BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission said yesterday it would take Greece to court, accusing it of failing to live up to European Union rules governing combined transport. An Austrian transport firm had complained to the Commission, guardian of EU legislation, saying that Greek authorities had prevented its trucks from completing a trip, having accused them of illegal road transport. “The Commission considers that Greece failed to respect EU legislation and to ensure that transport companies from other member states can perform initial and final road haulage in combined transport operations,” the Commission said. EU rules allow any EU road hauler to perform the final haulage by road of a combined transport operation in member states where it is not established.

The government has endorsed the Regulatory Authority for Energy’s (RAE) rejection of an application for construction of a lignite-fueled power plant in the Koroni area of the southern Peloponnese, Development Minister Dimitris Sioufas said yesterday. He said the rejection of the plan for the 600-megawatt station, submitted by Heracles Hellenic Energy, was largely based on the acceptance of environmental concerns of the local population. Also, according to RAE’s rationale, the installation would be at odds with the approved framework of zoning and sustainable development in the region, and would require the relocation of two small communities as part of the lignite deposits lies under them. The benefits from the project for the area, whose economy relies extensively on the the production of olive oil, grapes and currants, were projected to be significantly less than those under the local development plan.

Greek gaming systems operator Intralot said yesterday it signed a deal to install and maintain a gaming system for the Montana state lottery company, extending its presence in the United States. The initial seven-year deal includes three one-year extension options, giving a potential total contract length of 10 years that would be worth more than $25 million to Intralot, which is Europe’s third-biggest gaming systems company by sales. The contract, which involves the supply and installation of 750 technically advanced terminals and specialized software for online and instant games, is due to begin at the end of March 2006. The project also includes a technology upgrade, as well as marketing and promotional programs to help boost Montana’s revenues. Intralot also operates a lottery in the state of Nebraska. (Reuters)

Economy Minister Giorgos Alogoskoufis said yesterday there were grounds for optimism for a recovery in the eurozone which would help the Greek economy. After a meeting with the prime minister, he said, “It is important that the country is achieving fiscal adjustment without an impact on unemployment, and that the agreement for a new government in Germany will help the eurozone economy stabilize.”

Greek industrial output rose 1.4 percent year on year in August, after a 4.4 percent drop in July, boosted by higher mining, manufacturing and electricity production, the National Statistics Service said yesterday.