Under the influence?
The public affairs firm Waggener Edstrom issued their first ever study of the influence of EU affairs blogs yesterday, ranking the Open Europe blog 7th overall.
Here is the top ten:
BBC | Gavin Hewitt?s Europe
FT Brussels Blog
The Digger
Fistful of Euros
Jon Worth / Euroblog
Stanley?s Blog
Open Europe blog
Julien Frisch | Watching Europe
ECJ Blog
Neelie Kroes
The full study is available here:
http://www.openeurope.org.uk/docs/Waggeneredstromindex.pdf
We the Euroblogs
What do they think about us?
Introspection seems to be a favourite among extroverts.
The Waggener Edstrom Brussels Blogger Study 2010 triggered talk among independent Eurobloggers ? on Twitter (as well as on blogs).
You?re reading the 5th most influential blog in Brussels (apparently)
Euroblogs debating Euroblogosphere: Navel-gazing? Professionalism?
With the help of the Twitter discussion under the hashtag #bbs10 (now seven plus pages), let us track the discussion in and about the Euroblogosphere following the Waggener Edstrom Brussels Blogger Study 2010. In addition to the blog entries, remember to read the interesting comments, a sign of an emerging Eurosphere.
The EU and mobile phone / 3G data roaming
SIM Cards – CC / Flickr
I have respect for the UK blog Political Betting ? I never bet on anything, but I like Mike Smithson?s rigourous analysis of odds. However when it comes to anything to do with the European Union reason and rigour seem to go out of the window. Take his recent rant entitled ?Why?s the EU soft on the data roaming racket??, a post that ends with an appeal to Vince Cable to make the EU get tough on the fact that 3G data is capped at ?1 / Mb when roaming, but costs one hundredth of that price when at home.
MAIN FOCUS: Burqa ban in France | 14/07/2010
France is moving closer to a burqa ban. The National Assembly adopted the controversial law on Tuesday, and the Senate will no doubt follow suit. While the idea behind the ban is to guarantee the freedom of Muslim women, the press finds bans inappropriate and un-European.
The dangers of a burqa ban, Valérie Hartwich
The Burqa debate: Laurie Penny > Sara Silvestri > Ghazal Tipu > This post.
Since the end of 2009 a number of European countries have made moves towards a banning of the burqa, or hijab, the full Islamic headdress for women. Belgium has passed a law to be ratified by its Senate. France is pondering the constitutionality of such a legal decision, whilst Italy has seen its implementation at a local level. Various justifications have been put forward: national security, integration and women’s liberation.
EU leaders dodge Islamic veil ban issue
from EUobserver.com – Headline News
Verhofstadt: Five challenges of the Belgian Presidency
Addressing the Belgium Prime Minister, Yves Leterme, in a parliamentary debate in Strasbourg today, Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the Liberal and Democrat group in the European Parliament, underlined that the success of the Belgian Presidency would be judged on its ability to steer through the measures to address the financial and economic crisis.
European Economic Sustainability Index
Source: European Policy Centre
From Executive Summary:
In light of the unprecedented turmoil in the euro-zone and the uncertainty over what the future holds, it is important to not only understand the current pressures on public finances but also the medium- to long-term factors which will affect the economic stability and sustainability of EU countries in future. The long-term competitiveness of European economies, their governance and their ability to carry out structural reforms to cope with long-term challenges will all influence whether countries have a sustainable economy in the long run. This will also determine the success or failure of the euro.
Monitoring the social impact of the crisis: public perceptions in the European Union
Source: Eurobarometer
From Main Findings:
A majority of EU citizens considered that poverty was rather widespread in their country: 30% estimated that roughly 30% of their country?s population was poor, and a similar proportion (31%) thought that the poverty rate in their country was about 20%.
Sarkozy struggles to reassert authority
Scandals knock Sarkozy off course
Youth work and EU 2020 flagship initiative Youth on the move
Yesterday we witnessed the deplorable state of the EU Commission?s central website for the Europe 2020 strategy, in the blog entry EU 2020 website and Youth on the move: Nul points !
Europe 2020 flagship initiative Youth on the move (EU Commission Work Programme 2010)
Can anything be done to reduce idleness and frustration, improve the functioning of jobs markets, and to give young people better skills to start an independent life and a productive career?
MAIN FOCUS: EU caps bankers’ bonuses | 08/07/2010
The EU Parliament has decided that bankers’ bonuses must in future be linked to their salaries, and that only 30 percent of bonuses may be paid out immediately. Europe’s press complains that the new regulations have too many loopholes and will be unable to prevent a new financial crisis.
Just what is a European Socialist these days?
from FP Passport by Joshua Keating
How much would a eurozone break-up cost?
from Open Europe blog
EU 2020 website and Youth on the move: Nul points !
The Europe 2020 strategy is the raison d?être of the Barroso II Commission, so preparation and communication of the seven flagship initiatives must be highly visible, and they have to go hand in hand.
Is this theory or practice?
Biting The Fiscal Bullet In Poland
There is a good deal of speculation in the press at the moment over the tricky issue of whether or not Poland will be able to comply with its agreed deficit-reduction deadline on the basis of the latest budget proposals announced by the government there.
Who speaks for Europe?
More of the fruits of Lisbon treaty: there is a proposal that the European Union should get the right to speak at the United Nations General Assembly. At present, the EU is merely an observer: the change will not make it a full member but will give its representatives the opportunity to express their views. The proposal has been agreed by the EU and will be submitted for approval at the UN itself later this year.
Britain and its allies
Having criticised the new government?s policy on Afghanistan earlier in the week, this blog can also praise it, too. Specifically, the speech by armed forces minister Nick Harvey to the Royal United Services Institute, and his comments about the UK?s allies (read the speech here).
Anti-European Schadenfreude Rising?
When Foreign Policy featured an article on Anti-Europeanism in the United States as “Today’s FP” cover, I got intrigued, but I was disappointed when I read this article Guardian columnist Simon Tisdall, which currently is FP’s most read piece of the week. Old arguments about the Iraq war debate and last year’s Obama trips to Europe.
The European Citizen and better Euroblogging
Can independent Eurobloggers make a mark? Yes, if they deal with relevant issues and produce original content.
MAIN FOCUS: IMF disciplines Hungary | 19/07/2010
The International Monetary Fund and the EU have stopped credit talks with highly-indebted Hungary on the grounds that the Orbán government’s austerity measures do not go far enough. The move puts a freeze on a loan package of over 25.1 billion dollars previously granted to Budapest. Such disciplinary measures in budget matters do Europe good, writes the press.
Via: http://www.lookinart.net/2010/02/blog-post.html
found in Gao Brothers
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