Germany and the EU

Latest business news about Germany and the European Union

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German court ruling on Lisbon pact not a solution: Klaus — 02 July 2009, 17:11 CET

A decision by Germany's top court to make ratification of the EU's Lisbon Treaty conditional on a new law does not correct the pact's faults, eurosceptic Czech President Vaclav Klaus said on Thursday.

Power groups E.ON, GDF could face EU fines: report — 01 July 2009, 12:52 CET

The European Commission is set to slap German power giant E.ON with a heavy fine for alleged illegal collaboration with French rival Gaz de France, the business daily Handelsblatt said on Wednesday.

EU approves aid for German mail order firm Quelle — 30 June 2009, 17:32 CET

The European Commission said on Tuesday it had approved 50 million euros in German state aid to prop up insolvent mail-order company Quelle.

EU's Barroso confident of treaty ratification after court ruling — 30 June 2009, 13:26 CET

European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso expressed confidence Tuesday that the EU's reform treaty would be ratified across the bloc by autumn, following a court ruling in Germany.

Top German court suspends ratification of EU's Lisbon Treaty — 30 June 2009, 23:57 CET

Germany's top court on Tuesday delayed the ratification of the European Union's Lisbon Treaty but leaders expressed confidence that the landmark reforms would still be adopted soon.

EU holds breath as German court rules on Lisbon Treaty — 28 June 2009, 13:31 CET

Germany's top court will on Tuesday decide whether the European Union's proposed Lisbon Treaty breaches the country's constitution and could potentially halt the landmark reform in its tracks.

Germany's Fischer to promote EU pipeline: report — 25 June 2009, 23:27 CET

Former German foreign minister Joschka Fischer has taken a job promoting a European gas pipeline, following in the footsteps of his former boss, ex-chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, a magazine reported on Thursday.

Germany to take on record debt — 24 June 2009, 19:07 CET

Germany's finance minister said Wednesday Berlin would break EU budget rules until 2013 or 2014, unveiling a record level of borrowing as the country reels from its worst recession in decades.

EU to sue Germany over farm subsidy disclosure — 16 June 2009, 17:27 CET

The European Commission said on Tuesday it would sue Germany for the failure of Bavarian authorities to publish how much farmers in the state receive in EU handouts, as required by the bloc's rules.

Commissioner wants thorough review of Opel plan — 15 June 2009, 11:40 CET

EU Industry Commissioner Guenter Verheugen wants a thorough examination of plans to rescue troubled German automaker Opel, which he believes would ultimately benefit Russia, a German daily reports.

Danish PM Rasmussen to meet Merkel and Brown — 09 June 2009, 21:19 CET

Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen was to visit Berlin on Wednesday for a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel before heading to London for talks with his British counterpart Gordon Brown, his office said Tuesday.

Germany backs EU Commission chief for new term — 09 June 2009, 21:28 CET

Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday that Germany backed European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso's bid for a second five-year mandate.

Germany against targeted stress tests for banks — 09 June 2009, 15:45 CET

German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck voiced scepticism Tuesday on US-style stress tests to check the health of individual banks, dismissing an IMF recommendation.

German finance minister against relaxing EU deficit rules — 08 June 2009, 21:10 CET

German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck, a staunch defender of budgetary discipline, opposed on Monday a French proposal to relax European Union overspending rules in the face of the economic crisis.

Merkel eyes second term after EU vote success — 08 June 2009, 20:54 CET

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday her chances of winning a second term in office in September had improved after her centre-right party trounced its Social Democrat rivals in European elections.

Merkel eyes second term as party outshines rivals — 08 June 2009, 12:29 CET

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's bid to win a second term in power in September was boosted Monday as final European election results showed her centre-right party had trounced her Social Democrat rivals.

EU vote: Merkel's conservatives on top in Germany — 08 June 2009, 01:08 CET

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives came top in Sunday's European elections, trouncing her main centre-left rivals in what was seen as a dry run for September's general election.

German conservatives lead EU vote: provisional result — 07 June 2009, 23:55 CET

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives came out on top in Sunday's European elections with provisional results showing their share of the vote at 39.2 per cent, down from 44.5 per cent in 2004.

Merkel's conservatives projected on top in EU vote — 07 June 2009, 21:30 CET

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives came out on top in European elections on Sunday despite suffering a projected fall of around six percentage points ahead of September's national vote.

Germany's Financial Times says 'vote green' — 04 June 2009, 16:41 CET

The German-language version of the pro-business Financial Times urged its readers on Thursday to vote for the Green party in the forthcoming European elections.

Germany rejects French proposal on deficit rules: report — 04 June 2009, 12:20 CET

Germany rejects any changes to EU rules on national deficits, a deputy minister said in comments published Thursday after France called for spending limits to be relaxed due to the financial crisis.

German FM urges Lisbon Treaty ratification in Prague — 02 June 2009, 13:17 CET

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Tuesday urged ratification of the EU's reforming Lisbon Treaty during a visit to Prague, where eurosceptic President Vaclav Klaus has held up the text.

Merkel looks beyond EU vote for pointer to political future — 02 June 2009, 11:27 CET

The European parliament election in Germany is a litmus test for Chancellor Angela Merkel and her conservatives ahead of legislative polls in September in the continent's biggest economy.

Germany extends anti-piracy mission — 27 May 2009, 22:00 CET

Germany decided on Wednesday to extend its involvement in the European Union's Atalanta anti-piracy mission by six months and to increase the range its ships can patrol.

Belgium disputes German handling of Opel bids — 27 May 2009, 14:19 CET

Belgium sought broad European involvement in decisions on struggling General Motors subsidiary Opel, insisting Germany alone should not decide its future, in letters made public on Wednesday.