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Commission breaks pledge to bring EU targets in line with Paris climate deal by Greenpeace European Unit — last modified 03 March 2016, 23:18 CET

The European Commission has broken its pledge to bring EU climate targets in line with the Paris climate deal, said Greenpeace.

Mandatory lobby register on the cards by Nick Prag — last modified 03 March 2016, 22:06 CET

About time, some would say, as the European Commission this week launched a public consultation on making the EU lobby transparency regime mandatory.

Privacy Shield: Draft Adequacy Decision an important step on road to restoring trust and certainty in data transfers by EuroISPA — last modified 01 March 2016, 19:38 CET

Today's publication of the draft Privacy Shield Adequacy Decision constitutes an important step on the road to restoring trust and legal certainty to transatlantic data transfers.

The Beauty of Public Procurement in TTIP by ECIPE — last modified 01 March 2016, 18:35 CET

The TTIP negotiation is taking another leap of faith as it delves into the question of public procurement this week. The topic is inarguably a thorny issue where market access gets linked to "sub-central" levels of decision-making (State or even Municipality "independent" choices), national security and jobs policy. Yet the U.S. procurement market is, by any means, sizeable, and the EU has made it a pivotal objective to open up procurement at sub-central levels, enabling EU companies to bid for State level tenders. Dealing with these issues requires thus an honest assessment of the situation, present and future. It raises two matters to be discussed: A reality-check on the real openness of the two negotiating partners and a better view of the broader situation in the future.

Working time developments in the 21st century: Work duration and its regulation in the EU by EUbusiness — last modified 01 March 2016, 18:30 CET

This report examines the main trends and milestones characterising the evolution of the most important aspects of collectively agreed working time in the European Union during the first decade of the 21st century. Drawing primarily on information collected by Eurofound across all EU Member States and Norway, it focuses in particular on five sectors: chemicals, metalworking, banking, retail and public administration. The report describes the institutional regimes of regulation and assesses the evolution of agreed working hours (hours expected to be spent on work according to collective agreements or agreed between employers and employees) and usual working hours (hours usually spent in practice in work activities) between 1999 and 2014. The report points to the tension that exists between the pressure for decreased working hours in favour of a better work–life balance and fewer health problems for workers and the need for working time flexibility to meet the demands of a modern world economy.

Privacy Shield is the same unsafe harbour by EUbusiness — last modified 29 February 2016, 19:23 CET

Today, the European Commission published the "Privacy Shield" documents, which confirm that no meaningful reforms have been made and that none are planned.

Air pollution's lifelong impact means next London Mayor must act - says Friends of the Earth by Friends of the Earth Europe — last modified 25 February 2016, 23:31 CET

Today’s (23 February 2016) report on the lifelong impact of air pollution from the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health shows that we need urgent action on dirty air – says Friends of the Earth.

Time to speed up EU's Net power by Nick Prag — last modified 25 February 2016, 22:39 CET

How digital are we? The European Commission brought out its Digital Economy and Society Index for 2016 (DESI) this week with a favourable report of progress since last year, but warning that a slowdown in the pace of progress threatened Europe's standing at the top table of the most digitalised countries in the world.

EBF statement on the 2016 European stress tests by ebffbe — last modified 25 February 2016, 17:46 CET

The European Banking Federation takes note of the recent publication by the supervisory authorities for the European banking sector on the 2016 stress tests.

Recent developments in temporary employment: Employment growth, wages and transitions by EUbusiness — last modified 25 February 2016, 00:55 CET

Temporary employment has increased since the 1980s in most European countries as a result of demands for greater flexibility in labour markets and subsequent reforms of employment protection legislation. This report presents a broad picture of temporary employment across the EU27 between 2001 and 2012 based on Eurostat data. It maps the recent evolution of temporary employment, before and after the economic crisis. It calculates the wage gap between temporary and permanent employees and also analyses the wage gap within companies. The report also identifies the main determinants of temporary employment in terms of personal, company and job characteristics and examines the most relevant labour market transitions for temporary employees. The study finds evidence of segmentation in a number of European labour markets, whereby temporary employees have poor pay and labour market prospects, while permanent employees enjoy high levels of job security and opportunities for career progression.

Automotive and telecom industries set joint priorities for connected and automated cars by European Automobile Manufacturers Association — last modified 24 February 2016, 23:38 CET

In order to facilitate the uptake of automated and connected driving in the near future, the European automotive and telecom sectors have identified three priority areas for further cooperation at the annual Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

French nappy brand Tidoo launches brand new 100% organic, 100% gentle Care range on stand D49 at Natural and Organic Products Europe 2016 by BUSINESS FRANCE UK — last modified 14 March 2016, 16:29 CET

Tidoo, producer of disposable nappies, training pants and organic skincare, will be showcasing its Night&Day and Stand Up ranges on stand D49 at the Natural and Organic Products Europe trade show, taking place at ExCeL London on 17-18 April 2016. The trade show also presents an opportunity for this exciting newcomer to the organic retail sector to launch its brand new Care baby skincare range. Regularly participating in consumer panels and consulting with a vast network of bloggers in France, Tidoo values the input of its consumers and is keen to meet specialist British bloggers and journalists at Natural and Organic Products Europe 2016, a key event in the organic retail calendar.

Overcapacity in China: An Impediment to the Party's Reform Agenda by EUbusiness — last modified 22 February 2016, 12:11 CET

The European Chamber of Commerce in China has released a new major report that addresses the problems arising from increased overcapacity in China’s industrial economy. Overcapacity in China: An Impediment to the Party’s Reform Agenda provides a detailed examination of the causes and consequences of overcapacity in eight key industries and analyses the developments that have taken place since the European Chamber published its original report on this topic in 2009. The new report explains how central government efforts to address excessive production capacity have been ineffectual due to regional protectionism, weak regulatory enforcement, low resource pricing, misdirected investment, inadequate protection of intellectual property rights and an emphasis on market share. The report provides 30 recommendations that should be taken to address this deep-rooted problem. The European Chamber hopes that they will also contribute to a strengthening of the government’s resolve to implement the core tenet of the Third Plenum’s Decision – establishing the market as the decisive force in China’s economy.

Commission is blind to renewables' potential, keeps Europe stuck on gas by Greenpeace European Unit — last modified 18 February 2016, 22:31 CET

The Commission published on 16 February a gas package proposal which fails to recognise that renewables and energy efficiency can secure Europe’s energy supply. It defies the commitments taken under the Paris climate agreement last December.

Annual CO2 reduction rate from trucks could be doubled via integrated approach, study shows by European Automobile Manufacturers Association — last modified 18 February 2016, 22:28 CET

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) presented on 16 February the results of a study by Transport & Mobility Leuven (TML), entitled ‘Greenhouse gas reduction measures for the road freight transport sector: An integrated approach to reducing CO2 emissions from heavy goods vehicles in Europe’, which has been fully confirmed by a consortium of 16 road transport stakeholders.

Commission's Heating & Cooling Strategy needs to do more on buildings by EuroACE — last modified 18 February 2016, 19:43 CET

The European Commission unveiled on 16 February the much-awaited Heating & Cooling Strategy in the framework of the Sustainable Energy Security Package. EuroACE welcomes DG ENER’s efforts to gather more data in order to give a comprehensive picture of heating and cooling in the EU, as it represents around 70% of energy consumption in buildings. But EuroACE calls for more concrete action in the buildings sector.

European Commission holds key to the end of EU trade in illegal timber by WWF - World Wide Fund For Nature — last modified 18 February 2016, 19:27 CET

WWF welcomed the report published by the European Commission today, showing that 2 ½ years after it entered into force, the EU Timber Regulation is still not being implemented and enforced effectively in most EU countries.

Eurogas on EU energy package: Sound on security of supply but missing opportunities in heating by Eurogas — last modified 17 February 2016, 17:49 CET

Speaking today on the publication of the European Commission's energy package, Beate Raabe, Secretary General of Eurogas, expressed her support in large part for the market-driven emphasis and overall approach to security of supply in the package but questioned the Commission’s selective approach and disregard for the large benefits linked to gas in heating.

France to benefit on and off the pitch during Euro 2016 by EUbusiness — last modified 12 February 2016, 19:20 CET

Hosting a major international sporting tournament is valued as a huge honour, but it comes with the insurmountable pressure on the winning nature to provide the infrastructure and level of organisation to ensure that everything runs smoothly. France will once again grab the attention of a worldwide audience as they host Euro 2016, eighteen years after they last hosted a major tournament, which they won in front of a partisan crowd at the newly-build Stade de France against Brazil in the 1998 World Cup.

Industry rallies Europe to respond to new EU consultation on market economy status of China by AEGIS Europe — last modified 11 February 2016, 23:19 CET

Today, 30 European industries represented by AEGIS Europe called on European unions, businesses and NGOs to respond urgently to the European Commission’s new public consultation into the Market Economy Status (MES) of China.