"Europe is boring, and that's a good thing
Europe is boring, and that's a good thing
FREDERICK FLORIN/AFP/Getty Images
The Economist is publishing a blog diary by Alex Stubb, a Finnish MEP who is attending the European Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg, France. With all due respect to Stubb and to the estimable Economist, there's simply no way to make this interesting—not even with self-deprecating comments like these:
UK vows to back Turkey's EU bid
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, insists the UK continues to back full Turkish membership of the EU.
The single market: a citizen-friendly project?
The Commission must focus on citizen and SME-friendly initiatives - such as cutting red tape and creating quality jobs - when reviewing the EU's single market strategy later this year, MEPs have stressed.
eGovernment - Electronic Government
The overarching aim of eGovernment - one of the key objectives laid out in DG Information Society's i2010 Action plan and in the former e-Europe 2005 plan - is to bring administrations closer to citizens and businesses by providing online public services; a goal that was to be achieved by 2005.
Kallas insists EU lobbyists should open purse to public scrutiny
Faced with a boycott from public-affairs firms in Brussels over revealing their fees in a new public register, Anti-fraud Commissioner Siim Kallas has insisted that financial disclosure was a non-negotiable part of his transparency proposals, due next year.
Parliament wants more money and an 'EU force' for natural disasters
Members of the European Parliament criticised the Commission's 'inertia' in establishing a European force capable of reacting immediately to emergencies and called for "concrete proposals". They also want financial assistance to be made more easily available in the light of the UK floods and Greek fires over the summer.
'EU fails potential of highly qualified women scientists'
Persistent gender stereotypes, predominantly male decision-making bodies, the lack of transparency in recruitment procedures and the operation of 'old boys networks' to which women often do not have access result in the EU losing the potential of highly-qualified women scientists and the estimated 700,000 additional researchers needed to reach the Lisbon goal, argues an NGO representing women scientists.
Interview: Europe far from securing gender balance in science jobs
Promoting gender mainstreaming and increasing transparency in scientists' recruitment processes can help the EU recruit the 700,000 additional researchers it needs to achieve the Lisbon goals, argues Dr. Maren A. Jochimsen in an interview with EurActiv.
DOSSIER: Is the division of Belgium inevitable? | 05/09/2007
Eighty-seven days after the legislative elections last June 10th, Belgium still has no government. Yves Leterme, leader of the Flemish Christian-democrat party and winner of the elections, has failed to form a coalition government. French-speaking Belgians are unwilling to accept his institutional reforms that would lead to greater regional autonomy. This deadlock could result in the scission of the Belgian federal state.
ECB pledges further action if needed
The European Central Bank has announced it is ready to intervene again to relieve tension in financial markets, the day before its governing council meets to discuss interest rate policy
Sarkozy and Suez
Truly competitive markets would allow strong pan-European energy companies to emerge, which would be the best way to deal with the likes of Gazprom
Villepin berates Sarkozy's style
Former French PM Dominique de Villepin criticises the style of his one-time rival, President Nicolas Sarkozy.
French energy tie-up a 'vision' for EU
France claims the state-sponsored merger of Suez and Gaz de France that is set to create one of Europe's biggest utilities is a template for the development of the continent's energy policy
"The Isolation of America"
Spiegel International: "German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday proposed the idea of basing a nation's carbon emissions allowance on population size. German commentators on Friday say it's another step on the path towards isolating the USA."
