Topic: European Union

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Will 'historic' ceasefire help put Mali back together again?

A new deal brokered between Mali's government and ethnic Tuaregs by the EU and UN diplomats along with regional players may be a key first step.
Could French flicks derail a US-EU free trade pact?

France is worried that without an 'exception culturelle,' the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership would allow Hollywood to overwhelm the French movie industry.
Hungary under Orban moves to restrict freedom of information

The European Union member is limiting its Freedom of Information Act.
Robert Reich Wanted: A national economic strategy for better jobs

Jobs are returning slowly — too slowly — and most of them pay less than the jobs that were lost in the economic recession, Reich argues. The US needs to implement national economic strategies to build good jobs.
Hollande says debt crisis is 'over.' But is France really out of the woods?

Experts say that, despite Hollande's comments this past weekend, France could join Southern Europe's economic crisis if it does not introduce urgent reforms.
The Monitor's View Getting the fix out of sports

Sports in India, Europe, and the US all suffer from match-fixing. The corrupting influence is sports betting, a vice that shouldn't be further encouraged.
Pirate attack off Somalia thwarted by EU Naval Force

Pirate attack: The EU Naval Force says 14 Indian sailors aboard a dhow alerted officials Wednesday that their craft was under attack from 12 armed pirates.
Terrorism & Security Britain joins France in saying nerve gas used in Syria

The British Foreign Office found the presence of sarin gas in several samples from Syria a day after the French government said there was 'no doubt' the chemical weapon was used by Assad's forces.
Portuguese unions set stage for broad anti-austerity strike

Portugal's two largest unions – some 20 percent of the country's labor force – have signed onto a general strike to protest the government's austerity policies on June 27.
Robert Reich How corporations pressure government into tax breaks and subsidies

Google, Amazon, Starbucks, every other major corporation, and every big Wall Street bank, are sheltering as much of their US profits abroad as they can, Reich writes, while telling Washington that lower corporate taxes are necessary in order to keep the US 'competitive.'
In visit with Pope, Angela Merkel urges strong financial regulation

Two days after Pope Francis called for world finance reform, German Chancellor Angela Merkel met with him to discuss financial crises worldwide. She emphasized the need for tightening financial regulation.
EU austerity hawks shrug off criticism of flawed academic paper

Despite a new paper detailing flaws in the Rogoff-Reinhart study that has been used to argue in favor of austerity policies, Europe's austerity advocates are holding course.
Spain's controversial educational reform: Will the Green Tide wash it away?

New government reforms aim to reduce Spain's dropout rate. But they are opposed by green-shirted protesters from the education sector, known as the Green Tide.
The Monitor's View How Europe can find its feet again

Now in its longest recession since World War II, Europe is the world economy's weakest link. But as it achieves financial stability, it must now focus on structural overhaul to spur innovation and worker retraining.
Stash your cash in Switzerland? US and Europe push to make it harder.

A Spanish court ruling and investigations spurred by whistleblowers are aimed at scaring tax evaders and raising revenue. One watchdog's list could lead to some 300 billion euros in tax havens.
Iran's chief nuclear negotiator: we're being asked to make all the sacrifices

Saeed Jalili, Iran's top nuclear negotiator and a contender in the June presidential election, sat down with the Monitor to share his views about an 'unbalanced' nuclear offer made by world powers.
Global News Blog Germany's uncomfortable role as Europe's 'economic police'

Since World War II, Germany has preferred to stay out of international leadership roles. But the eurocrisis has put the country at Europe's head – with all the criticism that entails.
Drunk driving: Why is MADD among critics of lower alcohol limit?

The National Transportation Safety Board is proposing that the legal limit for a driver's blood-alcohol content be reduced from 0.08 to 0.05. Critics say it's the wrong focus for anti-drunk driving efforts.
Iran nuclear talks in Istanbul show progress remains elusive

Talks in Istanbul today over Iran's nuclear program and sanctions that have crippled its economy yielded little in the way of progress.
As Europe struggles, the Franco-German alliance turns testy

The relationship between France and Germany undergirds postwar Europe – and some worry the countries' increased sniping over economic woes is threatening the EU's foundation.
Opinion What could finally topple Iran's regime? Earthquakes.

Poor government response to earthquakes in Iran exposes the regime's corruption and incompetence. As the EU's Catherine Ashton and Iran’s Saeed Jalili meet in Turkey today, Tehran should heed history’s warning: No nuclear program can save a regime from a toppling earthquake.
Energy Voices Oil boom boosts US, but Europe could see decline

The benefits of the North American oil boom on this side of the Atlantic are well-documented – and the same technologies might help developing nations. But Europe's energy industry, which separately became a target of a price-fixing investigation, could emerge as a loser.
No clear path forward for Bulgaria after election split

The discovery of hundreds of thousands of illegal ballots has left Sunday's already divisive electoral results even more uncertain – and likely compounded Bulgaria's ongoing problems.
Japanese yen plunges to four-year low. G7 unlikely to act.

Japanese yen's plunge vs. the dollar makes its exports cheaper and its companies more competitive. G7 finance ministers will focus on the Japanese yen at talks in the UK this weekend.
Is Europe witnessing 'the end of the dogma of austerity'?

France's finance minister said so this week, just the latest in a growing chorus calling for a change to Brussels' hardline adherence to budget cuts as the solution to Europe's debt crisis.