Archive: European Union | European Union European Union
Czech specialties prove popular in European Parliament canteen
Marks of the Czech Republic’s EU presidency can be found all over
Brussels, from David Černý’s controversial sculpture ‘Entropa’
hanging in the council’s Justus Lipsius building, right down to the food
on offer in the European Parliament’s canteen. On Thursday, parliament
employees were treated to the first in a series of special Czech dishes
–
I went along to wish them a bon apetit, or should that be
dobrou chut’? More
EU leaders pledge billions for economic revival
On Friday leaders from around the continent met for the second day of the
European Union’s Spring Summit, chaired by Czech Prime Minister Mirek
Topolánek. The Czech EU presidency went into the summit with an ambitious
agenda, including the financial crisis, energy security and an Eastern
Partnership project that aims to forge closer ties with a number of former
Soviet republics.
More
EU leaders gather in Brussels for summit chaired by Czech PM Topolánek
Leaders of the European Union are set to begin a two-day meeting in
Brussels aimed at agreeing a strategy for tackling the global economic
crisis. The meeting’s being chaired by Czech prime minister Mirek
Topolánek in his capacity as president of the European Council, and the
Czech Republic is under a lot of pressure to provide leadership at a time
when the EU is suffering from falling production and rising unemployment. More
Farmers protest about EU agriculture subsidies in Prague
It wasn’t so much crying as sloganeering over spilt milk in Prague on
Thursday, as thousands of farmers gathered to protest about the way the EU
distributes farming subsidies. Farmers came from as far away as Lithuania
to splatter milk and cereal over the pavements of Prague, angered by the
low prices these goods fetched, and the way the European Union financed
their production. The Czech agricultural minister responded, however, that
there was nothing he could do.
More
EU ministers reach deal on lower VAT rate on certain goods & services
After years of wrangling on the issue, EU finance ministers on Tuesday
agreed on a deal partly unifying VAT rates, allowing individual countries
to reduce value-added sales tax on some goods and services. The move comes
against the backdrop of the continuing economic crisis, which has left many
businesses struggling. Soon they could be somewhat better situated to
weather the downturn.
More
The Prague festival offering passers-by a taste of Europe
The Committee of the Regions of Europe is meeting in Prague this Friday for
what is the largest-scale event of the Czech Republic’s EU presidency. To
accompany the conference, a festival promoting the food and drink of
various European regions is taking place on Prague’s Wenceslas Square.
‘Ochutnejte Evropu’ offers passers-by tasters of French wine, Belgian
beer and a musical programme as well. Rosie Johnston was at the opening:
More
One third of way through, how is Czech presidency of EU going?
We are now one third of the way through the Czech Republic’s six-month
rotating presidency of the EU. Between the Israeli bombardment of Gaza and
the gas supply dispute between Russia and Ukraine, the presidency got off
to a dramatic start, while the global financial crisis remains the major
issue of the day. But how has Prague actually been handling the presidency
so far? That’s a question I put to Petr Drulák of the Institute for
International Relations.
More
Czech premier Mirek Topolánek leads call for EU core values
Three of the European Union’s top leaders made heartfelt calls in Prague
today for the world’s biggest economic and trading power not to turn its
back on its basic values under pressure from the world financial crisis.
Czech Premier, Mirek Topolánek, EU President, José Manuel Barroso, and
the EU’s Economic Commissioner, Joaquin Almunia, were in the Czech
capital for a conference to discuss the success and lessons learnt from the
EU’s biggest ever enlargement five years ago.
More
Schwarzenberg’s “terrible traffic” quip fuels speculation of April 4-5 Obama visit
The papers are awash with speculation that Air Force One could be touching
down in Prague in a few weeks’ time, as President Barack Obama prepares
to visit the Czech Republic. The word on the street is that President Obama
will stop off in Prague following the NATO summit in France and Germany at
the beginning of April, for an informal meeting with leaders of the
European Union.
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Klaus steps into lion’s den with speech attacking “democratic deficit” in EP
The Czech president Václav Klaus addressed the European Parliament on
Thursday morning, in a keenly-anticipated appearance that disappointed
neither the president’s critics, nor his supporters. Eurosceptic MEPs
rose to their feet and applauded as Mr Klaus attacked the “democratic
deficit” that he said plagued the European Union, while pro-integration
parliamentarians booed, whistled, and even walked out.
More
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