BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union should modernise labour laws to meet the economy's need of greater flexibility, but also seek to maximise worker protection, the European Commission will say this week. In a report on what the EU should do to boost jobs and achieve sustainable growth, the EU executive advocates a combination of flexibility and security, or "flexicurity," to help the European labour market take on the double challenge of fierce Asian competition and an ageing society. "Rapid technological progress, increased competition stemming from globalisation, changing consumer demand and significant growth of the services sector have shown the need for increased flexibility," the report, to be adopted by the Commission on Wednesday, said.
In a report on what the EU should do to boost jobs and achieve sustainable growth, the EU executive advocates a combination of flexibility and security, or "flexicurity," to help the European labour market take on the double challenge of fierce Asian competition and an ageing society.
"Rapid technological progress, increased competition stemming from globalisation, changing consumer demand and significant growth of the services sector have shown the need for increased flexibility," the report, to be adopted by the Commission on Wednesday, said.
AROUND the chancelleries of Europe and the dining tables of Brussels' Eurocrats, officials sip exquisite wines and pore over battle plans to rescue and revitalise a dormant EU and offer it an opportunity to determine a viable future or fade into pathetic irrelevance. Strangely, prospects are bright for both scenarios. If Europe seems to be on extended vacation, it's because the `pause' envisaged by Jose Manuel Barroso, the European Commission president, has lost its way even as he struggles to sort out the institutional reforms that the EU has been crying out for ever since the EU constitutional treaty was blocked by French and Dutch `No' votes in the referendums. The deadlock between the member states has now extended to a `pause' to enlargement as well. There will be no more admission of new members after Rumania and Bulgaria. `Enlargement' has now become a jittery word. It brings forth equally jittery responses such as `absorption capacity', implying that new members will be sucked into the system and vanish, or at least need to be painfully digested. The member states know that there is a backlash against the inexorable enlargement process, an "enlargement fatigue", especially in founder member states such as France. .... But the current European constellation seems too much like a bunch of blinkered horses expected to perform with different riders in order to emerge with a reliable road map charting Europe's trot into the future. Let's begin with Gordon Brown, the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, widely expected to be prime minister by 2008. Brown is a known Eurosceptic and is likely to accept a new one only if it were to be so modest that it would not need to go to a referendum in the UK. The greatest unknown here is the outcome of the French presidential elections. The issues behind the French `No' against the constitution last year continue to fester: gears of globalisation, free movement of labour and capital. The only candidate who has dared to take on European issues head-on is Nicolas Sarkozy. He wants a mini-constitution that would not need to go to a new referendum. In addition, changes to the farm budget would be likely to come into effect only in 2013 (the end of the current seven-year budget) when French net receipts from the CAP would be dwindling.
If Europe seems to be on extended vacation, it's because the `pause' envisaged by Jose Manuel Barroso, the European Commission president, has lost its way even as he struggles to sort out the institutional reforms that the EU has been crying out for ever since the EU constitutional treaty was blocked by French and Dutch `No' votes in the referendums. The deadlock between the member states has now extended to a `pause' to enlargement as well. There will be no more admission of new members after Rumania and Bulgaria.
`Enlargement' has now become a jittery word. It brings forth equally jittery responses such as `absorption capacity', implying that new members will be sucked into the system and vanish, or at least need to be painfully digested. The member states know that there is a backlash against the inexorable enlargement process, an "enlargement fatigue", especially in founder member states such as France.
.... But the current European constellation seems too much like a bunch of blinkered horses expected to perform with different riders in order to emerge with a reliable road map charting Europe's trot into the future. Let's begin with Gordon Brown, the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, widely expected to be prime minister by 2008.
Brown is a known Eurosceptic and is likely to accept a new one only if it were to be so modest that it would not need to go to a referendum in the UK.
The greatest unknown here is the outcome of the French presidential elections. The issues behind the French `No' against the constitution last year continue to fester: gears of globalisation, free movement of labour and capital. The only candidate who has dared to take on European issues head-on is Nicolas Sarkozy. He wants a mini-constitution that would not need to go to a new referendum. In addition, changes to the farm budget would be likely to come into effect only in 2013 (the end of the current seven-year budget) when French net receipts from the CAP would be dwindling.
Europe continues to grow faster, and create more jobs, than America. <...> Just six years ago, 81 percent of America's population was actively engaged in the work force, compared with 76 percent of Europe's. Now that gap is down to 1 percent. In other words, around 80 percent of both American and European 25- to 54-year-olds are gainfully employed. Says John Schmitt, senior economist at the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Economic and Policy Research: "The argument is that European countries should be basket cases [when it comes to creating jobs], but they're actually doing better than us."
<...>
Just six years ago, 81 percent of America's population was actively engaged in the work force, compared with 76 percent of Europe's. Now that gap is down to 1 percent. In other words, around 80 percent of both American and European 25- to 54-year-olds are gainfully employed. Says John Schmitt, senior economist at the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Economic and Policy Research: "The argument is that European countries should be basket cases [when it comes to creating jobs], but they're actually doing better than us."
The article notes some downsides:
Of course, not everything is looking up in Western Europe either. Some countries are still unable to supply enough jobs to keep pace with the even faster growth of the population, as a result of unprecedented levels of immigration from Eastern and Central Europe. In Britain, unemployment hit a seven-year high last month even as the total number of people with jobs--31 million--hit an all-time high. The apparent contradiction is due largely to the fact that Britain is coping with its biggest influx of foreign workers to date--1.5 million last year, equivalent to 5.4 percent of the employed population.
But the article is mainly full of upsides.
In particular:
- Today, the three prime industries driving Europe's jobs engine are software, life sciences (like hospital systems) and alternative energy technology. [i.e. industries of the future] - The European Commission expects the upward trend to continue. Last week, EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia predicted that the EU would create 7 million new jobs by 2008. Germany's manufacturing industry, packed with highly skilled engineers, is thriving in everything from cars to microchips. Unemployment there dipped below the psychologically significant 10 percent mark for the first time in four years last month. - In Spain--where unemployment fell to its lowest level since 1979 in the third quarter of this year--construction companies building up the coasts are doing so well that they now account for 12 percent of the economy.
- The European Commission expects the upward trend to continue. Last week, EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia predicted that the EU would create 7 million new jobs by 2008.
Germany's manufacturing industry, packed with highly skilled engineers, is thriving in everything from cars to microchips. Unemployment there dipped below the psychologically significant 10 percent mark for the first time in four years last month.
- In Spain--where unemployment fell to its lowest level since 1979 in the third quarter of this year--construction companies building up the coasts are doing so well that they now account for 12 percent of the economy.
So, economically, it doesn't seem to me that Europe is on an "extended vacation". Truth unfolds in time through a communal process.
The problem, in the UK (like the US and perhaps everywhere else), is that you have papers like the Daily Mail that enjoy much higher circulation than real newspaper like the FT and the Guardian, and so they are naturally seen more as the "voice of the people," even though only a small fraction of Britons actually read them. It's the same story with FauxNews. At the maximum, two million people might watch Fox on a given half-hour time slot. But we already know those people are insane, and they didn't matter, since they were, at most, 1/35th of the mid-term electorate. They'd never vote our way, anyway. WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
In Spain--where unemployment fell to its lowest level since 1979 in the third quarter of this year--construction companies building up the coasts are doing so well that they now account for 12 percent of the economy.
unemployment fell to its lowest level since 1979 in the third quarter of this year
strikes me as an upside. Truth unfolds in time through a communal process.
The European Commission launched a new development initiative this week in a bid to remind Europeans of Africa's strengths and recent achievements. Sixteen African leaders, World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz and Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu met their European counterparts in Brussels this week to discuss African business and good governance. The European Commission was keen to deliver the message that Africa is on the move. EU officials said that enhanced governance, poverty reduction, policy coherence and establishing a business framework for EU member states to aspire to, all form part of their core strategy on Africa. World donors on Wednesday pledged not to impose their ideas on governance and reform on poor African countries but to help them make their own visions come true.
Sixteen African leaders, World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz and Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu met their European counterparts in Brussels this week to discuss African business and good governance.
The European Commission was keen to deliver the message that Africa is on the move. EU officials said that enhanced governance,
poverty reduction, policy coherence and establishing a business framework for EU member states to aspire to, all form part of their core strategy on Africa.
World donors on Wednesday pledged not to impose their ideas on governance and reform on poor African countries but to help them make their own visions come true.
LONDON: Britain's attorney general said Monday that he is not convinced of the need to hold terrorist suspects for up to 90 days without charge -- a key goal of his close ally, Prime Minister Tony Blair. Lord Goldsmith, the government's chief legal adviser, was asked by reporters at a briefing whether there was evidence to support increasing the limit to 90 days. "Well, I haven't seen it yet," he said. "The recent investigations demonstrate that it was right to extend the period to 28 days, but on extending it any further we need evidence to demonstrate that that is needed," Goldsmith said. Last year, Blair suffered a humbling parliamentary defeat -- prompted by a rebellion in his own Labour Party -- when lawmakers rejected plans to allow suspects to be held for a maximum of 90 days, agreeing instead on a compromise of 28 days.
Lord Goldsmith, the government's chief legal adviser, was asked by reporters at a briefing whether there was evidence to support increasing the limit to 90 days. "Well, I haven't seen it yet," he said.
"The recent investigations demonstrate that it was right to extend the period to 28 days, but on extending it any further we need evidence to demonstrate that that is needed," Goldsmith said.
Last year, Blair suffered a humbling parliamentary defeat -- prompted by a rebellion in his own Labour Party -- when lawmakers rejected plans to allow suspects to be held for a maximum of 90 days, agreeing instead on a compromise of 28 days.
Europeans are overwhelmingly convinced that human activity is contributing to global warming, and a majority would be prepared to accept restrictions on their lifestyle to combat it, according to a poll for the Financial Times. Research carried out this month by Harris Interactive in Germany, France, the UK, Italy and Spain found that 86 per cent of people believed humans were contributing to climate change, and 45 per cent thought it would be a threat to them and their families within their lifetimes. More than two-thirds - 68 per cent - said they would either strongly or somewhat support restrictions on their behaviour and purchases in order to reduce the threat. Climate change has been rising up the political agenda in Europe. The recent British government report by Sir Nicholas Stern, former chief economist of the World Bank, argued that the economic costs of global warming could be far greater than the costs of acting to limit it. The poll also found Europeans were more willing to accept curbs on their lifestyles in principle than to endorse specific additional burdens. Less than half - 43 per cent - either strongly or somewhat supported a charge on airline passengers to pay for environmental damage, while 36 per cent opposed it, either strongly or somewhat. Support was weakest in Italy and Spain, possibly because of fears about the effect on their tourist industries.
Research carried out this month by Harris Interactive in Germany, France, the UK, Italy and Spain found that 86 per cent of people believed humans were contributing to climate change, and 45 per cent thought it would be a threat to them and their families within their lifetimes.
More than two-thirds - 68 per cent - said they would either strongly or somewhat support restrictions on their behaviour and purchases in order to reduce the threat.
Climate change has been rising up the political agenda in Europe. The recent British government report by Sir Nicholas Stern, former chief economist of the World Bank, argued that the economic costs of global warming could be far greater than the costs of acting to limit it.
The poll also found Europeans were more willing to accept curbs on their lifestyles in principle than to endorse specific additional burdens.
Less than half - 43 per cent - either strongly or somewhat supported a charge on airline passengers to pay for environmental damage, while 36 per cent opposed it, either strongly or somewhat. Support was weakest in Italy and Spain, possibly because of fears about the effect on their tourist industries.
When José Manuel Barroso became president of the European Commission in 2004, environmental groups feared the worst. When he named Stavros Dimas, a former Wall St lawyer, as the EU's environment commissioner, they shuddered: the Greek, who has since won over many of his early critics, came from the only country in Europe without an environment minister. Yet in the last few weeks, Mr Barroso has undergone a remarkable conversion and emerged as a champion of the environmental cause. His aides deny he has suddenly "gone green", but as recently as May 2006 climate change was barely mentioned by the former Portuguese prime minister as he set out his vision for the "future of Europe". But last week he put climate change at the top of his list of priorities: a "serious and urgent issue" requiring tough action. Colleagues say the new approach is already being felt in policy areas. His position matters because Mr Barroso exerts a tight grip on an organisation with the power to set environmental standards and targets. What is decided in Brussels often has a direct impact on companies far beyond Europe.
When he named Stavros Dimas, a former Wall St lawyer, as the EU's environment commissioner, they shuddered: the Greek, who has since won over many of his early critics, came from the only country in Europe without an environment minister.
Yet in the last few weeks, Mr Barroso has undergone a remarkable conversion and emerged as a champion of the environmental cause.
His aides deny he has suddenly "gone green", but as recently as May 2006 climate change was barely mentioned by the former Portuguese prime minister as he set out his vision for the "future of Europe".
But last week he put climate change at the top of his list of priorities: a "serious and urgent issue" requiring tough action. Colleagues say the new approach is already being felt in policy areas.
His position matters because Mr Barroso exerts a tight grip on an organisation with the power to set environmental standards and targets. What is decided in Brussels often has a direct impact on companies far beyond Europe.
Indeed Dimas was also finance minister before becoming Commissioner. I don't know how many is that "many" whom he supposedly won over, but in my impression, he didn't do much good. *Traitor*, n. A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.
A sceptical interpretation coud be that Barroso exposed himself as the poodle of a poodle: this all sounds like echoing Bliar's (highly hypocritical and empty) rhetoric in the last few weeks. *Traitor*, n. A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.
BERLIN: Finnish officials were working against the clock Sunday to deal with demands from the Polish government that are threatening to block an EU-Russia summit meeting scheduled for Friday in Helsinki, according to senior Finnish officials. "It is a difficult situation," Sanna Kangasharju, a spokeswoman for the Finnish government, said Sunday. "The summit is hanging in the balance. We are now waiting for a response from the Polish side. The ball is in their court." Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen of Finland held talks in Warsaw on Friday night with his Polish counterpart, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the Finnish officials said. Kaczysnki is insisting that Russia lift its ban on imports of certain Polish agricultural products, and that the EU come up with a more coherent and united energy policy before agreeing to the EU-Russia summit meeting. This is the first time that a new member state of the EU has tried to block a summit meeting with Russia. And according to diplomats in the region, it shows how different and difficult their relations are with their Eastern neighbors in comparison to most of the West European countries.
"It is a difficult situation," Sanna Kangasharju, a spokeswoman for the Finnish government, said Sunday.
"The summit is hanging in the balance. We are now waiting for a response from the Polish side. The ball is in their court."
Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen of Finland held talks in Warsaw on Friday night with his Polish counterpart, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the Finnish officials said.
Kaczysnki is insisting that Russia lift its ban on imports of certain Polish agricultural products, and that the EU come up with a more coherent and united energy policy before agreeing to the EU-Russia summit meeting.
This is the first time that a new member state of the EU has tried to block a summit meeting with Russia. And according to diplomats in the region, it shows how different and difficult their relations are with their Eastern neighbors in comparison to most of the West European countries.
PARIS: French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin on Sunday took a dig at the notion that Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy was the governing party's automatic presidential candidate, saying the debate is not yet over. Villepin said that the "game has not been played out," dashing party hopes for quick unity around Sarkozy, particularly since the opposition Socialists have just picked their candidate, Segolene Royal. The premier spoke three days after Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie openly questioned some of Sarkozy's stances at a party function with him in attendance. Villepin, special guest on a television show, suggested that there is no reason to rush to choose a candidate with the April first-round presidential vote five months away. The opposition Socialist Party erred in choosing its candidate so soon, he said. The Socialists picked Segolene Royal in a party primary on Thursday, giving her more than 60 percent of the vote in a widely-watched internal election. "A woman in politics, it's new, it's attractive, it's interesting," Villepin, a conservative, said. But he added, "to have chosen a candidate so soon is an error."
Villepin said that the "game has not been played out," dashing party hopes for quick unity around Sarkozy, particularly since the opposition Socialists have just picked their candidate, Segolene Royal.
The premier spoke three days after Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie openly questioned some of Sarkozy's stances at a party function with him in attendance.
Villepin, special guest on a television show, suggested that there is no reason to rush to choose a candidate with the April first-round presidential vote five months away.
The opposition Socialist Party erred in choosing its candidate so soon, he said.
The Socialists picked Segolene Royal in a party primary on Thursday, giving her more than 60 percent of the vote in a widely-watched internal election.
"A woman in politics, it's new, it's attractive, it's interesting," Villepin, a conservative, said. But he added, "to have chosen a candidate so soon is an error."
Being conservatives, Villepin or Sarkozy, whomever wins, will no doubt spend the next five months taking subtle -- hell, perhaps not so subtle -- stabs at the fact that the Commies have given the nod to a woman.
Plus, while I give Domi some credit on the hair, Royal is easily the better looking of the two, so you've got to know he's intimidated. WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
dashing party hopes for quick unity
Note also how the press unquestioningly accepts language that is favorable to the right's candidates. Unity on the right is a good thing ("hope"), and getting there soon is a good thing ("dashing"). But on the left, somehow, it's not (because someone from the right says so).
Amazing bias. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Meanwhile, the right have all the risks of back-stabbing and disunity to come...
So -- you're on the right and faced with this unpleasant situation -- what do you say after spending an hour or two locked away with your communications boys?
"I know what: they did it too soon!!!"
(Give that man a medal). When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind
It is not that Billund, a placid town of 30,000 people in the heart of Denmark, is in any crisis. The design, promotion and marketing of Lego's colorful little plastic bricks will remain in Billund. But between now and 2009, virtually all the manufacturing will go to factories in the Czech Republic and Mexico. In the process, the number of jobs at Lego in Billund will drop to 1,600, from the current 2,500. Five years ago, Lego employed 4,000 people, who held roughly half of all the jobs in Billund. "The population has faced it, that it's very vital that Lego change, or I'm afraid there would have been no Lego in five years," said Preben Jensen, 59, an air traffic controller at the local airport who also serves as the town's mayor. "Production in Western Europe is so expensive." <...> For [Soren Torp Laursen, 30-year Lego employee], the shift to Mexico and the Czech Republic is a matter of costs, but it is also a matter of being close to growing markets, like the former Communist countries of Eastern Europe and the Americas, to respond rapidly to customer requests. What is also important for a toymaker like Lego, he said, is to be sure it has a better pirate ship, firehouse, medieval castle and airport on the market than the competition does. For this, Lego even gives jobs in Billund to outsiders, like Jamie Berard."
"The population has faced it, that it's very vital that Lego change, or I'm afraid there would have been no Lego in five years," said Preben Jensen, 59, an air traffic controller at the local airport who also serves as the town's mayor. "Production in Western Europe is so expensive."
For [Soren Torp Laursen, 30-year Lego employee], the shift to Mexico and the Czech Republic is a matter of costs, but it is also a matter of being close to growing markets, like the former Communist countries of Eastern Europe and the Americas, to respond rapidly to customer requests.
What is also important for a toymaker like Lego, he said, is to be sure it has a better pirate ship, firehouse, medieval castle and airport on the market than the competition does. For this, Lego even gives jobs in Billund to outsiders, like Jamie Berard."
The Prodi government also substituted the head of the Civilian Intelligence Service, the Sisde. General Mario Mori will be substituted by Franco Gabrielli, head of the special police, the Digos, who owes his success to having defeated the new Red Brigades following the murder of Professor Biagi.
Giuseppe Cucchi has been nominated to head the Cesis, the service that coordinates both intelligence agencies. The present director is Emilio del Mese.
The substitution of all the heads of the services at the same time is not well viewed as it tends to associate Mori and del Mese with the disastrous management of the Sismi by Pollari.
Pollari is presently under investigation for his alleged role in the kidnapping of Abu Omar. He is also linked to major smear campaigns against "Berlusconi's enemies" such as the Telekom Serbija smear or the accusations that Prodi as EU High Commisioner had authorized the so-called "extraordinary renditions."
Pollari's Sismi is also responsible for fabricating several false terrorist alerts since 2001 and may be linked to the fabrication false evidence against Arab citizens accused of terrorism.
His substitution was long overdue. Last week Pollari profited form government inertia by appointing ten of his men to key positions within the Sismi.
The substitutions will take effect on December 16th.
