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EU budget 2012 - EP budget proposals a mixed bag but ITER remains elephant in the room

The European Parliament today adopted its position on the EU's 2012 budget, under which an increase of 5.3% is foreseen (1). Given the increased competences of the EU, the Greens are not opposed to an overall budget increase per se, but the group has problems with a number of the budget lines and hence abstained in the final vote. After the vote, Green budgetary affairs spokesperson Helga Trüpel said:

Tax agreements - Commission underlines illegal nature of German and UK tax agreements with Switzerland

EU tax commissioner Semeta highlighted major flaws with the bilateral tax agreements concluded by the UK and Germany with Switzerland at a debate in the European Parliament last night (1). The Greens welcomed his response to an oral question - which underlined problems with the applicable rates of withholding taxes, the nature of their application and the overlap with the EU-Swiss tax agreement (2) - and called on the Commission to take swift action to redress this. Commenting on the statement, Green economic and monetary affairs spokesperson Sven Giegold said:

Left rejects budget held hostage to big business

"The first problem with the 2012 budget is essentially that it was decided on in 2006, before the 2008 and 2009 crises and before the sovereign debt crisis we are experiencing today," said Miguel Portas (GUE/NGL Portugal) during the debate on the 2012 budget in the European Parliament this morning.

Eurofound publishes the autumn edition of the European Restructuring Monitor (ERM) quarterly, which provides an overview of restructuring activities in Europe: Restructuring activities slow down in 3rd quarter

(DUBLIN, IRELAND) Announced job losses due to company restructuring activity declined in the third quarter, according to the latest edition of the European Restructuring Monitor (ERM) quarterly. Job losses did, however, continue to outnumber job gains as they have done in every quarter since the onset of the 2008-9 recession. During the previous quarter, companies undergoing large-scale restructuring in the European Union announced nearly 60.000 job losses. 

PES Leaders discuss new economic formula for eurozone

(25 October 2011, Brussels) - The Party of European Socialists (PES) Leaders from the Eurozone have, this morning,  discussed and agreed a ‘new economic formula’ for recovery. Meeting by telephone, they outlined a four point plan to guarantee investment, increase regulation of the financial markets, promote real taxation on the sector and curb the influence of the credit rating agencies.

EU accounting and transparency rules - Commission proposals undermined by selective approach to transparency for big corporations

The European Commission today adopted proposals to revise EU rules on accounting and transparency (1). The Greens welcomed the proposals as a first step to improving transparency on the payments and accountability of large corporations but regretted that the Commission did not go further both in terms of scope and the extent of transparency. Commenting on the proposals, Green finance spokesperson Sven Giegold said:

Smart borders - Big brother border proposals with high costs are anything but smart

The European Commission today adopted 'smart borders' proposals, which aim to promote new electronic technologies for external border control, along the lines of the US system, including a biometric registration programme. The Greens criticised the proposals as excessive both in terms of oversight and cost. Commenting on the proposals, Green migration and borders spokesperson Ska Keller said:

Aid Effectiveness: 4th High Level Forum - we need European leadership in achieving a new global partnership for development. Cristian Dan Preda MEP

The Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, which will take place in Busan at the end of November, is expected to reaffirm, deepen and reshape the international commitments to make aid work better and promote development ahead of the crucial deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

Adopted by a large majority, the own-initiative Report drafted by Cristian Dan Preda MEP contains the European Parliament's position for the Fourth High Level Forum.

Communiqué de la mission d’observation de la Francophonie pour l’élection de l’Assemblée nationale constituante du 23 octobre 2011 en Tunisie

La mission de la Francophonie salue la tenue remarquable de la première élection libre et transparente de l’histoire de la Tunisie qui marque une avancée déterminante, au regard des engagements souscrits par les chefs d’Etat et de gouvernement dans la Déclaration de Bamako, dans le processus de démocratisation engendré par la révolution de janvier 2011.

Rights of disabled are human rights

Calling on all EU member states to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Disabled during a debate on improving mobility and inclusion of people with disabilities in the European Parliament today, GUE/NGL MEP Ilda Figueiredo (Portugal) said "disabled rights are human rights".

She stressed the need to develop national and Community policies and strategies "that are not just vague plans without a timetable and without adequate financing".

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