Επιλεγμένες Ειδήσεις από New Europe

Finland-Estonia Gas Pipe to Diversify EU Supplies Away from Russia

Δευ, 16 Οκτωβρίου 2017 - 13:30

The BalticConnector, a EU-backed gas transmission project between Estonia and Finland, will become operational from the beginning of 2020, boosting EU energy security, Herkko Plit, President and CEO at Baltic Connector Oy, told New Europe in Helsinki on October 12. “Balticconnector (BC) will become operational from the beginning of 2020 onwards,” Plit said.

Italy’s New Energy Strategy to Cut Gas Prices

Παρ, 13 Οκτωβρίου 2017 - 14:22

Italy’s Economic Development Minister Carlo Calenda has proposed a national energy strategy aimed at overhauling the country’s gas sector and cutting prices by 5%. Under the plan, Italy would buy pipeline capacity in neighbouring Switzerland.

EU Strives for Highly Energy Efficient Buildings, Electro-Mobility by 2050

Πεμ, 12 Οκτωβρίου 2017 - 12:56

The European Parliament’s Industry and Energy Committee on October 11 agreed new measures to ensure that all new buildings in the EU are as energy-efficient as possible by 2050. Rules to channel the focus towards energy-efficiency and cost-effectiveness when existing buildings are renovated in the EU were approved on October 11 by the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

Iran Hardliners, Pragmatists Unite Against Trump

Τετ, 11 Οκτωβρίου 2017 - 14:18

Iran’s hardliners – those who cast the United States as an implacable enemy and the pragmatists who seek rapprochement with the West – are finding a common stance… against US President Donald Trump. After repeatedly blaming his predecessor Barack Obama of being too soft on Iran, Trump is expected to announce a hardening of policy, which is likely to include “decertifying” a landmark 2015 deal that lifted international sanctions in return for curbs on Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Eurogroup Agrees on Backstop Role for ESM’s Bailout Fund at Schäuble’s Last Meeting

Τρι, 10 Οκτωβρίου 2017 - 13:24

As the last Eurogroup meeting for the German finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble came to an end in Luxembourg, the eurozone finance ministers debated on Monday on a future backstop role of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) and the future of the European Monetary Union (EMU).

FDP Wants to Cut Off Greece from the Eurozone

Δευ, 9 Οκτωβρίου 2017 - 13:43

The German Free Democratic Party (FDP) leader Christian Lindner has been demanding a change of policy towards the Eurozone to enter the government. In an interview with Handelsblatt on Friday, Linder made clear that joining the government as a junior coalition partner will require a change of policy regarding the Eurozone.

Macron Offers to Mediate Between Kurds and Baghdad

Παρ, 6 Οκτωβρίου 2017 - 13:54

Emmanuel Macron offered to mediate between Erbil and Bagdad, Reuters published on Thursday, October 5. France is the second biggest contributor of troops in the campaign against the Islamic State and is considered a direct stakeholder. “France is ready, if Iraqi authorities wish, to actively contribute to the mediation launched by the United Nations,” Reuters reports Macron as saying.

Searching for Meaning in Greek PM Tsipras’ Planned Washington Visit

Πεμ, 5 Οκτωβρίου 2017 - 13:22

Since the announcement of a White House meeting for Greek PM Alexis Tsipras last July, issued by the Office of Vice President Pence, observers have been trying to fathom a compelling purpose for such a meeting. We now have a time frame for the meeting with President Trump in Washington, sometime in mid-October (October 17 is rumored), and this timing explains why PM Tsipras skipped his normal New York UN General Assembly visit last month.

Brussels Fines Lithuanian Railways €28m

Τετ, 4 Οκτωβρίου 2017 - 13:40

Lithuanian Railways (Lietuvos geležinkeliai) has been fined €28m by the European Commission for violating the European Union’s antitrust rules. “Lithuanian Railways used its control over the national rail infrastructure to penalise competitors in the rail transport sector,” said Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy.

Catalonia Referendum Violence Met with Mixed Reaction

Τρι, 3 Οκτωβρίου 2017 - 14:00

European leaders’ reaction to Catalonia’s violence-marred independence referendum on October 1 was mixed. Some strongly condemned the force used by Spanish police ordered to prevent the vote. Others commented warily, mindful of separatist movements in their own countries or the EU.

Voting in the Catalan Referendum Becomes an Act of Protest

Δευ, 2 Οκτωβρίου 2017 - 13:44

“Votarem” or “we will vote” became a slogan, a hashtag, and an act of defiance in Catalonia on Sunday. However, it is hard to speak of a peaceful vote in Catalonia. Rather than a protest vote, voting became a form of protest against the Spanish state, in the most violent clashes between citizens and the police in the region since the end of the Spanish dictatorship.

UK Joins Canada in Boeing-Bombardier Dispute

Παρ, 29 Σεπτεμβρίου 2017 - 13:27

The British Prime Minister Theresa May criticized Boeing’s trade war on Bombardier on Thursday. She said Boeing’s legal demand for an import tax is “not the kind of behaviour we’d expect from a long-term partner.”

Turkey Stops Flights and Threatens Blockage of Kurdish Autonomous Region

Πεμ, 28 Σεπτεμβρίου 2017 - 13:00

Turkey’s customs minister Bülent Tüfenkci warned on Wednesday that closing the border with the Kurdish Regional Government in the North of Iraq is being considered. On Friday Turkey will seize flights to Erbil, the region’s capital. The region is landlocked between Iran, Turkey, Syria, and the rest of Iraq.

Macron Calls for a Europe that Leads Rather Than Adjusts

Τετ, 27 Σεπτεμβρίου 2017 - 13:30

Europe must change because, as it stands, it is “too weak, too slow and too inefficient,” President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday. Two days after the triumph of Euroscepticism in Germany, in the form of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the less-than-liberal FDP, President Macron made clear that Paris is demanding rather than merely wishing for change.

Political Volatility Weakens the Euro, which May Be Good News

Τρι, 26 Σεπτεμβρίου 2017 - 13:40

The cloud of German political uncertainty had the silver lining of a weaker Euro on Monday., which could help to soar up inflation. The currency lost as much as 0,5% in early Asian trading. That is still minuscule given the 13% appreciation of the Euro against the dollar since January 2017. But, for the European Central Bank, this could a good start.

The Eurozone’s Political Integration is Now Less Likely

Δευ, 25 Σεπτεμβρίου 2017 - 14:23

Sunday’s German elections saw the worst result for the Christian Democrats (CDU) and the Social Democrats (SPD) since 1949. The status quo no longer has the political authority to reform the status quo. Germany has shown it is less exceptional than anyone thought. The political pendulum between the center-right is in crisis in Berlin as it is elsewhere.