Olli Rehn sent Spain to the naughty step, again. For the first time, the European Commission has issued opinions on euro area Member States’ Draft Budgetary Plans, which from this year must be submitted to the Commission by 15 October, at the same time as draft budgets are sent to national parliaments. Presenting a major package […]
Rehn Cashes In On Luck Of The Irish
Speaking after the Eurogroup meeting in Brussels, Wednesday, Vice-President, Olli Rehn, was more than upbeat, congratulating: “Ireland and Spain, the Irish and the Spanish people, for the decisions of today. Ireland’s decision to exit the programme without a precautionary credit facility is very important. I know the Irish Government reflected very carefully on this matter. […]
EU Industrial Production Down On The Month, Up On The Year
In September 2013 compared with August 2013, seasonally adjusted industrial production1 fell by 0.5% in the euro area2 (EA17) and by 0.2% in the EU282, according to estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In August3 industrial production increased by 1.0% and 0.6% respectively. In September 2013 compared with September 20124, industrial production rose by 1.1% in the euro area and […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
She’s ‘Big In Japan’. Catherine Ashton Secures The East
She’s ‘Big In Japan’. Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy met today with Japanese Foreign Minister, Fumio Kishida and Defence Minister, Itsunori Onodera. Ashton said they took stock of “…our bilateral relations and discussed our common objectives for the forthcoming EU-Japan Summit. We also discussed global and regional issues […]
The Slim Summit. Barroso Gets Refit And Focused On SMEs
David Cameron is always convinced the EU is losing a few pounds, but more evidence of health fads at the Commission emerged post-Summit. Gone was mention of a well-toned financial Six-Pack, but, wait for it, we’re all buzz with REFIT… Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, is King of the Political Treadmill, but everyone […]
Digital Single Market By 2015… Upload ‘Optimism’ File.
The Digital Single Market is expected to be completed by 2015. It stands as a key priority on the Lithuanian EU Presidency agenda, said Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaitė. But if there’s one thing politicians don’t understand very well, just one thing, it’s the digital world – ask Obama, or ask Merkel if you haven’t got Obama’s […]
Stronger Social Protection Urged For EU Workers. Too Late?
With glacial speed action will surely follow. EU leaders have met with trade unions and employers’ organisations (social partners) for talks on how to strengthen the social dimension of the EU and the euro area, including by better monitoring employment and social trends in future. The social partners joined European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, […]