"Rising costs dominate G8 summit
Rising costs dominate G8 summit
World leaders are starting a key summit in Japan that is expected to focus on soaring global food and fuel prices.MAIN FOCUS: G8 summit in Japan | 07/07/2008
The G8 summit starts today in Japan. During the talks, the leaders of the world's major industrial nations will strive among other things to come up with solutions to the food crisis. But does this group have the ability - or the legitimacy - to solve such global problems?
G-8 Plans to Address Aid Accountability
TOYAKO, Japan, July 7 -- Leaders of the Group of Eight major industrialized nations expect to sign off this week on a plan to provide detailed assessments of how well individual countries are fulfilling promises of development assistance to Africa, according to sources familiar with the initiative.The Impact of the Oil Shock: Trade Networks Shrink
This is a guest blog post by Donald Stadler, an American living and working in London:
Washington Post economics columnist Robert Samuelson recently wrote a piece about the trade impact of the oil shock on the US, quoting economist Jeffrey Rubin of CIBC World Markets, who predicts that oil will go to $225 a barrel/$7 a gallon before this is finished.
Energy, environment, NATO to be priorities of French presidency
Despite Gaz de France, a French company, being excluded from taking part in the Nabucco consortium due to objections by the Turkish government, the pipeline project to bring Caspian'European Pact on Immigration' unveiled
France is expected to achieve the first success of its EU Presidency by officially presenting a 'European Pact on Immigration and Asylum' at informal talks between justice and home affairs ministers on 7-8 July in Cannes. The text, seen by EurActiv, has been watered down to accommodate concerns from Spain, which advocates a more open immigration policy.Barroso at odds with Sarkozy on ECB
Europe's divisions over inflation were highlighted on Friday when José Manuel Barroso, European Commission president, defended the European Central Bank against political criticsEU tuning in to energy efficiency?
Energy efficiency was a central topic of discussion in Paris last week (3-5 July) among EU environment and energy ministers concerned about high oil prices. But to date, efforts to decrease the energy intensity of the EU economy remain lacklustre.Sarkozy's EU options seen as limited
The French presidency of the European Union will be an exercise in 'crisis management', says Peer Steinbrück, German finance minister, particularly with soaring oil pricesSarkozy the heckler
Whatever the validity of his arguments – and they are questionable – it is not the job of the European Council president to berate other EU institutionsBrussels seeks climate progress at busy G8
Leaders of the G8 are meeting in Japan today (7 July) for a three-day summit that will address a number of pressing issues, including soaring food and gas prices. The Commission hopes the talks will also foster greater consensus on a global climate change deal.MEP: Eurovignette proposals too tough on roads
German MEP Georg Jarzembowski (EPP-ED) says Commission plans to green transport must also subject railways to "stringent measures", adding that the establishment of a voluntary framework rather than a mandatory scheme "just don't make sense".British foreign policy since 1997
Source: UK Parliament Research Papers
Three key motifs of British foreign policy during the premiership of former Prime Minister Tony Blair were the pursuit of an activist philosophy of ‘interventionism’, maintaining a strong alliance with the US and a commitment to placing Britain at the heart of Europe. Between 1997 and 2007 there were also important reforms to the strategic and institutional frameworks for the formulation and delivery of foreign policy. Focusing on these areas, this Research Paper reviews the development of British foreign policy since 1997. In doing so, it also looks at how much has changed since Gordon Brown replaced Tony Blair as Prime Minister in June 2007.
