Oskar
Lafontaine, the German finance minister who launched the euro, has called for a
break-up of the single currency to let southern Europe recover, warning that
the current course is "leading to disaster". "The economic situation is worsening
from month to month, and unemployment has reached a level that puts democratic
structures ever more in doubt," he said. "The Germans have not yet realized that
southern Europe, including France, will be forced by their current misery to
fight back against German hegemony sooner or later," he said, blaming much
of the crisis on Germany's wage squeeze to gain export share. Mr. Lafontaine said on the parliamentary
website of Germany's Left Party that Chancellor Angela Merkel will "awake
from her self-righteous slumber" once the countries in trouble unite to
force a change in crisis policy at Germany's expense. His prediction appeared
confirmed as French finance minister Pierre Moscovici yesterday proclaimed the
end of austerity and a triumph of French policy, risking further damage to the
tattered relations between Paris and Berlin. "Austerity is finished. This is a
decisive turn in the history of the EU project since the euro," he told
French TV. "We're seeing the end of austerity dogma. It's a victory of the
French point of view." ... Lafontaine is widely regarded as a joke and a
failed politician in Germany, so its only fitting when AEP is basing his
arguments on him .... The immediate problem with the Euro is essentially in not
having a single borrowing authority issuing Euro bonds - as I argued. This does
not require a single European government, just better financial
coordination. The big problem with "Europe" is the need for a unanimous vote on big
issues - and that's hard to overcome in the fractious atmosphere caused by the
counter-productive austerity a outrange mind- set currently in fashion. But
there are signs that this suicidal approach to finance and economics is coming
to an end in Europe at least. But where is the European leader (or couple of leaders) we need to push (for
reducing waste of course) for investing in the future and making sure any
"easing" goes to lending to those, government and private, entities
that are investing and providing knowledge and jobs for the future? Investing
in education, job training, research and development will bring in private
investment. But when people spoke of a president for Europe Tony Blair's
name was bandied about! We in Europe need politicians who aren't smeared with
the past or chained by ideology, but look out with clear eyes on what went
wrong and how to put it right. The next generation must be given a chance
towards meeting the immense challenges faced not just by Europe but by all
humanity. 
Access Investments-Building Awareness - European Union-ROMANIA
Friday, June 14, 2013
Oskar
Lafontaine, the German finance minister who launched the euro, has called for a
break-up of the single currency to let southern Europe recover, warning that
the current course is "leading to disaster". "The economic situation is worsening
from month to month, and unemployment has reached a level that puts democratic
structures ever more in doubt," he said. "The Germans have not yet realized that
southern Europe, including France, will be forced by their current misery to
fight back against German hegemony sooner or later," he said, blaming much
of the crisis on Germany's wage squeeze to gain export share. Mr. Lafontaine said on the parliamentary
website of Germany's Left Party that Chancellor Angela Merkel will "awake
from her self-righteous slumber" once the countries in trouble unite to
force a change in crisis policy at Germany's expense. His prediction appeared
confirmed as French finance minister Pierre Moscovici yesterday proclaimed the
end of austerity and a triumph of French policy, risking further damage to the
tattered relations between Paris and Berlin. "Austerity is finished. This is a
decisive turn in the history of the EU project since the euro," he told
French TV. "We're seeing the end of austerity dogma. It's a victory of the
French point of view." ... Lafontaine is widely regarded as a joke and a
failed politician in Germany, so its only fitting when AEP is basing his
arguments on him .... The immediate problem with the Euro is essentially in not
having a single borrowing authority issuing Euro bonds - as I argued. This does
not require a single European government, just better financial
coordination. The big problem with "Europe" is the need for a unanimous vote on big
issues - and that's hard to overcome in the fractious atmosphere caused by the
counter-productive austerity a outrange mind- set currently in fashion. But
there are signs that this suicidal approach to finance and economics is coming
to an end in Europe at least. But where is the European leader (or couple of leaders) we need to push (for
reducing waste of course) for investing in the future and making sure any
"easing" goes to lending to those, government and private, entities
that are investing and providing knowledge and jobs for the future? Investing
in education, job training, research and development will bring in private
investment. But when people spoke of a president for Europe Tony Blair's
name was bandied about! We in Europe need politicians who aren't smeared with
the past or chained by ideology, but look out with clear eyes on what went
wrong and how to put it right. The next generation must be given a chance
towards meeting the immense challenges faced not just by Europe but by all
humanity. 
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2 comments:
Wolfgang Münchau of the FT reckons the Eurozone crisis will last 20 years see http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c9de...
Optimistically the Bundersbank chief reckons it will only last another ten years see http://euobserver.com/economic...
Either way the PIIGS are in for long term poverty with high employment.
BRUSSELS - The EU and the US will soon be launching negotiations for a Transatlantic Trade and lnvestment Partnership (TTIP), one of the most ambitious bilateral initiatives in the world to create jobs and growth through trade and investment.
The United States and the European Union represent about half of the world output and are responsible for almost one third of global trade flows. In fact, annual bilateral trade of goods and services account yearly for almost one trillion dollars while
aggregate investment stock are in excess of € 2 trillion.
Huge benefits are expected from this initiative. According to the estimates of the European Commission an ambitious and comprehensive agreement would bring overall annual gains of 0.4% of GDP. The economic situation in Europe obliges us to
be proactive. We have to provide our companies and professionals with the best possible conditions to provide their goods and services in both markets.
We are now preparing the negotiations on both sides of the Atlantic. Our challenge is much deeper than traditional barriers such as tariffs. We need to tap the unexploited potential of our bilateral relations by tackling limitations on investment, public procurement, trade in services and intellectual property. We will also be seeking to find innovative methods to avoid unnecessary costs to business posed by technical regulation. Whilst at the same time ensuring the protection of health, security, labour standards, the environment, and the preservation of our cultural values.
We are also committed to talking about our regulatory systems and learning from the experience of companies, regulatory authorities and all relevant stakeholders. We believe Europe and the United States can show that is possible to reconcile different regulatory approaches if there is the determination to do it. For some sectors we will have to improve the existing agreements for mutual recognition, in other cases we will have to commit to develop rules that are not equal, but at least equivalent. And for many new sectors we are ready to agree on common regulations.
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