Search Results for: France

BY DOMINIQUE PATTON, in Beijing; and RAGHAVENDRA VERMA, in New Delhi

AS developed world clothing brands increasingly outsource production to emerging market countries, the demand for designing talent close to these growing manufacturing centres is growing. But how reliable is the source of creativity and are there sufficient numbers of designers in China, India and elsewhere for the big brands to start thinking about shifting creative aspects of their operations overseas as well as basic production?…

BY KEITH NUTHALL

ENVIRONMENTAL health officers think they are helping keep people fit and well by reducing pollution and food disease. But maybe the best move the cold, rheumatism and asthma sufferers of Britain can make to be healthy is emigrate to a Greek island, sunbathe (moderately) and eat fish, vegetables and olive oil.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL

HEADS of governments of the European Union (EU) and the European Commission have cleared the way for EU member states to reduce excise duties on natural gas, as a short term measure to fight rising prices. A communiqué following Thursday and Friday’s (19-20 June) EU summit in Brussels, told the 27 member states: "Measures can be considered to alleviate the impact of higher oil and gas prices on the poorer sections of the population, but should remain short-term and targeted."…

BY KEITH NUTHALL

SINCE the September 11 attacks, the control of terrorist financing has been an international policing priority. But businesses also need to be aware of the risks. Keith Nuthall reports.

TERRORISM may be an exceptional crime, but the money required to stage violent attacks on the public is – ultimately – just money.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL

THE FRENCH and German governments have struck agreement over the proposed compulsory 120g/km target for automobiles within the European Union, (EU), with Paris giving ground to Berlin in some key areas.

Germany has opposed the European Commission-proposed average emissions cap saying the burden on technological changes would fall unfairly on its own iconic auto industry, producing – as it does – high quality, powerful cars with comparatively intense CO2 emissions.…

BY PHILIPPA JONES, in Paris

"FISHING is much more than fish," said former US president Herbert Hoover. "It is the great occasion when we may return to the fine simplicity of our forefathers." This may have been the case in the 1930s and may remain so for weekend anglers, who forget about the week’s stresses sitting quietly by the side of a lake.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL

A REPORT from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD) has revealed that almost a half of OECD member countries (including many in Europe) have potentially dangerous nutrient and pesticide concentrations in drinking water sources.

Tests carried out in recent years (NOTE: CALLED MID-2000’S IN THE REPORT) on surface water and groundwater monitoring sites in agricultural areas show these pollutants often "exceed national drinking water recommended limits" said a new OECD report on the environmental impact of farming.…

BY ALAN OSBORN

HOW quickly events are moving in the energy sector at present, and how difficult this makes long-term planning by the power generation industry. One of the key documents for forecasters in Europe is the paper prepared by the National Technical University of Athens for the European Commission’s directorate-general for energy and transport on "Trends to 2030."…

BY KEITH NUTHALL

AN INTERNATIONAL website has been launched by two European campaign groups pushing for the return of water services to local governments worldwide. The Corporate Europe Observatory and Transnational Institute organisations have set up www.remunicipalisation.org to monitor campaigns for transferring water services from private utilities.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL

EUROPEAN Union electricity federation Eurelectric has made its first annual award for innovative power use to Toyota for its collaboration with Electricité de France to develop a plug-in hybrid car, using electrical batteries for short journeys and fuel for longer trips.…