Following the British Government’s growing criticism of the European Court of Human Rights, Amnesty International has appealed for support for the Court, which is one the world’s most developed human rights protection mechanisms. British Prime Minister David Cameron has proposed reforming the Court, but Amnesty International is concerned that the British proposals are misguided and would represent a net loss for human rights.
Read more... In its yearly reporter the US based watchdog noted that Balkan countries have made significant progress on the path to democracy and alignment to EU political standards. The report ranks countries and territories around the globe based on individuals’ freedom to exercise their political and civil rights.
Read more... As bitterly cold weather is sweeping across much of the Balkan states, in Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, civil society is as fiery and vibrant as ever. And last week its representatives came out with enthusiasm to discuss and debate Bosnia’s future and the challenges ahead on the road to EU membership. The debate, which gathered together NGO representatives, academics, students and EU officials, was organized by a team of international young activists, called “Time for Plan B-alkans”.
Read more... A post-Scottish independence ‘United Kingdom of Southern Britain and Northern Ireland’ would not only be one of Europe’s most oddly named states but perhaps one of its most short-lived as well. In the wake of David Cameron’s decision to veto a new European treaty, the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales have issued a joint demand to the British Prime Minister. Alex Salmond and Carwyn Jones wrote to 10 Downing Street ‘to show the strength of our mutual feeling regarding the exclusion of the devolved administrations from policy development and decision-making on issues of direct interest to our administrations, in particular with regard to European matters, many of which are devolved’.
Read more... As riots engulf the country questions are being raised as to what triggered the events in what has been, up to now, one of the most resilient nations to austerity cuts in Europe.
Read more... Barroso & Amb Utembayev “We are looking forward to continue the negotiations with the EU on the ‘advanced’ partnership” - Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the EU Yerik Utembayev told EU Reporter.- “The exchanges in economy and the other areas between us has grown overwhelmingly, so there is a practical need to advance, recognized by both sides” he said. “The EU is in a restless search of new energy routes for diversity of supply, for that the reinforcement of the regional and bilateral cooperation with Central Asia, including legal aspects, is a must”,
Read more... Kazakhstan’s entry into the “Common Economic Space” with Russia and Belarus from the beginning of this year came at a moment when the EU is still shaping its strategy towards the biggest country in Central Asia. Since his appointment back in 2005, the EU Special Representative for Central Asia Pierre Morel has called for a more profound engagement with Kazakhstan, a position shared by the European Parliament. Although in the beginning of the summer last year the EEAS got a mandate for the negotiations for the 'advanced partnership agreement' the work is still in progress. “We are working on pushing a Kazakhstan - EU advanced partnership, especially industrial and innovation platform to a new qualitative level”, - Kazakhstan Ambassador to the EU, Yerik Utembayev, told EU Reporter –“There is moment when quantity transforms into quality".
Read more... The Christmas Eve appointment of Dmitry Rogozin as Russian Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Defense has left the ambassador’s job at the Brussels Russian Mission to NATO vacant.
Read more... The British Prime Minister is adopting the risky strategy of betting the eurozone crisis will cover up his domestic troubles. But he will have to play his cards carefully or his gamble could backfire. They say you should never let a crisis go to waste and the eurozone’s current woes are giving British Prime Minister David Cameron plenty of cover to mask his own increasing political and economic fallibilities. With Britain’s stagnant economy on the verge of a “double-dip recession” and unemployment heading towards 3 million, Cameron has played an opportunistic game to explain away his domestic problems. Far easier to blame Europe for the UK’s inertia than admit his plan for growth isn’t working. But now he has to “put up or shut up” in a dangerous game; pander to his Eurosceptic right or engage with the EU’s heavyweights and risk ending up being powerless in a “two speed Europe”.
Read more... Across an economically stressed Europe, leaders are changing pretty fast. The euro- zone crisis is sweeping away the old faces, changing the political landscape at fast pace. Hopes now rest with a new echelon of technocrats, most of them high ranking ECB and Central Banks officials, to fend-off the ever-looming danger of an economic and, subsequently, political meltdown in Europe.
Read more...

Conservative Legal Affairs Spokesman, Sajjad Karim MEP, has full praise for the decision to vote through a key amendment which asks for a review by the parliament's authorities on the expensive and wasteful two seat policy. Mr Karim and his fellow Conservative colleagues have been at the forefront for the campaign to end the two seat policy. The two seat policy forces the European Parliament to meet four days a month in Strasbourg which is approximately 300 miles away from Brussels
Read more... Plummeting temperatures have exacerbated Romania’s chilly political climate as mounting public discontent dealt yet another blow to the ruling coalition. After weeks of daily protests in many of Romania’s cities the government has resigned.
Read more... While the Europeans expect the new Treaty on stability to improve fiscal discipline, raise confidence and enhance growth PM David Cameron expects a wave of the companies and banks from the continent to look for shelter in Great Britain, aspiring liberty and flexibility in operations. United in Brussels today 25-member states agreed on a new Treaty, that at the moment still has a long and descriptive name, mentioning ‘stability, coordination and governance’- the words reminding of a mantra from frequent use by the EU bureaucrats. Most probably is will never get a short geographic name as a Treaty of Nice, Maastricht, Amsterdam or Lisbon, at least no name of Brussels was suggested to immortalize it.
Read more... Ukraine’s politicians, even when they can agree on little else, want European integration. They battle on despite the lack of enthusiasm often shown in EU capitals and the heavy price they pay in their relations with Russia. This was illustrated by Ukraine’s recent announcement that it will adopt EU standards for food quality control. The head of the state veterinary and biosecurity service of Ukraine, Ivan Bisiuk, said he was determined to follow the model of EU states, with controls stretching from animal feed and pesticides through to food sales to consumers.
Read more... The German socialist Martin Schulz was elected in the first round of voting in what has been labelled a "stitch-up" by one of his rivals, British Conservative Nirj Deva. “We have been stitching up the presidency of this parliament, which is representing 500 million people in the largest economy in the world, by doing barter deals —your turn, my turn — just like in Russia with what Mr Medvedev and Mr Putin have been doing,’‘ Deva stated in an e-mail circulated to the entire parliament.
Read more... The First Ministers of Scotland and Wales have issued a joint demand to the British Prime Minister. Alex Salmond and Carwyn Jones wrote to 10 Downing Street ‘to show the strength of mutual feeling regarding the exclusion of the devolved administrations from policy development and decision-making on issues of direct interest to Scotland and Wales, in particular with regard to European matters, many of which In the wake of David Cameron’s decision to veto a new European treaty, the are devolved’. The letter says
Read more... Bulgaria has proven unable to integrate its asylum seekers, repeatedly resorting to refugee detention despite national and EU regulations. Current investigations have showed that Bulgaria receives 1000 asylum seekers on average each year. Many of them end up in the detention centers of Liubimets and Busmansti. This has been seen as a breach of both national and European law, as refugees are kept here for months on end.
Read more... Moldova has been in political limbo since the April 2009 parliamentary elections and the civil protests that followed. A few months later, under street and political pressure, the Communist Party conceded defeat and went into opposition. An alliance of three pro-European parties was formed, but quickly became unable to vote in a new president.
Read more... The Euro, and the process of European integration, wasn’t designed for this. When it comes to long and painstaking trade negotiations, or legislating on the ins and outs of how this or that chemical should be classified, the EU seems to do rather a good job. But put in front of it impending financial doom and destruction, and the cracks begin to show. A currency without common bonds and a system of fiscal transfers was always doomed to failure: imagine what would happen in the US if California issued its own bonds and objected to paying for services in Michigan. It’s a wonder so few people saw this coming, and I count myself as one of the many who has been proven wrong by recent events. But we are where we are, and judging by the actions of European leaders we might well end up staying there. The painful process of negotiations followed by ratification through national parliaments means that any solution is out of date before it can be implemented, the result of which is the impression that Europe can tends to solve the last crisis during the current one.
Read more... Parliament's Women's Rights Committee on fact finding mission
Read more...