Analysis

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

EU embargo already hurting Iran oil exports — 26 June 2012, 11:47 CET

The EU embargo on Iranian crude due to come fully into effect on Sunday, on the heels of further US sanctions, has already bitten deeply into the Islamic republic's all-important oil sector.

A Greek accountant despairs as business trust crumbles — 24 June 2012, 12:35 CET

How bad is the economic mess in Greece? Just ask Dimitris Skiadas, a despairing Athens accountant who is struggling to keep his clients' finances in some kind of order in a fifth year of recession.

Eurozone can foot the bill of Spain bailout, for now — 11 June 2012, 15:22 CET

As Spain joins Greece, Ireland and Portugal in the queue for EU handouts, experts said the total bill of half a trillion euros can be met by the bloc's existing rescue funds, at least for the time being.

Castle blaze sparks ethnic tension in Slovakia — 25 May 2012, 12:22 CET

A blaze that engulfed a historic castle in Slovakia has ignited ethnic tensions, with a far right party out to evict Roma blamed for sparking the fire from a nearby shanty town.

Eurobonds and project bonds: telling them apart — 23 May 2012, 15:35 CET

Advocates of spurring growth in Europe have put on the table two financial instruments -- eurobonds and project bonds -- which both entail joint borrowing but differ in detail and scale.

Key figures in the EU's spring economic forecast — 11 May 2012, 14:22 CET

Here are the key growth, deficit and debt figures from the European Commission's spring economic forecast for the European Union:

Abu Hamza: Hook-handed radical preacher faces US extradition — 10 April 2012, 18:52 CET

With his hooked hand and distinctive appearance, radical preacher Abu Hamza is the best-known of the five men who the European Court of Human Rights ruled Tuesday could be extradited to the US.

In DRCongo's east, displacement is a way of life — 22 March 2012, 10:25 CET

Violence of one sort or another has been part of life here in the eastern province of Sud Kivu for virtually as long as Baudoin Baleke Wabuya, a local administrator, can remember.

Sarkozy call to "Buy European" faces pitfalls: analysts — 18 March 2012, 04:27 CET

A call for a "Buy European Act" by French President Nicolas Sarkozy based on a US law that obliges use of domestically-made products in public contracts, could prove troublesome, economists warn.

A primer on rare earth minerals — 13 March 2012, 19:32 CET

Rare earth minerals, at the heart of a major trade dispute between China and the United States, the European Union and Japan, are coveted natural resources used in high-tech items ranging from iPhones to missiles.

The eurozone-IMF rescue for Greece: the main points — 09 March 2012, 10:11 CET

The Greek bond swap is intended to avert default by Greece when debt falls due on March 20 and is a key part of a eurozone-IMF rescue worth up to 237 billion euros to enable the country to rebuild its economy.

EU leaders deny anti-Hollande plot but are nervous: experts — 06 March 2012, 12:07 CET

Europe's main conservative leaders deny any plot to snub French Socialist presidential hopeful Francois Hollande, but experts say they are nevertheless nervous about the untested candidate's plans.

Key upcoming dates in the eurozone debt crisis — 02 March 2012, 11:52 CET

European leaders and finance ministers are holding a flurry of meetings in coming weeks to decide the next steps on the Greek debt bailout and whether to boost the monetary union's emergency fund.

The EU's new budgetary 'golden rules' — 02 March 2012, 14:38 CET

European leaders on Friday signed a new treaty to reinforce budgetary discipline in the wake of the debt crisis.

Romania sees some progress in the fight against graft — 28 February 2012, 11:52 CET

Romania has made some "breakthroughs" in its fight against corruption with ex-ministers sentenced to jail and a doubling of final convictions in high-level cases in 2011, experts told AFP.

Key facts about Serbia — 28 February 2012, 11:27 CET

Key facts about Serbia as EU foreign ministers are due to decide Tuesday if Belgrade wins EU candidate status.

The eurozone-IMF rescue for Greece: the main points — 21 February 2012, 20:26 CET

The debt rescue agreed on Tuesday to save Greece from defaulting on March 20 and to keep it in the eurozone, is in the form of a complex package potentially worth 237 billion euros in all.

The many hurdles holding up new Greek bailout — 14 February 2012, 17:27 CET

Eurozone finance ministers re-convene Wednesday in Brussels to examine whether Greece met conditions for a second bailout.

Greek vote a big step but debt crisis lives on: analysts — 13 February 2012, 14:07 CET

A deal to save Greece from default, boosted by a vote in Athens agreeing more austerity, marks a turning point in the debt crisis, but the outcome is far from clear, analysts warn.

Europe's trust gone, Greece at crossroads — 10 February 2012, 19:07 CET

Europe's trust in Greece has gone -- the question now is exactly what conditions it will put on any new loans to whatever government emerges in Athens when and if the country's old debt is restructured.

Anatomy of the Greek debt negotiations — 09 February 2012, 17:42 CET

Agreement among Greek political parties on meeting the latest targets set by the European Union and International Monetary Fund enables the eurozone to decide on an overall second bailout.

Europe's future financial firewall — 30 January 2012, 13:47 CET

The European Stability Mechanism (ESM), due for adoption at Monday's EU summit, will be the bloc's permanent rescue fund from July.

A new EU pact to spread budgetary 'golden rules' — 30 January 2012, 13:27 CET

European leaders are set to adopt Monday a new treaty to reinforce budgetary discipline among governments in the wake of the debt crisis.

ESM, Europe's future financial firewall now — 29 January 2012, 15:17 CET

The European Stability Mechanism (ESM), due for adoption at Monday's EU summit, is to be the bloc's permanent safety net as of July -- its financial "firewall."

A new pact to spread budgetary 'golden rules' — 29 January 2012, 15:17 CET

European leaders are set to adopt Monday a new treaty to reinforce budgetary discipline among governments in the wake of the debt crisis. A German demand as the price of financial solidarity, it will introduce "golden rules" making balanced budgets mandatory.