The importance of trade deals - EUbusiness Week newsletter 844 - EUbusiness.com

EUbusiness Week 844 top stories: Parliament go-ahead for trade deal with Singapore; EU reaches deal on digital copyright reform; Saudi Arabia added to EU money-laundering blacklist; Draft agreement on new natural gas transit rules; New EU rules on fake drugs enter into force; EU moves to allay public concern over food safety studies

Publisher’s Note

An important milestone for the EU’s negotiations of trade deals around the world this week, as MEPs gave their green light to the trade agreement with Singapore. This boosts EU efforts to cement deals, reflects its determination to forge cooperation and multilateralism through trade and creates new opportunities for European business in uncertain times. The bargaining power the EU holds as a major trading bloc was held up by MP Kenneth Clarke in a Brexit debate: “very important countries such as Japan and South Korea, and others, are going to expect better terms from the UK, at the expense of the UK, than they have had to give to the EU”.
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Regards,

Nick Prag
Publisher, EUbusiness

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1. Parliament go-ahead for trade deal with Singapore

The EU Parliament endorsed Wednesday the free trade and investment protection deals between EU and Singapore, a blueprint for further cooperation with Southeast Asia.
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2. EU reaches deal on digital copyright reform

Creatives and news publishers will be empowered to negotiate with internet giants thanks to a deal reached Wednesday on copyright rules, with safeguards on freedom of expression.
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3. Saudi Arabia added to EU money-laundering blacklist

Saudi Arabia has been added to the EU’s list of 23 third countries with strategic deficiencies in their anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing frameworks.
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4. Draft agreement on new natural gas transit rules

New rules setting out a clear regulatory framework to operate gas pipelines inside the EU and from non-EU countries were provisionally agreed Tuesday by MEPs and Member States.
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5. New EU rules on fake drugs enter into force

New rules on safety features for prescription medicines sold in the EU have entered into force, introducing end-to-end verification and safety features on prescription medicines.
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6. EU moves to allay public concern over food safety studies

Parliament and Council reached provisional agreement Monday on draft rules to ensure the EU risk assessment procedure for food safety is more transparent and independent.
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EUROPEAN LAW

Latest news from the European Court of Justice
EU law firms
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Inside the EU Institutions

Council Watch

European Labour Authority agreement – EU copyright rules for the digital age – Gas directive – pan-European pension – Aerodynamic lorry cabs – 2020 EU budget priorities – Law enforcement access to financial information – Financial supervision – Promoting clean vehicles – Safe, transparent food chain – Seafarers’ training – ECB executive board
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Council …
Commission Watch Explosive precursors rules – fairness of online platforms’ trading practices – investment screening framework – European Labour Authority – Intra-EU cross-border payments – EU-Asia trade – anti-money laundering – copyright – fisheries technical conservation measures – pensions – vaping regulation – pipelines with third countries – Virgin Atlantic-Air-France-KLM-Delta-Virgin Group – Brexit Preparedness for railway safety – joint industrial defence projects – Cambodia trade – food safety studies
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Parliament Watch

Boosting workers’ rights in new forms of work – cross-border payments outside Eurozone – closer scrutiny of foreign direct investment – Human Rights breaches in Saudi Arabia, Chechnya and Zimbabwe – online platforms – objectives for future regional and cohesion funding – medical use of cannabis – Bosnia and Herzegovina reforms – regional funding and economic targets – gas market rules – disaster response
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EU diary

18 Feb: European Parliament Committee Meetings
18 Feb: Foreign Affairs Council
19-20 Feb: Rotorcraft structures workshop 2019
19-22 Feb: TT27 Leadership Academy 2019
19 Feb: General Affairs Council
20-22 Feb: Uncertainty in risk analysis EFSA-BfR conference
22 Feb: The future of cohesion policy in post-2020 period
The Week Ahead
Long-term diary