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News Saturday 26th May 2012
Franco-American relations after the election of François Hollande
The French Presidential election was not really followed in the US, where incidentally, a preference for "continuity" embodied by the outgoing president seemed to dominate amongst many of the country's leaders. Indeed, Nicolas Sarkozy's Presidency was marked by excellent France-US relations. In this context, although the positions of the new President François Hollande on issues such as the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and the anti-missile defence system seemed to comprise bones of contention with the US, his main advantage amongst American leaders is his clear commitment to a European policy that is more in favour of growth. This position has indeed gained the support of the Obama administration, which is concerned about the European economic situation and its possible effects on the other side of the Atlantic.
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Ranking of member states according to the ratio of women in the government
The Robert Schuman Foundation publishes three tables which provide a ranking of EU States according to the proportion of women in the governement, in the national Parliaments and in the European Parliament. In the ranking of member States accoring to the proportion of women in the governement, France is in second position, after Sweden.
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Uncertainty about the outcome of the Irish referendum on 31st May on the European budgetary pact
The Irish are being called to ballot on 31st May next in a vote on the European budgetary pact – the so-called treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance (TSCG), signed on 2nd March in Brussels by the Heads of State and government of 25 EU Member States (except for the UK and the Czech Republic). The European budgetary pact will enter into force as soon as at least 12 Member States have ratified it. Ireland is the only country to submit the European budgetary pact to referendum. The most recent poll by the Millward Brown Lansdowne institute, published on 17th May last by the daily The Irish Independent shows that 37% of the Irish are going to vote in support of the ratification of the European budgetary pact whilst one quarter (24%) say they will vote 'no' to the treaty. One third of those interviewed, a high percentage, are still undecided.
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Further Elections in Greece on 17th June
Faced with the failure on the part of the three parties that came out ahead in the general election on 6th May - ie New Democracy, the Radical Left -SYRIZA- and PASOK - to find a majority to form a government, Greek President Karolos Papoulias was forced ask the Greeks to vote again in another round of elections that will take place on 17th June. This situation has led to great tension on the markets and concern over Greece respecting its commitments and whether it will stay in the euro zone or not. The Greeks are being invited to decide on their future and that of their country in this next election. Will this lead to a majority and if so which parties will take part?
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Surprise election of Tomislav Nikolic as the Serb President
Contrary to all expectations Tomislav Nikolic (Serb Progressive Party, SNS) won with 49.7% of the vote in the second round of the Serb presidential election on 20th May. He drew ahead of outgoing Head of State Boris Tadic (Democratic Party, DS) who won 47% of the vote. Turnout was low totalling 46.32%. Voters expressed their lassitude and have punished what some qualify as the "Tadic System". By voting for change they may also be led into co-habitation, given the result of the general elections on 6th May last.
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Europe Live

Interim Government in Greece
Greece
The President of the Greek State Council, Panayotis Pikramenos, was sworn in on 16th May as interim Prime Minister responsible for managing current...
On the Road with Jack Kerouac: a saga - from the written word to the screen
Culture
The Letters and Manuscripts Museum is presenting a exhibition devoted to one of the most mythical novels of American literature "On the road: a saga,...
The UK's exposure to the sovereign debt crisis
Studies/Reports
The "Bruges Group" has just published a paper that reviews the UK's exposure to the euro zone's sovereign debt crisis. The UK is committed to a total...
Update of the economic and political data on the Atlas site
Front page!
The European Union's Statistics Office has published data on EU growth, the Euro zone and the 27 Member States for 2011 and its forecasts for 2012....
Talking Europe receives Anni Podimata
Front page!
As part of the partnership between the Robert Schuman Foundation and the AEF the Foundation is broadcasting on its site the latest programme "Talking...
The French GDP stagnates in the first quarter of 2012
Financial Crisis
According to figures communicated on 15th May by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE), the French GDP remained stable in...
Surprise election of Tomislav Nikolic as the Serb President
Elections
Contrary to all expectations Tomislav Nikolic (Serb Progressive Party, SNS) won with 49.7% of the vote in the second round of the Serb presidential...
Franz Stock and the path to Europe
Culture
The Sauerland Museum of Arnsberg (North Rhine Westphalia) is paying tribute to the German Catholic priest, Franz Stock (1904-1948) who came from the...
The Commission undertakes the first Schengen "healthcheck"
Commission
On 16th May the European Commission published its first "healthcheck" on the Schengen Area. This report covers the period November 1st 2011 to 30th...
"After Merkozy: How France and Germany can make Europe work"
Studies/Reports
The European Council on Foreign Relations has published a report by Ulrike Guérot and Thomas Klau entitled: "After Merkozy: How France and Germany...
Annual Conference
EIB
On 15th May the EIB's annual conference took place. Its President Werner Hoyer stressed the major role played by the Bank in supporting sustainable...
Spain
Unemployment
The Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE) announced on 30th July that the unemployment rate in the second semester had reached 20.09%...
Wolfgang Schäuble, receives the Charlemagne Prize 2012
Front page!
On 17th May the 2012 Charlemagne Prize, one of the highest European prizes, was given to Wolfgang Schaüble, the German Finance Minister and Member...
The Italian and German Defence Ministers propose 'an extension' to European Defence
Italy
In an open letter to the Italian daily "Corriere della Sera" on 15th May the Italian and German Defence Ministers, Giampaolo di Paoloa and Thomas de...
First meeting between François Hollande and Angela Merkel
Germany
Just a few hours after his investiture on 15th May the new French president François Hollande made his first trip to Germany to meet German...
The euro zone and the EU's annual inflation rate declining
Eurostat
According to figures published by Eurostat on 16th May the euro zone and EU's annual inflation rates are declining. In the euro zone it lay at 2.6%...
Spain still in recession
Financial Crisis
On 17th May the National Statistics Institute released the latest figures on Spanish growth for the first quarter of 2012. This data confirms the...
Interim Government
Belgium
Outgoing Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt succeeded in reaching agreement on 19th December to form an interim government until 23rd March next...
Resignation of the Romanian Education Minister, Ioan Mang
Romania
Romanian Education Minister Ioan Mang accused of plagiarsm in several scientific articles presented his resignation on 15th May whilst the polemic...
France
Nuclear
After a meeting at the Elysée on 27th July with the Nuclear Policy Council which aimed to look into the report written by former EDF chair,...
Germany
Turkey
In an interview in the Bild Zeitung published on 27th July Guido Westerwelle, the German Foreign Minister said that Turkey was not ready to enter the...
Suma Chakrabarti - new president of the EBRD
EBRD
Briton, Suma Chakrabarti, a high ranking civil servant specialised in development, was elected on 18th May for four years as President of the...
A new round of general elections in Greece on 17th June
Elections
Faced with the failure on the part of the three parties that came out ahead in the general election on 6th May - ie New Democracy, the Radical Left...
Appointment
NATO
The Chief of Staff of the French Army, Stéphane Abrial was appointed "Supreme Allied Commander for the Transformation" of NATO on 29th July. This...
Former ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet defends the Euro's Results
Financial Crisis
During a conference at the Peterson Institute in Washington, former ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet defended the results of the EU's monetary...
Exports and Imports reach record levels
Germany
In March 2012 German exports totalled 98.9 billion euros and imports, 81.5 billion. According to provisional figures published by the Federal...
The hounding of Yulia Tymoshenko
Ukraine
On 15th May former Ukrainian Prime Minister and opposition leader, Yulia Tymoshenko announced that she had decided to suspend her medical treatment...
Iran
Council
European Foreign Ministers decided on 26th July to step up sanctions against Iran whose nuclear programme represents “a serious cause for...
15th EU-Ukraine Meeting
Council
During the EU-Ukraine Cooperation Council that took place in Brussels on 15th May European leaders declared that they were ready to step up their...
Kosovo
Council
French General Xavier Bout de Marnhac is the new director of the Police and Justice Mission in Kosovo (Eulex). The decision was taken on 27th July by...
Treaty ratified
Italia
Italian deputies have voted at the unanimity on july, 31th the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, just one week after the positive vote from the...
German-Russian relations after Putin's return
Studies/Reports
The Finnish Institute for International Affairs has published a study on "German-Russian Relations after Putin's Return". The author shows that...
The environment, the focus of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council
Council
On 14th and 15th May the 27 Agriculture and Fisheries Ministes met to debate environmental aspects of the common fisheries policy as well as the...
Conclusions of the NATO Summit in Chicago
NATO
The 28 NATO members, who met in Chicago on 20th and 21st May came to agreement on transferring responsibility for combat missions over to the Afghan...
Parliament approve the government's economic austerity programme
Financial Crisis
The Slovakian government led by Robert Fico won the vote of confidence in Parliament on 15th May regarding his project to control public finances and...
France
Andorra
The President of the Republic of France, Nicolas Sarkozy visited Andorra rapidly on 28th July; the heads of the French State are joint princes of...
Informal Meeting of the European Council on 23rd May
Diplomacy
With the aim of preparing the European Council of 28th and 29th June next and given the seriousness of the economic situation in Europe, the...
IMF Conclusions on Italy
Financial Crisis
On 16th May the IMF published the conclusions of a mission undertaken in Italy. IMF executives declared that the country's economic activity was due...
France
Unemployment
The Employment, Solidarity and the Civil Service Ministry has just published the latest unemployment figures for June 2010. The number of category A...
Commission
Loans
The European Commission paid the second part of its loan to Latvia to a total of 1.2 billion euros on 27th July together with the first payment of...
The Costs of Solidarity in the Euro Zone
Studies/Reports
"Notre Europe" has published a study by Sofia Fernandes and Eulalia Rubio who focus on an assesment of the cost of the measures that aim to provide...
Reform of the Energy Sector
Portugal
The Portuguese government adopted a reform of the energy sector on 17th May which will enable consumers to save between 170 and 190 million euros per...
Elections
Moldova
Together the four main opposition parties won the early general elections in Moldova with 50.7% of the vote and 53 MPs ahead of the Communist Party...
UK
Turkey
Visiting Turkey on 27th July British Prime Minister David Cameron said that he would fight for Turkey to be able to join the European Union. He...
ITER
Agreement
At an extraordinary meeting at Cadarache on 27th and 28th July the seven project partners of the Iter project (European Community of Atomic...
Consequences of the French Presidential Election on Austerity
Studies/Reports
"Fair Observer" published an analysis on 14th May entitled : " Francois Hollande's Victory: What It Tells Us About France." Author, John Bruton,...
The Czech Republic in Recession
Financial Crisis
According to the first estimates by the national statistics bureau published on 15th May the Czech GDP contracted by 1% in the first quarter of 2012...
The European Union and the Ukraine
Studies/Reports
The Carnegie Europe Foundation has published an article by Olga Shumylo-Tapiola entitled "EU's B plan for Ukraine". Seeing that Ukraine "is not doing...
EU Agreement to Support Banks
Financial Crisis
On 15th May the 27 Economy and Finance Ministers came to agreement on the capitalisation of banks and investment companies. The aim is to transpose...
The G6 supports the freezing of criminal assets
Germany
The German, British, Spanish, French, Italian and Polish Interior Ministers of the G6, who met in Munich on 17th and 18th May, approved the European...
Démocratie participative-Democratie de proximité, dialoguer en Europe
Front page!
The fifth European Association Conference is taking place on 21st and 22nd May in Strasbourg. Organised by the Maison de l'Europe of Strasbourg with...
Postponement of Ratko Mladic's Trial
UN
On 17th May trial of former military leader of the Serb Army of Bosnia, Ratko Mladic was postponed sine die because of "irregularities" in the...
European Roadmap to settle the crisis
Front page!
Jean-Dominique Giuliani, chairman of the Robert Schuman Foundation and Joachim Bitterlich, Deputy Chairman of Notre Europe, both co-founders and...
External Service
Council
On 26th July European Foreign Ministers launched Union’s new diplomatic service which should enable it to speak with one voice on the international...
Composition of the French Government led by Jean-Marc Ayrault
France
The new government led by French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault was announced on 16th May. The government comprises 34 ministers, 17 of whom are...
Iceland
Membership
On 27th July the first intergovernmental conference on Iceland’s membership of the EU was held in Brussels. Although Iceland abides by nearly ¾ of...
1st Quarter 2012: stable growth in the euro zone and in the European Union
Eurostat
According to rapid estimates published by Eurostat on 15th May, during the first quarter of 2012 the euro zone and EU GDP remained stable in...
The Eurogroup declares in "unshakeable" support to Greece
Financial Crisis
On 14th May the Finance Ministers of the 17 euro zone Member States looked into the economic situation in some Member countries (Ireland, the...
Growth at the heart of the "Schuman Report on Europe, the State of the Union 2012"
Front page!
The issue of growth and the means to overcome the crisis is the focus of the Schuman Report on Europe, the State of the Union 2012". This, the sixth...
UK
Retirement
On 29th July the British government announced a project to abolish the automatic age of retirement of 65 within one year's time. This project aims to...
The G8 leadrs recall their "commitment to budgetary responsibility"
Financial Crisis
The leaders of the G8 countries, (USA, Canada, Italy, France, Germany, UK, Japan and Russia) who met in Camp David on 18th and 19th May declared...
Brussels
Constitutional Court
The Constitutional Court in Brussels delivered a decision on 29th July that suspends the Flemish decision imposing Dutch speaking inspectors on...
From economic to political instability: Greece increasingly isolated
Financial Crisis
Greece has now entered its fifth consecutive year of recession. According to the most recent figures published on 15th May by the National Statistics...
Lady with an Ermine at the Wawel Castle
Culture
Since 12th May the "Lady with an Ermine" by Leonardo da Vinci is again on show in Krakow at the Royal Castle of Wawel after travelling to Madrid,...
Publication of External Trade Figures for March
Eurostat
According to Eurostat figures published on 16th May the euro zone's external trade in March 2012 was in surplus of 8.6 billion euros against 2.3...
Council
General Affairs and External Relations
On 27th July the 27 Foreign Ministers called on the Commission to issue an opinion on the request for EU membership on the part of Iceland. They...
France
Growth
In a report published on 30th July the IMF announced its growth forecasts for France: it is reckoning on growth of 1.6% in 2011 and 1.8% in 2012. It...
The German economy recovers
Financial Crisis
According to figures published on 15th May by Destatis the German economy grew by 0.5% in the first quarter of 2012. Over the last three months of...
Carbon Tax
Eurobarometer
An survey undertaken by Eurobarometer and published on 29th July shows that Europeans do not support the idea of a special tax on products that are...
Peter Altmaier: new federal Environment Minister
Germany
During a declaration made to the press on 16th May the German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced the dismissal of her environment minister, Norbert...
Eurostat
Population
According to data released by the European statistics office, Eurostat, published on 27th July the EU’s population has risen above the 500 million...
Georgia
Council
European Foreign Ministers decided on 26th July to extend the surveillance mission in Georgia (EUMM) by one year until September 2011. The EUMM...

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