Chapter News

Chapter News, News, Trade & TTIP Related

Hearings in Brussels, TTIP Discussions in Washington

There is a lot going on this week with regards to trade, and TTIP in particular on both sides of the Atlantic. Yesterday, the European Parliament continued its hearings, interviewing Lord Jonathan Hill, Commissioner- elect for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union. Lord Hill failed to convince members of Parliament and has been recalled for a second hearing. Today’s hearings started with Pierre Moscovici, Commissioner – designate for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs.     Hearings are scheduled to proceed...

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Chapter News, New York Related News, News

Mayor De Blasio Unveils Digital.NYC First Ever All-Inclusive Online Hub For The City’s Tech Ecosystem

Comprehensive Online Platform Connects New Yorkers with Information, Resources and Jobs in New York City’s Digital Economy NEW YORK—New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio today unveiled Digital.NYC, a first-of-its-kind online platform that will serve as a centralized hub for the City’s tech ecosystem, providing information and resources to help turn ideas into businesses, deliver valuable tools for digital startups, and connect New Yorkers to opportunities in the City’s tech ecosystem. Digital.NYC offers a pioneering search portal and database with profiles...

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Chapter News, New York Related News, News

Tax Break For Solar Panels In NYC Approved

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed a law to extend property tax breaks for installing electricity-generating solar panels on New York City buildings. Assembly member Linda Rosenthal, a Manhattan Democrat and sponsor, says the action extends the existing incentive program to 2017, doubles the possible tax break and helps promote a green economy. It’s also meant to offset the 25 percent higher cost of installing solar capacity in the city due to stringent regulations and the complexity of building sites. Sponsors say eligible...

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Scrutiny time: candidate commissioners’ hearings start today

Jean-Claude Juncker and the candidate commissioners The 27 candidates hoping to be part of the European Commission led by Jean-Claude Juncker start appearing at hearings at the European Parliament today. During the three-hour hearings EP committees will test the candidate commissioners' expertise and competences ahead of the EP voting on whether to approve the new Commission on 22 October. The hearings will be shown live on our website and can also be followed on various other platforms. Read on...

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Consumers: Commission improves safety of cosmetics

Today the Commission further strengthened the protection of consumers, in particular babies and young children. It adopted two measures restricting the use of three preservatives in cosmetic products. "We have shown once again that the safety of consumers is paramount in every decision we take. Preservatives in cosmetics serve a valuable function ensuring that the products we use on a daily basis are free from pathogens. We need however to ensure that the preservatives guarantee the maximum degree of protection....

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President Barroso Highlights Ambitious EU Targets at UN Climate Summit, Pledges Aid to Developing Countries

Speaking at the UN Climate Summit in New York City today, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso said that the European Union will aim to cut domestic greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030, and set a renewables target of at least 27 percent and energy savings of 30 percent. "I am confident that EU leaders will seal this deal at their summit in October." President Barroso noted that "these targets are milestones on the way to our broader objective...

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Digital tech gives you the keys to the Roman Empire

Would you like to discover secret treasures of the Roman Empire, guided by an old merchant and his nephew? New technologies make this incredible journey possible. An exciting new exhibition is being launched today in four different cities, representing key areas of the Roman Empire: Rome (Italy), Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Alexandria (Egypt). ‘Keys to Rome’ (#K2R) is organised by an EU-funded network of archaeologists, art historians, architects, computer scientists and communication experts. "All the technologies...

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Chapter News, New York Related News, News

Update on W2NYC Challenge

A number of exciting updates this week, including the announcement of the W2NYC companies! •  The delegates!: The NYCEDC has confirmed a diverse mix of 15 companies from the transportation, smart infrastructure, and energy sectors, hailing from Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States (Arizona, Florida, Massachusetts, and Michigan).  For full list call 212 808 2707. •  W2NYC events: Registration for the following events is now open.  Please RSVP as soon as...

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European Parliament ratifies EU-Ukraine Association Agreement

The European Parliament gave its consent to the EU-Ukraine Association agreement, which includes a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA), on Tuesday in Strasbourg. At the same time, the Agreement was also ratified by the Ukrainian Parliament in Kiev. The deal will establish a deep political association and economic integration between the EU and Ukraine and provide for mutual free market access. MEPs backed the agreement with 535 votes in favour, 127 against and 35 abstentions. "Through this ratification, Ukraine's...

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EU Science and Technology Flagships pick up steam – final inclusive structure announced

The European Commission published today a report on its ambitious science and technology Flagships. The report draws the lessons from setting up the first two such Flagships, Graphene and the Human Brain Project, each representing an investment of EUR 1 billion. It also sets out the future working arrangements for the two Flagships underway. European Commission Vice President @NeelieKroesEU said: "The Human Brain Project and the Graphene Flagships have the potential to revolutionise science, boost industry and improve peoples’ lives...

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