Chapter News, News, Trade & TTIP Related, Uncategorized

Extra-EU trade in goods by invoicing currency – Euro was the most used currency for EU exports and US dollars for EU imports in 2018

Brussels, 20 May 2019 Goods imported and exported by the European Union (EU) can be invoiced in a range of currencies. In 2018, the euro was the most used currency for EU exports with a share of 48% of the total value of goods exported to non-EU countries and a share of 35% invoiced in US dollars. The picture was reversed for imports, with 56% of imports paid in US dollars and around a third in euros (35%). For total trade...

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Chapter News, News, Uncategorized

Capital markets union: Council adopts updated rules for financial derivative products and clearing

Press Release, 5/14/2019 The EU will soon have in place simplified rules for non-financial counterparties, small financial counterparties and pension funds using financial derivative products. The Council today adopted a regulation improving the existing regulatory framework applying to the over-the-counter (OTC) derivative market. The European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR), adopted in 2012, forms part of the European regulatory response to the financial crisis, and specifically addresses the problems encountered in the functioning of the OTC derivatives market during the 2007-2008 financial crisis. The...

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Strength in unity: Commission makes recommendations for the EU’s next strategic agenda 2019-2024

Brussels, 30 April 2019 Ahead of the meeting of EU27 leaders in Sibiu, Romania, on 9 May 2019, the European Commission is today setting out a number of policy recommendations for how Europe can shape its future in an increasingly multipolar and uncertain world. With the European Parliament elections on 23-26 May 2019 and the change of political leadership of the EU institutions that will follow, the time has come for new policy orientations and new priorities. As both the priorities...

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Brexit News, Chapter News, News, Uncategorized

Update by President Donald Tusk to the European Parliament; Report and concluding remark on the Special European Council (Art. 50) meeting on 10 April

  April 16, 2019 09:30 From this place I would like to say words of comfort and solidarity with the whole French nation in the face of the Paris tragedy. I say these words not only as the president of the European Council, but also as a citizen of Gdańsk, 90 percent destroyed and burnt, and later rebuilt. You will also rebuild your cathedral. From Strasbourg, the French capital of the European Union, I call on all the 28 Member States...

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Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis: Concluding remarks at the Conference on the Future of Work

Brussels, 9 April 2019 Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to warmly thank today's participants for the insightful discussion about the future of work. One clear message from the Conference is that ‘the future of work is already today'. This means that when we talk of the ‘future of work', if we want to be correct in our English grammar, we should really be speaking about the ‘present continuous of work'. It's not a question of saying ‘labour markets will change'. Rather, it's already clear...

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Brexit News, Chapter News, News, Uncategorized

Invitation letter by President Donald Tusk to the members of the European Council (Art. 50) ahead of their special meeting on 10 April 2019

Last week I received a letter from Prime Minister May requesting a further extension of the Article 50 period, until 30 June 2019. In her letter the Prime Minister states that the UK government's policy remains to leave the EU in an orderly way, and that it is therefore now seeking a consensus across the House of Commons on the right way forward. She also adds that, if the UK were an EU member on 23 May 2019, it...

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Remarks by Commissioner Moscovici at the press conference on Customs aspects in case of ‘no-deal Brexit’

Brussels, 3 April 2019 | Translated using Google Translate. View the original post HERE I am here to talk to you about the scenario in which the UK would leave the EU without a withdrawal agreement, and our preparation for this eventuality for EU customs. Before getting to the heart of the matter, I would like to make several political reminders. First, the European Commission has never wanted Brexit. We said the day after the referendum in June 2016 that we regret...

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How Might a New Way Forward be Uncovered, if the Existing Deal is not Accepted?

by John Bruton Avoiding a No Deal Brexit is going to require a radical change in the way the House of Commons makes decisions. Now that the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated with the EU has been rejected twice by the House of Commons, MPs must now turn to discovering what alternative approach might find find actually support. Only then can to UK engage meaningfully with the EU. This process must be completed by 10 April, the date of a possible special meeting of...

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European Commission appoints Mr. David O’Sullivan as Special Adviser to the President on EU-US relations

The European Commission has today decided to appoint David O'Sullivan, former EU Ambassador to the United States of America, as Special Adviser to President Jean-Claude Juncker on EU-U.S. relations. In this capacity, he will advise the President on strategy and priorities in relations with the U.S. Mr O'Sullivan was the Ambassador of the European Union to the United States from 2014 to 2019. Previously, he was the Chief Operating Officer of the European External Action Service (EEAS), in charge of its establishment at the...

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Parliament speaker rules out third vote on ‘same’ Brexit deal

By Charlie Cooper Theresa May's government cannot hold a third vote on its Brexit deal without securing a "demonstrable change" agreed with the EU, House of Commons Speaker John Bercow ruled, throwing the government's plans into further chaos. In an announcement that took MPs by surprise, Bercow said that according to parliamentary conventions dating as far back as 1604, the government could not hold repeated votes in the House of Commons, in the same parliamentary session, on a motion that...

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