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A challenge and an opportunity
25th of November 2010For many European companies, exporting to, setting up a sales office or a subsidiary in the US can be a real headache, as well as a costly exercise. A number of different steps should be taken in order to make sure the investment will not result in a financial disaster, as Ruediger Schroeder at BBinc writes for ECJ.
Exporting, setting up a sales
Flexible work helps everyone
25th of November 2010Both employers and workers benefit in many ways from flexible working time arrangements - says a new European Commission study. The report on flexible working time arrangements and gender equality provides an overview of current practices in the 27 EU and the EEA-EFTA countries (Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland).
It focuses on
Late payment rules
25th of November 2010The standard deadline in the European Union for both public and private sectors to pay a bill for goods or services will now be 30 days. The European Parliament has adopted the revised version of the so-called Late Payments Directive.
The main objective of this revision is to ensure small and medium sized firms no longer face financial problems
MEPs back 20-week maternity leave
25th of November 2010Euro MPs have backed a controversial draft law to extend maternity leave to 20 weeks on full pay and make that mandatory in the EU. Minimum maternity leave in the EU is currently 14 weeks. The European Commission now has to find a compromise that will also be acceptable to the member states.
According to the Parliament, a female employee should