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.
COMMUNITY PATENT
BY ALAN OSBORN
THE EUROPEAN Union’s (EU) Council of Ministers for competitiveness has failed to agree legal proposals for setting up a so-called ‘Community Patent’ that would give inventors the option of obtaining a single patent legally valid throughout the EU.…
WINE LABELLING
BY ALAN OSBORN
THE INTRODUCTION of new rules for wine labelling in the EU has been postponed from January 1 next year until August 1 after complaints by Italy and Spain that they cannot meet the original deadline for “technical” reasons.…
THAI GEOGRAPHIC INDICATIONS
BY MARK ROWE
THE THAI government has drawn up legislation to protect the traditional names in Thailand’s drinks market of goods such as French Champagne and Scotch whisky. The Geographical Indication Bill was drafted to meet Thailand’s obligations under the World Trade Organisation’s trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights (TRIPS) agreement.…
PEPSI INDIA
BY SWINEETHA DIAS WICKRAMANAYAKA
PEPSI Co India Holdings is reorganising its management structure, basing it on five regionally based markets: north, east, west, south and central. Said a Pepsi official: “The organisation structure in the market units is being reconfigured to reflect geographic continuity and tap new market opportunities.”…
PACK-SIZING
Keith Nuthall
FORMAL consultation has been launched by the European Commission into whether it should propose legislation to free European Union (EU) drinks businesses from complicated and restrictive legislation that limit packaging sizes, notably bottles for wines and spirits. A Commission working paper has concluded that the EU is over-regulated regarding pack sizes.…
GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS
Keith Nuthall
A CONSULTANT for the California wine industry thinks the US will be prepared to cut a deal at next September’s World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial meeting in Cancun, Mexico over European demands for a mandatory wine and spirits register of geographical indications.…
DRINKS SOFTWARE
BY DEIRDRE MASON
MOST businesses install computer software because it makes their operation more efficient and so helps them to keep abreast of, or outdo, the competition. However, the growth in national and international regulations affecting the drinks industry has opened up a lucrative business opportunity for companies producing industry-specific computer software.…
COAL FUND
BY KEITH NUTHALL
COUNTRIES in eastern and southern Europe who are applying to join the European Union will be able to use money from the EU’s new Research Fund for Coal and Steel from the day of their accession, EU heads of government have decided.…
MINING SOUTH AFRICA
BY RICHARD HURST
PRIVATISATION plans for the South African government owned gem-mining company Alexkor are moving ahead; Rain Zihlangu, its chief executive, said that the process has entered its final stage with bidders expected to submit proposals by November 28. The privatisation process is expected to see 51 per cent go to private investors, with the government retaining 39 per cent and the Alexander Bay Development Fund snapping up10 per cent.…
SA MINING SAFETY
BY RICHARD HURST
A BOOM in the number of mine deaths in South Africa following the industry’s recent expansion has sparked action by the chairman of the country’s National Union of Mineworkers. Noting that the worst hit sectors appear to be the gold and platinum mining industries, Peter Bailey said: “General thinking within the industry seems to be that the loss of a life is normal and expected.…