84% of business leaders in Ireland believe last year's rejection of the Lisbon Treaty by popular referendum damaged the country's international reputation. The survey of 300 Irish CEOs by the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC) also found that over 98% of respondents believe EU membership has been important for the success of Irish business. Among companies with over 50 employees, the figure was 100%, while for companies with fewer than 50 staff, the figure was 97.6%. This comes as Ireland gears up for a vigorous debate on the Lisbon Treaty ahead of a referendum scheduled for 2 October. The electorate rejected the treaty in June 2008, with 53.4% voting against its adoption.
The survey of 300 Irish CEOs by the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC) also found that over 98% of respondents believe EU membership has been important for the success of Irish business.
Among companies with over 50 employees, the figure was 100%, while for companies with fewer than 50 staff, the figure was 97.6%.
This comes as Ireland gears up for a vigorous debate on the Lisbon Treaty ahead of a referendum scheduled for 2 October. The electorate rejected the treaty in June 2008, with 53.4% voting against its adoption.
Even as the German economy suffers through its worst slump since World War II, the government unveiled a seemingly happy surprise on Thursday: Not many people lost their jobs last month. So has Germany escaped the ravages of the downturn? Probably not, economists say. The apparent resilience of the labor market is more indicative of a peculiarly German approach to combating the punishing recession than of underlying trends in the economy. Germany has found creative ways to keep people off the jobless rolls, whether they have work to do or not.
So has Germany escaped the ravages of the downturn? Probably not, economists say. The apparent resilience of the labor market is more indicative of a peculiarly German approach to combating the punishing recession than of underlying trends in the economy. Germany has found creative ways to keep people off the jobless rolls, whether they have work to do or not.
Is there any diary coming up on this important topic? A vote for PES is a vote for EPP! A vote for EPP is a vote for PES! Support the coalition, vote EPP-PES in 2009!
We can hope for diaries too...
But until then I would like to ask you to please join in on this project.
Anything goes! :-D
Mr. Zapatero, 48, is a young Socialist visionary with an old entrenched economy. In an hourlong interview at the Moncloa Palace here on Wednesday, Mr. Zapatero explained how Spain could confront its economic crisis. His strategy is to invest in Spain's future -- education, research, biotechnology and renewable energy -- without moving an inch to infringe on worker's rights, and while extending government unemployment benefits.
William F. Browder, once the largest foreign investor in the Russian stock market, filed court documents in New York this week contending that other Western investors in Russia had colluded with the authorities to steal hundreds of millions of dollars through tax refunds and then laundered the money through New York banks.
September will be a hot month in Brussels for the financial services sector, as the EU prepares to nominate its new internal market commissioner and examine new proposed rules on hedge funds amid rivalries between the UK, France and Germany over financial regulation. EurActiv's network in France and Germany contributed to this report. In September, the European Parliament is expected to nominate its chief rapporteurs for proposed new EU rules on hedge funds, private equity and capital requirements for financial institutions. The newly-elected EU assembly is set to play a crucial role in reshaping the initial proposals made by the Commission on these issues. Earlier in July, the Parliament's economic affairs committee in charge of the dossier elected a British liberal, Sharon Bowles, as its chair. The appointment was widely seen as a success for the City of London and more generally for supporters of a light touch to regulating the financial sector. A liberal, Wolf Klinz, is also tipped to chair an ad hoc committee to investigate the causes of the financial crisis, due to be established in the autumn.
In September, the European Parliament is expected to nominate its chief rapporteurs for proposed new EU rules on hedge funds, private equity and capital requirements for financial institutions.
The newly-elected EU assembly is set to play a crucial role in reshaping the initial proposals made by the Commission on these issues.
Earlier in July, the Parliament's economic affairs committee in charge of the dossier elected a British liberal, Sharon Bowles, as its chair. The appointment was widely seen as a success for the City of London and more generally for supporters of a light touch to regulating the financial sector.
A liberal, Wolf Klinz, is also tipped to chair an ad hoc committee to investigate the causes of the financial crisis, due to be established in the autumn.
Germany's largest trade union dealt the Social Democrats' shaky electoral prospects another blow on Friday when it said it would not endorse any party at next month's general election.The comments by Berthold Huber, head of IG Metall, which is also Europe's largest union, are bad news for the SPD, whose leaders have gone out of their way to woo trade unionists."I know there is an historical relationship between the SPD and the unions, but we live in the 21st century," Mr Huber, himself an SPD member, told the daily Süddeutsche Zeitung. "The times when the unions could tell people to vote for this or that party are over."
The comments by Berthold Huber, head of IG Metall, which is also Europe's largest union, are bad news for the SPD, whose leaders have gone out of their way to woo trade unionists.
"I know there is an historical relationship between the SPD and the unions, but we live in the 21st century," Mr Huber, himself an SPD member, told the daily Süddeutsche Zeitung. "The times when the unions could tell people to vote for this or that party are over."
EU promises to help secure funds to reform Ukraine's energy sector; believes deal will avert supply crisis. The European Commission has announced a deal with Ukraine which it said should avert a disruption of Russian gas deliveries next winter. José Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, said: "The agreement should provide the stability needed to significantly reduce the risk of a further gas crisis". In January, gas deliveries to European markets were disrupted because of a pay dispute between Naftogaz and Russia's Gazprom. Around 80% of Russia's gas shipments to Western markets go through Ukraine. Under today's agreement, which the Commission helped to broker, international financial institutions will consider providing up to €1.7 billion in loans to support reform of the Ukrainian gas sector. In return, Yulia Tymoshenko, the Ukrainian prime minister, has made commitments to raise gas prices for domestic consumers to economically viable levels, restructure Naftogaz, the state gas company, and improve market transparency.
The European Commission has announced a deal with Ukraine which it said should avert a disruption of Russian gas deliveries next winter.
José Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, said: "The agreement should provide the stability needed to significantly reduce the risk of a further gas crisis".
In January, gas deliveries to European markets were disrupted because of a pay dispute between Naftogaz and Russia's Gazprom. Around 80% of Russia's gas shipments to Western markets go through Ukraine.
Under today's agreement, which the Commission helped to broker, international financial institutions will consider providing up to €1.7 billion in loans to support reform of the Ukrainian gas sector.
In return, Yulia Tymoshenko, the Ukrainian prime minister, has made commitments to raise gas prices for domestic consumers to economically viable levels, restructure Naftogaz, the state gas company, and improve market transparency.
Yulia Tymoshenko, the Ukrainian prime minister, has made commitments to raise gas prices for domestic consumers to economically viable levels, restructure Naftogaz, the state gas company, and improve market transparency
You all read that, you're witnesses.
It's true, Germany really is the land of Teutonic efficiency and the Protestant work ethic. A new study shows that Germans work more than most Europeans. The most workaholic country within the European Union is Romania, where workers worked an average of 41.8 hours a week in the third quarter of 2008. Germans aren't far behind, clocking in 41.2 hours, according to the study released this week by Dublin-based Eurofound, an EU agency which tracks working conditions. France had the lowest average working hours in the EU, the average worker toiled away for only 38.4 hours a week. "It confirms the image of German people being hard-working," Camilla Galli da Bino, a Eurofound information officer, told Deutsche Welle. Even more surprising, Germans don't actually have to work that hard. The statuatory working week averages 37.6 hours a week across eastern and western Germany. The extra hours are due to the 3.6 hours of overtime Germans clock a week. Only Czechs worked more overtime, squeezing in 3.7 hours a week.
The most workaholic country within the European Union is Romania, where workers worked an average of 41.8 hours a week in the third quarter of 2008.
Germans aren't far behind, clocking in 41.2 hours, according to the study released this week by Dublin-based Eurofound, an EU agency which tracks working conditions. France had the lowest average working hours in the EU, the average worker toiled away for only 38.4 hours a week.
"It confirms the image of German people being hard-working," Camilla Galli da Bino, a Eurofound information officer, told Deutsche Welle.
Even more surprising, Germans don't actually have to work that hard. The statuatory working week averages 37.6 hours a week across eastern and western Germany. The extra hours are due to the 3.6 hours of overtime Germans clock a week. Only Czechs worked more overtime, squeezing in 3.7 hours a week.
Across the European Union, the longest working weeks (see note 1), worked by full-time employees in their main jobs, are found in Romania (41.8 hours), the Czech Republic (41.7 hours) and Latvia (41.7 hours). The shortest are in France (38.4 hours), Belgium (38.6 hours) and Ireland (38.9 hours). Only three of the EU15 countries have working weeks longer than the average for the entire EU27; by contrast, workers in 10 of the 12 new Member States work longer weeks than the EU27 average. The report also compares the average collectively agreed entitlements for paid annual leave in the EU. It finds that the average number of fully paid holidays in Europe is 25.2 days per year. The average in the EU15 and Norway stands at 26.5 days, with a substantial difference between the average in Sweden (33 days) and in Greece (23 days). Among the new EU Member States, the average is 21.4 days per year, with notable, though smaller, differences between the Czech Republic (25 days) and Estonia (20 days). Download the full report
The report also compares the average collectively agreed entitlements for paid annual leave in the EU. It finds that the average number of fully paid holidays in Europe is 25.2 days per year. The average in the EU15 and Norway stands at 26.5 days, with a substantial difference between the average in Sweden (33 days) and in Greece (23 days). Among the new EU Member States, the average is 21.4 days per year, with notable, though smaller, differences between the Czech Republic (25 days) and Estonia (20 days).
Download the full report
1) Harmonised Eurostat figures for average number of actual weekly hours of work in main job of full-time employees, based on its labour force survey for the third quarter of 2008.
Emphasis mine "Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
As I was packing my ideas and thoughts to fly to Corfu for a few days holiday, combined with sorting out some family matters, I was thinking that the possibilities of Barroso being re-elected president are starting to fade, if only almost imperceptibly so far. Indeed, despite the European People's Party, which, thanks to the insistence of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, has fervently endorsed the Barroso nomination, and despite the EPP's great electoral victory in the recent European election, it seems incapable of securing the appointment of its Chosen One. If the EPP could have appointed Barroso for another term, it would have done it in mid-July, at the first plenary of the new European Parliament. The possibilities of Barroso being re-appointed at a later stage are still valid and serious, yet they are less than before. Time works against the President. If his party succeeds in getting a deal with other parliamentary groups, such as the Socialists, before middle of September, Barroso's possibilities are still high, yet still somehow risky. If the matter is further postponed, the risk of a defeat is much higher.
As I was packing my ideas and thoughts to fly to Corfu for a few days holiday, combined with sorting out some family matters, I was thinking that the possibilities of Barroso being re-elected president are starting to fade, if only almost imperceptibly so far. Indeed, despite the European People's Party, which, thanks to the insistence of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, has fervently endorsed the Barroso nomination, and despite the EPP's great electoral victory in the recent European election, it seems incapable of securing the appointment of its Chosen One. If the EPP could have appointed Barroso for another term, it would have done it in mid-July, at the first plenary of the new European Parliament.
The possibilities of Barroso being re-appointed at a later stage are still valid and serious, yet they are less than before. Time works against the President. If his party succeeds in getting a deal with other parliamentary groups, such as the Socialists, before middle of September, Barroso's possibilities are still high, yet still somehow risky. If the matter is further postponed, the risk of a defeat is much higher.
fire in the belly, but unhysterical.
the only one around who could possibly enunciate a rational program for the future Euro Left?
he certainly has a clue or two... aging seems to suit him, in terms of communication skills, tho' my sense is he prefers punditry to politics, more commentator than activist apparently. maybe he knows europe's not quite yet, and is biding his time and building up credibilty.
any one else here trust his viewpoint, any hidden agendas? ~"When an inner situation is not made conscious, it appears outside as fate." Karl Jung~
An MI5 officer visited Morocco three times during the period former terror suspect Binyam Mohamed claims he was secretly interrogated and tortured there, according to documents revealed by the high court today .Lawyers acting for MI5 have repeatedly told the high court in London the agency had no idea Mohamed was in Morocco in 2002-03. But documents passed to the court show an MI5 officer, known as Witness B, visited Morocco during that time.New evidence of MI5's involvement in Mohamed's earlier interrogation in Pakistan was disclosed yesterday by Lord Justice Thomas and Mr Justice Lloyd Jones. Thomas said they had taken the "very unusual step of correcting a judgment", a move dictated by the emergence of new documents about MI5's role in the affair.
Lawyers acting for MI5 have repeatedly told the high court in London the agency had no idea Mohamed was in Morocco in 2002-03. But documents passed to the court show an MI5 officer, known as Witness B, visited Morocco during that time.
New evidence of MI5's involvement in Mohamed's earlier interrogation in Pakistan was disclosed yesterday by Lord Justice Thomas and Mr Justice Lloyd Jones. Thomas said they had taken the "very unusual step of correcting a judgment", a move dictated by the emergence of new documents about MI5's role in the affair.
All private organ transplants are to be banned in the UK to avoid a perception that patients, including those from overseas, can jump the queue for scarce donor organs by paying for treatment.The government said today that it will take immediate steps to implement the recommendations of an independent report published by Elisabeth Buggins, former chair of the Organ Donation Taskforce. She recommended banning private organ transplants from 1 October.
The government said today that it will take immediate steps to implement the recommendations of an independent report published by Elisabeth Buggins, former chair of the Organ Donation Taskforce. She recommended banning private organ transplants from 1 October.
Italy has approved the use of the abortion drug RU-486, drawing fierce protests by the Vatican. The drug, which terminates pregnancy by causing the embryo to detach from the uterine wall, is already available in several other European countries. But approval in Italy had been held up so far by the Catholic Church, which opposes abortion and contraception.
The drug, which terminates pregnancy by causing the embryo to detach from the uterine wall, is already available in several other European countries. But approval in Italy had been held up so far by the Catholic Church, which opposes abortion and contraception.
A Dutch judge has ordered the Swedish site The Pirate Bay to block visitors from the Netherlands from accessing the music and film download site. The ruling follows a complaint by Stichting Brein, a Dutch advocacy group for the entertainment industry. The ruling by the Amsterdam court takes affect on Friday or Saturday. The Dutch judge on Thursday imposed a 30,000-euro penalty for each day The Pirate Bay remains accessible for internet users in the Netherlands. The Pirate Bay is a so-called torrent site; it provides links to files allowing users to download music and films using the bittorrent software. Brein says Pirate Bay is violating copyright law by linking to illegal copies. According to Brein director Tim Kuik it is a first that a judge orders a foreign website to block access from the Netherlands itself.
A Dutch judge has ordered the Swedish site The Pirate Bay to block visitors from the Netherlands from accessing the music and film download site. The ruling follows a complaint by Stichting Brein, a Dutch advocacy group for the entertainment industry.
The ruling by the Amsterdam court takes affect on Friday or Saturday. The Dutch judge on Thursday imposed a 30,000-euro penalty for each day The Pirate Bay remains accessible for internet users in the Netherlands. The Pirate Bay is a so-called torrent site; it provides links to files allowing users to download music and films using the bittorrent software. Brein says Pirate Bay is violating copyright law by linking to illegal copies.
According to Brein director Tim Kuik it is a first that a judge orders a foreign website to block access from the Netherlands itself.
Peter Sunde sues Mr. Kuk
Stichting BREIN apparantly lodged a lawsuit against Peter Sunde, Gottfrid Svartholm and Fredrik Neij in The Netherlands. None of the defendants was even informed by a court about the hearing which took place two days ago. - "Today we got information about the hearing after a journalist contacted us. We have sent an angry letter to the district court of Amsterdam about this and we're very certain the court will have to throw the case out the window", says Gottfrid Svartholm. "None of us live in The Netherlands, operate from there or do even own the site they are suing over. There are so many errors in this lawsuit that it's almost a crime to spend the courts time this way!", says Fredrik Neij.
- "Today we got information about the hearing after a journalist contacted us. We have sent an angry letter to the district court of Amsterdam about this and we're very certain the court will have to throw the case out the window", says Gottfrid Svartholm.
"None of us live in The Netherlands, operate from there or do even own the site they are suing over. There are so many errors in this lawsuit that it's almost a crime to spend the courts time this way!", says Fredrik Neij.
Sunde, Neij and Svartholm - having already been sued for 30 million SEK in Sweden and having no assets to seize - are not likely to be dettered. A vote for PES is a vote for EPP! A vote for EPP is a vote for PES! Support the coalition, vote EPP-PES in 2009!
The European Union and international lenders unveiled a preliminary agreement on Friday to assist Ukraine financially - enabling the recession-ravaged country to reform its energy sector and pump a stable supply of Russian natural gas to Europe.Officials said the agreement was intended to help Ukraine reform its vast Soviet-built natural gas supply and transit systems, and to help it buy enough gas reserves for peak winter periods in order to avoid a repeat of January's energy spat with Russia, during which supplies to Europe were cut off.
Officials said the agreement was intended to help Ukraine reform its vast Soviet-built natural gas supply and transit systems, and to help it buy enough gas reserves for peak winter periods in order to avoid a repeat of January's energy spat with Russia, during which supplies to Europe were cut off.
