National Minimum Wage

All businesses within the UK are covered by National Minimum Wage legislation (The National Minimum Wage Act 1998) which stipulates the minimum hourly wage that they are allowed to pay. New rates are applicable from 1 October 2011

Waste Framework Directive

Directive 2006/12/EC on waste has been revised in order to modernise and streamline its provisions. The revised Directive 2008/98/EC (‘the Directive) sets the basic concepts and definitions related to waste management and lays down waste management principles such as the "polluter pays principle" or the "waste hierarchy". 

Restrictions of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE)

New Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2011 covers the laws relating to the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (or ‘EEE’).  It is mainly a consolidative instrument which pulls together other legislation in this field and clarifies the scope. 

Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE)

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive (2002/96/EC) aims to minimise the impact of electrical and electronic goods on the environment, making electronics firms responsible for what happens to the gadgets and devices they produce once people have done with them and forcing hi-tech firms to find greener ways of making electronic goods. The EU legislation has been implemented in the UK by the WEEE Regulations.

The legislation has implications for producers, distributors and exporters of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE).  

Agency Workers’ Directive

The Agency Workers’ Directive is a piece of European legislation which aims to ensure better protection of working conditions for temporary workers.  It establishes a general principle of ‘equal treatment’, in order to consider the temporary worker as if he or she were employed on a permanent basis.  It aims to give so-called ‘temps’ the same rights as permanent staff in terms of pay, working hours, and annual leave.  The UK Regulations to implement the Directive were adopted in 2010 and will come into force on 1 October 2011.

Free information on Community trade marks

Working out what goods or services potentially qualify for a Community Trade Mark can be difficult.  Fortunately, the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM) offers several free web-based tools to help companies find answers.

VAT in Europe

EU law only requires that each country’s standard VAT rate is at least 15% and the reduced rate at least 5%.  This means that each country still has the right to set their VAT limits, which means each country will have different VAT rates and procedures.  The EU is a ‘Single market’ and therefore no frontier controls exist if goods are travelling between EU countries in which to collect VAT.  This means that goods coming from an EU country are not called ‘imports’, they are known as ‘acquisitions', and exports are known as ‘dispatches’. 

Tax in Europe - New 2010 rules - Cross Border Recovery

What is the Legislation?
Council Directive 2010/24/EU

What is the objective of the legislation?
National tax authorities still cannot forcefully recover taxes outside their own territory, meaning fraudsters can still take advantage of these limitations by organising insolvencies in other countries. This Directive was designed with a view to establishing a more efficient assistance system involving rules that are more easily applied.  National authorities will help each other by offering ‘mutual assistance’ which can take different forms; ranging from a mere supply of information to actual assistance in recovery. 

VAT in Europe - New 2010 rules – E-invoicing

What is the Legislation?
Directive 2010/45/EC

What is the objective of the legislation?
To amend Directive 2006/112/EC on the common system of VAT as regards the rules on invoicing, with an aim of improving the system of E-invoicing. 

VAT in Europe - New 2010 rules - Refunds

What is the Legislation?
Council Directive 2010/66/EU

What is the objective of the legislation?
To extend the deadline for submission of a refund application under Directive 2008/9/EC laying down detailed rules for the refund of VAT to 31 March 2011. 

VAT in Europe - The Framework

VAT Directive 2006/112/EC is designed to create a legal framework for the application of VAT rates across Europe. However this framework has a wide remit and still allows each country to take up many different possibilities meaning it can be disparate and complex. 

What is the basic rule?  And what about the other member the other EU member states?

VAT in Europe - European Community Sales List (ELS)

If you are a VAT-registered business and you sell or move goods to other VAT-registered businesses within the European Union (EU), you must record and report data on your activities. The European Community Sales List (ELS) is where these transactions are declared so that each country can ensure VAT has been correctly accounted for.

 

The Late Payments Directive - what is it?

Generally the Directive covers all debts incurred in commercial transactions and not only applies to businesses but also public authorities.  It is designed to combat late payment for goods or services within the European Union. It does this by laying down common minimum requirements consistent with the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality. 

Export Documentation?

The documents you need for your export shipments and relevant advice are available from various accredited Chambers of Commerce in the South East.

Exciting opportunity for packaging material companies 

Energy Efficiency in buildings opportunity 

Project partners sought for major European funding bid aimed at testing an ICT platform that boosts energy efficiency in publicly owned buildings. It’s due 15 May 2012!

Novel medical material opportunity

Local company sought to manufacture under licence a novel biocompatible material to manufacture implants for bone tissue repair and regeneration

Novel indoor parking system

A Hungarian company has developed an indoor positioning and navigation system called iParking that interacts with your GPS system to direct your car to a vacant parking spot. They are seeking licensing partners for a novel software platform.

Foreground in FP7 projects 

The results, or foreground, created by R&D projects may be vital to the organisations who take part in those projects in growing their business, going international or undertaking further research.  This new factsheet gives an overview of the rules concerning foreground in FP7  projects and plenty of practical hints on their day to day management.

How to reap the benefit of standardisation in R&D 

Europe needs more innovation in order to remain competitive at global level, standardisation can connect research and innovation with the market, and contribute to achieving  smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.

This fact sheet seeks to improve the  awareness and collaboration between standardisation  and research communities and innovators.

Foreground in FP7 projects 

The results, or foreground, created by R&D projects may be vital to the organisations who take part in those projects in growing their business, going international or undertaking further research.  This new factsheet gives an overview of the rules concerning foreground in FP7  projects and plenty of practical hints on their day to day management.

How to reap the benefit of standardisation in R&D 

Europe needs more innovation in order to remain competitive at global level, standardisation can connect research and innovation with the market, and contribute to achieving  smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.

This fact sheet seeks to improve the  awareness and collaboration between standardisation  and research communities and innovators.