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Birthday gift ideas for Maastricht treaty, 20 years today
The Maastricht treaty, signed on 7 February 1992, came into force in November 1993, when most of cafebabel.com's editorial team were children. The treaty heralded both the creation of the European union, formerly the 'European economic community', and the euro as a single currency. Two decades on, it’s attracting the wrath of crisis-struck Europeans
european union, european economic community, maastricht, politics, anniversary, best of cafebabel.com, lisbon treaty
Nikola Djukic: 'Bosnia may have to wait until 2022 for EU membership'
Croatia’s citizens overwhelmingly voted to join the European union on 21 January. Meanwhile, its neighbour Bosnia-Herzegovina has not yet gained candidate status. We talk to Bosnia-Herzegovina’s ambassador in Hungary about what Croatian membership would mean and why Bosnia is different
european union, politics, balkans, bosnia and herzegovina, hungary, enlargement, europe
Croatia EU vote: Swiss, Italian, Slovenian, Czech media react
A clear majority of Croatians voted in favour of EU accession in a referendum on 22 January. However, if they want to join the EU it's above all for economic reasons, European commentators write and prophesy that the EU's eastern enlargement is over for the time being
european union, vote, politics, balkans, euweek, candidate countries, croatia
Britain-Europe: confessions of an angry Lib Dem
Type 'What Defines an English Person' into google right now and see the top result - this is how unpopular we are with the rest of the world, especially after the UK chose not to join a new EU treaty governing the finance system. Europe has divided a two-headed monster, 'Clammeron', in half: the government led by David Cameron and Nick Clegg since 2010 has been spliced together by iron threads of political contingency
european union, liberalism, identity, opinion, politics, london, nick clegg
Slovenian, British, Spanish and German media on UK’s EU veto
British prime minister David Cameron defended his EU veto in the British house of commons on 12 December, while French president Nicolas Sarkozy lamented that he was ‘splitting Europe in two’. Britain is simply more eurosceptic, replies the rest of Europe, who stress the advantages that the British can offer Europe
european union, politics, euweek, david cameron, economy, eurozone, united kingdom
'Our School' documentary: segregated Roma schools despite EU funds
When directors and producers Mona Nicoară and Miruna Coca-Cozma followed three Roma children in a small Romanian village for four years, their film initially about a success story of integration became one about the realities of ethnic segregation. Interview
european union, minority, documentary, gypsy, emir kusturica, racism, hungary
Meeting Mario Monti, interim Italian prime minister
On 13 November the independent candidate, known as the president of Italian university Bocconi, officially succeeded Silvio Berlusconi in the middle of a deep debt crisis. Ave Mario, cries French newspaper Le Monde. Super Mario, scream spoof websites. We meet at a press conference in Berlin
european union, italy, politics, germany, internal market, berlin, eurozone
Eurozone summit: perspectives on economic crisis
We have heard these words so often that they have lost all meaning: global crisis, market failure, bank recapitalisation. Tonight once again, European governments will be searching for a way to minimise the crisis. Yet even if grounded in good faith, these decisions could simply stimulate current problems and protests
european union, economic growth, angela merkel, politics, belgium, european institutions, sommet européen
Poland elections: another one bites the Tusk
Donald Tusk’s pro-European civic platform (PO) party won 39% of the vote in parliamentary elections on 9 October. It's the first time a ruling party has been returned to power since the fall of communism in Poland. The Spanish, Hungarian, Czech and local press react
european union, eu presidency, politics, eurotopics, euweek, poland, economical crisis
Depression: ‘alcohol abuse is far more common in eastern and northern Europe’
Is Europe more depressed than it used to be? Professor Frank Jacobi from Berlin’s psychology college (PHB) took part in a European neuropsychopharmacology magazine study from 30 countries, revealing that 38% of Europeans suffer from psychological illnesses. The figure is up from 27% in 2005. Interview
Question of the week: if the euro dies, will Europe go with it?
Everyone's talking about saving the euro - but is money really the only thing holding us together? That's this week's theme on Europa plus, cafebabel.com's project with German TV channel ZDF. Four young Europeans tell us what they think: add your two (euro) cents at here before Thursday 29 September!
european union, bologna process, palestine occupied territory, russian federation, united nations, euro
Baking a state for Palestine at the United Nations kitchen
64 years ago, the UN granted the Palestinians a state on 43% of the former mandate Palestinian territory. This state never came into being. The bid for this and UN membership will likely take place on 24 September. A divided EU once again shows its reluctance to form a common foreign policy with the member states’ 'for', 'against' and 'wait-and-see' positions
european union, vote, politics, palestine occupied territory, human rights, discrimination, united nations
German, Dutch and Finnish reactions on Greece insolvency
After the discussion about allowing Greece to go bankrupt was reignited in Germany, share prices and the the euro exchange rate dropped on 12 September. While some commentators see the discussion as sheer populism that could have catastrophic repercussions, others say insolvency and a euro exit for Greece are well worth considering
european union, economic growth, politics, germany, eurotopics, greece, euro
The attican landfill war: a load of trash?
Busy saving Greek myths, Europe has closed her eyes to another crisis, an ecological disaster now fifteen years old. Athens has more rubbish than places to put it. The towns Keratea and Grammatiko have been chosen to host new landfill sites – a decision which has driven the people of Keratea, a town of 14,000 to the east of Athens, onto the streets in protest, where they will stay until they have chased away the state
european union, green europe on the ground, culture, economical crisis, athens, ecology
Try finding an Arab revolution in Albania
Late afternoon, outside the headquarters of Tirana’s central electoral commission. A rather burly group of Albanian socialist party militants await the announcement of the results of the local elections of 8 May. A sizeable police cordon ranged in front of them protects the building where, for the umpteenth time, ballot papers are being counted and recounted. Things seem to have reached an impasse
european union, tirana, politics, corruption, youth, albania, arab spring
'Real democracy NOW!': #spanishrevolution becomes #europeanrevolution
Spain’s so-called 15-M has become 29-M, referring to the dates of the sit-in protests of a Spain in May which saw local elections swinging to the favour of the opposition conservatives. The rage is sweeping Italy, Belgium and France
european union, politics, democratisation, twitter, precarity, internet, youth
Seville’s photovoltaic energy, as invented by Archimedes
In March 2011 wind energy production surpassed that of nuclear energy production, marking a first in the history of renewable energy in Spain. Yet the underlying paradox is that wind has supplied 16% of the electricity produced in 2010 in the sunniest country in Europe - but the sun is responsible for a mere 2.7%...
european union, solar energy, regions, green europe on the ground, seville, cities, ecology
Europe day 2011: Robert Schuman's dream: is it yours?
After drifting aimlessly for some time, the European union has reached crisis point. It has lost its way and with it popular legitimacy. Anti-Europeanism is now the currency of choice in many EU state
european union, opinion, politics, 9 de mayo, schengen zone, piigs, citizens
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