SEND THIS PAGE

  

Barroso vote to be postponed

03.07.2009 @ 16:14 CET

Member states on Friday admitted they did not have enough support for a mid-July European Parliament vote on Jose Manuel Barroso's bid to become European Commission president for a second time.

Gloomy job figures dash hopes for European upturn

03.07.2009 @ 09:27 CET

As fresh statistics in both Europe and the US dash hopes for an early economic recovery, Brussels is proposing micro loans to small firms in a bid to help them keep local jobs.

Turkey gives green light to EU gas pipeline deal

03.07.2009 @ 17:38 CET

Turkey will host the signing of an inter-governmental agreement on the EU-backed Nabucco gas pipeline on 13 July, in a major breakthrough for the long-delayed project aimed at reducing Europe's gas reliance on Russia.

New guidelines will reduce fake marriages, Brussels says

03.07.2009 @ 09:05 CET

Governments may not hinder citizens' rights to move freely in the European Union when investigating possible fake marriages between EU and non-EU citizens, new guidelines published by the European Commission on Thursday say.

Barroso stalemate threatens to distract EU from real problems

02.07.2009 @ 17:14 CET

With parliament looking increasingly likely to postpone a July vote on the nomination of the next commission president, there is a risk of having a lameduck executive for a further three to four months. New names are already been floated for the job including the Dutch and Luxembourg leaders.

Commission approves second slice of Latvian loan

03.07.2009 @ 09:18 CET

The European commission announced on Thursday its intention to release the second tranche of an EU loan agreed with Latvia last year, while at the same time calling on the small Baltic state to put its public finances in order by 2012.

Liberals rule out right-wing alliance in the European Parliament

01.07.2009 @ 17:36 CET

The Liberal group has ruled out a right-wing alliance in the European Parliament which could have fundamentally shaken up the way the EU assembly does its business, but instead says it is happy to continue with a 'grand coalition' of left and right. The group is also continuing to play poker on the issue of the next president of the European Commission.

New eurosceptic group to campaign against EU treaty in Irish referendum

01.07.2009 @ 17:45 CET

The Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group – the new eurosceptic party formerly known as the Independence-Democracy Group - announced its party name and political programme on Wednesday.

Iran says Europe no longer qualified to conduct nuclear talks

02.07.2009 @ 09:30 CET

Iran says Europe is no longer qualified to hold nuclear talks due to its meddling with the post-election protests in the country, with Sweden, as the new EU presidency, calling up officials from the 27-member bloc to discuss the next diplomatic move.

Google, Fastest Rising Searches, May, 2009

  • 01Lucy Gordon - The British actress committed suicide.
  • 02Alexander Rybak - This Norwegian captured Eurovision 2009.
  • 03Roland Garros 2009 - French Tennis Championships opened.
  • 04Wolfram Alpha - The new Internet search product launched.
  • 05Impot.gouv.fr - French taxpayers headed to the French Government's tax website.
  • 06El Bruto - The Spanish game site attracted attention.
  • 07Britain's Got Talent - UK reality TV show featuring Scottish spinstress sensation Susan Boyle.
  • 08Dita von Teese - The burlesque star peeled down to her bare attributes for Eurovision.
  • 09Alli - The first diet pill available over the counter without prescription.
  • 10Star Trek - The latest installment of the sci-fi series opene throughout Europe.

Fastest rising searches. Provided exclusively by to and covering the 27 EU states. For more information on Google Zeitgeist click here.

Croatian prime minister resigns

01.07.2009 @ 17:36 CET

In a surprise move, Croatian prime minister Ivo Sanader, whose government started accession negotiations with the EU in 2005 and who led the country into Nato earlier this year, presented his resignation on Wednesday. Mr Sanader also said he was withdrawing from politics for good.

Institutional problems loom large for Swedish presidency

01.07.2009 @ 08:51 CET

Sweden takes over at the helm of the EU on Wednesday for a six-month presidency that will for the most part be held hostage by the bloc's complicated institutional problems as well as being overshadowed by the global economic crisis.

Sweden warns against 'overzealous' hedge fund regulation

02.07.2009 @ 09:22 CET

As members of the European commission gathered in Stockholm to mark the start of the Swedish presidency on Wednesday, the country's financial markets minister warned against overregulation of the hedge fund and private equity sectors.

EU defence contracts to become more transparent

01.07.2009 @ 12:20 CET

A code of conduct coming into force on Wednesday in 25 EU member states and Norway is to bring more transparency in defence procurement contracts. But experts question its effectiveness as long as it is a non-binding agreement.

German MPs under pressure to get Lisbon law ready

01.07.2009 @ 09:28 CET

German MPs are under pressure to get an accompanying law strengthening the role of both houses of parliament in EU decision-making wrapped up before general elections at the end of September.

An extraordinary session of the Bundestag has been called for 26 August (Photo: Bundestag)