Chinese electric bicycles will have to be registered in the EU in a move by the bloc to curb cheap imports which European manufacturers say are flooding the market.

The Government will not adopt a financial transaction tax if the UK stays out, writes Ann Cahill

Ireland will not take part in an EU “Robin Hood” tax on financial institutions, despite the fact that the country’s share of the levy will then go elsewhere.

Today Ireland will be under pressure to say yes to the idea of raising at least €534 million a year from the financial services industry.

The Government is turning down the opportunity to raise an extra €700m a year from trading financial services on the advice of the banking and hedge fund industry, according to information from the Department of Finance.