Search Results for: european union

BY ALAN OSBORN
THE EUROPEAN Commission is to re-examine the safety of azocolourants, used for dyeing textile and leather materials, at the request of the German and Danish governments who argue that a ban agreed late last year by the EU Council of Ministers does not go far enough.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL AND MARK ROWE
ALTHOUGH the future of the controversial bilateral open skies agreements, struck between the United States and a string of European Union Member States, has been thrown into doubt by an advocate general of the European Court of Justice, this is by no means regarded as a disaster by Europe’s airport industry.…

BY RICHARD HURST
THE INVSTMENT arm of South Africa’s Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Worker’s Union has announced that it is to acquire a 7.24 per cent stake in Aspen Pharmacare, the country’s largest pharmaceutical group, for Rand 150 million.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission is negotiating with EU trading partners to introduce protection for its cereals industry, involving import tariffs. Brussels is worried about price falls caused by the US Farm Bill.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
EU research Commissioner Philippe Busquin has called for a European organisation spreading expertise on plant science to be created. He has also stressed that the oncoming 2003-2006 EU Sixth Framework Programme for research has earmarked Euro 685 million for food quality and safety studies.…

BY ALAN OSBORN
THE EUROPEAN Commission is to step up its drive against tax evasion in the EU by extending the existing Fiscalis co-operative programme covering VAT and excise duties to the area of direct taxation for the first time. Brussels is also expanding its fight against customs fraud.…

KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Union Council of Ministers has provisionally approved agreements on liberalising the trade in textile products between the EU, Egypt and Laos that were negotiated last year. The deals can now come into affect, while ministers consider whether to accept them formally and permanently.…

KEITH NUTHALL
A FINNISH district heating business has been given permission by the European Commission to secure sole control of a Swedish electricity joint venture in which it already has 50 per cent ownership. Fortum Oyj will now be able to own 100 per cent of Birka Energi AB, which is currently part owned by the City of Stockholm.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Union is joining talks at the WTO about a dispute between Australia and the Philippines over quarantine restrictions imposed by Canberra on imports of fresh fruit and vegetables, especially banana and pineapples.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL AND ALAN OSBORN
PUBLIC expenditure on social protection – including pensions and health care, as well as benefits and social services – fell in the UK and the European Union between 1996 and 1999, having risen quite sharply in the first years of the 1990’s, a report from Eurostat, the EU’s statistical agency has claimed.…