British Referendum: Support For Britain Leaving The EU Surges To 45 Percent

The campaign hoping to take Britain out of the European Union (EU) is enjoying a fresh lead in the polls with 45 percent of British citizens supporting secession and 36 percent supporting the status quo.

Later this year, Britain will vote on whether to leave the EU, with most commentators expecting the vote to come in May or June.

Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron has spent the last few months touring European capitals, attempting to win concessions from EU leaders to change the terms of Britain’s EU membership.

During last year’s general election in May, the Conservatives promised they would deliver a referendum on whether the United Kingdom should stay or leave the EU by the end of 2017. The Conservative Party won a surprise victory with a majority of 12 seats in parliament.

Note EU=Digest: the British want their cake and eat it also. Being member of a club which includes 27 other members requires cooperation, give and take and not a free for all. If the Brits can't understand that they better get out of the EU and enjoy the consequences.  

Read more: Support For Britain Leaving The EU Surges To 45 Percent | The Daily Caller

The Euro Zone: The world’s biggest economic problem

The world economy is not in good shape. The news from America and Britain has been reasonably positive, but Japan’s economy is struggling and China’s growth is now slower than at any time since 2009. Unpredictable dangers abound, particularly from the Ebola epidemic, which has killed thousands in West Africa and jangled nerves far beyond. But the biggest economic threat, by far, comes from continental Europe.

Now that German growth has stumbled, the euro area is on the verge of tipping into its third recession in six years. Its leaders have squandered two years of respite, granted by the pledge of Mario Draghi, the European Central Bank’s president, to do “whatever it takes” to save the single currency.

The French and the Italians have dodged structural reforms, while the Germans have insisted on too much austerity. Prices are falling in eight European countries. The zone’s overall inflation rate has slipped to 0.3% and may well go into outright decline next year. A region that makes up almost a fifth of world output is marching towards stagnation and deflation.

Optimists, both inside and outside Europe, often cite the example of Japan. It fell into deflation in the late-1990s, with unpleasant but not apocalyptic consequences for both itself and the world economy. But the euro zone poses far greater risks. Unlike Japan, the euro zone is not an isolated case: from China to America inflation is worryingly low, and slipping. And, unlike Japan, which has a homogenous, stoic society, the euro area cannot hang together through years of economic sclerosis and falling prices. As debt burdens soar from Italy to Greece, investors will take fright, populist politicians will gain ground, and—sooner rather than later—the euro will collapse.

Note EU-Digest:Even though the Euro Sceptics would love this it won't -  If the euro collapses, the world will go in an economic tailspin and most economists know this.

Read more: The euro zone: The world’s biggest economic problem | The Economist

Dutch voters seen shunning euro radicals in election - by Sara Webb and Gilbert Kreijger

Diederik Samson

Mainstream pro-European parties look set to dominate the Dutch parliamentary election on Wednesday, dispelling concerns that radical eurosceptics might gain sway in a core euro zone country and push to quit the European Union or flout its budget rules.

But the Netherlands is likely to remain an awkward, tough-talking member of the single currency area, strongly resisting transfers to euro zone debtors, regardless of whether caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte's Liberals or the centre-left Labour Party of Diederik Samsom win the most seats.

Opinion polls on Tuesday showed the Liberals and Labour on 36 seats each or the Liberals fractionally in front, with the hard-left Socialists and the far-right anti-immigration Freedom Party fading in third and fourth place respectively.

Read more: Dutch voters seen shunning euro radicals in election - chicagotribune.com

Cheap stereotyping poisons well of euro recovery sentiment

NationalismAs if the euro does not have enough problems, politicians in Europe are fanning the flames of the crisis with broadsides of aggressive rhetoric.

It serves only to heighten resentment, prejudice and suspicion just when the continent needs to pull together.

If the rabble rousers are to be believed, the Greeks are hopelessly lazy, the Italians can not be trusted, the Germans are control freaks bent on taking over the continent and the European Union autocrats in Brussels want to abolish democracy and create a Soviet-style EU.

Greece-bashing is a sport among German politicians trying to score points ahead of elections next year. Markus Söder, the finance minister of Bavaria, on Sunday labelled the Greeks "mummy's boys" and said they should quit the euro by the end of the year.

Read more: Cheap stereotyping poisons well of euro recovery sentiment - The National

Europe not Economy could be the big issue - by Alexander Britton

The decision of East Midlands MEP Roger Helmer to leave the Conservative party in favour of joining the ranks of UKIP hardly had me spitting out my cornflakes in surprise.

In fact, the only real shock that came from seeing Helmer paraded like a prize catch landed fresh from the sea at the UKIP conference in Skegness last weekend was that it took him so long to start batting for a new side.

Ever since he announced a desire to step down from the European Parliament, it was pretty clear that he was becoming irate at Conservative HQ's reticence to let long-term ally Rupert Matthews take his seat in Brussels.

For more: Alexander Britton: Europe not Economy could be the big issue | This is Nottingham

Bad mouthing Europe : a favorite right-wing and euro-sceptic sport

Does anyone notice that every time we hear about problems in Europe, the rabid right-wing capitalists come out of their well protected corrupt holes and immediately spout a bunch of "I told you so's".

Forgetting of course that the world's current strongest and fastest growing economies have or have had socialist leanings ... Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, Brazil, Turkey, India, and yes CHINA! The latter being a truly bastardized and prostituted version of both.

This all is not really about economics, or is it? Maybe we should not see it that way.  Try and see it as a way to look at an era of broken ideals where we are trying to reinvent socially sustainable ways to live - sans the ever present emphasis on finance!

EU-Digest

ECB’s strength under microscope in euro zone debt crisis - by Martin Mittelstaed

As Europe’s sovereign debt crisis intensifies, financial markets are worried about the continent’s banks. But the strain is also falling in an unexpected direction – on the European Central Bank.

Like its privately owned counterparts, the euro zone’s core financial institution carries large amounts of debt on its balance sheet from Greece and other risky borrowers. It wouldn’t need much of a “haircut” – bond market jargon for a drop in the value of these debts – to seriously diminish the ECB’s capital.

Last month, Open Europe, a think tank based in London, issued an analysis suggesting that a Greek default could erase most, if not all, of the ECB’s capital. “We think that the ECB’s balance sheet is now incredibly exposed and that it’s very weak,” says Mats Persson, director of Open Europe.

Note EU-Digest: as usual the critique on the EU, EURO and the ECB once again comes from Anglo-Saxon circles.

For more: ECB’s strength under microscope in euro zone debt crisis - The Globe and Mail

Greek debt crisis to test cohesion of EU

An undercurrent of anger and mistrust will permeate tonight's critical meeting of euro zone ministers in Brussels as they grapple with a spiraling Greek debt crisis and try to seal a €78 billion ($104 billion) bailout for Portugal. As if the euro's problems were not enough, seething resentments will add a new political dimension to the talks.

The inclement mood was set 10 days earlier. On May 6, Jean-Claude Juncker, Luxembourg's Prime Minister and chairman of the euro group of single currency members, called a secret meeting of the European Union's most powerful countries at the Chateau de Senningen on the outskirts of the tiny Duchy state.

Gathered at the 18th century former paper mill were finance ministers from Germany, France, Italy and Spain - the euro's G20 members, Jean-Claude Trichet, the president of the European Central Bank, and Olli Rehn, the EU commissioner for monetary affairs.

Note EU-Digest: Once again the Anglo EU-Euro Sceptics are crying Woolf through the media outlets controlled by Mr. Rupert Murdoch. The fact is that even Greece which they are painting black and trying to slam in the ground has shown to be doing better in recent economic forecasts than Great Britain.

For more: Greek debt crisis to test cohesion of EU

Sceptical voters need to hear why EU matters - The Irish Times - by Derek Scally

The EU and the euro zone are increasingly seen by Germans as an expensive albatross. Angela Merkel is not known for her glittering rhetorical ability and, when she tries, one wishes she hadn’t bothered.
In a December speech to the Bundestag, she described the euro as “our common destiny” and efforts to stabilise the currency as “preserving the European Union’s grandiose idea of peace and freedom”.

Grandiose indeed. Dr Merkel’s effort to place the current euro zone crisis in a wider historical EU framework was admirable but, in reading the words from a page in her trademark atonal voice, she didn’t even sound like she was convincing herself.

For more: Sceptical voters need to hear why EU matters - The Irish Times - Tue, Dec 28, 2010

EU: David Cameron’s Missed Opportunity to Reshape EU - Iain Martin - WSJ

David Cameron’s “I am a Euroskeptic, honestly” remarks in the aftermath of the EU summit last week were uttered in a plaintive tone. As though the prime minister realized that he had been rolled over by experts and no amount of spin about the EU budget could cover up the fact.

The attempt to present the securing of a 2.9% increase in the budget as a victory wasn’t wholly convincing. It’s the kind of figure Germany and France were always going to demand, against the 6% wanted by Europhile elements in the European Parliament.

But more intriguing — and more likely to cause Cameron trouble with the breed of younger Tory Euroskeptics in London that is currently displacing an old guard that doesn’t seem to have gotten very far advancing its cause in the last two decades — is the opportunity he has missed on reshaping the EU.

For more: David Cameron’s Missed Opportunity to Reshape EU - Iain Martin - WSJ

EU: "Rompuying along" - ANGLO-SAXON EURO SCEPTICS THE MAIN SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM

"Three headaches obsess Brussels at this moment ( say Eurosceptics) . First comes the spectre of a euro-area crisis. Senior figures say it is a question of “when not if” external aid is sent to prevent cash-strapped Greece from defaulting on its debts. Second : Under the Lisbon treaty summits are meant to take place in Brussels, hosted by the new permanent president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy. But Spain, which holds the rotating EU presidency until June 30th, insisted on inviting Mr Obama to Madrid. He has now made clear he is not coming. A third headache is the “EU 2020 reform agenda”, a ten-year plan to make Europe dynamic by administrative fiat. The 2020 agenda is to be discussed at an informal summit called by Mr Van Rompuy on February 11th. EU leaders hope to build on the rubble of the 2000 Lisbon agenda, whose stated aim was to make the EU “the most dynamic and competitive knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010 capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion and respect for the environment.” It failed.

Lisbon failed because lots of Europeans do not want to live in the most dynamic and competitive economy in the world. They prefer to work fewer hours than Americans or Japanese (about 10% fewer, on average), to take long holidays, and to retire as soon as possible. Among EU leaders it is fashionable to predict that the financial crisis will lead to a revolution in “European economic governance”. Yet that phrase hides a dearth of new ideas", they say.

Note EU-Digest: The Anglo-Saxons Euro-sceptics and their friends in the press just love to bad-mouth the EU, don't they? The most obvious reason Mr. Obama snubbed the EU Summit has probably all to do with Afghanistan, where the Europeans have been reluctant to support the US with additional troops and to help keeping a corrupt local government propped up. If there is a problem today in the EU, the Anglo-Saxon Euro-Sceptics are probably the main cause of it.

For the complete report also see: Charlemagne: Rompuying along | The Economist

AFP: Tories warn they could still torpedo EU treaty

For the complete report from the AFP click on this link

Tories warn they could still torpedo EU treaty

The Conservative Party warned Wednesday they would hold a referendum on the EU's Lisbon Treaty if they take office next year and the eurosceptic Czech president has not yet ratified it. Conservative leader David Cameron, widely tipped to oust Prime Minister Gordon Brown in ballots due by next July, has written to Vaclav Klaus to clarify his position, which in theory could torpedo the troubled treaty. The fate of the European Union treaty, aimed at streamlining decision-making in the expanded 27-nation bloc, is in the balance ahead of an Irish referendum on October 2, which EU leaders hope will overturn a 'no' vote last year.<

Note EU-Digest: Minority viewpoints on the Lisbon Treaty Agreement like those of the British Conservative party or Mr. Vaclav Klaus must obviously be listened to, but they can not be allowed to derail the majority viewpoint of the EU partner nations.

Haberanal/EU-Digest: Would Turkey be in the ‘winners' club’ or ‘losers' pit’ by 2023? - by Mehmet Öğütçü

For the complete report from the Haberanaliz click on this link

Would Turkey be in the ‘winners' club’ or ‘losers' pit’ by 2023? - by Mehmet Öğütçü

If I could look into my crystal ball to predict who the winners and losers of the global system would be by 2023 (the centenary year marking the founding of the Turkish Republic), do not expect me to give a rosy picture of the future for today’s 27-state European Union (EU). The current recession will no doubt ease by the end of this year, though the deep-seated systemic problems will remain, and companies will begin taking on workers again, signaling the end of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s. This setback may herald a new era in the global system fundamentally altering the political and economic balance of power. The post-crisis era also looks certain to shake the established institutions, rules and players redefining a gradually emerging ‘new world order’ that is likely to reduce the influence and power of super-majors such as the US, Japan and the EU to the benefit of BRIC (Brazil, India and China) nations.

Note EU-Digest "This lengthy article by Mr.Mehmet Öğütçü unfortunately shows he has become a supporter of the British Euro sceptics. For those who are not familiar with the British Euro sceptics: they are a misguided group of people who don't believe in the European Union and have the illusion that Britain can go at it alone. They also rather sit on the lap of Uncle Sam (with all the recent economic negative consequences) than support the EU, the hand that feeds them through trade. Mr.Mehmet Öğütçü also seems to be an articulate Turkish nationalist (nothing wrong with that), who has some difficulties in identifying the difference between fiction and reality when it comes to Turkish membership in the EU.

Rest assured Mr. Öğütçü, the majority of EU member states leaders are convinced Turkey will eventually become a member of the EU. Obviously only after it meets all the requirements for membership, and more important, if it still wants to join. But one has to be realistic, Turkey, with its more than 70 million people, complex economic infrastructure and social fabric, can not be compared with the small, poor, corrupt, and functionally disorganized Eastern European nations which were recently admitted to the EU. These small states regardless of their incredible problems are far easier manageable than a "giant" country like Turkey would be if it came into the Union before it put its own house in order. This assessment might seem unfair when looking at the issue from a Turkish perspective, but it certainly is a realistic one."