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More than half (55 per cent) of midmarket businesses continue to find the credit process difficult and delayed, despite Alistair Darling's call for banks to improve lending. And, while finance is expected to become more readily available from a core group of lenders, 46 per cent of borrowers have no confidence that the cost will improve over the next 12 months.

In August 2009, compared with July 2009, the volume of retail trade fell by 0.2% in the euro area (EA16) and by 0.3% in the EU27. In July retail trade dropped by 0.2% in the euro area but remained stable in the EU27.

Between 2000 and 2008, the value of EU27 exports of goods to Brazil grew by 56%, while imports nearly doubled. This led to an increasing EU27 deficit in trade in goods with Brazil, up from 1.8 billion euro in 2000 to 9.5 bn in 2008. In the first half of 2009, the value of EU27 exports to Brazil fell to 9.3 bn compared with 12.0 bn in the first half of 2008, and imports decreased to 12.6 bn from 17.5 bn. As a result, the EU27 trade deficit with Brazil fell, reaching 3.3 bn in the first half of 2009, compared with 5.5 bn in the same period of 2008. It should be noted that the fall in the value of EU27 trade with Brazil recorded between the first half of 2008 and the first half of 2009 is in line with the general downward trend in the EU27's total external trade over the same period.

In August 2009 compared with July 2009, the industrial producer price index rose by 0.4% in the euro area (EA16) and by 0.2% in the EU27. In July, prices decreased by 0.7% and 0.6% respectively.

The euro area (EA16) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 9.6% in August 2009, compared with 9.5% in July. It was 7.6% in August 2008. The EU27 unemployment rate was 9.1% in August 2009, compared with 9.0% in July. It was 7.0% in August 2008. For the euro area this is the highest rate since March 1999 and for the EU27 since March 2004.

The European Commission has adopted a comprehensive Action Plan on Urban Mobility. The Action Plan proposes twenty concrete measures to help local, regional and national authorities achieve their goals for sustainable urban mobility.

Key Enabling Technologies such as nanotechnology, micro- and nanoelectronics including semiconductors, advanced materials, biotechnology and photonics are of exceptional importance for being at the forefront of managing the shift to a low carbon, knowledge-based economy. Mastering such technologies lays stable foundation for well paid jobs in the EU and allows for sustainable, broadly shared growth. They are the main drivers for innovative goods and services needed for addressing major societal challenges. Therefore the Commission proposes to develop and implement a European vision for the industrial deployment of such technologies in the EU.

The total harmonisation of consumer rights in the EU, as proposed by the European Commission, could lead to a levelling-down of certain rights, according to MEPs and experts who met to discuss the issue.

The euro area economy shows signs of stabilisation, but it would be premature to declare the crisis over, ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet told the Economics Committee on Monday. MEPs wanted to know how the proposed Systemic Risk Board would work and how to ensure the supply of credit to businesses.