London tailor, Pip Howeson, has announced funding from ex Dragon’s Den star Doug Richard, and media entrepreneur Chris Ingram, to build on her fast-growing reputation for bespoke high-end tailoring, using ethically sourced British fabrics. Setting out a vision to make made-to-measure fashion more accessible to women everywhere, Howeson, a graduate of the first class of ‘School […]
Carbon Neutral Copenhagen – ‘European Green Capital 2014’
With an eye to the New Year, Cummins Power Generation is preparing for Copenhagen’s green leadership. John Dorman, Power Systems Director, EMER, Cummins Power Generation, reports on Copenhagen’s ambitious carbon neutral plan as it prepares to lead as ‘European Green Capital 2014’. Earlier this year, Copenhagen was designated European Green Capital 2104. The European Green Capital […]
EU Budget 2014 – “Deal”. Parliament and Council Get It Together…
After negotiating through the night, Parliament and Council struck a deal on the EU budget for 2014, which also provides for remedying payments shortfalls in in the current fiscal year. MEPs ensured that victims of catastrophic flooding and drought in 2013 will be compensated, and that its priorities for 2014 in areas such as employment, […]
TTIP Negotiations. Round Two. Seconds Out.
Negotiators meet for the second round of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership talks. The EU and U.S. EU negotiators met in Brussels yesterday for the first day in a second round of talks to foster progress in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The beginning of the week will be devoted to discussions on investment […]
Agent 0.00, Draghi Neither Shaken Nor Stirred
Mario Draghi, President of the European Central Bank, yesterday explained the ECB’s rationale for lowering interest rates. Speaking in Frankfurt, Draghi said: “… the economic analysis indicates that we may experience a prolonged period of low inflation, to be followed by a gradual upward movement towards inflation rates below, but close to, 2% later on. […]
Brutal Reality of Colombian Peace Negotiations Unveiled To Deputies
Women are the first to suffer the brutality of war and are largely ignored during peace negotiations. “This state of affairs must change,” said Nahla Valji, New York office of UN Women. Valji was speaking at the European Parliament at a debate on the inclusion of women within the current Colombian peace talks. Valji said: […]
Turkey Opens New EU Accession Chapter
A new chapter in Turkey’s accession negotiations with the EU will be opened in Brussels tomorrow after a three-year break. Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Linas Linkevičius is to lead a European Union delegation at the Intergovernmental Accession Conference. The EU General Affairs Council recently adopted a decision to open Chapter 22 (Regional policy and Regional […]
Dismal Jobs Figures Compound EU Woes, Lagging USA
The Euro Area (EA17) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 12.2% in September 2013, stable compared with August. The EU28 unemployment rate was 11.0%, also stable compared with August. In both zones, rates have risen compared with September 2012, when they were 11.6% and 10.6% respectively. These figures are published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In September 2013, 26.872 […]
The ECB Preview, Going In Circles
Last week’s data has given rise to renewed speculation about further ECB action. Headline inflation below 1% and unemployment above 12% have fueled market speculation that the ECB could cut rates at this week’s meeting. In our view, this speculation is premature for two main reasons: (1) the ECB simply does not have a reputation […]
Jose Montesquieu Barroso Wants Business Friendly Public Sector – “Useless laws weaken the necessary ones”
Attending, what the Commission termed a ‘business-friendly’ conference on Public Administration, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said: “Given the size of the total [EU] procurement market… each 5% saved could return around €100 billion to the public purse.” Barroso added: “…just four days ago, the European Council highlighted once again the importance of the […]