Search Results for: European Parliament

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE MEMBER States of the European Union reduced their emissions of the six key greenhouse gases by four per cent between 1990 and 1999, three per cent of which was achieved in 1998-9, according to a report from the European Environment Agency.…

KEITH NUTHALL
THE CREATION of an effective pan-European rail freight network has taken a step forward, with the proposal of common operating systems for railway signalling and telecommunications by the European Commission. These technical standards include the specifications for the European Rail Traffic Management System, which will improve safety, for instance by controlling the spacing between trains and also emergency braking.…

BY ALAN OSBORN
THE EUROPEAN Commission has expressed concern at the growing number of requests from EU wine-producing countries for permission to grant national distillation aid to growers. Franz Fischler, EU agriculture commissioner for wine, said it was “quite worrying” that member states were seeking to grant “pure operating aids which do not bring about any structural improvement.”…

KEITH NUTHALL
THE FAILURE of Greece, Italy and Spain to pass national laws, reducing sulphur content in a range of fuels, as required by a EU directive, has led to their governments being formally threatened with legal action at the European Court of Justice.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Union has launched a robust attack on the Council of Europe’s draft convention on cybercrime, which it accuses of being “too vague and confusing” and of threatening “fundamental rights and freedoms.”

A paper from the EU’s Working Party of Data Protection has called for the discussions on the convention to be extended beyond the summer deadline, which currently exists for the adoption of the cybercrime agreement.…

BY ALAN OSBORN
THE ACQUISITION by the French steel company Usinor of a controlling 55 per cent stake in Tubisud of Italy has been cleared by the European Commission. The Commission said that while the deal would increase the presence of Usinor in the Italian markets for organically coated steel sheet and the distribution of steel, it would not significantly reduce competition.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission has granted clearance in the EU to the proposed takeover of the Quaker Oats Company by Pepsico Inc. Both are American owned.…

BY ALAN OSBORN
THE EUROPEAN Commission has decided not to oppose the granting of state aid by Italy to the Franco-Italian company ST Microelectronics for three research projects costing the equivalent of some pounds 275 million. The maximum aid permitted under EU regulations is pounds 86 million.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
MEMBER governments of the World Trade Organisation are to examine in detail proposals made by the USA and the EU administrations on the dismantling of bureaucratic barriers that hinder companies wanting to sell IT and telecommunications services abroad.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE European Union Council of Ministers has agreed to allow France impose lower excise duties on diesel fuel used in local public transport, than is generally allowed under European regulations. The special exemption will last until December 2005.…