Search Results for: Finland

BY KEITH NUTHALL

THE LIVESTOCK and Meat Commission for Northern Ireland is to benefit from the latest batch of European Commission grants for promoting meat and other foodstuff sales within the European Union (EU). Brussels will subsidise a Northern Irish meat marketing and information campaign with Euro 207,365 over one year, with matching money being demanded from the UK government and local meat producers, the usual condition of such grants.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL

FINLAND has been told by the European Commission to scrap a law telling drivers of vehicles who motor in Finland for more than a week to secure Finnish registration, at the full fee rate, even if a car is legally registered elsewhere in the European Union (EU).…

BY KEITH NUTHALL

THE NEW Finnish presidency of the European Union (EU) has given reforming alcohol taxation a fourth priority regarding financial and economic affairs for the next six months. In a report to the first EU finance council, which it chairs, Finland said alcohol tax reform, levelling up minimum rates, should be considered ahead of VAT reform, expanding the Euro currency, and finalising the EU budget.…

BY ALAN OSBORN

THE FINNISH government is to challenge the European Commission’s proposals for a broad definition of vodka under the proposed new European Union (EU) spirit labelling regulations, exploiting its oncoming strong position as EU president. Finland will use its control over EU Council of Ministers business to try and secure agreement that only drinks made from cereals or potatoes can be labelled ‘vodka’.…

STORIES BY KEITH NUTHALL

AN ALARMING 20.3% of European Union (EU) laying hen poultry flocks are infected with salmonella, a European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) report has warned. Britain cannot be complacent under the report, based on 2004-5 data, with 8% of flocks stricken with salmonella.…

BY DAVID HAWORTH, in Brussels

WHEN asked about corruption in Belgium by Commercial Crime International, a government official held his nose in the time-honoured gesture. But was he being fair? Some recent high profile cases have brought the nation some lurid publicity.…

STORIES BY KEITH NUTHALL

AN ALARMING 20.3% of European Union (EU) laying hen poultry flocks are infected with salmonella, a European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) report has warned. The Czech Republic (62.5%), Poland (55.9%), Spain (51.6%), Lithuania (50%) and Portugal (47.7%) have the most serious problems.…

STORIES BY KEITH NUTHALL

A EUROPEAN Commission-funded report has recommended that alcoholic drinks carry health warnings on bottles and cans, a proposal that could find favour with the oncoming Finnish presidency of the European Union (EU). Finland has already stated that reducing health problems caused by alcohol would be a priority of its July-December presidency, and could be a willing ally if the Commission follows up the recommendation.…

BY DAVID HAWORTH

THE PAINT and coatings industry is a small but brightly shining star in the Finnish economy’s firmament, and one, which, as might be expected, has all the virtues of specialised Nordic industrial sectors.

These include a mature market, a great familiarity between manufacturers and customers in a society of little more than five million and harsh winter conditions, which dictate the high consumption of paints.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL

YOUNG adults in Germany – long seen as Europe’s technological powerhouse – are turning away from science and engineering, with just 16% of tertiary educated professionals in these fields being aged 25-34. The figures are the worst in the European Economic Area (EEA), and show that without change, Germany could face a shortage of engineers and scientists in the medium term.…