Summary of newsmakers of the previous day – 19.10. 2007

ME will remove old ecological burdens from barracks in Olomouc

The Ministry of Environment (ME) will remove old ecological burdens from former barracks in Olomouc town part Neředín in four next years. Sanitation will require 16,5 million crowns, Jakub Kašpar, a spokesman of the ME said to ČTK today. The premise in which the Soviet army was settled formerly belongs to the town. However, the city hall wants to rebuild it to a technological park.

EC stopped proceedings concerning criticized tenders of state enterprise Lesy CR

On the 17th of October 2007 the European Commission stopped a proceeding against the Czech Republic in the matter of breach of Agreement on establishment of the European Community in the matter of entering proceedings of the state enterprise Lesy of the Czech Republic. In its reasonable stand-point from the 23rd of March 2007, which was the last step of the European Commission before a possible own note of issue against the Czech Republic to the European Law Court, the Commission objected the way in which the enterprise entered forests works to private firms in 2004 and 2005.

EU agreed on reform contract

The European Union agreed on a new contract which should replace a refused Euro-constitution today. A document which will be called Lisbon agreement should be signed in the Portugal metropolis on the 13th of December. Than all member states have to ratify it. The agreement should bring needed reforms of EU's institutions. According to diplomatic sources statesmen succeeded to remove all opened question at night. Main problems concerned Italian pursuit for a change of suggested number of Euro-representatives in the European Parliament and Poland's requirement which wanted to secure a possibility of temporary blocking of a decision on vexed questions in the EU Council for a certain number of states.

Europe punishes milk overproduction

A the time of a lack of milk on the market and a growth of its price the European Commission fines states for exceeding of milk production quotas. In economic year 2006/07 the sanction is almost 221 million Euros. One year ago it was 355 million. The quotas were exceeded by Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Italy, Germany, Luxemburg and Netherlands. The biggest sinner is Italy which exceeded the limit by six percents. Austria by 3,3 percents; in case of remaining five countries it is dealt with less than one percent. In frame of direct sales to consumers only Cyprus and the Netherlands showed an exceeding in height of 420 tons consequence of which was a sanction 120 thousand Euros.