About: regulation
Soft drink makers back product reformulation as ‘healthier’ than taxation
Governments can steer consumers towards healthier choices by supporting the reformulation of food ingredients, rather than imposing "discriminatory" taxes, according to the soft drinks industry.
Regulating consumers?
Over the years, sales and marketing restrictions have piled up on food, drinks and alcohol products. Some are now beginning to worry about a “slippery slope” where tobacco-style regulations – and taxation – are being applied to a whole range of consumer products in the name of public health objectives.
The slippery slope of consumer goods regulation
Over the past few years, a series of restrictions on fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) have been imposed across the world, including in several European countries.
Regulating consumers, ensuring public health?
Soft drinks, food, tobacco, alcohol and e-cigarettes are among the most regulated consumer products in Europe.
TTIP: Chevron lobbied for controversial legal right as ‘environmental deterrent’
Chevron lobbied the EU to give foreign investors the legal right to challenge government decisions in a major US-EU trade deal because it would act as a deterrent against laws such as fracking bans, the Guardian can reveal.
Analogue rules in a digital world hampering progress
Fast growth in digital services is bringing enormous social and economic benefits to customers the world over. But market regulation must be adapted to the 21st century if this sector is to achieve its potential, writes Daniel Pataki.
Germany’s Schäuble wants to rebalance EU Commission’s role
Germany's finance minister wants to correct the balance between the European Commission's political role and its regulatory powers, reflecting concern in Berlin over the EU executive's neutrality as its political clout grows.
Commission fleshes out energy strategy for Southeast Europe
As energy ministers of eight countries from Southeast Europe meet in Sofia today (9 February) to discuss the countries’ needs and ambitions, a leaked paper has shed light on the European Commission’s plans to help the region overcome its various problems.
EU seeks to break barriers for qualified professionals
The European Commission yesterday (2 October) kicked off an evaluation of national regulations on access to qualified professions in an attempt to smooth out divisions between member states over the controversial issue.Introduce precautionary principle for financial products, or they will fail us
Europe is in the process of re-formulating financial regulations and creating a new banking union, but new rules will give rise to new financial products, writes Suleika Reiners, and these may wriggle around the new rules. Financial innovations need to be tested and put to the precautionary principle no less than other aspects of society, she argues, and suggests that a new body could be set up to carry this out. VideoPromoted content
Youth and Policy: A Healthy Mix?
A stakeholder workshop organized by Fondation EURACTIV to explore issues surrounding the protection of young people in the policy debate. Participants were asked to contribute to a range of ideas designed not to answer all the questions relating to youth and health policies, but to provide a blueprint for how such issues can be addressed in the future. Such issues include: Can an age be defined when a young person is no longer "vulnerable"? What is the best long-term approach: regulation and protection or education and empowerment?High offshore safety standards in North Sea must not be risked
The European Commission’s intention to improve safety in offshore oil and gas across Europe by using the UK’s best practices should be welcomed. However, the form of legislation proposed would have the opposite effect and undo decades of established regulatory experience - putting the safety of workers at risk, writes Malcolm Webb, chief executive of Oil & Gas UK.Building a single e-commerce market
The regulatory framework in Europe is still a barrier for growth for e-commerce, says Marc Lolivier.
Internet guru warns users to play safe
Cyber security, intellectual property piracy and regulatory reach from the telecommunications industry are all putting the free online space under threat, Vinton Cerf, one of the inventors in the epoch-changing technology, told EURACTIV, underscoring that there is a danger of killing off the innovation that underpins it.
Commission defends suspension of credit ratings
The Commission yesterday (25 October) defended proposals to suspend the activity of ratings agencies when necessary, attracting severe criticism from the industry over the issue.
Eurobarometer: support for stronger regulatory coordination
Europeans increasingly want stronger EU-wide cooperation to tackle the financial crisis according to the latest Eurobarometer – a snapshot of opinion across the continent gauged in May this year – although faith in the ability of institutions to combat the crisis is ebbing.
European anti-terror measures to follow Norway attacks
The EU is set to introduce stringent tests to regulate the manufacture and sale of fertilisers and other materials used to make home-made bombs in the wake of Anders Behring Breivik’s mass murder in Norway last week (22 July).
Anti-tobacco campaign heralds new regulations
The European Commission is set to widen the scope of cigarette-trading rules to cover potentially harmful electronic cigarettes, flavourings and even marketing strategies, as part of a wider campaign launched yesterday (16 June) to urge Europeans to quit.
Europe, US clash with Asia on commodities regulation
Sharp differences emerged between EU-US and Asian policymakers over whether to regulate commodities trading during a policy debate at a European Commission-hosted conference on raw materials, held on Tuesday (14 June) in Brussels.
EU pushes for standardised rail IT booking system
The European Commission unveiled new rules on Thursday (5 May) intended to make it as easy for rail passengers to buy tickets and coordinate their travel plans as it is for air travellers.
Commission’s nano policy lost in definition
The European Commission's hesitance to define nanotechnology underscores diverging opinions among stakeholders and is causing uncertainty in the sector, it emerged this week.
Carbon trading disruptions continue as spot markets close
Bulgaria, Ireland and Norway will reopen their national emissions registries today but security doubts have led two carbon spot markets – Climex and APX-ENDEX – to close their operations for good.
EU lets financial watchdogs off the leash
An array of new European financial supervisory bodies designed to monitor and avert future economic crises on the continent have opened their doors for business.