TTIP: what is the problem? - EUbusiness Week newsletter 682
EUbusiness Week 682 top stories: EU sanctions separatists as Ukraine crisis deepens; Budget talks drag on past deadline; ECJ rejects Britain bonus cap challenge; Commission to use 'LuxLeaks' documents in tax probe; EU accuses Netherlands on Starbucks tax deal; European urbanites breathing highly polluted air
Publisher's Note
This week, Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem looked to revive
transatlantic trade talks to create a huge free trade area removing
trade barriers and making it easier to buy and sell goods and services
between the EU and the US. The talks have been in danger of stalling due
to concerns such as over ISDS, the so-called investor-state dispute
settlement.
ISDS allows firms to sue governments if they feel local laws,
such as health and safety regulations, violate the deal and threaten
investments. British PM Cameron has brushed off the fears, saying ISDS
has been part of every trade deal the UK has signed, and "we haven't
lost a single case". Is there not then a case for dropping it?
More ...
Regards,
Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness
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1. EU sanctions separatists as Ukraine crisis deepens
The EU agreed to blacklist more Ukrainian separatists Monday but stopped
short of fresh sanctions against Russia, saying there was hope of
restarting dialogue with Moscow to end the worst stand-off since the
Cold War.
More ...
Moscow hopes EU ties have not crossed 'point of no return'
2. Budget talks drag on past deadline
Cost-conscious EU governments and a more generous-minded European
Parliament have failed to reach an eleventh hour agreement for the
bloc's 2015 budget, forcing officials to draw up a new proposal.
More ...
3. ECJ rejects Britain bonus cap challenge
The top EU court's advisor on Thursday rejected Britain's legal
challenges to a cap on banking bonuses, forcing Prime Minister Cameron's
government into an embarrassing U-turn.
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4. Commission to use 'LuxLeaks' documents in tax probe
The EU said Thursday it will use the so-called "LuxLeaks" documents to
decide whether to widen its probe into Luxembourg's tax deals, in a row
that has embroiled new Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker.
More ...
5. EU accuses Netherlands on Starbucks tax deal
EU regulators have publicly accused the Netherlands of awarding
coffee-shop giant Starbucks unfair tax breaks, laying out their case at a
time when such practices have fueled an uproar.
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6. European urbanites breathing highly polluted air
As many as nine in 10 European city dwellers breathe air high in
pollutants, blamed for 400,000 premature deaths every year, says the
European Environment Agency.
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EUROPEAN LAW
Pollution: Britain must take action in as "short as possible" a time to
cut air pollution in line with European standards, the EU's top court
ruled on Wednesday.
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Euro police arrest Vietnamese people 'smuggling gang'
Latest news from the European Court of Justice
EU Law Firms
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Inside the EU Institutions
Council Watch
Tax: Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel said he was firmly opposed
to harmonising tax policies in the EU, a report said Wednesday, hitting
back after an investigation exposed his tiny country as a global tax
haven.
More ...
Britain's UKIP set for landmark poll win
Migrant surge across Med continues as Italy rescues 900
Council ...
Commission Watch
Lobbying: the Commission has announced plans to make top officials
publicly declare meetings with lobbyists as part of plans by under-fire
new EC chief Jean-Claude Juncker to boost transparency.
More ...
Juncker to unveil giant investment plan Wednesday
EU praises Dutch, UK avian flu response
Commission ...
Parliament Watch
Juncker: Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker faces a confidence vote in
the European Parliament next week after eurosceptics filed a motion
about Luxembourg's tax breaks for global firms, but he is almost certain
to survive.
More ...
In committee this week, the EP's industry committee discussed the COSME
programme to help SMEs access finance and markets and improve
competitiveness; and the budgets committee recommended EU job-search aid
for former workers at a Finnish shipyard and a French abattoir. The
European Globalisation Adjustment Fund aid has still to be approved by
Parliament as a whole and the Council of Ministers.
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EU diary
24-27 Nov: International Women's Entrepreneurship Laboratory
24-27 Nov: European Parliament Plenary Session
25 Nov: Education, Youth, Culture & Sport Council
25-26 Nov: Medium-Term Market Outlook for EU Candidate Countries
27-28 Nov: European Rail Freight Days
27 Nov: Transport, Telecommunications & Energy Council
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary
RESOURCES
EU Law Firms
Summaries of EU Legislation
EU Decision-Making
Treaties of the European Union
Key EU Legal Terms
Other news on EUbusiness this week
IMF approves EUR 1 bn stand-by loan for Serbia 20-Nov
Truck makers probed by EU for pricing cartel 20-Nov
Eurozone growth at 16-month slow point 29-Nov
Pakistani flag carrier cleared for EU cargo flights 19-Nov
In new recovery sign, EU car sales surge 18-Nov
EU to aid countries bordering Ebola epicentre 18-Nov
EU approves Etihad, Alitalia alliance 15-Nov
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Guides
EUR 28m package for Baltic Milk Producers
Avian Influenza in The Netherlands and the UK
Global trade increasingly obstructed: EU Report
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Events
26 Nov, Finland: First International Conference on 5G for Ubiquitous Connectivity
27 Nov, London: Big Data in Retail Financial Services
18 Dec, Stuttgart: Women4Energy International Conference 2014
1 Jun, Vienna: European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
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Publications
Europe's Crisis, Europe's Future (Kindle Edition)
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Links
Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)EU residential electricity prices increasing faster than prices in United States
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