Archive
International News Services archives articles supplied to clients one year or more after initial publication. These articles are protected by a password and not made available to readers without permission from clients. They are used as a background resource by agency journalists. Upon client requests, International News Services will remove such articles from the archive or not upload them in the first place. They are included to demonstrate the breadth of topics undertaken by the agency and also to help promote clients’ coverage.
EU/INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION ROUND UP - EU GAINS MORE AFRICA FISHING RIGHTS
BY KEITH NUTHALL
EUROPEAN Union (EU) ministers have been asked to approve an increase in the exploitation by EU ships of the rich tuna stocks surrounding Indian Ocean island archipelago the Seychelles. EU fishing businesses will have to pay for the privilege however: whilst the general limit on EU tonnage accessing Seychelles waters should rise from 55,000 to 63,000 tonnes, the money paid by vessel operators will rise from Euro 25 to 35 per tonne per annum, which would – said a note from the European Commission – bring fees in line with other EU tuna access agreements.…
EU MINISTERS OPPOSE FRENCH HIGH CO2 IMPORTS VAT PROPOSALS
BY KEITH NUTHALL
EUROPEAN Union (EU) ministers have opposed proposals suggested by the French government earlier this year that products imported into the EU including cars, should attract additional VAT if they either emit excess CO2 or their manufacture involved profligate greenhouse gas pollution.…
SAFETY LOOPHOLE FOR CO2 CAR CAP PROPOSED BY EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT COMMITTEE
BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Parliament’s industry committee has proposed a special derogation from the anticipated European Union (EU) carbon dioxide cap, allowing cars with special safety features to emit more CO2. It argues additional safety equipment can be heavy, forcing cars to emit more carbon dioxide to attain their standard performance.…
MEPS ACCEPT LIBERALISATION OF VEHICLE PARTS DESIGN PROTECTION
BY KEITH NUTHALL
A PROPOSED liberalisation of European Union (EU) design rights legislation, allowing car parts makers to copy and sell spares already made by vehicle manufacturers across the EU has been accepted by the European Parliament’s legal affairs committee. It said: "The directive will allow suppliers to produce motor vehicle components which are identical to the original parts without infringing design protection."…
EUROPEAN COMMISSION REFUSES TO SPEND TENS MONEY ON NEW ROADS
BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission wants to spend the bulk of its Euro 5.1 billion available under its Trans-European Networks (TENs) budget for major transport projects from 2007-13 on inland waterways and railways, with new roads losing out. European Union (EU) transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot has announced that inland waterways would receive "maximum possible funding", receiving 11.5% of the total budget, while railways will get 74.2% of total funds, and roads just 2.7%.…
SIGN MANUFACTURERS' MERGER WILL NOT DAMAGE COMPETITION IN UK AND FRENCH MARKETS - EUROPEAN COMMISSION
BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission has approved the creation of a major French road sign group, with Eurovia and Compagnie Signature combining road marking and road sign operations, their new joint venture buying Euromark and Signature Holdings. All companies involved are French, but they manufacture and sell British and French road signs.…
MINISTERS BLOCK EU LAW ON CARBON SLIDING SCALE FOR ROAD TAXATION
BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Union (EU) Council of Ministers has blocked European Commission proposals that flat rate road taxes be scrapped across Europe in favour of levies varied according to vehicle CO2 emissions. Whilst ministers this week (Tues) agreed on the need for "fiscal measures in passenger car taxation for the purpose of discouraging environmentally damaging behaviour," they did not agree an EU directive was necessary to order this in all 27 member states.…
GERMANY RULING AT ECJ COULD ALLOW GOVERNMENTS TO STRIP TRANSPORT COMPANIES OF CARBON CREDITS
BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Court of Justice (ECJ) has weakened the value of saleable CO2 emission permits which would be issued to company car fleets, should road transport be included in the European Union’s (EU) emissions trading regime. This issue is currently under consideration by the European Commission, which is drafting a green paper on which sectors should trade greenhouse gas emissions from 2013.…
EU AND US STRIKE DEAL OVER BIOFUEL STANDARDS
BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE FIRST meeting of the Transatlantic Economic Council, designed to solve regulatory clashes between the United States and the European Union (EU) has struck a preliminary agreement on biofuel standards. EU and US experts have identified which existing standards for pure biofuels are compatible and will by December 31 identify areas for additional progress in 2008.…
EU MINISTERS AGREE IN PRINCIPLE RULES ON SHARING VEHICLE REGISTRATION DATA BETWEEN MEMBER STATES
BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Union (EU) Council of Ministers has agreed in principle technical and administrative rules governing how national vehicle registration information should be shared amongst law enforcement authorities in all 27 member states. Searches should be carried out using "European Vehicle and Driving Licence Information System (EUCARIS) software", specifically designed for these encrypted exchanges.…