Search Results for: Latvia

Keith Nuthall
BRITISH taxation inched up from 2002 to 2003, but according to the latest comparative European Union (EU)-wide figures, the UK still has one of the lowest European tax burdens. As a proportion of GDP, Britain’s total taxes were 37.1% in 2003, compared with 37% in 2002, up from 36.7% in 1995, before the accession to power of the Labour government.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
NATIONAL governments are often jealous of attempts by the European Union (EU) to increase its power into policy areas that they consider none of its business. Defence and foreign affairs are obvious examples, but health is another. EU member states have long resisted Brussels’ calls for influence over their health policies, but their resolve has weakened of late.…

BY ALAN OSBORN
THE TAXATION and customs portfolio in the new European Commission is to be held by a one-time communist and leader of the socialist party in Hungary, its former foreign minister Laszlo Kovacs. Mr Kovacs, who is 65, replaces Ingrida Udre of Latvia who was criticised by the European Parliament for failing to rebut allegations concerning financial irregularities in the funding of her political party and was subsequently withdrawn by her country at the request of the new Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission has approved the creation of a retail joint venture in the Baltic States, run by Scandinavian food retailers Kesko Oy, of Finland, and ICA AB, of Sweden and Norway. This new business will buy and sell daily consumer goods in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, combining the two Scandinavian company’s existing outlets in the region.…

BY MARK ROWE
THERE is no doubt that water quality in eastern Europe has improved immeasurably since the break up of the Soviet Union and its related satellite states, a process reinforced by the wholesale privatisation now taking place. But while standards have improved, concerns about pollution, old pipes and outdated treatment works are likely to continue.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE NUCLEAR industry is likely to be disappointed with the transfer of Hungary’s Lazlo Kovacs away from the energy portfolio in the new European Commission expected to take office this week. (NOTE – NEXT WEEK IN REAL TIME) His removal follows a lacklustre performance at a European Parliament hearing that led MEPs to brand him “incompetent” as a potential energy Commissioner.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE REVAMPED European Commission of president José Manuel Barroso has been confirmed by the European Parliament, which approved moving Hungary’s Lázló Kovács to the tax Commissioner portfolio. He had been proposed as energy Commissioner, but was transferred after MEPs complained about his “incompetence” in this subject.…

KEITH NUTHALL
THE RENEWABLE power generation industry could find it has increased influence at the European Commission than expected, with the replacement of Hungary’s Lázló Kovács as European Union (EU) energy Commissioner for the next five years. Following a lacklustre performance at a European Parliament hearing, MEPs judged him “incompetent” for this position and was subsequently moved to the post of tax Commissioner by EU president-elect José Manuel Barroso.…

KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Union (EU) is largely on track for a timely start to its emissions trading system on January 1, with the unconditional approval in late October of six more CO2 emission allocation plans, from Belgium, Estonia, Latvia, Luxembourg, Slovakia and Portugal.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
INCOMING European Commission president José Manuel Barroso has moved Hungary’s Lazlo Kovacs from being energy commissioner-designate, after he was criticised by the European Parliament for being “professionally incompetent” in the field. He will now become tax commissioner and will be replaced by Latvia’s Andris Piebalgs, a former education and finance minister.…