By Luis Martí, in Madrid | In an understandable effort to correct serious original defects, the European Union has decided to adopt the fiscal compact promised in the European Council declaration of last November 9. This now is presented to us as none other than the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union, open for member countries to sign after the January 30 summit. For the German Chancellor this…
By Julia Pastor, in Madrid | Every country in Europe is holding up against the neverending financial crisis as Germany does, but the country ‘cannot rest on its oars’ in order to keep its role as Europe’s biggest economy. This is the major conclusion from the latest Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s economic survey of German, published in Berlin on Tuesday. It is true that Germany’s strength and economic…
By Lidia Conde, in Frankfort | ‘Is the world coming to an end?‘ That was the headline of a feature on the financial crisis published by the Hamburg intellectual weekly Die Zeit. The answer of the many experts and professionals consulted was: yes. Die Zeit quoted Karlheinz Kögel, an entrepreneur from Tyrol specialized in the sale of survival ration packages: powdered milk, cereal bars and tins of meat and chili with an expiry…
By Juan Pedro Marín Arrese, in Madrid | Europe seems to witness with sheer indifference the Greek slide into utter ruin. Not so long ago Ms Merkel used to stress her unshakeable resolve not to let down any euro country. But the German finance Minister is currently pushing the Hellenic government towards the exit door. What has happened for such a U-turn? To begin with, fears about financial system contagion…
LONDON | Lloyds TSB, the 40pc taxpayer-owned British bank, wondered how much savings UK families have and how this compare to Germany and China. Its researchers came up with some answers: the British household savings ratio (saving proportion of a consumer’s disposable income) has seen a steep downward trend over the past decade, in contrast with the other two countries. The results from Lloyds new survey were set alongside numbers…
By Juan Pedro Marín Arrese, in Madrid | Economics is not a science but rather a common sense attitude. An open mind approach is vital to grasp its core meaning. Policing it shouldn’t be handed over to people too fond of rigid rules. Let the Germans have a go at it and you’ll end up with a neutral fiscal and monetary stance all year around. No policy at all, in fact….
By Tania Suárez, in Madrid | “Greece must make up its mind”, warns the federal minister of Finance in Germany, Wolfgang Schäuble, from an interview for The Wall Street Journal. Schäuble states that the euro zone could refuse to grant Greece a new bailout and, if it did so, it would be pushing the Greeks to a default. Schäuble has decided to demand the permanent presence of a EU Commissioner…
