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Redrawing the rules on European tax
19th of May 2011
Business leaders in Europe are being urged to have their say in a consultation that could lead to the most radical shake-up of the VAT system in more than 40 years. The European Commission wants a “simpler, more robust and efficient” structure that will reduce the impact of the economic crisis on national budgets and help drive the
Eurozone recovery gains ground
19th of May 2011The European Commission has raised its eurozone growth forecast and announced that the economic recovery is gaining ground. But it was also quick to warn of higher inflation as a result of surging oil prices.
EU economic and monetary affairs commissioner Olli Rehn said he expected gross domestic product in the 17-countries eurozone to increase by
EU court rejects patent plan cornerstone
19th of May 2011The European Court of Justice has decided the proposed establishment of an EU patent tribunal is incompatible with EU rules, meaning this cornerstone of long-standing plans to create a unified European patent will have to be reviewed.
Moves to develop a single patent system for the EU began in 2003, but progress has been hampered by linguistic,
Equal opportunities study
18th of May 2011A recent international study done by an international consultancy calls into question many of the assumptions made about gender differences in job satisfaction and career development.
There was little statistical difference in the Accenture research between women (47 per cent) and men (44 per cent) when it came to dissatisfaction with current pay
EU guide to procurement
18th of May 2011The European Commission has launched Buying Social: a Guide to Take Account of Social Considerations in Public Procurement. This new publication is designed to be a concrete tool in helping public authorities to buy goods and services in a socially responsible way in line with EU rules. It also highlights the contribution public procurement can
Pension reform
18th of May 2011The European Commission is working to convince member states to adopt 'automatic adjustments' in pension legislations so the retirement age is pegged to longevity.
The question of how to reform Europe's generous pension systems is growing in importance as Europe's population continues to age.
Consequently, while at present there are four people
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