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ESBA BULLETIN of 7th April 2005 - Volume 7 – No. 7

 

 

Quote of the Week:

Everyone experiences tough times, it is a measure of your determination and dedication how you deal with them and how you can come through them - Lakshmi Mittal

 

 

Headlines

 

  • EU / Social Affairs: Working Time Directive discussed in Committee
  • EU / Services Directive: Rapporteur to replace “country of origin” with rules of “mutual recognition”
  • EU / Research: EU budget doubled

 

In Brief

  • EU / Internet: .eu to be launched in early 2006
  • EU / Innovation: New policy and trends report
  • EU / Manufacturing: Report on SME position
  • EU / UNICE: Seillière new chief

EU / Open Consultations

 

Coming Up

 

Headlines

 

EU / Social Affairs: Working Time Directive discussed in Committee

 

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs was due to discuss the amendments to Alejandro Cercas’ (Socialist, Spain) report on the amendment of the Working Time directive on 31 March. However, the tabled amendments had not yet been translated into all official languages preventing full a debate taking place. Instead a more general discussion on the topic was held in its place.

 

Mr. Cercas started the discussion by stating that he believes a political agreement, which will ensure the security and health of workers, as well as flexibility for business, is possible. He has studied the first 130 amendments (180 have been tabled) and has already devised 6 compromise amendments relating to these. The debate was then opened to Committee members. The main topics that dominated the discussion were: the distinction between on-call time in the workplace and on-call time out of the workplace; the extension of the reference period from 4 to 12 months; and the opt-out.

 

Derek Roland Clark (IND/DEM, UK) argued in favour of the opt-out for both groups and individuals. He said the UK would support the proposal as long as the opt-out was retained and raised the issue of “autonomous workers”, a category that exists in other member-sates and exempts workers from the 48 hour week. Elizabeth Lynne (ALDE, UK) also argued in favour of the opt-out. In addition, she claimed that on-call time in the workplace should be classed as “work”, whilst on-call time out of the workplace should be classed as “rest”. She also said that the 4 month reference period should be maintained but with the possibility of extending it to 12 months.

 

The Socialist group, PES, has stated that it will support moves to end the opt-out by 2010. British Labour MEPs are expected to vote with their PES colleagues although UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has been adamant that the opt-out should be maintained.

 

The Amendments will now be discussed in full, on an amendment by amendment basis, on 19 April, with the vote taking place in Committee on 20 April.

 

Cercas’ draft report:

http://www2.europarl.eu.int/registre/commissions/empl/projet_rapport/2005/353651/EMPL_PR(2005)353651_EN.pdf

 

EU / Services Directive: Rapporteur to replace “country of origin” with rules of “mutual recognition”

The rapporteur for the Services directive, Evelyne Gebhardt (Socialist, Germany) has said she would like to replace the “country of origin” principle with harmonisation and mutual recognition. She would also like to shift the focus of the directive to commercial services only and not those of general interest. Ms. Gebhardt will present a number of amendments and proposals at the meeting of the Internal Market and Consumer Affairs Committee to be held on 19 April. It is still not certain when her draft report will be completed.

Ms. Gebhardt has highlighted a six-point plan for amending the services directive, including the need to protect public services, ensure existing social regulations (posting of workers etc) are not harmed, protect consumers by ensuring a high quality of services and replace the country of origin principle with harmonisation and mutual recognition. MEPs are currently discussing the proposal article by article in a cross-party working group. The group also includes representatives of the Luxembourg and forthcoming UK Presidency. The issue is also due to be discussed in the Competitiveness Council on 6/7 June 2005.

More information on Services in the Internal Market:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/en/services/services/

 

EU / Research: EU budget doubled

 

On 7 April the EU is expected to announce plans to double its research budget to €70bn in an effort to bolster growth and competitiveness and match the USA and Japan’s spending on innovation. Under the plan the EU will give details of 10 themes on which research will be based. These are thought to include, health, nano-science, energy, information technology and space. The plans will be accompanied by the creation of an autonomous European Research Council made up of scientists, to promote excellence and help small teams of researchers get smoother access to the proposed €10bn of grants available each year.

 

The Commission will also outline efforts to deliver results, simplifying applications for grants, improve career prospects for researchers, enhance collaboration with countries outside the EU and boost the role of SMEs. It will also push for more public-private collaboration. The plans also involve the creation of “poles of excellence”, which means the development of expertise in a particular subject that will attract researchers and money from the EU and beyond. The Commission estimates that this increase in funding will lead to a 0.96% rise in economic growth by 2030 and nearly 1 million more jobs.

 

More information: http://www.cordis.lu/era/fp7.htm

 

In Brief

 

EU / Internet: .eu to be launched in early 2006

 

The European internet extension .eu will be launched in early 2006. The extension will be available only to businesses and individuals with a European dimension, distinguishing it from .com which has been freely distributed. The EURid website plans to publish a list of offices authorised to register names at the .eu extention in May-June this year. It is expected that there will be at least 1 million registrations in the first year.

 

More information: http://europa.eu.int/information_society/topics/ecomm/all_about/todays_framework/public_resources/names_addresses/eu_creation/background/index_en.htm

 

EU / Innovation: New policy and trends report

 

DG Enterprise and Industry published the latest edition of the annual policy synthesis report of the TrendChart initiative, “Innovation Policy in Europe 2004” on 6 April. The report provides an overview of innovation challenges and policy trends in the 25 EU member-states, eight Associate and Accession countries and three economic zones. It also highlights the key innovation policy challenges in the EU and provides examples of god policy responses.

 

Access the report: http://www.trendchart.org/annualreports/report2004/Innovation_policy_europe_2004.pdf

 

EU / Manufacturing: Report on SME position

 

The report “Competence Building in SMEs: Practices and Methods for Learning and Capacity Building” was published on 23 March by the Spanish research consultancy Ikei in collaboration with four EU research institutions. The report has tried to gain an insight on the position of European manufacturing SMEs towards knowledge and learning as a competitive factor. The research also analysed the attitudes, benefits and barriers that manufacturing SMEs identify for engaging themselves in competence development strategies.

 

See the report: http://www.ikei.es/pdf/Final%20European%20Report.pdf

______________________________________________________________

 

EU / UNICE: Seillière new chief

 

The European employers organisation UNICE has named Ernest-Antoine Seillière as its new head, suceedinig Jürgen Strube, after an unopposed election took place on 22 March. The current head of the Federation of French Industries (Medef) and Chief Executive of Wendel Investment, Seillière is a prominent figure in French politics. His tenure will begin on 1July and will last 2 years.

 

For more information: http://www.unice.org/

EU / Open Consultations

 

  •   EU regulation on origin marking (“made in”)

 

The Commission is examining the possibility of developing an EC regulation on origin marking (“made in…”) with regard to some imported industrial products. This regulation would impose a compulsory mark indicating the name of the country of origin (“made in Country X”) for certain products when imported in the EC. You are invited – as an organisation or as an individual - to give your opinion on an EC regulation on origin marking.

 

Closes 30 April 2005

 

Further information: http://europa.eu.int/yourvoice/forms/dispatch?form=401

 

  • Aviation and climate change

 

The European Commission has launched an internet consultation on reducing the climate change impact of aviations. There are questionnaires for both individual citizens & organisations.

 

Closes 6 May 2005

 

Further information:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/climat/aviation_en.htm

 

COMING UP

 

EU Institutions: Important Dates 

 

7-9 April                       Informal Meeting of Labour & Employment Ministers, Luxembourg

11-14 April                    European Parliament Plenary Session, Strasbourg

12 April                        Economic & Financial Affairs Council

14 April                        Justice & Home Affairs Council

18 April                        Competitiveness Council

25-26 April                    General Affairs & External Relations Council

27-24 April                    European Parliament Mini-Plenary Session, Brussels

9-12 May                      European Parliament Plenary Session, Strasbourg

23 May                         General Affairs & External Relations Council

23-24 May                    Education, Youth & Culture Council

25-26 May                    European Parliament Mini-Plenary Session, Brussels

 

Other SME related Events

 

13-15 April               International Co-operation to Seize innovation Opportunities for

SMEs, Barcelona, Spain - Organised by INSME

Further information: www.annualmeeting2005.insme.org

 

28 April                   Working breakfast with Commissioner Verheugen

Brussels, Belgium - Organised by SME Union

Further information:http://www.sme-union.org/

 

11-13 May              International Training Program on Intellectual Property and Management of Innovation in SMEs - Geneva, Switzerland - Organised by WIPO & INSME - Further information:

http://www.wipo.int/sme/en/activities/meetings/forthcoming_events/index.htm

 

12-13 May               6th International Conference on Corporate Governance

                             Nuffield Hall, Regents Park, London

Further information: http://www.wcfcg.net/iccg/iccg.htm

 

19-20 May               e-Learning Conference “Towards a Learning Society?” - Brussels, Belgium

                             Organised by DG Enterprise - Pre-registration open until 14 March

                             Further information & to register: http://www.elearningconference.org

 

26-27 May               European Conference on Innovation and e-Business - Brussels, Belgium

Organised by DG Enterprise - Further information: http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/innovation/e-business_en.htm#practical_information

 

29-31 May                12th Annual Conference on the role of Banks, Financial and Economics Institutions in the promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises

                              Amman, Jordan – Organised by the Arab Academy for Banking and Financial Sciences (AABFS) - For further information email: conferences@aabfs.org

 

31 May – 3 June       Green Week Conference 2005 – “Get to Grips with Climate Change”

Brussels, Belgium - Organised by DG Environment

For further information & to register to participate: http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/greenweek/index_en.htm

 

15-16 June              Annual Conference on the European Charter for Small Enterprises Luxembourg - Organised by the European Commission & Luxembourg

                             Presidency - Those wishing to participate are advised to register early, as places are limited. To register (deadline 13 May) & for further 

                              information:http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/events/charter/conf_2005.htm

Register with ESBA

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