Step towards a circular economy - EUbusiness Week newsletter 727 - EUbusiness.com

EUbusiness Week 727 top stories: EU, Internet giants join forces to fight online extremism; EU probes McDonald’s tax affairs as crackdown widens; Ukraine ‘open to talks’ with Russia over EU trade deal; ‘No’ side win Danish vote on EU justice rules; Eastern states move to keep Schengen intact; EU bailout fund rescues Greece’s top bank

Publisher’s Note

With the average European consuming 14 tonnes of raw materials and generating five tonnes of waste a year, the European Commission this week set out new proposals for a ‘circular economy’ which have the potential to fundamentally change the way we live and do business.

A circular economy uses resources in a smarter, more sustainable way, where the value of products and materials is maintained for as long as possible and use of waste and resource is minimised. Potential benefits include 2 million new jobs, large savings for European industry and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. But are we prepared for such a profound transformation of the way our economy works?
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Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. EU, Internet giants join forces to fight online extremism

The European Union on Thursday launched a forum bringing together Internet firms like Google, Facebook and Twitter as well as law enforcement agencies to combat online extremism.
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EU plans to criminalise terrorist ‘preparatory acts’

2. EU probes McDonald’s tax affairs as crackdown widens

The EU has launched a probe into tax deals between US fast food giant McDonald’s and Luxembourg, as it widens an investigation into tax avoidance by major multinationals that includes Amazon and Apple.
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Netherlands to appeal EU demand for Starbucks back taxes

3. Ukraine ‘open to talks’ with Russia over EU trade deal

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says Kiev is open to last-minute talks aimed at overcoming fierce Russian opposition to a free trade accord between his country and the EU.
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EU, Vietnam sign free trade deal

4. ‘No’ side win Danish vote on EU justice rules

Voters in eurosceptic EU member Denmark on Thursday rejected in a referendum a government proposal to deepen participation in the EU’s justice cooperation, exit polls and partial results showed.
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5. Eastern states move to keep Schengen intact

Four eastern EU Member States reject the idea of cutting the 26-member passport-free Schengen zone down to include fewer countries as a way to cope with the refugee and migrant crisis.
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6. EU bailout fund rescues Greece’s top bank

The eurozone’s bailout fund has rescued Greece’s largest bank, launching a recapitalisation process that is a crucial part of the country’s third loan programme in five years.
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EUROPEAN LAW

Facebook: Facebook on Wednesday says it will block access to its website by non-members in Belgium, as it battles a court order to stop tracking Internet users who do not have accounts with the US social media giant.
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Hungary files court challenge to EU migrant quotas
Court rejects appeal for detained Turkish editors
Latest news from the European Court of Justice
EU law firms
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Inside the EU Institutions

Council Watch

Border checks: Member States will discuss Friday whether to extend internal border checks for up to two years to help many of them cope with record migrant inflows.
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Turkey and EU strike EUR 3 bn migrant aid deal
Cameron not expecting deal on EU membership at summit
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Commission Watch

Israel: the EU vowed Monday to work for Middle East peace even though Israel suspended it from the diplomatic process over the bloc’s decision to label goods imported from Jewish settlements.
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EU ‘not seeking reforms’ in Cuba talks
EU aid to Burundi at stake in Tuesday talks
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Parliament Watch

US bombing: XXXXXXXX.
This week, MEPs in committee urged ministers to agree a position at last on a directive to ensure that by 2020 at least 40 per cent of non-executive directors on listed company boards are women; and endorsed an EU deal with Liechtenstein which will make it harder for EU citizens to hide cash from the tax man in bank accounts there.
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EU diary

7-8 Dec: Employment, Social, Health, Consumer Council
7-10 Dec: European Parliament Committee Meetings
7 Dec: Eurogroup
10 Dec: Financing the circular economy
10-11 Dec: Transport, Telecommunications & Energy Council
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary