Brexit News, Member News

Brexit and broadcasting: Luxembourg as the ideal gateway to provide audiovisual media services throughout the EU (without a major impact on operations in the UK!)

By Vincent Wellens | Carmen Schellekens | Mickaël Abbou |Jolize Lautenbach  Since the UK Parliament has rejected the Withdrawal Agreement between the EU and the UK on 15 January 2019, a so-called "no deal" scenario becomes a bit more likely. It goes without saying that this has a tremendous impact on the broadcasting sector as it is one of the sectors to typically benefit from the "country of origin"-principle under EU law. A broadcasting company having an establishment in one EU/EEA Member State can, by virtue of Article 3 of...

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Chapter News, Trade & TTIP Related

EU-U.S. Trade Talks: European Commission presents draft negotiating mandates

The European Commission has today adopted proposals for negotiating directives for its trade talks with the United States: one on conformity assessment, and one on the elimination of tariffs for industrial goods. These negotiations follow the Joint Statement agreed by President Juncker and President Trump last July.  As part of its commitment to transparency, the European Commission is publishing the draft mandates at the same time as submitting them to the EU Member States. The Member States must now give their green light...

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Brexit News, Member News

The Weekly Vulcan View For The 14th Of January To The 18th Of January Featuring Analysis Of The Latest EU Developments

VULCAN VIEW- KEY EVENTS THIS WEEK: AfD decides on party strategy for EU electionsDuring a special AfD party convention last weekend in which the party decided on its campaign and strategic goals for the upcoming EU election in May of this year, hardliners demanded the immediate exit of Germany from the EU. Calling for “Dexit” did not gain enough momentum within the party. A proposed exit by 2024 ended up being watered down as party leader Alexander Gauland said leaving the...

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Brexit News, Member News

What bad choices are left for Theresa May after the devastating Brexit defeat?

By Sam Natapoff, President of Empire Global Ventures LLC  Confused by what just happened with Brexit and what happens next? You're not alone. Here's the way forward At 7pm Tuesday night in London, UK Prime Minister Theresa May lost a 432-202 vote in the House of Commons, on the Brexit deal she had personally negotiated. 118 MPs from her Conservative party voted against her, sending her to the worst defeat of any Prime Minister in Britain’s modern era and the worst rebellion in the history of...

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Brexit News, Chapter News

Brexit: EU officials ask the UK to clarify its position

In the debate following the UK House of Commons’ meaningful vote, MEPs underlined that Europeans will remain united and that citizens’ rights are still the EP’s priority. Following the rejection of the Withdrawal Agreement and the Political Declaration in the UK’s House of Commons yesterday evening, it is now up to the UK government and UK Parliament to let the EU know where a positive majority lies and what type of relationship they want with the European Union, MEPs stressed. The...

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Member News

2019 IPT changes in Denmark, Ireland, Slovakia, Spain, France, Italy

The new year has brought changes that affect insurers writing cross-border business across the EU. Some territories have introduced new requirements, or amendments to existing obligations that necessitate the amendment of reporting procedures for insurers. Here’s a summary of some of the changes that have recently come into force, or are scheduled for 2019. Denmark – Guarantee Fund for Non-Life Insurance Undertakings Act no. 375 of 1 May 2018 amended the Danish Guarantee Fund for Non-Life Insurance Undertakings Act. All non-life insurers...

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Brexit News, Chapter News

EU tax policy and Competition; EU-US trade relations and update on Brexit

Commission launches debate on a gradual transition to more efficient and democratic decision-making in EU tax policy EU tax policy The Commission has today kick-started the debate on reforming decision-making for areas of EU taxation policy, which currently requires unanimity among Member States. This unanimity often cannot be achieved on crucial tax initiatives, and can lead to costly delays on sub-optimal policies. The Communication published today suggests a roadmap for a progressive and targeted transition to qualified majority voting under the ordinary legislative...

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Brexit News, Chapter News

Speeches by First Vice-President Frans Timmermans and Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier on behalf of President Juncker at the Plenary session of the European Parliament on the occasion of the debate on the UK’s withdrawal from the EU

Strasbourg, 16 January 2019 By Frans Timmermans & Michel Barnier First Vice-President Frans Timmermans Thank you very much, Mr President. The vote last night in the House of Commons was crystal clear. The Withdrawal Agreement has been rejected. And now we will have to look for a way forward. The Commission regrets the rejection of the Withdrawal Agreement, as the representative of the Council said, because we do believe this was the best possible outcome. In a situation where two parties were negotiating, looking after their...

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Brexit News, Member News

Flash Report on Today’s Brexit Vote

By Lucinda Creighton, CEO & Robert O’Reilly, Strategic Counsel | Vulcan Consulting  Situation Analysis Today’s vote presents yet another “crunch moment” in the long running Brexit saga.  For those who have not been following in any great detail, this is Prime Minister Theresa May’s big moment in the House of Commons, when she will attempt to get the deal she has agreed with the European Union through by way of parliamentary vote.  This so called ‘Exit Deal’ does not set out the...

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Member News

Banks need a culture shock

By William Rhodes | President & CEO | William R. Rhodes Global Advisors  A decade after the financial crisis, banks haven’t lost their capacity to shock. From Wells Fargo’s fake accounts to Goldman Sachs’ involvement in Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal to allegations of money laundering at Danske Bank, failures of conduct and culture have damaged trust in banks and posed material risks to institutions’ profitability. Urgent reforms are needed to safeguard the health of the global financial system and rebuild public confidence...

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