EurActiv

'Frustrated' Füle cancels visit to Macedonia (News)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 17:03:24 +0100

The European Union's enlargement commissioner cancelled a visit to Macedonia next week over a political dispute that he warned could undermine the ex-Yugoslav republic's bid to start membership talks with the bloc.

EU gives 'untimely' OK to pork, poultry in fish feed (News)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 16:52:05 +0100

The European Commission has reapproved the use of reconstituted animal protein for use in fish feed from June 2013, in a move declared "untimely" by French deputy minister for food Guillaume Garot.

Bulgaria puts Hezbollah on EU Foreign Minister's menu (News)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 12:45:21 +0100

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nickolay Mladenov has put the conclusions of an investigation into a deadly bombing at Bulgaria's main airport last summer on the agenda of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on Monday (18 February). The probe points at the military wing of Hezbollah in Lebanon, an organisation which does not appear on the EU's list of terrorist organisations.

Nations seen going separate ways on carbon as EU efforts falter (News)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 12:13:59 +0100

Europe has failed to raise carbon prices enough to spur green energy use but now the emissions trading system (ETS) could face its final blow in a European Parliament vote on 19 February.

EU budget summit aftermath: ‘Everyone’s a winner’ (News)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 08:57:13 +0100

National leaders were quick to portray last week's budget summit agreement as a victory for their country. But one week after the dust has settled, the picture looks more nuanced. The EurActiv network brings you an overview from Britain, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Spain.

EU, US agree to fast-track bank rules, bonus cap (News)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 08:41:39 +0100

The European Union and the United States agreed on Thursday (14 February) to implement the new global Basel III capital adequacy rules for banks as soon as possible, EU financial services chief Michel Barnier said after a meeting in Washington.

German agency steps in as mediator in Daimler-EU spat (News)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 08:23:08 +0100

Germany's federal environment agency said on Thursday (14 February) it has proposed Brussels grant luxury automaker Daimler until the end of 2015 to meet new European Union laws mandating the use of climate-friendly air conditioning refrigerants in cars.

Brussels ramps up protection from hazardous products (News)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 08:15:39 +0100

The European Commission has moved to reduce the number of hazardous products entering the EU market with new regulatory proposals.

Serbia says it thwarted mafia plot to bring down government jet (News)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 08:10:21 +0100

Serbian authorities said they had uncovered a plot by "criminal clans" to bring down a government plane carrying a national leader, in the latest twist to a murky row over the links between the mafia and politicians.

Fate of green CAP plans hangs on Parliament (News)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 08:02:53 +0100

Conservationists angered by efforts to “gut” Europe’s future farm policy are banking on the full European Parliament to protect the environmental standards proposed by the European Commission.

Britain wary as EU Commission launches financial transaction tax (News)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 07:55:33 +0100

The European Commission formally proposed a tax on financial trading in 11 countries yesterday (14 February), saying the levy could raise up to €35 billion each year and make banks more accountable following the 2008 banking crisis.

EU's soft power in Congo toothless on 'conflict minerals' (News)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 07:29:19 +0100

Congolese rebels are plundering the country’s natural resources to finance guns and materiel, but the EU remains powerless to compel companies to disclose whether they are buying vital minerals supplied by armed groups in Congo and other conflict states.

Nature conservation ignored in EU move to green energy (Opinion)

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 16:18:51 +0100

When it comes to choosing sites for wind farms, nature conservation is always the last thing to be considered, falling behind the price of land, proximity to power lines and opposition from locals, writes Luke Dale-Harris.

Eurozone economy falls deeper into recession (News)

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 14:52:14 +0100

The eurozone slipped deeper into recession in the last three months of 2012 after its largest economies, Germany and France, shrank markedly at the end of the year. It marked the currency bloc's first full year in which no quarter produced growth, extending back to 1995.

Eastern Partnership talks end with €20 million deal for Georgia (News)

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:32:22 +0100

Countries on the EU's eastern border have registered some progress in ongoing talks on visa-free travel to Europe, with Georgia winning a new €20 million EU assistance and reform package.

Wealthy member states must cough up cash: Irish development minister (Interview)

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:16:47 +0100

With the EU agreeing a near freeze in overseas development aid, persuading citizens to back further national contributions will be a tricky but necessary task, says Irish Trade and Development Minister Joe Costello.

Energy markets and policymakers: In search of liquidity (Opinion)

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 12:34:19 +0100

To a trader, the presence of good liquidity in a market – such as gas or electricity – is a sign of a robust wholesale market. However, to the consumer, naïve policymaker or distrustful regulator, liquidity may suggest an indication of speculative interest and “unnecessary” churning of positions, writes Peter Styles.

INFOGRAPHIC: The EU's development aid budget 2014-2020 (News)

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 11:12:43 +0100

EurActiv has compared the figures in the EU budget deal, struck among EU heads of states on 8 February, with the European Commission's original proposal. The difference – €6.3 billion according to our calculations – represents the gap with the EU's pledge to spend 0.7% of its Gross National Income (GNI) on overseas assistance.

The economic crisis and the Franco-German alliance (Opinion)

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 09:15:45 +0100

France and Germany are interested in preserving their alliance, because the survival of the European Union depends on it. But France clearly is beginning to feel the effects of the political and economic reconfiguration of Europe that began two decades ago, writes Stratfor.

Analyst: It’s good having the EU-Ukraine summit (Interview)

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 08:48:17 +0100

The 25 February EU-Ukraine summit is not expected to make a breakthrough in relations between Brussels and Kyiv, but it can set the course for improvement ahead of the Vilnius Eastern Partnership summit in November, Amanda Paul, analyst at the European Policy Centre, told EurActiv in an exclusive interview.