Summary of newsmakers of the previous day - 13. 04. 2007

Euro-representatives supported ban of sale of cat and dog furs in the EU

The European Parliament has made a second step to put through so that the EU as a whole would forbid import and trading with cat and dog furs. Representatives recognize that dogs and cats are not bred for fur in Europe, however, they want to prevent so that furs imported from the third countries occur on the market, which has happen till this time. Nevertheless, a declaration requiring a ban of trade with cat and dog furs was approved already in 2003. Last year a proposal which would exclude these furs on market completely was introduced by the European Commission and today it was supported in the first reading by most of members of parliamentary committee for the internal market and consumers protection.

Czech Kofola bought Polish beverage producer Hellena

Czech beverage producer Kofola Holding bought Polish producer of non-alcoholic beverages Hellena SA which is in bakruptcy. Kofola paid 17,2 million zlotys (125,4 million crowns). Ewa Glowacka-Andrerova, a spokeswoman of the Regional Court in Kalisz said it to journalist today. In several months Kofola will join Polish beverage trio Hoop. „Kofola was the only applicant“, the spokeswoman said. According to the court´s information the value of Hellena´s property is estimated to 130 million zlotys (949 million crowns). Debt of the company is similar. Kofola bought a substantial part of property, especially machines and the firm trademark, but not all property. At presence the enterprise is closed and employees received notice. Reputedly Kofola wants to renew the production.

Forest face threat of wood-engraver calamity

After disastrous windbreaks caused by January hurricane Kirill the Czech Republic faces a threat of wood-engraver calamity. A question is only its extent. Foresters agreed on it in conection with the present procedure of work to liquidate January windbreaks. Even if timber harvesting firms work fully, reputedly it is not possible to manage to clear completely the broken and uprooted trees from Czech forests already before the first this year´s swarming of wood-engraver. Only in the state forests the hurricane damaged about five million cubic meters of wood mass; from it the state Lesy CR have already managed to liquidate less than third.

MZe chose 162 experts for Czech presidency in EU

The Ministry of Agriculture (MZe) chose in two rounds 162 experts for Czech presidency in the EU in the first half of 2009. One of he main topic will be a common agricultural policy and its reform and the MZe will be responsible for a high-volume agenda with the presidency, Táňa Králová, s spokeswoman of the office said to ČTK.Source: Agris, 14.04.2007