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After several rounds of informal negotiations, EP negotiators have reached an agreement with the Council's Presidency on a proposed directive on renewable energies including biofuel targets. The compromise still needs to be formally endorsed by the full Council and put to a first-reading vote at Parliament's December plenary session in Strasbourg.

In the EU27, 93% of enterprises of ten or more persons employed had access to the internet in January 2008, the same as in January 2007, and 81% of enterprises had a broadband internet connection, up from 77% in January 2007. On average in the EU27, 64% of enterprises had a website in January 2008, compared with 63% in January 2007.

Online job availability across the EU declined compared to a year earlier for the first time since the inception of the Monster Employment Index Europe in December 2004, ending a four-year growth streak.

If a European bank fails, citizens' savings should be guaranteed up to €100,000, said the Economic and Monetary Affairs, endorsing a Commission proposal to raise the deposit guarantee to this amount. The committee also proposed that holders be given faster access to their deposits in emergencies and that a mechanism be established for cross-border cooperation in the event of another economic crisis.

Whether or not they sign economic partnership agreements (EPAs) with the EU, the countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) should not be worse off than under the current system of preferences, says a report adopted by Parliament’s Development Committee on Monday. Flanking measures in the form of aid for trade should be used to help the ACP countries, for example to offset any loss of customs revenue.

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey of global hiring trends reveals that the pace of hiring is set to slow further in the first quarter of 2009 most notably in Singapore, India and Taiwan. The survey, conducted by Manpower Inc., shows that employers in 25 of 33 countries and territories still expect positive hiring activity in the coming quarter; however, those in 30 say they will slow the pace of hiring from three months ago. Year-over-year hiring forecasts are also weaker in 25 countries and territories; and employers in 21 countries and territories are reporting the weakest hiring plans since the survey was established there by Manpower.

When the Federal Reserve announced its plan to invest up to $600 billion in mortgage backed securities owned by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae, mortgage interest rates dropped to their lowest point since February 2008. However, few borrowers may actually qualify for these savings. In addition to tighter lending standards and declining home values, borrowers are also being plagued by the nation's credit reporting system.

U.S. employers are proceeding with caution when considering hiring for Quarter 1 2009, according to the results of the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey conducted quarterly by Manpower Inc.

The Conference Board Employment Trends Index declined further in November. The index fell to 102.9, down 1.6 percent from the October revised figure of 104.5, and down over 13 percent from a year ago.

The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) declared, last week, that the U.S. economy has been in a recession since December 2007. As the troubled housing market and credit crisis have contributed greatly to the current condition of the national economy, it is no surprise that renters are shopping smarter this holiday season than in the past by cutting back on overall expenses and credit card purchases, according to a national Apartments.com survey.