Directly prior to the fourth round of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations (10-14 March) the European Commission (EC), contrary to previous assurances, addressed the issue of "concessions" as a matter for the TTIP.

Last week the European Parliament voted on the Package Travel and Assisted Travel Arrangements Directive. Due to the fact that the booking behaviour of consumers had significantly changed (keyword: online travel market) over the last years, it was high time to revise the 1990 EU law on package travel. The new law shall in particular take these changes into account. However, instead of using the opportunity to undertake some long overdue corrections, the proposal by the European Commission contained a fair amount of causes for conflict.

In doing so, the Commission called a halt to the plan by EU Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas, to follow the call of the haulier lobby to allow the cross-border transport of particularly large and heavy HGVs (so-called Megatrucks or Gigaliners). Hence, the European Parliament affirms its commitment to shift transport from road to rail and clearly demonstrates that the approach adopted by the EU Transport Commissioner is simply unacceptable.

The far-reaching plans of the responsible EU Tax Commissioner Algirdas Šemeta to tackle tax evasion and avoidance are running the risk of being watered down. The Expert Group of the Commission’s DG TAXUD, which is in charge, largely consists of corporate representatives and their advisors, who are well known for tax avoidance. An evaluation of the Expert Group does not seem to change anything, but there is still hope.

The proposal is for a Regulation that regulates emission values, the type approval and the market surveillance of internal combustion engines in non-road machinery and equipment. The key point of the proposal is the specification of a new emission level (“Stage V”), which, depending on the engine category, will come into force between 2018 and 2021 for type approval and placing on the internal market. n general, the Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour (BAK) welcomes the Commission’s long overdue proposal for a Regulation.

A critical orientation guide for the better understanding of the economic impact assessments of the Trade and Investment Agreement between the USA and the EU.

On 21st January 2014, the Report on Employment and Social Developments was presented in Brussels by László Andor, the Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion. The report documents the dramatic impact of the austerity policy on the social situation of employees in Europe. However, the Commissioner himself did not hold back with a certain amount of criticism for this policy and demonstrated that even within the European Commission not everybody sings from the same hymn sheet.