With glacial speed action will surely follow. EU leaders have met with trade unions and employers’ organisations (social partners) for talks on how to strengthen the social dimension of the EU and the euro area, including by better monitoring employment and social trends in future. The social partners joined European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, […]
Standard European VAT Return Proposed
A new standard VAT return, which can cut costs for EU businesses by up to €15 billion a year, has been proposed by the Commission today. The aim of this initiative is to slash red-tape for businesses, ease tax compliance and make tax administrations across the Union more efficient. Algirdas Šemeta, Commissioner for Taxation, said: “The […]
U.S.-Ukraine Rule of Law Working Group Meets in Kyiv
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Thomas O. Melia, will lead an interagency delegation to Kyiv, Ukraine for the sixth meeting of the U.S.-Ukraine Political Dialogue/Rule of Law Working Group, October 21-25. The delegation will include Paige Alexander, Assistant Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development and Catherine Newcombe, Regional Director […]
Council Approves China Investment Negotiation Mandate
Europe’s ministers, meeting at the European Foreign Affairs Council, have approved a mandate for the European Commission to start negotiating an investment agreement with China on behalf of the EU. An EU-China investment agreement will, among other things, improve the protection of EU investments in China and reduce barriers to investment in China. This will help increase […]
Malmström Urges Stronger Action Against Gun Violence
“Every week, we hear of new acts of violence being committed with firearms. Yet the debate about the illegal use and trafficking of guns in Europe is worryingly quiet,”said Cecilia Malmström, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs. She commented: “The American debate on gun prevalence is often more visible, when we should be focussing on the home front. […]
Eurozone Credit Crunch: a disease still waiting for stronger remedies
The debate on how to tackle the SME credit crunch should not deflect EU focus from resolving structural imbalances and weaknesses within the Eurozone banking system. The calm EU debate over how to improve the economies in the Eurozone does not reflect a sense of urgency, an urgency which dire economic conditions throughout Europe would […]