These are the findings of a recent Focus Paper of UITP on the assessment of the benefits of public transport. Current appraisal techniques do not do justice to the full benefits public transport schemes provide to the wider economy.

A systematic cost benefits analysis enables decision-makers to asses transport schemes and policies, to develop and prioritise transport strategies and monitor their outcomes.

Challenges faced in protecting children’s health from hazardous environments

“The failure of negotiations in the conciliatory committee assigns to the working time directive a new record: having being able to make such a procedure collapse for the first
time since it was installed by the Treaty of Amsterdam”, said Ralf Resch, General Secretary of CEEP.

This has to be added to the many negative points already scored by this political file since the SIMAP and Jaeger rulings, according to which on call time should be regarded as working time.

The EUREKA E! 3688 INTELLGAS project has developed a cost-effective and easyto-use approach to forecasting gas consumption up to 48 hours ahead to keep the wholesale price of gas purchases under control. The project developed a hardware and software system that measures and corrects gas consumption figures at user premises, transmits the data to the distribution centre and then
uses it to predict consumption based on historic use data and temperature forecasts.

"It is nothing short of absurd that the Council is not present to listen to this debate" said GUE/NGL MEP Søren Søndergaard speaking during this afternoon's plenary on his report on the Parliamentary discharge for the Council's budget for 2007.

The general debate on the reports on the budget discharges for all the EU institutions was held yesterday (Tuesday 21 April) but the report on the Council discharge was scheduled exceptionally for today so that Council representatives could answer some outstanding questions.