In 2013, Iceland concluded a trade-deal with the People’s Republic of China, making it one of the very rare European nations that has formed a trade agreement with the Asian superpower.
Für ein Europa der vielen kleinen Staaten
Wer auch immer einen Blick auf eine Karte Europas wirft, bemerkt sofort die vielen Grössenunterschiede der Länder. Der alte Kontinent ist übersät mit Nationen von der Grösse Rhode Islands. Während diese Länder in der Geographieklasse jedoch unerwähnt bleiben, werden sie in der Ökonomie umso mehr bestaunt: Sie tendieren nämlich dazu einen kleineren Staat zu haben […]
Alberto Alemanno: l’Italien qui est le lobbyiste le plus influent de l’Union européenne
C’est un matin ordinaire au Parlement européen à Bruxelles, les avalanches de législateurs, de conseillers en politiques et de lobbyistes passent à travers les immenses portes de la place de Luxembourg, remplissant les salles de comité discutant sur de nouvelles lois et règlements. À la cafétéria de l’aile nord du parlement, le lobbyiste le plus […]
In Europe, Size Does Matter
This article was co-authored with Frédéric Jollien. Whoever takes a look at a map of Europe will notice the unmistakable difference in size when it comes to countries. The old continent is sprinkled with nations the size of Rhode Island. However, despite passing unnoticed in a geography class, those small countries have been mentioned in […]
The EU Needs to Fire Michel Barnier
After European Union officials realized that the British people had voted to leave, EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker appointed French politician Michel Barnier as chief negotiator in the Brexit talks.
New Gun Control Measures Show that the EU still doesn’t quite get it
Despite considerable policy differences on the old continent, one issue almost entirely unites Europeans: gun control. This is currently reflected through legislators, who, despite the apparent ineffectiveness of current gun regulation, continue to infringe on the right to bear arms.
The European Union is not in the position of ‘schooling’ Trump about free trade
During the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, which was held recently, European nations were keen on lecturing the United States on protectionism. It has in fact been a longstanding pledge of the G20 to resist any tendencies to put national interests above the framework of international trade agreements. It is also true that the first […]
The EU’s Chief Brexit Negotiator is an anti-anglophone
When the European Union Commission needed to appoint a negotiator for its talks with the United Kingdom, the task was of essential importance. This person needed to be a distinguished diplomat, a careful communicator in the media, and a connoisseur of the intricacy of the relationship between the British Isles and the continent. The toxic […]
Jean-Claude Juncker calls the European Parliament “ridiculous”. He has a point
On Tuesday, the president of the European Union Commission (the EU’s executive), Jean-Claude Juncker, called the European Parliament “ridiculous.” The parliament was in session to debate the conclusion of the rotating presidency of the Republic of Malta (the EU’s smallest member), but out of over 750 members, a mere 30 were present in the chamber. […]
Emmanuel Macron is a Hypocrite on Protectionism
This article has been co-authored with Louis Rouanet. On Sunday, French voters headed to the polls to vote in the second round of the parliamentary elections. The political party of the new president Emmanuel Macron, La République En Marche, has won an absolute majority, distancing all his political rivals by a considerable share of the […]
Bill Wirtz 