Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash The Bertelsmann Stiftung has appointed manager Saori Dubourg and diplomat Arancha González Laya to its Board of Trustees effective 1 July. Dubourg was previously a member of the Board of Executive Directors at BASF SE. González Laya is dean of the Paris School of International Affairs at the French university Sciences Po…
Photo by Rafay Ansari on Unsplash The blueprint for a net-zero industry “lacks vision on how to ensure Europe’s industry stays competitive and attracts investment.” That is the view of the European Economic and Social Committee, the body that represents the various economic and social components of organised civil society. It is an institutional consultative body established by…
Photo by Denise Jans on Unsplash Last year the UK National Health Service (NHS) booked some 122 million patient appointments, with outpatients making up 80% of the total. With e-mail and SMS messaging apparently regarded as unproven technologies, patients were generally notified by letter costing over £112 million – despite a pledge by Jeremy Hunt as Health Secretary…
Photo by Amber Kipp on Unsplash MEPs have voted to drop proposed restrictions on pollution from factory farms. Campaigners says this “sabotages” the European Commission’s efforts to step up environmental and climate action. They also claim the vote follows “pressure by the big agribusiness lobby.” A statement by Compassion in World Farming EU said, “Parliamentarians decided to give all…
Photo by camilo jimenez on Unsplash A new law will, it is claimed, ensure that EU sanctions are enforced uniformly across member states, with common definitions and dissuasive penalties. On Thursday, MEPs in the Civil Liberties Committee of the EU parliament adopted a draft negotiating mandate on violating and circumventing EU sanctions by 36 votes in favour, 2…
Photo by Documerica on Unsplash The 603 employees of “Logistics Nivelles SA”, who were left jobless after the parent company decided to close down their site, should receive €2.2 million in EU aid, say MEPs. On Thursday, the Committee on Budgets approved Belgium’s request for support from the EGF fund. MEPs acknowledged that “the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian…
Photo by Icons8 Team on Unsplash MEPs have unanimously adopted a report highlighting the importance of modern vocational education and training (VET). This, it was said, will meet the challenges of the labour market in terms of changing forms and activities of employment and the skills they require. The own-initiative report by ECR rapporteur Anna Zalewska was backed…
Photo by Rohan Makhecha on Unsplash The body representing the electricity sector in Europe has a new head to steer it for the coming years.Leonhard Birnbaum – CEO of E.ON – takes the reins of Eurelectric, the trade body representing the European electricity industry in Brussels. Joined by Vice Presidents Markus Rauramo – CEO of Fortum – and…
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash The European Commission has proposed new rules which, it says, will make withholding tax procedures in the EU “more efficient and secure” for investors, banks and EU Member State tax administrations. The initiative and the Commission’s 2020 Action Plan on the Capital Markets Union will, says the EC, “promote fairer taxation,…
Photo by Precious Madubuike on Unsplash The EU risks falling behind in its bid to become a global battery powerhouse, according to a new report published by the European Court of Auditors. It says it is true that the EU’s industrial policy on batteries has been promoted effectively in recent years. But access to raw materials remains a major…
