Search Results for: Spain

BY ALAN OSBORN
AGRICULTURE ministers of five European Union (EU) countries have pledged to reject the European Commission’s proposals for ending tobacco-growing subsidies and say they will draw up an alternative scheme aimed at continuing production. A letter signed by the agriculture ministers of Greece, Spain, Italy, France and Portugal warned the Commission of the “very serious” social and employment impact of its plan, which they say will lead to widespread job losses with “grave” social consequences.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
BRITAIN’S legitimate tobacco trade may face a renewed increase in black-market supplies, if renewed pressure from the European Commission on the British government to reduce customs seizures of EU-duty-paid tobacco is successful.

The Commission has started formal European law infringement proceedings against the UK, seemingly unimpressed by concessions from its government over the amounts of tobacco and alcohol that can be imported from other member countries for personal use.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission has granted competition clearance to the acquisition by Spain’s Vidacaixa of Swiss Life España (SLE) from the Swiss Life Insurance and Pension Company Holding. Brussels has investigated concerns that the merged company could be too dominant in the Spanish life insurance sector, but concluded that highest possible combined market share would “not exceed 20 per cent” and that “there remains a sufficient number of strong competitors”.…

BY ALAN OSBORN
THE EUROPEAN Union’s (EU) financial watchdog – the Court of Auditors – has discovered “weaknesses” in the EU’s scheme for subsidising cotton production in Greece and Spain and has called on the European Commission to correct matters in its proposed reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
SPANISH nut and locust bean producers are to be paid up to Euro 241.50 per hectare in aid to improve production under proposals approved by the European Commission.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE UNITED Nations (UN) has framed a new anti-corruption convention and its established convention against organised crime is now coming into force. Keith Nuthall examines what this will mean for businesses, banks and governments.

THE COMMERCIAL world is often doubtful about the value of international conventions fighting crime, but their texts do at least reflect a global consensus amongst concerned governments.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission has started European law infringement proceedings against the British government, formally demanding confirmation it will continue to seize alcohol brought into the UK from other EU countries by citizens shipping alcohol for other people, but not for profit.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
BINDING energy conservation targets have been proposed for European Union (EU) Member States by the European Commission, a move that could further tighten fuel economy rules for Europe’s transport sector. Brussels has proposed a general energy saving target of one per cent a year from 2006-12, measured against average energy distribution from the previous five years.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
OPPORTUNITIES for lawyers to handle varied and potentially lucrative liability claims against international organisations could arise from debates now being held at the United Nations (UN). Its legal committee is discussing whether they should be responsible for failing to achieve their formal objectives.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
EUROPEAN Union (EU) ministers have been asked to approve a detailed fishing access deal allowing EU fishing boats access to the Atlantic fishing waters off west Africa’a Guinea Bissau until June 2006. Under the agreement, licences to fish shrimp will be granted to Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Greek vessels, with boats from Spain (enjoying the overwhelming majority of rights), Italy and Greece being allowed to take fin-fish/cephalopods.…