Tamborini, R. & Farina, F. (2014) “Europe’s Stalemate“, Economonitor, 17 Ιουλίου.   The causes of the present crisis of the European Union trace back to the past phases of the integration process.  In the 1980s, the series of agreements and common policies of “mutual advantage” among the EU members came to an end. Most economies of scale had been exploited by the EU countries, as an effect of the access …Read More

Nahles, A. (2014) “European Social Policy For The Next Five Years“, Social Europe Journal, 21 Ιουλίου.   For generations, Europe was a project of hope. To my parents’ generation, after a time of war and hostility, Europe represented the hope of achieving economic progress together in an atmosphere of peace and friendship. To my generation, Europe symbolised a place of hope and freedom following the Cold War. We criss-crossed fading …Read More

Lannoo, K. (2014) “Juncker raises high expectations with ambitious agenda“, Politics and Institutions, CEPS Commentaries, 16 Ιουλίου.   Based on his speech to the European Parliament on July 15th, following his election as President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker has clearly opted for ‘more Union’ during his five-year term, offering up an ambitious agenda that raises a host of expectations. In this CEPS Commentary, Karel Lannoo outlines the most …Read More

Wolff, Β. G. (2014) “Why Juncker’s industrial goals are unlikely to be achieved“, Bruegel Institute, 16 Ιουλίου.   Instead of setting numerical goals, the new Commission president should focus on framework conditions, the single market and market failures ‘Industrial policy is back!’ This is the message given by the President Elect of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, at his confirmation by the European Parliament yesterday. In his speech, Juncker said …Read More

Hugh, E. (2014) “Spain and the IMF: Round the Bend or Out of the Woods?“, A Fistful of Euros-European Opinion Blog, 15 Ιουλίου.   “Spain has turned the corner”. With this stark statement the IMF opened it’s annual Article IV consultation report for 2014. Naturally the statement rankled, with this author among others, because at first sight it seems to be saying something which on closer reading of the report …Read More

Hoffer, F. (2014) “Why We Need Movement Of Free People“, Social Europe Journal, 15 Ιουλίου.   When Franklin Roosevelt outlined his essential four freedoms in 1941 he was convinced democracy could only be defended and advanced beyond the remaining 11 democracies by replacing classical liberalism with a comprehensive concept based on freedom of expression, freedom of worship, freedom of want and freedom from fear. Real freedom cannot exist if one of …Read More

Worth, J. (2014) “The next President of the European Council and High Representative for Foreign Affairs: a final look at the candidates“, LSE EUROPP, 15 Ιουλίου.   The European Council will meet on 16 July with the aim of deciding who will replace Herman Van Rompuy as President of the European Council and Catherine Ashton as the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs. Jon Worth takes a final look at …Read More

Merritt, G. (2014) “Juncker’s Make-or-Break Presidency“, Project Syndicate, 09 Ιουλίου.   Some say that political theater, not policies, drives democracies, and that’s certainly true of the drama – with comic overtones – that has been playing out in the European Union. The European Parliament elections in late May highlighted the “big picture” of the EU’s accelerating unpopularity; yet that warning was quickly eclipsed by the much smaller question of who …Read More

Innerarity, D. (2014) “EU democracy should be based on the principle of respecting diverse identities, not uniting through the creation of a European demos“, LSE EUROPP, 09 Ιουλίου.   Is the development of a European ‘demos’ necessary for the EU to be democratic? Daniel Innerarity writes that while a shared demos is often put forward as a fundamental aspect of democracy, it also entails certain negative developments, such as a …Read More