Austerity: So what’s the plan, Mr Rehn?
El País, Madrid – Discipline and budget cuts: The cure prescribed for the Eurozone no longer has unanimous support. Unfortunately, voters can not settle this debate as it is between unelected...
View ArticleEurozone crisis: Austerity absurdity?
Süddeutsche Zeitung, Munich – “The policy of austerity has reached its limits”, says European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, the first time Brussels has questioned its own policy. It’s time...
View ArticleSpain: Six million reasons for another policy
El Periódico de Catalunya, Barcelona – With the number of unemployed over six million, the economic and social disaster has continued to worsen despite the EU-prescribed shock therapy applied by the...
View ArticleEuropean Union: Prisoners of the Eurobabel
The Guardian, London – Translation within the EU is a laborious and costly business. So why not save billions and make English the Union’s official language? Unfortunately, the price would be a loss of...
View ArticleThe Netherlands: Ditch the King. Hire an Actor.
The New York Times, New York – On April 30, the Dutch Queen Beatrix abdicated in favour of her son Willem-Alexander. Since the monarchy has no political power and costs a lot of money, author Arnon...
View ArticleTextile industry: Bangladeshi blood on EU shoppers’ hands?
NRC Handelsblad, Amsterdam – The death of more than 400 people in a Bangladeshi clothing factory once again highlights the appalling conditions in factories where western manufacturers produce clothes....
View ArticleBritain's EU membership: Cameron’s fate hangs in the balance
The Sunday Telegraph, London – Prime Minister David Cameron thought his pledge to hold a referendum on British EU membership would calm his party’s divisions. He’s now facing a rebellion backing a...
View ArticleYouth unemployment: All the work is still yet to be done
El País, Madrid – A total of €6bn for 6 million unemployed young Europeans. The plan presented by Germany and France is a response to an absolute emergency. But for it to work and give hope to an...
View ArticleDebt Crisis: Greece sacrificed to save euro
To Vima, Athens – The IMF bailout of Greece has above all allowed its creditors to dodge their responsibilities and guard against contagion. The Greeks should revolt and renegotiate the terms of the...
View ArticleSchengen area: New frontiers
Dilema Veche, Bucharest – After months of deadlock, the member states and the European Parliament have agreed on new rules facilitating the establishment of internal borders within the Schengen area....
View ArticleEnlargement: Europe and Turkey should keep talking
Financial Times, London – Negotiations on Turkey’s accession to the EU have once again been interrupted by Germany, in the wake of the crackdown on demonstrations in Ankara and Istanbul. Indecision on...
View ArticleCommon Agricultural Policy: Poor peasants!
La Repubblica, Rome – Common Agricultural Policy reforms unveiled in June have not come up to expectations, believes the head of the Slow Food movement. Member states have too much leeway and reforms...
View ArticleAmerican eavesdropping: European drama queens
The New York Times, New York – EU leaders’ outrage at US spying is overblown, writes the New York Times, and so is their threat to suspend EU-US trade talks. Such surveillance is legal in the US, and...
View ArticleAmerican eavesdropping: Why Europe must protect Edward Snowden
Le Monde, Paris – In an article published in several European newspapers, the WikiLeaks founder and the Director General of Reporters Without Borders call on European states grant asylum the...
View ArticleEuropean project: Stop saying the EU is a failure!
De Volkskrant, Amsterdam – Too often we forget that belonging to the EU enabled countries like Spain and Italy to develop economically, while setting aside their old colonial aspirations. And this...
View ArticleGreece: Bungled reforms
To Ethnos, Athens – The eurozone and the IMF decided on 8 July to hand Athens a new tranche of aid in exchange for the sacking of 15,000 civil servants. If they want to lose the support of the...
View ArticleEurozone: Europe gears up for a final, toxic confrontation
Financial Times, London – Despite encouraging signs, there is no evidence that the crisis is fading, writes Tony Barber. See more.
View ArticleUnited Kingdom: Why we have a distorted view of our reality
The Independent, London – An official survey shows UK citizens have an unrealistic view of virtually every controversial social issue, including immigration, crime, and social benefits. Perhaps because...
View ArticleEuropean Union: Help, Juncker is leaving
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Frankfurt – Senior European leader Jean-Claude Juncker resigned as prime minister of Luxembourg on July 11. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung asks how the EU would be able...
View ArticleEconomy: Europe’s misplaced arrogance
Knack, Brussels – Ahead of this month’s meeting of G20 finance ministers in Moscow, Europe is waving an admonishing finger at the United States, Japan and China. A very misplaced act, given the fact...
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