New EU smoking rules in force - EUbusiness Week newsletter 745

20-05-2016

EUbusiness Week 745 top stories: Spain, Portugal under caution over budget deficits; Brussels again delays decision on glyphosate renewal; EU toughens rules to stop rigging of market benchmarks; One year delay for MiFID II directive; EU tightens sanctions against N Korea; Nearly 16,000 victims of trafficking in the EU

Publisher's Note

Important EU law on tobacco products came into force in Europe today, designed to make smoking and cigarettes less attractive, especially to young people.

Important enough for the big tobacco companies to take their case against the revised tobacco directive to the European Court of Justice - and lose.

And important enough to make a difference to the half of European smokers likely to die prematurely, shortening their life by an average 14 years. Those Member States lagging behind now need to get their act together to fully transpose the directive into national law.
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Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Spain, Portugal under caution over budget deficits

Spain and Portugal were given one more year to correct their excessive deficits Wednesday, after the European Commission published its Spring economic package.
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2. Brussels again delays decision on glyphosate renewal

The Commission again postponed a vote on whether to renew the licence for the controversial herbicide glyphosate on Thursday, despite a WHO warning about a link to cancer.
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3. EU toughens rules to stop rigging of market benchmarks

The EU has adopted new rules aimed at restoring trust in interest rate benchmarks and avoiding the kind of manipulation of such instruments seen in the recent Libor and Euribor scandals.
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4. One year delay for MiFID II directive

The Union has confirmed a one-year delay to the MiFID directive, the new securities market rules which regulate firms providing share-dealing services.
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5. EU tightens sanctions against N Korea

The EU added another 18 people and one entity to the list of those subject to EU restrictive measures against North Korea Thursday, adding to sanctions imposed by United Nations Security Council resolutions.
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6. Nearly 16,000 victims of trafficking in the EU

15,846 women, men, girls and boys were registered as victims of trafficking in the EU in 2013-14, according to a progress report on the fight against trafficking in human beings.
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EUROPEAN LAW

Latest news from the European Court of Justice
EU law firms
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Inside the EU Institutions

Council Watch

Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting - North Korea sanctions - New Operation Commander for EU NAVFOR Somalia - Markets in financial instruments - Letter of congratulation to new Federal Chancellor of Austria - Manipulation of market benchmarks - EU-wide cybersecurity rules - Animal breeding rules
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Council ...

Commission Watch

Trafficking in human beings - Armenia joins Horizon 2020 - fight against trafficking in human beings - state of fundamental rights in the EU - support for women and girls' empowerment - scope of EU State aid rules to facilitate public investment - probe into alleged aid to Belgian glass producer Ducatt - Spring 2016 European Semester package - country-specific recommendations
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Parliament Watch

Endocrine disruptors: motion of censure on the Commission lapsed - European Youth Event - 700,000 deaths a year: tackling smoking in the EU - Twitteropolis: interactive map to the European Parliament on Twitter - MEPs to go to Greece to check on refugees and implementation of EU-Turkey deal - Most young Europeans feel marginalised by the crisis: Eurobarometer
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EU diary

23-25 May: European Parliament Committee Meetings
23-24 May: EU-Algeria business forum
23 May: Natura 2000 Award Ceremony
23 May: Foreign Affairs Council
24 May: Eurogroup
24 May: European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage
25-27 May: European Parliament plenary session
25 May: Economic and Financial Affairs Council
26-27 May: G7 summit in Japan
26 May: Commission monthly infringements package
27 May: European Platform tackling undeclared work
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary