Euro roundup: European Young Journalist Award 2010 etc

European Young Journalist Award 2010

Again this year DG Enlargement are running the European Young Journalist Award 2010. (post on last years competition is here). Its simple, if your aged between 17-35 you can enter the competition. All you need to do is send them a copy of your published work and your in the competition. The work must be published between the 1 October 2007 to 28 February 2010. This means you can still get stuff done for it. The 28 February is also the dealine for submissions. The competition is open to citizens of the 27 EU Member States, Candidate Countries (Croatia, Turkey and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), or Potential Candidate Countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia andKosovo under UNSCR 1244/99) and Iceland and the must be written / presented in an official language of one of the EU Member States, Candidate Countries or Potential Candidates or in Icelandic.

See more of the rules here

Who has picked so far? [Eurovision 2010]

from Stephen Spillane

Europe in blogs – Euroblogs (13): A month full of hearings

It has been a long time since the last Europe in blogs – Euroblogs – so I thought it’s worth looking back to January, a month in which Commissioners were given a mouthful by MEPs and bloggers.

But let’s first start at the end of the month when Nosemonkey answered questions about euroscepticism and why he isn’t one despite the fact that “The EU is flawed”, while College of Europe alumnus Jon Worth seemed to imply that by cutting stipends for British students at the College, the UK government was triggering even more euroscepticism.

Hot tax row between Germany and Switzerland

Here are only a few samples of what has become front page news in Germany, generating hundreds of newspaper articles. Deutsche Welle reports that a number of offers have been made to German authorities on Swiss banking data, although buying stolen data is also politically controversial in Germany: Luft für Steuersünder wird dünner (6 February 2010). Sueddeutsche.de basically tells the same story, adding a few details: Steuerdaten ? jetzt prüft auch Bayern (7 February 2010).

NGOs defy Commission on ‘EU 2020’ agenda

The Commission earlier this week published an overview of 1,500 submissions received as part of a public consultation process on the EU 2020 strategy (EurActiv 02/02/10).

Interpretation of the Lisbon Treaty: confusion reigns – clarity essential

Contrary to earlier expectations there now seems to be political confusion in Europe following the acceptance of the Lisbon Treaty. Europe seems to be having difficulty to get the treaty off to a quick start.

The Death of Switzerland

The economic crisis and rising xenophobia are breaking down the great Swiss myths and undoing this once unique model nation.

EU and Switzerland: Bilateral treaties and challenges

Since Switzerland is outside the European Union (EU) as well as the European Economic Area (EEA), the relations have been developed mainly on the basis of bilateral agreements. The Treaties Office of the European Commission?s DG External Relations offers access to the existing EU-Switzerland treaties, bilateral and multilateral, 175 in all.

Tax matters for Switzerland and the European Union

The basic positions on tax could hardly be more different: virtuous tax competition or criminal tax fraud?

Paris and Berlin outline common ‘vision’ for 2020

“The era of grand declarations and great treaties will begin to recede a little,”said Sarkozy, presenting ‘Agenda 2020’, a Franco-German blueprint for future relations between the two countries, at a joint press conference with his German counterpart yesterday.

Where does Europe End? ? The future challenges of EU Enlargement.

Where does Europe End, is one of the often asked questions when talking about the enlargement of the European Union.  With the current negotiations with Turkey progressing (albeit slowly) the next challenge will be where next? Will the accession of Turkey see Syria (Middle East) or Armenia (Western Asia) applying for membership?

MAIN FOCUS: Europe’s engine revs up | 05/02/2010

After SWIFT ? sudden EU-US data protection agreement consultation

Lately the Commission, the Council and the US administration have been as busy lobbying the SWIFT / TFTP agreement on rendering financial data from the European Union to the United States as they previously were anxious to keep the European Parliament in the dark. Not that the quality of information seems to have improved despite turning on the volume.

Greece Gets The Green Light, But Will It All Work?

Well, as reported over the weekend on this blog, the EU Commission did in fact demand ?more sacrifices? from the Greek people, and in the end Prime Minister Papandreou had to make a last minute TV appearance to explain to his incredulous listeners that the time had come ?to take brave decisions here in Greece just as other countries in Europe have also taken?.We all have a debt and duty towards our homeland to work together at this difficult time to protect our economy.? I thought that that time had come last November, but evidently I was precipitate in my judgement, but now it has finally arrived, although I ould note that hope does spring eternal, and that even now not everyone is 100% convinced.