The Eurotunnel under the English Channel, which was severely damaged by the fire of a freight train in one of the tubes on 11 September 2008, is not expected to be fully operational again until mid-February.

The current year has been dominated by crashes on the stock markets. Oil prices initially followed a clear downward trend. From February onwards, investors fled from the dollar into

In the period from 1 July to 31 August 2008, heavy goods vehicle traffic in the Federal Republic of Germany is restricted in the interests of smooth holiday travel.

From July 2008, the low emission zone will also apply to all HGVs over 3.5 tonnes as well as buses and coaches that have to meet the Euro III emission standard.

According to information from Güterkraftverkehr Logistik und Entsorgung (BGL), the Federal Ministry of Transport is planning to increase the HGV toll by 50 to 100 per cent as of 1 January 2009, depending on the pollutant category