Strasbourg - Any state aid for European carmakers will concentrate on technological development and on the production of environmentally-friendly vehicles, French European Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Jouyet told the European Parliament on Wednesday.

Strasbourg - As the discussion about state aid for ailing German carmaker Opel continues, EU Industry Commissioner Guenter Verheugen on Wednesday described the firm as a "special case" in Europe.

"Extraordinary circumstances require extraordinary measures," Verheugen said in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, although he went on to say that he was not fully decided about the proposed multibillion-euro aid package from the German government.

Strasbourg - Europe's largest airports would need transparent coordination of their fees and regulations under legislation approved by the European Parliament Thursday.

The move drew immediate criticism from the European Low Fares Airline Association (ELFAA), which argued that legislators missed a chance to set limits on airport monopolies.

General Secretary John Hanlon said the new law would do nothing more than burden airports and airlines with more administrative burdens.

Strasbourg - The European Parliament on Thursday criticized the

Strasbourg, France - European Union governments should take over strategic industries which have been hit by the global financial crisis to keep them out of foreign hands, French President Nicolas Sarkozy told the European Parliament on Tuesday.

"Stock exchanges are at historically low levels. I wouldn't like European citizens to wake up in a few months' time and realize that European companies belong to non-European capitals," Sarkozy told the parliament as the current holder of the EU's rotating presidency.

Strasbourg - Despite assurances by European leaders that their finance systems were stable, Europe may still need a massive rescue plan similar to the 700-billion dollar measure being voted on by the US Congress, OECD head Angel Gurria said Wednesday.

Speaking as he presented the annual report to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the outlook for the world economy, Gurria said, "We have already seen the first troubled European banks being rescued in the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.