Blog Profile / Open Europe
| URL : | http://openeuropeblog.blogspot.com/ | |
|---|---|---|
| Filed Under: | News / International Affairs | |
| Posts on Regator: | 1818 | |
| Posts / Week: | 6.9 | |
| Archived Since: | April 21, 2008 | |
Blog Post Archive
A vote on wheather to leave the euro? This is what's next in Cyprus
This will be another eurozone nail-biter. The deal agreed by eurozone finance minister on Friday to tax Cypriot depositors (and some other conditions) in return for a €10bn bailout still needs to get passed some hurdles. As ever, there's one huge "hurdle": democracy.The Cypriot parliament needs to approve the deal before it can become reality. Show More Summary
Cyprus bails-in depositors to reduce cost of Eurozone bailout - a turning point in the Eurozone crisis?
Well, we said it was going to have an impact well beyond its size (0.2% of Eurozone GDP). Overnight, the Eurozone and Cyprus took the unprecedented step of announcing a tax on depositors in order to raise the necessary funds to recapitalise Cypriot banks and reduce the cost of a bailout. Show More Summary
The €7bn Cypriotic question
Eurozone finance ministers are currently meeting to try to sort out Cyprus - the country that accounts for 0.2% of eurozone GDP but has still managed to throw a spanner in the eurozone works. Ahead of the meeting, we published a flash analysis on the state of the Cypriot bailout. Show More Summary
This is getting personal: Handelsblatt likens ECB President Mario Draghi to the Little Corporal
Today's frontpage of heayweight German daily Handelsblatt depicts ECB President Mario Draghi as Napolean, with the subtitle "The toxic gift. How ECB President Mario Draghi is saving the euro while ruining savers". The article insideShow More Summary
Will one of Conservative 'Big Beasts' convert the party to 'better off out'
Every Tory Big Beast needs to say something on Europe... It is an essential qualification of the exclusive Conservative club of 'Big Beasts' - a group of high-profile Tories competing to succeed David Cameron, or who at least have considered...Show More Summary
MEPs around Europe defy their parties on EU budget
Earlier today we looked at how UK MEPs voted on the EU budget, pointing out that Lib Dems defied the national party line (earning them a telling-off from Nick Clegg). However, we thought it would also be interesting to round up how other...Show More Summary
Lib Dem MEPs vote in favour of triggering the UK's referendum lock?
So MEPs yesterday voted for a resolution to reject the recent deal struck by member states on the EU's long-term budget "in its current form". The motion included calls to scrap all national rebates, more flexibility between budget headings, direct EU taxes and a mandatory mid-term review conducted under QMV. Show More Summary
Did MEPs really vote to reject the EU budget deal?
There is a fair amount of confusion surrounding the vote that took place in the European Parliament earlier today on the long term 2014-2020 EU budget deal (MFF) struck by EU leaders last month. MEPs voted by a large margin (506 vs 161...Show More Summary
Is Spain using accounting tricks?
This is interesting from today's El País. The paper suggests that the Spanish government could have decided to delay various tax refunds due in December 2012 and pay them in January 2013 instead, in order to close the year with a lower...Show More Summary
Are Greek banks improving or struggling for liquidity?
Those who followed our analysis of the Greek bond buybackwill remember that we warned at length that it could have some adverse effects, one of which would be to hit bank liquidity at a time when Greek banks could least afford it. In...Show More Summary
Will the German Social Democracts come out in favour of debt pooling in the eurozone?
Last year we highlighted the German opposition’s somewhat ambiguous position on the hugely controversial proposition of debt mutualisation in the eurozone. However, with September’s elections rapidly approaching, it seems the SPD could...Show More Summary
Beppe Grillo, the Five-Star Movement and the euro: Episode 2,478
We have noted on this blog before that it would be a bit of a stretch to describe Beppe Grillo's Five-Star Movement as an anti-euro party - mainly because it has yet to adopt an official position on the issue. At the moment, not even...Show More Summary
Some more signs of financial market fragmentation in the eurozone
The European Repo Council of the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) released its bi-annual assessment of the European repo markets today. Admittedly, not the most exciting of intros but the survey does contain some interesting points regarding financial markets in the eurozone. Show More Summary
Is the Netherlands heading for a referendum on Europe?
In 2005, Dutch voters rejected the European Constitution A Dutch citizens' campaign to make it mandatory to hold a referendum on any new transfer of powers to the EU - reminiscent of the UK's referendum lock - has mustered 40,000 signatures,...Show More Summary
Let's tone it down a notch: Comparing the UK and German debates on EU migration
No one picking up a UK paper will have failed to notice that there is some concern over EU migration on the British isles, with the debate being triggered by the end of so-called "transitional controls" for Romanian and Bulgarian workers (the countries joined in 2007). Show More Summary
Q&A: The 'Berlusconi paradox'
Silvio Berlusconi has just been sentenced to one year in prison in the so-called BNL-Unipol trial. We thought a short Q&A could be useful for those of you who don't follow Italian politics on a daily basis.What is Berlusconi accusedShow More Summary
Are anti-euro sentiments brewing in Austria?
Last weekend in Austria, "Team Stronach", a newly-founded political party which aims to abolish the euro, did quite well in two regional elections, winning 9.8% in the state of Lower Austria and 11.3% in the state of Carinthia. The party...Show More Summary
New light shed on Tony Blair's Charter of Fundamental Rights 'opt-out'
Was Tony Blair arguing for a Charter opt out or not? Following five years of wrangling the European Commission has finally given in to requests from the European Citizen Action Service and the European Ombudsmen and released documents concerning the UK's negotiation position on the Charter of Fundamental Rights - you can read them here. Show More Summary
Is Beppe Grillo forcing Italy to new elections?
One-by-one, Beppe Grillo and the Five-Star Movement are shutting all the doors to possible government arrangements. Vito Crimi, designated as the Movement's faction leader in the Italian Senate, told reporters yesterday:If we were proposed a technocratic government, we would consider it. Show More Summary
What next on the EU bank bonus cap?
Today has been billed as the final chance for UK Chancellor George Osborne to secure a change in the proposal to limit bank bonuses across the EU. It is true that any change to the broad political agreement (including the level of the ratio limiting bonuses) would probably need to be secured today – a move which looks unlikely. Show More Summary