Jobs summit falls short - EUbusiness Week no 444

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EUbusiness Week - Issue 444
8 May 2009
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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This Week's Top Stories
=======================
1. EU holds landmark summit with ex-Soviet states
2. US, EU agree to settle simmering beef dispute
3. EU steps up offensive on mobile telephone fees
4. Plan to extend EU maternity leave blocked in Parliament
5. EU allows cut-rate sales tax in restaurants
6. EU farm subsidies sweet for Italian sugar firms: study

Publisher's Note
================
What to do about jobs - this was the theme of an informal
summit on Thursday, as Europe faces unemployment rising to
the highest levels since the end of World War II. 8.5
million Europeans are expected to lose their jobs in 2009
and 2010.

The meeting, which had been downgraded from a full-scale EU
jobs summit, called for a shorter working week and extra
state-funded retraining programmes. Its general
recommendations failed to impress union leaders, however.
who are concerned about mass lay-offs. The risk is that the
EU, in the midst of the financial crisis, is also " heading
towards a social crisis", as Luxembourg's PM Jean-Claude
Juncker warned recently.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241713021.36

Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

INTERNATIONAL FINANCE CORPORATION
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Request for Expressions of Interest - Assignment
"Foundry industry in Russia: benchmarking
and development of a reference guide"
http://www.eubusiness.com/Members/ifc/reoi-foundry-russia
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1. EU holds landmark summit with ex-Soviet states
-------------------------------------------------
Despite the absence of several key European leaders, the
EU launched an Eastern Partnership on Thursday, in a bid
to stabilise six ex-Soviet nations, but it insisted the
project was no threat to Russia.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241726522.27

2. US, EU agree to settle simmering beef dispute
------------------------------------------------
The United States and the EU have agreed to bury the
hatchet in their dispute over US hormone-treated beef, one
of the longest and most bitter transatlantic trade rows.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241616722.24

3. EU steps up offensive on mobile telephone fees
-------------------------------------------------
The Commission stepped up its offensive on mobile phone
fees on Thursday, calling for a clampdown on rates
operators charge to connect to each other's networks.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241702222.71

4. Plan to extend EU maternity leave blocked in Parliament
----------------------------------------------------------
Conservative members of the European Parliament have
blocked moves to extend maternity leave to a minimum of 20
weeks across the EU. The whole process will have to start
again from scratch once a new Parliament is formed after
next month's elections.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241623023.06

5. EU allows cut-rate sales tax in restaurants
----------------------------------------------
EU finance ministers gave the green light on Tuesday to
plans to allow cut-rate sales tax on certain labour
intensive services, such as eating out in restaurants.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241525821.3

6. EU farm subsidies sweet for Italian sugar firms: study
---------------------------------------------------------
Farm power France may be the top overall beneficiary of the
EU's generous farm subsidies but the biggest single
payments go to companies in Italy, a study shows.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241700421.19

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

Council Watch
-------------
Canada: Canada and the EU launched talks Wednesday on a new
trade deal despite a row over the EU's decision to ban
seal products.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241621239.78
EU, Japan team up to fight climate change
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241450222.68
EU doubles emergency loans for eastern Europe
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241524022.94
Czech senators approve Lisbon Treaty
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241620321.58
Irish PM confident voters will back Treaty
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241722021.64
Fewer Icelanders back applying for EU membership: poll
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241680629.78
http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Euro-Parliament Watch
---------------------
Seal products: Parliament voted Tuesday to endorse an
EU-wide ban on seal products in protest at commercial
hunting methods, sparking a threat from Canada to
take action at the World Trade Organisation.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241527622.14
Euro-MPs against Internet piracy clampdown
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241617621.79
EP blocks Le Pen from chairing inaugural session
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241629325.73
Conservatives tipped for EU vote win but low turnout looms
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241491632.03
European left struggles to win votes from crisis
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241491623.28

In plenary session this week, Euro-MPs agreed to suspend
the "use it or lose it" rule for airport slots; approved a
comprehensive review of the EU's new institutional
structure, should the Lisbon Treaty be ratified in 2009;
and adopted a package of measures to improve the way the
EU asylum system works.
Texts: http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/oeil
http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

Commission Watch
----------------
Economy: the EU economy will contract 4.0 per cent this
year as a worse than expected recession drives unemployment
to levels not seen since World War II, the Commission warns.
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241429521.5
Barroso welcomes Czech assembly's treaty ratification
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241622130.36
http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

EU diary
--------
11 May, EU - Cuba Ministerial Meeting
11-12 May, Education, Youth and Culture Council
18-19 May, General Affairs and External Relations Council
25-26 May, Agriculture and Fisheries Council
27-28 May, EU - ASEAN Ministerial Meeting
28-29 May, Competitiveness Council

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

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

Events
------
8 Jun, Prague: 2nd Annual CEE HR Solutions
http://www.eubusiness.com/Members/jacobfleming/cee-hr.09

8 Jun, Amsterdam: BSS Summit 2009
http://www.eubusiness.com/Members/iir/BSS
More events: http://www.eubusiness.com/events

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Comment of the Week
-------------------
Commenting on our piece "Eurosceptic Libertas party claims
one million members", John Pearcey writes:

"Libertas are not Eurosceptic at all. It is not the level
of EU integration that they question but rather the lack of
democracy in the EU itself".
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241199122.22

Policy Forum
------------
Solvency II regulation will enhance policyholder protection
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/cea-press.09-05-05
More press: http://www.eubusiness.com/press

Briefing
--------
Mobile phone termination rates
http://www.eubusiness.com/Telecoms/termination-rates.01

EU - US provisional agreement in beef dispute
http://www.eubusiness.com/Agri/eu-us-beef-guide
More briefings: http://www.eubusiness.com/guides

Links
-----
EC Communication on Fair Trade
http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/fair-trade-com09.215

Spring forecasts 2009-2010
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/spring-forecasts.0910

European Court of Auditors - 2008 Annual Activity Report
http://www.eubusiness.com/Finance/eca-report.2008

Lifelong Learning Programme
http://www.eubusiness.com/Education/lifelong-learning.09
More links: http://www.eubusiness.com/links

Jobs
----
Senior Expert in Skills Analysis and Forecasting, Cedefop
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/cedefop-job.09-04-27

Lawyer - Banking and Finance, European Investment Fund
http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/eif-job.09-04-27
More jobs: http://www.eubusiness.com/jobs

Other news on EUbusiness this week
----------------------------------
China warns EU on protectionism 7-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241715721.87
EU to probe German rescue of HRE bank 7-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241693225.91
Regulator broadens probe of UK aid to Northern Rock 7-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241689626.62
Latvia must reform or risk losing bailout cash: EU 7-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241629332.99
Luxembourg lawmakers protest German tax haven jibe 7-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241622121.05
Slump in eurozone retail sales accelerates: Eurostat 7-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241601422.47
Estonia: fresh fiscal measures to keep on euro track 5-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241548322.1
Russia defends meat bans, adds UK, Delaware to list 5-May
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1241539325.69

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

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