February 13, 2011
EPP leaders are doing their bit to help elect Fine Gael Last week, I moaned a bit about European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso treating Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny to a photo opportunity in Brussels. I wondered if it was a bit paranoid to think that Barroso was heping his EPP buddy out by… » read more
Posted by Gary Finnegan
|
Economy & Euro, EU Priorities and Opinion, EU Treaty & Institutions |
February 9, 2011
EU governments plan to press ahead on a single patent without agreement of all member states – a sign of things to come? One result of Europe’s economic crisis is the newfound willingness to abandon the softly-softly approach to consensus decision making. A microcosm of this phenomenon can be seen in efforts to agree a… » read more
Posted by Gary Finnegan
|
, innovation, Innovation and Growth, Italy, patent, two-speed Europe |
February 8, 2011
For the kind strangers in Brussels, Frankfurt and Washington on whom Ireland now relies for funding, the upcoming general election comes with added interest. As political rhetoric ratchets upwards with promises to renegotiate the terms of the EU/IMF bailout, lenders of last resort are feeling a little underappreciated. Wannabe government ministers are promising to burn… » read more
Posted by Gary Finnegan
A startling new survey reveals that Europeans are unaware of new powers bestowed on them by the Lisbon Treaty Just 14% of Irish people have heard of the European Citizens’ Initiative – a new tool which allows the public put things on the EU’s “to do” list. If one million people ask the European Commission… » read more
Posted by Gary Finnegan
|
, Citizens' Initiative, Communications, European Movement, Public awareness |
February 7, 2011
They bottled it: EU leaders were due to talk about ways to improve Europe’s hotpotch intellectual property regime on Friday but thought better of it. The item was put on the afternoon agenda because industry ministers had decided before Christmas on the way forward. The trouble was that their plan for ‘enhanced cooperation’ means most… » read more
Posted by Gary Finnegan
|
, European Council, eurozone, innovation, intellectual property, Italy, patent |
