European Union

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Stories 61 - 80 of 105

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January 2008
- Apple to Charge Fewer Pence per Song
  
  BBC | Jan 9, 08 5:01 PM CST
  
  (Newser) - Apple has vowed to ease up on British purses, cutting the price for iTunes downloads so UK fees will match those in the rest of Europe. EU regulators have been probing Apple since a consumer group complained about its policies in 2004; the new settlement comes after direct talks between the EU competition commissioner and Apple chief Steve Jobs, BBC reports. More »
- EU Proposes Digital Media Plan
  
  Reuters | Jan 4, 08 12:46 PM CST
  
  (Newser) - The European Commission wants to create a unified European online market for music, films and games. Goal is to streamline the patchwork of regulations across member nations, to make multi-territory copyright licenses easier, and to combat illegal downloads it says are discouraging content providers from offering their products on the internet. The effort will begin with non-binding policy recommendations by mid-2008, Reuters reports. More »
December 2007
- Europe's Border Set to Move Farther East
  
  Times (UK) | Dec 19, 07 2:51 PM CST
  
  (Newser) - The Iron Curtain moves east Friday as nine countries in Eastern Europe join the no-passport-needed Schengen travel zone, allowing citizens to travel from Estonia to Portugal. As many of the new EU member states join the zone, the Times of London travels to the Slovenia-Croatia border, one of the spots where security is being tightened to keep illegal immigrants out. More »
- EU Leaders Sign New Treaty
  
  AFP | Dec 13, 07 9:58 AM CST
  
  (Newser) - Two years after the French and Dutch rejected the European Constitution, leaders of the 27 EU nations are signing the new Treaty of Lisbon today, aimed to strengthen union decision-making. Unlike the previous document, this one does not require nation-by-nation referendums to be ratified. That's caused a tremendous political headache for Gordon Brown, who no-showed today's photo opportunity, to the consternation of EU bigwigs, says AFP. More »
- Merkel, Sarko Keep Heat on Iran
  
  Deutsche Welle (Germany) | Dec 7, 07 7:53 AM CST
  
  (Newser) - Angela Merkel joined Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday in reaffirming their hard line on Iran's nuclear program despite the new American intelligence assessment that weapons development was halted in 2003. "I don't see why we should renounce sanctions," said the French president at a joint press conference in Paris, with the German chancellor adding that there are still "gaps" in Iran's cooperation. More »
- UK Cuts Interest Rates, But EU Holds Steady
  
  Bloomberg | Dec 6, 07 7:21 AM CST
  
  (Newser) - The Bank of England cut its benchmark interest rate for the first time in over two years today, reducing the bank rate by a quarter-point to 5.5%. The cut drove the pound down to about $2.02, its lowest in 2 1/2 months. The European Central Bank in Frankfurt, however, didn't go along: it decided to keep its main interest rate unchanged at 4% despite fears of an over-strong euro. More »
November 2007
- EU Eyes Single Telecom Market
  
  BBC | Nov 14, 07 8:25 AM CST
  
  (Newser) - Europe would be a single telecom market under a plan proposed by the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, which argues that cheaper broadband and phone service is being held up by conflicting legislation and national monopolies in member countries. Under the plan, a regulatory body would oversee broadband, landline, and mobile business in all 27 EU countries. More »
- China's Trade Surplus Hits $27B
  
  Bloomberg | Nov 12, 07 9:40 AM CST
  
  (Newser) - China's trade surplus rose to a record $27.05 billion last month, up 13.5% over last year despite a 25.5% balloon in imports, Bloomberg reports. The number lagged forecasts, raising the possibility that new trade policies are gaining traction, Reuters reports. US and EU officials will travel to China within weeks to push for faster appreciation of what they call an undervalued yuan. More »
- Turkey Listens to EU, Will Ease Up on Free Speech
  
  Associated Press | Nov 6, 07 7:07 PM CST
  
  (Newser) - Readying itself for possible EU membership, Turkey's government will soften a law that curbs free speech, the AP reports. An amendment expected to pass parliament will limit penalties for Article 301, which punishes "insulting Turkey or Turkish identity" with up to three years in prison. The announcement came hours after the EU annual report again criticized the law. More »
October 2007
- Russia Stiff Arms International Vote Monitors
  
  New York Times | Oct 25, 07 5:11 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Russia may be headed for another showdown with the US and the European Union over its proposals to severely limit the authority of international election monitors. The Kremlin wants to cut the number of observers and ban their reports from publication until after elections. The move comes just months before the country’s parliamentary and presidential contests, the New York Times reports. More »
- EU Will Lure Skilled Migrants With 'Blue Card'
  
  Times (UK) | Oct 24, 07 9:46 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Facing a projected shortfall of 20 million workers by 2030, the European Union unveiled its own version of the US Green Card yesterday in hopes of attracting skilled migrants. The Blue Card will grant workers full employment, social security, and health care benefits, as well as permanent residency after five years of employment. Britain will likely sit the program out, reports the Times of London. More »
- Court Overturns Volkswagen Law, Takeover Likely
  
  Bloomberg | Oct 23, 07 8:31 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - The EU’s highest court today overturned a 47-year-old German law that protected Volkswagen AG from takeover, opening the door for a long-rumored Porsche coup. Porsche already owns 31% of VW, but the law capped their voting rights at 20%. With that impediment gone, “I see Porsche flexing its muscles and going for outright control,” one analyst told Bloomberg. More »
- Microsoft Caves on EU Antitrust Suit
  
  Wall Street Journal | Oct 22, 07 10:25 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Microsoft is conceding its 9-year antitrust battle with the EU after striking a deal that will force the software giant to license its software secrets to anyone who asks at drastically reduced rates. In exchange, the EU has stopped the daily variable fines of up to 3 million euro that have been piling up, the Journal reports. More »
- Poles Oust Brothers, Vote in Center-Right
  
  Reuters | Oct 21, 07 8:50 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Poles ousted the conservative Kaczynski twins today and voted in a center-right party that vows better relations with the EU. The highest turnout in nearly 20 years backed Civic Platform by 44% over Law and Justice's 30%, setting up opposition leader Donald Tusk to guide parliament against President Lech Kaczynski. Opposition parties won enough seats to top Kaczynski's veto power, Reuters reports. More »
- Europe Likely to Get Cell Phones on Flights
  
  CNET | Oct 18, 07 5:01 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - European regulator Ofcom has proposed allowing cellphones in airplanes in EU airspace, making it more likely that Europeans will soon be able to chat in the air. Under the proposal, a mobile base station could be installed on planes, and the signal would be routed by satellite. The FAA ruled that it would not allow cell phones on American flights in the near future. More »
- EU, UN Up Pressure on Burma
  
  BBC | Oct 15, 07 8:05 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - European Union leaders meeting today are expected to set tougher sanctions against the Burmese military junta, banning imports of gemstones, timber and metal, Burma's most lucrative exports, BBC reports. UN envoy Ibraham Gambari, in Thailand to press for action against the Rangoon regime, decried the arrests of three of the remaining student leaders over the weekend as "extremely disturbing." More »
- As Governments Ban Lead, Tech Companies Get Nervous
  
  Ars Technica | Oct 10, 07 11:44 AM CDT