login
login

Europe Daily Bulletin No. 9127

9 February 2006
Contents Publication in full By article 22 / 30
GENERAL NEWS / (eu) eu/state aid
Enquiry into Greece's contribution to OTE early retirement plan

Brussels, 08/02/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has opened an enquiry into the Greek financing scheme for the early retirement plan of the Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (OTE). This voluntary early retirement scheme was much costlier than the redundancy packages offered in the private sector because of the special status of OTE employees, which is almost akin to that of civil servants. Greece participates to the tune of 360 million euros (or 4% of its shares in OTE)...

Contents

A LOOK BEHIND THE NEWS
A Look Behind The News, by Ferdinando Riccardi: Whatever the outcome in the Arcelor/Mittal Steel Affair, Europe must draw up rules for corporate governance
THE DAY IN POLITICS
(EU) EU/ISLAM: Javier Solana will visit several Arab countries next week in an attempt to reduce tension over cartoons published in Europe - EU is said to be “shocked” by Iranian provocation on holocaust
(EU) EP/ISLAM: Cem Ozdemir and Sajjad Karim stress that violent response of Muslim extremists to cartoons of Mohamed is not response of most Muslims in Europe who are “good democrats”
(EU) EU/IRAN:
(EU) EU/PALESTINE:
(EU) EP/MOROCCO:
(EU) EU/DEFENCE: EU to review global strategy and perfect civil and military capabilities
(EU) EU/NATO: Munich conference: Jaap de Hoop Scheffer deplores obstacles to developing cooperation between NATO and EU
GENERAL NEWS
(EU) EU/SOCIAL/ENLARGEMENT: Commission report on free movement of workers since 2004 shows labour markets have remained stable after enlargement - Vladimir Spidla announces Commission report on effects of “worker posting” directive in next two months
(EU) EU/AGRICULTURE/ENERGY: Commission adopts ambitious strategy in favour of bio-fuels
(EU) EU/AGRICULTURE: Commission suggests simplifying agricultural State aid rules and facilitating crisis support
(EU) EP/INTERNAL MARKET: Ms Gebhardt and Mr Harbour propose radical reformulation of freedom to provide services
(EU) EU/WTO/GMO: Previous European Moratorium on GMOs deemed to have been against multilateral trade rules, and safeguard clauses of 6 Member States would have lacked scientific basis - EU remains confident as GMO authorisation system not challenged
(EU) EU/UNITED STATES/TRADE: Washington calls for immediate end to European sanctions on Byrd Amendment - In wake of WTO report, "EU must change its practices in sales of GMO"
(EU) EU/EDUCATION/SOCIAL/CORRIGENDUM:
(EU) EU/UNO/ENVIRONMENT: EU welcomes Dubai Declaration as first international agreement on global management of chemicals
(EU) EU/ENVIRONMENT: France threatened with daily fine of 168,000 euro if it fails to respect Directive on biotechnologies
(EU) EP/ENVIRONMENT/TRANSPORT: Caroline Lucas lambasts Blair government on aviation taxation
(EU) EU/MEDIA/COMMISSION: Voluntary standards best way to develop digital television market
(EU) EP/CULTURE/RESEARCH: EPP-ED wants EU to support research on protection of cultural heritage
(EU) EU/STATE AID: Commission examines Luxembourg “1929 Holdings” tax exemption scheme
(EU) EU/STATE AID: Enquiry into Greece's contribution to OTE early retirement plan
(EU) EU/COMPETITION/DEFENCE: Green light for purchase of some of EADS Deutschland's activities by MDBA
(EU) EU/COMPETITION:
(EU) EP/ALDE/SOCIAL: André Sapir: adapting our social systems to globalisation means priority to labour market policies and reform of social policy
(EU) EU/LISBON/ITALY: Confindustria presents worrying report in Brussels
(EU) EU/COURT OF JUSTICE: European community has exclusive competency for concluding new EC/EFTA Lugano convention on legal rulings
(EU) EU/MIGRATION/ASYLUM/RED CROSS: Appeal to European institutions and Member States
(EU) EU/OLYMPIC GAMES/DOPING:
€ VALUE IN DIFFERENT CURRENCIES ON 08/02/2006: