Significant savings could be made in EU operations

euEU operations for long have been divided between Brussels and Strasbourg, but a fresh report has claimed that €1bn could be saved in just four years if the use of Strasbourg were ended.

Eliminating the European Parliament’s Strasbourg seat would result in a one-off saving of €616m and annual savings of €114m, says the European Court of Auditors.

French debate excluding migrants on grounds of terrorism

frenchpassportThe French government believes it may have found a way to limit or exclude migrants from other parts of the EU.

The French parliament is debating bills which would grant new powers to deny entry to such migrants if they are considered a threat to public order or national security.

Eurozone crisis gets help from Europe’s bank

eumapThe European Central Bank has begun using quantitative easing tools to try to alleviate the renewed crisis in the eurozone.

It has already begun to buy specific French bonds with the objective of enlarging its balance sheet which in turn should pump up demand in the euro area.

More excuses for absence of promised Algarve roadworks

en125postThe Algarve's mayors are concerned about the delay in the promised EN125 roadworks and fear the approaching winter will make the roads even worse if they have not been sorted out.

With the renegotiation of contracts, Estrada de Portugal took over the responsibility for upgrading the EN125 between Olhão and Vila Real de Santo António, but the work has hardly started and deadlines already are slipping.

Portas claims 2015 Budget is ‘moderate’

portas2The deputy prime minister Paulo Portas has spoken on the subject of the proposed 2015 State Budget, claiming it is good for business as corporation tax is to be reduced and that the pro-family package is a winner.

Portas said that the proposed Budget is "fiscally more moderate" than earlier and that families are being supported, “It is a pro-family policy, recognising that the state should create a favorable environment for families who have children, or who want to have them in exercise of their freedom."

Car sales boom despite recession

bmwDespite the prolonged recession, people in Europe remain devoted to purchasing new cars.

Sales in Europe jumped 6.4% in September, driven by purchases in Spain, France, Germany and the UK.

Petrol price relief

petrolpump4744According to data from the Directorate General for Energy and Geology, obtained from 2,677 service stations, the average price of diesel last Thursday was €1.278 per litre, while the average price of petrol was €1.523 per litre.

This is a drop of more than six cents, the highest fall since the liberalisation of the fuel market in January 2004.

Rioforte and BESI to be scrapped and sold

salgadoBESThe Luxembourg Court has rejected the July applications by Espírito Santo International and Rioforte for protection from creditors which would have given the management teams of both companies time to work out a solution to their problem.

The problems are too severe for the court to give any credence to the rescue plans submitted.