Press reviews
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Transatlantic trade agreement: A good deal for Cameron and Obama
18 June 2013256 43PresseuropThe Wall Street Journal Europe, Die Welt, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Die Tageszeitung -
Floods in central Europe: ‘A veritable catastrophe for the region’
5 June 2013112 13PresseuropHospodářské Noviny, Die Presse, Der Tagesspiegel, Népszava -
Eurozone: Merkollande takes the controls
31 May 2013325 102PresseuropLes Echos, Le Monde, Handelsblatt, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung -
Growth : ‘Eurozone mired in recession’
16 May 2013632 75PresseuropFinancial Times, Les Echos, România libera & 4 others -
Enrico Letta: A new player, hardly a new game
2 May 2013151 107PresseuropLa Stampa, Il Sole-24 Ore, Die Zeit & 2 others -
Serbia-Kosovo : Everyone’s a winner
22 April 2013141 15PresseuropDanas, Politika, Blic & 4 others -
United Kingdom: The face of the conservative revolution
9 April 2013123 11PresseuropDie Welt, Libero, Libération & 3 others -
Cyprus bailout: ‘Blackmail has replaced solidarity’
18 March 2013370 31PresseuropFinancial Times, Público, Trouw & 4 others -
European Council: Why change a losing formula?
15 March 2013227 73PresseuropIl Sole-24 Ore, Ziarul Financiar, Les Echos -
Hungary: ‘A blow to the heart of the rule of law’
12 March 2013154 24PresseuropFinancial Times, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Público, Le Monde -
Italy: ‘A serious warning to Europe’
26 February 2013341 61PresseuropSüddeutsche Zeitung, De Volkskrant, I Kathimerini & 3 others -
Eurozone crisis: Austerity plunges Europe into recession
15 February 2013545 130PresseuropLa Tribune, Diário económico, NRC Handelsblad & 4 others -
EU budget: A convoluted compromise
8 February 2013329 43PresseuropTrouw, Le Monde, El País, Die Welt -
European Union: Cameron prods Europe’s sore spot
24 January 2013228 80PresseuropLes Echos, Die Welt, Gazeta Wyborcza & 4 others -
UK-EU: Cameron lights the referendum fuse
23 January 2013119 121PresseuropFinancial Times, Daily Express, The Sun & 3 others -
Mali: France’s necessary but risky bet
14 January 2013154 40PresseuropLibération, Le Monde, Süddeutsche Zeitung & 4 others -
Eurozone: Banking union flatters Germany’s financial physique
14 December 2012468 17PresseuropNRC Handelsblad, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, El País, ABC -
Eurozone: An embryonic banking union
13 December 201266 35PresseuropLe Monde, Handelsblatt, Diário económico, El País -
Nobel Peace Prize: A controversial yet deserved prize
10 December 2012115 51PresseuropGazeta Wyborcza, Trouw, Diário de Notícias & 2 others -
United Kingdom: Taming the Fourth Estate
30 November 201278 8PresseuropFinancial Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Sun -
European Council: Major confusion over EU budget
22 November 2012142 45PresseuropThe Daily Telegraph, Público, El País & 4 others -
Balkans: Gotovina and Markač acquittal reopens wounds
19 November 201257 2PresseuropNovi List, Jutarnji List, Poslovni Dnevnik & 2 others -
Social Issues: Austerity sends Europeans marching in the streets
15 November 2012249 124PresseuropEl País, La Repubblica, Público & 2 others -
EU Budget: Bargaining set to go to the wire
14 November 201276 19PresseuropJyllands-Posten, El Mundo, Gazeta Wyborcza, La Stampa -
Greece: “Last chance” vote a Pyrrhic victory
8 November 2012108 52PresseuropTo Vima, To Ethnos, I Kathimerini -
United States: “Obama 2.0” urged not to disappoint
7 November 2012141 35PresseuropExpresso, Der Tagesspiegel, To Vima & 3 others -
Car industry: Ford takes the road from Flanders to Valencia
25 October 2012119 101PresseuropGazet van Antwerpen, De Standaard, ABC & 2 others -
Nobel Peace Prize: A prize that “could not have come at a better time”
12 October 2012322 92PresseuropSüddeutsche Zeitung, La Tribune, El País & 2 others -
Nuclear energy: Who will look after our nuclear security?
3 October 2012135 5PresseuropLe Monde, Trouw, Die Welt -
Institutions : Barroso utters the dreaded word
13 September 2012124 85PresseuropSvenska Dagbladet, Der Standard, România libera & 2 others -
Netherlands: Voters push to the centre
13 September 201257 2PresseuropHet Financieele Dagblad, Trouw, De Volkskrant -
Eurozone: Karlsruhe plays it safe
12 September 201254 56PresseuropSüddeutsche Zeitung, Frankfurter Rundschau, Die Tageszeitung -
Kosovo: Not quite independent yet
10 September 201254 16PresseuropJutarnji List, NRC Handelsblad, Le Monde -
Eurozone: The independent ECB is dead
7 September 2012175 139PresseuropDie Welt, Süddeutsche Zeitung -
Netherlands: Election suspense
4 September 201256 10PresseuropNRC Handelsblad, Trouw, De Volkskrant -
Eurozone crisis: Mario Draghi — saviour or executioner?
3 August 2012118 74PresseuropABC, El País, Corriere della Sera & 4 others -
Romania: A referendum where everyone is a loser
30 July 201260 4PresseuropJurnalul Naţional, România libera, Adevărul, Gandul -
Eurozone: Mario Draghi — bluff or balm for the crisis?
27 July 201254 48PresseuropCorriere della Sera, El País, El Mundo & 3 others -
Spain: Catalonia joins the shipwreck
25 July 2012101 31PresseuropEl País, El Mundo, El Periódico de Catalunya, La Vanguardia -
Romania and Bulgaria: Bucharest and Sofia, still incorrigible for Commission
18 July 201277 8PresseuropRomânia libera, Adevărul, Sega & 2 others -
Romania: EU’s vigilance doesn’t please everyone
16 July 201247 6PresseuropJurnalul Naţional, Adevărul -
European parliament: Victory over ACTA comes at a price
5 July 2012131 7PresseuropMediapart , Gazeta Wyborcza, Rzeczpospolita & 2 others -
European Council: A battle has been won
29 June 2012145 61PresseuropEl Mundo, El País, Le Figaro & 2 others -
European Council: Yes, the euro is mortal
28 June 2012139 39PresseuropLe Monde, Handelsblatt, Público & 2 others -
G20: Monti denies EFSF rescue is “bailout”
20 June 201259 16PresseuropThe Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, Corriere della Sera -
Greece: The worst has been staved off – for now
18 June 201271 6PresseuropJornal de Negócios, Frankfurter Rundschau, La Vanguardia & 2 others -
Spain: Relief and concern in Europe
11 June 201277 1PresseuropDe Volkskrant, Les Echos, Die Welt & 2 others -
Debt crisis: Political union: easier said than done
8 June 2012117 28PresseuropFinancial Times Deutschland, Financial Times Deutschland, Le Figaro -
Serbia: Voters turn page on pro-European Tadić
21 May 201262 4PresseuropDanas, Politika, Blic & 2 others -
France: Hollande’s victory changes the game in Europe
7 May 201277 11PresseuropThe Guardian, Frankfurter Rundschau, Corriere della Sera & 4 others
The EU-US trade deal mostly benefits David Cameron and the United States: for the UK prime minister, it’s a crucial part of his plan to win support to keep Britain in the EU. For the Obama administration, it’s an economic victory that will boost jobs and exports, believes the Wall Street Journal and the German press. 
Flooding in central Europe, caused by torrential rains, has killed 11 people and led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of others. The floods and the damage they have caused is the June 5 lead story for most of the region's press. 
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President François Hollande want to install a government for the Eurozone. This could change the EU's structure, according to the press in both countries, but only if the leaders' understanding is sustainable. 
Europe's May 15 growth figures fell like a hammer blow. For the sixth consecutive quarter, the Eurozone economy has contracted – the longest period of decline in growth since the creation of the single currency, notes the European press. 
The day after he started work, Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta went to Berlin, Paris and Brussels to pledge his commitment to Europe and voice his belief that austerity must be eased. But he may not be able to make himself heard, according to the European press. 
In Belgrade and Pristina, the press has hailed the agreement on the normalisation of relations between Serbia and its former province, which was concluded on April 19 under the auspices of the EU, as a historic step forward. 
Adored by those who appreciated her style and uncompromising policies, hated by others for a lack of empathy and her ultra-free-market liberalism, Margaret Thatcher left no-one in Europe indifferent. Following her death at the age of 87, the European press reacts with a wide range of feelings. 
By imposing a tax on bank deposits in exchange for a €10bn bailout package, the eurozone leaders have, at best, set “a dangerous precedent”, and, at worst dabbled in “blackmail,” writes the European press. 
The heads of state and government met in Brussels to discuss growth but have failed to reach any decision that might give a boost to a Europe exhausted by the crisis and by austerity, laments the European press. 
In reforming the constitution once again, the government of Viktor Orbán has taken another step to weaken democracy in Hungary – against a powerless EU, laments the European press. 
The narrow victory of the centre-left coalition in elections on February 24 and 25 has left the country without a clear majority. The European press wonders about the implications of the vote and considers the consequences for Europe. 
The latest statistics on the state of the eurozone economy indicate that, contrary to what political leaders have recently been saying, the crisis is far from over. 
The leaders of the European Union have managed to save face thanks to the Byzantine wording of the compromise agreement they have found for the 2014-2020 EU budget. The austerity measures adopted, however, could be difficult to implement, notes the European press. 
The British Prime Minister's speech on January 23 on the future of relations between his country and the EU has made the front pages of most European newspapers. The idea of a UK exit provokes reactions ranging from outrage to - more frequently - understanding. 
After weeks of speculation, the UK prime minister finally delivered his crucial speech on Britain’s EU future. He pledged to renegotiate a new deal with the EU before putting it to a referendum before the end of 2017. For the UK press, the speech left much doubt for the future. 
On January 11, the French army launched a series of air strikes to keep Islamist armed groups, who have controlled the north of Mali since the spring, from spreading to the south of the country. While generally recognising the need to intervene, the European press points out the risks that such an military operation entails. 
After the euphoria following the agreement on banking supervision that was finally reached between the 27 member states – the embryo of a banking union – the European press, given the details of the mechanism worked out in Brussels, has lost some enthusiasm. 
After 14 hours of talks, EU finance ministers agreed a system of bank supervision. The project covers only a small number of firms, but it marks a step towards an end to the crisis, says the European press. 
On December 10, as the Nobel Peace Prize was officially handed over to the EU, the European press celebrates both gratitude for what the Union has already achieved and encouragement for the future, while acknowledging that there are good reasons for a dose of scepticism. 
Lord Justice Leveson’s much-anticipated report into British press standards was published yesterday and provided a damning indictment of media ethics. As a result of the scandal, which erupted over illegal interception of telephone calls, a host of journalists including two former News of the World editors, face criminal charges including bribery. 
Meeting in Brussels for an extraordinary European Council summit, Europe’s leaders are to about to outline the EU’s budget for years to come in an atmosphere that has already been marked by threats of a veto from various countries. The European press examines the bargaining process and attempts to identify the probable winners and losers. 
The acquittal of General Gotovina and General Markač by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia salvages the honour of Croatia, but does not erase all the questions about the country's recent past, writes the national press. In Serbia, on the other hand, the news has not been well received. 
Hundreds of thousands of people took part in protests against austerity policies organised in several European countries by the European Trade union Confederation. For the European press, this austerity fatigue should prompt a rethink on the drive to balance public accounts. 
How is the EU to be funded from 2014 to 2020? This is the issue to be settled at the European Council summit on 22 and 23 November. The European press reports that EU member states, which seem to be mainly concerned with their national interests, are far from agreement. 
Greece's MPs have passed the new austerity plan the country needs before a new tranche of aid is transferred. But this vote, following lengthy negotiations in a parliament besieged by protesters, will not save a country that is sinking into political crisis, writes the Greek press. 
Reflecting a public opinion largely favourable to Barack Obama, the European press heaves a sigh of relief after his re-election. But the illusions of 2008 about his commitment to Europe have vanished. 
The shutdown of the Genk plant announced by the American manufacturer has sent shock waves through Belgium. But in Valencia, Spain, where the production is moving to, Ford is looking forward to the competitive advantage the region offers. 
Hardly had the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the European Union been let out of the bag that the European press responded with a mixture of enthusiasm and scepticism. At a time when Europe is doubting itself, emphasises the press, the award will encourage those who still believe in integration. 
The stress tests on European nuclear power plants have turned up plenty of flaws in the safety of the installations. Although already hotly disputed by member states, the results are raising the question of the jurisdiction of the EU.
In proposing a federation of nation states, the President of the European Commission has outlined an ambitious course of development for the EU. For the European press, however, such an initiative inevitably raises questions about the role of Brussels and the role of member states. 
In Wednesday's Dutch general election, the Dutch press unanimously agrees, the victory of incumbent Prime Minister Mark Rutte's conservative People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and of Diederik Samsom's Labour Party (PvdA) favoured the moderates and pro-Europeans to the detriment of the eurosceptic fringe such as Geert Wilders' populist Party for Freedom or Emile Roemer's far-left Socialist Party. 
The verdict came as no surprise: Germany's constitutional court has green-lighted the European Stability Mechanism (the ESM) and so given the euro a future. But the condition attached is that any increase to the bailout fund must meet with German approval. Initial reactions from the German press. 
On September 10, formal international monitoring of Kosovo will end and the newest state in Europe will take a further step forward towards true and full sovereignty. But as the European press has noted, Kosovo is far from being totally free of the supervision to which it has been subjected since birth. 
The debt buyback programme announced by Mario Draghi is a sign of the European Central Bank's subjection to political power, laments the German press, which is alarmed by this new shift in European monetary policy. 
Rupture or continuity? The Dutch go to the polls on Sept. 12 for early elections marked by the crisis. Liberal Prime Minister Mark Rutte seems well ahead, but on the left there’s tough competition to come up with an alternative. For the Dutch press this close vote risks prolonging the political crisis. 
The ECB will probably intervene, but states will have to ask for help first. The message delivered by the President of the European Central Bank raises serious reactions in the European press, which questions whether Draghi really has the power or not. 
Called on to confirm the impeachment of President Traian Băsescu by referendum, the Romanians have delivered two messages. By failing to pass the fifty-percent participation threshold (only 46.23 percent came out to vote) they invalidated the referendum, which lets the president cling on to power. But by voting overwhelmingly for his dismissal (87.52 percent), they leave him weakened. 
In stating that “the ECB is ready to do whatever it takes to save the euro,” its president has sent a positive signal to markets, believes the European press. In the absence of clarification, though, it is difficult to know the effects over the long run. 
The request for financial aid addressed to Spain’s central government by the region of Catalonia will further compound the debt crisis for the entire country. The press in Madrid and Barcelona points out that it has also highlighted the budgetary excesses of Spain’s regions. 
Two reports published on July 18 by the European Commission regarding the rule of law in Romania and in Bulgaria, both of which joined the EU in 2007, stress both countries' lack of democracy and poor records in the fight against crime. These two findings have sparked a debate in the both their national presses. 
Is the shadow of Brussels beneficial or not to a country's democracy? In the midst of the debate on the dismissal of Romanian President Traian Băsescu, the Romanian press is divided on the issue, demonstrating a certain ambivalence towards the European Union. 
In rejecting the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), MEPs have shown that they are not insensitive to the mood of public opinion, reports a largely enthusiastic European press. At the same time, however, the undermining of intellectual property rights remains a cause for concern. 
Germany attempts to save face while “Club Med” countries obtain a reprieve: the European press reports that the Brussels summit has made progress on a number of key aspects of the debt crisis. 
The European Council cannot afford the hunt for a new compromise in the short term, warns the European press. European leaders must take seriously the risk that the single currency will collapse – and with it, the EU. 
Rumours have been rife for weeks, but it’s the British Daily Telegraph, at the close of the G20 summit in Mexico, that has smashed the taboo, revealing that Spain and Italy are on the verge of bailout. But is Mario Monti’s plan to use EFSF money to buy up debt really a bailout? 
Following the vote that gave victory to the “pro-memorandum” party, the European press breathes a sigh of relief: the concept of a Greece exit from the eurozone seems to have been ruled out for the moment. But the crisis in the single currency is far from having run its course. 
For weeks the European press has been speculating, not about the possibility of a bailout for Spanish banks, but about the date when such an initiative would be announced. On 9 June, the government in Madrid finally submitted a request to the EU for assistance in recapitalising Spain’s financial sector, which is struggling to cope with bad property loans. 
Angela Merkel wants to move towards greater federalism and is suggesting a two-speed Europe. But that presents legal difficulties in Germany and is deepening the split with François Hollande. 
In an unexpected result, nationalist Tomislav Nikolić has defeated the outgoing Boris Tadić to become the new president of Serbia. At a time when the country is a candidate to join the EU, his election will likely have an impact on relations between Belgrade and Brussels. 
Most European newspapers are hailing the victory of the socialist candidate in the French presidential elections but stress that, among the challenges ahead, foremost will be relations with Germany and Hollande’s attitude towards the fiscal pact pushed by his predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. - 1 of 2
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