Politico (October 25)
Tags: Confidence, Crises, Debt crisis, Dragged, Economy, EU, Europe, Fiscal, France, Malaise, Powerful, Sickest, Social, Spoiled, Vicious cycle
The Guardian (September 1)
“At this point, it should be clear that AI is a choose-your-own-adventure book where every option ends in disaster.” Despite the growing consensus that we need “to slow down, regulate or even put all of this on pause while we wrap our minds around it,” individual nations are “incentivised to run this foolish race,” The EU alone can pause the insanity. “The future of all chip-based technology is wholly dependent on ASML. A straight ban on exports of ASML’s machines would force the global AI industry to in effect tread water, to jog in place.”
Tags: AI, ASML, Ban, Chip-based technology, Consensus, Dependent, Disaster, EU, Foolish race, Future, Incentivised, Insanity, Nations, Pause, Regulate, Slow down
Bloomberg (May 21)
“The euro area will slow markedly while suffering the fastest inflation since 2023 as it succumbs to the energy-cost surge from the Iran war.” The European Commission issued new EU forecasts predicting that “output will rise 0.9% this year, notably below the 1.4% expansion last year, and 0.3 percentage points lower than expected in November. For 2027, it revised its outlook down to 1.2%.”
Tags: 2023, 2027, Energy-cost surge, EU, European Commission issued, Forecasts, Inflation, Iran war, Markedly, Output, Slow, Succumbs, Suffering
The Guardian (May 20)
“The balance of global power is shifting fast, but Britain is stuck in the same old Brexit rut. Without a reckoning about the epic strategic error of leaving the EU, there is no serious debate about the country’s future place in the world.” The nation’s “capacity to influence global events was diminished, not boosted, by leaving the EU….The road to control leads back to Europe.”
Tags: Balance, Boosted, Brexit rut, Britain, Control, Debate, Diminished, EU, Future, Global events, Global power, Influence, Reckoning, Shifting, Strategic error
Reuters (December 22)
“China will impose provisional duties of up to 42.7% on dairy products imported from the European Union, the latest in a series of measures against EU exports widely seen as retaliation for the bloc’s electric vehicle tariffs.” There are a range of duties on “unsweetened milk and cream and fresh and processed cheeses, including the iconic French Roquefort and Camembert,” but “most companies will pay just under 30%.”
Tags: Camembert, China, Cream, Dairy products, Duties, EU, EV, Exports, Milk, Processed cheeses, Provisional duties, Retaliation, Roquefort, Tariffs
The Guardian (December 9)
“Millions of children and teens” under 16 are losing access to their “accounts as Australia’s world-first social media ban begins.” An academic advisory group will be “examining the short-term, medium-term and longer-term impacts of the ban,” both intended (like more sleep, less stress, deeper social interaction) and unintended (like pushing youths to the unregulated dark web). “The ban has garnered worldwide attention, with several nations indicating they will adopt a ban of their own, including Malaysia, Denmark and Norway” while the EU has already “passed a resolution to adopt similar restrictions.”
Tags: Access, Accounts, Australia, Children, Dark web, Denmark, EU, Impacts, Intended, Interaction, Malaysia, Norway, Sleep, Social media ban, Stress, Teens, Unintended, World-first
Bloomberg (October 2)
“The European Union plans to hike tariffs on steel imports to 50% and cut by nearly a half the volume of steel that’s allowed in before that higher rate is imposed.” In recent years, “European steel imports have risen as production has fallen.” This move is designed to “align the bloc’s rate with the US, which has sought to push back against overcapacity from China.”
Tags: Align, EU, Imports, Overcapacity, Production, Steel, Tariffs, U.S.
The Guardian (September 24)
“European leaders have been pulled to the right on migration, the climate crisis and Israel. Their weakness is undermining the democratic principles on which the EU was built.” If they “remain still and silent, hoping Trump will simply fade away, they risk giving up not just their dignity but their political agency. By doing so, they are allowing far-right forces to fill the void and tilt the balance permanently.”
Tags: Climate crisis, Democratic principles, Dignity, EU, Europe, Far right, Israel, Leaders, Migration, Political agency, Risk, Silent, Still, Trump, Undermining, Void, Weakness
Fortune (July 27)
“Now that trade deals have been clinched with the European Union and Japan, the U.S. looks to focus on China as the world’s two biggest economies prepare for high-stakes talks.” Some think “China will be less willing to cave,” which could send tariffs “back to prohibitively high levels that would effectively cut off trade.” On the other hand, with legal challenges set to commence in August, the “U.S. tariffs could be invalidated.” In fact, many suspect the promised investment from Japan and the EU was pledged with this in mind…and that it will never transpire.
Tags: August, China, Clinched, Economies, EU, High stakes, Invalidated, Investment, Japan, Legal challenges, Pledged, Tariffs, Trade, Trade deals, U.S.
The Guardian (June 26)
“A broken housing market is driving inequality right across Europe – and fuelling the far right.” One might think “rising costs are a problem particular to your community, city or country. But unaffordable house prices and rents are a continent-wide issue.” And it’s not confined to Europe. Across “much of the rest of the world – property has become a driving force of inequality. In turn, inequality is a driving force of resentment. Far-right politicians have tapped into this anger for their own political gain.” Although housing policies are set nationally, “the European Union can set frameworks and support access to finance…. There are solutions, and there is political will.”
Tags: Anger, Community, Costs, EU, Europe, Far right, Finance, Frameworks, Housing market, Inequality, Political gain, Prices, Property, Rents, Resentment, Solutions, Unaffordable
