EUbusiness Week 515 top stories: Europe to bump up rescue fund, fresh tests for banks; Hackers stole two million tonnes of EU carbon credits; Germany stands by Schengen veto for Romania, Bulgaria; EU conflict of interest rewrite fails to impress NGOs; Price tag of Europe’s Galileo satellite rises again; EU takes action against Sweden over wolf hunt
This Week’s Top Stories
1. Europe to bump up rescue fund, fresh tests for banks
2. Hackers stole two million tonnes of EU carbon credits
3. Germany stands by Schengen veto for Romania, Bulgaria
4. EU conflict of interest rewrite fails to impress NGOs
5. Price tag of Europe’s Galileo satellite rises again
6. EU takes action against Sweden over wolf hunt
Publisher’s Note
At a time of great shortage of government investment money, the EU has substantial funding available for energy efficiency, says Stephen Tindale, Associate Fellow at the Centre for European Reform and former Director Greenpeace UK.
The EU’s Cohesion Fund could provide eight billion euros for energy efficiency work in residential buildings, he says. To date, however, only EUR 200m of this has been claimed.
It is indeed surprising that this amount of funding has not as yet been taken up. Energy efficiency is the quickest and most cost-effective way to create jobs in green industries, improve energy security and reduce emissions.
More …
Regards,
Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness
.EU AND EUROPEAN DOMAIN NAMES Lowest prices and free DNS Services! Fast, Easy & Centralised Registration! |
1. Europe to bump up rescue fund, fresh tests for banks
European leaders on Tuesday signalled their readiness to bump up emergency funding for distressed states and vowed fresh and more stringent test of banks’ exposure to sovereign debt.
More …
Soros tells Europe to bolster banks
2. Hackers stole two million tonnes of EU carbon credits
Hackers stole two million tonnes of polluting rights in a five-day raid this week on the European Union’s carbon emissions trading system, an EU source said on Thursday.
More …
EU disarray makes it easy for carbon credits hackers
3. Germany stands by Schengen veto for Romania, Bulgaria
Germany says it will continue to oppose Romania and Bulgaria joining Europe’s visa-free Schengen zone until the two countries have eliminated concerns about endemic corruption.
More …
4. EU conflict of interest rewrite fails to impress NGOs
The Commission plans to revamp its conflict of interest rules for former top officials who take up plum private sector jobs have failed to impress anti-corruption watchdogs.
More …
5. Price tag of Europe’s Galileo satellite rises again
The price tag of Europe’s much-delayed and over-budget Galileo satellite navigation system has risen by another EUR 1.9bn, amid reports a contractor derided the project as ‘stupid’.
More …
6. EU takes action against Sweden over wolf hunt
The Commission on Monday announced it is taking formal action against Sweden for culling wolves in breach of EU legislation.
More …
EUROPEAN CASE LAW
Alsace hamster: France is failing in its duty to protect the Great Hamster of Alsace, a cute fur-ball facing extinction with fewer than 200 remaining, says the advocate-general of Europe’s top court.
More …
Danish court allows lawsuit against PM over Lisbon Treaty
New divorce rules for Europe’s cross-border couples
EU Law Firms
EU Law …
Caselex offers Supreme Court cases linked to Community law from national and European Courts. Free 30 day license for EUbusiness readers – thereafter at a special introductory discount of 20 per cent |
Inside the EU Institutions
Council Watch
Hungary: German Chancellor Merkel has ruled out a return to the deutschmark amid a debt crisis that has led to calls in some quarters for Europe’s top economy to ditch the euro.
More …
Hungarian president defends controversial media law
Lukashenko vows retaliation if sanctions imposed
Council …
Commission Watch
Poland: the Commission has asked Poland, one of the EU’s star economic performers, to inform it of additional steps it plans to contain its public deficit, an official said on Thursday.
More …
Europe airports must ensure minimum flights despite snow: EC
Azerbaijan signs deal for long-term gas supplies to EU
Commission …
Euro-Parliament Watch
Trade: favourable trading terms will be extended by the EU to Pacific nations Papua New Guinea and Fiji, following a vote in the European Parliament on Wednesday.
More …
Serbia hopes to push open EU door in spring 2012
MEPs urge Lithuania to back down on anti-gay law
Parliament calls on Brazil to extradite Italy’s Battisti
In their first plenary session of the year, MEPs also called for Member States’ cooperation and support with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias; and in a debate on the Arctic, pushed for greater EU involvement in the Arctic Council.
Parliament …
EU diary
24 Jan, Agriculture and Fisheries Council
4 Feb, European Council
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary
RESOURCES
EU Law Firms
Summaries of EU Legislation
EU Decision-Making
Treaties of the European Union
Key EU Legal Terms
Other news on EUbusiness this week
EU risk board starts work in tough environment 20-Jan
Croatia rejects only bid for ailing shipyard 20-Jan
EU probes Scania, Volvo and MAN for cartel suspicions 18-Jan
Renewables could supply 99.5 pct of power by 2050 18-Jan
Number of seized fake euro bills falls 17-Jan
Romania tracks down 192 people tagged by Schengen 16-Jan
