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President Van Rompuy’s week was a good one. After managing ‘a wise compromise’ (according to the Financial Times) for a rescue package for Greece, the EU leaders promised to improve economic governance by an ‘economic government’ headed by Van Rompuy.

EU - US summits ‘only when necessary’ …

By: N. Peter Kramer | Tuesday, March 30, 2010

After cancellation of the planned EU-US May summit in Madrid, a policy-director within the US State Department said, during a forum in Brussels last Friday, that EU-US summits will no longer be organised automatically. A second blow by Obama for his European friends?

The French presidency said there would be

Deal reached over Greece's debts

By: BBC News | Thursday, March 25, 2010

All 16 eurozone countries have backed a financing plan to help debt-laden Greece, which will include IMF money. The safety net would total up to 22bn euros (£20bn), but would only be used if market lending to Greece dried up.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel told her audience that the European Union needs better rules to ensure that memberstates obey debt limits.

Merkel plays it tough and … makes a U-turn

By: N. Peter Kramer | Friday, March 19, 2010

Mrs Merkel placed the burden on Greece, to implement an austerity program designed to slash the budget deficit equal to 12,7 percent of its GDP. An aid package, as proposed by some finance ministers of eurozone, is for her not the right answer: "the turnaround must come from Greece".

The summary found that 10 out of 27 EU Member States are likely to exceed their national targets for renewable energy, with a further 12 set to meet their goals domestically. Only five Member States are currently expected not to meet their target with domestic sources only.

Renewable energy: forecasts show EU on track to meet 20% target

By: EC Press Room | Friday, March 12, 2010

The EU will surpass its target to consume 20 per cent of its energy from renewable energy by 2020, according to national forecasts submitted to the European Commission. In its summary, the Commission finds that the EU will reach an overall share of 20,3 per cent renewables.

This week, in an appearance in the European Parliament, Lady Ashley hit back at her critics by blaming rivalry among the EU institutions for the slow progress in establishing the new EU diplomatic service.

EU memberstates and Commission mangle Lady Ashton

By: N. Peter Kramer | Thursday, March 11, 2010

Life as the first EU’s Foreign Policy Chief under the Lisbon Treaty is not easy for Lady Catherine Ashton, a former leader of UK’s unelected House of Lords who then, as successor of Peter Mandelson and till the appointment for her current position served as European Commissioner for Trade.

Commission President José Manuel Barroso said:

Climate change: European Commission sets out strategy to reinvigorate global action after Copenhagen

By: EC Press Room | Wednesday, March 10, 2010

The European Commission today set out a strategy to help maintain the momentum of global efforts to tackle climate change. The Communication proposes that the EU swiftly begin implementing last December's Copenhagen Accord, in particular 'fast start' financial assistance to developing countries.

The Europe 2020 Strategy therefore sets out a vision for Europe's social market economy over the next decade, and rests on three interlocking and mutually reinforcing priority areas: Smart growth, developing an economy based on knowledge and innovation; Sustainable growth, promoting a low-carbon, resource-efficient and competitive economy; and Inclusive growth, fostering a high-employment economy delivering social and territorial cohesion.

Europe 2020: Commission proposes new economic strategy in Europe

By: EBR | Wednesday, March 3, 2010

The European Commission has launched today the Europe 2020 Strategy to go out of the crisis and prepare EU economy for the next decade. The Commission identifies three key drivers for growth, to be implemented through concrete actions at EU and national levels.

The role played by foreign banks in overcoming the crisis was important, said Mr Keeremans, while Mr Darvas argued that, on one hand, the dominant presence of foreign banks contributed to pre-crisis economic growth but, on the other hand, their policies and

Impact of the crisis: don't lump all new Member States together

By: EC Press Room | Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Initially the new EU Member States were thought to have been hit harder by the crisis than the old ones. In fact, there is considerable variation within both groups, agreed experts at a workshop on the impact of the crisis on the new Member States.

Growth projections for the first half of this year have been revised slightly upward in the Commission’s forecast for both the EU and the euro area. But because of marginal downward revisions for the second half of 2010, the projected rate of GDP growth in 2010 as a whole remains broadly unchanged at 0.7% in both areas.

EU interim forecast: recovery is in progress but remains fragile

By: EC Press Room | Friday, February 26, 2010

The EU economy is gradually recovering, whilst still facing headwinds. Real GDP started to grow again in the third quarter of 2009, ending the longest and deepest recession in the EU's history. The exceptional crisis measures put in place in the EU played a major role in turning the economy around.

What was the real reason for Obama’s refusal to come to Madrid? Charles Grant, director of the Center for European Reform said: ‘Obama clearly has no emotional identification with Europe. He has a cool analytical view of allies and partners. When the Europeans can’t provide much to help America solve global security problems, Obama doesn’t want to spend too much time on it’.

No Obama in Madrid, no Swift agreement with the US

By: N. Peter Kramer | Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Relations between EU and US have known better times. In January President Barack Obama cancelled his presence at the EU-US Summit scheduled for May in Madrid; in its February plenary session, a majority in the European Parliament rejected an agreement on banking data transfers to the US.

The EP recognised that financial data are crucial in tracking terrorist activities but it took also the matter of data protection law as well as for example the principle of reciprocity extremely seriously.

European Parliament shows its new muscles!

By: N. Peter Kramer | Friday, February 12, 2010

It was a hard job for Jerzy Buzek President of the European Parliament! Usually he is busy with lecturing Russia and shaking hands with former winners of the Sakharov Prize.

The European Council president has called this extraordinary meeting to allow the twenty-seven member states to analyse their economic plans for the coming years.

EU holding top-level discussion on economic situation

By: EBR | Thursday, February 11, 2010

In Brussels today European leaders are seeking commitment to the aim of implementing a renewed economic strategy for employment and growth in the EU and at the same time will debate how to help Greece resolve its budgetary crisis.

Parliament set to gain new powers in its relations with the Commission

By: EBR | Tuesday, February 9, 2010

The European Parliament approved on Tuesday a set of key principles to be implemented in the cooperation agreement governing relations between the EP and the Commission. Commission President Barroso endorsed MEPs' demands, reflecting the new position of Parliament under the Lisbon Treaty.

Conference of Presidents gives go-ahead for vote on Commission

By: EBR | Monday, February 8, 2010

The Conference of Presidents, comprising the EP President and the political group leaders, considered on Thursday the results of the complete set of hearings of the Commissioners-designate.

Is Obama really confused by the power struggle between the Spanish Prime Minister Zapatero, who holds in the first half year of 2010 the rotating EU Presidency, and the new permanent EU President Herman Van Rompuy?

Commotion in Brussels and Madrid: Obama rejects EU-US summit

By: N. Peter Kramer | Friday, February 5, 2010

What is the real reason for Obama’s decision not to participate in the EU-US summit scheduled for Madrid in May? The White House explained the decision as a matter of scheduling, insisting that the May visit to Europe was never on Obama’s agenda.

The strategy that Europe developed in 2000 has not met with expectations. The so-called Lisbon Strategy was supposed to transform the Union's economy into

Verhofstadt's open letter to Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council

By: Guy Verhofstadt, President of the ALDE Group in the EP | Friday, February 5, 2010

Further to your initiative, the heads of state and government will hold an informal summit on 11 February on what could be called the "state of the union". I think that this is a good and timely initiative. In the meantime the Lisbon Treaty has been in force for over two months.

Commenting on the European Central Bank, Stiglitz said it was a paradox that the ECB was prepared to lend to banks at effectively zero interest but was not prepared to do the same for EU member-state governments.

Fears surrounding Greek economy 'irrational', Stiglitz claims

By: EBR | Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Fears that the Greek economy will collapse were "irrational", Nobel-prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz said during a press conference in Athens, after the end of an Economist Conference held in the city.

Several of the beneficiaries, such as the European Movement International, Friends of Europe and the Union of European Federalists, have an openly pro-integration position.

EU-funded think tanks defend their credibility

By: EBR | Friday, January 29, 2010

The European Commission will in 2010 pay €6.7 million in subsidies to a group of think tanks and NGOs. The grants cover 58 organisations, ranging from some of Brussels' best known talking shops, such as Cafe Babel to niche bodies such as the European Paralympic Committee.

Papandreou denied that Greece has sought, or is seeking, to raise loans either from its fellow European Union member countries or from China to help meet its financing needs.

Papandreou at Davos: 'The crisis should not only be seen as a challenge, but also as an opportunity'

By: EBR | Friday, January 29, 2010

Greek Prime Minister George A. Papandreou acknowledged that his country faces a big “credibility gap” over its public finances, but said that the government is taking the measures needed to restore international confidence in its economy.

Committee of the Regions' president Luc Van den Brande

Euro-Mediterranean partnership starts work in Barcelona

By: EBR | Monday, January 25, 2010

Committee of the Regions' president Luc Van den Brande has hailed the inaugural meeting of the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (Arlem) as "the start of a new era".

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