Europe - EBR

Edition: International | Greek

FOLLOW EBR MAGAZINE ON:

Home » Europe

The coal industry though was sceptical about the utilities’ announcement. Brian Ricketts, the secretary-general of the Euracoal trade group said: “Steam engines were replaced by something better, cheaper and more productive – electric motors and diesel engines. When we see a new energy system – with lots of energy storage – that works at an affordable price, then coal, oil and gas will not be needed. In the meantime, we still rely on conventional sources.”

The end of coal: EU energy companies pledge no new plants from 2020

By: EBR | Thursday, April 6, 2017

Companies from every EU nation except Poland and Greece sign up to initiative in bid to meet Paris pledges and limit effects of climate change

The implications of artificial intelligence (AI) and the robotics revolution are especially unsettling for Europe. Debate about the march of the robots has so far centred on whether or not they will destroy jobs and usher in an era of massive long-term structural unemployment. But we should instead be worrying about an opposite effect.

The tax shortfall of the robots

By: EBR | Wednesday, April 5, 2017

At a recent Friends of Europe roundtable on the 4th Industrial Revolution, Estonian MEP Kaja Kallas put her finger on one of the most alarming threats confronting Europe

The campaign aims at unifying voices among different educational stakeholders, raise awareness, provide policy solutions and asks for recognition by the education systems of the study period spent abroad. The lack of recognition in many European countries often obliged students to attend an additional year of school, once back in their home country.

Why the EU needs Union-wide recognition of study diplomas

By: EBR | Wednesday, April 5, 2017

The EU is about inclusiveness, tolerance and promoting values such as democracy, education and meritocracy

The EU’s internal open borders scheme may also prove to be a case of over-reach. Abolishing borders and border controls between the 26 members of the Schengen system provided a tremendous sense of freedom. But this has not been accompanied by a proper scheme for reinforcing external border controls. So when the system came under pressure in 2015 from one million asylum seekers and economic migrants from Syria and other war-torn or impoverished countries, it crumbled, and it remains partially suspended.

As the UK prepares to leave, is Europe disintegrating after 60 years?

By: EBR | Wednesday, March 29, 2017

The EU will not necessarily disappear, but it badly needs leaders who would avoid empty slogans, which merely repackage the status quo, and instead propose tangible solutions to everyday problems

The scope of the definition affects the range of lobby activities and financial spending declared. If the Commission gets its way and limits the definition of lobbying to only direct interactions with decision-makers, campaigners fear that a vast swathe of activity and expenditure will escape disclosure, while some ‘intermediaries’ such as lobby consultancies who only conduct indirect lobbying services on behalf of clients, could disappear entirely.

Lobby transparency reform: Here we go again

By: EBR | Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Scandals from Dieselgate to tobacco, glyphosate to high finance, have contributed to widespread public cynicism over the power of lobbyists in the EU. Campaigners are facing the upcoming EU lobby transparency negotiations with a mixture of weary resignation and apprehension

However, apart from the Anglo-Saxon attacks and Brexit, the Eurozone receives also intolerable trade pressure from China, which keeps its national currency devalued -with all that this implies through the competitive perspective for the European industry and employment. Unfortunately, while the American deficits are abysmal, the currency war worldwide will be silent, but rather hard for the European economy and the advanced social background. And in this respect, the positions of President Donald Trump as expressed to the Chancellor Angela Merkell, mean a lot. They foreshadow tensions that are difficult to predict how they will be interpreted by the markets.

Europe and its enemies

By: Athanase Papandropoulos | Monday, March 27, 2017

Sixty years after the Treaty of Rome, the Union of the 27 member states has to decide its destination and its goals

The House of Commons has many MPs who are hardline supporters of Brexit and who look forward to shutting Britain borders to stop Poles and other European Union citizens coming freely to live, work, love and settle as free Europeans in a free Britain.

London terror and Poland’s utter disgrace

By: EBR | Monday, March 27, 2017

Poland’s Prime Minister (ab)uses terrorist act to settle political scores and trumpet her government’s message of utter divisiveness

Intelligent specialization should be reflected in the region’s education systems as well as in its legislative frameworks. I sincerely believe that Central and Eastern Europe can empower a better future for the old continent. I believe in the human potential of this region that remains untapped. For me, our countries have a future that is much brighter than being among the top outsourcing destinations. And with joint efforts of policy makers, academics and business leaders, we can draw this future together.

Poland’s unicorn, Slovakia’s flying car, and the future of Europe

By: EBR | Friday, March 24, 2017

The future of Europe is at stake, and the reasons extend far beyond obvious challenges such as the migration crisis and the political turbulence that led to Brexit

The relationship between unemployment and happiness raises a question regarding the usefulness of the so-called universal basic income (UBI). While the UBI is supposed to help the losers from globalisation and technological progress, it may not fully work. If UBI recipients only get income, but not jobs, they may feel socially excluded and dissatisfied.

Does money really make Europeans happy?

By: EBR | Thursday, March 23, 2017

Economists care about economic growth; the man or woman in the street wants to be happy. But to what extent are income and happiness related?

The tight timeframe for the Brexit talks have raised the possibility of a transitional deal to allow the UK and EU to finalise a free trade agreement. Such agreements often take many years to finalise.

EU Brexit boss warns of ‘serious repercussions’ if divorce talks fail

By: EBR | Thursday, March 23, 2017

The European Commission’s chief Brexit negotiator today (22 March) warned of serious repercussions for both Britain and the EU if the divorce talks fail without a deal being agreed

Europe is ageing and shrinking, and it is also falling behind in key wealth-creation areas like technological innovation and productivity. By the middle of this century, Europeans will be little more than four percent of a world population projected by the United Nations to reach possibly 11 billion people. Europe will be so elderly that the ratio of workers to pensioners will have shrunk to two-to-one from today’s four-to-one.

Rome’s reality check: the next 60 years will be an uphill struggle

By: EBR | Wednesday, March 22, 2017

With the European Union’s 60th birthday upon us, it seems appropriate to look ahead to the next 60 years: what will Europe look like in 2077?

In 2015, 1.404.398 people were held in penitentiary institutions across Europe, which is 102.880 inmates fewer than the previous year1. The incarceration rate (Prison Population Rate), which is often used as an indicator of how punitive anti-crime policies are, also fell by 7% from 124 inmates to 115.7 inmates per 100.000 inhabitants2. Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland said: “The drop in the overall number of people in prison in Europe is welcome. Increasing the use of alternative sentences does not necessarily lead to higher crime rates but can help to reintegrate offenders and tackle overcrowding.”

Europe’s prison population falls, but there is still overcrowding

By: EBR | Tuesday, March 21, 2017

The number of people held in European prisons decreased by 6.8% from 2014 to 2015, although prison overcrowding remained a problem in 15 countries, according to the latest Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics (SPACE*)

Kukan, the EPP shadow rapporteur for the Albanian dossier in the parliament, said, ”Time is of the essence here. I also repeatedly called on the opposition to reassume their work in the parliament in order to move on with the reform and make all necessary preparations for the upcoming elections.”

EP urges Albanian opposition to back justice reform to boost country’s EU accession bid

By: EBR | Friday, March 17, 2017

A senior Member of the European Parliament has accused Albania's main opposition party of effectively blocking reforms widely seen as being vital in keeping the country's EU accession ambitions alive

Final polls released late Tuesday appeared to show Rutte pulling away from Wilders, crediting the VVD with coming top with 24 to 28 seats.

Dutch vote in key elections as far-right slips

By: EBR | Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Millions of Dutch voters go to the polls Wednesday (15 March) in key elections overshadowed by a blazing diplomatic row with Turkey, with all eyes on the fate of far-right MP Geert Wilders

Scottish voters backed remaining in the European Union by 62% to 38% in the Brexit referendum last year, against the overall United Kingdom trend. But the survey said scepticism about the EU in Scotland was now at the highest level ever recorded by ScotCen.

Poll: Euroscepticism in Scotland at record level

By: EBR | Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Support for Scottish independence is at its highest ever but it might not be the best time for Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to hold a new referendum, a survey by ScotCen’s Scottish Social Attitudes said on Wednesday (15 March)

From the perspective of pure negotiating tactics, May could be simply voicing threats. But to do so without a well-crafted fallback plan is something the UK cannot really afford. It vindicates former prime minister Tony Blair’s description of the UK government as “not driving the (Brexit) bus”, but rather “being driven” by partisan and ideological forces it has not tried to control. Without a real alternative to a hard Brexit, the government is on autopilot, heading towards a cliff.

The best alternative to a ‘hard’ Brexit may be no Brexit at all

By: EBR | Tuesday, March 14, 2017

It seems possible that, if the necessary conditions are created, British voters could decide not to leave the European Union at all

But unravelling four decades of membership and forging new trade ties to replace Britain’s membership of the single market within two years will be fiendishly complex. EU leaders are determined that Brexit will not undermine the unity of the bloc, and that the final terms do not encourage other member states to follow Britain. There have already been sharp exchanges, although European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker voiced hope that Britain would one day return. “I would like to be in the same boat as the British. The day will come when the British will re-enter the boat, I hope,” he said last week.

EU ‘well prepared’ as May prepares to press Brexit trigger

By: EBR | Monday, March 13, 2017

Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to trigger Brexit this week by formally informing the European Union of Britain’s intention to leave the bloc, sending her country into uncharted waters

The risk of new tax competition from the US will likely exacerbate this tension among EU member states that use tax rates to compete amongst each other for business. Not only that: it would blow the new attempt by the European Commission to create a common tax base for large companies that operate in the single market (i.e., firms with a global turnover of over €750 million per year).

Three Trump actions that could rattle Europe’s economy

By: EBR | Monday, March 13, 2017

Recent declarations from the White House risk souring the long-standing economic friendship between Europe and the United States

The report, seen by this website, said, ”The emergence of convergences around common ideals within the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly is an undeniable sign of the vitality of debates held there. ”Similarly, it is normal and healthy for civil society, represented by NGOs, to participate in political debates and to associate with MPs from time to time.

ESISC report alleges MEP links to ’Armenia-supportive’ ’anti-Azerbaijan propaganda’

By: EBR | Thursday, March 9, 2017

New revelations by the European Strategic Intelligence and Security Centre (ESISC) have linked some MEPs either directly or indirectly to Armenia or Armenian-supportive NGOs

EU officials have long championed ambitious innovation policies and cross-border scientific research, yet European productivity keeps on sliding. That’s why it’s time for Brussels to unsheathe its most potent weapon of all – embarrassment. Publicise league tables of national failures and achievements on reversing the productivity slide and public opinion will do the rest.

It is time the EU named and shamed backsliding members

By: EBR | Wednesday, March 8, 2017

A few days ago, the European Commission passed up an ideal moment to warn EU citizens against the greatest threat to their prosperity and that of their children. It wasted an opportunity to persuade eurosceptic voters that the EU still has much worth

Pages: Previous Next

EU Actually

Only President Antonio Costa believes in a deal in his EU Council before Christmas

By: N. Peter Kramer

In his weekly column N. Peter Kramer writes that EU member states are deeply divided over the EU’s next seven-year budget. Do we know more after the EU Council on Thursday?

Europe

The EU’s Middle-Power Puzzle

While the EU and European governments are embracing the much-lauded middle-power moment, this entails three difficult conundrums

Business

Businesscraft: Japan’s Quiet Discipline for a Fractured World

For almost thirty years after the end of the Cold War, geopolitics stayed away from the corporate boardroom. Geopolitical considerations belonged to the foreign ministry or to a dedicated risk committee back at headquarters, and rarely crossed a CEO’s desk.