ECB optimism on recovery outlook - EUbusiness Week newsletter 699 - EUbusiness.com

EUbusiness Week 699 top stories: ECB minutes show ‘prudent optimism’ on recovery outlook; Anticipation and angst as Europe ends milk quotas; EU introduces labels on origin of meat other than beef; Banking watchdog mulls cap on sovereign debt exposure; Uber files complaints with EU v. France, Germany, Spain; Lisbon, Luxembourg ‘Europe’s worst’ for pollution fight

1. ECB minutes show ‘prudent optimism’ on recovery outlook

The European Central Bank revealed Thursday that its policy-setting governing council is increasingly confident that its controversial bond purchase programme is helping to boost the economic outlook for the eurozone.
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2. Anticipation and angst as Europe ends milk quotas

European dairy farmers faced the end of three decades of milk quotas on Wednesday with a mixture of anticipation and angst as it will allow them to serve growing demand in emerging markets, but could also cause a crash in prices.
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3. EU introduces labels on origin of meat other than beef

The EU has introduced labels showing the origins of pre-packed meat other than beef, but critics had sought even tougher rules in the wake of the horsemeat scandal.
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4. Banking watchdog mulls cap on sovereign debt exposure

Europe’s new banking supervisory chief, Daniele Nouy, has suggested banks should limit their exposure to sovereign debt which she said can no longer be regarded as risk-free.
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5. Uber files complaints with EU v. France, Germany, Spain

Uber has filed complaints with the EU against France, Germany and Spain as the popular taxi app hits back against efforts to ban it from Europe’s streets.
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6. Lisbon, Luxembourg ‘Europe’s worst’ for pollution fight

Lisbon and Luxembourg rank last in a test of how hard European cities are fighting air pollution, while Zurich and Copenhagen come top, says an environmental group.
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EUROPEAN LAW

Hamas: the EU has kept Hamas on its terrorism blacklist despite a controversial court decision ordering Brussels to remove the Palestinian Islamist group from the register.
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Bulgaria assails Greek law fighting tax avoidance
Latest news from the European Court of Justice
EU law firms
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Inside the EU Institutions

Council Watch

Greece: finger-pointing between Germany and Greece will only play into the hands of Europe’s enemies, Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said on Monday, pleading for the two countries to bury the hatchet.
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EU-Ukraine summit to take place on April 27
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Commission Watch

Montenegro: the Commission has announced a broadening of negotiations with Montenegro on future EU membership even though it has frozen expansion over the next five years.
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Portugal economy sees progress but must continue reforms
Syria aid pledges top $2 billion as donors meet
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Parliament Watch

Draghi: XXXXXXX.
This week, MEPs and the Council agreed a deal ahead of the April plenary on restricting the use of plastic bags; and economic affairs MEPs backed a draft law to make benchmarks used to price EU citizens’ mortgages, loans and bonds more trustworthy.
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EU diary

Easter
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary