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                                          Austria Suspends Schengen Border AgreementJanuary 19, 2016The Austrian Government recently joined Norway, Sweden, and Denmark in "temporarily suspending" its adherence to the Schengen passport-free travel agreement and instituting identity checks on its borders with other EU countries amid a massive wave of migration in the bloc from North Africa and the Middle East. 
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                                          EU Committee Chairperson Details Wasted AidJanuary 19, 2016The Daily Mail reports that the Chairperson of the European Parliament's committee on budget control Ingeborg Graessle indicates that an upcoming report from her committee will show approximately half of EU spending on foreign aid goes to projects that are either ineffective or have been significantly delayed. 
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                                          EU Commission Signals Data Concerns in MergersJanuary 19, 2016The European Commissioner for competition Margrethe Vestager recently stated that the Commission will examine the ability of small businesses to compete in personal-data storage when it reviews mergers of large companies in the technology industry and decides whether to "restore the level playing field" in this sector. 
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                                          ECB Questions Banks on "Non-performing" LoansJanuary 19, 2016Reuters reports that the European Central Bank ("ECB") has sent a questionnaire to banks across Europe seeking to scrutinize institutions that have taken on high numbers of "bad" loans that are unlikely to be repaid, particularly in countries with underperforming economies. 
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                                          EU Energy Targets Could Lead to Increased Driving CostsJanuary 19, 2016The Telegraph reports that measures the UK Government is considering to meet its EU-mandated "green energy" targets could lead to increased fuel costs for drivers and to the introduction of bio-fuel that is incompatible with millions of British automobiles. 
