Germany and the EU

Latest business news about Germany and the European Union

• Germany country profile

German deposit guarantee seems okay to Brussels — 06 October 2008, 16:08 CET

Germany's guarantee of all its bank savings seems in line with EU competition rules and does not pose the same problems as a similar announcement by Ireland, says the Commission.

German bank announces collapse of EUR 35bn rescue — 04 October 2008, 21:53 CET

German bank Hypo Real Estate (HRE) said on Saturday that a planned 35-billion-euro rescue had fallen through after the banking consortium involved pulled out of the deal.

Hypo Real Estate shares rebound after EU approves Berlin bail-out — 03 October 2008, 18:47 CET

Shares in German property financer Hypo Real Estate shot up by 27.31 per cent to 6.76 euros in afternoon trading Friday after the European Commission approved a German bailout package for the bank.

Brussels approves German bailout for Hypo Real Estate — 03 October 2008, 10:19 CET

The Commission has approved the German bailout package for property lender Hypo Real Estate, praising the action as "part of the solution" during the current financial crisis.

Berlin wants quick EU approval of HRE rescue plan: spokesman — 01 October 2008, 16:10 CET

The German government expects swift approval by the European Commission of a rescue plan for property lender Hypo Real Estate, a finance ministry spokesman said Wednesday.

VW workers vent anger against EU, Porsche — 12 September 2008, 19:35 CET

Tens of tousands of workers demonstrated at Volkswagen's headquarters Friday against what they see as threats to their jobs from Porsche's take- over efforts and EU regulators.

VW union flexes muscles at mass demo — 12 September 2008, 14:05 CET

Workers gather at Volkswagen headquarters for a mass demo against Porsche's boss and the Commission, who they see as threatening their jobs.

EU preparing new court action against Germany over VW law — 10 September 2008, 19:21 CET

The Commission is to bring new court action against Germany in its stand-off with Berlin over a law shielding Volkswagen from takeovers.

Oil, euro send German indicator higher — 19 August 2008, 23:07 CET

German investor confidence improved slightly in August, a key economic indicator suggested on Tuesday, thanks to the recent fall in the price of oil and a weakening of the euro.

EU demands German explanation on East European bar — 20 July 2008, 00:26 CET

The European Union's employment commissioner Saturday has asked for an explanation from Germany over its decision to keep out many workers from new EU member states in eastern Europe until 2011.

Germany blocks East European workers until 2011 — 16 July 2008, 23:37 CET

Germany decided on Wednesday to keep restricting free access to workers from new EU member states in eastern Europe until 2011.

Merkel sticks to guns on Lisbon Treaty: interview — 01 July 2008, 23:32 CET

German Chancellor Angela Merkel stuck to her guns Tuesday on all EU states needing to ratify the Lisbon Treaty, after Poland's president said Ireland's "no" vote made such a move pointless.

Deutsche Post says to get 1.0 bln euros from state after ruling — 01 July 2008, 11:27 CET

The German logistics group Deutsche Post said on Tuesday it would be repaid about one billion euros (1.58 billion dollars) after a European court overturned a European Commission decision concerning state aid.

German president will not sign EU treaty pending court ruling — 30 June 2008, 17:51 CET

German President Horst Koehler will not complete his country's ratification of the EU's Lisbon Treaty until its highest court has ruled on legal challenges to the text, his office said Monday.

Merkel says Lisbon Treaty must be approved by all EU states — 19 June 2008, 12:34 CET

German Chancellor Angela Merkel dismissed Thursday talk of a "two-speed" European Union, saying the Lisbon Treaty rejected by Irish voters must be approved by all 27 members -- and soon.

German state digs in amid 'VW law' dispute — 05 June 2008, 14:32 CET

Lower Saxony stuck to its guns Thursday after the European Commission launched legal action against Germany over a new "Volkswagen law" that retains the state's de facto veto over strategic decisions at Europe's biggest carmaker.

Germany under fresh EU pressure over VW law — 05 June 2008, 14:31 CET

The European Commission has ratcheted up pressure on Germany by taking fresh legal action over a disputed law shielding national car maker Volkswagen from takeovers.

EU warns Germany of court action over new 'VW law' — 28 May 2008, 14:26 CET

The Commission is warning it could take new court action against Germany if Berlin goes ahead with a new "Volkswagen law" that retains Lower Saxony's de facto veto over takeovers.

German upper house approves EU treaty — 23 May 2008, 13:24 CET

The upper house of the German parliament approved on Friday the European Union's reforming Lisbon Treaty, a revamped version of the EU constitution rejected by Dutch and French voters in 2005.

German lawmakers come up with new 'VW law': ministry — 22 May 2008, 16:48 CET

German lawmakers have worked out a new "Volkswagen law" which still retains Lower Saxony's de facto veto ruled illegal by Brussels last year.

Germany's Merkel gets annual EU prize with French praise — 01 May 2008, 18:28 CET

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel received an annual EU prize on Thursday for helping unite Europe, as France's Nicolas Sarkozy praised her, easing frosty Franco-German relations.

EU approves state rescue aid for German bank WestLB — 30 April 2008, 22:43 CET

The Commission has approved a state-backed rescue for German bank WestLB, hit by its exposure to the US market for subprime home loans.

German insurers face 250-mln-euro bill from Siemens scandal: report — 28 April 2008, 16:03 CET

German insurers could face claims of up to 250 million euros (390 million dollars) from Siemens over executives in connection with a corruption scandal at the engineering group, a press report said Monday.

All change as Germany's population goes grey — 27 April 2008, 12:25 CET

Germany is Europe's most populous country but it also has the world's third oldest population, creating challenges and opportunities in equal measure in politics, society and the economy.

Germany to block East European workers till 2011: report — 25 April 2008, 12:24 CET

Germany's governing so-called "grand coalition" wants to continue restricting free access to workers from new EU members in Eastern Europe until 2011, a newspaper report said on Friday.