THE island of Ireland is in the best position in Europe to be a GM-crop-free region, Environment Minister John Gormley told his EU counterparts in Paris.

THE Irish Government is being sued by the European Commission because it has failed to introduce laws to ensure the polluter and not the taxpayer pays to clean up damage to the environment.

PROPOSALS to cut mobile phone costs by a further 70% have been outlined by the European Commission.

A REGISTER for companies, interest groups, lawyers and non-governmental organisations involved in the EU’s €1 billion-a-year lobbying industry has been launched.

THE Government will tell the EU it wants more money for the Irish fishing industry when EU Fisheries Ministers meet today.

A FUNDAMENTAL culture shift in attitudes among Irish drivers is paying off, with the country showing the biggest drop in road deaths in the EU last year.

THE EU will increase the amount of money available for emergency food aid for poorer citizens while governments are free to reduce excise duty on fuel and to levy windfall taxes on fuel companies.

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen admitted his options were limited in relation to salvaging the Lisbon treaty after he was told by several of his EU colleagues that they do not want to renegotiate the treaty.

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen managed to buy Ireland four months before he must decide what to do about the country’s rejection of the Lisbon treaty.

THE Government last night came under pressure to ratify the Lisbon Treaty before the European elections next summer.