The legacy of the "imperfect deal" — as it was called by all participants — at the Copenhagen climate conference two years back continued in the Durban summit last December. People's need had lost out to political manoeuvring. The reason for Durban's failure to come up with a perfect deal, however, was different — and perhaps more fundamental — from Copenhagen. In Copenhagen, the "imperfectness" was linked with the process. The chairman of the conference had bulldozed a consensus with the help of a few countries.

On the eve of a high-level summit between the leaders of India and the European Union (EU) in Delhi, Oxfam has called upon the EU to not pressurise India into agreeing to new trade rules that could deny hundreds of millions of people access to affordable medicines. Calling on the EU not to shut down the “pharmacy of the developing world”, senior Oxfam officials noted that negotiations, which have been ongoing for four years, are a means for the two economies to agree on a trade pact and forge a new commercial relationship.

The European Commission said on Wednesday it had approved an Austrian scheme to support renewable energy production.

The Austrian plan would create incentives to increase the production of renewable energy while also limiting distortions to competition, said a statement from the Commission, which acts as competition regulator in the 27-member European Union.

The scheme aims to help Austria reach the EU's 2020 renewable energy target and includes operating aid in the form of subsidized feed-in tariffs and investment grants.

British Airways, Qantas and other airlines are calling on governments to find a swift resolution to a political dispute over the European Union's carbon scheme, because the deadlock may create competitive distortions.

Since the start of 2012, EU law obliges all airlines using EU airports to be included in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), the 27-nation bloc's main policy to fight global warming as it caps emissions on over 11,000 power and industrial plants.

With the European Union facing global flak over imposition of a green tax on all aircraft flying in its skies, world airlines’ body IATA has warned European airlines of “retaliatory action” by non-EU nations if a global solution was not arrived at soon.

The global community plans to send individual letters to the European Union protesting its decision to implement the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) on airlines operating to the 27-nation bloc.

Official sources told Business Line that with more than 100 protest notes extending from the US to India landing at its doorsteps, there will be added pressure on the EU to take note and some action taken.

Geneva: The EU-India FTA could be disastrous for the farm sector in India, if the demands of the EU negotiators would be accepted, according to a joint study by NGOs Misereror, Glopolis, the Heinrich Boll foundation and the Third World Network (TWN). The report pionts out that it would violate the right to food of a vast segment in India which rely on the poultry and dairy sectors. Opponents of the EU demands see losses for the Indian economy- particularly in retail and agriculture. It is contrary to WTO rules, which advocate lower tariffs rather than removing them.

With European Union (EU) facing global flak over imposition of a green tax on all aircraft flying in its skies, world airlines’ body IATA has warned European airlines of ‘‘retaliatory action’’ by non-EU nations if a global solution was not arrived at soon. ‘‘Time is not on our side. Airlines from Europe may face some retaliatory action.

The 12th EU (European Union)-India Summit, to be held on February 10, would take stock of the progress so far in negotiations between both the sides on the ambitious free trade agreement (FTA). It would also discuss other bilateral issues concerning economic cooperation between India and the EU, climate change, energy and science and technology. The 27-nation bloc EU would be represented by Herman Van Rompuy, president of the European Council, and José Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission. The two would hold high-level talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.