Posts filed under 'European Union'
EU Welcomes the Signature of the Lisbon Treaty
Following today’s signature of the Lisbon Treaty by Czech President Vaclav Klaus, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso said: “It’s now absolutely clear that the Lisbon Treaty will enter into force soon…I want to pay tribute to all those who have worked hard in the 27 EU Member States to make the Lisbon Treaty a reality. The road is now open for the consultations on the appointment of the President of the European Council and Vice President of the European Commission/High Representative to begin. This will in turn allow me to start the process of nominating the new Commission.”
EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana said: “I am very pleased that President Vaclav Klaus has signed the Lisbon Treaty today. All obstacles have now been lifted for the prompt entry into force of a treaty that will open a new era for the European Union. The Lisbon Treaty will enable us to work in a much more coherent and efficient way and give us a stronger voice on the international scene.”
November 7, 2009
EU-US Summit
Leaders from the European Union and the United States gathered in Washington, DC, yesterday for the annual EU-US Summit.
European Commission President José Manuel Barroso commended President Obama’s leadership on climate change stating that he “changed the climate on the climate negotiations.” President Barroso stressed that with the strong leadership of the United States an agreement on climate change would be possible. “We are working toward a framework agreement in Copenhagen that will be an important agreement for the world. And we had particularly a very good discussion on this today and I think it was one of the most important points of our exchange.”
The summit also focused on ways for the EU and the US to cooperate on global challenges, including economic recovery and growth and providing effective assistance to developing countries. A number of foreign policy issues, including the situation in the Middle East and Afghanistan, were also discussed.
In conjunction with the Summit, a newly established EU-US Energy Council also met for first time today to deepen bilateral energy cooperation and address the growing challenges of global energy security, sustainability and climate change.
November 6, 2009
E.U. Plan Could Lead to Lower Cost International Calls
BERLIN — The European Commission will urge the 27 European Union countries Wednesday to reserve a uniform slice of broadcast spectrum for a pan-European mobile broadband network, one that could enable flat-rate, international voice and data calling plans.
A copy of the proposal, reviewed by the International Herald Tribune, sets out technical guidelines for E.U. countries that choose to redeploy part of their low-frequency spectrum, a bandwidth that has been used exclusively by television broadcasters since the inception of the industry more than 50 years ago. (By KEVIN J. O’BRIEN, The New York Times, October 27, 2009)
November 3, 2009
Euro-Zone Consumer Confidence Improves
Economic and consumer confidence in the 16 countries that use the euro improved for the seventh straight month in October, as confidence over an economic recovery continues to gather steam.
In a monthly survey by the European Commission, the overall Economic Sentiment Indicator for the euro zone rose sharply to a 13-month high of 86.2 from 82.8 in September.
The increase in the ESI was stronger than expected, with economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires last week having forecast it would increase to 84.5.(By ILONA BILLINGTON and ROMAN KESSLER, The Wall Street Journal, OCTOBER 29, 2009)
November 2, 2009
U.K. Economy Continues to Shrink
The U.K. economy contracted for a record sixth consecutive quarter, underscoring the country’s lagging position compared with other leading nations and dealing a blow to Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s re-election prospects.
In its preliminary estimate Friday, the Office for National Statistics said output fell 0.4% in the third quarter from the second, and 5.2% from the year-earlier period. The negative reading startled economists: Almost all had forecast that the U.K. would begin to show signs of growth. (By ALISTAIR MACDONALD,The Wall Street Journal, OCTOBER 24, 2009)
October 28, 2009
Ambassador Bruton Warns against Effects of Escalating Public Debt
Speaking at the European Institute in Washington, DC, today, Ambassador John Bruton, Head of the European Commission Delegation to the United States, warned that escalating public debt in Europe and the United States could hinder the ability to tackle challenges ranging from climate change to healthcare.
Noting estimates that the US public debt could reach 150% of GDP by 2030 – and that the number could be even higher for some European countries – Ambassador Bruton said, “Those levels of indebtedness would increase vulnerability of the EU Member States and the United States to international interest rate fluctuations, and they would reduce very significantly the resources that we could set aside for military, naval and homeland security activity, as well as for vital social and educational services.”
Pointing out that “politics is about more than the next election; it is about the next generation,” Ambassador Bruton said there is a need to get serious about long-term issues and realize that major problems have to be dealt with simultaneously as they are all interconnected.
“My hope, as I leave my post here after five wonderful years, is that, on both sides of the Atlantic, the positive, the foresightful, the courageous and the problem-solving forces in politics will overwhelm the forces of postponement, partisanship, point scoring and intellectual paralysis,” he said.
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October 21, 2009
Euro Zone’s Factories Rebound
The euro zone saw its fourth straight monthly increase in industrial output in August, providing further confirmation that the region’s severe recession ended around the middle of the year.
Industrial output in the 16 countries that have adopted the euro currency swelled 0.9% in August from July, the European Union’s statistics agency said Wednesday. (By BRIAN BLACKSTONE, The Wall Street Journal, Thursday, Oct. 15th)
October 20, 2009
RD International Trade Seminar Series Office of Economics
RD International Trade Seminar Series
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: 500 E Street, SW Washington, DC
Room : Conference Room – 615P
Metro Directions:
Take the orange, blue, yellow or green lines to the L’Enfant Plaza stop. Use the exit marked “7th & D Sts.” Exit through the construction, down the stairs. Turn right and walk east to the corner of 6th and D Sts. (half a block). Turn right and walk south on 6th St. (2 blocks) to the corner of 6th and E Sts. The USITC building is on the left (SW corner).
October 15, 2009
How Long Can Germany Keep Auto Jobs?
So far, Germany’s auto industry has escaped massive job losses, but major cuts could soon be on the cards.
The recession has caused a dent in global auto sales, but German automakers have avoided mass layoffs. In part, that’s because the German government subsidizes workers whose hours have been trimmed through a program called Kurzarbeit, or “short work.” A successful cash-for-clunkers program, which has just finished, also sheltered the industry.
But how long before Germany’s blue-collar workers head for the unemployment lines? The signs don’t look good. If demand doesn’t return to pre-recession levels soon, many German automakers will likely begin making large layoffs. Analysts reckon up to 10% of the workforce could face the chop, while others will have to learn new skills to cope with the changes to the automotive sector. “Employment in the auto industry in Germany has peaked,” says Ferdinand Dudenhöffer, director of the Center for Automotive Research at the University of Duisburg-Essen. “[Job losses] will come, and workers will have to find possibilities in other industries.”
By M. Herbst, BusinessWeek, September 28, 2009
October 7, 2009
Ireland Approves Lisbon Treaty
By overwhelmingly approving the Lisbon Treaty in their second referendum on Friday, Irish voters cleared the way for reforms of the European Union that seek to streamline the Union’s decision-making and give it more clout on the world stage.
“It’s a great day, for Ireland and for Europe,” said European Commission President José Manuel Barroso. “I see the yes vote as a sign of confidence by the Irish people in the EU, as a sign of their desire to be wholehearted members at the heart of the EU.”
October 7, 2009
PHOTO ALBUM
