HEADLINE NEWS

Environment activists breach EU summit security

EUOBSERVER

10.12.2009 @ 20:33 CET

(Photo: Greenpeace)

Greenpeace activists managed to breach security at the meeting of EU leaders on Thursday in Brussels. They drew up in front of the summit venue dressed as diplomats in a three-car convoy that was part of the leaders' motorcade. After getting out, they held up banners saying "EU: Save Copenhagen." Red-faced security officials then escorted them away.

18:07 CET 19.03.2010

This WEEK in the European Union

It's a foreign affairs sort of week for the European institutions next week, with foreign ministers on Monday taking a h...
EU foreign ministers ponder their post-Lisbon role

With some foreign ministers feeling slightly disenfranchised by the European Union's new legal set-up, they are seeking ...
China exploring rail routes to Europe

China is exploring the possibility of extending its high-speed train network as far as Europe, potentially cutting rail ...
Georgia flags up problems with new EU structures

Georgia cannot "put itself on hold" until the new EU arrangements created by the Lisbon Treaty start to work, but needs ...

BLOG POSTS

Understanding the Eurozone's structual imbalances
By George Irvin
Blank front pages
By Brigitte Alfter
The Lapland experience
By Honor Mahony
Bravo, Mme Lagarde, vous avez raison!
By George Irvin
A European own goal
By Ole Ryborg
Hard Money or Soft Money?
By Peter Sain ley Berry
Does this make you feel unsafe?
By Gemma Galdon Clavell
Invite Me, I Won't Come
By Maryna Rakhlei
Barroso's question time
By Honor Mahony
I'm impressed...
By Stephen Gardner

Eastern Europe risks 'energy crunch'

Today @ 12:09 CET

Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union countries face an "energy crunch" in the next two decades unless consumption patterns change or investors pump in $3 trillion, a new World Bank study says. Demand for electricity in the region is set to climb by 90% by 2030, it adds.

EU powers urge reaction to Iran censorship

Today @ 12:02 CET

The FMs of the UK, Germany and France have in a letter urged EU foreign affairs chief Ashton to speak out against Iran's jamming of around 70 foreign TV and radio broadcasts. "The objective was to ...prevent the people of Iran from freely exercising their right of information," the letter said.

Brussels considers farm policy name change

Today @ 09:31 CET

The EU’s farm policy could be re-branded as the Common Agricultural and Environmental Policy to secure public backing for the budget, EU environment commissioner Janez Potocnik has suggested. At a farm conference in Brussels he urged a "profound greening" of the policy.

EU court to rule in Google Adword case next week

Today @ 09:21 CET

The EU Court in Luxembourg will rule on Tuesday whether Google infringes trademark rights of brand owners such as Louis Vuitton through its Adwords service. The brands fear loss of control to counterfeiters if they are allowed to pay to use keywords that are already protected brand names.

Anti-Mafia T-shirts too political for EU Parliament

Today @ 09:19 CET

EU Parliament security guards on Thursday shut out 80 students because their anti-Mafia T-shirts were deemed to have a political message, violating rules of conduct for visitors. The students from University of Palermo, Sicily had come to Brussels for a conference on the fight against the Mafia.

Anti-Putin demonstration in Kaliningrad cancelled

Today @ 09:19 CET

Russian authorities have banned a planned rally in the western exclave of Kaliningrad on 20 March for fear of violence. The demonstration, expected to number in the thousands, was to protest PM Putin’s party and worsening economic conditions. Though Russian, Kaliningrad lies behind EU borders.

No VAT breaks on porn booths

Today @ 09:16 CET

The EU Court on Thursday ruled against the owner of a sex shop in Bruges, saying a 'cubicle cinema' is not eligible for reduced Belgian VAT. The owner had claimed that the cubicles for watching films were covered by a low-tax category covering "establishments for culture, sports or entertainment."