The European Union welcomes the agreement reached on 9 July 2014 on a new United Nations convention to strengthen transparency in investor-state disputes. The Convention on Transparency in Treaty-based Investor-State Arbitration will make it easier to apply the UN’s transparency rules to investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) carried out under existing investment treaties. ‘Improving transparency in ISDS is crucial,’ said EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht, welcoming the development. ‘Yesterday’s agreement shows that more and more countries are committed to transparency in...

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Ecofin discusses its work programme for the second half of 2014 At the meeting on 8 July the ministers discussed the Economic and Financial Affairs Council's work programme and priorities for the second semester of 2014, presented by the Italian presidency. Structural reforms and investment in growth and jobs are the key priorities under the Italian presidency of the Council of the EU, which runs from 1 July through to the end of December 2014. Pier Carlo Padoan, the Italian Minister of...

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Algirdas Šemeta, EU Commissioner responsible for Taxation and Customs Union, Statistics, Audit and Anti-fraud at Economic and Finance Ministers Council | Brussels, 8 July 2014 Before I comment on the Italian Presidency Work programme, I would like to first thank the Greek presidency for all it achieved in the tax field. I'm not only speaking about the new legislation they succeeded in getting adopted but also the groundwork they did on many files, which should bring future successes. So, thanks to...

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