Steady German stock markets and interest rates forecast 30. April 2007 by Thomas Jannot According to the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) bank experts forecast steady stock markets and interest rates for Germany. In the six months to come share prices at German and European stock exchanges will develop cautiously. Even though, according to experts, short and long-term interest rates will rise, this increase will just be a …
In future those responsible for environmental damages will be held liable 30. April 2007 by Thomas Jannot Today, April 30th, a new EU directive on the liability for environmental damages takes effect. This guideline is the first one set up by the EU which is based on the polluter-pays-principle. Environmental damages comprise negative effects on water resources, natural habitats, flaura and fauna as well as ground pollutions endangering people´s health.
90 billion Euros of EU surplus in trade with US 30. April 2007 by Thomas Jannot In the year 2006 the EU of the 27 member states generated a trade surplus amounting to more than 90 billion Euros in their business with the US. This figure was published today by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the EU, on the occasion of the EU-US summit taking place today in Washington DC.
German women with outstanding computer skills 27. April 2007 by Thomas Jannot Compliments to our women! According to the German Association for Information Technology, Telecommunications and New Media (BITKOM) they are in fourth place among the 27 EU member states in terms of computer skills. 51 percent of German women have in the meantime acquired computer knowledge of medium or good quality. Just women from Scandinavia are …
3.2 million employed people looking for new job 27. April 2007 by Thomas Jannot Many Germans seem to be dissatisfied with their jobs. According to the Federal Statistical Office, in March 2007 3.23 million employees were actively looking for a new or additional place of work which is approximately one person in twelve. Thus, the number of employees looking for work has grown by 360.000 since March 2005.
Preparation period for the storing of internet data too short 27. April 2007 by Thomas Jannot A new draft on e-surveillance presented by the German government plans the obligatory storage of citizens´s internet traffic and email data as soon as from January 1st 2008. Originally the government had planned to introduce this storage gradually in the several lines of business. For the internet economy this introduction should only have taken place …
E-Tools reduce production costs by up to 35 percent 26. April 2007 by Thomas Jannot The use of hardware and software in e-procurement reduces production costs by 10 to 35 percent on average and by 5 to 10 percent with regard to acquisition prices. This was revealed by a study on electronic procurement in 2007 which was organized by the Bundesverband Materialwirtschaft, Einkauf und Logistik (BME) in co-operation with the …
Draft to fight product piracy 26. April 2007 by Thomas Jannot The German government has presented a new bill which is to strengthen the position of rights owners in the fight against product piracy. Among other things the bill contains a procedure regulating dissuasions after copyright infringements. Furthermore the German copyright laws, confiscation procedures and other regulations are to be adapted to EU legislation.
Upper house of German parliament wants concrete rules on smooking rooms 25. April 2007 by Thomas Jannot The upper house of German parliament is dissatisfied with a formulation in a draft by the German government according to which rooms for smokers may be set up, „if a sufficient number of rooms are available«. The upper house of German parliament demands a stipulation according to which such rooms must not pose any dangers …
Danger of being reprimanded by the EU over internet gambling 25. April 2007 by Thomas Jannot According to the German Association for Information Technology, Telecommunications and New Media (BITKOM) Germany risks infringement procedures on the part of the EU, if the federal states stick to their planned ban on internet gambling. In contrast to the governments of the German Länder the EU Commission is against the discrimination of electronic media.