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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Austerity row lays bare Europe-wide divisions from Hurriyet Daily News The financially-hit European countries seesaw between the European Union?s austerity impositions and their citizens and international economic organizations? insistence on lifting tight measures Iceland rejects austerity and EU from Grahnlaw by Ralf Grahn Tired of austerity, voters in Iceland seem to have returned to … Read more
MAIN FOCUS: Record unemployment in Europe | 26/04/2013 from euro|topics According to figures published on Thursday, for the first time more than six million people are currently out of work in Spain, and France also has record unemployment, surpassing a 1997 peak. Commentators fear the ongoing crisis will provoke a rebellion of the masses and … Read more
Who?s next in line in the eurozone crisis? Portugal and Slovenia are the prime candidates by Open Europe blog team In anticipation of tomorrow’s eurozone finance ministers meeting (which will discuss finalising the Cypriot bailout and potentially extending the bailout loans given to Portugal and Ireland) Open Europe has published a new briefing looking at … Read more
Google faces European privacy probe from BBC News | Europe | World Edition Six European data protection bodies are to launch coordinated investigations into Google’s privacy policy Islamic headscarf debate rekindled in France from BBC News | Europe | World Edition Court ruling tests power of French secularism Slovenia dismisses Cyprus comparisons from FT.com … Read more
Tough Bank of Cyprus terms detailed from BBC News | Europe | World Edition Officials spell out the tough Bank of Cyprus “haircut” that depositors holding more than 100,000 euros must take as part of an EU-IMF bailout. Italy?s president moves to break election deadlock from FT.com – World, Europe Napolitano says mediators will … Read more
Cyprus closes the shutters as it announces capital controls by Open Europe blog team Some more details coming out about the much talked about capital controls in Cyprus (details via @MatinaStevis and RANsquawk): A New Business Model for Cyprus by Acturca Today?s Zaman (Turkey) 27 March 2013, p. 17 Español Français Javier Solana … Read more
MAIN FOCUS: Cyprus wants to save itself | 22/03/2013 from euro|topics The Cypriot parliament will vote on an alternative plan for the country to contribute to the bailout package today, Friday. The plan foresees the establishment of a fund using capital from pension funds and Church property that would also issue bonds. But who would … Read more
Greek Cyprus parliament vote on bailout postponed to Tuesday from Hurriyet Daily News Greek Cyprus parliament speaker Yiannakis Omirou said a vote by lawmaker Morning Brief: Cyprus bailout sparks new round of economic turmoil in Europe from FP Passport by Elias Groll Russia attacks Cyprus bailout plan from FT.com – World, Europe Financial markets are … Read more