October 24, 2011
The euro-zone is undergoing an existential crisis, which can be attributed to three fundamental causes: a mismatch of economic governance among euro-zone member countries; an insufficient oversight of national economic and fiscal policies; the absence of effective sanctions against non-compliance with joint policy rules. The present crisis is the result of more than 10 years… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
At an emergency meeting on Syria held in Cairo October 16th the Arab League foreign ministers have called for an immediate end of violence and invited the Syrian government and opposition forces to urgently engage in a dialogue. They fell short of suspending Syrian membership, as they had done in February with Libya in protest… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
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English, Enlargement & Neighbours, EU Priorities and Opinion |
October 18, 2011
Oil reserves from tar sands in Canada and Venezuela are equal to the world`s total known conventional fossil oil reserves. But the production process is extremely damaging to the environment; and it causes at least 20 percent higher C02 emissions than conventional oil. That is why oil production from tar sands has always been highly… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
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Canada, Climate change, Energy Supply, English, Tar sands, Venezuela |
October 17, 2011
The condemnation of former Ukrainian prime minister Julia Timoschenko for having negotiated unfavourable terms in the 2008 gas agreement with Russia has raised a storm of outrage in EU quarters. However justified, passion should never be a guide to external relations which need to be rationally defined on the basis of long-term political and economic… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
October 13, 2011
In the framework of Belgian`s most recent constitutional reform it has also been that as of 2014 elections for the European, national and regional parliaments should be held simultaneously. This constitutes a landmark decision for European democracy. All EU member states should follow the Belgian example. The electoral period should be extended to five years.… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
October 10, 2011
For the last two decades the international community has unsuccessfully attempted to control climate change. The next Climate Conference due to start November 29th in Durban, South Africa, does not augur any better! The failure stems from: the impossibility of reaching a consensus among 200-odd countries with widely divergent interests; the absence of tangible targets… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
Thoughts on energy and climate, the Mediterranean and whatever comes to mind.
