Economy
Iceland's government is scrambling round for a new plan after voters said a resounding "no" to a tough scheme for repaying debts to the UK and the Netherlands this weekend. If it cannot find a solution, the economically battered nation risks being cut adrift by the EU and the IMF.
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Whether your main concern as a European is the environment, energy, education or the economy, the new EU 2020 strategy has it covered. Or does it? The plan was unveiled today amid concerns that it is too political and is no different than its failed predecessor, which hit none of its targets.
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A new detailed study has revealed major discrepancies in wealth between EU regions. But the striking East-West divide that is making the headlines hides other, more complex disparities that may well have a greater impact on countries' access to EU funding in the future.
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Swiss banking has long been synonymous with secrecy and offshore funds. But now international pressure is finally taking its toll on the Swiss banking tradition and forcing the once private banks to become more transparent.
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Herman Van Rompuy’s first summit as European Council President today will see 27 European leaders along with economic advisers, the central bank chief and other senior officials face one of the EU’s toughest tests to date – saving the euro.
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Greece ground to halt today as thousands took the street in a bid to force the authorities to backtrack on tough belt-tightening measures intended to drag the country out of debt. Meanwhile the rest of the Eurozone is watching nervously, hoping the Greek government will stick to its guns.
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Even a global recession cannot knock the Czech Republic off the top of the beer drinking charts. The Czechs have retained their crown as the world’s biggest beer drinkers with an impressive annual tally of 150-155 litres per head.
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The fight to clear Concorde's name, the UK's Iraq Inquiry heats up, Greece’s economic purse strings are pulled even tighter and “The King” is back, as Eric Cantona takes to the stage.
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Spain reacted angrily today to criticism of its economy, accusing the EU's economy commissioner of wrongly tarring it with the same brush as debt-ridden Greece. As Spanish stocks slumped today, it is now blaming Brussels for shaking investors' confidence.
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Thousands of protestors took the streets in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad over the weekend in a rare protest that ended in calls for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's resignation.
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The European Commission will pump €6.7 million into European think tanks and NGOs this year. But some argue the money simply guarantees EU cheerleaders while discouraging criticism.
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The European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion is upon us and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The EU is ready to take on the endemic problems after failing to eradicate them to date, as was proposed at a Lisbon meeting ten years ago.
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Ten years ago the European Union vowed to take major steps towards wiping out poverty by 2010, yet almost 17% of the population are still in acute need. As the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion begins, many are asking, does the EU have the right approach?
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Agreement on a new nuclear reduction treaty between the US and Russia is close, according to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
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Many voices decry the Common Agricultural Policy as a “black hole” in the European Union’s finances – a void that simply sucks up funds. Reform is up for debate this year, but countries at loggerheads over the best way to proceed, progress is expected to be slow.
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This week saw the Bulgarian EU Commissioner- Designate accused of being a gangster-bride, the run-up to Ukraine’s much anticipated presidential election, and the always-entertaining Silvio Berlusconi back in court.
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Bulgarians are set to be the happiest in 2010, Poles and Hungarians will be less miserable than the Brits and everyone will be wearing a broader smile than the Spanish.
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Ukrainian prime minister and presidential candidate Yuliya Tymoshenko has upped the stakes ahead of next week's elections by making controversial statements about corruption that implicate her main rivals.
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The row over refunds for foreign governments who lost out in the collapse of Iceland's banking system has reignited as the Icelandic president today bowed to popular pressure and asked for a referendum on the hotly contested issue of compensation.
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Oil prices have shot up after reports today that Russia has cut off supplies to neighbouring Belarus in a trade row, prompting worries about a knock-on effect on supplies to Europe. But Belarus has moved to reassure EU customers, insisting that the oil is still flowing through its pipelines.
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According to newly released survey, a whopping 25 percent of Bulgarians work illegally or evade income tax - meaning the country loses out a large chunk of cash in tax contributions.
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Newly re-elected Romanian President Traian Basescu has chosen his new prime minister. It is none other than Emil Boc, the man who headed the previous government which collapsed after a no-confidence vote in parliament in October.
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Our European education series heads to the Czech Republic, where everybody agrees reform is necessary - but nobody is willing to foot the bill.
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