EUbusiness Week - Issue 30 - Euro consciousness
EUbusiness
EUbusiness Week - Issue 30
13 April 2000
http://www.eubusiness.com
Your way through the EU information maze
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Top stories on EUbusiness
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1. Survey forecasts 'strong pick-up' in EU growth
2. EU aims for better Internet management
3. Smart cards for secure electronic access
4. Pilot project heralds EU-US joint pesticide tests
5. EU clears merger deals
6. EU & S. Korea reach shipbuilding agreement
Publisher's Note
================
1 January 2002 is a date which should be implanted into the
consciousness of all businesses in Europe. For that is when the
national currencies of EMU member countries will cease to exist, and
any business which is not ready by this date is likely to face
serious problems. Yet, according to information technology, EU and
euro experts, there is an "alarming level" of complacency among UK
and other European companies about the euro changeover. Companies
who have to make major systems changes, and have not already ordered
new software, may already find it's "too late".
The warnings came during the high-level online debate on the issue at
the EUbusiness workshop on 12 April. Many thanks to IT consultant
and euro expert Patrick O'Beirne, who hosted the hour-long debate
entitled "Practical preparations: If the euro changeover was
tomorrow, would you be ready?", to our panel of eminent experts, and
to all those who attended. The transcript is available at:
http://www.eubusiness.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=15399
If you are interested in hosting/taking part in our next workshop, or
would like to suggest a topic, please get in touch.
http://www.eubusiness.com/workshop/
Regards,
Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness
mailto:ni...@eubusiness.com
1. Survey forecasts 'strong pick-up' in EU growth
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A strong pick-up in economic growth in the European Union, driven by
exports, has caused the Commission to revise upwardly its economic
forecasts for the next two years. According to the latest Spring
2000 forecasts, gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the EU is
expected to increase strongly in 2000 to 3.4%. This growth is
expected to be sustained at 3.1% in 2001.
http://www.eubusiness.com/emu/
2. EU aims for better Internet management
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Better co-ordination of the Internet domain name system and proposals
to combat cyber-squatting of Internet addresses are the focus of a
number of Commission recommendations for improved Internet
management. Internet infrastructure measures contained in a
communication of 11 April include setting up a '.eu' top-level domain
for addresses.
http://www.eubusiness.com/mediacom/
3. Smart cards for secure electronic access
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The use of smart cards for secure electronic access was planted
firmly on the political agenda as EU leaders this week vowed to
ensure the adoption of harmonised smart-card based security and
authentication systems for all electronic transactions in Europe.
http://www.eubusiness.com/trade/
4. Pilot project heralds EU-US joint pesticide tests
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A pilot project for the joint evaluation by European and US
authorities of a new herbicide was launched this week. The project's
aim is to identify similarities and differences between US and EU
data requirements, data evaluation and regulatory processes. If the
experience proves a success, it could clear the way for "improved co-
operation in sharing the heavy burden of pesticides evaluation".
http://www.eubusiness.com/agri/
5. EU clears merger deals
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Vodafone Airtouch's take-over of Germany's Mannesmann, the banking
merger between MeritaNordbanken of Sweden and Finland and UniDanmark,
and Lafarge's acquisition of Blue Circle have all been cleared by the
EU.
http://www.eubusiness.com/competit/
6. EU & S. Korea reach shipbuilding agreement
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After several rounds of talks, the EU and South Korea reached
agreement on measures to help resolve the crisis facing the global
shipbuilding market hit by significant over-capacity. The world's
shipbuilding industries are suffering from downwards spiralling
prices, mainly due to excess capacity in Korea.
http://www.eubusiness.com/transpor/
Other stories on EUbusiness this week
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Prodi vows to push through 'dot.com summit' promises 13-Apr
Volume of retail trade up by 2.3% in euro-zone 13-Apr
Tenders sought for EU food safety campaign 12-Apr
Trade: EU & Russia agree to 'work more closely' 12-Apr
R&D push needed in 'e-Europe' plan, says Lisbon minister 11-Apr
Euro-zone economy grew 0.9% in Q4 11-Apr
15 million euro extra EU grant for Turkey 10-Apr
Internet Monitor
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General Affairs Council, 10 April
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At the General Affairs' Council meeting in Luxembourg, the EU urged
China to show "flexibility" in its talks over membership of the World
Trade Organisation. Other trade issues under the spotlight this week
included customs union with Turkey - to establish closer links to aid
the country's EU membership hopes, anti-dumping measures for iron and
steel tubes and pipe fittings with regard to China and Taiwan, and an
extension of the double-checking system, introduced in 1998, for
certain steel products from Bulgaria.
http://ue.eu.int/newsroom/LoadDoc.cfm?MAX=1&DOC=!!!&BID=71&DID=61136&GRP=242
1&LANG=1
European Parliament Watch
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Much budget and accounting business at the Parliament this week. At
their plenary session in Strasbourg, MEPs voted to postpone clearance
of the EU's 1998 general accounts, as well as discharge of the
European Development Fund 1998 accounts, until there were
satisfactory replies from the Commission, by 15 May, on several
outstanding issues. They also set out their own proposals for the
forthcoming IGC, and voted to approve, subject to amendments, a new
Commission proposal to strengthen controls against agricultural fraud.
http://www.europarl.eu.int/dg3/sdp/journ/en/index.htm
The Euro Made Easy : The Role of the NGOs - conference report
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A report on the conference organised by the Commission's Health and
nsumer Protection DG, which took place on February, 26th in Brussels,
is now available for download. The main objective of the conference
was to highlight to NGOs the importance of their role in providing
information on the euro to consumers.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg24/events/event27_en.html
Intergovernmental Conference: new site in 11 languages
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As the IGC talks on EU reform - to prepare the EU institutions for
the accession of new Member States - get up to full speed, a new
Commission web site lets you keep on top of the issues, and includes
factsheets, glossary and key documents.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/igc2000/index_en.htm
EU diary
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European Parliament session, 10-14 April, Strasbourg
Consumer Council, 13 April, Luxembourg
Informal Environment Council, 15-16 April, Porto
Agriculture Council, 17-18 April, Luxembourg
Telecommunications Council, 2 May, Brussels
European Parliament session, 3-4 May, Brussels
Community
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Any Answers?
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* Julian Hancock asks : "Under the terms of Directives 89/48/EEC and
92/51/EEC, where can I find a list of the "regulated professions" for
each Member State?"
* Kim Greenwood asks: "Which of the Central and Eastern European
Countries should join the EU and why? Which shouldn't and why?"
Please post your comment if you can help, or ask a question of your
own, in Any Answers.
http://www.eubusiness.com/anyanswers/
Business Forum
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"My company is trying to locate a custom manufacturer of foodservice
merchandisers for a project that will involve the rollout of some 4-
600 units throughout Europe commencing in the Fall of 2000."
If you can help Robert J. DiPietro, from The Moseley Corporation,
visit our business-to-business forum.
http://www.eubusiness.com/discussion/
User poll
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If you haven't yet taken part in our latest poll, please help us to
find out a bit more about who uses EUbusiness. A minute of your
valuable time is all we ask for!
http://www.eubusiness.com/poll/
Suggest a Link
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You can now add a web link to EUbusiness. If you know of a web site
which you think would be helpful to EUbusiness users, send us your
suggestion, either from the relevant section page, or at:
http://www.eubusiness.com/suggest_link.html
Workshop
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If you have ideas on a theme for one of our online workshops, or
would like to host one yourself, email Wendy Jones at
mailto:we...@eubusiness.com
http://www.eubusiness.com/workshop/
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