|
Slovakia revalues
- Slovakia revalued its currency upwards against the euro by 8.5% on 16 March in an attempt to stop the economy overheating and lower inflation by reducing the cost of imports. Economic growth is running at nearly 8% a year. The decision, which was approved by the European Central Bank and EU finance ministers, is supposed to keep Slovakia on course to adopt the euro in 2009.
Roaming charges
- The European Commission’s proposed regulation capping mobile roaming rates was endorsed yesterday (21 March) by the European Parliament’s committee on economic and monetary affairs. The regulation is now on course for final approval by member states after a plenary vote in Parliament in May. MEPs proposed that Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding be given a special mandate to track SMS roaming charges.
MEPs back mediation
- The European Parliament’s committee on legal affairs approved on Tuesday (20 March) a proposed directive promoting the use of mediation to solve cross-border civil and commercial disputes. MEPs voted for amendments advocating voluntary use of the mechanism and ensuring confidentiality. The directive, which must also be approved by member states, will be voted on by all MEPs in April.
Videotape probe
- The Commission sent a statement of objections to videotape manufacturers about a suspected cartel. Preliminary conclusions reached by the Commission are based on inspections carried out in 2002. The companies have two months to explain their actions. Failure to provide a satisfactory response could result in fines of up to 10% of the companies’ annual revenue.
No way, court tells BA
- The European Court of Justice on Thursday (15 March) dismissed an appeal by British Airways against a 2003 European Court of First Instance ruling in favour of the European Commission. The Commission had fined BA €6.8 million in 1999 for abuse of a dominant position following complaints by its rival Virgin Atlantic about financial incentives offered to travel agents.
Tagging regime
- Viviane Reding, the Commissioner for information society and media, unveiled her strategy for dealing with radio frequency identification technology at IT fair CeBIT in Hanover, Germany. Proposals for amendments to the e-privacy directive will be published in mid-2007. By the end of the year, a recommendation on applying the e-privacy directive and the data protection directive will be published. An assessment of further policy options will be presented by the end of 2008.
Jacques Barrot, the European commissioner for transport, said he would be pushing Washington to agree to a second phase of ‘open skies’ negotiations in early 2008.
|
