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Business news and information from the European Union

EU's Barroso made to wait on re-election vote — 03 July 2009, 19:56 CET

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso will have to wait until later this year to find out if he keeps his job, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said on Friday.

GMO corn: France rejects report by EU food agency — 03 July 2009, 19:55 CET

France on Friday rejected a report by the European Union's food safety watchdog that said a controversial strain of genetically-modified corn was safe.

EU must show 'united front' over Iran: Reinfeldt — 03 July 2009, 18:14 CET

The EU must show "a united front" towards Iran over the detention of British embassy employees in Tehran, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said Friday.

EU presidency Sweden summons Iranian ambassador — 03 July 2009, 18:14 CET

Sweden, the current holder of the European Union presidency, summoned Iran's ambassador Friday as part of a coordinated EU protest over the detention of British embassy employees in Tehran, the foreign ministry said.

Nabucco not at risk from Russia-Azerbaijan gas deal: Turkey — 03 July 2009, 18:12 CET

Russian Gazprom's recent deal to buy natural gas from Azerbaijan will not endanger Europe's flagship pipeline project Nabucco, Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said in Bucharest on Friday.

EU nations summon Iranian envoys over embassy detentions — 03 July 2009, 18:11 CET

EU nations summoned Iranian ambassadors Friday in protest at the detention of British embassy employees in Tehran, some of whom could be tried for stoking post-election unrest, according to a cleric.

Key Nabucco gas pipeline deal to be signed July 13 — 03 July 2009, 18:08 CET

EU nations and Turkey said Friday they will sign a key intergovernmental agreement in Ankara on July 13 on Europe's flagship Nabucco gas pipeline project, but key issues still need to be resolved.

EU committee recommends lifting Indonesia flight ban — 03 July 2009, 16:49 CET

The European Union's Air Safety Committee has recommended that the regional bloc partially drop a ban on Indonesian airlines flying to its airspace, Indonesia's transport ministry said on Friday.

France urges tougher agriculture regulation — 03 July 2009, 16:45 CET

France called on Friday for regulation in the agricultural industry to be as tough as in the financial sector in order guarantee a minimum income for farmers.

EU nations seek to push Iran, but not too far — 03 July 2009, 16:44 CET

EU nations sought ways Friday to pressure Iran to free British embassy staff held in Tehran and end post-election repression, without jeopardising attempts to curb its nuclear programme.

Eurozone retail sales slip back into rut — 03 July 2009, 16:43 CET

Retailers in the 16 nations using the euro saw their sales fall in May, renewing a slump that was broken in April by a short-lived improvement, according to official EU data on Friday.

Sarkozy arrives in Sweden for talks on Europe — 03 July 2009, 16:43 CET

French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in Stockholm Friday for talks on Europe with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, whose country has just taken over the EU presidency.

EU raids glass makers on cartel suspicions — 03 July 2009, 16:35 CET

EU antitrust regulators have raided companies in the special glass sector used for optics and electronics on suspicions of running an illegal cartel, the European Commission said on Friday.

EU mulling travel bans on Iran officials: report — 03 July 2009, 11:15 CET

The European Union is considering banning certain Iranian officials from travelling to Europe in response to the recent political unrest, the Financial Times Deutschland reported on Friday.

Question — 03 July 2009, 00:36 CET

Question

EU nations withdraw Honduras ambassadors — 03 July 2009, 00:32 CET

All EU countries with embassies in Honduras have withdrawn their ambassadors following the coup last weekend that ousted President Manuel Zelaya, the Swedish EU presidency announced Thursday.

EU tells Latvia correct deficit by 2012 — 02 July 2009, 23:14 CET

The European Commission called on Latvia on Thursday to cut its huge budget deficit to an EU limit by 2012 as it approved a desperately needed instalment of loans to the crisis-stricken country.

Belarus won't 'copy' West: Lukashenko — 02 July 2009, 23:00 CET

Belarus's strongman President Alexander Lukashenko said Thursday that his country would not copy Western political systems despite efforts to forge closer ties with the Europe Union.

EU backs French scheme to attract foreign film-makers — 02 July 2009, 23:00 CET

The EU competition authorities gave the green light on Thursday to a French tax scheme to entice foreign film-makers to shoot movies in France.

EU 'ready to act' over British embassy detainees in Iran — 02 July 2009, 22:59 CET

The European Union is "ready to take action" if Iran does not free British embassy staff still detained in Tehran, the Swedish EU presidency warned on Thursday.

EU to get harmonised mobile phone chargers — 02 July 2009, 19:00 CET

The mobile phone industry has agreed to roll out a new pan- European standard phone charger from next year that supporters hope will be taken up around the world.

Immigration threat to Greek democracy: Commissioner — 02 July 2009, 17:12 CET

A huge flow of migrants through Turkey could threaten social unrest in Greece, EU Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot warned on Thursday.

German court ruling on Lisbon pact not a solution: Klaus — 02 July 2009, 17:11 CET

A decision by Germany's top court to make ratification of the EU's Lisbon Treaty conditional on a new law does not correct the pact's faults, eurosceptic Czech President Vaclav Klaus said on Thursday.

EU nations to withdraw Honduras ambassadors: Spain — 02 July 2009, 17:10 CET

All EU countries with embassies in Honduras have decided to withdraw their ambassadors following the coup last weekend that ousted President Manuel Zelaya, Spain's foreign minister said.

EU tells member countries to prepare for new gas crisis — 02 July 2009, 17:09 CET

The European Commission urged EU states on Thursday to prepare for a possible gas supply crisis by filling storage tanks ahead of the peak winter demand period.