LOAN OF € 1.8 BILLION TO UKRAINE

The EP International Trade Committee backs up plans to disburse €1.8 billion in medium-term loans to help Ukraine out of its economic recession. The loans will top up financial help from other donors under an economic programme put together by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This additional money will make an important contribution to a new package of international support to Ukraine, both directly, through the approved amount of €1.8 billion and indirectly, by mobilising other partners' contributions.

IS BROAD RECOVERY IS WITHIN REACH ?

With all major central banks pursuing expansionary monetary policies, oil prices falling sharply, and the ongoing revolution in information technology spurring investment opportunities, the prospects for economic growth in 2015 and beyond are better than they look to the pessimists.

THE VIEW OF ANTONIO VITORINO, JACQUES DELORS INSTITUTE

António Vitorino, a Portuguese lawyer by profession since 1982, has been an associate at the law firm Cuatrecasas,Gonçalves Pereira & Associados since 2005. Elected to parliament in 1980, he was Minister for Parliamentary Affairs in the government of Mario Soares (1983-85), then Deputy Secretary in the government of Macau (1986-87). He was a judge on Portugal's constitutional court (1989-94) before being elected MEP in 1994. In 1995 he became Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Portugal.

EU COPYRIGHT DIRECTIVE

When the European President Jean-Claude Juncker took office last November he identified the creation of a digital single market for consumers and businesses as his number one priority. This vision in part relies upon a more harmonised approach to copyright among Member States, which in turn suggests a review of the principal source of regulation - the EU Copyright Directive.

BUSINESS EUROPE REFORM BAROMETER

European Union members of Business Europe have made satisfactory progress over the past year on only a fifth of reforms required to boost growth and competitiveness. BusinessEurope, which represents federations in 33 countries, asked its EU members to rate efforts by their governments to implement country-specific reforms. They assessed implementation as excellent or satisfactory in only 22 percent of cases.

THE EURO FREE FALL AGAINST THE U.S. DOLLAR

In six months, Goldman Sachs thinks the Euro will reach parity with the U.S Dollar. The Euro has fallen considerably over the last year and is currently at around 1.06 to the Dollar. The Euro hasn't been at parity with the dollar since late 2002. Indeed, the Euro has fallen 24 percent against the Dollar in less than a year,

It is possible Euro trading will be below equal value to the dollar in a year, but over the next couple years Goldman Sachs expects the Euro to fall to record lows against the Dollar.

EU-GEORGIA ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT

The Association Agreement (AA) aims to deepen political and economic relations between Georgia and the EU, and to gradually integrate Georgia into the EU Internal Market. This includes the setting up of a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), which is a core part of the Agreement.

The AA is a concrete way to activate the potential of EU-Georgian relations, focusing on support to core reforms, on economic recovery and growth, governance and sector cooperation.

ASSESSMENT OF CLIMATE CHANGE POLICIES IN EU 28

1. Austria: Austria has implemented policy instruments in all climate change-related areas, with a focus on renewable energies and energy efficiency. In addition, Austria adopted legally binding GHG emission targets as well as funding opportunities addressing waste, industry, F-gases, buildings, agriculture, and transport.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ONLINE REPUTATION MANAGEMENT(ORM)

Online reputation management (ORM) makes you look better online. It is the essential personal branding tool of our time. ORM involves placing new content online that pushes old or unwanted content lower in search results. It can also raise other online content higher to displace unwanted material. Once successfully arranged, the results must be maintained. Otherwise, the unwanted material may resurface at the top of Google search results usually within three to six months. New content does not automatically appear at the top of search results.

EURASIAN COUNCIL ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Central Asia is a region the size of Western Europe and contains five countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Blessed with some of the richest and most diverse resources anywhere in the world, over the last twenty years the region has shown its commitment to become a reliable, long-term partner of the West.

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