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BY SWINEETHA DIAS WICKRAMANAYAKA
A NEW Delhi retailer has launched what it says is India’s first international perfumery gallery, devoting a whole floor of a store to scents from 40 designer brands. The Indian capital’s Kunchals is now selling lines from Gucci, Elizabeth Arden, Nina Ricci, Christian Dior, Escada, Cartier, Trussardi, Boss, La Praire, Benetton, Dunhill, Mont Blanc, Azzaro, Ferrari, Kenzo, Salvador Dali, Rochas, Lacoste, Nikos, Carlina Herrara, among others.…

BY ALAN OSBORN
THE FIVE major European suppliers of chemicals to the cosmetics industry have been raided by the European Commission, which suspects them of price-fixing. Brussels says that its inspectors, along with national competition officials, carried out “simultaneous and unannounced inspections at the premises of the major European producers of the bleaching agent hydrogen peroxide, as well as softening agents, solvents and methacrylates.…

BY KEITH NUTHAL
THE EUROPEAN Parliament has called for tougher rules over the composition and labelling of soap and detergents on sale in the European Union (EU), pressing the European Commission to propose additional legislation complementing its tabled detergents directive. While approving this legislation in principle, adding amendments imposing stricter conditions on derogations from biodegradability rules and insisting on clearer labelling, MEPs said further rules were required.…

BY SWINEETHA DIAS WICKRAMANAYAKA
INDIA’S Marico Industries expects that its fourth quarter turnover and profit growth to be “noticeably lower” than those recently recorded, the company has told the Bombay Stock Exchange. The company, known for its hair-care products, had earlier targeted revenue growth of around 10 per cent and bottom-line growth of around 15 per cent for 2002-03.…

BY SWINEETHA DIAS WICKRAMANAYAKA
MODI Revlon, the 74:26 Indian joint venture between Modi Mundi Pharma and Revlon is considering setting up its second manufacturing base in the north-east state of Assam. It would produce fragrances within one year. The company has been attracted to Assam by the Indian government’s policy of exempting local businesses from income tax and excise duty.…

BY SWINEETHA DIAS WICKRAMANAYAKA
INDIA’S Modicare, part of the K.K. Modi Group, is training its female sales staff in the expert use of its cosmetics, allowing then to imitate western firms by providing advice to consumers. This Beauty Brigade is to help market the company’s Essensual 20 brand of colour cosmetics and skin care products.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
GEORGE W Bush may mot have an awful lot of time for either the United Nations or international law – especially as far as global warming is concerned – but in Europe, at least, its reach is growing wider.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Environment Agency has launched a publicly available database containing national environmental reports from 52 European and central Asian countries and five geographical regions. The database also includes international assessments of these countries, which include all European Union states, countries applying to join the EU and most former Soviet republics.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE TENDER for the construction of a new shelter for the remnants of Chernobyl’s reactor 4 may be issued this year, according to Vince Novak, director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s nuclear safety department. He added that the design for the 20,000 tonne steel shelter – expected to be the world’s largest moveable structure – “is nearing completion.”…

Keith Nuthall
SMALL and medium-sized businesses (SME’s) have been asked to apply for around 40 grants between Euro 25,000 and 200,000 to finance national and trans-national European projects that promote the development and exchange of effective good practice in health and safety amongst companies.…