Airlines chip in as CO2 tax causes international turmoil, the fight for women's rights continues, and governments want to tax speculation.

Carbon market / Women's rights / Transaction tax

Five weeks after China refused  to participate in the EU carbon market,

the scheme is coming under more pressure  from the domestic aviation industry.

Six major European airlines and Airbus  maker EADS have appealed to EU leaders

to reconsider the inclusion  of aviation in the carbon market,

after China has put a €12 billion order  for 45 Airbus long-haul jets on hold

The fight for gender equality is  a long-standing issue on the EU agenda,

but it's far from being won, says the Chair  of the Committee in charge of the matter.

We are definitely not in a society  where gender equality exists.

On Tuesday, the EP will vote  two non-binding reports on equality

between women and men in the EU  and on women in political decision making.

On the eve of the EU's  economic affairs summit,

eight finance ministers, including the ones  of Germany, France, Italy and Spain,

called upon the Danish Presidency  to prepare a proposal

for an EU-wide financial transaction tax.

The Economic Affairs Committee  is currently debating such a proposal.

It is set to be adopted in June, but some  governments say they will not support it.

If agreement among EU governments  turns out to be impossible to find,

the eight governments want to go ahead  without most of the other EU countries.