http://www.sharonbowles.org.uk/newsarchive.php Recent News Stories from Sharon Bowles en-GB Sharon Bowles http://www.sharonbowles.org.uk/ Prater Raines Ltd http://www.praterraines.co.uk/ (c) 2008 Sharon Bowles 2008-05-16T16:05+01:00 United Kingdom http://www.sharonbowles.org.uk/news/000181/bowles_defends_collective_selling_of_media_rights.html Sharon Bowles MEP for Surrey today defended the principle of collective selling of media rights in the White Paper on Sport debate in the European Parliament. 2008-05-08T13:58+01:00 http://www.sharonbowles.org.uk/news/000180/european_commission_recognises_south_east_fishermens_plight.html Sharon Bowles, Liberal Democrat MEP for Kent and Sussex, this week raised the plight of small boat fishermen with the European Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg in an official debate in Strasbourg. 2008-04-24T00:00+01:00 http://www.sharonbowles.org.uk/news/000179/eu_to_investigate_northern_rock_rescue_plan.html An in-depth investigation into the Northern Rock rescue plan was today launched by the European Commission to examine its compatibility with EU state aid rules. It gives all interested parties the right to comment. 2008-04-02T00:00+01:00 http://www.sharonbowles.org.uk/news/000178/bowles_condemns_china_as_chopel_visits.html Sharon Bowles MEP for South East England condemned the Chinese government following the visit to the European Parliament of Karma Chopel, the Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament in exile. 2008-03-26T18:23+00:00 http://www.sharonbowles.org.uk/news/000177/eu_to_give_uk_120m_for_flood_repair.html Today MEPs in Strasbourg voted to approve European Commission's proposals for £120m of Solidarity Funding to go to the UK to help with repairs following the flooding last summer which caused chaos across the country. 2008-03-11T00:00+00:00 http://www.sharonbowles.org.uk/news/000176/one_seat_campaign_gets_its_day_of_democracy.html Sharon Bowles Liberal Democrat MEP for the South East has welcomed the first ever citizens' initiative which was the subject of animated debate in the European Parliament's Petitions Committee yesterday. 2008-02-26T00:00+00:00 http://www.sharonbowles.org.uk/news/000174/commission_copyright_announcements__make_it_a_package.html Commenting on EU Commissioner McCreevy's surprise announcements that he will extend the performing artists' copyright term from 50 to 95 years and launch a new consultation on copyright levies, Sharon Bowles MEP, Liberal Democrat European Spokesperson on IPR, said "I raised the matter of levies with the Commissioner again in December so I am delighted he is launching a new consultation. It is interesting that at the same time he announced extending the copyright term. This makes a much more attractive package if the two are eventually put together." 2008-02-14T12:40+00:00 http://www.sharonbowles.org.uk/news/000175/eu_commission_deregulates_british_broadband.html Sharon Bowles MEP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Competition and Intellectual Property, has welcomed the de-regulation of the British Broadband industry by the EU Commission. 2008-02-14T00:00+00:00 http://www.sharonbowles.org.uk/news/000173/bowles_backs_insurers_floodplains_plea.html Sharon Bowles, Liberal Democrat South East MEP, has come out in support of the insurance industry following the ABI's warning today that without tougher planning controls many future homes will be uninsurable. 2008-02-14T00:00+00:00 http://www.sharonbowles.org.uk/news/000172/south_east_mep_welcomes_progress_against_tiger_slaughter.html South East Liberal Democrat MEP, Sharon Bowles, says that conservationists seeking to prevent the extinction of tigers in the wild have been given a smaller glimmer of hope. 2008-02-06T00:00+00:00 http://www.sharonbowles.org.uk/news/000170/phone_companies_need_to_answer_ofcoms_call.html You may have been enjoying cheaper mobile phone calls while on holiday, but did you still get caught out with web surfing or email charges? The UK competition watchdog Ofcom has told mobile phone operators to reduce their data roaming charges. 2008-02-01T12:54+00:00 http://www.sharonbowles.org.uk/news/000171/south_east_smes_get_to_have_their_say_on_europe.html South East Liberal Democrat MEP, Sharon Bowles, has welcomed the European Commission's commitment to developing a European "Small Business Act" which will seek to cut red tape and offer resources, both financial and advisory, to help SMEs across the EU flourish. 2008-02-01T00:00+00:00 http://www.sharonbowles.org.uk/news/000169/ice_prince_timber_hits_south_east_beaches.html South East MEP Sharon Bowles visited Worthing this weekend, where local Lib Dem Parliamentary Campaigner Hazel Thorpe showed her the timber washed up all along the shore from the wreck of the Ice Prince. 2008-01-27T18:23+00:00 http://www.sharonbowles.org.uk/news/000168/northern_rock_commission_will_investigate_possibility_of_state_aid.html In response to this morning's announcement from HM Treasury's on a public/private sector resolution to Northern Rock, Sharon Bowles MEP, European Economic and Competition Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats said: 2008-01-21T00:00+00:00 http://www.sharonbowles.org.uk/news/000167/european_parliament_votes_for_better_deal_on_loans.html The European Parliament has voted in favour of a directive that will lead to common rules on consumer credit throughout Europe. This will improve customer protection and boost competition, driving down the cost of personal loans for the EU's 490 million citizens. 2008-01-18T00:00+00:00