Reform for GSP customs rules - EUbusiness Week 510 - EUbusiness.com

EUbusiness Week 510 top stories: Irish Central Bank sees EU offering ‘substantial loan’; Green Europe eyes farming revolution; Europe to knock down barriers for disabled; Anti-counterfeiting international trade deal set: EC; Macedonians oppose name change for EU entry; Frantic call for European missing children hotline

This Week’s Top Stories

1. Irish Central Bank sees EU offering ‘substantial loan’
2. Green Europe eyes farming revolution
3. Europe to knock down barriers for disabled
4. Anti-counterfeiting international trade deal set: EC
5. Macedonians oppose name change for EU entry
6. Frantic call for European missing children hotline

Publisher’s Note

The rules of origin for the EU’s ‘generalised system of preferences’ (GSP), dating back to the 1970s, have been seen as too complex and too stringent. The revisions to the rules adopted this week by the Commission are to be welcomed.

The GSP is a trade arrangement allowing reduced or zero import duties on imports from developing countries. Rules of origin determine whether imported goods really do originate in the countries covered by the GSP.

The new Regulation greatly simplifies the rules of origin and makes them easier for developing countries to understand and comply with. The aim is that these countries should really benefit from the trade preferences on offer to them, and, says Taxations Commissioner Semeta, that the world’s poorest “don’t lose out due to unnecessary complexities in our systems”.
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Regards,
Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Irish Central Bank sees EU offering ‘substantial loan’

Ireland could receive “tens of billions” of euros in an international bailout, says the head of Ireland’s Central Bank as EU and IMF experts arrive to assess the situation.
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2. Green Europe eyes farming revolution

In a radical overhaul of Europe’s Common Agricultural Policy, the Commission on Thursday suggested a greener, fairer farming policy for the future, including a rethink of subsidies.
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3. Europe to knock down barriers for disabled

The one in six Europeans with a disability should be able to cross EU borders carrying a single card offering bloc-wide entitlements from next year, says the Commission.
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4. Anti-counterfeiting international trade deal set: EC

International trade negotiators working on an anti-counterfeiting deal have struck agreement following the latest talks in Tokyo, the Commission said on Monday.
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5. Macedonians oppose name change for EU entry

Over 60 per cent of Macedonians oppose any name change to solve the country’s long-running row with Greece and facilitate the Balkan country’s membership of the EU and NATO.
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6. Frantic call for European missing children hotline

Europe issued a frantic “final call” for a single continent-wide 116 000 hotline for missing children, yet to be activated by all Member States.
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EUROPEAN CASE LAW

Organ ‘harvesting’: European judges have indicted two more people and filed international arrest warrants for another two suspects over alleged illegal organ transplants at a private clinic in Kosovo.
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Inside the EU Institutions

Council Watch

EU-US Summit: after a stinging last-minute cancellation of an EU-US summit six months ago, President Barack Obama meets the bloc’s new leadership Saturday in Lisbon to patch up ties strained by the economic crisis.
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Britain under attack for EU budget breakdown
EU calls for ‘unrestricted freedom’ for Aung San Suu Kyi
Council …

Commission Watch

Schengen: EU experts inspected two Romanian airports this week as part of an assessment of Bucharest’s bid to join the Schengen visa-free zone next March.
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Commission in talks with IMF to help Irish banks
Commissioner wants revamped relations with Switzerland
Commission …

Euro-Parliament Watch

This week, EP budget negotiators appealed to the heads of government to break the current deadlock; while the Agriculture Committee welcomed Commission plans to make EU farm policy fairer to farmers but more responsive to public concerns; and Culture and Education MEPs said the EU should make more active use of its Lisbon Treaty powers to promote the social and educational benefits of mass sports.
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EU diary

18-19 Nov, Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council
20 Nov, EU – US Summit
20-21 Nov, Union for the Mediterranean Summit
22 Nov, General Affairs Council
22-25 Nov, European Parliament Plenary Session
22 Nov, Foreign Affairs Council
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary