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EIT on track
- EU ministers for competitiveness agreed on Monday (25 June) a ‘general approach’ to the creation of a European Institute of Technology, aimed at bringing together academics and business through specialist ‘knowledge and innovation Communities’. If approved by the European Parliament later this year, the EIT could start work in 2008, but funds for running the EIT have not yet been raised, apart from a €308.7 million contribution from the EU budget.
Ryanair knock-back
- The European Commission blocked yesterday (27 June) a proposed takeover of airline Aer Lingus by Irish rival Ryanair. According to the Commission. Ryanair’s Chief Executive Michael O’Leary said he would appeal against the decision at the European Court of Justice.
German telecoms
- The German telecoms regulator is not doing enough to ensure a level playing-field during the transition to high bandwidth networks from traditional copper fixed-line networks, the European Commission said on Monday.
Taxes up slightly
- Taxes and social security contributions paid in the EU rose slightly in 2005, according to the latest figures from EU statistics office Eurostat on Tuesday (26 June). The overall tax ratio rose to 39.6% of gross domestic product, up from 39.2% in 2004, marking the first increase since 1999. The highest tax ratios were Sweden, Denmark and Belgium, with Romania and Lithuania at the bottom of the table.
The EU and Brazil will be discussing ways of collaborating more closely on biofuels production and investment at a summit next month (4 July).
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