EU Legislation, Initiatives, etc.

EU News: The Single Market is a key driving force behind economic growth.  But to deliver growth & jobs, better implementation of existing rules is essential. This is why the European Commission has recently adopted a course of action to ensure that Single Market rules work better in practice.
Press release & links
 
EU News: In a consultation document adopted recently, the European Commission sets out its intentions for fixing fishing opportunities for 2013.  Through this annual document the Commission asks for the views of Member States & stakeholders on the setting of Total Allowable Catches (TACs), quotas and fishing effort (days-at-sea) for the following year.
 
The document shows that the Commission's efforts to phase out overfishing are starting to bear fruit.  There are now 20 fish stocks in European seas which are known not to be overfished, compared to only 5 stocks in 2009.  Reducing TACs in the past years even made it possible to increase some TACs for 2012.  This could result in at least €135m extra income for the fishing industry.
Press release & links
 
EU News: The Council has adopted a directive on waste electrical & electronic equipment (WEEE) (PE-CONS 2/12), which aims to improve collection, re-use & recycling of used electronic devices so as to contribute to the reduction of waste and to the efficient use of resources.  It also seeks to limit illegal exports of such waste from the EU and to improve the environmental performance of all operators involved in the life cycle of EEE (e.g. producers, distributors and consumers).
Press release & links
 
Defra:   The UK Government has ‘achieved a major step towards radical reform of the broken Common Fisheries Policy (CFP)’, as the EU Council has agreed a general approach which includes a commitment to ban the discarding of dead fish.
 
The EU council did agreed that there should be a ban on discards but the date in which this will be achieved will be subject to further detailed negotiations.  Provisional dates published by the Council would see a ban on discards in the ‘Pelagic’ fisheries (such as Mackerel & Herring) by 1 January 2014 and a ban on discards in ‘Whitefish’ fisheries (Cod, Haddock, Plaice, Sole) on a phased basis starting on 1 January 2015 and fully in place by 1 January 2018.
Press release & links ~ ScotGov comment
 
EU News: The European Commission has found a proposal by the UK to grant around €6m of public financing for the construction of an ultra-fast broadband network in the city of Birmingham to be in line with EU state aid rules, in particular because it will be genuinely open to all operators and will therefore promote competition.
Press release & links
 
EU NewsTo improve access of EU industry to raw materials at an affordable price, the European Commission wishes to intensify cooperation with Greenland benefiting both sides, such as joint infrastructures & investments or capacity building in exploration & exploitation of raw materials.
 
Currently 58% of exploration companies operating in Greenland are Canadian or Australian companies. The share of EU companies operating in Greenland is only 15% (Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic and UK).
Press release & links
 
EU News: The next round of economic governance legislation must be geared more towards growth & new European Commission powers to vet Eurozone countries' budgets should be better democratically controlled, MEPs said on Wednesday when adopting Parliament's position on the so-called "two pack".

The biggest changes to the Commission proposal are a new chapter on co-ordinating debt issuance, including the partial pooling of Eurozone debt, and legal protection for countries about to default.
Press release & links
 
EU News: Many disabled & reduced mobility air travellers still face problems of unjustified refusals, and other unfair demands when attempting to travel.  As thousands of disabled Paralympians & spectators prepare to travel to London for the 2012 Olympic Games, the Commission has published guidelines to clarify their rights when travelling by air.
Press release & links
Spotlight on women at Serco – Anita’s story