Don't axe gender and environment laws, NGOs tell Timmermans

(EurActiv, 5 Dec 2014) Twenty gender equality and environmental organisations, including trade unions and consumer groups, have called on the European Commission to ignore a hit list of proposals that business lobbyists want ditched by the new executive.

Pending EU rules to guarantee gender balance on boards, extend maternity leave, reduce air pollution, and introduce a Financial Transaction Tax (FTT) should be axed because they damage the competitiveness of European companies, BusinessEurope told Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans three weeks ago.

Timmermans is the man President Jean-Claude Juncker has put in charge of cutting red tape and delivering “better regulation”. He is currently analysing about 130 pieces of pending legislation left over from the Barroso Commission to decide if any should be dropped.

The EU’s Circular Economy Package, which includes laws on waste and landfill,  should be “withdrawn and re-tabled as an economic piece of legislation”, BusinessEurope said in a communication, exclusively revealed by EurActiv. They later published the statement.

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EurActiv, 5 Dec 2014: Don't axe gender and environment laws, NGOs tell Timmermans