The Eurofi Magazine April 2021

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The Eurofi Magazine April 2021 www.eurofi.net VIEWS THE EUROFI MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 JOÃO LEÃO Minister of State for Finance, Portugal We must spare no efforts until we achieve a sustainable and inclusive recovery M. CENTENO Building upon the integration leap we experienced with the crisis M. MCGUINNESS Strengthening the European financial system after Brexit and the Covid crisis A. ALDER Key issues for global regulators post-Covid VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.EUROFI.NET for our latest publications on the conditions for relaunching growth post-Covid and on-going trends and policy developments in the financial sector EUROFI POLICY NOTES PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR VIEWS THE EUROFI VIEWS MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 This bi-annual Views Magazine comprises contributions from a wide range of public and private sector representatives on the challenges and conditions for relaunching growth post-Covid, on-going industry trends such as digitalisation and ESG and key on-going policy initiatives in the financial sector. EDITORIAL & OPENING INTERVIEWS 1. POST-COVID CHALLENGES AND PRIORITIES Post-Covid economic and financial priorities ..................................................................................................................... 30 EU Recovery Package implementation ................................................................................................................................ 34 Fostering more investment in the EU .................................................................................................................................. 42 2. FINANCIAL RISKS AND STABILITY CHALLENGES Key financial sector vulnerabilities............................................................... ........................................................................ 52 Lessons from Covid on Non-Bank Financial Institution (NBFI) risks ................................................................................. 60 EU Anti Money Laundering (AML) policy redesign ............................................................................................................ 68 3. GLOBAL OUTLOOK Global fragmentation ........................................................................................................................................................... 74 Post-Brexit prospects ............................................................................................................................................................ 78 4. BANKING AND INSURANCE REGULATION Challenges faced by the EU banking sector ....................................................................................................................... 86 Basel banking standards evolution ..................................................................................................................................... 96 Policy priorities for the EU banking sector ........................................................................................................................ 102 EU Bank crisis management framework ........................................................................................................................... 108 Solvency II review ................................................................................................................................................................ 114 Insurance sector global issues ........................................................................................................................................... 122 4 | VIEWS | The EUROFI Magazine | April 2021 | eurofi.net CONTENT 5. FUTURE STEPS OF THE CMU New CMU action plan ......................................................................................................................................................... 130 AIFMD and ELTIF reviews .................................................................................................................................................... 138 Retail investment ................................................................................................................................................................. 144 Equity funding ..................................................................................................................................................................... 150 Securities and derivatives clearing .................................................................................................................................... 154 Securities post-trading ....................................................................................................................................................... 158 Consolidated tape and single access point ...................................................................................................................... 164 Relaunching securitization ................................................................................................................................................. 170 6. DIGITALISATION AND PAYMENTS Digital Finance Strategy ...................................................................................................................................................... 176 Financial data space and cloud infrastructure .................................................................................................................. 182 Adapting the financial framework to digitalization .......................................................................................................... 186 Crypto-assets and stablecoins ........................................................................................................................................... 190 Cross-border payments global roadmap .......................................................................................................................... 194 EU retail payment initiatives ............................................................................................................................................... 198 7. ESG AND SUSTAINABLE FINANCE ESG global and EU standards convergence ...................................................................................................................... 208 EU sustainable finance taxonomy ...................................................................................................................................... 216 Climate-risk implications .................................................................................................................................................... 222 eurofi.net | April 2021 | The EUROFI Magazine | VIEWS | 5 EDITORIAL CHALLENGING TIMES FOR THE EU AND ITS FINANCIAL INDUSTRY The April 2021 Eurofi High Level Seminar organized virtually in association with the Portuguese EU Presidency and the publication of this Magazine are taking place at a particularly challenging time, since the pandemic is not over in the world and in Europe. The responses to the Covid-19 crisis, how to relaunch growth in the EU and the role that the financial sector may play in this regard will provide major topics of discussion during this event and this Magazine offers a wide range of views on the related challenges and opportunities. The “Next Generation EU” Recovery plan in particular is a significant step towards more fiscal cohesion and solidarity, but money alone will not ensure recovery. One particular challenge at this point in time is the relaunching of productive investment DIDIER CAHEN and sustainable growth in the EU. Indeed, major investments are needed for supporting the post-Covid recovery, the EU Green Deal and digital transformation. However real Gross Domestic Product growth and productivity gains in the euro area have failed to catch up with the US, China and Japan over the past two decades and lasting low interest rates develop a preference for liquidity over productive investment among potential investors. Potential risks to global and European financial stability are another challenge. Near term financial stability risks are contained by massive monetary, fiscal, regulatory and supervisory support. But we are not out of rough waters. At the top of the list of threats lie high levels of public and private debt in a number of Member States, which cannot be alleviated by monetary policy. In addition, pushing too hard and too long on the monetary pedal may generate further vulnerabilities and eventually create the conditions for future crises. More structural policies are also needed in order to enhance fiscal sustainability. In terms of opportunities, major EU initiatives launched before the Covid crisis, such MARC TRUCHET as the Banking Union, the Capital Markets Union, the sustainable finance taxonomy and new initiatives such as the Digital Finance Strategy have the potential to provide the EU with the vibrant single market for financial services that is needed for funding the EU economy. However, these projects still need to become a reality. How to implement these initiatives in an effective way will be at the centre of the discussions of this event. In preparation for these debates, the Eurofi secretariat has prepared several papers on these issues that can be found in the April 2021 issue of the Eurofi Regulatory Update and the speakers participating in this event have been invited to express their views on these questions in this Magazine. We are grateful to the 180 public and private sector representatives who have provided us with input on these issues, and we are
Recommended publications
  • Green Deal – the Coordinators
    Green Deal – The Coordinators David Sassoli S&D ”I want the European Green Deal to become Europe’s hallmark. At the heart of it is our commitment to becoming the world’s first climate-neutral continent. It is also a long-term economic imperative: those who act first European Parliament and fastest will be the ones who grasp the opportunities from the ecological transition. I want Europe to be 1 February 2020 – H1 2024 the front-runner. I want Europe to be the exporter of knowledge, technologies and best practice.” — Ursula von der Leyen Lorenzo Mannelli Klaus Welle President of the European Commission Head of Cabinet Secretary General Chairs and Vice-Chairs Political Group Coordinators EPP S&D EPP S&D Renew ID Europe ENVI Renew Committee on Europe Dan-Ştefan Motreanu César Luena Peter Liese Jytte Guteland Nils Torvalds Silvia Sardone Vice-Chair Vice-Chair Coordinator Coordinator Coordinator Coordinator the Environment, Public Health Greens/EFA GUE/NGL Greens/EFA ECR GUE/NGL and Food Safety Pacal Canfin Chair Bas Eickhout Anja Hazekamp Bas Eickhout Alexandr Vondra Silvia Modig Vice-Chair Vice-Chair Coordinator Coordinator Coordinator S&D S&D EPP S&D Renew ID Europe EPP ITRE Patrizia Toia Lina Gálvez Muñoz Christian Ehler Dan Nica Martina Dlabajová Paolo Borchia Committee on Vice-Chair Vice-Chair Coordinator Coordinator Coordinator Coordinator Industry, Research Renew ECR Greens/EFA ECR GUE/NGL and Energy Cristian Bușoi Europe Chair Morten Petersen Zdzisław Krasnodębski Ville Niinistö Zdzisław Krasnodębski Marisa Matias Vice-Chair Vice-Chair
    [Show full text]
  • Europaparlamentet 2019–2024
    Europaparlamentet 2019–2024 Utskottet för miljö, folkhälsa och livsmedelssäkerhet ENVI_PV(2020)0305_1 PROTOKOLL från sammanträdet den 5 mars 2020 kl. 9.30–12.30 BRYSSEL Sammanträdet öppnades torsdagen den 5 mars 2020 kl. 9.40 med utskottets ordförande, Pascal Canfin, som ordförande. 1. Godkännande av föredragningslistan ENVI_OJ(2020)0305_1 Föredragningslistan godkändes i den form som framgår av detta protokoll. 2. Meddelanden från ordföranden Ordföranden meddelade följande: Tolkning: Tolkningen motsvarade utskottets normala språkprofil: 21 språk tolkades med undantag för estniska, maltesiska och iriska. Elektroniska sammanträdeshandlingar/webbsändning: Ordföranden informerade om att sammanträdeshandlingar som vanligt fanns tillgängliga i elektroniskt format via programmet för e-sammanträden och att sammanträdet skulle sändas på nätet. Rapport från ad hoc-delegationen till 25:e partskonferensen för FN:s ramkonvention om klimatförändringar i Madrid, Spanien, den 10– 14 december 2019: Ordföranden informerade om att sammanträdeshandlingarna innehöll rapporten från ad hoc-delegationen till 25:e partskonferensen för FN:s ramkonvention om klimatförändringar i Madrid, Spanien, den 10– 14 december 2019. PV\1204450SV.docx PE650.672v01-00 SV Förenade i mångfaldenSV 3. Meddelanden från ordföranden om samordnarnas rekommendationer av den 18 februari 2020 Ordföranden meddelade att samordnarnas rekommendationer av den 18 februari 2020 hade skickats ut elektroniskt, och att de, eftersom inga invändningar lagts fram, ansågs vara godkända (se bilaga
    [Show full text]
  • Mr Josep Borrell Vice-President of the European Commission High Representative of the Union for the CFSP Rue De La Loi 170 1000 Brussels
    Mr Josep Borrell Vice-President of the European Commission High Representative of the Union for the CFSP Rue de la Loi 170 1000 Brussels Brussels, 16th April 2021 Dear Mr. High Representative; Mr Vice-President of the Commission: A delegation from the illegitimate National Assembly of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which emerged from the electoral farce organised on 6th December 2020 by the regime of Nicolás Maduro, recently paid a visit to Brussels and was officially received by the institution you lead. According to a statement you made on behalf of the European Union on 6th December, this spurious process took place in the absence of electoral conditions that could have guaranteed its credibility, without any respect for political pluralism, and in an atmosphere of persecution and disqualification of democratic leaders whose legitimate rights were curtailed. Your statement concludes that such circumstances could not consider this process credible, inclusive, and transparent and therefore the results did not represent the will of the Venezuelan people. That initial statement was confirmed on 6 January of this year by a new declaration, in similar terms to those expressed on 6 December, and by the conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Council of 25 January. These reiterated the lack of recognition of the electoral process and regretted the behaviour of the authorities of the Maduro regime, whose actions are preventing a solution to the serious crisis in Venezuela. We were surprised and gravely concerned to learn that on 14th April, at your request, senior officials of the European External Action Service received the aforementioned delegation, comprising Iris Varela, Pedro Carreño and Desirée Santos Amaral, at the EEAS headquarters.
    [Show full text]
  • Euro Aggregate
    Investment Highlights 2Q 2021 Euro Aggregate Performance Review Global Bond and Currency Returns Euro Aggregate portfolios outperformed their benchmarks Country 9 7.1 in 2Q21: 6 3.1 Overweight exposures to corporate bonds and hard 3 2.2 2.5 0.4 1.1 1.3 currency EM bonds were positive. 0 -0.6 -0.6 -0.4 -0.4 -0.3 -0.2 Total Returns (%) Total -3 An opportunistic allocation to US and Australian Govt Year Bond 7–10 France Italy Germany Spain Mexico Poland Japan UK China* Australia US Indonesia*S. Africa* duration added to returns. Sector A flattening of global yield curves was beneficial. 3.0 EU UK US EM Tactical positioning in inflation-linked bonds added 1.7 1.9 1.7 2.0 1.5 1.2 0.9 1.1 1.0 to returns. 1.0 0.6 Currency positioning was a positive, driven by an 0.0 overweight position in the Hungarian forint. Excess Returns (%) -0.3 -1.0 Euro Euro UK UK US US US US USD EM EM Corp HY Corp HY Corp MBS HY TIPS Sovereign Corp Portfolio Activity Currency 6 Reduced eurozone duration by cutting exposure 3.4 4.1 4 2.5 2.6 to longer-dated French government bonds early 2 0.5 0.9 1.4 in the quarter. 0 -2 -0.8 -0.8 -0.3 Reduced US and UK duration during the quarter -1.8 -1.3 -1.2 -4 -2.4 NOKAUD JPY INR GBP USD KRW CAD SEK CNY PLN MXN ZAR RUB as yields declined.
    [Show full text]
  • Appointment of Charlotte Hogg As Deputy Governor of the Bank of England: Second Report
    House of Commons Treasury Committee Appointment of Charlotte Hogg as Deputy Governor of the Bank of England: Second Report Twelfth Report of Session 2016–17 Report, together with formal minutes relating to the report Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 13 March 2017 HC 1092 Published on 14 March 2017 by authority of the House of Commons The Treasury Committee The Treasury Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration, and policy of HM Treasury, HM Revenue and Customs and associated public bodies. Current membership Mr Andrew Tyrie MP (Conservative, Chichester) (Chair) Mr Steve Baker MP (Conservative, Wycombe) Helen Goodman MP (Labour, Bishop Auckland) Stephen Hammond MP (Conservative, Wimbledon) George Kerevan MP (Scottish National Party, East Lothian) Kit Malthouse MP (Conservative, North West Hampshire) John Mann MP (Labour, Bassetlaw) Chris Philp MP (Conservative, Croydon South) Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg MP (Conservative, North East Somerset) Rachel Reeves MP (Labour, Leeds West) Wes Streeting MP (Labour, Ilford North) The following member was also a member of the committee during the Parliament: Mark Garnier MP (Conservative, Wyre Forest) Powers The Committee is one of the departmental select committees, the powers of which are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally in SO No 152. These are available on the internet via www.parliament.uk. Publication Committee reports are published on the Committee’s website at www.parliament.uk/treascom and in print by Order of the House. Evidence relating to this report is published on the inquiry page of the Committee’s website.
    [Show full text]
  • European Union, 2020
    08 Malone article.qxp_Admin 69-1 22/02/2021 15:06 Page 97 Administration, vol. 69, no. 1 (2021), pp. 97–109 doi: 10.2478/admin-2021-0008 European Union, 2020 Margaret Mary Malone Institute of Public Administration, Ireland The year was defined by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, which unleashed a public health crisis and an associated economic crisis unlike anything experienced in modern times in Europe and beyond. The disease triggered a combined negative supply and demand shock of unprecedented intensity and the EU entered unchartered territory. National and regional serial lockdowns were introduced in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19 and avoid health systems becoming overwhelmed. In a show of solidarity commensurate with the unfolding economic emergency, EU member states agreed a financial stimulus package of some €1.8 trillion to rebuild the battered EU economy. The package comprised the EU’s budget, or Multi- annual Financial Framework (MFF), for the period 2021–7 plus a temporary novel recovery instrument, Next Generation EU (NGEU). Funds for NGEU are to be borrowed, exceptionally, by the European Commission on the international capital markets. This decision was a landmark departure for the EU. Developments in the institutions of the EU On 1 January Croatia began its presidency of the Council of the EU for six months. A member state since July 2013, this was the first time Croatia had presided over the Council. Its priorities were driven by an unwittingly prescient motto, ‘A strong Europe in a world of challenges’. On 1 July Germany took over the Council presidency with 97 08 Malone article.qxp_Admin 69-1 22/02/2021 15:06 Page 98 98 MARGARET MARY MALONE the challenge of combatting the economic, social and budgetary implications of Covid-19 front and centre.
    [Show full text]
  • Power Ranking of Meps in the Agricultural Committee of the European Parliament
    Who has the critical vote? Power ranking of MEPs in the Agricultural Committee of the European Parliament A. Kovacs¹; I. Fertő²; L. Kóczy²; B. Sziklai²; A.A. Nás² 1: Tec de Monterrey, Department of International Business, Mexico, 2: Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Economics, Hungary Corresponding author email: [email protected] Abstract: We analyze the voting power of the members of the agricultural committee of the European Parliament using a spatial Banzhaf power index. Using a novel dataset of roll-call votes in the current EP-term, we identify critical members whose votes are necessary to form winning coalitions. We found that committee members with formal positions, EP group coordinators as well as German, French, Italian and British members are powerful actors. Nevertheless, rapporteurs are not necessarily influential. We also concluded that members with moderate ideological position but from Member States with extreme agricultural importance are the most powerful ones. Acknowledegment: JEL Codes: C71, A12 #1419 Who has the critical vote? Power ranking of MEPs in the Agricultural Committee of the European Parliament Abstract We analyze the voting power of the members of the agricultural committee of the European Parliament using a spatial Banzhaf power index. Using a novel dataset of roll-call votes in the current EP-term, we identify critical members whose votes are necessary to form winning coalitions. We found that committee members with formal positions, EP group coordinators as well as German, French, Italian and British members are powerful actors. Nevertheless, rapporteurs are not necessarily influential. We also concluded that members with moderate ideological position but from Member States with extreme agricultural importance are the most powerful ones.
    [Show full text]
  • EU Proposes COVID-19 Recovery Plan and [Further] Adjusted Work Programme
    Tax Policy Bulletin from Global Tax Policy EU proposes COVID-19 Recovery Plan and [further] adjusted Work Programme June 29, 2020 In brief The European Commission has proposed a detailed COVID-19 Recovery Plan which includes more taxes going directly to the European Union. In the short term, the European Union will borrow to finance Member State investment in what is effectively the multi-annual financial framework (MFF) for 2021- 2027. The framework will be discussed in the coming months and, if approved, put in place this year. There would be some knock-on effects on work previously planned for 2020 (as discussed in our earlier Bulletin of 7 May 2020), including a number of tax proposals. This Bulletin focuses on • the fairly immediate introduction of ‘green’ levies: an EU-wide emissions trading levy, non-recycled plastic packaging waste charge and a carbon border adjustment mechanism; • a EU single market tax on the 70,000 large companies with revenues over EUR 750m; • a digital tax in the event of the OECD-led digitalisation/ globalisation project not producing a suitable consensus among the near 140 members of the Inclusive Framework; • the delivery of planned 2020 projects, including an “Action Plan to fight tax evasion and to make taxation simple and easy” and a plan on “Business Taxation for the 21st century.“ In detail COVID-19 recovery fund and structuring repayments The European Council endorsed crisis funding to provide a safety net for workers, businesses and Member State governments of EUR 540bn on April 23, 2020. The European Commission has now proposed an emergency European recovery instrument, ‘Next Generation EU,’ amounting to a further EUR 750bn.
    [Show full text]
  • European Parliament Elections 2019 - Forecast
    Briefing May 2019 European Parliament Elections 2019 - Forecast Austria – 18 MEPs Staff lead: Nick Dornheim PARTIES (EP group) Freedom Party of Austria The Greens – The Green Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) (EPP) Social Democratic Party of Austria NEOS – The New (FPÖ) (Salvini’s Alliance) – Alternative (Greens/EFA) – 6 seats (SPÖ) (S&D) - 5 seats Austria (ALDE) 1 seat 5 seats 1 seat 1. Othmar Karas* Andreas Schieder Harald Vilimsky* Werner Kogler Claudia Gamon 2. Karoline Edtstadler Evelyn Regner* Georg Mayer* Sarah Wiener Karin Feldinger 3. Angelika Winzig Günther Sidl Petra Steger Monika Vana* Stefan Windberger 4. Simone Schmiedtbauer Bettina Vollath Roman Haider Thomas Waitz* Stefan Zotti 5. Lukas Mandl* Hannes Heide Vesna Schuster Olga Voglauer Nini Tsiklauri 6. Wolfram Pirchner Julia Elisabeth Herr Elisabeth Dieringer-Granza Thomas Schobesberger Johannes Margreiter 7. Christian Sagartz Christian Alexander Dax Josef Graf Teresa Reiter 8. Barbara Thaler Stefanie Mösl Maximilian Kurz Isak Schneider 9. Christian Zoll Luca Peter Marco Kaiser Andrea Kerbleder Peter Berry 10. Claudia Wolf-Schöffmann Theresa Muigg Karin Berger Julia Reichenhauser NB 1: Only the parties reaching the 4% electoral threshold are mentioned in the table. Likely to be elected Unlikely to be elected or *: Incumbent Member of the NB 2: 18 seats are allocated to Austria, same as in the previous election. and/or take seat to take seat, if elected European Parliament ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• www.eurocommerce.eu Belgium – 21 MEPs Staff lead: Stefania Moise PARTIES (EP group) DUTCH SPEAKING CONSITUENCY FRENCH SPEAKING CONSITUENCY GERMAN SPEAKING CONSTITUENCY 1. Geert Bourgeois 1. Paul Magnette 1. Pascal Arimont* 2. Assita Kanko 2. Maria Arena* 2.
    [Show full text]
  • Eiropas Parlaments
    EIROPAS PARLAMENTS 2004 2009 Iekšējā tirgus un patērētāju aizsardzības komiteja un Drošības un aizsardzības apakškomiteja IMCO(2005)0623_1 PROTOKOLS uzklausīšanai par iepirkumiem aizsardzības sistēmas vajadzībām iekšējā tirgū, kas notika 2005. gada 23. jūnijā no plkst. 15.00 līdz plkst. 18.30 BRISELĒ Sanāksmi atklāja ceturtdien, 2005. gada 23. jūnijā plkst. 15.00 priekšsēdētāja Karl von Wogau (Drošības un aizsardzības apakškomitejas priekšsēdētāja) vadībā. Iekšējā tirgus un patērētāju aizsardzības komitejas referents Joachim Wuermeling atklāja uzklausīšanu, sveicot runātājus un Rūpniecības, pētniecības un enerģētikas komitejas atzinuma projekta sagatavotāju Gunnar Hökmark. Priekšsēdētājs Phillip Whitehead atvainojās par to, ka nevarēs vadīt uzklausīšanu, ņemot vērā sanāksmes ar Apvienotās Karalistes prezidentūru, pēc kā priekšsēdētājs deva vārdu Angelika Beer, Drošības un aizsardzības apakškomitejas atzinuma projekta sagatavotājai. Angelika Beer izklāstīja dažus sava atzinuma projekta punktus. Sanāksmes priekšsēdētājs Karl von Wogau deva vārdu šādiem runātājiem: Burkhard Schmitt, Drošības izpētes institūta Parīzē pārstāvis Dr. Hartmut Kuchle, Starptautiskā pārveides centra BICC pārstāvis Arturo Alfonso-Merino, Eiropas Aizsardzības aģentūras (EDA) pārstāvis François Lureau, Valsts apgādes aģentūras pārstāvis (Francija) Timm Meyer, valsts pasūtījuma speciālists un Eiropas Rūpniecības un darba devēju konfederāciju savienības (UNICE) valsts pasūtījuma darba grupas priekšsēdētājs, Percurt Green valsts aizsardzības nozares pārstāvis
    [Show full text]
  • Association of Accredited Lobbyists to the European Parliament
    ASSOCIATION OF ACCREDITED LOBBYISTS TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OVERVIEW OF EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT FORUMS AALEP Secretariat Date: October 2007 Avenue Milcamps 19 B-1030 Brussels Tel: 32 2 735 93 39 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.lobby-network.eu TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction………………………………………………………………..3 Executive Summary……………………………………………………….4-7 1. European Energy Forum (EEF)………………………………………..8-16 2. European Internet Forum (EIF)………………………………………..17-27 3. European Parliament Ceramics Forum (EPCF………………………...28-29 4. European Parliamentary Financial Services Forum (EPFSF)…………30-36 5. European Parliament Life Sciences Circle (ELSC)……………………37 6. Forum for Automobile and Society (FAS)…………………………….38-43 7. Forum for the Future of Nuclear Energy (FFNE)……………………..44 8. Forum in the European Parliament for Construction (FOCOPE)……..45-46 9. Pharmaceutical Forum…………………………………………………48-60 10.The Kangaroo Group…………………………………………………..61-70 11.Transatlantic Policy Network (TPN)…………………………………..71-79 Conclusions………………………………………………………………..80 Index of Listed Companies………………………………………………..81-90 Index of Listed MEPs……………………………………………………..91-96 Most Active MEPs participating in Business Forums…………………….97 2 INTRODUCTION Businessmen long for certainty. They long to know what the decision-makers are thinking, so they can plan ahead. They yearn to be in the loop, to have the drop on things. It is the genius of the lobbyists and the consultants to understand this need, and to satisfy it in the most imaginative way. Business forums are vehicles for forging links and maintain a dialogue with business, industrial and trade organisations. They allow the discussions of general and pre-legislative issues in a different context from lobbying contacts about specific matters. They provide an opportunity to get Members of the European Parliament and other decision-makers from the European institutions together with various business sectors.
    [Show full text]
  • Official Journal C72E Volume 44 of the European Communities 6 March 2001
    ISSN 0378-6986 Official Journal C72E Volume 44 of the European Communities 6 March 2001 English edition Information and Notices Notice No Contents Page I (Information) EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER (2001/C 72 E/001) E-0326/00 by Camilo Nogueira Román to the Commission Subject: Swordfish catch quotas ............................................... 1 (2001/C 72 E/002) E-0487/00 by Jens-Peter Bonde to the Commission Subject: Comitology ..................................................... 2 (2001/C 72 E/003) E-0539/00 by Raffaele Costa to the Council Subject: Pay of officials of the European Investment Bank (EIB) ............................. 3 (2001/C 72 E/004) E-0554/00 by Theodorus Bouwman and Karla Peijs to the Commission Subject: Hours of work for cockpit crew, air traffic safety and the internal market .................. 4 (2001/C 72 E/005) E-0696/00 by Brigitte Langenhagen to the Commission Subject: Streamlining procedures for drawing up Court of Auditors’ reports ...................... 5 (2001/C 72 E/006) E-0711/00 by Ioannis Marínos to the Council Subject: Statements by the British Foreign Secretary on Cyprus ............................. 6 (2001/C 72 E/007) E-0823/00 by Michiel van Hulten to the Commission Subject: European school milk measure .......................................... 7 (2001/C 72 E/008) E-0860/00 by Rosa Miguélez Ramos and Luis Berenguer Fuster to the Commission Subject: Fisheries agreement with Mexico ......................................... 8 (2001/C 72 E/009) E-0862/00 by Marielle De Sarnez to the Commission Subject: Commission view on the introduction of advertising into state educational establishments ......... 8 (2001/C 72 E/010) E-0947/00 by Rosa Miguélez Ramos to the Commission Subject: Income and social protection of women employed in shellfish harvesting .................
    [Show full text]