EU

Little England or Great Britain?

Great Britain vs Little England

LONDON | By The Economist Staff via Presseurop | According to the British newspaper, Great Britain “faces a choice between comfortable isolation and bracing openness. Go for openness. Asked to name the European country with the most turbulent future, many would pick Greece or Italy, both struggling with economic collapse. A few might finger France, which has yet to come to terms with the failure of its statist model. Hardly anybody would plump for Britain, which has muddled through the crisis moderately well.”



Broadband investment

EU ready to improve broadband investment

BRUSSELS | By Neelie Kroes, vice-president of the European Commission | “It’s just one example of how the right measures can be good for everyone: providing the certainty needed for the sector to invest and grow; and benefiting citizens.”


No Picture

How the Troika alienates its friends

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 population for the necessary reform of public services, that’s the best way to go about it, says .


EU perfect storm

The US-EU trade talks lose steam

MADRID | By JP Marín Arrese | The real task facing negotiators is tackling the non-trade barriers. Divergent regulation on goods and services represents a formidable hurdle for exporters on both sides of the Atlantic.


Angela Merkel

The German pessimism about Spain and Angela Merkel’s tips

MADRID | By Luis Alcaide via Capitalmadrid | A German economist recently questioned the role of Spanish exports to balance the country’s deficit, ignoring statistical facts. His pessimistic attitude shows an exaggerated interpretation of austerity. Meanwhile Angela Merkel is calling for patience and avoiding political responsibility in the construction of a fiscal and economic union.


Youth unemployment

Much to do against youth unemployment

MADRID | By El País | 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, it must be supported by a collective will.


No Picture

China-Germany relations: dream team or pipe dream?

Angela Merkel refuses to levy tariffs of 47% on Chinese solar panel imports because she fears damaging China-Germany relations and being shut out of its market. However, in Ray Kwong’s view, Berlin is too dependent on China’s economic engine, which could crack anytime due to territorial conflicts, too-rapid expansion of credit, lax environmental oversight, widening discontent among the population and many other legitimate problems.


Chinese solar panels

Tariffs on Chinese solar panels: another EU members’ bicker

A new dispute among EU members has arisen. This time is not an austerian versus keynesian brawl but a shall-we-punish-Chinese-dumping one. Next week the Commission will decide whether to impose big tariffs to the $27 billion worth of solar panels that China sells to Europe each year. In this battle over how to respond to Beijing trade practices, will domestic interests prevail?