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Services directive
- The European Parliament yesterday (15 November) approved the services directive, legislation aimed at creating a single EU-wide market for services. MEPs rejected a series of last-minute amendments, voting to preserve the delicate compromise achieved earlier this year by member states. Parliament’s President Josep Borrell said the final proposal struck a "balance between opening up services and respecting social norms". The controversial country-of-origin principle, which would have made it possible for companies to operate cross-border without registering with local authorities, was scrapped by Parliament in February over fears of ‘social dumping’.
Switch hitch
- The German power company E.ON said yesterday that human error was to blame for the blackout which briefly left 10 million people in six European countries without electricity on 4 November.
Suez/Gaz de France
- French companies Suez and Gaz de France on Tuesday (14 November) won conditional approval from the Commission for a merger. The two companies, with a combined market capitalisation of €80bn, would together form Europe’s second largest utility company. Final approval depends on both companies selling off a number of assets.
Belgian double tax
- Belgium can tax dividends that have already been taxed in another member state, according to the European Court of Justice on Monday (13 November). The Commission said the court’s green light for double taxation ignored internal market issues.
Italy-Russia gas deal
- Italian energy company ENI will continue to be Russian gas giant Gazprom’s largest customer, following a deal signed on Tuesday to buy gas from 2010.
Product placement
- Culture ministers meeting on Monday reached an informal agreement on Commission proposals to update the EU’s audiovisual legislation, Television Without Frontiers. Broadcasters would be able to deploy product placement, a form of hidden advertising involving the inclusion of products on shows. Advertising restrictions would be relaxed to give broadcasters more freedom over when to place advert breaks and broadcasting companies would be allowed to operate across borders on condition that they co-operate with regulators.
Polish deficit
- The European Commission this week (14 November) warned Poland it was not doing enough to reduce its budget deficit. The 2007 deficit is expected to be greater than the previously predicted 3.7% of GDP.
Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes will next week unveil rules on state aid tailored for research and development (R&D).
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