Search Results for: Germany

CORRUPTION issues continue to challenge the European Union (EU) as it seeks to renew its popularity amidst the start of the Brexit negotiations and the rule of a French President in Emmanuel Macron who says EU must reform, root-and-branch, or die.…

SEVEN years of recession and two years of capital controls have taken their toll not only on the Greek economy but also on the country’s cosmetics market, although local companies have been maintaining their focus on R&D and exports. According to the Hellenic Statistical Authority (Elstat), the overall turnover retail index for cosmetics and pharmaceutical products in February 2017 was 58.8% of sales in 2010 – the year marking the beginning of Greece’s financial and economic turmoil.…

EUROPEAN electricity industry federation Eurelectric hews closely to the views of its national associations, so when all but two of its members made a commitment in April (2017) not to fund investments in new-build coal-fired power plants after 2020, the energy sector can be sure this is a solid promise.…

While South Korea has not yet ratified the UN’s Paris Agreement dealing with greenhouse gas emissions, its important automobile industry has been making serious commitments to green practices, including the transition from solvent-based to waterborne coatings.

According to New Jersey, US-based coatings consulting firm Kusumgar, Nerlfi & Growney, the South Korean passenger car and light vehicle coating market involved supplies of 60,000 tonnes in 2016, and these are becoming increasingly environment-friendly: about one-quarter of basecoats sold are now waterborne.…

Demand is growing for a major international programme designed to support developing countries build up their tax audit capacity and – critically – the funding is there to meet that need. Launched as a joint initiative of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development (OECD) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in July 2015 after an initial pilot phase, Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB) sees tax experts work side-by-side with local officials in developing and emerging markets.…

Amidst growing interest in Vietnam from international textile, garment and electronics companies, the country’s logistics infrastructure has been undergoing a much-needed upgrade, but the trajectory has been bumpy, say experts.

The World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index Country Scorecard has noted that Vietnam’s logistics situation improving until 2014 only to fall back in 2016.…

European Union (EU) member states have pushed back against more centralised control of type approvals by the bloc’s executive European Commission in a vote yesterday (Monday, May 29) in Brussels. The EU Council of Ministers, which represents EU governments, instead approved a “general approach” of principles, which would beef up cooperation between national authorities – but not give the Commission more power.…

TECHNOLOGY per se is not enough to roll out connected cars in Europe, experts from the auto sector and the European Union (EU)’s executive body the European Commission agreed at last week’s ‘Connected Cars Europe 2017’ conference in Brussels. The key, speakers told the May 11 event, is connecting automobiles to their commercial and social environment and getting all actors on board.…

THE EUROPEAN Commission has announced it is spending EUR17.3 million on five projects promoting innovative gas-related infrastructure projects in Europe. The money will come from the European Union’s (EU) Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), a funding programme designed to create economic growth, jobs and competitiveness through targeted infrastructure investment.…

THE MIDDLE East and Africa is certainly a promising regional market for nonwovens manufacturers, given the high level of economic growth in many countries and the rise of consumer-culture focused middle classes. But companies need to be sophisticated in their investment and sales tactics given the immense variety of economic and social fortunes experienced by countries in this most diverse region.…