Analysis

Expert analysis, features and profiles of key topical issues in the European Union.

Turkmenistan pushes ambitious trans-Afghan pipeline — 18 November 2012, 12:58 CET

Turkmenistan is pushing ahead with plans to build a hugely ambitious pipeline to transport its gas through conflict-torn Afghanistan to India and Pakistan, despite concerns about the viability of the project.

England's Eden blossoms under Brussels roof — 18 November 2012, 12:58 CET

The tropical tranquillity beneath the striking domes of Britain's Eden Project, paid for with EU cash, is a sweet-scented haven from the bitter political row over the bloc's budget.

Facts and figures on the EU 2014-2020 budget — 18 November 2012, 04:22 CET

Europe's leaders gather in Brussels for an extraordinary two-day European Union summit Thursday aimed at agreeing the bloc's next trillion-euro budget for 2014-2020.

Merkel the scapegoat as Germany feels heat of euro protests — 14 November 2012, 17:25 CET

Across southern Europe, Merkel has been made the scapegoat for the austerity policies which brought hundreds of thousands onto the streets on Wednesday in the latest wave of a popular protest movement which has cast doubt on the survival of the euro single currency in its current form.

The Greek economy in facts and figures — 11 November 2012, 22:02 CET

Greek lawmakers are due to vote Sunday on the 2013 budget, which forecasts over nine billion euros in new spending cuts while the economy faces its sixth year of recession. Here are some economic figures for Greece, the epicentre of the eurozone debt crisis and the first European Union member state to be bailed out by the EU and the International Monetary Fund in May 2010.

Romania misses billions through sell-off delays — 12 November 2012, 12:08 CET

Romania last year embarked on an ambitious plan to sell stakes in energy and transport companies but has since seemed to get cold feet and delayed most of the deals, losing billions of euros in potential revenue.

Foreign investors dip toes back into eurozone — 04 November 2012, 14:57 CET

Reassured by ECB anti-crisis moves, major international investors have begun dipping their toes back into the eurozone, even though they don't believe the crisis is over.

Calling Kosovo: you must dial Serbia first — 31 October 2012, 20:17 CET

Kosovo may have declared independence in 2008, but when it comes to phone lines, it is still part of Serbia, which has refused to recognise the breakaway territory's sovereignty.

EU membership process in Western Balkans — 30 October 2012, 10:49 CET

Balkans leaders are exepcted to be pushed to step up reforms that will speed up their path to membership of the European Union during US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's tour of the region. Here is the status of Balkan countries aiming to join the 28-member bloc.

Sotoudeh: Iran's key jailed rights lawyer — 26 October 2012, 13:49 CET

Lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh who was awarded the Sakharov prize on Friday is a leading figure in the defence of human rights in Iran, where she is serving a jail term for her work alongside Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi.

Panahi: Iran filmmaker feted abroad, banned at home — 26 October 2012, 12:17 CET

"Why should it be a crime to make a movie?" The question of filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who jointly won the Sakharov Prize on Friday, after his arrest sums up his commitment to freedom of expression.

Romania's NGOs face closure as EU funds are cut off — 24 October 2012, 16:07 CET

Hundreds of Romanian organisations working for the integration of Roma, the disabled and the vulnerable are facing shutdown because failings by the government have led to European Union funds being withheld.

Simple stove brings safety, income for Darfur women — 19 October 2012, 13:16 CET

Collecting firewood for cooking puts women in Sudan's conflict-plagued and impoverished Darfur region at risk of rape.

Fixing the eurozone -- proposals on the summit table — 18 October 2012, 17:25 CET

EU leaders will on Thursday and Friday thrash out ideas to improve the workings of the eurozone, whose failings have been cruelly exposed during a three-year crisis that has tipped it into recession.

Nationalist gains raise stakes across Belgium, Europe — 15 October 2012, 19:29 CET

A Flemish nationalist breakthrough is a rude wake-up call for Belgium's government and reflects spreading independence demands across Europe stoked by unpopular EU austerity policies, analysts said Monday.

Milo Djukanovic an indestructible Balkans politician — 15 October 2012, 11:07 CET

Milo Djukanovic, whose party has won Montenegro's parliamentary elections on Sunday, according to exit polls, remains an indestructible political phenomenon in a Balkans country on the road to the European Union.

Nobel peace prize a respite as EU faces testing times — 12 October 2012, 18:52 CET

Friday's Nobel peace prize comes at a testing time for the European Union, praised for entrenching peace and democracy on the continent as it struggles to weather its worst crisis in 60 years.

Nobel Peace Prize: Institutions that have won — 12 October 2012, 13:31 CET

The Nobel Peace Prize, awarded on Friday to the European Union, has a long history of recognising institutions since it was first awarded in 1901.

Nobel peace prize a boon as EU faces testing times — 12 October 2012, 11:22 CET

The Nobel peace prize comes at a testing time for the European Union which has brought the continent peace and democracy for over half a century but is struggling to weather the euro debt crisis.

Merkel as 'Queen Europe' surveys field of weakened allies — 12 October 2012, 11:07 CET

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is now as never before the voice of Europe, supporters and critics across the continent say, as she presses ahead with her austerity drive against a weakened France.

Abu Hamza: Hook-handed radical preacher faces US extradition — 05 October 2012, 17:32 CET

With his hooked hand and distinctive appearance, radical preacher Abu Hamza has the highest profile of the five men set to be extradited to the United States to face terror charges.

Czech distillers hit hard amid bootleg deaths — 23 September 2012, 12:43 CET

Czech distillers are facing the first ever dry spell after Prague banned the sale of domestic liquor both at home and abroad after bootlegged spirits killed 23 Czechs.

Spain sovereign bailout facing new eurozone opposition — 22 September 2012, 11:54 CET

A Spanish cry for a full sovereign bailout, seen as a racing certainty over the summer, faces newly-expressed opposition from Germany even as EU officials lay the groundwork should one be judged necessary in Madrid.

France and Germany out of step on eurozone crisis — 21 September 2012, 21:21 CET

Differences between France and Germany on solving the eurozone crisis are increasingly evident, with Paris pushing with more urgency than Berlin for banking reform and a Spanish bailout.

Storm clouds gather over Russia's dominant Gazprom — 16 September 2012, 14:02 CET

From falling profits to an EU anti-trust probe and a possibly misguided strategy based on pipelines -- storm clouds are finally gathering over Russia's previously invincible gas giant Gazprom.