"Ahern resignation raises EU Treaty hopes
Ahern resignation raises EU Treaty hopes
Yesterday's revelation (2 April) that Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern is to resign on 6 May could increase the chances of a 'yes' vote in June's referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, according to Irish government officials.'Old' and 'new' Europe divided at NATO Summit
EU divisions were apparent on the eve of the NATO summit in Bucharest on 2-4 April with several heavyweights, including France, opposed to the planned Eastern expansion of the military alliance. EurActiv Romania contributed to this report from Bucharest.EU backs gay man on pension
The EU's highest court rules that same-sex couples in legal unions may be entitled to a deceased partner's pension.Polish deputies back EU treaty
After weeks of infighting, Poland's parliament has approved a bill allowing the president to ratify the EU treaty.Interview: Importance of multilingualism 'will not diminish'
The multilingualism portfolio is too important to be sacrificed by the next European Commission, Multilingualism Commissioner Leonard Orban said in an interview with EurActiv Romania. As proof of this, Turkish could become the next official EU language provided that Cyprus concludes reunification talks, he indicated.Serbia says it remains committed to European perspective
Despite its steady opposition to the EU's policy on Kosovo, the largest country in the Balkans will continue its move towards EU membership, Serbia's foreign minister Vuc Jeremic told his EU counterparts at their informal meeting in Brdo last weekend (28-29 March).A European Security Council
The European Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy is still ineffectual; the ESDP is no better. Meanwhile, Russia’s sense of insecurity over NATO expansion to its borders is matched only by its aggressive use of energy as a tool of policy.
So why not kill two birds with one stone? Forgive the metaphor…
Granted, the idea of Europe having any kind of military capability is deeply unnerving for many. But in order to have an effective world presence, it is necessary to back soft power with hard.
Community Development as an horizontal theme of Europe
Though EU has a Cohesion Policy, among the horizontal policies like Sustainable Development and Equal Opportunities, that are compulsory for the project financed from its structural instruments, there isn’t mentioned Community Development. Or, what kind of cohesion can these instruments create if people will continue to migrate in waves from a region to other in Europe?EU, US at odds over WTO beef ruling
A long-awaited World Trade Organisation ruling concerning an EU ban on the import of hormone beef from the US and Canada has led both sides to claim victory, but the US says the EU has got it wrong.DOSSIER: The government crisis in Hungary | 02/04/2008
Hungary's liberals have abandoned the government coalition, leaving the country under the rule of a minority government. Is the coalition led by the socialist head of government Ferenc Gyurcsány still in a position to implement reforms?
Bush signals change of tone towards EU defence
President George W. Bush signalled a change of tone in US policy towards European defence spending in a key note speech ahead of the Nato summit in which he said Europe should spend more on defence, even outside the context of NatoBrussels: parliament rift over Tibet
To boycott or not to boycott the Peking Olympic Games, Europe's MEPs ask, a mozzarella crisis and Sarkozy honeymooning at 10 Downing Street - it's your latest from BrusselsEU future competence on sport should focus on interests of consumers
Today, the Committee on Culture and Education of the European Parliament voted its opinion on the White Paper on Sport, published recently by the European Commission. The Committee adopted a number of compromise amendments on the main issues of the White Paper which examines the new role for the EU, envisaged by the Lisbon Treaty, in the area of sport:
Re-entering the EU
Marek Swierczynski: After a political upheaval and embarassment for president Kaczyński, Polish Parliament passed the bill to ratify the Treaty of Lisbon. The victory of the pro-EU lobby backed by overwhelming public support should not be overestimated as the debate did not touch the real issues behind Lisbon.Divides Inside the Alliance
Rüdiger Lentz: Increasing debates within the Alliance about the inequity of risk- and burden-sharing among its members overshadow the upcoming summit in Bucharest. Especially, the Germans are being pressured by Washington and their Western allies to send more fighting troops to Afghanistan.Brussels to target cartels
The European Commission sets out proposals to facilitate compensation for victims of cartels.MEPs adopt report on future of EU sport policy
The Parliament's Committee on Culture and Sport is asking the Commission to develop guidelines to provide more legal clarity on the application of EU law to sports rules.More detailed information about EU for the citizens
In these days the Parliament in my home country Austria is going to sign the recent EU-Treaty. Although rather interested in EU topics I found myself fairly uninformed about details of the new treaty. In discussions with friends and citizens of my country I realized that the majority of the people I talked to does not know what the treaty is good for, or does not know anything about what is written in the treaty.
DOSSIER: Irish Prime Minister announces his resignation | 03/04/2008
Confronted with accusations of corruption, Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern announced on April 2nd that he would be stepping down as Taoiseach on May 6th. The European press comments on this surprise decision and looks forward to the consequences it might have on the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty slated for June 12th.
NATO Bucharest Summit Press Round-Up
The NATO Secretary General published an article in the latest NATO Review magazine released last week, where he outlines his priorities for the NATO Summit which is taking place in Bucharest, Romania from April 2-4. In the article, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer says there are four major issue areas that will be focused on at the Summit:Post-Christian Europe
Sven-Eric Liedman on Religion, Europe, and European Intellectuals:
Eurozone economic outlook: Too much complacency
by Simon TilfordA year ago the prospect of the dollar falling to 1.60 against the euro would have brought on cold sweats across Europe. Yet, here we are and there is no sense of crisis. Indeed, business confidence remains strong across much of the eurozone, credit is expanding rapidly, and exports are holding up well. On the face of it, the eurozone really does seem to be shaking off the recession in the US and the steep rise in the value of the euro. A closer look, however, reveals a less rosy picture.
Nicolas Sarkozy, the laïcité and the religions
Nicolas Sarkozy's recent comments on religion have alarmed many. Yet, as Jean-Louis Schlegel demonstrates, they bear a continuity with his policy while still minister of the interior to establish an official Muslim representative body.Did Bush Set Merkel Up?
So, based on various press reports, it seems German Chancellor Angela Merkel was upset with President Bush's continued forceful lobbying for Georgia and Ukraine to get a Membership Action Plan at the Bucharest summit. She apparently thought that the two of them had agreed last week to a common script: no MAP now, but no end to NATO expansion either.Progressive Governance 2008
In the wake of the Progressive Governance Conference 2008, taking place in London this Friday, Policy Network has published a series of very interesting papers covering issues such as global governance, climate change, poverty and migration. The papers are written by international epxerts and can be downloaded here:
http://www.policy-network.net/events/events.aspx?id=2114
Debate Europe
Yesterday the Commission decided on the follow-up to Plan D by adopting a paper called “Debate Europe – building on the experience of Plan D for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate”.
Plan D was proposed to stimulate a wider debate between the European Union’s democratic institutions and citizens. We regarded it as a starting point for a long term democratic reform process. It promoted, among others: a series of six innovative cross-border citizens’ consultation projects coordinated by civil society organisations as well as local projects involving women and youth; internet debates; Commissioners’ visits to the national parliaments, civil society and the media in the Member States; debates on EU affairs in towns and cities; information on Europe at school, citizens’ fora and other activities.
