EU News

European Union Business News from EUbusiness.com

Euro-MPs call for food price transparency — 28 June 2010, 22:13 CET

New legislation is needed to ensure fair returns to farmers and transparent prices to consumers, by enforcing fair competition throughout the food supply chain, said the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee on Monday.

EU reviews options for revised Market Abuse Directive — 01 July 2010, 23:26 CET

The European Commission have launched a public consultation on the review of the Market Abuse Directive. Its objective is to consult financial market participants, governments, competent authorities and other stakeholders on the modifications to the Market Abuse Directive that the Commission is considering for its forthcoming legislative proposal.

EU approves Foxconn's acquisition of Sony's television production in Slovakia and Mexico — 28 June 2010, 22:09 CET

The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition by the Taiwanese company Foxconn of Sony entities producing televisions in Slovakia and Mexico.

EU launches multilingual website on succession laws — 28 June 2010, 22:09 CET

EU citizens living outside their home countries are confronted with different succession laws in the 27 EU Member States. To help citizens become better informed about these laws, the Council of the Notariats of the EU launched a website today in 22 EU languages plus Croatian.

New EU measures to ease access to structural funds — 25 June 2010, 19:09 CET

The EU adopted yesterday new measures aimed at simplifying management rules for the structural and cohesion funds to help regions tackle the crisis. The changes should help to facilitate access to the funds and accelerate flows of investment at a time when public budgets are under pressure.

Portugal must comply with Natura 2000 rules, warns EC — 24 June 2010, 21:59 CET

The European Commission has requested that Portugal ensure coastal developments in sensitive natural areas are fully compliant with EU environmental protection law.

EC tells UK to comply with EU data protection rules — 24 June 2010, 22:01 CET

The powers of Britain's data protection authority need to be strengthened if they are to comply with the EU's Data Protection Directive, the European Commission said today.

12 Member States warned to implement EU rules on shareholders' rights — 24 June 2010, 22:03 CET

The European Commission is taking action against a twelve EU Member States in the area of public procurement and for late implementation of the Shareholders' Rights Directive.

New EU trust label to make e-trading more reliable — 24 June 2010, 22:03 CET

The European Parliament's Internal Market Committee approved today new proposals for a European trust mark to encourage cross-border e-trading by building consumer trust.

EU approves EUR 390m aid for Polish gas project — 23 June 2010, 17:25 CET

The European Commission has authorised, under the EU state aid rules, the provision of state grants amounting to EUR 390 million for the construction or capacity increase of four underground gas storage sites in Poland.

EU to investigate aid granted to SEA Handling of Italy — 23 June 2010, 17:25 CET

The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation into compensation for losses incurred by SEA Handling, an Italian groundhandling company operating at airports in Milan. The losses have been absorbed by the Italian authorities since 2002 through the public airport operator at Milan Malpensa and Milan Linate airports.

Euro-MPs call for more EU powers in the financial sector — 22 June 2010, 23:24 CET

The European Parliament's Economic Affairs Committee passed today two resolutions, calling for legislation on remuneration in the financial service sector and on the management of cross-border banking crises.

EU approves acquisition of Mitgas by RWE of Germany — 19 June 2010, 00:41 CET

The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the acquisition of Mitgas (Germany) by enviaM (Germany), which is wholly controlled by RWE of Germany.

EU okays conditionally DFDS acquisition of Norfolk — 19 June 2010, 00:25 CET

The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the acquisition of Norfolk, a ferry and cargo shipping provider in the North Sea, by DFDS of Denmark. The approval is conditional upon the conclusion by DFDS of a space charter agreement on routes between the UK and Denmark.

EU approves Procter & Gamble's Sara Lee acquisition — 19 June 2010, 00:25 CET

The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of the Sara Lee Air Care business by Procter & Gamble, both of the US.

EU ups its stake in COST science programme — 17 June 2010, 19:21 CET

The EU will add EUR 40 million to its contribution to the international Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) programme. This was announced by the Spanish Secretary of State for Research, Felipe Pétriz, at the COST Ministerial Conference on 15 June in Palma de Majorca (Spain), organised by the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Commission approves RBS Sempra sale to JP Morgan — 17 June 2010, 17:02 CET

The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of RBS Sempra Commodities LLP, the commodities trading arm of UK-based Royal Bank of Scotland, by JP Morgan Chase & Co.

EU-US Open Skies: MEPs call for open markets — 17 June 2010, 17:04 CET

The European Parliament regrets continuing US restrictions on EU companies' ownership of stakes in US airlines, calls for better protection of air passengers' personal data, and says airlines from both sides should be included in emission trading rules, in a resolution passed on Thursday.

EU must enforce rail liberalisation, say MEPs — 17 June 2010, 17:06 CET

The European Commission should launch infringement proceedings without delay against EU Member States who have not yet opened up their rail networks to competition, says the European Parliament in a resolution adopted on Thursday.

EU approves Italian retail gas joint venture between A2A and Gazprom — 16 June 2010, 23:07 CET

The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation an Italian gas retail supply company between A2A Spa of Italy and Gazprom Germania GmbH, a subsidiary of Gazprom.

Airport scanners receive conditional support from EC — 16 June 2010, 11:55 CET

The deployment and operation of airport scanners must be based on common standards, says the European Commission in a Communication out today. In a statement of conditional support for the scanners, it makes clear that EU Member States must also ensure compliance with European fundamental rights and health provisions.

EU aims for safer electric cars — 15 June 2010, 23:57 CET

The European Commission proposed today to ensure that electric cars placed on the European market are safe and that consumers are protected against direct contacts with parts of the car under voltage.

EU to tighten derivatives trading regulation — 15 June 2010, 23:54 CET

Proposed EU rules on derivatives trading must be made clearer and tougher, so as to reduce speculative trading and ensure that as many derivatives as possible are traded through open channels that are subject to rules, the European Parliament said in a resolution adopted on Tuesday.

Euro-MPs back new technology for storing product information — 15 June 2010, 23:55 CET

The European Parliament gave its backing today to the development of an "internet of things", the new information technology which will allow all the information on a product to be stored, received and transmitted in wireless mode via a chip.

EU quest for food security begins with research — 14 June 2010, 22:53 CET

The Scientific Advisory Board for the new EU Joint Programming Initiative (JPI) on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change held its maiden meeting in Paris, France on 10 June where it launched a joint research effort targeting a safe and sustainable food supply in Europe. The European Commission, which was instrumental in driving forward the JPI, has pledged some EUR 2 million to help bring this goal to fruition.