Economy
Songbeat, Berlin: story of a German music start-up
Philip Eggersglüß and Marco Rydman are two Berliners who launched an online music business at the age of 25. We discuss court cases, 'limited company' statuses via the UK and Hong Kong and the benefits of working in the German capital
economy, music, germany, berlin, songbeat, culture, business man
PIIGS unwelcome in the EU parlour: war of words rocks Eurozone
Despite Silvio Berlusconi’s dreams, the next member of the Eurozone is unlikely to be Israel; even Croatia or Turkey have taken a back seat. The current pan-EU squabble is over who should have been admitted to the eurozone in the first place
economy, economic growth, economical crisis, tower of babel, germany, languages, expressions
Polish migrants post-crisis in Ireland: is there no place like home?
EU enlargement in 2004 meant that the Poles made the most indelible imprint on Irish society - and surprise, they're happy in their new home, despite the fact that both countries have experienced polar fortunes in the recent recession
economy, labour, economical crisis, immigration, poland, eurozone, ireland
Brussels: young, gifted and going nowhere fast
They’re over-qualified, multilingual and come from every corner of the European Union. They moved to the Belgian capital to find an internship or job. A short report from the heart of this bustling microcosm
economy, labour, economical crisis, belgium, languages, european institutions, europe
Dismantled: five myths about Kosovo
On 17 February, Europe’s youngest country celebrates its second anniversary. Presumably, most still wouldn't find Kosovo on a map. We regularly read about its soldiers, organised crime and demand for visas. Two roommates in Prishtina – a Kosovar and a German – share their most striking and basic common observations
economy, documentary, religion, balkans, film festival, war, kosovo
Europe vs the US: seven reflections
It’s been a year since Barack Obama was inaugurated president of the United States on 20 January. But despite his inspiring speeches, he is no Franklin Roosevelt, and even if he were, he needs 60 out of 100 votes in the US Senate to pass anything. Since the end of world war two, a power has emerged with the real potential to carry the world forward
economy, economical crisis, politics, flexicurity, europe, welfare state, barack obama
EU presidency: the trouble with Spain...
He's EU president, he's Mr. Bean. Just a few days into the six month rotating presidency of the EU, hackers attacked the Spanish prime minister's image. And Zapatero has already had to take a step back after harsh criticism on his proposed sanctions against EU states with deficient economic policies.That's rich, coming from a country where a generation of people earning 1000 euros a month has coined the term 'mileuristas'! No wonder Iberian cleverclogs are part of the brain drain towards other EU countries...
- Young Spaniards escape crisis by moving around in Europe
- Spain's damaged and wasteful economy, where people work little
- Spanish EU presidency: Zapatero's pious economic hopes
- Spain’s ‘Silicon Valley’ in Malaga
- The 1, 000 Euros a month club
- Migrants keep coming to Seville, Spain and the rest of Europe
Europe: preparing for another gas dispute?
As ‘continental Europe's biggest gas hub’ opens in Austria, it’s clear that Europe is now in a better position to deal with to gas supply disruptions, caused by geopolitical factors, that so paralysed parts of Europe in recent years. A repeat of the Russo-Ukraine energy crisis is unlikely in 2010
economy, energy, gas crisis, bulgaria, analysis, gas pipeline
Iceland could strip Europeans of their savings
On 5 January, president Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson refused to sign a law controversial among Icelanders that stipulates the repayment of around 3.5 billion euros to foreign depositors who have been unable to access their savings since the Icelandic bank failure. Now the people will decide on repayment in a referendum, a plan which has not gone down well with the foreign press. The Danish, British, Dutch and Icelandic media say...
economy, economical crisis, iceland, financial crisis, referendum
Slash your bonus wrists: what bankers want for christmas
Quite a remarkable christmas list found its way into my hands recently in France. 'Basically, Father Christmas, I just don’t know what more I can do to get decent payment for my hard work and the hard work of my brothers and sisters. That’s why I’m counting on you to change things.' At first glance, who would you assume these people were? Unemployed young people hit by the recession? Generation precarity? Underpaid interns?
economy, money, bank, labour, economical crisis, christmas, best of cafebabel.com
M**Bun, Eataly, GROM: the organic flavour in Turin
Eating well can save the environment, economy, and local heritage, according to the Slow Food Movement, an international non-profit culinary educational organisation which was founded in 1989 by the Italian writer Carlo Petrini. Its appetising premise is to combat the acculturating effects of corporate America & co. through the affirmation of local, fresh, organic food. Its phrased in its manifesto as ‘the right to pleasure’, and in Turin, it’s a right that’s being energetically exercised
economy, business, italy, food, europe on the ground, world financial crisis, slow food
Kinda green: five myths about sustainable development in Bulgaria
Ah, the Bulgarians. They're relatively apathetic. Most companies are interested in either doing only the legally required minimum for the environment or in using their ‘green’ activities as marketing tools. But counterintuitive though it may seem, the financial crisis actually promotes sustainability
economy, energy, copenhagen, bulgaria, global warming, marketing, myth
Climate change summit in Copenhagen: after us, the deluge
We all know about it. Between 7 and 18 December, Copenhagen hosts the UN climate change conference. There's been lots of talk about how 'useful' it will be. US president Obama (after he picks ups his Peace Nobel in Oslo on 10 December) and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao will be representing in Denmark, courtesy of the world's two biggest polluters. That should be enough to breathe some kind of half-sigh of relief. Like the German director Roland Emmerich's sciene fiction film 2012, which forecasts the umpteenth end of the world, the date is of some interest. That after all is when the nifty Kyoto protocol expires
- Green-many: top marks on environment before elections
- Renewable energy: the next economic bubble?
- Copenhagen climate: what the EU is being asked to commit billions for
- Moby: free Europe concerts for climate change
- Björn Lomborg: Europe's sceptical environmentalist
- December Copenhagen climate conference: who bets on an agreement being reached?
Evora, where life bumps to a different rhythm than in Lisbon
The economic development of the Alentejo region of the country poses the same problem faced by many Mediterranean countries. How can innovation and tradition survive side-by-side?
economy, italy, university, greece, research and innovation, portugal, youth
Europe's youth stack up the degrees to shun the dole
With one out of five under-25s job-hunting in Europe, many opt to continue studying as long as it takes to avoid signing up on the dole. Diverse realities of a generation in the middle of the crisis
economy, university, economical crisis, testimony, eurostat, youth, unemployment
2009's graduate flavour comes in crisis: part one, England and Ireland
Two language and literature graduates compare their experiences of entering the work world in 2009. Part one in a job testimony series of young Europeans based at home
economy, economical crisis, testimonio, work, youth, precarity, eurogeneration
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