EU compares well with US rivals but the real competition is rising in the East It’s ‘Greening Business Week‘ here at EurActiv HQ where we’re turing the spotlight on the new green economy. There’ll be a new story every day this week, but today’s feature is worthy of comment. Ask an EU official whether Europe [...]

Posted by Icenian 02 November 09 The European Council needs to agree a finance package to meet developing countries climate change needs, and to do so before COP15 in Copenhagen. How the costs of the package will be divided between European nations is a contentious issue. Solidarity is a European tradition, and in the face [...]

Edward Lucas, a prominent analyst, says that Russia is pushing the USA out of Europe, trying to set up a condominium in the old continent between itself and countries such as France, Germany, Italy, to the detriment of Eastern Europe. Recently another knowledgeable specialist, Ariel Cohen, said that there is “little appetite” these days in [...]

A new report from eurosceptic campaign group Open Europe, entitled “How the EU is watching you: The rise of Europe’s surveillance state” claims that the EU is a threat to civil liberties in the UK. They are obviously aiming at the wrong target. The starting point for criticism of this report is the fact that [...]

Sir, Regarding ‘The new European Commisssion‘: The long-standing plan to reduce the size of the European Commission has just succeeded beyond all expectations, but not quite as intended. Legally there is now only one commissioner, José Manuel Barroso, who was recently re-appointed as president according the procedure laid down in the treaties. The five-year terms [...]

Le résultat est clair, c’est à une très forte majorité que le Parlement européen a adopté sans changement le rapport Elmar Brok. L’audition du futur Haut Représentant (au même titre que les autres membres de la nouvelle Commission) sera un moment fort lors des auditions ce confirmation de la nouvelle Commission [...]

“democracies make elections, elections don’t make democracies” After Afghanistan’s fraudulent elections President Obama’s future politics in failing state is still foggy. Conflicting views of Obama’s staff, escalation of War to Pakistan, lack of clear vision and strategy are not making choice easy. The rest of the world is waiting U.S. leadership and considering same time [...]

The recent deterioration of the relationship between China and India is deeply disturbing. Significant was the recent editorial on the People’s Daily website which attacked “India’s superpower dreams” and “thought of hegemony”. The fundamental disputes are over the eastern western ends of their long border, unresolved since a war in 1962. In the east, China [...]

Quit dreaming. Quit imagining. Quit creating. Quit reflexive thinking.

COOPERATION INTERNATIONALE > Ressortissants de pays tiers L’accord a été signé le 28 octobre à Washington. Un accord historique a déclaré la ministre suédoise de la Justice, Béatrice Ask. En signant les accords, Eric Holder, attorney général , secrétaire américain à la Justice, a rappelé que les négociations ont débuté il y a huit ans, [...]

The frontline states in the fight against global terrorism, Pakistan and Afghanistan, are two poor, non-Arabic Islamic nations. Every week, regular soldiers belonging to the Pakistani army or the coalition forces in Afghanistan are being killed by Talibans, whose guerrilla fighting tactics have been branded by military analysts as daring and innovative. Could Pakistan’s nuclear [...]

Cette association, à ce jour seule habilitée à intervenir dans les centres de rétention administrative (CRA), a présenté, jeudi 29 octobre, son rapport annuel 2008. Parce qu’il s’agit de « faire du chiffres » cette politique conduit à des absurdités dont par exemple les touristes font eux aussi les frais de cette obsession”, souligne la [...]

Cliquer pour voir le cartoon – click to see the cartoon

It looks at last that the Lisbon Treaty will come into force – even as hoped for – on 1 January 2110. Discussion so far has been mainly on whether Tony Blair should be given the first post, and to a lesser extent on what should be the determining criteria. It seems clear that Blair [...]

Everyone is waiting for President Obama’s decision on whether to send more troops to Afghanistan, and if so, how many. There is no acceptable and achievable way to ensure peace, stability, and reasonably prosperity in the whole of Afghanistan. What then does the West do, bearing in mind the huge negative contribution made to the [...]