From French Euro-activism to Czech Euro-scepticism
Within the broader context of a changeover from France’s Euro-activism to the Czech Republic’s Euro-scepticism, both Presidencies will have been at the helm during a period in which the stakes were high for development. Denise Auclair reviews the developmental aspects of the French Presidency in the second half of 2008 and previews to the perspectives under the Czech Presidency in 2009.
Throughout much of the fall, the EU institutions debated the mechanics of the European Commission’s proposal to transfer €1 billion of unused Common Agricultural Policy subsidies for European farmers, to small-scale Southern farmers in order to boost local agricultural production in light of soaring prices and riots in many developing countries. The Presidency failed to give the Commission proposal decisive support, and discussions in the Council got lost amid the self-interest of Member States. Finally, the funding will come from emergency reserves as well as existing development funds, undermining the initial intent of additional solidarity with those suffering from high food prices ... ... this article is for subscribers only. For direct log in >>> click here.If you have no subscription >>> pick your option or >>>
The Superiority of the Financial Transaction Tax + Global Unemployment on Record Levels + New Beginning in European Development Policy? + Clean Development for the South
Global Economic Prospects for 2010 + Does Copenhagen Really Matter? + Quo Vadis, German Development Cooperation? + Mapping Social Protection in South Asia
"Natural disasters have invariably been transformed into man-made disasters, through the unpreparedness and dysfunction of government institutions, the incompetence of its politicians, the greed of its economic agents, the tenuous nature of support from civil society..."
The summit meeting of the Group of 20 most important industrialised and emerging countries (G20) in Toronto on 26-27 June 2010 reminded us that even extended informal management bodies in the global economy can only be as good as their member governments.
It was not long ago that we could say, "We are all Keynesians now." The financial sector and its free-market ideology had brought the world to the brink of ruin. Markets clearly were not self-correcting. Deregulation had proven to be a dismal failure.
Love for Africa was the motto at Tchibo-World, which took place in the third week of June in 2008. In addition to fair coffee and African furniture, 700,000 tops, skirts and table cloths bearing the Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) label have been sold in the 900 (app.) Tchibo retail stores.
The ITUC's Annual Survey of Trade Union Rights has documented a dramatic increase in the number of trade unionists murdered in 2009, with 101 killings - an increase of 30% over the previous year. The new Survey also reveals growing pressure on fundamental workers' rights around the world as the impact of the global economic crisis on employment deepened.