30 October 2009 – Brussels The European Smart Metering Industry Group (ESMIG) calls on the European Parliament and Council to retain the Smart Metering provisions in the re-cast of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).
The European Parliament, in its first reading on 23 April 2009, voted clearly in favour of expediting the national roll-out of Smart Metering by requiring that Member States ensure that Smart Meters are installed in all new buildings and all buildings undergoing major renovation and whenever a meter is replaced.

Copa-Cogeca welcomed in Brussels today the EU Commissions’ plans designed to improve the functioning of the EU food supply chain as a step in the right direction, but warns that much stronger measures are urgently required to ensure that cooperatives and producers’ position in the food chain is strengthened.

“The sky under which we are meeting today is certainly bluer than last spring, but still not blue enough”, said CEEP President Carl Cederschiöld addressing the Tripartite Social Summit chaired by the Swedish Presidency on 29 October 2010.

“The central role played by public services in overcoming the crisis must be recognised at all levels”, Mr Cederschiöld said. “Therefore CEEP is looking forward to the full ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. This will be a fundamental step for CEEP, who sees its long-standing
demand finally recognised”.

Congratulates Mrs Reding on taking one, European approach instead of 27 national ones

The European Competitive Telecoms Association, ECTA, welcomes the Commission’s Digital Dividend proposals due at the end of this month, which make recommendations to allocate the airwaves (spectrum) that will be freed up and made available for mobile broadband in a number of Member States in the coming years as analogue TV is switched off. It particularly congratulates the Commissioner for fostering one, European approach rather than 27 national ones

League of Arab States Transport Ministers call for implementation of UN trade and road transport facilitation instruments, most notably the TIR Convention, in the Middle East and North Africa.

Cairo - The IRU today presented to the League of Arab States (LAS) Council of Arab Ministers of Transport the imperative conclusions of the joint IRU, LAS and Arab Union of Land Transport (AULT) Seminar on "Arab and International Road Transport Agreements and their role in Developing Foreign Trade".