Paris  - The European Union Council Presidency condemned on Monday in Paris the "increase of clashes in Georgia," expressing its "concern over the security of the international observers."

Putting observers in danger cannot be accepted, the French-led presidency said, calling on all sides of the dispute in the South Caucasus to hold the agreement on a ceasefire.

Brussels  - Contrary to popular belief, the European Union's expansion towards central and Eastern Europe has not sparked a massive influx of Polish plumbers or Bulgarian builders to the bloc's richest nations, figures due out Tuesday show.

According to the European Commission's latest report, more and more workers from the EU's 12 newest member states have been relocating to Germany or Britain since being allowed to move freely around the 27-member bloc.

However, their numbers remain small in relative terms. In fact, the EU's richer nations continue to receive a far higher share of foreign immigrants from the developing world.

Brussels - The European Union, China and the United States said Monday they were committed to creating common safety standards for toys and other consumer products.

While "we may come from different angles" on safety, "we are moving in the same direction," said Meglena Kuneva, the EU's consumer protection commissioner, after a meeting in Brussels with top consumer protection officials from the US and China.

"If we speak with one voice... industry will listen," said Nancy Nord, head of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

London, Nov 16 : The small balls of chemical pesticide and deodorant that we know as mothballs will soon no longer be available for use because of a new EU restriction.

The mothballs are composed of a chemical called as naphthalene and EU has put a restriction on its usage, in order to ensure greater protection of health and the environment.

The new regulations are part of the EU’s REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals) directive, which regulates chemical use in member countries. 

John Lewis, the Oxford Street department stores in central London, admitted that it no longer stocks traditional mothballs. 

Washington - EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso Saturday praised the outcome of the emergency world finance summit called to shore up the deteriorating world economy.

"I can really say that this was a historic summit," he told journalists after the gathering of the G20 leaders called by US President George W Bush had disbanded.

"I am very, very happy," he said.

Barroso added that no one had expected a "miracle solution."