EU Legislation, Initiatives, etc.
ScotGov: Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead and Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham were at the world's largest seafood show in Brussels last week to fly the flag for Scottish produce. And while there they announced that 39 companies are to share £2.9m from the European Fisheries Fund (EFF). Last year's event created £2.83m of new business for Scottish exhibitors with a further £14.25m of potential business identified.
Ministers also used their attendance at this year's European Seafood Exposition to announce a new push to get more consumers in Scotland eating fish, highlighting its value as well as the many health benefits. By encouraging more people to eat their recommended weekly intake of fish, the Scottish Government aims to provide a further boost to the fishing industry.
DfT: Under the new rules - which came into force last week - motorists in England, Scotland & Wales can display the Union flag, Cross of St George, Saltire or Red Dragon of Wales. The flags can be displayed on the left hand side of the number plate.
Vehicle number plates must comply with the specifications contained in the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001. These Regulations also make provision for the voluntary display of the blue European Flag with ‘GB’ within the circle of stars, which allows motorists to travel within the European Community without the need to display the conventional oval sticker to identify in which member state the vehicle is registered.
BERR: Talks on the EU Working Time Directive have broken down without agreement being reached. The collapse sees the end of the European Parliament's proposal to phase out the opt-out in 3 years. The UK and other countries have consistently held firm against this proposal.
With the deadline for reaching an agreement rapidly approaching, and the differences between the parties too great, it was agreed there was no value in continuing the negotiations any further. The dossier in its current form will formally fall when the conciliation timetable reaches its conclusion in May. It will then be for the European Commission to decide how to proceed.
Press release ~ BERR - EU Working Time Directive ~
DfT: New measures started to come in to force last week that will make it easier for manufacturers of commercial and special-purpose vehicles to access new European markets. These measures, which already apply to cars, are designed to ensure that all new vehicles across Europe meet the same safety & environmental standards.
Once fully implemented they will enable vehicle manufacturers to sell their products across 27 member states without incurring additional approval costs. The changes - which cover vans, trucks, minibuses, buses, coaches, trailers, wheelchair-accessible cars and other special-purpose vehicles - are in response to a new European Directive on Whole Vehicle Type Approval Directive (ECWVTA), which will be phased in between 2009 and 2014
Low volume manufactures wishing to sell in the UK only will be required to meet National Small Series Type Approval or Individual Vehicle Approval requirements, rather than ECWVTA.
Press release ~ DfT: European Directive on Whole Vehicle Type Approval Directive (ECWVTA) ~ National Small Series Type Approval ~ Individual Vehicle Approval
Defra: Young artists are being offered the chance for their work to appear in every supermarket and greengrocer's in the European Union. The EU is asking all students registered at an art or design college to come up with a new EU-wide organic logo (closing date25 June 2009).
Defra is supporting the EU's call for design students to enter the competition, for which the winner will receive a cash prize of 6,000 Euros. And what's more, the winning logo will appear on the label of all pre-packaged organic food throughout the EU from July 2010.
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