News from Peter Skinner MEP

ISSUED BY PETER SKINNER, LABOUR MEP FOR THE SOUTH EAST REGION

 Peter Skinner MEP , 99 Kent Road, Dartford DA1 2AJ

Tel: 01322 270345 , Mobile: 07976 969912

For immediate release                          Wednesday, 10 March 2010

Labour Euro MPs help small firms beat recession with £1,000 cut in red tape

The European Parliament has voted today (Wednesday 10 March) by an overwhelming margin to exempt very small firms, known as micro-entities, from EU law on accounting standards, reducing the burden of red tape and helping them beat the recession. 

Economic and Monetary Affairs Ctte member Peter Skinner MEP said: “as our small firms struggle to overcome the crisis we are determined to help them by cutting red tape.

“It is vitally important that EU law does not over-burden very small businesses. This exemption means that very small firms will save around £1,000 in accountancy and audit fees.”

Skinner added: “We have made a commitment in the EU to reduce burdens on business by 25% by 2012, and this law is an important step towards meeting that goal. Micro-entities are often the first step on the ladder to successful employers of the future, we need to nurture and support these businesses, not place extra burdens on them.” ENDS

Background

This Commission proposal forms part of Europe’s response to the financial crisis and is an important element of the European Small Business Act; a set of proposals to reduce burdens on Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs).

The law will amend the 4^th company law directive, dealing with accounting standards, to exempt micro-entities, the smallest category of SME, defined as firms with, for example, less than 10 employees and a small turnover.  It was backed by the European Parliament by 445 votes to 196.

Over 5 million firms across Europe fall into this definition, and the European Commission estimates that savings for each firm will be around £1,000.

News from Peter Skinner MEP

ISSUED BY PETER SKINNER, LABOUR MEP FOR THE SOUTH EAST REGION

 Peter Skinner MEP , 99 Kent Road, Dartford DA1 2AJ

Tel: 01322 270345 , Mobile: 07976 969912

For immediate release                          Wednesday, 03 March 2010

Consumers should act now on new mobile phone rights

Local Euro-MP Peter Skinner is calling on people in his South East Constituency  to take control of their mobile phone bill after new EU rules came into force this week.

Consumers now have additional rights to help them avoid the shock of a massive bill when they return from trips abroad.

Rules introduced this week give people new powers to control how much they spend on accessing the internet with their mobile when travelling in other EU countries.

They will benefit both holiday makers and business people who use mobile devices to access their email or websites.

The cost of downloading data over mobile networks can be hugely expensive and many customers return from their holidays to face unexpectedly high bills. In some cases customers have racked up thousands of pounds in charges without being aware of the costs.

The new rules mean people can now set a limit on how much they are willing to spend on mobile internet while they’re abroad. They will be warned if they approach that limit and it will be impossible to go beyond it without agreement by the customer.

Skinner said: “These changes don’t just affect tech-savvy teenagers. Most new phones now include email as standard and sites such as Facebook are increasingly important for staying in touch.

“The cost of mobile internet access abroad can also be a nasty shock for businesses whose staff use their phone to stay on top of their email while travelling abroad.

“These rules will give customers the ability to take greater control of their bills.”

The changes were agreed by the European institutions last year and this element of the regulations came into force on Monday (1 March). The package has already led to cheaper text messages and voice calls for people travelling to other EU countries.

ENDS

Notes

• Customers can set the limit of what they are willing to spend by contacting their network provider. They will then be warned when they have reached 80 per cent of that limit.

• Text messages sent from abroad are already capped at around 11p per message under the regulations, will limits also in place for making and receiving calls.

• More information about the new rules can be found at:
  http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/215&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

News from Peter Skinner MEP

ISSUED BY PETER SKINNER, LABOUR MEP FOR THE SOUTH EAST REGION

 Peter Skinner MEP , 99 Kent Road, Dartford DA1 2AJ

Tel: 01322 270345 , Mobile: 07976 969912

For immediate release                          Thursday, 25 February 2010

“Farage not fit to represent South East”

Labour MEP for the South East Peter Skinner condemned UKIP’s Nigel Farage for an aggressive, personal attack on EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy.

“Instead of using the European Parliament as a forum for debate for the benefit of Britain and Europe, Mr Farage has debased the chamber and his position as South East MEP by making a vitriolic personal attack on an EU official.”

“His behaviour is little removed from playground name-calling.”

Mr Skinner, who has represented the South East in Brussels for more than fifteen years, said that Mr Farage had let down the people of the South East.

“An MEP should be fighting for his constituents on an European level, giving people in the South East the quality of representation they deserve. Frankly Mr Farage’s behaviour is more reminiscent of a the hooligan image of Brits abroad that we all know isn’t accurate, and that’s not what the people of the South East voted for.”

ENDS

News from Peter Skinner MEP

Peter In the European Parliament

Press Release

9 February 2010

For Immediate Release

“EU Commission must deliver for ordinary people in the South East” says Labour MEP

Speaking after the European Parliament’s approval of the new European Commission today (Tuesday 9 Feb), Peter Skinner, Labour MEP for the South East of England said:

“Last year we had a chance to hear from South East voters on the EU during the European election and now we have had a chance to hear from the Commissioners. It’s time for the Commission to get on with their work on issues that really matter to people and no excuses”.

“We need the President of the EU Commission, Barroso, to show us that he will deliver on critical issues of relevance here in the South East, such as protecting workers rights and climate change. He must now provide the leadership needed to deliver jobs and sustainable economic growth in areas such as ours and across the EU, particularly in our coastal towns and cities such as Brighton which can often feel the economic pinch more than most.

“The last few weeks have shown that the Parliament can put the Commission under pressure to assure the people that they will act in all our interests. The S.E. needs still more investment and better assistance from the EU particularly with some of the financial programmes and projects that the E.U. has to offer.

In the past the S.E. has received Hundreds of millions of Pounds of assistance as part of programmes for issues such as Economic regeneration through to University Partnership programmes.

“We will continue to hold the Commission, which is a civil service the size of only a metropolitan City Council, to account. They need to answer the charge that they are merely a faceless bureaucracy and therefore work with the Parliament to deliver for all our citizens.”

In addition to addressing local concerns Mr Skinner also welcomed the appointment of Britain’s Commissioner, Catherine Ashton. Peter added:

“Baroness Ashton is a superb appointment. It is good for Britain and good for Europe to have her in such an important role as Higher Representative for the EU, after the President of the Commission this is single most important role.”

ENDS

 For more information please call Peter Skinner on 01322 270345.

99 Kent Road Dartford Kent