Chapter News

Chapter News, News

Regulatory Compatibility: EU and U.S. Forging Ahead

Together, the EU and the U.S. are working to reduce or eliminate differences in technical regulations, standards, and certifications that cost business and consumers both time and money. In July, the transatlantic partners took two important steps forward toward enhancing transatlantic compatibility in the regulatory area. On July 17, the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology and the EU’s Joint Research Center (JRC) agreed to expand their current scientific cooperation in 10 areas, including energy, environment, food safety, healthcare,...

Read more

Chapter News, News

European Venture Capital and Social Entrepreneurship Funds

The Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (“AIFMD”) is now effective .  In conjunction with the AIFMD, the following directly applicable regulations are also now in force, effectively creating 2 new regimes for funds wishing to invest in European Small and Medium Enterprises (“SMEs”): Regulation (EU) No. 345/2013 on European venture capital funds (“EuVECA”); and Regulation (EU) No. 346/2013 on European social entrepreneurship funds (“EuSEF”). EuVECA The main purpose of EuVECA is to provide a common framework for European venture capital funds in order...

Read more

Chapter News, News

The EU’s Bilateral Trade & Investment Agreements – Where Are We?

Over the next years, 90% of world demand will be generated outside the EU. That is why it is a key priority for the EU to open up more market opportunities for European business by negotiating new Free Trade Agreements with key countries. If we were to complete all our current free trade talks tomorrow, we would add 2.2% to the EU’s GDP or €275 billion. This is equivalent of adding a country as big as Austria or Denmark...

Read more

Chapter News, New York Related News, News

Mayor Bloomberg Announces Request For Proposals To Study Development Of ‘Seaport City’ To Protect Lower Manhattan From Impacts Of Climate Change

Resiliency Project First Recommended in “A Stronger, More Resilient New York” – Would Also Boost Economic Development Rendering of Seaport City Concept Available on: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nycmayorsoffice/ Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced a request for proposals (RFP) to study the potential development of ‘Seaport City,’ a resiliency project that will protect Lower Manhattan from coastal flooding and provide opportunities for economic development. Seaport City was first proposed by Mayor Bloomberg as part of “A Stronger, More Resilient New York” – the ambitious...

Read more

Chapter News, News

EU Plan to Bolster Defense and Security

While defense policy and decisions on military capabilities are matters for national governments in the European Union, the EU still plays a significant role in the defense and security sector through the development of civilian and military capabilities for conflict prevention and crisis management. In July 2013, the EU launched a new action plan to take advantage of European level efficiencies and capacity to promote a more effective and cohesive European defense and security sector. “In times of scarce resources, cooperation...

Read more

Chapter News, News

EU Priorities for the G20 Summit in St.Petersburg on September 5-6, 2013

The European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and the European Council President Herman Van Rompuy have sent a joint letter to the EU heads of state and government on the key discussion points at the G20 Summit in St.Petersburg on September 5-6, 2013. The letter says that the EU intends to work together with its G20 partners and focus on such priorities as stimulating economic growth and employment, implementing financial regulatory reform, curbing tax avoidance and evasion, reforming the international...

Read more

Chapter News, News

Electric Vehicles & Smart Grids: First EU-US Interoperability Centre in Chicago opens for business

The first of the twin centres designed to promote common standards in electric mobility and smart grids on both sides of the Atlantic was today inaugurated near Chicago. Converging standards and interoperability between smart grids and electric vehicles will allow for deeper penetration of renewable energies in the electricity systems, thus facilitating the way to a low-carbon economy. Technology harmonisation will drive product and service innovation in the two world’s largest economies and could prove instrumental in establishing global...

Read more

Chapter News, News

Statement by Vice President Rehn Ahead of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in Moscow

“As I will tell the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in Moscow today, the EU economy is slowly emerging from the recession. We enter the second half of 2013 against a backdrop of stabilizing economic activity and improving confidence, with short-term indicators now consistently confirming a gradual move into positive territory. This points to a resumption of growth in the second half of the year. We also expect modest employment growth in 2014. However, unemployment remains at unacceptably...

Read more

Chapter News, News

Opinion: Banking Must Pursue the Holy Grail of Confidence

By Sir Evelyn de Rothschild The single most important commodity traded in the City of London is confidence. The public, bankers and the markets need to believe that the UK will continue to be a global financial centre. They must have trust in the quality, ethics and skills of its bankers. And they must believe in the wisdom and careful regulation of its government. Without confidence, it will be impossible to achieve the “twin challenges of engineering a recovery and reforming...

Read more