EU Company News

Latest European company news from EUbusiness.com, with business commentary and analysis on companies in Europe.

Slovakia woos U.S. Steel amid European meltdown — 17 February 2013, 12:14 CET

As meltdown menaces Europe's steel sector, Slovakia is scrambling to keep U.S. Steel -- the country's largest single employer -- from selling off a mammoth factory in Kosice, a gritty eastern industrial hub.

Peugeot plunges into record EUR 5.0 bn loss in 2012 — 13 February 2013, 18:57 CET

French car maker Peugeot Citroen reported a record loss of 5.0 billion euros on Wednesday but said it was on the road to recovery from crisis, and the government insisted that nationalisation is not on the agenda.

PSA Peugeot Citroen announces EUR 4.7 bn writedown — 07 February 2013, 22:10 CET

Embattled French auto group PSA Peugeot Citroen announced a huge writedown of 4.7 billion euros ($6.29 billion) for 2012 on Thursday, due to an extremely difficult European market, but said debt and cash targets for the year had been met.

EU studies Google's bid to avoid anti-trust fine — 02 February 2013, 11:51 CET

EU anti-trust authorities said Friday they had received proposals from Internet giant Google aimed at ending a probe into its dominance of online search advertising platforms.

ThyssenKrupp announces 141-mn-euro contract in Turkey — 31 January 2013, 12:23 CET

German heavy industry giant ThyssenKrupp said on Thursday it had won a 141-million-euro ($191-million) contract to build a fertiliser plant in Turkey.

BASF halts EU approval process for GM potatoes — 29 January 2013, 16:50 CET

BASF, the world's biggest chemicals company, said Tuesday it has decided to no longer seek European approval of its genetically modified potato products in the face of stiff resistance.

EU stops short of insecticide ban — 29 January 2013, 00:10 CET

The European Commission said Monday it would draw up "stringent" measures to protect bees from dangers attributed to certain pesticides, but pulled back from an anticipated ban.

ATR sales gain, but Bombardier bounces back — 23 January 2013, 17:51 CET

The European prop-jet manufacturer ATR posted on Wednesday an 11 per cent gain in sales for 2012, a year that also witnessed a rebound by its chief rival, the Canadian company Bombardier.

EU hints at insecticide ban over threat to bees — 16 January 2013, 15:48 CET

The European Commission has hinted that it could ban several insecticides, some made by German chemicals giant Bayer, after scientists found disturbing evidence of harm to bees.

Hannover Re hit by 261-million-euro loss from Sandy — 14 January 2013, 15:45 CET

German reinsurance giant Hannover Re said on Monday that it had taken a 261-million-euro ($349-million) hit due to claims from Hurricane Sandy but still expected to reach its annual targets.

UPS drops bid to create European parcel giant, TNT stock crashes — 14 January 2013, 15:51 CET

United Parcel Service has abandoned an attempt to create the biggest European group in the fight for the global parcel market, pulling out of a giant bid for Dutch TNT Express which immediately lost about half its value.

EU to force Google to change listing of search results: report — 10 January 2013, 22:06 CET

Google will have to change the way it presents search results or face anti-trust charges for favouring its own services, the EU's competition chief told the Financial Times.

South Korean Kia posts record 2012 production in Slovakia — 10 January 2013, 14:18 CET

South Korean car maker Kia Motors said on Thursday that it had raised output by 15 percent at its Slovak plant last year, assembling 292,000 cars despite a gloomy outlook for the European Union -- its key export market.

EU Investment Bank confirms EUR 10 bn capital boost — 08 January 2013, 17:42 CET

The European Investment Bank says its shareholders, the EU's 27 member states, have unanimously approved a 10 billion euro capital increase, as agreed by national leaders last year.

US Google ruling has no impact on EU probe — 04 January 2013, 20:13 CET

The decision by US authorities to close down an 18-month anti-trust investigation into Internet giant Google has no bearing on what the EU will do with its own probe, the European Commission said Friday.

Relief for Google as US ends monopoly probe — 03 January 2013, 22:43 CET

US regulators have closed a lengthy antitrust probe into Google, saying there is not enough evidence to show the Internet giant manipulated its search results to harm its competitors.

Samsung injunctions against Apple breach rules: EU — 21 December 2012, 23:42 CET

The European Commission said Friday that South Korea's Samsung Electronics was abusing its dominant market position in certain technologies when it took out injunctions against fierce rival Apple.

EU says to set out anti-trust case against Samsung soon — 20 December 2012, 21:37 CET

The EU will set out its case against Samsung Electronics "very soon" following an anti-trust probe of the smartphone and mobile tablet market, Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said Thursday.

EU decision on Microsoft probe close — 20 December 2012, 17:50 CET

The European Commission says it is close to a decision in its investigation of US giant Microsoft and its failure to provide clients with a choice of Web browser, as it had promised to do.

Greece's Eurobank posts one-billion-euro loss over nine months — 20 December 2012, 10:18 CET

Greece's third-largest lender Eurobank on Thursday reported a net loss of 1.095 billion euros over the first nine months of 2012, after writing off six billion euros to help the country reduce its sovereign debt.

EU, Google to seek anti-trust accord — 18 December 2012, 23:57 CET

The European Union will seek an accord with US Internet search giant Google as progress has been made in resolving EU anti-trust concerns, Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said Tuesday.

US eyes Google antitrust settlement: reports — 17 December 2012, 18:12 CET

US regulators are likely to conclude a lengthy antitrust probe of Google's dominance of Internet searches with a voluntary settlement, news reports said on Monday.

EU clears Li Ka-shing acquisition of Orange Austria — 12 December 2012, 17:30 CET

The European Commission cleared Wednesday the acquisition of the Orange Austria mobile business by Hutchison 3G, part of the ports-to-telecoms conglomerate owned by Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing.

ThyssenKrupp posts EUR 4.7 bn annual loss — 10 December 2012, 22:56 CET

German heavy industry giant ThyssenKrupp said on Monday it would not pay any annual dividends after it posted a loss of 4.7 billion euros for the year following a writedown of two loss-making steel plants.

EU approves Bayer's new long-term contraceptive — 05 December 2012, 11:27 CET

German drug maker Bayer said on Wednesday that European Union authorities had given the go-ahead for a new contraceptive which can prevent pregnancies for up to three years.