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European Union
Summit sticks to climate goals, despite financial crisis
EU leaders said on Thursday they would stick to their climate change targets and timetable. But there are clear divisions among the 27 countries over how to share the gas emission cuts, widened by fears over the impact of the global economic crisis.
2008-10-17 09:29 TU
European Union
EU Climate change plan on the ropes
Faced with the growing costs of the international financial crisis, EU leaders are at loggerheads over what to do with the European emission reduction plan, which is to be discussed at the EU summit in Brussels on Wednesday and Thursday.
2008-10-15 14:11 TU
EU
Climate and economy deal sealed at summit
At an EU summit in Brussels, leaders have agreed on a package to cut carbon emissions, have sealed an economic stimulus package and have confirmed that Ireland will return to the polls for a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
2008-12-12 17:15 TU
Germany/France
Protesters block French nuclear waste
Some 1,000 protesters in Germany are trying to prevent the arrival of a trainload of treated French nuclear waste to Gorleben disposal centre in the northern part of the country.
2008-11-10 12:55 TU
EU
Agriculture policy reform agreed
European Union countries agreed reforms to the controversial Common Agricultural Policy on Thursday, despite minority opposition. The main changes are cuts in subsidies linked to farm production and the phasing out of milk quotas.
2008-11-20 15:23 TU
EU
EU fines "paraffin mafia" cartel 676 million euros
The European Commission announced Wednesday it is fining paraffin wax producers a total of 676 million euros for price-fixing. Large multinationals, including Shell, ExxonMobil and Total were caught in the sting.
2008-10-01 14:48 TU
EU
Europe big illegal wood importer, says conservation group
The European Union is a major importer of illegal wood, according to a report by the World Wildlife Fund. It names the continent's largest paper-maker, Finland, as the prime culprit but says that nearly half of furniture and other wood products sold in Britain, Germany and Italy come from illegal logging.
2008-07-23 15:45 TU
EU
Two billion euros emergency aid for fisheries announced
European Union fisheries ministers announced aid of two billlion euros to the crisis-ridden fising industry late Tuesday. Austria, Denmark and Sweden voted against, according to diplomats.
2008-07-16 14:07 TU
France/Germany/EU
Surprise agreement on CO2 emissions
France and Germany on Monday resolved a months-long dispute on EU-wide plans to reduce motor vehicles' greenhouse gas emissions. German Chancellor Angela Merkel hailed the surprise agreement as "an important breakthrough".
2008-06-10 12:16 TU
G8 Summit
High food and fuel costs to dominate G8 talks
The Group of Eight countries -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, the UK and the United States -- are meeting in the secluded spa resort of Toyako in northern Japan for three days of talks that will focus on the world food crisis and record oil prices, the slowing global economy, and climate change.
2008-07-08 10:13 TU
G8/Japan
Protest before rich nations meet
About 5,000 people demonstrated in Sapporo, Japan, on Saturday ahead of the meeting of the G8 group of rich nations which starts Monday. They included trade unionists, anti-war activists, farmers and students from around the globe. World leaders are promising that the meeting will tackle food price rises and climate change.
2008-07-08 05:47 TU
Oil price protests
Roads blockaded in Spain, Portugal - demos in Asia
Spanish police escorted 20 oil-tankers into Barcelona, as thousands of lorry drivers blockaded the country's roads and the border with France. The strike continues in Portugal. Lorry and bus-drivers in Hong Kong staged copycat protests and in Nepal students clashed with police after the government raised fuel prices.
2008-06-10 10:21 TU
World economy
Grim growth outlook for industrialised countries, OECD
Soaring food prices, a housing downturn and an uncertain financial market are the three main contributors to low growth forecast in the world's most developed countries, says a report out Wednesday by Paris-based Organisation for Economic Growth and Development (OECD).
2008-06-05 08:27 TU
Europe/fuel protests
Fishermen, lorry-drivers protest across continent
Fishermen thoughout Europe went on strike or blockaded ports and fuel depots on Friday in protest of rising prices of fuel. Farmers and truckers, also affected by record-breaking oil prices of over 130 dollars (84 euros) a barrel, joined their seafaring brethren in solidarity.
2008-07-15 13:11 TU
France
Fishermen extend their port blockade
Angry French fishermen are blockading key ports in the north and the south of the country. They are continuing to protest against rising fuel prices and European Union fishing quotas, even though the French government had promised to compensate them for diesel costs.
2008-05-27 13:19 TU
France - GM crops
GM food law hits stumbling block
French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s proposed law on genetically modified foods faced a surprise setback Tuesday when a Communist member of parliament took advantage of a nearly-empty chamber to send the bill, in its second reading, back to committee for study before it could be passed.
2008-05-14 12:28 TU
France
Sarkozy pledges help as fishermen's protests continue
Sarkozy pledged help to subsidise petrol for fishermen after they stepped up ten days of protests by blocking three major fuel depots around the country, including France's largest oil depot in Marseilles.
2008-05-21 09:16 TU
World food crisis
Alarm bells ring as food shortages spread
The World Food Programme (WFP) calls it a “silent tsunami” and alarm bells are starting to go off around the world warning of the impending disaster if food prices continue to skyrocket.
2008-04-26 10:22 TU
World food crisis
Food agency calls for emergency action to combat food crisis
The United Nations food agency says soaring global food prices meanan extra 100 million people worldwide can now not afford to buy food. At a confernce in London it called for action to secure supplies against a "silent tsunami" of price rises.
2008-04-23 10:57 TU
Climate change
France warns polluting countries of dangers of climate change
The 16 countries responsible for 80 per cent of greenhouse-gas emissions meet in Paris to discuss measures to tackle climate change
2008-04-21 09:24 TU
World food crisis
French agriculture minister calls for food production aid
France has a proposal for a European food security initiative. The European Union farm ministers are meeting in Luxembourg on Monday to discuss the food shortages that are sparking riots in some poorer countries.
2008-04-17 19:23 TU
France - GM crops
Foie gras and the GM debate
A scandal over geese fed on genetically modified corn could threaten the prestige of French cuisine
2008-04-09 14:46 TU
France - GM crops
Parliament debates genetically modified organisms law
A law determining how genetically modified organisms will be treated in France is now before the National Assembly - and is exposing rifts in French society.
2008-04-07 17:56 TU
Listen
Focus on France 12 August 2008
New Caledonia's lagoon a Unesco world heritage site
2008-08-12 15:37 TU
