EurActiv General
<p>
Turkey's main opposition party CHP has detailed its hostility to the constitutional amendments proposed by the ruling AK party, which will be voted upon in a referendum on 12 September.</p>
<p>
Bosnia and Herzegovina's 3.8 million Muslim citizens moved a step closer to gaining visa-free travel to the Schengen zone after its parliament extended the mandate of the head of an anti-corruption agency on Wednesday (1 September).</p>
<p>
The United States is behind the wall of secrecy surrounding global trade talks to combat counterfeiting, say EU policy sources, who claim that American officials are refusing to let their European counterparts publish the draft agreement online.</p>
<p>
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has deplored the absence of the European Union from direct talks between Israel and Palestine, which are due to start today (2 September) in Washington.</p>
<p>
Public bodies and private companies will be obliged to stick to deadlines in paying their creditors to avoid high interest rates on their debt, according to a draft deal between the EU institutions on the recast of the Late Payments Directive.</p>
<p>
A potentially damaging trade row has flared up between EU and Chinese trade authorities as China claims Europe has been unfairly subsidising potato starch exports.</p>
Agenda
<p>
German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke out in favour of extending the use of nuclear power plants in Germany in a television interview on 29 August, saying it would be reasonable if they could run another 10 to 15 years.</p>
<p>
The Belgian politician leading talks to form a new government tendered his resignation yesterday (29 August), but the king insisted that he stay on to avert a political crisis just two months after parliamentary elections.</p>
<p>
The European Commission's communication strategy is undergoing structural change in a re-branding centred on President José Manuel Barroso, increased centralisation of public communications, a new organisational chart and a key reshuffle of top officials, a person close to the matter told EurActiv.</p>
<p>
Cigarette smuggling and fake designer goods will top the agenda when Europe's Anti-Fraud Commissioner Algirdas Šemeta meets Chinese officials in Shanghai this week. The commissioner told EurActiv the EU has an "enormous problem" with illegal goods entering the European market from China.</p>
<p>
Serbia and Kosovo have no option but to hold frank talks without outside involvement and reach a compromise agreement if they are to progress on their paths to European integration, concludes a report by the International Crisis Group (ICG), an NGO advising governments on conflict resolution, published on 26 August.</p>
Constitution
<p>
Working shorter hours could reduce the burden our lifestyles impose on the environment while offering solutions to the mass unemployment caused by the economic crisis, according to new research.</p>
<p>
No public festivities in the US and no statements from the EU – so far. The announcement by the White House of the end of the Iraq war, which took the lives of more than 4,700 coalition troops - including many Europeans - came amid a muted atmosphere.</p>
<p>
Thilo Sarrazin, a Social Democrat politician and board member of the German Federal Bank, published his latest book on Monday (30 August), triggering a storm of disapproval over his racial and minority integration theories. He is now being threatened with dismissal both from his party and the Bundesbank.</p>
<p>
Flaws in the US anti-terror system exposed by the recent arrest in Amsterdam of two suspected terrorists flying from Chicago pushed MEPs from the two main parties in the European Parliament to ask for "better" rather than "more" security checks ahead of a crucial new round of negotiations between the EU and the US over Passenger Name Records (PNRs).</p>
<p>
The European Union is drafting a new energy efficiency action plan to make good on its pledge to combat climate change and reduce its dependency on imported oil and gas.</p>
Energy
<p>
Serbia has tabled an initiative to push through a resolution in the UN General Assembly declaring unilateral secession by Kosovo as "unacceptable". But major EU countries warned Belgrade that it should seek solutions to its problems in Brussels, not New York. Beta agency, EurActiv's partner in Serbia, reports.</p>
<p>
Germany's Federal Constitutional Court has avoided a stand-off with the European Court of Justice (ECJ) over how to balance competencies between the EU and its member states. The move is seen in Brussels as a relief, as in the past Germany had blocked further EU integration with its Constitutional Court rulings. EurActiv Germany contributed to this article.</p>
<p>
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, formerly a high-profile humanitarian activist, said he had considered resigning over the controversy sparked by the expulsions of Roma from France to their home countries, Bulgaria and Romania. Even Prime Minister François Fillon admitted he had "differences" with President Nicolas Sarkozy over his immigration policy.</p>
<p>
As a way to encourage local and regional bodies to seek EU funding, the West Sweden region has developed an 'advice service' which helps them access funds that match their own long-term development goals. Its designers view the model as "solid and unique" and hope to see it replicated across the EU. </p>
<p>
Discussions on the possible introduction of a bank levy and an EU tax on financial transactions are expected to dominate the first meeting of EU economy ministers since the summer break, according to the meeting's draft agenda.</p>
CSR
<p>
Working shorter hours could reduce the burden our lifestyles impose on the environment while offering solutions to the mass unemployment caused by the economic crisis, according to new research.</p>
<p>
No public festivities in the US and no statements from the EU – so far. The announcement by the White House of the end of the Iraq war, which took the lives of more than 4,700 coalition troops - including many Europeans - came amid a muted atmosphere.</p>
<p>
Thilo Sarrazin, a Social Democrat politician and board member of the German Federal Bank, published his latest book on Monday (30 August), triggering a storm of disapproval over his racial and minority integration theories. He is now being threatened with dismissal both from his party and the Bundesbank.</p>
Enlargement
<p>
The United States is behind the wall of secrecy surrounding global trade talks to combat counterfeiting, say EU policy sources, who claim that American officials are refusing to let their European counterparts publish the draft agreement online.</p>
<p>
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has deplored the absence of the European Union from direct talks between Israel and Palestine, which are due to start today (2 September) in Washington.</p>
<p>
Public bodies and private companies will be obliged to stick to deadlines in paying their creditors to avoid high interest rates on their debt, according to a draft deal between the EU institutions on the recast of the Late Payments Directive.</p>
Environment
<p>
German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke out in favour of extending the use of nuclear power plants in Germany in a television interview on 29 August, saying it would be reasonable if they could run another 10 to 15 years.</p>
<p>
The Belgian politician leading talks to form a new government tendered his resignation yesterday (29 August), but the king insisted that he stay on to avert a political crisis just two months after parliamentary elections.</p>
<p>
The European Commission's communication strategy is undergoing structural change in a re-branding centred on President José Manuel Barroso, increased centralisation of public communications, a new organisational chart and a key reshuffle of top officials, a person close to the matter told EurActiv.</p>
Financial services
<p>
German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke out in favour of extending the use of nuclear power plants in Germany in a television interview on 29 August, saying it would be reasonable if they could run another 10 to 15 years.</p>
<p>
The Belgian politician leading talks to form a new government tendered his resignation yesterday (29 August), but the king insisted that he stay on to avert a political crisis just two months after parliamentary elections.</p>
<p>
The European Commission's communication strategy is undergoing structural change in a re-branding centred on President José Manuel Barroso, increased centralisation of public communications, a new organisational chart and a key reshuffle of top officials, a person close to the matter told EurActiv.</p>
<p>
Cigarette smuggling and fake designer goods will top the agenda when Europe's Anti-Fraud Commissioner Algirdas Šemeta meets Chinese officials in Shanghai this week. The commissioner told EurActiv the EU has an "enormous problem" with illegal goods entering the European market from China.</p>
<p>
Serbia and Kosovo have no option but to hold frank talks without outside involvement and reach a compromise agreement if they are to progress on their paths to European integration, concludes a report by the International Crisis Group (ICG), an NGO advising governments on conflict resolution, published on 26 August.</p>
Health & Pharma
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