Revolting Europe
European Commission
The Troika is dead! Long live the Troika
Portuguese radicals have accused the EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker of “hypocrisy” and seeking to “continue to the policies of the Troika without the Troika.” The leader of the European Commission said Wednesday that the “troika is undemocratic, it lacks legitimacy” and and it was time to learn “the lessons of history and not repeat the same … Continue reading
The European Commission, the autopilot for neo-liberal policies
By Bernard Cassen The first concern of any institution is to perpetuate its existence and expand its areas of intervention. In the latter case, such an ambition usually encounters forces and structures that do not intend to be deprived of all or part of their territory and their prerogatives. When these forces and structures do … Continue reading
Competitiveness, the neoliberal variant of the myth of Sisyphus
IN THE RADICAL PRESS / MEMOIRE DES LUTTES By Bernard Cassen This fall, in France and probably in other countries, the commemoration of the centenary of the birth of Albert Camus, Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957, will give rise to much editorial output. This will affirm, in particular, the continued relevance of the questioning … Continue reading
Corporations run the show in Transatlantic Trade Deal
‘A disturbing business bias’ in the translatantic free trade deal has been revealed by Corporate Europe Observatory. An access to documents request to the secretive Commission showed that 93% of the meetings between Brussels bureaucrats and ‘stakeholders’ during the preparations of the negotiations were with big business – a ‘parallel world of a very large number … Continue reading
The grand transatlantic market is not about jobs
By Bernard Cassen If the European Commission had an ounce of dignity it would draw the conclusions of the revelation by the whistleblower Edward Snowden of the massive intelligence operations deployed against the institutions of the European Union (EU) by the National Security Agency (NSA ). But otherwise, in the next few days negotiations with … Continue reading
Is the Eurozone establishment changing?
By Vincent Navarro There is a growing awareness among some international institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that policies of austerity and public spending cuts they have been promoting and imposing have failed to achieve their objectives. A recent IMF report even acknowledges that, in the case of Greece, these policies have been more damaging … Continue reading
The Troika’s Men in Black and the Crime of Organised Money
Continuing to force states to finance themselves at high-interest rates is just a strategy to justify wage control, the privatisation of public services and, ultimately, to enslave peoples, says Juan Torres Lopez Spain has once again received a visit from the so-called Men in Black, the Troika inspectors, coming to elucidate if all is going as … Continue reading
Service companies and Commission ‘work hand in glove’ on deregulation
New evidence on the extent to which far EU trade policy is run by a small group of unelected bureaucrats and corporate lobbyists. Corporate Europe Observatory
Big business dominates EU policymaking new research finds
Industry experts and corporate lobbyists have effectively captured key areas of policy advice within the European Commission, according to new research More at Corporate Europe Observatory
Commission’s pensions proposals mean working longer, for less – European Left
European Left on the European Commission’s regressive pensions proposals and how they will hit women hard. Video
Strengthen public pension systems, say European trade unions
Commission work-until-you-drop pensions White Paper ‘doesn’t meet need of pensioners’, says ETUC, which argues for stronger public pensions More
Will Monti impose austerity on Berlusconi? Will he liberalise Il Cavaliere?
Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi is set to go tonight. There will be much celebrating among progressives and democrats when he does. But, also some very troubling questions. Why couldn’t the Italian people do it? Why did it take outsiders, that clique of the international banking lobby, bureaucrats in Brussels and heads of state of Germany … Continue reading
Italian Communists: decision not to hold elections is a gift to xenophobic Northern League
Today the Italian Senate approved an swinging austerity and privatisation package that will pave the way for a “technical” government headed by Mario Monti – a former EU Commissioner who is very close to the global elite of bankers and chief executives of the largest corporations. The government is to replacement Silvio Berlusconi’s coalition with … Continue reading
Ask the people or go Greek? This is the Italian question
He’s been written off dozens of times but the chances of Berlusconi surviving beyond a parliamentary vote this afternoon (Tuesday) look pretty slim. Italian businesses, who had hoped the billionaire media magnate would unleash market forces, have disserted him because he has presided over a stagnant economy and has focused soley on serving his own … Continue reading
Portugal’s PM put in the naughty corner
Oh dear. Pedro had done all that teacher told him and much more. He had tightened his belt not two but three times. He was to sell twice as many family jewels as needed. A more dedicated pupil you could not find. But to no avail. Less than a week after he shined that apple … Continue reading
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