Tag: trade

EXCLUSIVE / José Bové, the famously outspoken French MEP and Farmers Union leader, has condemned US officials for a "lack of transparency" in demanding secrecy in transatlantic trade talks with their EU counterparts.

France is drafting a new law that aims to make the practice of pooling resources to fund private ventures easier and more competitive, but the lack of rules governing so-called 'crowdfunding' has prompted the European Commission to announce new legislation for "early next year".

Armenia will join a customs union led by its former Soviet master Russia, the country’s President Serzh Sargsyan said yesterday (3 September), a move incompatible with the free trade agreement the EU is preparing with Yerevan.

Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has called on European countries to step up cooperation on defence yesterday (2 September), arguing in favour of moves towards a borderless EU defence market and intensified integration on military matters.

Moldova will take its first steps towards diversifying its energy supplies today (27 August) when it inaugurates a gas pipeline with the EU, so ending its energy dependence on Russia.

A new air-conditioning refrigerant used in cars poses no material risk to occupants even if it is more dangerous than an older alternative now being phased out to meet environmental rules, German officials said in a closely watched report.

In a few remote corners of China, a world away from Beijing's allegations of European wine dumping, makers of such lofty French brands as Chateau Lafite-Rothschild and Dom Perignon champagne are investing millions of dollars to produce vintages they hope will put Chinese wine on the world map.

French motorists continue to register new models of Mercedes-Benz despite a government ban, but the damage may already be done to sales of the German luxury car.

China has agreed to discuss dropping its inquiry into whether Europe is dumping wine, the EU's trade chief said on Monday (29 July), after EU and Chinese officials made a deal to avoid tariffs on solar panels from China.

China has a positive attitude in its EU relations, but it is also strongly determined to safeguard the interests of its nation and enterprises, Xi Jian, ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Warsaw, told EurActiv Poland.

Indonesian palm oil has been blamed for deforestation, transcontinental smog, greenhouse gas emissions, forced evictions, child labour and modern day slavery. But if the EU imposes punitive duties on it before 2014, it will be for tax reasons.

The European Commission is drafting ambitious plans to scrap mobile telephone roaming charges and to seize greater control over the radio frequency spectrum before the EU Parliament mandate ends next year, in a proposal that is likely to pitch Brussels against national interests and industry.

Attempts to introduce a Common European Sales Law are designed to boost cross-border trade. But Ursula  Pachl, the deputy director-general of the European consumer group BEUC, argues that there is no evidence that the new law would achieve this and urges the Parliament – which will consider the proposal this autumn – to reject it.

The European Commission wants to encourage young workers to gain education and skills in other countries, a sort of Erasmus programme for workers, Commission Vice President Antonio Tajani tells EurActiv Slovakia in an interview.

The European Commission, member states and industry will invest more than €22 billion over the next seven years in innovation. The investment will primarily go to special sectors via five public-private partnerships called Joint Technology Initiatives (JTIs).

A comprehensive trade agreement between the EU and United States would result in higher employment rates in the economies that are part of the agreement, argue Samuel George, Thieß Petersen and Ulrich Schoof. Southern European countries would experience an above-average positive effect on employment, which is then reflected in a corresponding reduction in the unemployment rate.

EU and US negotiators are to hold their first round of talks on a long-term trade deal that has been overshadowed by allegations of American spying on EU offices and European governments. But Washington's envoy to the EU, William E. Kennard, foresees a "healthy debate" on trade.

Time is running out for Europe to make a low-carbon economy attractive, argues Stephanie Pfeifer.

The EU can be applauded for contributing strongly to Myanmar's economy without changing its import structure or losing a significant portion of its tariff revenue, says Akio Egawa.

The European Parliament on Thursday (4 July) plans to establish a special committee to investigate reports that an American spy agency monitored phone calls and e-mails of EU institutions and some member states. But some MEPs sought to downplay pressure to freeze EU-US trade negotiations over the spying allegations. EurActiv reports from Strasbourg.

A patched-up plan to shock Europe’s zombie carbon markets back to life will pass a plenary vote at the European Parliament on Wednesday (3 July), but this will only "buy time" for more fundamental reform, says the chairman of the Parliament’s environment committee.

Europe could be on the verge of reaping the huge benefits of the next industrial revolution – what is called the industrial internet. This exciting phase of industrial transformation will be technology driven, writes Hendrik Bourgeois.

The European Union has agreed a compromise deal to enforce stricter rules on carbon dioxide emissions for all new EU automobiles from 2020.

SPECIAL REPORT / As jet engines grow quieter, European researchers are turning to other parts of aircraft to reduce noise to spare those living near airports and to make the final moments before landing more comfortable for passengers. EurActiv reports from the Paris Air Show.