The EU Heads of Government seem to have had a change of heart on the need to use all possible economic tools, including VAT rates, in order to promote energy-efficient goods and materials.
Current EU rules do not allow such goods, which include hybrid cars and energy-efficient appliances, to be taxed at less than 15 per cent VAT. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French President Nicholas Sarkozy have for the past few months been pushing the idea that this category of goods should benefit from a reduced VAT rate of five per cent.
At first, the proposal was receiving lukewarm support, especially given the imminent review of the VAT regime and the tensions that exist on anything dealing with taxation. Furthermore, there is an argument for the list of such products to be an open one given the continuous technological changes in this sector.
Any changes in the system require the unanimous backing of all 27 member states.
A compromise has been struck for the creation of a Union for the Mediterranean - a French idea aimed at upgrading the relations between the EU and the other countries in the Mediterranean basin.
Germany came around to accept the proposal after France accepted that the "club" should not be limited only to the EU member states in the Mediterranean but should be opened to the whole bloc. The priorities of the project will include energy supply, anti-sea pollution activities, maritime surveillance and the creation of a scientific community. All this is good news for our country.
Unfortunately, there will be no extra EU funds allocated to this project over and above those already committed to the Barcelona Process.
"Enough with the slaughters. Enough with the violence. Enough with the hatred in Iraq!"
Nobody could have said it better than the Pope on Palm Sunday.
I was so happy to learn that my good friend Anna Colombo won the European Parliament's Equality and Diversity Role Model Award 2008.
Anna, a "Genovese DOC", is the Socialist Group's hard-working Secretary General.
She is a tireless promoter of equal opportunities and believes in a more equal, social and just Europe.
When presented with the award, Anna said that "we must change the way we work. We must make it easier for parents to be able to come to work".
She is an excellent role model of a European working mother with a great career.
The European Union has formally banned the sale of non-child resistant and novelty lighters, which resemble toys. These items did give rise to quite a number of accidents during the past years.
Businesses had one year to dispose of their stocks and now this period has passed.
One hopes that this ban will be enforced in all member states, including Malta.
Dr Muscat is a Labour member of the European Parliament and vice president of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee.
www.josephmuscat.com