Business Brief

Unemployment down

Unemployment across Europe has dropped over the past year, the EU statistics agency Eurostat announced on Tuesday (1 August). Eurozone unemployment fell to 7.8% in June 2006 from 8.6% in June 2005. The EU25 unemployment rate was 8.1% in June 2006, compared to 8.8% in June 2005. In June 2006, the lowest rates were registered in the Netherlands (3.8%), Denmark (3.9%), Ireland (4.4%) and Luxembourg (4.7%). The highest rates were to be found in Poland (16.0%), Slovakia (15.1%), Greece (9.6%), France (8.7%) and Malta (8.5%).

Online content call

The European Commission launched a public consultation to find ways of improving the competitiveness of the online content market on Friday (28 July). Issues such as economic and regulatory barriers, Europe-wide licensing and clearance, and interoperability of digital rights management will be addressed. The deadline for contributions is October 2006.

Sara Lee all-clear

The Commission announced on 28 July that it had cleared a takeover of Dutch processed meat company Sara Lee Foods Europe by a joint venture between US firms Smithfield Foods Inc. and Oaktree Capital management LLC. The Commission found that the transaction would not significantly harm competition in the European Economic Area as the overlaps between the parties' processed meat activities would be limited.

Concrete go-ahead

The Commission gave the go-ahead on 28 July for Steel Management Services S.L., owned by Spain's Celsa group, to take sole control of Fundia Reinforcing AS, which makes steel products for reinforcing concrete for construction. The Commission found that there were several large steel suppliers in the European Economic Area and the proposed transaction would not significantly harm competition.

Rail ruling

The High Court in England on 27 July rejected an appeal from train company GNER against a ruling by the UK's rail regulator on charging for access to the network. The ruling is regarded as a significant interpretation of an EU directive.

Apple bites back

Apple Computer Inc. responded on Tuesday (1 August) to Scandinavian regulatory claims that it is violating its contract and copyright laws by making its iPod the only compatible player for iTunes downloads. Legal action brought by consumer agencies in Norway, Denmark and Sweden could lead to an iTunes ban if Apple does not allow songs from its iTunes Music Store to be heard on other portable music players. The regulators will announce their next move in the coming days.

The European Commission is expected to challenge the Spanish authorities' decision to impose wide-ranging conditions on the planned acquisition of Spanish energy giant Endesa by Germany's E.ON, according to lawyers familiar with the case.

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