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The Commission adopted a proposal to interconnect business registers within the EU. Company registers provide company information that is essential for consumers and business partners alike, such as information on a company's legal form, its seat, capital and legal representatives. Today's proposal will help to facilitate cross-border electronic access to business information, by ensuring business registers are updated, and business information is more easily and readily accessible. These changes are crucial for companies when setting up branches, conducting cross-border trade or providing cross-border services in the EU. Business registers are currently organised at national, regional or local level, and lack the capacity to share information in an efficient and transparent manner. The proposal will now pass to the Member States and the European Parliament for consideration.

In December 2010, the amount outstanding of shares/units issued by euro area investment funds other than money market funds was EUR 223 billion higher than one quarter earlier in September 2010. This increase was due mainly to increases in share/unit prices.

In December 2010 the seasonally adjusted current account of the euro area recorded a deficit of EUR 13.3 billion. In the financial account, combined direct and portfolio investment recorded net inflows of EUR 57 billion (non-seasonally adjusted). In 2010 as a whole, the seasonally adjusted deficit for the euro area current account amounted to EUR 56.4 billion (around 0.6% of GDP), compared with a deficit of EUR 51.4 billion in 2009. Combined direct and portfolio investment recorded net inflows of EUR 111 billion in 2010, compared with net inflows of EUR 190 billion in 2009, mainly as a result of lower net purchases of euro area debt securities by non‑resident investors.

It's tough out there: a quarter of Brits believe their jobs are less secure than a month ago. Over half expect their financial household situation to worsen in the next 12 months and the majority believe prices will rise in the next year.

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for Germany increased 0.4 percent and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) increased 0.2 percent in December.

Member States must act to ensure that pension schemes can sustainably deliver an adequate income to the EU's growing number of retired people, despite the economic crisis, says a Parliament resolution adopted on Wednesday. Pension portability must also be addressed, as must inequalities faced by women and older workers, stress MEPs.

In the construction sector, seasonally adjusted production fell by 1.8% in the euro area (EA16) and by 3.1% in the EU27 in December 2010, compared with the previous month. In November, production decreased by 0.9% and 0.8% respectively.

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for France increased 0.8 percent and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) increased 0.2 percent in December.

In December 2010 compared with November 2010, seasonally adjusted industrial production fell by 0.1% in both the euro area (EA16) and the EU27. In November 2010 production rose by 1.4% and 1.2% respectively.

GDP increased by 0.3% in the euro area (EA16) and by 0.2% in the EU27 during the fourth quarter of 2010, compared with the previous quarter, according to flash estimates published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In the third quarter of 2010, growth rates were +0.3% in the euro area and +0.5% in the EU27.