EUbusiness community

EU consumers left drastically short-changed by state gambling monopolies by Right2bet — last modified 30 July 2010, 15:40 CET

RIGHT2BET has exclusively revealed that throughout the World Cup European state betting monopolies offered their customers, on average, 32% worse odds than those available with private betting companies.

European Commission’s proposals on intra-corporate transferees fail to address the needs of working spouses by EUbusiness — last modified 22 July 2010, 17:14 CET

Proposals by the European Commission for a directive on the entry and residence of Intra Corporate Transferees fail to address the needs of working spouses and partners.

Innovation must start from the market, not from R&D, SMEs tell Ministers by European craft and SME employers’ organisation — last modified 15 July 2010, 00:07 CET

A better understanding of how small businesses operate and innovate is a must for the success of the upcoming “EU Innovation Act”, according to UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers’ organisation. Ahead of the informal Council of European Industry Ministers organised by the Belgian Presidency of the EU and starting today (Wednesday), UEAPME put forward a series of policy recommendations on how to maximise SMEs’ innovation potential.

Commission plans to relax rules on GM crops in Europe - Procedural tweaks fail to protect public and environment by Greenpeace European Unit — last modified 13 July 2010, 18:12 CET

The European Commission will announce today proposals to speed up the union’s genetically modified (GM) crop authorisation procedure. Member states are being promised the right to ban GM cultivation if they reduce their opposition during the EU-level authorisation process.

CEA questions EC proposals on insurance guarantee schemes by European insurance and reinsurance federation — last modified 13 July 2010, 00:28 CET

The CEA, the European insurance and reinsurance federation, supports the objective of protecting insurance policyholders and beneficiaries that underlies the package of measures the European Commission has published today. Nevertheless, the CEA has concerns over the EC’s proposals for EU legislation to create guarantee schemes to fund potential insurer insolvencies.

New deposit guarantee rules are first step in right direction by European Consumers’ Organisation — last modified 13 July 2010, 00:22 CET

Today the European Commission adopted its proposal which revises EU rules on deposit guarantee schemes. BEUC welcomes that the European Commission prescribes faster payouts, takes the coverage of temporary high balances into account and addresses the issue of cross border deposit guarantees.

European Commission proposals to ban GM crops: an empty and dangerous deal - New plans could open Europe's fields to GM crops by Friends of the Earth Europe — last modified 08 July 2010, 23:18 CET

New proposals due to be introduced in the coming days that are supposed to allow European countries more autonomy over the decision to ban genetically modified (GM) crops form an empty and potentially dangerous deal for member states, according to Friends of the Earth Europe.

ECJ: Swedish sanctions for gaming adverts cannot discriminate against EU operators - Industry calls on Swedish government to adapt legislation to EU market reality by European Gaming and Betting Association — last modified 08 July 2010, 23:09 CET

Today, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) rendered a preliminary ruling addressing questions relating to the compliance of Swedish gaming legislation with the EU Treaty.

Carbon and energy taxes in Europe by Stephen Tindale — last modified 01 July 2010, 23:03 CET

The demand to ‘make the polluter pay’ by putting a price on the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases produced has been a major point of discussion and debate across Europe since the mid-1980s.

Halt to bad consumer surprises thanks to data roaming cut-off limit by European Consumers’ Organisation — last modified 01 July 2010, 18:43 CET

BEUC welcomes that, as of the 1st of July 2010, a mandatory cut-off limit on data roaming charges lowers the financial risks for European mobile phone users. The maximum charge for data roaming (connecting to mobile internet, downloading and sending files when abroad) will be set at €50, unless consumers deliberately choose another limit. Furthermore, maximum wholesale prices for data roaming will decrease from €1 to 80 cents per megabyte.

EUROCHAMBRES: new translation proposal must be last episode of the EU patent saga by European Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry — last modified 01 July 2010, 18:39 CET

EUROCHAMBRES today expressed its strong hope that the Commission’s new proposal for a Council regulation governing the EU patent translation requirements would prove to be the final breakthrough on this crucial issue.

Transparency still out of sight on lobby register's second anniversary by Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation in the EU — last modified 24 June 2010, 13:08 CET

Two years after its introduction the European Commission's lobby register has failed to bring lobbying into the open, the Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation in the EU (ALTER-EU) said today. The group used the anniversary of the register to call on the Commission to take urgent steps towards a mandatory, joint register for the European Commission and European Parliament with improved transparency standards.

G20 Chambers: effective coordination and resisting protectionism are key to recovery and growth by European Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry — last modified 24 June 2010, 12:53 CET

In a common declaration issued ahead of the G20 Summit in Toronto, the C20 Group – representing EUROCHAMBRES and other Chambers of Commerce from the G20 countries* – calls on G20 governments to adopt decisive policy measures to prevent the recurrence of a global economic crisis, and support the multilateral trading system by resisting all forms of protectionism.

AGC startet mit Rezzo Schlauch Projekte im Sudan by Hatem Safadi — last modified 23 June 2010, 14:11 CET

Als Teil der Safadi Group startet die AGC gemeinsam mit Staatssekretär a.D. Rezzo Schlauch, sowie einem renommierten Schweizer Büro des Inhabers H. Stampfli einige gemeinsame Projekte im Sudan. Diese erstrecken sich von Investitionen bis Neuherstellung von Farbikanlagen in den Bereichen Zementherstellung, Produktion von Fabriksteinen, dem Straßenbau oder auch zur Herstellung von Energie über Solargewinnung. Weiterhin sind anvisierte Themenbereiche Security- und Infrastrukturmaßnahmen.

Alte Mälzerei Berlin Pankow - 1. Bauabschnitt übergeben by Hatem Safadi — last modified 23 June 2010, 14:14 CET

Im Dezember des vergangenen Jahres wurde der erste Bauabschnitt des Bauvorhabens Alte Mälzerei in Berlin Pankow nach Makler- und Bauträgerverordnung übergeben. Damit wurden seit Beginn des 1. Bauabschnittes im März 2009 innerhalb von gerade mal 9 Monaten 5.489m2 Baufläche und 140 PKW-Stellplätze in der unterirdischen Tiefgarage fertiggestellt. Das Ziel zur Fertigstellung des zweiten Bauabschnittes mit weiteren 6.700m2 ist für Ende Oktober 2010 gesteckt.

Taxes better than targets by Stephen Tindale — last modified 23 June 2010, 00:25 CET

Once again, European governments have been debating whether the EU greenhouse reduction target should be increased, from 20% below 1990 levels by 2020 to 30%, also by 2020. 20% will be easier to achieve than expected, given the recession, but is not enough of a reduction, so the target should be increased to 30%. This would also inject some momentum into the international negotiations, which is much needed.

Food Industry 1 – 0 Consumers by European Consumers’ Organisation — last modified 17 June 2010, 23:36 CET

MEPs caved into pressure from the food industry today when plans to introduce a colour coding system for food labelling were rejected by almost 400 MEPs.

Parliament votes against entrepreneurship by European Small Business Alliance — last modified 17 June 2010, 23:37 CET

In a disastrous vote the European Parliament has opened the floodgates to legislation that will harm entrepreneurship throughout the European Union. By deciding against a Commission proposal which aims to exclude independent self-employed drivers in the transport sector from a directive that rigorously restricts working hours, the Parliament has set a dangerous precedent in interfering in the manner in which self-employed organize their working time.

Future of food labelling at stake by European Consumers’ Organisation — last modified 10 June 2010, 12:43 CET

MEPs still have a chance to give consumers the means to make informed choices about which food products they buy during a crucial vote next week (16th June) in the plenary session of the European Parliament on a new regulation on food information to consumers.

Bluefin tuna quota fished out for 2010 by Greenpeace European Unit — last modified 10 June 2010, 00:22 CET

Bluefin tuna is one step closer to extinction as the EU prepares to close this year’s Mediterranean bluefin season – which should not have been opened in the first place, said Greenpeace. The closure will become effective at the latest as of midnight on Wednesday, the European Commission said in a statement.