Spring European Council 2012
The Spring European Council this year will take place on March 1-2. During the summit the leaders of the 27 member states will discuss the results from the first measures, agreed precisely one year ago for tightening the economic governance of the EU - the European Semester and the Euro Plus Pact. As the tradition goes for the spring summits, the leaders will discuss the Annual Growth Survey 2012 (AGS2012), presented by the Commission earlier than usual - in November 2011. Special focus at this summit will be put on (as in January) on the measures the member states have to undertake to promote growth and to tackle unemployment.
Another important topic, which the European Council is expected to discuss is Serbia's readiness to receive a candidate status. Belgrade expected this to happen in December last year but then there was no agreement among the 27 and the decision has been postponed for the spring under the condition that Serbia would continue its dialogue with Kosovo.
| © EUThe New Passenger on the Train to Brussels
Some people do not know anything about it, while others have slightly forgotten the fact that former Yugoslavia had a partnership agreement with the EU back in 1980 and that in June 1999 the European Commission offered measures, aimed at improving the relations between them, but as the country f ...
| © The Council of the European UnionGermany`s Awkward Leadership
Since the debt crisis unleashed in the euro area two years ago, all dilemmas, related to solving it (economic, political and even philosophical ones), eventually were reduced to a simple question - does Germany agree? "For nearly 70 years, Germany's grand national ambition has basically been not ...
| © The Council of the European UnionSchengen - The Denouement is Yet to Be Seen
Another episode of Bulgaria`s and Romania`s Schengen saga did not bring the long-awaited denouement, but produced a very important question. Maybe this will be at the heart of the intrigue, but for now the playwrights keep silence. In fact, the Schengen issue appeared quite unexpectedly on the a ...
| © EUAnd Why, Dammit, Aren't You Growing?
On October 9th, 2010, The Economist came out with a very moving cover, roughly calling for economic growth: "Grow, dammit, grow!" It is time that such an appeal is conveyed to the EU, because the magazine's cover actually was the basis of a special 18-page report about the world economy situatio ...
| © EUHerman Van Rompuy - President of the EU and the Eurozone
When Herman Van Rompuy was elected to take the just created with the Lisbon Treaty position of a President of the European Council, I was disappointed. At that time the EU needed a strong leader, in harmony of the economic might of the Union and its growing role on global stage. Alas, the pyrami ...
| © The Council of the European UnionEuropean Parliament: Give Us Back the Rights You Took Away from National Parliaments
For the first time in the last two years we have a 'normal' summit, which in itself is a breakthrough, because it allowed us to focus calmly on the problems. This is how Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament, assessed the Spring European Council on 1 and 2 March. He, however, manag ...
| © EUIreland - a Messenger of Spring in the EU
If all countries with troubles were like Ireland, probably the bailout programmes, the increasing of the size of eurozone rescue funds, as well as the meetings of the Eurogroup, would not have been in the headlines almost everyday. Against the backdrop of the growing frequent messages of the EU ...
| © The Council of the European UnionThe Eurogroup Decided to Allocate Half of the Second Greek Loan
After failing to meet the conditions of its creditors during the last two years, now Greece has managed to do so only in a few days, faced with the real imminence of a default. Apparently everyone have drawn the necessary lessons. Greece - that there is no free lunch, and the creditors - that mo ...
| © European Parliament AudiovisualJuncker: Greece Needs a EU Growth Commissioner
"Mr Juncker, you are one of the few European politicians who can speak clearly and tell the truth." These words belong to Jean Paul Gauzes MEP (EPP, France), but I think many would agree with him. Luxembourg Prime Minister and Eurogroup President Jean-Claude Juncker is one of the most influentia ...
| © The Council of the European UnionThe European Leaders Revive the Euro Plus Pact
The menu for the working dinner of the EU leaders, gathered for their regular spring meeting in Brussels, includes the European semester as main course, garnished with the Euro Plus Pact and a little bit of Schengen and Serbia for dessert. Economic and fiscal convergence, however, is the natural ...
| © EUBarroso Responds: Why Don't You Implement?
Two days before the beginning of the Spring European Council Jose Manuel Barroso, European Commission president, responded to a letter of 12 member states from last week, in which they call on him and the president of the European Council for urgent actions a plan for growth for Europe to be dev ...
| © G20MexicoG20 to the EU: You Are Doing Just Fine on Your Own!
The conclusion from the meeting of the finance ministers and central bankers of the G20 countries on Saturday and Sunday is that Europe is doing great on its own and can continue in the same spirit, by securing, however, a little bit more money for a reserve to be able to assist countries in tro ...
| © Serbia PresidencyStatus: Almost Known
"Europe would make a big mistake if in March Serbia does not receive a candidate country status. If the EU and USA do not understand our position and keep siding with the Albanians, it is normal that a new political element would turn to Russia, when it comes to power." These were the words of S ...
| © EUEuropean Parliament Called for Tax Coordination in EU for the Sake of Growth
The European Parliament has approved last week three resolutions in response to the Annual Growth Survey 2012 (AGS), presented by the European Commission last fall. Aside from the general support for all highlighted by the Commission recommendations and criticism, the Parliament sent criticism o ...
| © EUAnti-Merkozy Front is Growing in EU
In the past almost two years nearly every important EU summit was preceded by a mini summit between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy. In fact, the summits between the leaders of France and Germany are a tradition from the very creation of the European Union be ...
| © The Council of the European Union