“EU foreign ministers to decide on Turkey?s membership talks….

EU foreign ministers to decide on Turkey?s membership talks (News) The Turkish government‘s handling of protests that have rocked the country for the past three weeks have strained relations with the EU, and a decision to take another step in Ankara?s accession talks, expected today (24 June), appears uncertain. EurActiv Turkey reports   EU summit … Read more

Eurosphere roundup: Greece deprived of its public broadcasting service….G8 targets tax havens …

Greece deprived of its public broadcasting service: More than a bad soap opera Flawed it may have been, but ERT, Greece’s public broadcaster, was one of the few things holding the country together during these difficult times. Employees and members of the public demonstrate outside the offices of ERT3. Demotix/Giorgos Kasapidis. All rights reserved.   … Read more

Eurosphere roundup… IMF and EU bicker over Greek bailout…

The time is now for wealth taxes in Britain Taxing wealth is an underexplored option in the UK, given the scale of wealth inequality. A new project confronts this head on, with proposals for radical reform. Belonging and entitlement – Britain’s ‘ethnic majority’ and the rise of UKIP Real or imagined, there is a widespread … Read more

Eurosphere roundup: “The sanctions on excessively high budget deficits are to be suspended…

MAIN FOCUS: EU wants to give deficit sinners more time | 30/05/2013 The EU Commission wants to give six euro countries more time to reduce their debts, allowing them to introduce growth-stimulating reforms. The sanctions on excessively high budget deficits are to be suspended, Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn announced on Wednesday. Some commentators welcome … Read more

Eurosphere roundup: China warns EU of a trade war…

Worrying future for innovation in Europe The region?s share of global manufacturing and R&D is falling. And the number of patent applications registered in Europe has also gone down   MAIN FOCUS: Weapons embargo against Syria expires | 28/05/2013 The EU foreign ministers did not reach a joint position on a weapons embargo against Syriaon … Read more

Eurosphere roundup: Apple under antitrust probe pressure

Europe quizzes operators over Apple sales practices, hinting at plans for antitrust probe European regulators are looking into the possibility that Apple is employing anti-competitive tactics to give it an unfair advantage in mobile markets across the continent. How Apple’s Alleged Tax Avoidance Changed Its Image   The U.S. Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations claims … Read more

Europshere roundup: Murder sparks anti-Muslim backlash…

Murder sparks anti-Muslim backlash There has been a huge increase in anti-Muslim incidents since the murder of a British soldier in London, an inter-faith charity says. MAIN FOCUS: Soldier killing shocks Britain | 24/05/2013 After the allegedly Islamist motivated murder of a soldier in London, security has been increased around military installations there. The authorities … Read more

Eurosphere roundup: “Stockholm riots spread around city…

Stockholm riots spread around city A fourth night of unprecedented riots in Stockholm sees unrest spread around the city, with a restaurant and up to 40 cars burnt. Wait, there are riots in Sweden? You’ve read the stories about Sweden’s excellent health care system, innovative gender-neutral day care centers, and generous parental leave policies. But … Read more

Eurosphere roundup: “Candidates for President of the European Council…”EU poised to blacklist Hizbollah army

EU poised to blacklist Hizbollah army Hope that a formal request by UK, ahead of a foreign ministers? meeting in late June, will open way for sanctions of Hizbollah?s European activity Desegregating Roma and Croat schoolchildren: what has been done? Three years after the ECHR’s decision in Or?u? and Others v. Croatia found “separate but … Read more

Eurosphere roundup: British Foreign Office under pressure with drunk Britons…

British Foreign Office to drunk Britons everywhere: No, we can’t translate that tattoo for you Here, in all its glory, is the full list: A man who required hospital treatment in Cambodia when a monkey dislodged a stone that hit him demanded help getting compensation and wanted assurance that it would not happen again A … Read more

Eurosphere roundup: Neo-Nazi trial, EU member states stand on bank bail-in plans, Cameron on EU exit…

Neo-Nazi probe is a peerless failure: German report An interim parliamentary inquiry report called the National Socialist Underground (NSU) Neo-Nazi trial: Woman ?part of kill squad? German prosecutors May 14 charged that a woman at the center of a landmark trial over a neo-Nazi   Iceland?s election is a signal to Europe Taking tough measures … Read more

Eurosphere roundup: “Six years requested for Berlusconi

Six years requested for Berlusconi Italian prosecutors seek a six-year sentence for former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi for paying for sex with an underage girl. Cameron struggles to contain Eurosceptics With polling showing the EU is low on the list of voter priorities, Tory strategists fear eurosceptic ill-discipline will damage election prospects   Ideas on … Read more

Eurosphere roundup: “Ousted PM Borisov secures slim victory in Bulgaria election…Official list of English words misused in EU documents…

Ousted PM Borisov secures slim victory in Bulgaria election, fresh protests erupt Bulgarian ousted premier Boyko Borisov‘s party came first in tense elections but fell short of a majority, exit polls showed. Turkish minority MRF party beats threshold. Europe’s bold ride to stabilise Mali On May 15 the EU will organise a donors? conference on … Read more

Eurosphere roundup: NSU trial… anti-Semitism in Hungary and more…

  NSU trial a litmus test for German stance on Neo-nazi groups: Turkish EU Minister Turkey’s EU Minister Egemen Bağış has indicated that the National Socialist Underground trial could be used to exculpate the neo-Nazi image haunting Germany.   Trial Begins for a Neo-Nazi Suspect in Germany A member of a neo-Nazi trio is charged … Read more

“Jürgen Habermas lecture in Leuven about the European crisis… and a Eurosphere roundup…

Footnotes on Jürgen Habermas lecture in Leuven about the European crisis from Blogactiv by Protesilaos Stavrou   Mopping up after Sarkozy from Blogactiv by Florian Pantazi François Hollande, the French president, is currently back from a state visit to China. Hollande hopes to expand trade in Asia, as France?s current account deficit has reached 75 … Read more