The US-Russia plan for a “cessation of hostilities” in Syria, endorsed by the UN Security Council on Friday 26 February kicked off in the early hours of Saturday and two days after is still more or less observed. Understandably the cease-fire may collapse at any moment but the US and Russia seem determined to keep […]Syria: Why did the US now take the Russian offer for a truce? What next?
February 29, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The US-Russia plan for a “cessation of hostilities” in Syria, endorsed by the UN Security Council on Friday 26 February kicked off in the early hours of Saturday and two days after is still more or less observed. Understandably the cease-fire may collapse at any moment but the US and Russia seem determined to keep […]What have the banks done to the markets making them unable to bear cheap oil?
February 25, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Last Tuesday, a new steep fall of the price of crude oil by almost 5%, triggered another selloff in all the major capital markets of the world. The New York and the European stock exchanges lost anything between 2% and 3% of their capitalization. One may observe that this development is one of many of […]MWC 2016 LIVE: EC adds Brazil to partner tally
February 24, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The European Commission (EC) announced an agreement with Brazil to develop 5G technology, building on similar partnerships with South Korea, China and Japan. In a signing held at Mobile World Congress, the parties committed to a joint collaboration to “strengthen cooperation in this strategic area and to make sure that 5G does not develop in […]The Syrian knot cannot be cut without devastating consequences
February 18, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Brussels seems quite lost with what is happening now in Syria. The statement issued last Monday 15 February by the European High Representative Mogherini and Commissioner Stylianides on the atrocious and murderous attacks on hospitals and schools in Syria stands as an infallible witness to that. At this point in time, the foreign powers, regional or […]The right approach to addressing overcapacity problem from a Chinese perspective
February 16, 2016 by Leave a Comment
This article was written for the Sting by HE Ambassador Yang Yanyi of the Chinese Mission to EU The recent weeks have seen further worrying moves in Brussels. The European Commission opened new anti-dumping investigations on steel products originating from China, and the European steel industry organized a demonstration against so-called Chinese dumping on the […]Can the next financial crisis be avoided?
February 15, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The descent of prices in the world capital markets continued almost unhindered this past week and only last Friday financial, oil and commodity values gained some limited grounds. Altogether however, the major stock markets have erased trillions off their capitalization since last June, when the dark clouds gathered above the Chinese mega-cities of Shanghai and […]The New EU-US “Shield” for data privacy is full of holes
February 9, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Last week the “post-Safe Harbour era” was officially launched. On February 2 the European Union and the United States have agreed on a new framework for transatlantic data flows, the so-called Privacy Shield. The two sides have now a brand new data-sharing deal, which will allow websites like Facebook, Apple and Google to transfer EU citizens’ […]Politics still matter in the US but not in Europe
February 4, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The Iowa US presidential candidate nomination race results in both the Republican and the Democrat vote, proved that in the US politics still matter. The populist, unpredictable and apolitical billionaire Donald Trump was largely defeated by Ted Cruz, a super conservative Texas politician. On the other side Hillary Clinton the champion of the American business […]“BEUC cautions against TTIP that would seek to align EU and US chemicals management frameworks”
February 2, 2016 by Leave a Comment
As it happened several times in the past, the closer a TTIP negotiation round gets, the bigger the debate over the main questions intensifies. With the next round of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership talks due to take place this month in Brussels, this time was the turn of the European Consumer Organisation, BEUC, to […]Is there a way out of the next financial crisis? Can more printed money or austerity save us all?
February 1, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Every time Mario Draghi, the President of the European Central Bank, tries to fight very low inflation and indirectly support growth and job creation in Eurozone with monetary measures, the Germans stand in his way. Last Thursday 28 January, Jens Weidmann, the governor of the German central bank the Bundesbank, did it again. In an […]China’s 13th Five Year Plan and the opportunities for Europe
January 30, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Amid substantial interest of the global community about China’s growth and only a few months before the launch of the 13th five year plan of the country, a stimulating event took place in Brussels earlier this week analysing the aims of China’s new 2016-2020 development strategy. The event, which was organised by Friends of Europe, hosted two […]Migration crisis update: Greece could probably say goodbye to Schengen really soon
January 29, 2016 by Leave a Comment
It was two days ago when the European Commission’s draft report revealed “serious deficiencies” of the Greek government to comply with its obligations under the Schengen’s Agreement rules regarding the control of the migrant influx. If these suggestions are voted by the majority of the EU member states, then Greece will be given a 90 […]The EU bows to Turkey in view of the talks for a political settlement in Syria
January 28, 2016 by Leave a Comment
On 27 April 2015, in relation to the efforts to stem the refugee and immigrant flows to Europe, this newspaper predicted that “Turkey won’t cooperate”. Last Monday this prediction was not only confirmed but the European Union quasi accepted, that so far Turkey has done enough. The relevant passage of the Press release issued by […]Why are the financial markets shivering again?
January 25, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The major central banks of the world are currently in the middle of a precise but of dubious results surgical operation on capital markets. On the one hand, the monetary authorities aim at supporting the real economy by injecting more cash into the financial system. On the other, they try to mitigate the risky super […]WEF Davos 2016 LIVE: “Chinese economy has great potential, resilience and ample space for policy adjustment”, China’s Vice President Li Yuanchao reassures from Davos
January 23, 2016 by Leave a Comment
On the afternoon of the second day of the World Economic Forum in Davos and amidst a wide worry about the financial turmoil that China’s and the world’s stock markets face, the Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Li Yuanchao came to the rostrum to give a much anticipated speech. China’s New Normal […]WEF Davos 2016 LIVE: “We need more Schengen but reinforce control!”, France’s Minister of Economy Emmanuel Macron emphasises from Davos
January 22, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Earlier today in Davos, WEF organized one more session on Europe in order to find ways to deal with one of the most important issues that the old continent is facing which is no other than the refugee crisis. The session that took place in the Sanada room was called “Europe at a tipping point” and was moderated by Lyse […]WEF Davos 2016 LIVE: “There is a communication issue (about China) which markets don’t like” Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of IMF stresses from Davos
January 21, 2016 by 1 Comment
At the second day of the World Economic Forum 2016 in Davos the world was anticipating very much the session on China’s outlook and how its growth slowdown affects the entire world. This issue was addressed in a session called “Where is the Chinese Economy heading?” which took place in Sanada room of the Davos Congress […]WEF Davos 2016 LIVE: “No other problem has jeopardised the EU as much as the refugee question” Joachim Gauck, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, cries out from Davos
January 21, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Migration crisis is one of the most important issues in Europe currently and Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum invited yesterday Joachim Gauck, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, to speak about this heartrending problem since the German Chancellor is not attending the WEF this year. The plenary session […]WEF Davos 2016 LIVE: “European unity and cooperation is being called on question”, Vice President Joe Biden criticizes from Davos
January 21, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The end of the first day of the World Economic Forum 2016 welcomed the Vice President of the United States of America, Mr Joe Biden, at the Congress Hall of the Davos Congress Centre. The American politician gave then a very long speech, too long for many, about the 4th industrial revolution and how it affects America and […]WEF Davos 2016 LIVE: Banking moguls continue brandishing financial Armageddon to intimidate us all but in Davos they worry about the very distant future
January 21, 2016 by Leave a Comment
On Thursday 7n January this newspaper commented that behind the capital markets selloff, which shook the financial world in the first week of this year, were the financial moguls who want to impose their terms to central banks and mainly the American Fed. Since then stock markets keep losing a lot of grounds every day. […]TTIP wins Merkel’s endorsement ahead of 2016 tough deadline
January 12, 2016 by 1 Comment
Last year has been definitely a difficult one for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership deal, or else TTIP. It’s not a secret that the huge protests that the EU-US trade agreement had to face this year and that the momentum that other mammoth trade pacts like the TPP have gained have somehow weakened the trans-Atlantic […]EU to pay a dear price if the next crisis catches Eurozone stagnant and deflationary; dire statistics from Eurostat
January 11, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Amidst the historically worst first week of a year since stock exchange records exist, the Eurozone economy remains stagnant and appears clearly unable to offer itself and the rest of the global economy a sigh of relief. All along the first week of the New Year Eurostat kept airing quite disappointing statistics for the Eurozone […]Capital markets selloff: The financial moguls send messages to monetary authorities
January 7, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The wild selloff in the major capital markets of the world that culminated last Monday, the first working day of the New Year and continued on Wednesday for a fifth day in row was not just an overreaction to the anticipated slowdown of the Chinese economy, as almost all chief analysts assumed in mainstream media. […]EU-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement sees the light as Moscow’s reaction once more looms
January 5, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The new year started with big news on trade for the European Union, and not just for the economic relevance of the matter. On January 1st, the free trade deal between Ukraine and the EU officially came into effect, as part of a broader EU Association Agreement, which was signed at the end of June 2014 by […]The New Year 2016 will not be benevolent to Europe
January 4, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The year that just ended was rather nasty to the European Union and the New Year 2016 won’t be any better. The economic, financial and political problems culminated to the migration crisis in the second half of 2015, with Greece implicated in more than one of the abovementioned predicaments. The lagged reaction of Brussels to […]The three sins the EU committed in 2015
December 28, 2015 by Leave a Comment
During 2015, the year that now ends, the European Union has brought its well-known inability to manage the egocentric and centrifugal action of its major three nations (Britain, France and Germany) to new highs, a practice that has lately led to ineffectiveness and Euroscepticism. The EU cooperated this year with Britain, France and of course […]EU Commission announces Safe Harbour 2.0 and a wider Data protection reform
December 15, 2015 by Leave a Comment
The new EU-US data transfer deal, currently under development, will give the European Union the right to suspend the pact if privacy concerns are raised again, EU Justice Commissioner Věra Jourová said in a statement last week. For the first time, such right is formally guaranteed, and even though the pact is still a draft, the […]Unemployment and immigrants haunt the EU; who can offer relief?
December 10, 2015 by Leave a Comment
On Tuesday 1st December, Eurostat the EU statistical service reminded us all that in the euro area the October unemployment rate still remained in the double digit region with 10.7%. Understandably, this is the official percentage of people without a job, while the real unemployment rate may be double that, as this newspaper has proved, […]ECB money bonanza not enough to revive euro area, Germany longs to rule with stagnation
December 7, 2015 by Leave a Comment
During the days ahead of last Thursday’s 3 December meeting of the European Central Bank’s Governing Council, financial markets and market oriented media had been pressing for a stronger monetary accommodation (easing), than what President Mario Draghi finally announced in the afternoon of that day. As a result, the euro appreciated markedly with the dollar […]EU: Turkey to shelter Syrian refugees and turn other immigrants back in return of €3 billion
December 3, 2015 by Leave a Comment
A genuine Turkish bazaar took place last Sunday in Brussels during the meeting of the EU heads of state or government with the Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. The horse-trading was about what it will cost the EU to stem of the flow of immigrants who pass through Turkey on their way to Europe. Finally […]The ASEAN Community sees the light: the genesis of a new powerful economic and political bloc and EU’s big opportunity
November 24, 2015 by Leave a Comment
The global “trade gold rush” we analysed last week doesn’t seem to be limited to the European Union solely, but indeed it’s expanding on a larger scale around the globe. Already on 16 November during G20 Leaders Summit, where the Sting was the only Brussels-based EU media to attend and cover extensively the top world summit in […]EU responds to terror fallout by eroding borderless Europe and molesting the refugees
November 23, 2015 by Leave a Comment
The very title of the Press release which the extraordinary Justice and Home Affairs Council of the European Union issued after its 20 November meeting, is quite indicative of the multiple fractures that the Union suffers after the terrorist attacks, which took place in Paris on 13 November 2015. The title reads as follows: “Conclusions […]G20 LIVE: the EU trade gold rush continues as EU and Australia agree to launch Free Trade Agreement (FTA) live from Antalya Turkey
November 19, 2015 by Leave a Comment
While the outcomes of the last round of the TTIP negotiations and the many recent turning points are still dominating the conversation on the trade side in Brussels, another major happening broke a few days ago. Following talks at G20 Leaders Summit in Antalya Turkey last Sunday morning with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, the President of […]
