Top Stories

European Union

Greeces stability

In Europe 9th April 2014

Greece’s ultimate sacrifice for stability

ATHENS | By Nick Malkoutzis via Macropolis| Concern has been frequently expressed about some of the people surrounding Greek prime minister Antonis Samaras. In November 2011, he ousted former minister Sotiris Hatzigakis from the party because he complained that “far right elements” were changing the face of New Democracy. Several dozen criminal cases, including murders, involving Golden Dawn had piled up in Public Order Minister’s drawers. The question now is whether these, and other policy decisions, were driven by a warped ideology that has no place in a European Union country.

No Picture

World economy 19th March 2014

Fiware: EU’s challenge to build the future Internet

SEVILLE | By Ana Fuentes | When it comes to innovation and data management the U.S. is the absolute global leader. But Brussels wants to make up for many years of sitting on its hands: the cake is too yummy to allow Amazon or Google to eat it all. Fiware, a tech platform born from a public-private partnership, aims to finance an open ecosystem for SMEs to develop innovative projects. The budget for the best ideas is 100 million euros, way less than the American big firms are investing. But Spanish entrepreneurs eager to leave the crisis mood behind insist it’s worth to give it a try.

ukraine

World economy 5th December 2013

Ukraine, the Decisive Pawn- And Why the EU Moved Away From the US

MADRID | By Luis Arroyo | The West is losing ground in the international arena: the United States’ credibility is damaged and Europe is so self-centered, focused in its own business that it has underestimated Russia. Now Ukraine is in the middle of a boiling debate between pro-Russians and pro-westerns and Putin won’t let the EU snatch the former soviet country.

No Picture

World economy 29th October 2013

Austerity, The Savings Paradox or The Confederacy of Dunces

MADRID | By Luis Arroyo | Some people consider the external surplus of southern countries in the EU as the ultimate proof that the austerity process was a success. But they are wrong. The reality is that everybody is increasingly saving more money –even wealthy people… but nobody is consuming.

Banking union

In Europe 24th September 2013

Don’t hurry; the banking union won’t start tomorrow

MADRID | By JP Marin Arrese | Angela Merkel is now more powerful as chancellor than before, and the Euro-sceptics have lost their influence over the future of Germany’s and Europe’s issues. However, despite all the good intentions, it is more than likely that Banking Union and the European integration will be relegated to a mere supervisory exercise.

European Union

In Europe 11th June 2013

In search of a legitimate European Union

LONDON | By Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform | For more than 60 years, the EU has been built and managed by technocrats, hidden from the public gaze – or so it has seemed. In fact national governments have taken most of the key decisions, but public scrutiny has been insufficient.

World economy 3rd June 2013

The austerity breakdown

MADRID | By Luis Arroyo | It is a grave mistake to stubbornly defend the application of the same strict rules whether the economy is growing or in recession, and social unrest and missed fiscal targets are testament to how wrong the current European policies are.