MAIN FOCUS: New debts despite austerity policy | 24/07/2013 The debts of the Eurozone countries continue to grow. Despite harsh austerity measuresthey amounted to 92.2 percent of the GDP in the first quarter – four percentage points more than the previous year, Eurostat announced on Monday. Commentators see this as proof that the stringent austerity … Read more
MAIN FOCUS: Greeks protest against job cuts | 17/07/2013 Tens of thousands of Greeks once again brought much of public life to a complete standstill with a general strike on Tuesday. They are protesting against the troika’s demand for job cuts in the public sector, which will be put to vote in parliament today, Wednesday. … Read more
EU hardens stance on Israeli settlements New guidelines will prevent any grants to companies based on occupied land as the EU hardens its opposition to expansion of Israeli settlements Israeli PM Netanyahu rejects EU ‘external dictates’ on borders Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu angrily rejected European Union guidelines barring the bloc’s 28 member states from funding … Read more
Spain?s indignados and the mediated aesthetics of nonviolence NB. The text below is an earlier version of a document that will be published as: Postill, J. forthcoming. Spain?s indignados and the mediated aesthetics of nonviolence. In P. Werbner, M. Webb and K. Spellman-Poots (eds) Beyond the Arab Spring: The Aesthetics and Poetics of Popular Revolt … Read more
EU, industry to invest ?22 billion in research and innovation (News) The Commission, member states and industry will invest more than ?22 billion over the next seven years in innovation. The investment will primarily go to special sectors via five public-private partnerships called Joint Technology Initiatives (JTIs). The Commission says research and innovation are critical … Read more
Anonymous Leaks the Accounts of Spain’s Governing Party The global hacktivist group, Anonymous, has leaked the 1990-2011 financial accounts of the governing Partido Popular (PP) [People’s Party] on the internet. Recently, during the investigation, Judge Pablo Ruz asked for access to the documents dated since 1990 on suspicion of illegal financing. The PP refused, claiming … Read more
EU takes Russia to WTO for first time EU officials say a levy to cover recycling costs is a protectionist ploy in environmental disguise because it only applies to imported vehicles MAIN FOCUS: Help for Greece in dribs and drabs | 09/07/2013 After the conclusion of the troika’s review the finance ministers of the … Read more
Europe is partner and target for US spies US co-operation on intelligence with European nations over decades has never come with a guarantee that Washington will not spy on them as well Europe gets tougher on cybercrimes Tougher penalties for those found guilty of carrying out cybercrimes have been agreed by European member states … Read more
The EU won?t stand up to the USA or protect our rights against ?the eyes? For all their purported shock and outrage, the inconvenient truth for many European leaders is that their own intelligence services are up to their necks in unregulated surveillance and/or cooperation with the global USA-UK spying infrastructure. European economy signals … Read more
MAIN FOCUS: EU outraged over US spying | 02/07/2013 After media reports about spying activities of the US intelligence services in EU offices, the European Union is checking its facilities for bugging devices. The European Commission has demanded speedy explanations from the US. Some commentators say Europe should stand up to America, while others … Read more
Library of the European Parliament’s Blog: Croatia ? sources of information For the occasion of Croatian accession to the European Union on the 1 July 2013 and becoming the 28th member state, we have prepared this document as introductory information to sources that are already available in Library of European Parliament Croatia: President Plays Beethoven to … Read more
MAIN FOCUS: EU eases taxpayers’ bank bailout burden | 28/06/2013 The EU’s finance ministers agreed on tougher rules for failing banks on Wednesday night. In future shareholders and creditors will be obliged to help cover the cost of their rescue, rather than just the taxpayers. Finally the average man on the street will no longer … Read more
‘Le Barroso bashing’ continues in France If you thought the wave of French attacks on European Commission President José Manuel Barroso was ebbing away, you were wrong. Today, it was the turn of French Socialist MP Claude Bartolone – who’s also the President of the National Assembly, the lower house of the French parliament – … Read more
Italy court sentences former PM Berlusconi to seven years in jail on sex charges A Milan court sentenced former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi to seven years in jail after finding him guilty of paying for sex with an underage escort girl. Berlusconi Has 2,500 Problems but Prison Ain’t One The two-year Bunga Bunga Trial has … Read more
Turkey EU accession ?in member states? hands? Germany is leading the opposition to progressing Turkey?s EU accession bid due to a crackdown on protests Turkey’s PM defends crackdown Turkey’s PM has told a crowd of supporters it was his ‘duty’ to order a crackdown on protests in Istanbul **************** The Impact of EU Membership on … Read more