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EU launches legal action against states over energy markets
September 29, 2011-- The EU said Thursday it has launched legal action against 18 of its 27 member states over a failure to implement bloc law domestically in a bid to open up gas and electricity markets.
Infringement proceedings against the 18 were launched for a failure to sufficiently liberalise gas distribution markets and ensure open access to pipelines in order to lower prices for businesses and consumers.
The same first step towards court action was taken against 17 of these countries for restrictions in access to electricity grids.
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Source: EUbusiness
Europe presses ahead with controversial financial tax
September 29, 2011--Europe went ahead with landmark proposals to tax the financial sector on Wednesday, ignoring US opposition in a move also sure to provoke a row with London which fears capital flight from the City.
On the drawing-board for more than a year, the idea was given fresh impetus last month when given the nod by Europe's power couple, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The plan will go before all 27 European Union heads of state and government at an October 17-18 summit, and also be put to a summit of G20 leaders in Cannes on November 3-4.
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Source: EUbusiness
Chorus of boos greets European Commission's draft 'Tobin tax'
September 29, 2011--The European Commission's recent proposal for a 'financial transaction tax' – or 'Tobin' tax, after Nobel Laureate economist James Tobin – has been greeted by a chorus of boos from industry experts, who have questioned the plan's focus, feasibility, consequences, scope and motives.
On Thursday, the Commission published a draft proposal to make the financial sector "pay its fair share", reduce "competitive distortions" and discourage "risky trading activities".
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Source: IP&E
Esma: ETFs 'deserve more scrutiny'
September 29, 2011--Complex exchange-traded funds "deserve more scrutiny" about their potential ability to destabilise financial stability, the head of Europe's securities watchdog has warned.
Transparency measures "should be improved" to aid investors in both ETFs and structured Ucits products, Steven Maijoor, chairman of the European Securities and Markets Authority, told a conference in Vienna on Thursday.
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Source: Global Financial Strategy
Did the Euro Crisis Affect Non-financial Firm Stock Prices through a Financial or Trade Channel? -IMF Working paper
September 29, 2011--Summary: This paper analyzes through what channels the euro crisis has affected firm valuations globally. It examines stock price responses over the past year for 3045 non-financial firms in 16 countries to three key crisis events.
Using pre-crisis benchmarks, it separates effects arising from changes in external financing and trade conditions and examines how bank and trade linkages propagated effects across borders. It finds that policy measures announced impacted financially-constrained firms more, particularly in creditor countries with greater bank exposure to peripheral euro countries. Trade linkages with peripheral countries also played a role, with euro exchange rate movements causing differential effects.
London Stock Exchange Group Confirms Exclusive Discussions With LCH.Clearnet
September 28, 2011--London Stock Exchange Group is pleased to confirm that it has entered into exclusive discussions with LCH.Clearnet regarding a potential transaction.
Work is focused and on-going, with a view to moving towards an agreement, though at this stage there can be no certainty that any transaction will result.
Source: London Stock Exchange
European Commission - Financial Transaction Tax: Making The Financial Sector Pay Its Fair Share
September 28, 2011--Today the Commission has presented a proposal for a financial transaction tax in the 27 Member States of the European Union.
The tax would be levied on all transactions on financial instruments between financial institutions when at least one party to the transaction is located in the EU. The exchange of shares and bonds would be taxed at a rate of 0.1% and derivative contracts, at a rate of 0.01%. This could approximately raise €57 billion every year. The Commission has proposed that the tax should come into effect from 1st January 2014.
The Commission has decided to propose a new tax on financial transactions for two reasons.
First, to ensure that the financial sector makes a fair contribution at a time of fiscal consolidation in the Member States. The financial sector played a role in the origins of the economic crisis. Governments and European citizens at large have borne the cost of massive taxpayer-funded bailouts to support the financial sector. Furthermore, the sector is currently under-taxed by comparison to other sectors. The proposal would generate significant additional tax revenue from the financial sector to contribute to public finances.
Second, a coordinated framework at EU level would help to strengthen the EU single market. Today, 10 Member States have a form of a financial transaction tax in place. The proposal would introduce new minimum tax rates and harmonise different existing taxes on financial transactions in the EU.. This will help to reduce competitive distortions in the single market, discourage risky trading activities and complement regulatory measures aimed at avoiding future crises. The financial transaction tax at EU level would strengthen the EU's position to promote common rules for the introduction of such a tax at global level, notably through the G20.
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Source: European Commission
EU financial transaction tax: what's covered, what's not
September 28, 2011-- A controversial European Union bid to impose a tax on financial transactions is intended to make the finance sector pay something back after massive public sector bailouts in recent years.
Draft European Commission legislation endeavours to prevent companies from relocating outside the single market, as critics claim, or consumers from picking up the tab further down the line, as campaigners fear.
"For instance, for a purchase of shares to the value of 10,000 euros, the bank could charge 10 euros, which is not excessive," the commission says.
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Source: EUbusiness
Brussels to release financial tax plan despite US objections
September 28, 2011--Europe looks set to shrug off US objections and go it alone with a financial transactions tax, an EU source said Tuesday, with Brussels due to imminently release proposals likely to raise a storm even within the bloc's ranks.
The European Commission approved in principle the tax proposal on Tuesday, and the head of the EU executive Jose Manuel Barroso may outline the plan on Wednesday in a "state of the union" address to the European parliament in Strasbourg.
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Source: EUbusiness
Common Rules for a Financial Transaction Tax – Frequently Asked Questions
September 28, 2011--1. General background
Why has the Commission proposed a new tax on the financial sector?
For two main reasons:
1.the financial sector would make a fair contribution to the cost of the crisis after benefiting from very significant financial support from governments since the beginning of the current crisis
2.a coordinated framework at EU level would help to create a stronger internal market for financial services by avoiding competitive distortions and discouraging risky trading activities. It would also be a strong signal to promote the introduction of such a tax at global level
Why is a financial transaction tax necessary at EU level?
It is appropriate to set up a harmonised tax at EU level to create a solid internal market for financial services. The financial transaction tax would prevent evasion, avoid double taxation and minimise distortions of competition within the EU's Single Market. The objective of the proposal could not be sufficiently achieved by the Member States acting by themselves.
Is there support for the introduction of a financial transaction tax?
Yes. According to the latest Eurobarometer, 65% of European citizens are in favour of a financial transaction tax.
Do financial services currently enjoy preferential treatment compared with other sectors?
Yes. Financial services are, in the majority of cases, exempt from paying VAT (due to difficulties in measuring the taxable base). This leads to the under-taxation of financial services.
In addition, the financial sector benefits from very high profit margins and the implicit protection from governments in the current economic crisis.
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Source: Europa
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