Go to the Content   Saturday, 5 July 2008
 
 
News
rss

Iran willing to talk

Iranian media says Tehran is willing to upgrade discussions with the EU about its nuclear programme.

 

Farmer-Colombia(R)

Commission to give €1 bn to poor-world farmers

European Commission set to transfer money earmarked to help EU farmers into a fund to support agriculture in the developing world.

 

Cyprus ratifies Lisbon treaty

Parliamentary vote makes Cyprus the twentieth state to back the EU's reform treaty.

 

Support grows for nuclear power

Boosted by concerns about climate change, support now almost matches opposition.

 

Eurozone interest rates raised

Hike by the European Central Bank is the first in a year.

 

Michel calls for regional trade blocs

Development commissioner backs French suggestion that countries in the developing world form regional agricultural trading blocs.

 

Commission backs rural internet funding

Approved plan intends to expand access to broadband internet in rural Germany.

 

trucks_pollution

Truckers to foot bill for environmental damage You need an active subscription to read this article

Charges could be applied for damage to roads, pollution, noise and traffic congestion.

 

French president takes on Mandelson You need an active subscription to read this article

Meeting could rewrite negotiating mandate; trade commissioner says he is being undermined. 

 

Ministers plan further sanctions on Zimbabwe

 You need an active subscription to read this article

Trade restrictions are among the options being considered.

 

Big pharma says red tape keeps generic drugs off EU shelves You need an active subscription to read this article

Pharmaceutical companies have been accused of keeping generic drugs out of the market.

 

Hortefeux defends European asylum pact You need an active subscription to read this article

French immigration minister defends plan; no immigration contracts in watered-down pact.

 

EU member states fail to meet development aid commitments You need an active subscription to read this article

Aid organisations say that EU member states are not honouring their G8 promises.

 

France shrugs off Turkey's constitutional mayhem You need an active subscription to read this article

France claims court ban of AKP would not affect policy; officials say ban would reaffirm Sarkozy's stance.

 

SHAKY BUSINESS A frank exchange

news_jean&hank0307

FRIEND IN NEED US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson (right) called in on European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet at the bank's Frankfurt headquarters on 1 July. Trichet is expected to raise interest rates today even though French President Nicolas Sarkozy has urged the bank to hold off, saying: “You can double, triple interest rates and that will not bring a decrease in the price of a barrel of Brent.” Paulson, amid anxieties about the weakening dollar, said high oil prices would continue to hurt the US economy.

 

Ecofin to approve accounting reform You need an active subscription to read this article

Ministers to support reform of standards body, but IASB to take flak for banks' liquidity crisis.

 

EU experts vet US gambling restrictions You need an active subscription to read this article

Experts seek evidence of discrimination; mission could lead to fresh WTO probe.

 

Wages debate hampers blue-card consensus You need an active subscription to read this article

Trade unions fear rising unemployment; France wants to seal a deal in October.

 

Medical tourism may be eased

European Commission sets out plans to improve patients' access to operations and treatments in other European countries.

 

EU executive outlines anti-discrimination plans

Anti-discrimination legislation proposed by the European Commission expands into previously uncovered areas.

 

Nokia purchase of mapping firm cleared

European Commission's initial doubts about phone-maker's plans dispelled by a review of the market.

 

Aid to Greek shipyard ruled illegal

European Commission rules that Athens' repeated aid to Hellenic Shipyards breached EU regulations.

 

Council of Ministers loses landmark case

The European Court of Justice rules in favour of a Swedish-backed bid to increase transparency in the EU's institutions.

 

French president outlines EU priorities

Nicolas Sarkozy lists “institutional crisis” as key concern of France's EU presidency, together with immigration, climate change and defence.

 

Sarkozy, Kaczynski to discuss Lisbon treaty

French presidential office again links enlargement to adoption of the EU's reform treaty. 

 

 LechKaczynski(R)

 

Other recents news:

EU executive condemns Belarusian media law

More EU land to be freed up for farming

EU continues to lift Brazilian beef ban 

New inflation record predicted for June

EU-US talks on data-sharing 'on-going'

EU executive offers cartel-busting incentive

EU-US sign aviation safety accord

EU-Russia agreement extended

Internet calls especially popular in new EU states

Deal on inclusion of airlines in emissions trading scheme 

More news

 

 

 

 

More analysis 

  
Careers

Learning how to be your own boss You need an active subscription to read this article

A new exchange scheme could help students to decide if they are ready to start their own businesses.

 

Banking from beyond the horizon

The EU's in-house bank has reinvented itself, taking an innovative approach to lending.


 


 

 

The week ahead

3 July: Informal meeting of environment and energy ministers, Paris. On the agenda: energy and climate change package, GMOs.

 

3 July: High-level conference on ‘who will feed the world?' organised by the French presidency, the Commission and the Parliament, Brussels.

 

7-8 July: Informal meeting of justice and home affairs ministers, Cannes. On the agenda: a European pact on asylum and migration, child protection, civil protection, mutual recognition of judgements.

 

7-8 July: G8 heads of state and government meet, Toyako, Japan. On the agenda: high commodity prices, climate change, Iran, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Millennium Development Goals.

 

7-9 July: European Parliament plenary session, Strasbourg. On the agenda: food additives, health and safety at work, social security, China.

 

8 July: Finance ministers meet, Brussels. On the agenda: high fuel prices, financial crisis roadmap, IASB reforms (accounting).

 

8 July: Weekly Commission meeting, Strasbourg. On the agenda: green transport package, European transparency initiative, publication of details on beneficiaries of EU funds, anti-trust decision, free fruit for schools.

 

9 July: European Court of First Instance to rule on Osram v Council of Ministers. Case concerns the application of EU anti-dumping law.

Views

From unfulfilled promises to no promises?

The G8 set themselves goals in 2005 that they have failed to deliver on. They are now threatening, it seems, not even to make promises.

 

Breakthrough or breakdown?

The emissions-trading scheme is supposed to be a breakthrough in the EU's efforts to curb climate change. The danger is that it will cause Poland's economy to break down.

 

More than two cheers for Slovenia You need an active subscription to read this article

Slovenia has kept the EU show on the road, and that is no mean achievement.

 

Pc_080704 

 

Can the EU protect and survive as Sarko wants? You need an active subscription to read this article

The French president's criticism of established institutions leaves him looking powerless.

 

Boasting about Poland's secrets You need an active subscription to read this article

How to lose friends and alienate people.

 

Russia's cool face is merely a mask for deeper problems You need an active subscription to read this article

Russia's entrepreneurs want greater pluralism, decentralisation and more media freedom.

 

oped_sculptures0307

How Reding's ‘nuclear option' would damage a booming telecoms sector You need an active subscription to read this article

MEPs should think twice before supporting Viviane Reding's plan to break up former telecom monopolies throughout the EU.

 

A damaging transatlantic divide You need an active subscription to read this article

A row over who should get the contract to build US air-tankers is about much more than money and jobs. 

 

How to get promoted with Wikipedia You need an active subscription to read this article

Press officers: the secret weapon for success in the European Parliament. 
 

Inviting the butcher's sons to the party

Inviting Slobodan Miloševic's party to join the Serbian government was unavoidable; the dangers it poses may be avoidable.

 

The world after Bush

news_bush0307

We should pay more attention to the US president's departure in part because of what will remain absolutely the same.

Chris Patten

 

The Spanish transformation

Since the fall of Franco, Spain has accepted football as a sport of beauty, not a battle.

 

The hollow heart of the West

NATO and the EU – two organisations facing a crisis of identity, two organisations that need to convince Europeans they are part of the solution in a global world.

Dominique Moïsi
 

SpecialReport_banner_0307

 

Analysis                                              

 

trichet_fleming_24-25

Better oversight is way to beat stress

The European Central Bank should be handed a leading role in cross-border banking supervision to foster stability in the financial system.

 

The limits of international criminal law

Although the International Criminal Court has had some success in its ten years of existence, its powers are still inadequate.

 

business_china0307

Making a growing China come clean

The only way to bring China on board in the battle against climate change is for the EU and US to team up.

 

Regulating the life out of the telecoms industry?

The European commissioner for the information society is ready to make enemies in her quest for lower mobile-phone costs.

 

This Europe

france_eiffell_crop

ENLIGHTENED PRESIDENCY The Eiffel Tower in Paris is lit up with the colours and stars of the EU flag, to mark the start of France's presidency of the Council of Ministers on 1 July. The French government has set four principles for its six months running EU business: getting a deal on measures to combat climate change, agreeing an immigration and asylum pact, boosting EU defence and reviewing farm policy. 

  

Advertisement

People

Henri Guaino

profile_0307
 

His master's voice You need an active subscription to read this article 

Sarko's speechwriter.

 

An MEP with rare work experience You need an active subscription to read this article

Neo-fascist, convicted revolutionary, MEP and justice watchdog.

 

The truth behind the Irish ‘No' You need an active subscription to read this article 

Too much of a treaty is bad for the digestive tract.

 

A test for migrant journalists You need an active subscription to read this article

Surely six months of francophony can't harm a hack?

 

When to ‘retire' as an MEP... You need an active subscription to read this article

Giuseppe Bova, you knew him well.

 

Monkeying around with puzzles You need an active subscription to read this article

A little conundrum for trademark lawyers.

More Entre Nous

Interviews

spidla_int_0307

Spidla takes steps towards social Europe You need an active subscription to read this article

The commissioner for employment is launching a series of bold measures aimed at bolstering the rights of European workers and fighting discrimination.
 

Rehn: no time for sabbatical

 

Books

The power of Parliament – a matter of chance

The European Parliament has acquired new powers by accident as well as by design, according to its former secretary-general.

 
 

The newspaper

0307_EPV_animation

The e-paper
(for subscribers only)
Comment

comment_srebrinica_cut

International crimes You need an active subscription to read this article

 

Analysis          

 

africa_engineer_cut

Blue-card consensus You need an active subscription to read this article

 

Business           

 

business_china_cut

Making China come clean You need an active subscription to read this article

 

 

Transatlantic news

RollCall-logo


 

Economist Group

Economist group logo

  

The Economist

Economist Intelligence Unit

Economist Conferences

The World In

Intelligent Life

CFO

Roll Call

EuroFinance

Economist Shop

Advertisement

 

 

 
Careers                    
 


 
Disclaimer | Privacy policy | Terms & conditions