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EU-South Korea trade
- The EU and South Korea launched a second round of free trade talks on Monday (16 July). EU negotiators made an ambitious offer of 100% tariff-free market access for Korean exporters, seeking in return generous access to the Korean market in areas including the automotive sector and the removal of restrictions on EU investment in Korea.
EADS overhaul
- Changes to the management structure of aerospace giant EADS were decided on Monday at a Franco-German summit. French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed to make Frenchman Louis Gallois the sole chief executive of the firm, with German Tom Enders, who until now had shared chief executive responsibilities with Gallois, moving to head Airbus, the EADS subsidiary.
India tariff U-turn
- The EU suspended on Monday its complaint to the World Trade Organization (WTO) over India’s import tariffs on alcohol. India had agreed to lift duties of as much as 550% on imports of alcohol. Reduced duties on beer and wine now range from 20-75%. Tariffs on distilled spirits have been lowered to a range of 25-150%. Duties on wine were, however, raised from 100% to 150%, within WTO limits.
Handheld-TV standard
- The European Commission yesterday (18 July) unveiled a test standard for EU digital TV broadcasting in a bid to force an industry compromise on harmonisation. The standard, DVB-H (digital video broadcasting - handheld) is supported by some, but not all, operators. Should operators fail to adopt DVB-H of their own volition, the standard could be made mandatory next year.
Open-skies warning
- Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot has written to his US counterpart Mary Peters and to James Oberstar, the chairman of Congress’s transportation and infrastructure committee, expressing fears that an EU-US ‘open skies’ deal struck in April could unravel as a result of moves by Congress to tighten restrictions on foreign airlines operating in the US market. The agreement enters into force provisionally next year.
Chip aid approved
- The Commission approved €262 million in state aid to German chipmaker AMD for improvements to its micro-processor wafer plants in Dresden. AMD is currently waiting for the Commission to conclude its ongoing investigation into the conduct of US-based rival Intel.
Russia chemicals vow
- Russia has agreed to adopt strict EU rules on chemical safety. Industry and Enterprise Commissioner Günter Verheugen brokered the deal in Moscow on Monday.
The European Commission announced yesterday (18 July) that it was ready to drop its case against the Italian government over measures that obstructed a merger between toll-road companies Abertis and Autostrade.
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