Small business fear the impact of Leaving EU

Curbing migration from Eastern European EU countries is a key goal for many Britons who plan to vote to leave the EU in a referendum on June 23. But many small firms believe the economic cost would be large, according to a new survey. EurActiv reports: http://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-europe/news/fear-of-eastern-eu-migrants-fuels-brexit-campaign-despite-gains/

In case they do leave … at least British lawyers would profit: A Brexit would force the U.K. to quickly negotiate trade agreements on its own. Amid the worrying consequences this might have on the British economy, the British parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee managed to find a tiny ray of light, Bloomberg reports, picked up by Politico Morning Trade. New trade agreements need negotiators, and these could be provided by London's financial sector: https://dub129.mail.live.com/?tid=cmWS0ZZTUM5hGqwwAhWthWqA2&fid=flinbox

According to Bloomberg, the Foreign Office budget of £1bn might have to double or even treble as a result: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-25/brexit-could-mean-big-business-for-london-bankers-and-lawyers

Amid controversy over the European Commission's increased scrutiny of American technology companies, the EU executive will propose new rules regulating online platforms, according to a leaked draft communication obtained by EurActiv.com. : http://www.euractiv.com/section/digital/news/commission-wants-to-regulate-us-dominated-online-platform-market/

The European Commission's upcoming data initiative will establish open data as the paradigm "by default", while allowing opt-outs only in restricted cases for commercial purposes, Commissioner Carlos Moedas told EurActiv.com. A new wave of entrepreneurs in fields such as health and energy efficiency have demonstrated the importance of data sharing ― not only for businesses, but also for research communities working to enrich innovation across Europe: http://www.euractiv.com/section/innovation-industry/news/commission-backs-data-sharing-by-default-to-spur-innovation/

The EU's Emissions Trading System - currently being reviewed - could be revised again in 2025 to bring it in line with stronger international climate targets called for by the Paris Agreement on global warming, under proposals being scrutinised by leading MEPs today (26 April), reports EurActiv: http://www.euractiv.com/section/sustainable-dev/news/meps-push-for-2025-carbon-market-review-to-boost-climate-action/

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker made a new attempt at placating growing skepticism of a transatlantic trade deal on Tuesday by selling the small-business angle, reports Politico Morning Trade. Pritzker said that "in the United States, over 90 percent of the benefit from having TTIP will go to small- and medium-sized companies, and that will be true in Europe also. I've heard figures of over 80 percent." Pritzker said she was "worried about the misconceptions that are out there about trade," and labeled public opinion "disconnected from the reality": https://dub129.mail.live.com/?tid=cmWS0ZZTUM5hGqwwAhWthWqA2&fid=flinbox

Steven Ciobo, the Australian minister of trade, will visit European capitals this week, hoping to clear the way for official negotiations on a free trade deal with the EU, reports Politico Morning Trade: https://dub129.mail.live.com/?tid=cmWS0ZZTUM5hGqwwAhWthWqA2&fid=flinbox

European Commissioner for Fisheries Karmenu Vella presents a strategy to improve the state of Mediterranean fishing stocks today, reports Politico Morning Agri and Food. Some 93 percent of fish stocks in the Med are over-exploited, according to the Commission, which is concerned about the effect a collapse of the stocks would have on the fishing industry: https://dub129.mail.live.com/?tid=cm2eudnjUM5hGVdgAhWthXYg2&fid=flinbox

The European Court of Auditors released a special report on how well EU programs designed to tackle animal diseases work, and whether they're cost effective., reports Politico Morning Agri and Food. The verdict: They work more or less fine, but it's hard to determine their cost effectiveness. The Commission spent €1.3 billion between 2009 and 2014 on such programs, which include animal vaccination and compensating farmers for slaughtered animals: https://dub129.mail.live.com/?tid=cm2eudnjUM5hGVdgAhWthXYg2&fid=flinbox

The [European Parliament] Agri Committee voted to approve plant health measures by 35 to 4 (with four abstentions), reports Politico Morning Agri and Food. The proposed rules mandate that governments keep an eye on specific pests, as well as set assessments for plants imported from outside the EU: https://dub129.mail.live.com/?tid=cm2eudnjUM5hGVdgAhWthXYg2&fid=flinbox

The European Food Safety Agency has released its "Strategy 2020" - or five-year roadmap - in which it pledges to improve public and stakeholder engagement, reports Politico Morning Agri and Food. The agency also identified globalization, scientific progress, demographic shifts, changing consumer-preferences, as well as climate change, as drivers that might change the way the agency is expected to function in future: https://dub129.mail.live.com/?tid=cm2eudnjUM5hGVdgAhWthXYg2&fid=flinbox

God on one side…Those who favor a British exit from the European Union now fear that God, or one of His representatives on earth, is not on their side, reports the New York Times. On Tuesday, the Church of England released a short "prayer for the E.U. referendum campaign" that it said was intended "for use by churches and individuals ahead of the vote on June 23." The prayer, urging honesty, openness and generosity, asks God to imbue voters with "discernment" so that "our nation may prosper and that, with all the peoples of Europe, we may work for peace and the common good": http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/27/world/europe/brexit-church-of-england.html?emc=edit_ee_20160427&nl=todaysheadlines-europe&nlid=74103272

Marine on the other…If Britain votes to leave the EU, other countries should also take the opportunity to "run away from this swamp," Marine Le Pen told Italian right-wing daily Libero in an interview published Tuesday, picked up by Politico Morning Trade. The leader of France's National Front party, said the vote is "a chance to open a passage through which other European populations, I hope, will run away from this swamp": http://www.politico.eu/article/marine-le-pen-brexit-uk-leave-eu-swamp-brexit/

Courtesy of Peter Morris, European Movement in North East