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EU Budget 2016 debate gets under way by Nick Prag — last modified 12 March 2015, 17:31 CET

The EU got down to preparing plans for next year's budget this week, with the European Parliament targeting growth, solidarity and paying the bills as priorities for the EU Budget 2016.

Technology investment in the EU - Why is 80% from emerging economies going to Greenfield sites and why are University relationships so important? by EUbusiness — last modified 12 March 2015, 12:42 CET

The importance of Greenfield investment and University relationships are two of the findings discussed at the launch, last week in Brussels, of results from a 3 year study into Technology Driven Foreign Direct Investment (TDFDI) into the EU from emerging economies.

2015 EU Justice Scoreboard by EUbusiness — last modified 10 March 2015, 01:15 CET

The EU Justice Scoreboard is an information tool that contributes to the European Semester by providing objective data on the quality, independence and efficiency of justice systems in all Member States. The aim of the EU Justice Scoreboard is to assist Member States, as part of an open dialogue, in improving the functioning of their justice systems. The Justice Scoreboard contributes to identifying potential shortcomings and good practices and aims to present trends on the functioning of the national justice systems over time. While the Scoreboard presents comparative information on Member States’ justice systems based on a number of particular indicators, it is not intended to present an overall single ranking, or to promote any particular form of justice system. Whatever the model of the national justice system or the legal tradition in which it is anchored, timeliness, independence, affordability, and user-friendly access are some of the essential parameters of what constitutes an effective justice system.

New psychoactive substances in Europe - an update from the EU Early Warning System (March 2015) by EUbusiness — last modified 10 March 2015, 00:03 CET

New psychoactive substances (NPS or ‘new drugs’) were detected in the European Union last year at the rate of around two per week, according to an update issued today by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA). A total of 101 new substances were reported to the EU Early Warning System (EWS) in 2014 (up from 81 in 2013), continuing an upward trend in substances notified in a single year. This short report provides an update on new psychoactive substances (NPS) in Europe for 2014. It highlights recent developments, including the growth of the market over the past few years, as illustrated by seizures by law enforcement and other indicators, as well as the growing number of serious harms that are being reported as a result.

KSA Group by Robert Moore — last modified 09 March 2015, 23:34 CET

KSA Group's team of professionals are passionate about saving viable businesses and giving the best possible advice to directors, creditors and stakeholders in any insolvency situation. Many of our team have had direct personal experience of business distress and have felt that there are better ways to advise all those involved. Our team is headed up by Keith Steven, the managing director, Iain Campbell, the operations director, and our 2 licensed insolvency practitioners; Wayne Harrison and Eric Walls. Our corporate advisors have many years of experience of talking to and negotiating with creditors, including banks and HMRC. The regional managers have all held senior positions in companies and know how to help businesses in distress.

EU gender equality has some way to go by Nick Prag — last modified 05 March 2015, 22:33 CET

The eve of International Women's Day (8 March) is a good moment to assess the challenges that remain in tackling gender inequalities across the EU.

Infringements day at the EC by Nick Prag — last modified 26 February 2015, 18:02 CET

Wednesday was infringements day at the European Commission, a monthly occasion, when the Commission announces the various infringements proceedings it is setting in motion, and including legal actions it is taking against some Member States for failing to comply properly with their obligations under EU law.

UK companies file more European patents in 2014 by EPO — last modified 26 February 2015, 17:12 CET

Patent filings at the European Patent Office (EPO) grew by 3.1% in 2014, hitting a new record high of over 274 000. Companies from the UK filed 6 823 patents at the EPO last year (2013: 6 510): with +4.8% the highest growth rate for the UK since 2011, and well above the 1.2% average increase of the 38 EPO member states.

Promoting uptake of parental and paternity leave among fathers in the European Union by EUbusiness — last modified 26 February 2015, 16:47 CET

The take-up rate of parental and paternity leave among fathers has been increasing in most Member States but it still remains relatively low. Covering all the EU Member States and Norway, this report looks at the most recent trends in terms of take-up of parental and paternity leave, existing provisions and factors influencing take-up rates. It also examines measures and initiatives recently implemented by national authorities, governments and social partners to promote the take-up of parental and paternity leave, particularly among fathers.

Energy Union: old wine in new bottles? by Susetesampaio — last modified 25 February 2015, 18:46 CET

EUROCHAMBRES has mixed feelings about the Energy Union package, published by the European Commission today.

Post-visa liberalisation monitoring for the Western Balkan countries - Fifth Report by EUbusiness — last modified 26 February 2015, 23:12 CET

The European Commission published on 25 February its fifth assessment of the functioning of the visa-free scheme with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. The fifth post visa liberalisation report on the Western Balkans shows that more measures are necessary to maintain the integrity of the visa-free scheme and to address potential abuses of the EU asylum system.

General report on the activities of the European Union 2014 by EUbusiness — last modified 23 February 2015, 17:59 CET

The year 2014 contained many events that made me proud to be European. The euro area family welcomed Latvia on 1 January — with Lithuania joining 1 year later. In Lima, Peru, the EU acted in a spirit of constructiveness and compromise to help pave the way towards a meaningful global climate-change deal in Paris. In the wake of the Ukraine crisis, we were able to unite, speak with one voice and act effectively, with trade sanctions, an association agreement and an energy deal to ensure gas supplies continue. The EU made significant progress towards a banking union, restoring confidence, ending the era of taxpayers having to pay for the mistakes of banks and enabling the financial sector to start lending again. In the opening year of the EU’s new multiannual financial framework, the first tranche of almost EUR 1 trillion of funding began to flow to the EU’s researchers, regions, farmers and more. Meanwhile, 510 million kilometres away, a European spacecraft was the first ever to land on a comet; an astonishing achievement of innovation and ingenuity.

Roadmap for a Capital Markets Union by Nick Prag — last modified 19 February 2015, 21:47 CET

The building blocks of the European Commission's 'Investment Plan for Europe' began to form this week, with the aim of unlocking funding for EU businesses and boosting growth with the creation of a true single market for capital.

European Company Survey 2013 by EUbusiness — last modified 19 February 2015, 00:11 CET

European companies play a crucial role in getting out of the crisis and in reaching the goals of the European 2020 strategy for sustainable, inclusive and smart growth. The main focus of the third European Company Survey was on work organisation, HR practices, employee participation and social dialogue. The survey, carried out in the spring of 2013, maps a number of practices used in European workplaces, as well as how they are discussed and negotiated at workplace level as well as some of their outcomes.

Complaints, Complainants, and Rulings Regarding Drug Promotion in the United Kingdom and Sweden 2004–2012 by EUbusiness — last modified 18 February 2015, 23:31 CET

In many European countries, medicines promotion is governed by voluntary codes of practice administered by the pharmaceutical industry under its own system of self-regulation. Involvement of industry organizations in policing promotion has been proposed to deter illicit conduct, but few detailed studies on self-regulation have been carried out to date. The objective of this study was to examine the evidence for promotion and self-regulation in the UK and Sweden, two countries frequently cited as examples of effective self-regulation. This new report from Lund University in Sweden shows how the pharmaceutical industry time and again violates regulations on the marketing of drugs. The study has been published in the journal PLOS Medicine.

Major gains for businesses moving to Wales by EUbusiness — last modified 13 February 2015, 14:11 CET

The devolved government of Wales continues its decidedly pro-business stance, with the benefits for businesses moving to the country as pronounced as ever. A small country reliant on independent funding, Wales has the advantages of a fast, dependable infrastructure and a business-positive outlook shared by both its government and its citizens.

EU starts work on plans for an Energy Union by Nick Prag — last modified 21 August 2015, 15:53 CET

Apart from the Ukraine crisis, on which EU leaders met at their summit this Thursday, it was the EU Energy Union which took centre stage this last week.

The Potential of Social Media - How B2B Businesses Are Tackling Social Media In 2015 - Real Business Rescue infographic by Begbies Traynor Group Plc — last modified 10 February 2015, 22:07 CET

Real Business Rescue

EU sanctions against Russia impact on reported restructuring job losses in Europe - Eurofound ERM Quarterly by EUbusiness — last modified 05 February 2015, 22:02 CET

Dramatic recent oil price declines have seen deflation take hold in the EU. General price levels in December 2014 were 0.2% lower than a year earlier. This is further evidence of a tentative European economic recovery that appears to be running out of steam. Growth forecasts for the EU have been trimmed to 1.1% in 2015 after growth failed to reach even 1% in 2014. This issue includes: Macroeconomic trends and prospects; Job creation and job loss at a glance (1/10/14 - 31/12/14); Sectoral distribution of job losses/job gains, and top five cases; Case in focus: Lloyds Banking Group and branch banking; Situation in focus: Restructuring arising from Russian sanctions; Restructuring support measures in focus: public employment incentives.

Caps on inter-bank fees for card payments good for consumers, good for retailers by Nick Prag — last modified 05 February 2015, 19:22 CET

It's taken a long time, but the European Parliament and the Council have finally agreed a deal on a regulation to cap interchange fees for card-based payments.