(Reuters) - The European Union could agree in the next few weeks a law to regulate hedge funds and private equity operators, blamed by some for financial excesses, an EU commissioner said on Saturday. Michel Barnier, European Commissioner responsible for financial regulation, said the deal in recent days on a set of pan-European watchdogs showed a political willingness for further post-crisis reforms."We are in the last straight. The big work has been done by the European Parliament. There are two or three sensitive points including on the treatment of third countries and the passport for hedge operators," he said.
(Reuters) - The European Union could agree in the next few weeks a law to regulate hedge funds and private equity operators, blamed by some for financial excesses, an EU commissioner said on Saturday.
Michel Barnier, European Commissioner responsible for financial regulation, said the deal in recent days on a set of pan-European watchdogs showed a political willingness for further post-crisis reforms.
"We are in the last straight. The big work has been done by the European Parliament. There are two or three sensitive points including on the treatment of third countries and the passport for hedge operators," he said.
Thousands of people have been attending rallies in Paris and 130 other French towns to protest at the government's policy of deporting Roma people. Police estimated the turnout in Paris at about 12,000, much fewer than anticipated, but organisers put the figure nearer to 50,000. Opinion polls suggest at least 65% of French people back government policy.
Thousands of people have been attending rallies in Paris and 130 other French towns to protest at the government's policy of deporting Roma people.
Police estimated the turnout in Paris at about 12,000, much fewer than anticipated, but organisers put the figure nearer to 50,000.
Opinion polls suggest at least 65% of French people back government policy.
European commissioner accused of 'outrageous anti-Semitism' by Jewish group. Karel De Gucht, the European commissioner for trade, has issued a statement saying that he regrets any offence caused by comments he made about Jews that led to him being accused of anti-Semitism. De Gucht told a Belgian radio station yesterday (2 September) that one should "not underestimate the power of the Jewish lobby on Capitol Hill" in influencing US policy on Middle East peace talks. The EU commissioner and former Belgian foreign minister was asked about his views on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process as negotiations were re-launched in Washington, DC. He said it was "not easy" to have "a rational" debate with Jews on the peace process. "It is a very emotional issue," the commissioner said. The European Jewish Congress (EJC) today demanded that De Gucht apologise for his comments. "Once again we hear outrageous anti-Semitism from a senior European official," Moshe Kantor, president of the EJC, said in a statement on the group's website.
Karel De Gucht, the European commissioner for trade, has issued a statement saying that he regrets any offence caused by comments he made about Jews that led to him being accused of anti-Semitism.
De Gucht told a Belgian radio station yesterday (2 September) that one should "not underestimate the power of the Jewish lobby on Capitol Hill" in influencing US policy on Middle East peace talks.
The EU commissioner and former Belgian foreign minister was asked about his views on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process as negotiations were re-launched in Washington, DC. He said it was "not easy" to have "a rational" debate with Jews on the peace process. "It is a very emotional issue," the commissioner said.
The European Jewish Congress (EJC) today demanded that De Gucht apologise for his comments. "Once again we hear outrageous anti-Semitism from a senior European official," Moshe Kantor, president of the EJC, said in a statement on the group's website.
It's hard to fit that into contempt for an ideology.
As for being sorry, why did he say it ? Why did he even think it ? I mean, people say ridiculous and offensive things when they're extremely drunk, but when they're sober they own it. keep to the Fen Causeway
AFP - Broken Belgium's bid to form a government collapsed on Friday putting fractious Dutch- and French-speaking parts back on a collision course. Francophone Socialist leader Elio Di Rupo quit seven-party talks aimed at forming a new coalition and urged King Albert II to relieve him of responsibility for ending a political impasse going back many months. The figurehead for Belgium's Flemish separatists, Bart De Wever, accused Di Rupo of presiding over a "missed opportunity," but Di Rupo later told a media conference that he had refused to accede to Flemish demands at what he termed "any cost."
It has been announced that Dutch head of state Queen Beatrix will hold fresh meetings early next week to discuss how coalition talks should proceed. On Friday, attempts by the right-wing VVD and the Christian Democrats (CDA) to form a minority cabinet with the support of Geert Wilders' far-right Freedom Party (PVV) ended in failure. On Monday morning Queen Beatrix will first receive her permanent advisers: Senate Speaker René van der Linden, Lower House Speaker Gerdi Verbeet and the Vice-President of the Council of State, Herman Tjeenk Willink. On Monday evening the Queen will meet with the parliamentary party leaders of the VVD, Labour and the Christian Democrats. On Tuesday morning she will have discussions with the parliamentary party leaders of the Socialist Party, the democrats of D66, the Green Left, the Christian Union, the conservative Calvinist SGP party and the Animal Rights Party.
It has been announced that Dutch head of state Queen Beatrix will hold fresh meetings early next week to discuss how coalition talks should proceed.
On Friday, attempts by the right-wing VVD and the Christian Democrats (CDA) to form a minority cabinet with the support of Geert Wilders' far-right Freedom Party (PVV) ended in failure.
On Monday morning Queen Beatrix will first receive her permanent advisers: Senate Speaker René van der Linden, Lower House Speaker Gerdi Verbeet and the Vice-President of the Council of State, Herman Tjeenk Willink.
On Monday evening the Queen will meet with the parliamentary party leaders of the VVD, Labour and the Christian Democrats.
On Tuesday morning she will have discussions with the parliamentary party leaders of the Socialist Party, the democrats of D66, the Green Left, the Christian Union, the conservative Calvinist SGP party and the Animal Rights Party.
The Alliance claimed the support of 50.5 percent of the electorate in the poll, with the Red-Greens on 44 percent. "The figures are a Moderate dream come true," said Social Democrat party secretary Ibrahim Baylan to the Expressen daily. The Social Democrats declined by 0.9 percentage points to 29.7 percent, their lowest figure on record. The Green Party, long the force giving buoyancy to the Red-Green coalition in the polls, dropped 0.4 points to 8.5 percent.
US political scientist Charles Kupchan's pronouncement of the death of the EU has caused quite a stir in Europe. The handling of the euro crisis shows, however, that, despite all the recent trials and tribulations, EU integration is still forging ahead, argues Il Sole 24 Ore. Carlo Bastasin On 13 May, at the very peak of the Greek financial crisis, German chancellor Angela Merkel shed some surprising light on her vision for Europe. Merkel was presenting the Charlemagne Prize to Polish prime minister Donald Tusk in the city of Aachen, Germany. "The euro crisis," Merkel stressed, "is no ordinary crisis. It is the most important test for Europe since the signing of the Treaty of Rome in 1957. An existential test. If we fail, there is no telling what the consequences will be. If we succeed, Europe will emerge stronger than ever." These wholly unexpected remarks caught the international press off guard. "To overcome the crisis," the chancellor went on, "we need to face up more squarely to the actual challenges, draw the necessary legal conclusions and dovetail our economic and financial policies more closely than ever. We should also take initiatives that go beyond the economic sphere, for example by giving some thought to the creation a European army. Finally, we have to defend our principles and our values: democracy, the protection of human rights and sustainable growth."
US political scientist Charles Kupchan's pronouncement of the death of the EU has caused quite a stir in Europe. The handling of the euro crisis shows, however, that, despite all the recent trials and tribulations, EU integration is still forging ahead, argues Il Sole 24 Ore. Carlo Bastasin
On 13 May, at the very peak of the Greek financial crisis, German chancellor Angela Merkel shed some surprising light on her vision for Europe. Merkel was presenting the Charlemagne Prize to Polish prime minister Donald Tusk in the city of Aachen, Germany. "The euro crisis," Merkel stressed, "is no ordinary crisis. It is the most important test for Europe since the signing of the Treaty of Rome in 1957. An existential test. If we fail, there is no telling what the consequences will be. If we succeed, Europe will emerge stronger than ever."
These wholly unexpected remarks caught the international press off guard. "To overcome the crisis," the chancellor went on, "we need to face up more squarely to the actual challenges, draw the necessary legal conclusions and dovetail our economic and financial policies more closely than ever. We should also take initiatives that go beyond the economic sphere, for example by giving some thought to the creation a European army. Finally, we have to defend our principles and our values: democracy, the protection of human rights and sustainable growth."
Michael Gove, the education secretary, will next week be forced to announce a dramatic scaling back of the Tories' landmark plans to create a new generation of schools run by parents and voluntary groups.Labour tonight accused the education secretary of presiding over a "chaotic shambles" after it emerged that as few as 20 free schools are on track to open in September 2011. In June Gove hinted that 700 could be established.Ed Balls, the shadow education secretary, said: "This is another embarrassment for the education secretary's flawed, unfair and unpopular school reforms. Michael Gove took over a successful department which has helped to deliver record improvements in school standards over more than a decade, but in just a few months he has managed to turn it into a chaotic shambles."Gove said in June that he had been inundated with expressions of interest from establish a new tier of free schools. "More than 700 expressions of interest in opening new free schools have been received by the charitable group the New Schools Network," he told MPs.
Michael Gove, the education secretary, will next week be forced to announce a dramatic scaling back of the Tories' landmark plans to create a new generation of schools run by parents and voluntary groups.
Labour tonight accused the education secretary of presiding over a "chaotic shambles" after it emerged that as few as 20 free schools are on track to open in September 2011. In June Gove hinted that 700 could be established.
Ed Balls, the shadow education secretary, said: "This is another embarrassment for the education secretary's flawed, unfair and unpopular school reforms. Michael Gove took over a successful department which has helped to deliver record improvements in school standards over more than a decade, but in just a few months he has managed to turn it into a chaotic shambles."
Gove said in June that he had been inundated with expressions of interest from establish a new tier of free schools. "More than 700 expressions of interest in opening new free schools have been received by the charitable group the New Schools Network," he told MPs.
I rather fear that next year will see the tidal wave of applications keep to the Fen Causeway
Guardian - Basque separatists Eta announces ceasefire
The Basque separatist group Eta announced a ceasefire in a video released today, more than three years after it resumed violent actions. In the video, excerpts from which were published by the BBC, Eta said it would not "carry out armed actions" in its continued campaign for complete independence of the Basque region, which borders France and Spain. Eta said it had taken the decision several months ago "to put in motion a democratic process"
In the video, excerpts from which were published by the BBC, Eta said it would not "carry out armed actions" in its continued campaign for complete independence of the Basque region, which borders France and Spain.
Eta said it had taken the decision several months ago "to put in motion a democratic process"
