There is no doubt about the outcome of the referendum on Crimea’s future annexation to Russia. It’s not only that 68% of the Crimean population is of Russian origin and speak Russian. The omnipotent presence of the Russian armed forces in the peninsula, the transparent ballot boxes and the fact that there are no envelopes […]Crimea: The last bloodless secession of a Ukraine region?
March 17, 2014 by Leave a Comment
There is no doubt about the outcome of the referendum on Crimea’s future annexation to Russia. It’s not only that 68% of the Crimean population is of Russian origin and speak Russian. The omnipotent presence of the Russian armed forces in the peninsula, the transparent ballot boxes and the fact that there are no envelopes […]EU Parliament: No EU-US trade agreement without safe data
March 14, 2014 by Leave a Comment
The European Parliament, in a strongly worded and overwhelmingly voted resolution, set a definite condition for the legislature’s approval of the currently under negotiation EU-US free trade agreement (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership – TTIP). The condition is that American NSA’s mass surveillance practices be completely stopped. The relevant Press release clearly states that “Parliament’s […]How the EU sees its own and Russia’s role in Ukraine
March 7, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Donald Tusk, the Prime Minister of Poland, after yesterday’s European Union summit of its 28 leaders convened to examine the situation in Ukraine, termed it as stormy. He added that the sanctions against Russia the 28 decided were very limited but still, given the deep divisions of the leaders, he said those measures were the […]Ukraine: The West and Russia negotiate shares of influence
March 6, 2014 by 1 Comment
The seriousness of approach, the magnitude of the interest and the pertinence of the proposal the European Union adopted yesterday to end the stalemate in Ukraine can be seen in the kind of money the EU sets aside for this country. José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission stated yesterday that the Union can […]Eurozone stagnates after exporting its recession to trading partners
March 5, 2014 by 1 Comment
Today Eurostat, the EU statistical service, published its second and more accurate estimate for the euro area and the EU28 Gross National Product during the last quarter of 2013, and confirmed its flash estimate of 14 February when it had reported GDP increases of 0.3% and 0.4% respectively, in relation to the previous quarter. On […]The EU to bear the cost of eventual sanctions against Russia
March 4, 2014 by Leave a Comment
It’s easy for Washington and London to threaten Russia with far reaching economic sanctions, but very many countries and businesses in continental Europe don’t see it that way. The US and Britain after having actively supported the ‘Kiev revolution’ which ousted Victor Yanukovych from the Presidency, now insist that the West imposes tough economic measures […]Europe enters uncharted waters with Kiev-Moscow standoff
March 4, 2014 by Leave a Comment
With a brief announcement of the G7, the West is practically recognising the occupation of Crimea by the Russian armed forces as a ‘fait accompli’ and by the same token the dismembering of Ukraine. The announcement signed yesterday by the G7 heads of states or governments, even accepts that Russia has “security or human rights […]De Gucht: More gaffes with the talks on the EU-US free trade agreement
March 3, 2014 by Leave a Comment
European Commissioner Karel de Gucht, responsible for Trade, speaking after the informal Athens meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council (Trade), attended by the 28 Foreign Trade ministers, failed to accurately report the Council’s opinion on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) that is the free trade agreement currently under negotiation between the Union […]The new Kiev rulers ask $35 billion from the West
February 25, 2014 by Leave a Comment
The new rulers of Kiev now demand from the West 35 billion in an aid package, without making it clear if this is in dollars or euros. As they say ‘after the meal comes the bill’ and the West has to come up with a convincing support scheme, because Ukraine can turn around and change […]Can the US deal a blow to EU and Russia together over Ukraine?
February 24, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Within 24 hours the agreement that the European Union brokered in Ukraine was turned into a worthless paper by around 200 MPs and some hundreds of heavily armed ‘protestors’ in Kiev. Given that the power behind this radical change in the Parliament couldn’t be Russia or the EU it has to be Ukraine’s proper oligarchs, […]EU-US trade deal: Europe to Americanize its social model?
February 20, 2014 by Leave a Comment
It can’t be both. Either the EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht hadn’t recovered from the transatlantic trip hangover, while speaking in Washington on Tuesday, or he thinks we are all morons. He said: “I invite all Europeans to also discuss their concerns about the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) (free trade deal)… Because […]Industrial producer prices on free fall and stagnant output
February 14, 2014 by 1 Comment
During the last few days, Eurostat, the EU statistical service, has produced disappointing data on the Eurozone economy. Last week it was a fall of the volume of retail sales in December by 1.6%, compared to November. Also in December last year compared with December 2012 the retail sales index decreased by 1% in […]The US banks drive the developing world to a catastrophe
January 31, 2014 by Leave a Comment
How is it possible that the good news of the growth of the American economy which has raised its gear, also brings forth crisis and possibly destruction in developing countries? Yet this is exactly what is already happening in our brave new world. The good news is that the US economy now grows at a […]Foreign direct investments the success secrete of Eurozone
January 28, 2014 by 1 Comment
Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) are long-term placements in real economy business, not right away tradable, realized by investors residing outside the country. They should be sharply distinguished from the highly volatile financial investments on stocks and bonds, which can depart from the country at any moment. The crisis years in the period 2009-2012 don’t seem […]Glaringly false reassurances about the repercussions of the EU-US free trade agreement
January 23, 2014 by 1 Comment
Yesterday, Karel De Gucht, the EU Trade Commissioner delivered a speech in Düsseldorf, to reassure his German audience that the EU-US negotiations to conclude a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (Free Trade Agreement), will not lead to abandonment of EU health rules that ban genetically modified food and beef with hormones nor will it give […]IMF launches a new offensive against Germany
January 22, 2014 by Leave a Comment
In the latest issue of its World Economic Outlook (WEO), which was published yesterday, the IMF raises the tone of criticism against Europe. It’s again the risk of deflation and the projection that “economic slack will remain high”, the two axes which constitute the cutting edge of criticism of North America against Eurozone. The latest […]Eurostat confirms a dangerously fast falling inflation in Eurozone
January 17, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Yesterday Eurostat confirmed that the euro area inflation rate for December was down to 0.8% from 0.9% in November, dangerously approaching the negative part of the graph. The announcement coincided with IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde’s warning that weak growth in Eurozone is now also threatened by deflation (continuously falling prices leading to real economy […]IMF’s Lagarde indirectly cautioned Eurozone on deflation
January 16, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Weak growth is threatened by deflation in the developed world, while emerging markets have to overcome the financial turbulences that lie ahead, due to forthcoming restrictive monetary policy by the US central bank, the Fed. This is what IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said yesterday, speaking at the National Press Club in the U.S. capital. […]Who would pay and who is to gain from the EU-US free trade agreement
December 21, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Challenging the factual reality, that the ‘gains’ from the currently under negotiation EU-US trade agreement would come mainly from deregulation in the fields of health, safety, environment, financial and data security, the European chief negotiator Garcia Bercero insisted that: “the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is not and will not be a deregulation agenda”. […]EU security and defence industry prepares positions for ‘producers’ and ‘customers’
December 20, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The fast track sovereignty concession in the sphere of the economy, that the European Union and more so the Eurozone has recently scheduled for the coming years, with the accomplishment of the European Banking Union, was yesterday mirrored in the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy. The EU leaders who met in Brussels yesterday for […]OECD tells Eurozone to prepare its banks for a tsunami coming from developing countries
November 21, 2013 by Leave a Comment
OECD is not like the IMF. The Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development, unlike the International Monetary Fund doesn’t chew its words, when it comes to the economic prospects of the global economy. The reason is that its mandate obliges the Organisation to effectively protect its 34 member states from the dangers lurking ahead, by […]EU Commission – US hasten talks to avoid NGO reactions on free trade agreement
November 18, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Last Friday 15 November the European Union and the United States concluded the second round of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations in Brussels. The TTIP is a kind of enlarged free trade agreement involving the two largest trading partners of the world. It covers mainly the impediments after the borders (regulations and technical barriers) […]The Commission favours the cultivation of more GMOs in Europe
November 7, 2013 by 1 Comment
The delay in the process of negotiations for the conclusion of the EU-US trade agreement seems to have opened the opportunity to clarify some thorny matters between the two largest trading partners of the world. One of them is surely the cultivation on EU soil of Monsanto’s genetically modified ‘Pioneer 1507’ maize seed. Apart from […]The EU-US trade agreement, victim of right-wing extremists and security lunatics
November 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The 17 days, that the extreme right (Tea Party politicians) of the US Republican Party forced the American administration to partially shut down, have already cost the GOP the mayorship of New York and the governorship of Virginia, but have also endangered their country’s trade agreement with their closest economic partner, the European Union. The […]Inflation down to 0.7%, unemployment up at 12.2%: Bad omens for Eurozone
November 1, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Eurostat, the EU statistical service, estimates that euro area inflation in October fell to 0.7% from 1.1% in September. It was 1.6% in July and then fell to 1.3% in August. This is an alarmingly fast deceleration of consumer price dynamism, threatening Eurozone with real disinflation, way below the 2% benchmark set by the European […]The EU Parliament sidesteps the real issues about banks, while the US target the Eurozone lenders
October 28, 2013 by 3 Comments
Last week, The Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee – ECON of the European Parliament approved a draft legislation to ostensibly protect small investors from risks hidden in investment products sold by banks. However, this development coincided with J.P. Morgan’s agreement with the American authorities over a payment of a record fine of $13.5 billion, regarding […]The 28 EU leaders don’t touch the thorny issues
October 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The 28 EU leaders presently meeting in Brussels, seem to have chosen the ‘illegal migration’ and the ‘European pride’ issues as the main items on their agenda. This is the best way to avoid the burning social and economic issues, which torment “the richest continent” of the world, as the President of the European Parliament […]Parliament asks for the termination of EU-US bank data deal
October 24, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The European Parliament finally voted in favour of the suspension of EU-US bank data deal, in response to NSA snooping. “The EU should suspend its Terrorist Finance Tracking Program (TFTP) agreement with the US in response to the US National Security Agency‘s alleged tapping of EU citizens’ bank data held by the Belgian company SWIFT”, […]EU signs with Canada historic trade agreement, others to follow
October 19, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The announcement of the conclusion of the EU-Canada free trade agreement yesterday not only opens a new chapter in the history of EU-Canada relations, but the solutions agreed in sensitive chapters, like agriculture and animal products and public procurement will serve as a base for the under negotiation similar pact with the US. The Prime […]G20: Less growth, more austerity for developing countries
October 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment
IMF – World Bank’s annual meetings and the G20 Finance ministers and central bank governors gathering in Washington D.C. this weekend proved two things; first that the world is more divided now, in the aftermath of the financial crisis and second and more important that the labouring millions of the globe in developing and […]Why Europe is more competitive than the US
October 11, 2013 by 1 Comment
The commonly recited rough theory, that Eurozone economy is less competitive than the US, is not confirmed by core statistics. The European Sting has repeatedly stressed that Eurozone is by far a net exporter of sophisticated products and services, while the US suffers of a chronic and probably structural, foreign trade deficit. In this […]Who may profit from the rise of the extreme right in the West?
October 10, 2013 by 1 Comment
The European Parliament seemed abruptly awoken yesterday to an ugly reality, by recognising the rise of right-wing extremism in Europe, while discussing the murder of Pavlos Fissas, the Greek social activist slaughtered by the gangs of Golden Dawn. Of course the EU Parliament is not the only western top decision making body to suddenly discover, […]Lagarde: Keep feeding the banks cut down wages and food subsidies
October 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Lagarde to the world: Keep feeding the banks with zero interest rate cost money, further trim down workers’ rights in the developed world and reduce subsidies on foodstuffs and utilities in developing countries. This was in short what the managing director of IMF had to say, ahead of the 2013 World Bank-IMF Annual Meetings, when […]
