Environmental Protection Expenditure 1.8% GDP

Data regarding Environmental Protection Expenditure (EPE) from Eurostat shows the efforts being made to combat the pollution that is the result of the production and consumption of goods and services. EPE is the total investment and expenditure for industry, the public services and specialised producers. The data refer to 2006.

The EPE for the EU25 in 2006 was 1.8% of GDP. Industry spent about 50bn euros in 2006, about 0.4% of GDP, in protecting against environmental pressures. The public sector's share was 0.5% and specialised producers 0.9% of GDP.

In terms of gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) in the EU27, investments in environmental protection were fairly steady at around 1.4% for specialised producers between 2001-6, 0.6% for the public sector and 0.5% in industry, from 0.7%.

Total per capita EPE was highest in Austria in 2005 and the Netherlands in 2001 with around 800 euros per year per person. Italy spend around 600 euros per year per person in 2005. The least was spent by Latvia in 2005 with 36 euros.

Car Market Up Over 57% In November

New car registrations were up 57.6% on a weak 2008 number to 158,082 units according to the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Year on year figures are down 8.8% at 1,844,063 units but will increase before the year end to over 1.975 million units. The scrappage scheme accounts for much of the recent success. The Scrappage Incentive Scheme accounted for 21.6% of all new car registrations in November. Business, fleet and private sales increased in November with private sales up 141.2%. November 2008 figues showed a particularly sharp decline. The best selling models were the Ford Fiesta, as it has been for 9 months this year, the Focus, the Corsa and the Astra. Other popular models include the 3 series and the 207, the Clio and the Golf.