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EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton and Stockwell Day, Canadian Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, set in motion negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) that could provide up to EUR 20 bn per year in additional benefits to the two economies. Commissioner Ashton and Minister Day met at the Conference de Montreal, where both spoke at a plenary session on the economic crisis and international trade. The two agreed that the first full round of formal negotiations for the CETA, at senior official level, should take place in October.

A further increase in both new buyer enquiries and sales, as well as a reduction in the level of stocks on surveyors books has begun to provide some support for property prices, says RICS’ UK housing market survey.

The Monster Employment Index UK fell by 2% in May, offsetting growth seen in April. Overall, the Index is down 40% year-on-year.

The Monster Employment Index Europe dipped six percent in May, as online recruitment activity fell sharply in Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands.

Finland has reduced pollution and improved its environmental quality through pioneering approaches like green taxes. However, it must do more to green its economy by reducing the amount of energy and materials used per unit of GDP, tackling climate change, and addressing health impacts of pollution and management of waste.

O2 ranks highest in customer satisfaction with pre-pay mobile phone service, and Virgin Mobile ranks highest among pay-monthly mobile phone customers, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 UK Mobile Phone Customer Satisfaction Study(SM).

Fitch Ratings says the Russian and Ukrainian construction & property (RUCP) sector has the weakest liquidity position of all corporate sectors covered by the agency in EMEA. The liquidity position of many RUCP companies worsened over 2008 and Q109 as end markets rapidly weakened and bank financing withdrew from the system. This is a key conclusion of a report entitled "Liquidity Focus: Russia/Ukraine Construction and Property".

UEAPME, the European craft and SME employers' organisation, welcomed the set of measures proposed by the European Commission to tackle the effects of the current economic crisis on employment in Europe. According to UEAPME, the European Commission focused on the right priorities and struck the right balance between actions on the supply side and on the demand side of the economy.

In April 2009, compared with March 2009, the volume of retail trade grew by 0.2% in the euro area (EA16) and by 0.5% in the EU27 . In March retail trade decreased by 0.1% in the euro area , but rose by 0.1% in the EU27. In April 2009, compared with April 2008, the retail sales index dropped by 2.3% in the euro area and by 1.4% in the EU27.

The European Commission is proposing an EU Shared Commitment for Employment: to face the crisis, we need a new and strengthened cooperation between all the key actors, including the EU institutions, Member States and trade unions and employers' organisations. Our shared commitment puts forward priorities and actions which we hope all actors can buy into and - when implemented and in conjunction with actions in other fields - should be an effective response to the crisis and growing unemployment. These priorities and actions are underpinned by suggestions on how to make best use of all EU financial resources available. The priorities and actions will need to be tailored to the changing labour markets and budgetary situations of each Member State. The Shared Commitment will also contribute to Europe's role in shaping the global effort of the international community towards recovery and sustainable growth.