As we noted in our previous blog on the potential ‘Stage 3’ of EU sanctions on Russia, the options considered by the European Commission and the EEAS seem heavily focused on financial markets, raising the question of whether London would have to should…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
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arms embargo, EU-Russia relations, France, russia, sanctions, UK;, Ukraine |
France’s Mistral warships seem to be off the tableAs Greek daily To Vima and the FT have been reporting, there is a draft going around of the EU options paper on possible further sanctions on Russia that will be discussed at today’s meeting of EU amb…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
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arms embargo, EU-Russia relations, France, russia, sanctions, UK;, Ukraine |
(l-r) The foreign ministers of Italy, Spain and FranceEU foreign ministers will meet tomorrow to discuss what to do with Russia in light of last week’s MH17 plane crash, where almost 300 people lost their lives. The option of moving to tougher ‘Stage 3…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
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EU foreign ministers, EU top jobs, France, germany, italy, putin, russia, sanctions, Spain, UK;, Ukraine |
In a recent briefing, we stressed that David Cameron needs to pick a ‘heavy-hitter’ as UK’s next European Commissioner if he wants to secure a key portfolio for the UK. Our point is reinforced by a quick look at the candidates being (more or …
Posted by Open Europe blog team
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Cameron, Dijsselbloem, EU reform, European Commission, France, germany, italy, Katainen, Merkel, Moscovici, Oettinger, Poland, Spain, UK; |
UPDATE (14:15) – One possibility we have not considered in our original blog post is that European Commission portfolios can change. They can be split, broadened, and so forth.However, at this stage it is quite hard to know whether and how this will ha…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
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Cameron, Dijsselbloem, EU reform, EU renegotiation, European Commission, juncker, Katainen, MEPs, Moscovici, UK; |
June 27, 2014
We have been following the post-summit press conferences of EU leaders. Here is a round-up of the highlights, starting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel: MOST IMPORTANT POINTS FROM #MERKEL #EUCO PRESSER: (1/3) “Ever closer union” does not mean one-…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
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#EUReform, Cameron, EUCO, european parliament, France, germany, Hollande, italy, Merkel, Poland, Renzi, spitzenkandidaten, Tusk, UK; |
June 13, 2014
Now it’s official: Italy’s anti-establishment Five-Star Movement will try to form an alliance with UKIP in the new European Parliament. Beppe Grillo launched an online survey of Five-Star members and activists on his blog yesterday, and 78% of votes we…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
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EP2014, european parliament, Farage, Five Star Movement, Front National, Grillo, italy, Le Pen, UK;, UKIP |
May 7, 2014
Henri Guaino, a French MP from the centre-right UMP party and a former special advisor to President Nicolas Sarkozy, has an interesting interview on Europe in today’s Le Figaro. Here are some key excerpts:Q: What is the European Union, according to you…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
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#EUReform, david cameron, EU reform, France, Henri Guaino, renegotiation, repatriation of powers, UK;, UMP |
April 14, 2014
So, about Ukraine…Arriving in Luxembourg this morning to discuss events in Ukraine with his European counterparts, British Foreign Secretary William Hague called for a “clear and united” EU response to Russia’s ‘escalation’ of the crisis. Hague added…
Posted by OE
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Crimea, Crimea crisis, Frans Timmermans, Jean Asselborn, Luxembourg, putin, russia, UK;, Ukraine, William Hague |
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has this morning struck down the EU’s Data Retention Directive by declaring it “invalid”. The ECJ had been asked by the Irish High Court and the Austrian Constitutional Court to rule on whether the Directive complied…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
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Data Retention Directive, ECJ, EU reform, germany, proportionality, renegotiation, subsidiarity, Sweden, UK; |
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