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Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann

24.11.09: MEPs await large extension of powers - 0 views

euobserver.com/29036

lisbon-treaty eu-institutions europeanparliament codecision

shared by Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 24 Nov 09 - Cached
  • MEPs are awaiting next week's entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty with impatience as the new institutional rules give the EU assembly a say in an array of new areas, including the EU's money-eating farm policy and its long-term budget. While the new EU foreign policy chief and council president represents a shake-up for the external face of the bloc, the internal shake-up, placing further substantial co-legislative power into the hands of euro-parliamentarians, is widely seen as the more profound change.
  • Come 1 December, the parliament will gain a say on, amongst other areas, legal immigration, judicial co-operation in criminal matters, police co-operation, structural funds, services of general economic interest [euro-jargon for public services], structural funds, transport, personal data protection and intellectual property rights. The rise in legislative powers represents almost a doubling in power, with the instances where deputies will work on proposed laws on an equal footing with member states rising from around 40 to almost 90. Of these, the most important areas are seen as energy security, common commercial policy and farm policy, with the last policy area accounting - contentiously - for around 40 percent of the EU's budget.
Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann

Irish government applies for EU#-IMF bail-out of up to € 90 billion - 0 views

euobserver.com/31321

eu-policies currency-policy economic-policy eu-policy_memberstates ireland euro eurozone

shared by Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 22 Nov 10 - Cached

  • The Irish government has applied for an EU-IMF bail-out of up to €90 billion to save its banking sector from collapse and reduce its borrowing costs, a move that in effect places Irish democracy, like that of Greece, under the protectorship of experts from Brussels and Washington.

    Ireland's finance minister, Brian Lenihan, made the announcement speaking to public radio on Sunday evening (21 November) that he would recommend the application to a cabinet meeting later that night. The taoiseach, the country's prime minister, Brian Cowen, publicly addressed his nation, admitting to what had been denied for a week.

Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann

Schimmelfennig/Scholtz (2008): EU Democracy Promotion in the European Neighbourhood; E... - 0 views

eup.sagepub.com/...187

eu-policies eu-research literature neighbourhoodpolicy

shared by Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 27 May 08 - Cached
  • How effective and relevant is European Union political conditionality for the promotion of democracy in third countries? This article reports the results of a panel study of 36 countries of the East European and Mediterranean neighbourhood of the EU for the years 1988—2004. The analysis shows robust and strong effects of EU political conditionality on democracy in the neighbouring countries if the EU offers a membership perspective in return for political reform. Absent the offer of membership, however, EU incentives such as partnership and cooperation do not reliably promote democratic change. The analysis controls for economic development and transnational exchanges as two alternative potential causes of democratization. Although economic and geographical factors have an impact on democratization in the European neighbourhood as well, EU political conditionality remains a significant influence. Key Words: conditionality • democratization • Eastern Europe • European Union • Mediterranean countries
Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann

Schimmelfennig/Scholtz (2008) EU Democracy Promotion in the European Neighbourhood. Eur... - 0 views

eup.sagepub.com/...187

eu-policies eu-research literature neighbourhoodpolicy publicopinion

shared by Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 11 Jul 08 - Cached
  • How effective and relevant is European Union political conditionality for the promotion of democracy in third countries? This article reports the results of a panel study of 36 countries of the East European and Mediterranean neighbourhood of the EU for the years 1988—2004. The analysis shows robust and strong effects of EU political conditionality on democracy in the neighbouring countries if the EU offers a membership perspective in return for political reform. Absent the offer of membership, however, EU incentives such as partnership and cooperation do not reliably promote democratic change. The analysis controls for economic development and transnational exchanges as two alternative potential causes of democratization. Although economic and geographical factors have an impact on democratization in the European neighbourhood as well, EU political conditionality remains a significant influence
Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann

03.03.11: Denmark eyeing referendum on euro - 0 views

euobserver.com/31912

eu-policies currency-policy monetary-policy economic-policy emu eu-policy_memberstates denmark referenda

shared by Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 03 Mar 11 - No Cached
  • The EU's economic convergence plans are forcing Denmark to reconsider its euro opt-out, with a referendum on "modernising" Copenhagen's relation with Brussels possibly taking place by June. With plans for a "Competitiveness Pact" currently being drafted by EU institutions to replace a Franco-German draft on pensions harmonisation and constitutional "debt brakes", Denmark does not want to be left out of the decision-making process, due to not being in the single currency.
  • Dubbed the "Big Bang model", a referendum on all three opt-outs may be more successful than holding a referendum just on euro adoption, with 45 percent of Danes in favour of this move, according to a Megafon poll carried out in February. But the margin is still narrow, with 43 percent opposing it and 12 percent undecided. A strong advocate for Denmark's euro-accession is Belgian Liberal MEP Guy Verhofstadt, who points to the fact that the country's economy is already fully integrated into the eurozone and that the Danish krone is pegged to the euro. In addition, he believes that there is a need for a small country like Denmark to counter-balance Germany and France who "dictated" the competitiveness pact being currently drafted for the 17 member-strong eurozone.
Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann

08.03.11 ECB turned blind eye to predatory lending, ex-EU-ambassador says - 1 views

euobserver.com/31942

eu-policies currency-policy monetary-policy economic-policy ECB

shared by Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 08 Mar 11 - Cached
  • The European Central Bank turned a blind eye to "irresponsible lending" by German, French, British and Belgian banks, the European Union's former ambassador to the United States, John Bruton has said. In a damning speech at the London School of Economics on Monday (7 March) evening, Mr Bruton, also a former Irish prime minister of the same conservative political stripe as the current leader-elect, Enda Kenny, has accused Frankfurt of failing to use its powers to rein in speculative bubbles in countries such as Ireland and Spain.
  • "From 2000 on, British, German, Belgian, French banks, and banks of other EU countries lent irresponsibly to the Irish banks in the hope that they too could profit from the then obtaining Irish construction bubble," he said. "They were supervised by their home central banks, and by the ECB ... who seemingly raised no objection to this lending."
Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann

17.11.10: EU-IMF troika heading to Dublin to oversee budget preparations - 0 views

euobserver.com/31286

eu-policies economic-policy currency-policy eurozone euro ireland

shared by Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 17 Nov 10 - No Cached
  • Ireland's fiscal sovereignty was hanging by a thread late on Tuesday evening (16 November) as eurozone finance ministers announced that EU and IMF overseers were to head to Dublin to supervise preparations for a fresh round of cuts for the next four years to ensure that they are as deep as necessary. Print Comment article Dublin appeared to stand up to massive pressure from the European Central Bank and other countries that use the euro, particularly Spain and Portugal, to sign up to a bail-out, with Taoiseach Brian Cowen announcing to the Dail, the country's parliament, that the debt-addled country will not apply for assistance.
  • Earlier in the afternoon, the Wall Street Journal reported that finance ministers were in fact looking at a dual package of between €45 and €50 billion to bail out Irish banks and a broader sum of €80 to €100 billion to shore up the country's public finances, quoting unnamed sources. One contact close to the discussions told EUobserver they "could neither confirm nor deny" the report, while another said the numbers in the Wall Street Journal article "are not a figment of anyone's imagination." In such a situation, reported the WSJ, the IMF would chip in about half the aid that the EU and the UK together would provide. The non-eurozone UK is reportedly under pressure to contribute to any deal, given the heavy exposure of British banks in Ireland, particularly RBS, although Prime Minister David Cameron has recently voiced support for the idea of bilateral financial support for its one-time colony. Shares in UK financial institutions have slid over the past week as a result of the tumult.
Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann

17.11.10: Ireland bail-out in one week, Bulgarian deputy PM says - 0 views

euobserver.com/31290

eu-policies currency-policy economic-policy eurozone ireland

shared by Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 17 Nov 10 - No Cached
  • The Bulgarian deputy prime minister, who is also the country's finance minister, appears to have let the cat out of the bag on the date of an Irish bailout, telling Bulgarian reporters on Wednesday (17 November) that despite Irish insistence to the contrary, he expects a package will be cobbled together some time next week. Print Comment article "I expect a bailout decision to be taken within a week," Simeon Djankov said at a small briefing following a meeting of EU finance ministers, after reporters asked about the European Commission, European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund's upcoming mission to Dublin.
  • Meanwhile, details on the composition of the EU-IMF troika team, who in effect, through their mission to oversee Irish austerity and budget plans will maintain a degree of authority over the elected government of Ireland, are being kept secret. The European Commission, the IMF and the ECB will not release the names or backgrounds of those involved or even the number of officials in the team other than to say, according to EU economy spokesman Amadeu Tardio: "There will be more than two but fewer than 10 people going."
Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann

23.11.10: Merkel - euro in 'serious condition'. Rehn - adoption of the Irish budget in ... - 0 views

euobserver.com/31337

eu-policies currency-policy economic-policy euro eurozone eu-policy_memberstates ireland germany eu-commission

shared by Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 24 Nov 10 - Cached
  • German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday (23 November) warned that the euro is in an "exceptionally serious" situation as the European Commission issued a veiled warning to the Irish political class not to topple the government. "I don't want to paint a dramatic picture, but I just want to say that a year ago we couldn't imagine the debate we had in the spring and the measures we had to take," she said in a speech in Berlin to the Confederation of German Employers, the BDA.
  • Meanwhile, EU economy commissioner Olli Rehn issued a veiled warning to Irish opposition politicians not to topple the government. Speaking to reporters in Strasbourg asking about worries the Fianna Fail-Green government in Dublin could fall, Mr Rehn said: "Stability is important." "We don't have a position on the domestic democratic politics of Ireland but it is essential that the budget will be adopted in time and we will be able to conclude the negotiations on the EU-IMF programme in time."
Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann

Chari/Kritzinger (2006), Unterstanding EU Policy Making - 0 views

www.plutobooks.com/...nplutobrows.pl

eu-einführung_06/07 eu-policies introductions literature

shared by Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 11 May 07 - Cached
  • Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 11 May 07
     
    Setting the EU in a proper economic and theoretical context, the authors provide a chapter-by-chapter analysis of each of the EU's major policy areas. Arguing that traditional accounts of EU integration are inadequate, the authors develop an innovative ne
Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann

02.12.09: EU hails 'new era' as Lisbon Treaty goes into force - 0 views

www.euractiv.com/...article-187889

lisbon-treaty eu-institutions cfsp europeanparliament eu-president

shared by Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 02 Dec 09 - Cached
  • The treaty, which aims to make decision-making smoother, creates a long-term president and enhances the powers of the EU foreign policy chief, is intended to give the 27-country bloc more political clout to match its economic weight.
  • The Lisbon Treaty changes the rules on how decisions are reached by the EU because decision-making has become unwieldy since the accession of 10 countries, mostly from eastern and central Europe, in 2004 and two more in 2007. It hands more power to the European Parliament, which shares some legislative responsibilities with the European Commission - the EU executive and a powerful regulatory body. Member states' leaders retain a lot of power.
Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann

23.11.10: Will Portugal and Spain be the next victims of the debt crisis? - 0 views

euobserver.com/31331

eu-policy currency-policy economic-policy euro eurozone eu-policy_memberstates spain portugal germany

shared by Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 23 Nov 10 - Cached
  • Portuguese, Spanish and EU leaders, alarmed at the seemingly unquenchable vengeance of this marketplace leviathan, insisted that the two Iberian nations were very far from having to follow Ireland and Greece in asking for bail-outs.
  • EU economics chief Olli Rehn sought to buttress the the standing of Portugal insisting on the "very different" situation between Lisbon and Dublin, while the head of the eurozone, Luxemburgish Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker described the market vigilantism against Portugal and Spain as "not justified". Railing against the state of affairs, Mr Rehn told MEPs on Monday: "Any talk of deconstruction of the European project is irresponsible. All member states would have been in a much more difficult situation without the European Union and its political shield."
Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann

12-01-11: EU considers increase of bail-out fund, as debt crisis rumbles on - 0 views

euobserver.com/31628

eu-policies currency-policy economic-policy eu-policy_memberstates portugal spain

shared by Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 12 Jan 11 - Cached
  • Against a background of growing fears that the eurozone's rescue fund would be insufficient should Spain or Belgium knock on its doors, the European Union's economy chief has called for a hike in the effective lending capacity of the EU's bail-out mechanism. "We need to review all options for the size and scope of our financial backstops - not only for the current ones but also for the permanent European stability mechanism too," EU economics and monetary affairs commissioner Olli Rehn wrote on Wednesday in an opinion piece in the Financial Times.
  • The commissioner issued the call after member-state representatives met in the European capital to discuss proposals to boost the fund ahead of a meeting of European finance ministers next week. Mr Rehn also issued a stark warning that for all the deficit-slashing austerity measures that European states have so far imposed, it is not enough. "There is insufficient ambition and a lack of urgency in implementation. That needs to change," he wrote.
Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann

10.03.09: Crisis straining EU relations as never before, says UK foreign minister - 1 views

euobserver.com/27744

eu-policies financial-policy financial_crisis eu-policy_memberstates uk internal_market

shared by Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 10 Mar 09 - Cached
  • The economic crisis is putting relations between EU member states under strain and testing the fundamentals of the European Union to an unprecedented extent, UK foreign secretary David Miliband has said. "The sense of solidarity within Europe, between east and west, rich and poor, new and old is under strain," he said in a speech at the London School of Economics on Monday (9 March).
  • His comments come as there has been increasing talk of divisions between richer western EU nations and some of the poorer nations in the east.
Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann

02.11.10: Brussels lays down plans for permanent bailout mechanism - 0 views

euractiv.com/...-bailout-mechanism-news-500203

eu-policies currency-policy economic-policy euro eurozone eu-commission council_president

shared by Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 02 Dec 10 - Cached
  • With the future of the euro currency in the balance, the European Commission on Wednesday (1 December) outlined details for a permanent strategy to help countries at risk of defaulting on their debts.
  • The European Commission presented plans for fundamental treaty changes that will extend the current aid mechanism – the European Financial Stability Facility – beyond its 2013 sunset provision. Details of the proposal will be debated by European leaders at their next EU summit on 16-17 December. The changes, which have been rumoured in financial markets for weeks, would increase risk for sovereign investors. Under the proposal, bonds issued after June 2013 would include a provision to allow creditors to renegotiate new terms if the country is on the brink of insolvency.
Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann

07.01.11: Brussels wants bondholders to help pay for future bank failures - 0 views

euobserver.com/31606

eu-policies economic-policy currency-policy eu-commission

shared by Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 07 Jan 11 - Cached
  • The public would be spared from further pain in bailing out banks in the future, with bondholders instead footing more of the bill under plans unveiled on Thursday (6 January) by the European Commission to give EU national regulators more powers to intervene ahead of any crisis.
  • "The impact on taxpayers is obvious," the EU executive said in a statement, adding that the existing arrangements covering how to deal with such crises retained "serious shortcomings." "We must put in place a system which ensures that Europe is well prepared to deal with bank failures in an orderly manner - without taxpayers being called on again to pay the costs," said internal market commissioner Michel Barnier.
Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann

10.01.11: Core EU states put squeeze on Portugal to accept bail-out - 0 views

euobserver.com/31611

eu-policies currency-policy economic-policy euro eurozone eu-policy_memberstates portugal france germany

shared by Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 10 Jan 11 - Cached
  • Major European powers are putting the squeeze on Portugal to follow Greece and Ireland and knock on the doors of EU and IMF bail-out resources. Reports over the weekend quote senior European sources as saying Berlin, Paris and other core eurozone capitals are leaning heavily on Lisbon to apply for a financial rescue, although the Portuguese government continues to deny that any pressure is being mounted.
  • The eurozone core fears that if a firewall is not built around Portugal, investor nervousness could spread to Spain, a much larger economy than those of the two states - Greece and Ireland - that have already been bailed out. However, formal negotiations with Lisbon have yet to begin, the source continued, and discussions have yet to match the pace of similar talks ahead of the Greek bail-out last May or that of Ireland last November. Should Portugal decide to ask for a rescue, the bill would amount to between €60 and €80 billion, the source said.
Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann

22.11.10: Ireland's Green Party announced it will leave the coalition - 0 views

euobserver.com/31325

eu-policies eu-policy_memberstates ireland political_parties currency-policy economic-policy euro eurozone

shared by Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 22 Nov 10 - Cached
  • Ireland's Green Party, the junior partner in the country's governing coalition with centre-right Fianna Fail, has announced it is to pull the plug on the alliance, calling on the government to announce elections in January.
  • However, despite misgivings, most party members were won to the side of sticking with the coalition by the party leadership's argument that it would be better to stay in and deliver on some of the party's policy hopes than be outside. In a vote over backing an agreement for government with Fianna Fail, 85 percent of members endorsed the party leadership's strategy. The leading opposition parties, the centre-right Fine Gael and centre-left Labour - on track to form a coalition after any election - offer a virtually identical response to the crisis to the government. On Monday afternoon, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny made a fresh call for immediate elections.
Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann

10.08.10: Turkey Will Never Join the European Union - 0 views

www.benzinga.com/...-never-join-the-european-union

enlargement enlargementpolicy_eu enlargementpolicymemberstates turkey

shared by Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 11 Aug 10 - Cached
  • So says Geoffrey Wheatcroft, an English journalist,  in an August 5 article in The New Republic. This, even though the new British Prime Minister David Cameron, on a recent visit to Turkey, said that Turkey should join the E.U. as soon as possible. Wheatcroft bases his argument largely on the economic and demographic disparities between Turkey and the rest of the Union.
  • So says Geoffrey Wheatcroft, an English journalist,  in an August 5 article in The New Republic. This, even though the new British Prime Minister David Cameron, on a recent visit to Turkey, said that Turkey should join the E.U. as soon as possible. Wheatcroft bases his argument largely on the economic and demographic disparities between Turkey and the rest of the Union.
  • Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 11 Aug 10
     
    Excellent analysis of the different attitudes of member states towards Turkey's accession, which make it quite unlikely that Turkey will ever become a member.
Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann

11.12.08: EU leaders gatehr for rift-packed summit - 0 views

euobserver.com/27283

summits constitution lisbon-treaty ratification ireland eu-policies enviromental_policy financial-policy

shared by Prof. Dr Wolfgang Schumann on 11 Dec 08 - Cached
  • Almost two years after adopting ambitious green goals, a year after signing the new Lisbon Treaty and some sixteen months after the first signs of the financial crisis, EU leaders are meeting in Brussels on Thursday (11 December) to write a new chapter in the three long-running dossiers.
  • But it will be his Irish colleague, Prime Minister Brian Cowen to open the show by presenting Dublin's analysis on why the Irish voters rejected the EU's reform treaty in the June referendum and what can be done to rescue its ratification.
  • Moreover, Dublin could see a pledge to retain the country's commissioner if all other EU leaders follow the French line – all in a bid to enable the Irish government to hold the second referendum by 31 October, according to the draft document. It would mean that one of the key elements of the EU's institutional reform would be changed despite previous pressure on member states not to touch the package when the bloc was turning the former European Constitution into the Lisbon Treaty, following the negative referendums in France and the Netherlands.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • Another hot issue at the summit will be Europe's grand strategy for economic recovery. Brussels has suggested that the Union invest 1.5 percent of its GDP to boost economic activity amid projections of a severe recession in 2009.
  • But if anything is to cause the leaders to be up all night, it will be the complicated arguments over the climate change package. Although the member states had agreed on most elements of the legislation before this week's top-level meeting, there are still a couple of areas where they had not been able to strike a compromise since the European Commission put forward the bill in January.
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