Search Results for: european union

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission has proposed that a joint company is set up to manage the development of Galileo, the planned EU global positioning satellite. The company would also be responsible for raising investment from the public and private sector.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission has called for the closure of EU coalmines that perform poorly economically, where they have been lavished with state aid paid with the view to them being restructured and turned around.

In its latest report on state aid to the mining industry, (for the year 2000), Brussels adopts an aggressively negative tone about aid paid by national governments to the coal industry, which it claims “is in crisis, despite several years of state aid.”…

Keith Nuthall
MEMBER States of the European Union have come under political pressure from Brussels to outlaw the designing and marketing of alcoholic drinks, such as alcopops, to children and adolescents, as part of a move against under-age drinking.

The EU Council of Ministers (health) has adopted a Recommendation, (formal non-binding guidelines), which calls on national governments to “ensure” that the drinks industry does not produce alcoholic beverages specifically “targeted, designed or promoted to appeal” to young people.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE GOVERNMENT of Canada has formally made an application to host the ITER international fusion test reactor, at a site near Clarington, Ontario. Ottawa’s move was made in Moscow by its ambassador to Russia, Rod Irwin, in the presence of representatives of other countries involved in the project; it is the first such bid.…

Keith Nuthall
THE EUROPEAN Commission has proposed that EU ministers approve an application from France to extend for another seven years the right to reduce the rate of excise duty applied in mainland France to traditional rum from the French overseas departments of Guadeloupe, Martinique, Réunion and Guyane.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
PLANS to develop a new kind of European Union patent, which would allow R&D units to gain protection for their inventions across the EU by making one comparatively simple application, are being discussed. A so-called Community Patent would be easier to operate than the existing European Patents, which have to be translated into the official language of each Member State in which it is to apply.…

BY ALAN OSBORN
THE EUROPEAN Commission has proposed a change in the organisation of the EU wine market aimed at encouraging young people into wine growing. Brussels said that some Member States had been pursuing active policies of generational replacement and these had proved their worth, “particularly in the wine sector where there is a great need to attract younger growers.”…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EU Council of Ministers has approved a European public health programme for the years 2001-2006, which is likely to lead to further efforts by Brussels to dissuade people from smoking. Ministers agreed that Euro 280 million should be spent on the plan, which will include the creation of a comprehensive data bank on habits affecting health, such as smoking.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission has granted competition clearance to a new joint venture that will design, develop, manufacture and sell devices to route Internet and other electronic communications to homes and offices in Europe and the USA, via existing electrical wires, without laying any additional cables.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission has unveiled its latest call for research proposals to develop e-learning which will attract EU funding; Euro 7.5 million has been made available for projects promoting ideals such as setting up virtual universities.

This money is part of the Commission’s e-learning initiative.…