Andrew Rettman

Recent Articles by Andrew Rettman

July 8, 2010

Europe Weighs Deep-Water Drilling Ban

EU energy commissioner Gunther Oettinger has indicated that member states should stop giving out fresh permits for deep-water oil drilling in the light of the BP (BP) ...

June 24, 2010

Russia Ends Gas Dispute With Belarus

Gazprom has told the European Commission that its gas dispute with Belarus is over after Moscow and Minsk made part payments on claims of outstanding debts. "We do ...

May 21, 2010

EU Takes First Step to Fiscal Coordination

EU finance ministers and treasury officials are gathering in Brussels on Friday (21 May) to debate tighter co-ordination of fiscal policy in the wake of the Greek debt...

May 18, 2010

Europe to Help Russia Modernize Economy

The upcoming EU-Russia summit is to see the launch of a new initiative designed to help bring Russia's petro-dominated economy into the modern age. The "Partnership ...

April 9, 2010

Nord Stream Pipeline Work Gets Started

Russian and EU officials will on Friday (9 April) mark the start of construction of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, as Russia strengthens its grip on EU gas supply ...

March 24, 2010

Sarkozy Shelves Carbon Tax Plan

France has abandoned plans to unilaterally introduce a tax on emissions in a move hailed by industry but criticised by environmentalists. French Prime Minister ...

January 17, 2010

Europe Worries over Ukrainian Politics

EU institutions are wary of post-election instability in Ukraine, as exit polls show that Viktor Yanukovych, the villain of the Orange Revolution, won the first round ...

December 30, 2009

Europe Frets Over 'Nude' Airport Scanners

The Christmas Day airline bomb plot in the U.S. has renewed calls for body scanners to be introduced in EU airports, but concerns over privacy and effectiveness ...

December 15, 2009

China Beats EU to Turkmen Gas

Turkmenistan and China inaugurated a major new gas pipeline on Monday (14 December), complicating the EU's energy ambitions in Central Asia. Chinese leader Hu Jintao ...

November 18, 2009

Russia Makes Surprise CO2 Pledge

Russia made a surprise pledge to cut back on CO2 emissions at a summit with the EU in Sweden on Wednesday (18 November). Russian diplomats said the country is ready to...