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BackThe Special committee of the European Parliament on the Finance, Economic and Social Crisis met on 25th February. On the agenda this time was the public hearing of experts on the subject “Financial Market Regulation and Supervision”. The main speaker – Christian Noyer, Governor of the Banque de France – caused listeners to sit up and take notice by coming out in favour of imposing a levy on banks that were rescued by the state.
Compensation for taxpayers
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BackWhat are the ingredients? Where does the product come from? Does it contain lots of salt sugar or fat? These and similar questions are asked by consumers day in day out when they do their food shopping at the supermarket. A new ordinance shall now introduce new EU-wide food labelling regulations. A vote on an opinion on this draft proposal in the European Parliament, however, revealed a shocking result: two amendments of Othmar Karas of the European People’s Party prevailed; they intend to delete the option of providing for national provisions on food without replacement.
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BackThe Brussels Tax Forum took place under the motto “Tax Policies for a Post-Crisis World”. The participants agreed that taxes were not part of the problem, but had to be part of the solution. As in previous years, academics, policy-makers, experts and stakeholders from a wide range of organisations across Europe met in Brussels to talk formally and informally about tax issues.
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BackThis week, the first debate on the EU 2020 Strategy with Employment Commissioner Andor took place in the European Parliament. In the introduction to the new Strategy, Commission President Barroso speaks of ambitious but achievable goals. Andor was harshly criticized for it. MEP Richard Falbr even referred to the EU 2020 Strategy as a “catalogue filled with hot air”.
This week, László Andor, the new Employment Commissioner, was the first to have the opportunity to defend the new EU 2020 Strategy in the Employment Committee of the European Parliament.
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BackOn 23rd February, the Transport Committee of the European Parliament voted again on the Road Transport (Working Time) Directive. Surprisingly, the Transport Committee decided by 20 to 20 votes, not to forward a statement to the employment committee in charge of this dossier.
The Commission had already proposed as far back as 2008 to exempt self-employed persons from the Road Transport (Working Time) Directive. AK EUROPA and the trade unions, however, anticipate dangers to road safety.
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BackThis week, the Women’s Rights Committee of the European Parliament (EP) adopted the report on the Directive on Maternity Leave. However, Edite Estrela, the rapporteur, was not able to gain approval for all her requests.
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BackIf the Commission had its way, a uniform set of consumer rights across Europe would be introduced in future, which would replace the national consumer rights. This, however, would be associated with a deterioration of the rights of consumers in many Member States. However, a full harmonisation of consumer rights, as it is proposed by the Commission, will not take place, said MEP Andreas Schwab of the European People’s Party (EPP), who is in charge of this dossier, during a debate with national MEPs last Tuesday.
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BackThe European Parliament discusses the enforcement of human rights, social and environmental standards in international trade agreements. In this context, the Social Democrat Richard Howitt has presented the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs with a draft statement, which requests a number of measures to enforce in particular workers’ rights in the course of concluding trade agreements.
Allowing developing countries to have competitive advantages
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BackThe news over the past few weeks, that the Greek national debt was far greater than expected has put a lot of pressure on the Euro. The EU Commission reacted by imposing a rigid savings programme on Greece that the Greek Prime Minister intends to implement immediately. Particularly hit by the austerity course are the workers, who immediately took to the street to protest against pay cuts. The example of Greece now also raises the question as to the lack of economic policy coordination within the Eurozone.
Get out of debt, but how?
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BackThis week, the Ministers of Finance and Economic Affairs of the EU27 met in Brussels. On the agenda were the budgetary situation in Greece, which is a welcome opportunity for speculators to attack Greek state securities and the Euro, as well as an initial debate with the new Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier and the introduction of a paper on the future of the internal market by former Commissioner Mario Monti.