Thanks to the hard work of an obscure committee in Brussels, the European Commission is to ban the use of refillable bottles and dipping bowls of olive oil at restaurant tables as from next year. From 1 January 2014, restaurants may only serve olive oil in tamper-proof, branded packaging and labelled to EU standards.
EU Commission wants further tax increases
From their ivory tower in the corridors of plenty, the European Commission has today called on Spain to further increase IVA (VAT), raise environmental taxes such as on fuel, continue reforms on labour and pensions, including raising the retirement age, and reduce the deficit of the social security system.
Tomatoes on the EU menu
Agriculture ministers of the EU are meeting today, Wednesday, to discuss the Moroccan tomato situation. Spain is asking for improved controls to prevent Moroccan tomatoes reaching the EU market at prices below those stipulated in the trade agreement.
Peace Prize for the EU
The European Union has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for six decades of work in advancing peace in Europe, the committee stating the EU had helped to transform Europe “from a continent of war to a continent of peace”. They have stopped fighting amongst themselves and now wage their wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lubya et al. The last organisation …
EU unemployment still on the rise
Unemployment in the Eurozone reached 10.8% in February and in the European Union as a whole stands at a record 10.2% with one in five out of work being Spanish.
EU rejects Spanish budget deficit target
Economics ministries of the EU have rejected the budget deficit target of 5.8% unilaterally announced by Spain, the EU having set a target of 4.4%, and are demanding additional cuts during 2012.
Spain suspends six EU indicators
Spain has suspended six of the ten macroeconomic indicators of the European Union – unemployment, public debt, private debt, exports, investment and net current account balance – after the EU identified serious and ‘excessive’ imbalances.
Massaging the figures
Although it is hard to believe that a politician would do such a thing [sic], the European Commission seems to be of the opinion that the Government of Mariano Rajoy inflated the 2011 deficit figure so that any economic recovery during 2012 would appear more flattering.
EU set to order cessation of fishing in Moroccan waters
The European Commissioner for Fisheries, Maria Damanaki, is expected tomorrow to request that all EU vessels, most of which are Spanish, cease fishing activities in Moroccan waters.
Only in Brussels
Following a three-year investigation, EU officials have concluded that there is no evidence to prove the previously undisputed fact that drinking water can help prevent dehydration and have banned drink manufacturers from claiming such. Drinks manufacturers wanted to include a statement on labels to the effect that ‘regular consumption of significant amounts of water can reduce the risk of development …