January 05, 2010 | Estonians never wanted the Euro

The first of January - the day Estonia started to replace the kroon with the euro, was a sad day for Estonia and for Europe. Estonia is switching to the euro during the worst crisis in the history of the common currency. And by joining the euro without a referendum, the Estonian government is not only gambling with the Baltic nation's economy and welfare but also with its democracy and its right to self-determination.

January 01, 2010 | Estonia boards the Titanic

On 1 January 2011, the Republic of Estonia will adopt the euro by abandoning its national currency, that has functioned successfully for 18 years. As the culmination of their “Save the Estonian Kroon” campaign, Estonia’s euro opponents will light candles across the country on december 31st in order to protest the liquidation of the Estonian kroon. The euro critics are also distributing their successful posters entitled, “Estonia! Welcome to the Titanic” and “Stop the Euro-rouble”. One poster depicts a sinking Titanic, with stacks emitting clouds of smoke that signify Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Spain.

December 03, 2010 | Don’t destroy the Kroon!

Tallin. December 2. Danish and Estonian eurocritics held a seminar focused on the current crisis in the Euro zone and the potential threats arising from the transition to the Euro in Estonia, the only country that will join the European currency next year – in the midst of economic uncertainty.

November 29, 2010 | EU agrees to Irish bailout

The EU has agreed to help Ireland fight its debt crisis with an €85 billion rescue package. Other non-eurozone countries will contribute with the bailout.

November 24, 2010 | Euro in “exceptionally serious” situation

German Chancellor Angela Merkel showed her concerns on the current difficult euro situation. On Tuesday she said, “We are facing an exceptionally serious situation as far as the euro’s situation is concerned.”

November 19, 2010 | 2011 E.U. Budget – Another Deadlock

Once again, E.U. member states struggle to reach an agreement on next year’s budget, leading to deadlock earlier this week. If they do not reach an agreement by the end of December, the E.U. will have to continue with the same budget of 2010.

November 17, 2010 | Crisis Ready To Spread

The European crisis continues to alarm the EU. European officials are worried that the debt crisis is now ready to spread across Europe and warn that any plans to solve the crisis would have to include Portugal and Ireland. Ireland and Portugal keep insisting that they have enough funds continue functioning until spring.

November 16, 2010 | The European Parliament’s demand – increased expenses and a new EU tax

The European Parliament not only wants a larger EU Budget for next year, it also wants to create a EU tax to make its income independent from the member states’ will to pay the increased expenses and new projects of the European Union. The idea about a EU tax has looked a little different over the years. Today, there is a proposal about a research of taxing financial transactions. The European Parliament has previously proposed that the EU should receive a direct payment of the VAT that consumers pay when they shop.

November 09, 2010 | Iceland rejects €30 million to avoid EU propaganda

Iceland, a EU candidate country, rejected funds of the Instrument of Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) worth up to €30 million because it fears that the money would not let inner negotiations to properly take place. All EU candidates can access the IPA to finance pre-accession projects, such as economic and social well-being, rural development, and others that strengthen the country and help it with its transition to the EU. Iceland had been eligible for this fund since June, but has now rejected it.

November 04, 2010 | Eurokrisen: Presentation

Click here to see a presentation on the Seminar about the Euro-crisis.

November 04, 2010 | The EU Summit’s bid – “only” a 2.9% raise to the 2011 EU budget

UK’s Prime Minister David Cameron had to give in a little to the EU’s demands. At least eleven member states were a blocking minority against the EU Parliament’s demand of a 5.9% budget increase. The Euro-MP Elmar Brok (German CDU) was on BBC last week and stated that the EU needs more money due to its increased competence. One could ask – are the member state competences decreasing? Should not they have the possibility to cut corresponding amounts in the budgets? Or does the EU now cover completely other political areas that must be covered by the taxpayers? The EU Parliament’s president Jerzy Buzek attacked Cameron for being “anti-European.” On the other hand, Angela Merkel answered that recently she had to cut the German budget and that that did not make her “anti-German.”

November 03, 2010 | Seminarium om Eurokrisen - 29 okt 2010

Click here to watch the complete seminar.

October 28, 2010 | The European Parliament raise – 5.9% budget increase

On the same day that the UK government announced huge cutbacks in its state budget (October 20), the European Parliament voted in favor of a 5.9% increase of the EU budget for 2011—that is 130 billion euro. The UK’s gross increase of the EU fee will be 840 million pounds if the European Parliament receives its increase. The European Parliament alone is responsible for increases in the number of posts for civil servants to 388 and as well as the members’ secretariats allowances. The European Parliament’s resolution on the Council´s position on a draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2011 was processed in the Jędrzejewska/Trüpel report (A7-0284/2010).

October 26, 2010 | Serbia closer to joining the E.U.

Despite the pressure on the Serbian government to arrest Ratko Mladic, foreign ministers from the EU decided yesterday to open Serbia’s possibility to obtain membership in the union. Having the European Commission consider a formal study on Serbia’s membership application is a very symbolic moment for the nation, which could also mean another milestone in the EU’s history.

October 21, 2010 | Cutbacks and times of crisis? – Not in the EU Budget

During a time of recession where issues are taking place, such as big demonstrations in France against raised retirement ages; tough government negotiations in Portugal with proposals of cutbacks and tax increases; and the United Kingdom awaiting an announcement of a draconian cutback program in the public sector spending, there is still a political level were cutbacks are never discussed. This level is the European institutions level. Every year the EU institutions’ annual budget increases, new jobs arise, salaries raise and a constant hope exists about an establishment of a special European Union tax.

October 18, 2010 | Merkel: Anti-immigration to regain popularity?

On 16 October, German Chancellor Angela Merkel held a meeting with young members of her Christian Democratic Union party in Potsdam where she assured that attempts to build a multicultural society in Germany have “utterly failed.” Her remarks are seen as a shift to the right as the CDU lose popularity amongst the polls. Ms. Merkel explained how at the beginning of the 60s Germany called foreign workers to come to Germany, but now they live in the country. Germany believed that these foreign workers would only come for a period of time. Time has proven a different reality.

October 15, 2010 | French centre-right MPs want to cut EU funds to Turkey

Centre-right French MPs on Thursday (14 September) tabled an amendment in the National Assembly demanding that France next year not pay money due to Turkey to help it on the path to EU membership French daily Le Monde reports that around 50 deputies from president Nicolas Sarkozy's own Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) party are opposed to including so-called pre-accession funds in the national finance bill for 2011. The UMP has 317 of the 577-seat lower house. The money is used by the EU-hopeful to fund public programmes and policies aimed at bringing it into line with member state norms in areas such as health, education and infrastructure policies.

October 14, 2010 | EU states and MEPs clash over international talks

Member states are considering taking the EU Parliament to court if it does not back down on demands for new powers on EU foreign policy and international agreements, EUobserver has learnt. Ambassadors representing member states at a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday (13 October) signaled their discontent over an inter-institutional agreement between the European Commission and the EU legislature which may give fresh powers to euro-deputies, especially when it comes to international negotiations on behalf of the EU. The draft report, according to an analysis by the council of ministers' legal services, could lead to a stand-off between EU institutions if adopted as such next week in Strasbourg.

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