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It's You Only Live Twice for Polish Shipyards
José Manuel Barroso is thinking about re-election, and the Commission chief is elected by member state governments. So if this Commission has no mercy for Polish shipyards, Mr Tusk's cabinet doesn't have to have understanding for its president's personal ambitions.
One can hardly resist a bitter feeling. One day the European Commission is willing to bend the rules to authorise tens of billions of euros for intervention in the banking sector, claiming this is not 'unlawful public aid', but a 'market operation'. On the next day the same competition commissioner, Neelie Kroes of the Netherlands, announces that there will be no leniency towards Polish shipyards. They have to give back the public aid they've received, even though in their case it was a much smaller figure and distributed over a number of years.
Unfortunately, the Commission is acting legitimately. The brutal truth is that when a powerful bank connected with half the European economy is shaken to the foundations, one Sunday afternoon is enough to give green light for a help package. When at issue are shipyards somewhere in Europe's peripheries, the EU laws can be applied to the letter. The decision when the rules should be bent and when not is utterly discretional.
(continues) José Manuel Barroso is thinking about re-election, and the Commission chief is elected by member state governments. So if this Commiss... more -
EU suspends funding for Bulgaria
The European Commission has suspended EU aid to Bulgaria worth hundreds of millions of euros because of concerns about corruption and organised crime. Commission spokesman Johannes Laitenberger said the EU was also withdrawing the right of two Bulgarian agencies to manage EU funds. Bulgaria's PM admitted his country had not done enough to meet EU standards.
Romania was also criticised for shortcomings in its judiciary, including politicisation of cases. Romania will escape penalties for now, but its report says the reforms remain "fragile".
About 500m euros (£400m; $800m) of aid to Bulgaria is being frozen by the commission. "The truth is Bulgaria is learning how to manage EU funds," Bulgaria's Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev said in reaction to the reports. He acknowledged that "there is a discrepancy between the political will, which is a fact, and the achievement of concrete results".
Both countries have been under close supervision since they joined the European Union in January 2007.
In Bulgaria, "the fight against high-level corruption and organised crime is not producing enough results," Mr Laitenberger said, presenting the reports on Wednesday.
Read more... The European Commission has suspended EU aid to Bulgaria worth hundreds of millions of euros because of concerns about corruption and ... more -
Mandelson and Sarkozy in EU trade fight
Europe's trade chief Peter Mandelson won the backing of his boss on Wednesday in a mounting war of words with French President Nicolas Sarkozy ahead of talks to try to salvage a world trade deal.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso continues to trust Mandelson, a Commission spokeswoman said, after Sarkozy's latest criticism of the British commissioner for offering too many concessions on agriculture in the WTO talks.
On Wednesday, Mandelson's spokesman said Sarkozy used "false assumptions" for claiming that a WTO deal would lead to a 20 percent cut in EU farming output and 100,000 job losses. Europe's trade chief Peter Mandelson won the backing of his boss on Wednesday in a mounting war of words with French President Ni... more -
EU plans cross-border healthcare
The European Commission has unveiled a healthcare package designed to make it easier for patients to get medical treatment elsewhere in the EU.
Under the proposals, patients would not have to get their doctor's approval for non-hospital care abroad. The European Parliament and EU governments must approve the rules for them to take effect. The European Commission has unveiled a healthcare package designed to make it easier for patients to get medical treatment elsewhere i... more -
Russian, EU Leaders Discuss Energy and Security
Energy and security dominated the Russia-EU Summit in Western Siberia, where Kremlin leader Dmitri Medvedev called for creation of all-European institutions to replace long-standing structures, including NATO.
European Union leaders held their first meeting with Dmitri Medvedev in his capacity as Kremlin leader in the western Siberian town of Khanti Mansiysk, which pumps oil and gas for Europe and supplies Russia with much of its newfound energy wealth.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso acknowledged EU dependence on Russian energy during a joint news conference at the end of the two-day summit. Energy and security dominated the Russia-EU Summit in Western Siberia, where Kremlin leader Dmitri Medvedev called for creation of all... more -
EU to open anti-dumping probe into US biodiesel imports
BRUSSELS (AFP) — The European Union will on Friday open anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations into imports of biofuel from the United States, European sources said.
The move came after the European Commission investigated industry complaints that the US action was hitting Europe's biodiesel industry.
The European Biodiesel Board called for the investigation in April, complaining that the European market was being flooded with US exports of a 99-percent biodiesel blend, which can receive a subsidy of 300 dollars (192 euros) per tonne.
On top of the US aid, exports of the so-called B99 blend are also eligible for a subsidy in Europe as well.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,So US bio fuel producers potentially getting paid double whammy for off loading surpluss stock in Europe. If I was a bio fuel producer I would do that deal all day long. BRUSSELS (AFP) — The European Union will on Friday open anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations into imports of biofuel from the ... more
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