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April
2003
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BritishAmerican Business Action
EU Temporary Agency Workers Directive
In the response to our letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair, expressing our
concerns at the impact of the EU Temporary Agency Workers Directive on our
members, we have been assured that the British Government will work to
ensure a balance between maintaining a flexible labour market and protecting
workers. We will continue to keep in close touch with government on this
issue, which threatens a major impact on our members’ interests.
Consumer Protection
We are writing to British Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Patricia
Hewitt, to express our concerns about the
EU Green Paper on Consumer
Protection, and in particular our concern that such a Directive – requiring
business to show the fairness of marketing conduct -- will take the onus off
consumers to show that this marketing conduct was unfair. |
Washington
Senate Ratifies New US-UK Tax Treaty
On March 13, the US Senate ratified
the new
US-UK Tax Treaty, which will protect taxpayers from potential double
taxation through the allocation of taxing rights between the two countries.
The Treaty, which was originally
signed in July 2001 in London, will reduce barriers to cross-border investment
by eliminating double-taxation, and prevent fiscal evasion in the interaction
between the two systems. It will also eliminate all withholding taxes on certain
dividends paid between the countries and address the interactions between the
pension systems of the two countries in a much more comprehensive manner than
ever before.
Brussels
EU Chemicals
Legislation Looms
Erkki Liikanen, the
EU Enterprise Commissioner, announced plans for new legislation to address the
re-testing of thousands of chemicals. In a
joint press conference with industry representatives, Mr Liikanen said that
there will be a debate before Easter to settle the final approach for the
legislation, followed by an Internet consultation on the draft text.
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There are concerns within the
chemicals industry, as well as within other industries, that any legislation
calling for the re-testing of thousands of previously tested chemicals will be
an impractical, costly and lengthy procedure.
London
UK Government Looks to Increase Funds
for Industry
The UK Government is working to pass
the
Industrial Development Bill, which would more than double the amount of
spending the Government can use to support industry under Section 8 of the
Industrial Development Act 1982 (from £2.5 billion to £6.1 billion).
Section 8 assistance is granted to a
project if:
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It is likely to benefit the UK
economy;
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It is in the national interest; and
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Assistance cannot be provided
otherwise.
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Politics at
a Glance
Westminster:
The Chancellor will make his Budget Report Speech to the House of Commons on
9 April
www.hm-treasury.gov.uk
Washington:
On 26 March the WTO ruled US steel tariffs illegal
www.wto.org
Brussels:
Signing of the Accession Treaty 16 April in Athens
www.Europa.eu.int
For more information
on BritishAmerican Business’s policy program, contact Sarah Sim, Policy Manager
ssim@BritishAmerican Businessnc.org
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