Blog Profile / Open Europe
| URL : | http://openeuropeblog.blogspot.com/ | |
|---|---|---|
| Filed Under: | News / International Affairs | |
| Posts on Regator: | 1817 | |
| Posts / Week: | 6.8 | |
| Archived Since: | April 21, 2008 | |
Blog Post Archive
The real Europe question: how to kick-start growth
We appreciate that Westminster and the media are occupied with the Queen's speech and internal tory divisions over Europe (be them real or overblown), but real story in Europe lies elsewhere: where will the EU's and UK's growth come from?Well, we know it's not fashionable, but here's a constructive idea. Show More Summary
Is Lord Lawson's intervention likely to be a game-changer?
The big political news of the day happens to be strongly EU related – former Chancellor Lord Lawson’s piece in the Times (£) in which he argues in favour of a UK exit from the EU. So what to make of the piece – is it a game-changer or...Show More Summary
Exclusive: internal docs give first look at EU plans to regulate 'shadow banking'
The Times reports today on another round of exclusive documents leaked by Open Europe, this time regarding European Commission plans to regulate the ‘shadow banking sector’. See here and here for the docs.A rather niche story you might think but it could have important implications for the way money is lent throughout the economy. Show More Summary
German poll update: No shifting Merkel but SPD have big problems on eurozone policy
We thought we’d revive an old Open Europe tradition today – Friday afternoons = German polling time. And we certainly have some interesting news to bring you from a new ARD Deutschlandtrend poll published yesterday.First off the parties...Show More Summary
A marginal impact of the ECB rate cut?
As expected the ECB announced it has cut its main interest rate by 0.25% to 0.5%. As we noted at length, this is likely to have little impact on the real economy. The real question remains whether it will announce any additional non-standard...Show More Summary
It's election day and David Cameron has promised to legislate for an EU referendum - or has he?
A Referendum Bill? Yesterday on BBC Radio 4's World at One?, David Cameron was asked if he would consider "bringing forward" an EU Referendum Bill in this Parliament. He replied:“I think we need to demonstrate absolutely that we areShow More Summary
ECB increasingly likely to cut rates but running short of tools to help the eurozone economy
The ECB looks set to cut its main interest rate by 0.25% to 0.5% on Thursday (while keeping the deposit rate at 0% due to concerns about distortionary effects of negative rates). Why is the ECB considering cutting rates? The obvious answer is that the crisis is clearly dragging on and the eurozone economy is struggling. Show More Summary
Merkel and Letta shadowbox on 'growth' vs 'austerity'
New Italian PM Enrico Letta paid his first official visit to Germany yesterday, only hours after delivering his inaugural address to the Italian parliament. Much has been made of his strong 'pro-European' yet 'anti austerity' stanceShow More Summary
Cypriot parliament narrowly approves bailout deal but plenty of hurdles yet to overcome
The Cypriot parliament has officially approved the bailout deal that the government agreed with its eurozone partners and the IMF. (See here for our previous thoughts on the deal).A rejection of the deal would probably have led to a Cypriot exit from the eurozone. Show More Summary
Italian PM launches opening salvo against austerity - but where will the cash come from?
The new Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta announced his first raft of policies in his first speech to the Italian parliament yesterday. The speech was strong on anti-austerity rhetoric but short on details of how his new approach would...Show More Summary
Criticise it all you want, Germany is not going to drop austerity
Writing on his Telegraph blog, Open Europe Director Mats Persson argues that anyone who prays for Germany to U-turn on its eurozone policy after the September election will probably be left sorely disappointed. Read the full articleShow More Summary
Sorry - who are you again? The rather indifferent German response to French socialists' attack on Merkel
Who wears the trousers? On Friday Le Monde got a big scoop with the news that French President Hollande’s Socialist party had drafted a strongly worded paper criticising Angela Merkel and her focus on austerity, accusing her amongst other things of “selfish intransigence”. Show More Summary
Not everyone in Francois Hollande's party cares about Franco-German diplomacy...
French President François Hollande's Socialist Party will hold its 'Convention on Europe' in Paris on 16 June. Several working papers are currently being prepared as a basis for discussion among party members and supporters at the Convention. Show More Summary
Quango unchained: The EU's subculture you've probably never heard of (but that thinks it embodies your expectations)
EU 'grassroots' engagement Beyond the spotlight of high-profile crisis meetings of EU leaders exists a very different community. A group that can almost be likened to a sub-culture. They meet in over-sized buildings in Brussels or at conferences and hotels around Europe. Show More Summary
Conflict of interest (rates): clamour for ECB rate cut grows but Germany remains wary
The last few days have seen a shifting of consensus in the ECB rate cuts debate.Recent economic data in the eurozone has been particularly bad, with private sector activity slowing more than expected. However, potentially more importantly,...Show More Summary
When ideology meets economic reality (Part II): Bundesbank says EU financial transaction tax could make banks more reliant on cheap ECB money
As was made evident by the internal memo about the EU financial transaction tax (FTT) - that we exclusively published yesterday - there are plenty of concerns amongst the supposed champions of the idea. Today, another heavyweight institution raised the alarm: Die Bundesbank. Show More Summary
Italy's new Prime Minister: Pro-EU, anti-austerity?
We've detected strong demand for a quick profile on Enrico Letta, who has just been appointed as new Italian Prime Minister. With the debate raging about the wisdom or otherwise of German-style fiscal discipline in the eurozone, the big question is: how anti-austerity is Letta? Here goes the bio: Letta is from Tuscany. Show More Summary
Italy has a new Prime Minister - and it's a surprise one
Enrico Letta, deputy leader of Italy's centre-left Democratic Party and Pier Luigi Bersani's right hand, is Italy's new Prime Minister. Letta is currently meeting President Giorgio Napolitano (as you read this blog post). He will be given the mandate to form a new Italian government.Letta emerged as the main candidate in the last 24 hours. Show More Summary
Is the UK winning the argument on EU regulation?
Yesterday afternoon Open Europe hosted Business and Energy Minister, Michael Fallon MP, the man responsible for pushing the UK's 'smarter regulation' agenda in Brussels. This is a subject close to Open Europe's heart as we have produced...Show More Summary
EXCLUSIVE: Internal documents reveal countries' concerns with FTT proposal (or when ideology meets economic reality)
The European Commission, of course, doesn't get what the fuss is about, but some countries that are meant to participate in the much-criticised EU financial transaction tax now seem to be going very cold on the idea. Or at least on the way the tax is drafted at the moment. Show More Summary