Code of conduct for Brussels lobbyists - EUbusiness Week no 394

EUbusiness Week - Issue 394

4 April 2008

http://www.eubusiness.com

Your way through the EU information maze

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This Week's Top Stories

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1. Passport-free travel arrives at newcomers' airports

2. WTO rejects EU beef hormone ban but raps US, Canada

3. Eurozone struggles to cope with 'inflation spiral'

4. EU launches in-depth probe of Northern Rock bailout

5. Same-sex couples entitled to partner's pension: EU court

6. Italian mozzarella producers welcome Brussels' reprieve

Publisher's Note

================

The European Parliament's Constitutional Affairs Committee

this week called for a toughening of rules for the

thousands of lobbyists that congregate around the

Brussels institutions.

Recommendations include a mandatory public register for

lobbyists, as well as a code of conduct and sanctions for

those who flaunt it. Lobbyists and law firms would have to

disclose costs associated with lobbying, while NGOs would be

required to state their budgets and main funding sources.

Lobbying forms an essential part of the business of the EU

institutions and makes an important contribution to policy-

making. MEPs believe their report can also ensure "a level

playing field to lobbies and increase transparency".

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207068804.17

Regards,

Nick Prag

Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Passport-free travel arrives at newcomers' airports

------------------------------------------------------

Border checks at airports in nine Schengen area newcomers

vanished at midnight on Sunday, allowing 400 million people

passport-free travel in the 24-country zone.

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206835323.02

2. WTO rejects EU beef hormone ban but raps US, Canada

------------------------------------------------------

The World Trade Organisation has ruled that the EU, United

States and Canada failed to respect global trade rules in a

long-running row over beef treated with growth hormones.

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206976621.9

3. Eurozone struggles to cope with 'inflation spiral'

-----------------------------------------------------

Consumer prices in the eurozone surged in March to the

highest level since the bloc was formed in 1999, official

data shows, fuelling concerns of an "inflation spiral".

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206976628.55

4. EU launches in-depth probe of Northern Rock bailout

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The Commission has launched an in-depth state-aid

investigation into British authorities' bailout of the

recently nationalised British bank Northern Rock.

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207126920.19

5. Same-sex couples entitled to partner's pension: EU court

------------------------------------------------------------

The EU's highest court has ruled that the surviving partner

in a registered same-sex couple may be entitled to a

deceased partner's pension.

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207068764.41

6. Italian mozzarella producers welcome Brussels' reprieve

----------------------------------------------------------

For Italian mozzarella producers, the Commission's decision

to back off from a threatened import ban on the cheese

prevented the crisis in the industry from becoming a real

disaster.

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206973021.56

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Inside the EU Institutions

==========================

Council Watch

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Financial crisis: finance chiefs faced pressure on Friday

and Saturday to come up with concrete actions for fighting

the financial crisis in the face of divisions on the best

strategy.

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207218721.03

Polish parliament ratifies EU treaty

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207135020.05

Philippe Starck artistic boss of France's presidency

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207078321.38

Belgium against Blair for EU presidency

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207072020.81

Tourism must not destroy Med environment: ministers

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207241221.96

http://www.eubusiness.com/European_Council

Commission Watch

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Australia: EC chief Jose Manuel Barroso and Australian Prime

Minister Kevin Rudd announced on Wednesday an agreement to

upgrade relations through a new partnership deal.

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207152120.96

Commission keeps the door ajar for Ukraine

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207228620.64

Commissioner sees light at end of Cyprus tunnel

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207155720.63

Eurozone record inflation a growing concern: Almunia

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207144920.19

Commissioner raises threat of Olympics boycott

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206784032.09

http://www.eubusiness.com/Commission

Euro-Parliament Watch

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Climate change: Parliament's Temporary Committee on Climate

Change has adopted its interim report examining the

scientific data on climate change.

http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/climate-change.51

Party closure case hits Turkey's image in Europe: MEP

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207068767.04

This week, a joint hearing of the Development Committee and

the Human Rights Subcommittee on Wednesday called for more

pressure to be put on the Burmese generals' regime through

better targeted sanctions. In other meetings, MEPs reviewed

progress on human rights in the world in 2007; the Foreign

Affairs Committee heard Enlargement Commissioner Rehn say

the EU wants the Western Balkans to become as "normal,

prosperous and boring" as Scandinavia, with the help of

Stabilisation and Association Agreements; and Androula

Vassiliou, the Cypriot Commissioner designate for Public

Health, Food Safety, Animal Health and Welfare appeared

before the Environment Committee for a three-hour grilling.

http://www.eubusiness.com/Europarl

EU diary

--------

11-13 Apr, Environment Ministers informal

14 Apr, Agriculture and Fisheries Council

14-16 Apr, Ministers for Competitiveness informal

17-18 Apr, Ministers for Health informal

17-18 Apr, Justice and Home Affairs Council

The Week Ahead: http://www.eubusiness.com/events/EUcalendar

Long-term diary: http://www.eubusiness.com/events/eu-diary

EUbusiness Community

====================

Comment

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Commenting on our piece "EU's biofuels target could be

amended amid concerns", Basil Miller writes:

"Running scared is not the answer. Setting sustainability

standards and second-generation cellulose-to-ethanol

technology are the ways forward, emphasised in the

REFUEL report and at other forums recently."

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1205453856.32

Discussion: http://www.eubusiness.com/discussion

EUevents

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23 Apr, San Sebastian: International Public e-Procurement

http://www.eubusiness.com/events/eipa.08

24 Apr, Brussels: EU in International Affairs 2008

http://www.eubusiness.com/events/eu-international-affairs.08

More events: http://www.eubusiness.com/events

EUpress

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EEB: MEPs miss chance to protect workers from chemicals

http://www.eubusiness.com/Environ/eeb.08-04-03

BEUC: White Paper on Private Enforcement

http://www.eubusiness.com/Competition/beuc.08-04-03

Alter-EU: EU lobbying transparency - some way to go

http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/alter-eu.08-04-02

Reach Europe's decision-makers! Publish your organisation's

policy papers and news directly onto EUbusiness.

Press: http://www.eubusiness.com/press

EUguides

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EU trade relations with Australia

http://www.eubusiness.com/Trade/eu-australia-trade

EU-US "Open Skies" Air Transport Agreement

http://www.eubusiness.com/Transport/open-skies-guide

EC probe into UK restructuring aid package for Northern Rock

http://www.eubusiness.com/Competition/northern-rock-eu.01

More guides: http://www.eubusiness.com/guides

EUjobs

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Communications Officer, Interreg North Sea Programme

http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/interreg-job.08-03-28

European Policy Adviser, HelpAge International

http://www.eubusiness.com/Jobs/helpage-job.08-03-25

More jobs: http://www.eubusiness.com/jobs

EUlinks

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Debate Europe - Democracy - Dialogue - Debate

http://www.eubusiness.com/Institutions/debate-europe

More links: http://www.eubusiness.com/links

EUbooks

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European Regulation of Consumer Product Safety

http://www.eubusiness.com/Books/consumer-safety

Unfair Commercial Practices Directive

http://www.eubusiness.com/Books/eu-fair-trading.bk

More books: http://www.eubusiness.com/EUbooks

Other news on EUbusiness this week

----------------------------------

EU, US, China plan high-level product safety meeting 3-Apr

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207241220.37

Eurozone business activity slows in March 3-Apr

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207215120.58

EU approves Heineken Scottish-Newcastle purchase 3-Apr

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207230420.46

EU court rules against PKK's inclusion on terror list 3-Apr

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207221420.93

EU approves Polish state aid for coal industry 2-Apr

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207134121.0

EU regulators probe state-aid for Britain's Channel 4 2-Apr

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207130520.67

EU regrets increase of Russian export duties for wood 1-Apr

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1207068785.42

France, Germany close to deal on auto emissions 31-Mar

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1206953226.92

Companies: http://www.eubusiness.com/europages

EUfunding: http://www.eubusiness.com/funding

http://www.eubusiness.com/Currency-converter

http://www.eubusiness.com/aboutus/eubusiness-rss

Newswire online: http://www.eubusiness.com/Newswire

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