in the first half of the year to help the
ailing auto sector to produce greener cars.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1234972922.2

3. EU ultimatum to Spain on pensioner healthcare
------------------------------------------------
The Commission issued a final warning to Spain on Thursday
over its failure to offer full healthcare options to
pensioners visiting from elsewhere in Europe.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1235055721.81

4. Expanding EU desperately seeking interpreters
------------------------------------------------
The 27-nation Union, with its 23 official languages, is
facing an imminent shortage of interpreters, with
English-language linguists at a premium.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1235054822.06

5. EU satisfied by US use of SWIFT data transfers
-------------------------------------------------
The United States is respecting its obligations on the
correct use of personal data from the interbank transfer
service SWIFT in anti-terror probes, the Commission says.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1234806422.16

6. Poles lagging in EU's analogue TV switch-off
-----------------------------------------------
All Member States except Poland are on course to switch
from analogue to digital television by the 2012 target
date, says the Commission.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1234793822.47

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

Council Watch
-------------
Treaty: Eurosceptic Czech President Vaclav Klaus refused
Thursday to confirm whether he would ratify the Lisbon
Treaty if it is passed by the Czech parliament.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1235048521.67
Belarus leader says ready to work with EU
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1234885623.01
Czechs slam protectionism as "road to hell"
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1235079121.93
Ailing Ireland swinging behind treaty: poll
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1234732621.99
http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Euro-Parliament Watch
---------------------
Immigration: Parliament on Thursday voted for legal
sanctions against employers of illegal workers throughout
the EU, hoping to engage businesses and households in the
fight against clandestine immigration.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1235062929.82
Parliament slams EU countries over US renditions
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1235076421.94
Libertas cries foul after losing European party status
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1235038622.9

At their Brussels plenary this week, MEPs said Member
States should be allowed to reduce VAT rates on a new
series of goods and services, such as restaurants,
children's car seats, audio books and beauty treatments,
and other locally supplied services, if there is no
distortion of competition in the EU Internal Market. They
also adopted an own-initiative report on the review of the
European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument.
Texts: http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/oeil
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

Commission Watch
----------------
Banking: Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes on Tuesday
called for a swift restructuring of the banking sector to
help bring the financial crisis to an end.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1234882922.21
EU grants EUR 41m in Gaza aid
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1234953122.68
EU proposes office to aid asylum nations
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1234968421.21
Commission policy priorities for 2010 - briefing
http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/ec-priorities.2010
http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

EU diary
--------
23-24 Feb, Gen'l Affairs and Ext'l Relations Council
26-27 Feb, Justice and Home Affairs Council
1 Mar, Informal Meeting of Heads of State and Gov'ts
2 Mar, Environment Council
5-6 Mar, Competitiveness Council

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

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

Comments of the Week
--------------------
Commenting on our piece "Expelled Euro-MP says Chavez
doesn't get democracy", Elizabeth Ferrari writes:

"Mr. Herrero doesn't seem to get that election monitors are
supposed to be neutral agents, not propagandists for the
opposition."
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1234726321.95
http://www.eubusiness.com/discussion

Briefing
--------
Monitoring report on EU employment and social situation
http://www.eubusiness.com/Employment/labour-market.0209

Analogue terrestrial TV switch-off in the EU
http://www.eubusiness.com/Media/tv-switchover-guide

116000 EU missing children hotline
http://www.eubusiness.com/Social/missing-children-hotline
More briefings: http://www.eubusiness.com/guides

Policy Forum
------------
Greenpeace statement on EP environment committee vote
on the EU timber law
http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/greenpeace.09-02-17

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25 March, Brussels: The Pharmaceutical Forum
http://www.eubusiness.com/Pharma/pharmaceutical-forum.09

6 Apr, Sofia: Renewable Energy Congress
http://www.eubusiness.com/Energy/renewable-energy.09
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Links
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http://www.eubusiness.com/Health/europe-for-patients

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Other news on EUbusiness this week
----------------------------------
Croatia hits out at Slovenian EU 'blackmail' 19-Feb
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1235078222.6
EU raids fridge cartel suspects 18-Feb
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1234976531.7
SKorean minister confirms delay in EU trade talks 18-Feb
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1234957641.37
Liechtenstein says must shed tax haven image 18-Feb
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1234957621.46
Ambient Assisted Living call for proposals 17-Feb
http://www.eubusiness.com/Social/aal.01
Eurozone trade account deep in deficit in 2008 18-Feb
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1234866723.09
Court eases passage for people fleeing conflicts 17-Feb
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1234869424.83
Poland's central bank questions euro 16-Feb
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1234800122.97
Universal mobile phone charger in the air: report 16-Feb
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1234781224.89

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