Search Results for: Latvia

BY KEITH NUTHALL
CRITICS of European political institutions have sometimes been unkind about the Council of Europe, which has been accused of being a powerless talking shop. And although the Council lacks the power to fine and cajole member governments enjoyed by the European Union (EU) – from which it is completely independent – it has some important roles.…

KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Investment Bank (EIB) has approved plans to lend Euro 40 million to Latvia utility Latvenergo to help it build a 400 mW combined heat and power (CHP) plant, in the capital Riga. Hoping to diversify the country’s hydro-power dominated energy mix, the EIB wants to help Latvenergo replace an existing CHP plant with a modern gas-fired combined cycle unit, heat recovery steam generator and steam turbine.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission has proposed the abolition of registration taxes that it says impede the transfer of vehicles to the 16 European Union (EU) member states that impose them. Britain is not among the countries concerned, but they include Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Austria and Poland.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission’s sugar management committee has ordered Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Slovakia and Malta to rid themselves of surplus sugar stocks by November or face heavy fines.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission has allowed Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Malta and Slovakia until November 2005 to eliminate surplus stocks of sugar, built up prior to their joining the EU last May. Remaining excess sugar will spark fines.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
IN a political hair-and-tortoise move, a European Commissioner from a country where the Lada once reigned supreme has told speed-loving German motorists he will press for European Union (EU) speed limits of 90kmh (55.9 mph). Latvia’s Andris Piebalgs, energy Commissioner since last November, told the Die Welt newspaper “I personally support the idea”, which was originally proposed by the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA).…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Parliament and the European Union (EU) Council of Ministers have compromised on the final shape of a directive reducing sulphur content in marine fuels. The result is legislation that permits higher sulphur usage than the parliament wanted, cutting its marine fuels content to 1.5% by 2007, for all vessels in the Baltic, the North Sea, and the English Channel, and passenger ships in all EU seas and oceans.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
WORKING hours in Britain exceed those in most new European Union (EU) member states from eastern and southern Europe says a report showing how western Europe workers generally work fewer hours. Britain’s usual weekly work hours, said the European Industrial Relations Observatory are 43.1, only exceeded in the expanded EU by Latvia’s 43.3.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission has allowed Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Malta and Slovakia until November 2005 to eliminate surplus stocks of sugar, built up prior to their joining the European Union last May. Remaining excess sugar would spark EU fines.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission has accused nine European Union (EU) governments of dragging their feet over promoting biofuels in their countries. It has sent critical formal notices to Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland and Slovenia accusing them of failing to submit national reports framing 2005 targets for biofuel consumption, as required under the Biofuels Directive.…