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EU LEADERS BACK TECH INSTITUTE
European Union leaders have given their backing to a watered-down plan for a European Institute of Technology intended to help bridge the widening gap between innovation growth in Europe and the United States.
The 25 leaders approved in principle a proposal by the executive European Commission to create a network of universities, research institutes and businesses aimed at turning more scientific inventions into successful products.
?¨The discussion we have just had showed a real green light for the Commission in
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FACTORY ORDERS CRUMBLE WITH US EXPORTS SLUMP
?¨The slowdown in the US has clearly dampened export orders and domestic demand remains fragile,?Æ
British factory orders crumbled unexpectedly in October as a slowdown in the US economy hit export demand, raising concern the sector??s impressive performance for much of this year may have come to an end.
A Confederation of British Industry (CBI) survey also suggested the recent weakening may be sustained with manufacturers?? expectations of future output falling to their lowest since January.
?¨October??s we
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BAN ON MERCURY EXPORTS PROPOSED
The European Commission has proposed legislation banning all exports of mercury from 2011 as part of its wider efforts to reduce exposure to the toxic substance.
?¨The export ban will significantly reduce global supply and thereby also emissions of the heavy metal into the environment,?Æ the EU executive said in a statement.
The proposed legislation requires that mercury which is no longer used in the chlor-alkali industry or that is produced in certain other industrial operations be put in safe storage once the p
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MAJOR CARMAKERS LAG EU POLLUTION TARGETS
Major carmakers including Nissan, Volkswagen and BMW are far behind in boosting fuel efficiency standards to meet European Union targets, a report showed recently.
The report, commissioned by Brussels-based environmental group Transport & Environment (T&E), said three-quarters of 20 major brands sold in Europe were not making changes fast enough to meet climate-change targets set in a voluntary agreement with the EU.
The voluntary goals, which the European Commission has threatened to make binding if carmakers do n
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MANUFACTURING GROWTH SLOWED, BUT STILL RISING
The results of a Manufacturing Technologies Association Trends Survey for the Q2 2006 showed that order intake was above that in Q1, although the pace of growth slowed a little from the hectic start to the year. The key points of the survey, to which there were 108 respondents from across the Association (higher than the previous survey as the companies that were members of BHECTA are now eligible to take part in the MTA surveys), were as follows. The percentage balance for business confidence in Q2 2005 was +28%, led
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UK SEEKS TIGHTER LIMITS ON EU CARBON EMISSION
Britain wants tighter limits on greenhouse gases by Europe and other rich countries as a first step toward establishing a global carbon trading system to avoid the economic upheaval of climate change.
A British report to be published very shortly, according to a 27-page summary obtained by Reuters, says that the benefits of determined worldwide steps to tackle global warming will massively outweigh the costs.
But the report??s author, former World Bank chief economist Nicholas Stern, concludes that ignoring climate
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EU LOW-CARBON ENERGY USE PLEDGE ESSENTIAL TO FUTURE
European Union governments must commit to low-carbon energy use as part of the bloc??s efforts to create a common energy policy, the president of the European Commission said recently.
Jose Manuel Barroso said the EU executive will present measures early next year laying out the specifics of a common policy for the newly enlarged 27-nation bloc, paving the way for Europe to use more energy sources that are non-polluting.
?¨The objective of the package is clear: to accelerate the change of Europe to a low carbon eco
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HR AND COMPLIANCE BURDEN HEADS INDUSTRY GRIPE TOP TEN
Publishing its first ?´Burning Issues?? barometer on employment issues facing the UK??s manufacturers, EEF, the manufacturers?? organisation has found that dealing with the complexity of HR issues and compliance with new employment legislation is increasing the bureaucratic burden for the UK??s manufacturers.
EEF, which provides employment advice to its membership of more than 6,000 manufacturing companies, received nearly 24,000 calls for support in the first six months of 2006. Whilst this is the first nationwide an
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MORE SUPPORT FOR INDUSTRY WOMEN
Tees Valley Engineering Partnership member Robin Davison has called on Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly, to do more to help encourage women into a career in the engineering sector.
The plan, developed as part of a wider effort to help women advance in the workplace, aims to ensure that girls at school are made aware of ?´non-traditional opportunities?? such as construction, engineering and plumbing and will implement measures to ensure that careers advice is free from any gender stereotyping. Measures will also be inc
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RED TAPE HOLDING MANAGERS BACK
According to a survey published recently by the Chartered Management Institute, managers, at all levels, exhibit high levels of activity and energy at work, but are held back to a greater or lesser extent by red tape, poor resources and a lack of support.
Conducted during September 2006, the survey also suggests that engineering organisations are failing to get the best from their employees.
Just half of those questioned believe they are fully using their skills in their current job.
Only 3 in 10 are adamant that the
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Supposedly the construction
materials of the future, composites are increasingly seen in
applications where optimum efficiency is paramount including
aircraft construction and renewable energy. As two research
examples show in this video, composites really are the future
for efficiency.
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