The European Union has finally decided to slap anti-dumping duties of 26.5% to 85% on China-made fasteners over the next five years, which has aroused great concern from China's fastener industry as this ruling will mean job losses for tens of thousands of workers and multi-million-euro losses for manufacturers, sina.com said today.

Russia and its European customers are close to a solution to the natural gas transit dispute that led to a cutoff of supplies to the EU via Ukraine, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Friday.

The European Union is giving Russia and the Ukraine until Monday to settle their gas dispute, saying it will reassess relations with the two countries if the dispute is not resolved.

China's Ministry of Commerce has decided to carry out an anti-dumping investigation into certain imported iron or steel fasteners from the European Community as of December 29, according to an announcement published on the Ministry's official website.

The China Industrial Fastener Association plans to give evidence to defend themselves against the fastener dumping allegations from the European Union and may launch a similar anti-dumping appeal to EU if necessary, said Feng Jinyao, president of the Association, China Business Daily reported.

The whole framework of Armenia and EU relations was discussed during Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan's working consultations, featuring members of the National Security Council of the Republic of Armenia, members of Government, heads of a number of interested agencies. The president says both Armenia and the European Union are interested to deepen mutual relations within the framework of the European Eastern Policy.

Global carmakers are demanding more from China's auto industry after the World Trade Organization's July ruling against the Chinese tariffs on auto-parts imports, said xinhuanet.com today.

The EU says partnership talks with Russia will be resumed, despite Lithuania's objections. The talks were suspended following Russia's war with Georgia. However, the day was not a total loss for Vilnius, which succeeded in getting the EU Presidency to restate its commitment to Georgia's territorial integrity.

Quality not quantity will be the most considered factor when biofuels are being considered for production and use, says a new report.

Sustainable energy is a keystone for local development. That is the central message Danuta Hübner, Commissioner for Regional Policy, will deliver at a conference on energy in Bari, Southern Italy, today. The conference, organised to develop Italy's regional development policy for 2007-2013, is entitled 'Sustainable, Competitive and Safe Energy'.

Country profile:

Size: 43 098 km².
5.4 million inhabitants; 53% live in rural areas.
Unemployment rate of 3.5% is among the lowest by EU standards.

Region profile:

Includes the convergence programme for the Highlands and Islands of Scotland and the Competitiveness programme for lowland and upland Scotland.