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The real European Union

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Wednesday, June 25 2008

Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel : Paris-Berlin (II)

The tense relationship between Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel seems to have relaxed somewhat following the compromise over the «Mediterannean Union». Nevertheless the two leaders continue to give the impression of indulging in battle and seem incapable of reviving the Franco-German axis.

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Wednesday, June 4 2008

In May, clean up your budget !

Ahh, budgetary matters! True poetry! Nothing like that to send your audience to sleep! Nothing drier, more perplexing, more depressing. And nothing more important either. It’s not surprising that the European states have committed these matters to a community level. It’s up to them to do the spending, and the Commission has the role of spoilsport. A nice division of tasks…

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Wednesday, April 9 2008

Europe, a discreet revolutionary

Sometimes, we are caught in moments of doubt. Faith falters and convictions subside. In these moments, it is all too tempting to indulge in cynicism and relativism. Sometimes Europe disappoints us. Too slow, too fast, not visible enough. We come to hope for a new dawn of revolution, a loud bang! Something saying to the world that this is the model for a new millennium; see how we will do away with old power schemes, well ordered hierarchies and ancient myths

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Tuesday, March 18 2008

« European public opinion », a mere statistical product …

How could one speak about a European public opinion knowing that Europe hardly catches people’s interest and that the “don’t have any opinion about the question” option of European public surveys still rates an astonishing percentage?



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Wednesday, February 13 2008

Euro goes bling bling

There we go. Our dearest stars got into the Euro. And I’m talking big (stars)…

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Wednesday, January 9 2008

The charm of a tactful enlargement

While things are getting hot concerning the future of Europe and the definition of its frontier, another type of enlargement is happening, peacefully and discreetly. Since January 1st, 2008 the Euro zone has two new members. After Slovenia beginning of 2007, it is now Malta and Cyprus’ turn to adopt the single currency. In deed the secretaries of finance of European Union have decided this last July, 10 that these two small countries met the convergence criteria designed to ensure price, long term interest rate and currency stability as well as the public finance balance.

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Saturday, December 22 2007

EU-Africa : The seven year itch

The two first EU-Africa summits happened after an interval of seven years. The second one took place the 8 and 9. December in Portugal. President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe replied to the invitation, what led Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain to execute his threat to stay away from the two-day meeting in Lisbon. Since 2001 a dreadful crisis tears the two countries apart. This did not prevent the german chancellor Angela Merkel from mentioning the human rights breaches, particularly in Zimbabwe.  Despite some palpable tensions, in particular about Economical Partnership Agreements (EPA) rejected by the African Union, the second summit between the two continents wants to be the starting point of a new collaboration.

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Wednesday, December 12 2007

Europe in my city

As lingering in the streets of Paris, you would certainly have noticed billboards with this striking catchphrase: « Europeans, your voice will have the last word too ».

 

If one doesn’t read carefully the content of the text, one might believe this to be a new counter-attack against the institutional referendum decided by Nicolas Sarkozy to ratify the Reformed treaty. Nevertheless, there is the logo of the city of Paris standing next to the stars circle, and the comments referring to the municipal elections. Then, one finally understands that this does not consist in a Europhobic propaganda like what is being spread on flyers all around Paris, but in a positive campaign for Europe and for the Europeans.

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Thursday, November 15 2007

EU / Africa A love- hate relationship

The second summit between the European Union and Africa is scheduled for the 8th and 9th of  December - but will it really take place? Yet, at the head of the European Union until the end of 2007, Portugal has been working very hard on it. Lisbon was  already  the main instigator of the first official meeting between the European Union  and Africa in 2000, in Cairo (Egypt). One of the top priorities of he EU was to counter the ever-growing presence of China in African economies.


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Sunday, November 4 2007

The Reform Treaty is born… It is expected to be ratified in Lisbon on the 13th of December

Let's discover ou new rubric "The EU in short" : the EU and its more important steps are explained in a very simple language; straight to the point !

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