Search Results for: Dutch

BY KEITH NUTHALL

THE EUROPEAN Union (EU) Council of Ministers has authorised the Netherlands to derogate from standard VAT law for the ready-to-wear clothing industry by shifting the obligation to pay sales tax from clothing firm sub-contractors to their contractors. The aim of this temporary reform – which would last until December 2009 – is, said council minutes: "Preventing fraud in a sector in which collecting VAT is rendered awkward by the difficulty of identifying and supervising the activities of subcontractors."…

BY ALAN OSBORN

THE EUROPEAN Commission’s decision to appoint ‘project co-ordinators’ to try to spark movement in four long-stalled cross-border energy projects in the European Union (EU) has drawn widespread cynicism from many in the industry. However, here and there, there is an admission that these high-level trouble-shooters might just get results where so many others have failed.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL

MANY European academics and experts in the study of commercial crime are more than happy to discuss the state of play in the sector in an informal way with outsiders; others may be a little more cautious. But all are likely to suggest ways to gain further assistance.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL

EUROPEAN Parliament officials have ordered an investigation into the discovery that two buildings the European Union (EU) assembly bought last year in Strasbourg are riddled with asbestos. However, administrators say that the asbestos is located in "a limited number of technical facility rooms" in its Winston Churchill bloc and the Salvador de Madariaga unit, and so "poses no public health risk".…

BY KEITH NUTHALL

THE EUROPEAN Commission is preparing to launch a public consultation on a suggested calculation formula for road charging within the European Union (EU) taking transport impact costs into account. The complex factors involved in pricing tolls were effectively ducked when the latest 2006 road charging ‘Eurovignette’ directive was passed in 2006, and the legislation told the Commission to draft a formula by June 2008.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL

THE EUROPEAN Court of Justice (ECJ) has told Greece and the Netherlands to remove obstacles to second hand car imports that would make it easier – if they are removed – for fleet managers to export and sell old vehicles.…

STORIES BY KEITH NUTHALL

THE EUROPEAN Commission was poised when the Petroleum Review went to press to unveil a long awaited package of energy proposals, although Brussels was expected to shy away from tabling wholesale unbundling of gas producers and distributors.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL

CLOTHING companies cannot trademark design shapes after advertising campaigns highlighted particular products, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled. In a case between Benetton and Dutch clothing company G-Star International BV, judges ruled such protection is excluded under European Union (EU) directive 89/104/EEC on trademarks.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL

THE NETHERLANDS’ Koninklijke Friesland Foods has won the right to benefit from a Dutch tax break for the international financing of companies within commercial groups through a case at the European Court of Justice’s Court of First Instance.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL

THE EUROPEAN Commission has announced funding to help meat industry organisations promote sales of their products within the European Union (EU). The money will be matched by relevant national governments and by private sources. Italy will benefit the most: the Commission is to spend Euro 1.75 million over three years promoting quality beef and mutton from Italy’s San Daniele and Grana Padano regions; and Euro 2 million promoting over three years the same products from Italy’s Alpine regions, such as the Alto Adige.…