EUbusiness Week 690 top stories: EU to expand Russia blacklist over Ukraine; EU, Germany warn Greece over debt reduction ambitions; EU investment plan could create 2.1 million jobs; Eurozone economy picks up in January; Gazprom says Turkey pipeline to be operational by 2016; EU tourism hits record in 2014
Publisher’s Note
The re-launch of the EU Transparency Register, which monitors the activities of the many lobbying firms that proliferate around Brussels, is a welcome step forward.
The rules attack so-called ‘astro-turfing’ where companies hide behind front organisations or innocuous-sounding NGOs, and make whistleblowing on misleading information easier.
However, major lobby organisations are still not on the register, says the Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation, and until the register is legally biding, the transparency rules will fail to live up to their name.
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Regards,
Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness
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1. EU to expand Russia blacklist over Ukraine
The EU agreed Thursday to add new names to a sanctions blacklist over Russia’s involvement in Ukraine and will start work on possible further measures, foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said.
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US warns Russia, welcomes new EU sanctions
2. EU, Germany warn Greece over debt reduction ambitions
The European Union and Germany have warned Greece’s radical new left-wing government that there is little support for a reduction in its massive debts, before it holds the first talks with its eurozone partners.
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Crux of the matter for Greece: EUR 315 bn of debt
3. EU investment plan could create 2.1 million jobs
Europe’s ambitious new investment plan could create 2.1 million jobs by 2018 if properly implemented, the International Labour Organization said on Wednesday.
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4. Eurozone economy picks up in January
Eurozone business activity picked up to a five-month high in January, a key survey showed a day after the European Central Bank announced its EUR 1.0 trillion economic stimulus package.
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5. Gazprom says Turkey pipeline to be operational by 2016
Russian gas giant Gazprom says a planned pipeline to Turkey will be in service by end 2016, piling pressure on the EU to build a link to it or risk losing gas supplies from Moscow.
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6. EU tourism hits record in 2014
Europe attracted a record number of tourists in 2014, with visits to France leading the bloc, official data showed on Thursday.
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EUROPEAN LAW
Luxleaks: a second French suspect has been charged with theft and money-laundering in ongoing investigations into the leaking of secret tax avoidance deals between Luxembourg and multinational companies.
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Latest news from the European Court of Justice
EU law firms
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Inside the EU Institutions
Council Watch
UK: Britain on Tuesday marked 100 days until one of the most unpredictable elections in memory, as Prime Minister David Cameron fights to retain power and call a referendum on EU membership.
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New Greek finance minister to visit UK, France, Italy
EU plots counter-terrorism strategy
Germany’s anti-euro party split over PEGIDA ties
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Commission Watch
Farm aid: France must repay EUR 1.07 bn to the EU in agricultural aid that was claimed through fraud or error over a four-year period, the Commission said on Tuesday.
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Greece, EU must act to ‘increase stability’: Commissioner
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Parliament Watch
Greece: Greece will seek “common ground” with its European partners on solving its bailout and debt woes, Parliament president Martin Schulz said on Thursday after meeting new Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.
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This week, MEPs debated a roadmap to the 21st UN climate conference; held a public hearing on EU-US talks on the TTIP free trade agreement; and delayed enforcement of sanctions on fishermen who fail to comply with a discard ban.
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EU diary
2 Feb: European Parliament Committee Meetings
4 Feb: Commission proposal to increase pre-financing to promote youth employment
5 Feb: Commission publishes Winter European Economic Forecast
6 Feb: Energy Union Conference of the EU Energy Ministers
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
Scrapping US visa waivers would be ‘a mistake’ 29-Jan
ECB QE could cause “competitive depreciation”: China 29-Jan
EU puts conditions on deals involving Novartis, GSK 28-Jan
Bookmakers slash odds on Greece leaving the euro 26-Jan
Rise in euro forgeries in second half of 2014: ECB 23-Jan
ECB stimulus will boost China’s exports 23-Jan
EUbusiness Community
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Press
UK supermarket price war hits smaller companies
The key personal tax dates you need to know in 2015
Proposed EU data protection rules could increase cost of insurance
UEAPME Board asks Juncker Commission to work on Small Business Act review
EU puts food information on the menu from this Saturday
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Jobs
Project Officer, North-West Europe Programme
Policy Officer (Research and Innovation), European University Association
Legal Officer, The European Consumer Organisation
Project Officer, European Cyclists’ Federation
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Guides
Proposals to improve transparency in Investor-to-State Dispute Settlement
EU Transparency Register – new version
More guides …
Events
3 Feb, Hamburg: How to produce a winning proposal in Horizon 2020
12 Mar, Munich: EU R&I Master of Finance and Administation course
24 Mar, Manchester: Enterprising Scientists: Generating Value and Opportunities
More events …
Publications
Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership: An Accident Report – ECIPE Policy Brief
An employment-oriented investment strategy for Europe – ILO
More publications …
Links
Joint bank sector letter against plans for FTT
