The European Union and the United States launched negotiations for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership based on recommendations from the U.S.-EU High Level Working Group on Jobs and Growth. Further information.
Las recomendaciones del Grupo de Trabajo de Alto Nivel sobre Empleo y Crecimiento han servido de base para que Estados Unidos y la Unión Europea acordaran iniciar las negociaciones internas con vistas a un Partenariado para el Comercio y las Inversiones Transatlánticas. Más información.
DI/MI - 11/2/2013
The agreement on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) was issued by the heads of State and Government at the Brussels European Council held from 7 to 8 February. The MFF defines the budgetary priorities of the European Union for 2014-2020. A final agreement with the European Parliament has yet to be reached for the new MFF to enter into force in January 2014. Read also: summary of the EC Agreement, the European Council conclusions and the special coverage on the MFF.
Texto del acuerdo sobre el Marco Financiero Plurianual (MFP) alcanzado emitida por los Jefes de Estado y de Gobierno en el Consejo Europeo de Bruselas realizado del 7 al 8 de febrero. El MFP define las prioridades presupuestarias de la Unión Europea para el período 2014-2020. Queda pendiente el acuerdo con el Parlamento Europeo para que el nuevo MFP entre en vigor en enero de 2014. Ver también (en inglés): resumen del acuerdo del Consejo Europeo, las conclusiones del Consejo Europeo y el especial sobre el MFP.
DI/MI – 24/1/2013
Held on 24 January 2013 in Brasilia, the 6th Brazil-European Union summit renewed the Strategic Partnership by a substantive intensification of high-level political exchanges and the establishment of some 30 dialogue areas.
Realizada el 24 de enero de 2013 en Brasilia (Brasil), la 6a cumbre Brasil-Unión Europea renueva esta alianza estratégica, mediante la intensificación sustancial de los intercambios de alto nivel político y el establecimiento de alrededor de 30 áreas de diálogo. (Documento en inglés).
DI - 17/12/2012
After the positive vote in the European Parliament on 11 December, the Council of the European Union has approved the creation of the unitary patent protection in Europe. According to the Council, ‘the new patent will encourage businesses to promote their innovation activity, thus enhancing their competitiveness’.
Tras la aprobación por parte del Parlamente Europeo el pasado 11 de diciembre -25 votos a favor con la excepción de España e Italia-, el Consejo de la Unión Europea ha dado su visto bueno a la creación de patente única europea. Según el Consejo, ‘la nueva patente incentivará a las empresas para promover su actividad de innovación, aumentando así su competitividad’.
DI 14/12/2012
At the Council meeting on 12 December the EU finance ministers agreed on the legislative proposal that establishes the single supervisory mechanism (SSM)for the oversight of credit institutions, which is a key element to establish a banking union. The legislative proposal contains two regulations: one confers supervisory tasks on theEuropean Central Bank (ECB), and the other modifies the existing regulation on the European Banking Authority.
DI - 11/12/2012
The 2012 Global Trends report examines the previous editions to highlight any persistent blind spots and biases as well as distinctive strengths of this framework for strategic thinking. It also expands the coverage to disruptive technologies and the potential trajectories for the U.S role in the international system.
Informe elaborado por el National Intelligence Council (NIC) sobre las tendencias globales de los cambios en el sistema internacional. La 5ª edición revisa los informes previos para identificar los posibles sesgos y puntos débiles, así como fortalezas del marco operativo destinado al análisis estratégico. También incluye referencias al impacto de las nuevas tecnologías y las posibles vías de acción de los EEUU en el sistema internacional.
DI - 5/12/2012
This report provides the background to the roadmap for the achievement of an Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) presented at the December 2012 European Council. It suggests a timeframe and a stage-based process towards the completion of the EMU. It was prepared by Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, in close collaboration with José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the Eurogroup, and Mario Draghi, President of the European Central Bank.
DI - 27/11/2012
The Eurogroup approved the next disbursement of financial aid to Greece. The disbursement would be for a total amount of €43.7 billion, €34.4 billion of which will be disbursed in December. The remainder will be disbursed in three sub-tranches in the first quarter of 2013 and will be linked to the implementation of agreed “milestone” actions in the Greek programme.
El Eurogrupo ha aprobado el próximo desembolso de ayuda financiera a Grecia por un total de 43,7 miles de millones de euros, de los cuales 34,4 (un 79%) serán desembolsados en diciembre de 2012. El resto se desembolsará en tres sub-tramos del primer trimestre de 2013, y estará vinculado a la implementación de las acciones acordadas en el programa griego.
DI - 26/11/2012
Message of UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
DI - 14/11/2012
The 2012 edition of the State of the Food Insecurity in the World –subtitled ‘Economic growth is necessary but not sufficient to accelerate reduction of hunger and malnutrition’- presents new estimates of undernourishment based on a revised and improved methodology. Download full report (PDF).
DI 19/10/2012
The European Union leaders agreed a euro zone banking supervisor to open the way for troubled banks to access bailout money directly. Adopted on 18 October at the European Council in Brussels, this conclusion stressed the need to strengthen the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) to ensure economic and social welfare, as well as stability and sustained prosperity. Read also the European Council President interim report on the further development of economic and monetary union.
Los líderes de la Unión Europea han acordado un mecanismo de supervisión bancario en la Euro zona que permitirá a los bancos con problemas acceder directamente a los fondos de rescate. Las conclusiones sobre la Unión Económica y Monetaria (UEM), adoptadas en la sesión del Consejo Europeo del 18 de octubre, subrayan la necesidad de fortalecer dicho mecanismo para asegurar el bienestar económico y social, así como la estabilidad y el crecimiento sostenible. Ver también: European Council President interim report on the
further development of economic and monetary union
DI - 20/9/2012
Transatlantic Trends survey explores how Americans and Europeans view the transatlantic relationship and a number of growing challenges facing the world. The 11th edition shows that majorities on both sides of the Atlantic continued to hold favourable views of each other and to feel that strong U.S. and EU leadership in world affairs was desirable. Russia has been added this year as the first non-Western country to be included in the survey.
Undécima edición del Transatlantic Trends, principal estudio de opinión con datos sobre las relaciones transatlánticas, la seguridad a ambos lados del Atlántico, el apoyo a la política exterior estadounidense, y la percepción de la crisis económica por parte de norteamericanos y europeos. Este año se han incorporado datos de Rusia, el primer país no occidental en ser incluido en el estudio.
DI - 13/9/2012
The European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso delivered the third ‘State of the Union Address’ which defines priorities and strategic objectives for the next year.
Tercer discurso de José Manuel Durão Barroso, presidente de la Comisión Europea, sobre el “Estado de la Unión” que define las prioridades y objetivos de la UE para el próximo año.
DI - 12/9/2012
Extracts from the decision of the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany which rejects the request to block the ratification of the two treaties establishing the European Stability Mechanism (ESM). This paves the way for the creation of the EU’s rescue fund €500bn and the fiscal pact on budget discipline.
Extracto de la sentencia de la Corte Constitucional de Alemania que rechaza la solicitud de bloqueo de la ratificación de los tratados que establecen el Mecanismo Europeo de Estabilidad (MEDE). La sentencia allana el camino para la creación del fondo de rescate permanente y el pacto fiscal de disciplina presupuestaria.
DI - 3/9/2012
The European Commission has proposed a plan to deal with the exponential growth in mobile and wireless data traffic by enabling wireless technologies, including broadband, to share the use of the radio spectrum. According to the EC, a ‘coordinated European approach to sharing spectrum will lead to greater mobile network capacity, cheaper wireless broadband, and new markets such as tradable secondary rights for a given spectrum allocation’.
DI - 1/8/2012
Held from 2 to 27 July in New York, this Conference aimed to negotiate an arms trade treaty that would establish high common standards for international trade in conventional arms. Despite the efforts, the Conference could not reach agreement on a treaty text. See also the conference website.
DI - 31/7/2012
Adopted on 16 July by the Council of the European Union, this new civilian mission under the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) aims to support the government of Nigeria in building their own capacities to fight organised crime and terrorism in the Sahel. See also the EUCAP SAHEL Niger website.
24/7/2012
The Elcano Royal Institute will be a part of the "dream team of think tanks" -according to Catherine Ashton- to develop the European Global Strategy. The team includes the main centers of policy analysis from Italy (Institute Affari Internazionali - IAI), Poland (Polish Institute of International Affairs - PISM) and Sweden (Swedish Institute of International Affairs - Ui).
DI - 10/7/2012
In this statement on the follow-up of the Euro Summit held on 29 June, the Eurogroup 'supports the recently adopted Commission recommendation to extend the deadline for the correction of the excessive deficit in Spain by one year to 2014'.
DI - 6/7/2012
UNDESA presents the yearly assessment of global progress towards the MDG’s. According to the report ‘three important targets on poverty, slums and water have been met three years ahead of 2015’.
DI - 4/7/2012
The European Parliament rejected the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), a multinational treaty which aims to establish an international legal framework for targeting counterfeit goods, generic medicines and copyright infringement on the Internet.
DI - 2/7/2012
The “Compact for Growth and Jobs” was issued by the heads of State and Government at the Brussels European Council held from 28 to 29 June. The Council also endorsed the country-specific recommendations to guide Member States’ policies and budgets, and emphasised the role that the forthcoming Multiannual Financial Framework should play in strengthening growth and employment.
This final statement was issued by the Euro Area heads of State and Government at the summit on the future of euro held in Brussels on 29 June.
DI - 2/7/2012
The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Rio+20, held in June 2012 in Rio de Janiero (Brazil), concluded with this Zero Draft outcome document. The conference focused on two themes: a green economy in the context of sustainable development poverty eradication; and the institutional framework for sustainable development. More information on the Rio+20 website
DI - 10/6/2012
The Eurogroup would approve a financial assistance ( €100 billion) provided by the EFSF/ESM for recapitalisation of the Spanish financial institution, but without an accompanying austerity programme.
DI - 31/5/2012
The EC has set out a package of recommendations for budgetary measures and economic reforms to enhance financial stability, boost growth and create employment. It has three distinct but interlinked components:
According to this year’s edition of the State of the World’s Human Rights, 2011 was a watershed year for activism. The report documents human rights issues of concern to Amnesty International during 2011, in 155 countries and territories around the world.
DI - 21/5/2012
The official documents of the Camp David G8 Summit of the Heads of State and government held in the U.S. from 18 to 19 May include the Camp David Declaration and statements on energy and climate change, food security, and the transitions in the Middle East and North Africa.
DI - 16/5/2012
Remarks by Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip H. Gordon at the conference ‘NATO: A Modern, Flexible and Global Security Alliance’, held on 7 May 2012 at the Casa de America in Madrid (Spain) and organised by Embassy of the United States in Spain and the Elcano Royal Institute.
DI - 14/5/2012
This Commission staff working document released by the Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs of the European Commission highlights that the European Union economy is currently in a mild recession but a gradual recovery is in sight. ‘GDP is projected to stagnate in the EU and contract by 0.3% in the euro area this year, and to grow by 1.3% in the EU and by 1.0% in the euro area in 2013’. More information on the Spring 2012 forecast.
DI - 9/5/2012
Signed on 1 May, the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) is a legally binding executive agreement that provides a framework for the relationship between the U. S. and Afghanistan beyond 2014, covering security, economics and governance issues.
DI - 7/5/2012
Statement by the European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on the outcome of the French presidential elections.
DI - 4/5/2012
Introductory statement to the press conference by Mario Draghi, President of the European Central Bank, regarding the Governing Council decision to keep the key ECB interest rates unchanged.
DI - 4/5/2012
At its 3163rd meeting on 2 May, the Economic and Financial Affairs Council examined proposals to amend the EU’s rules on capital requirements for banks and investment firms package (“CRD 4”), with a view to starting negotiations with the European Parliament aimed at adoption of the texts at first reading.
DI - 20/4/2012
The European Commission presented its proposal for the multi-annual budget for 2014-2020 on 29 June 2011. This website tracks the discussions on the European Union’s budget framework for 2014-2020 which have entered the ‘negotiating box’ phase that contains the most central issues and options.
DI - 18/4/2012
‘The prospects for the global economy are slowly improving, but growth is expected to be weak, especially in Europe, and unemployment in many advanced economies will stay high’, according to this year’s edition of the World Economic Outlook. The report forecasts growth of 1.4 percent in 2012, and 2 percent in 2013 for advanced countries as a whole. This negative number for the euro reflects negative growth of around 2 percent in countries such as Italy and Spain.
DI - 2/4/2012
The Council of Ministers approved on 30 March the submission to Spanish Parliament of the Draft Bill on the General State Budget for 2012, which means an overall reduction in spending of 16.9%. The 27-billion euro adjustment aims to reach the objective for budget stability through control spending and increasing revenue.
DI - 29/3/2012
The summit –held from 26 to 27 March- brought together fifty three Heads of State and Government, as well as representatives of the United Nations (UN), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), European Union (EU) and INTERPOL. The final communiqué provides important timelines for advancing nuclear security objectives, reflects the need to address both the issues of nuclear security and nuclear safety in a coherent manner for the sustainable peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and also sets out specific measures to prevent radiological terrorism. More information: Documents of the Nuclear Security Summit 2012.
DI - 28/3/2012
Released together with the Survey of the European Union 2012, this OECD’s publication states that fiscal consolidation, economic governance reforms and financial assistance by the European Financial Stabilisation Mechanism (EFSM), the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), as well as the future ESM (European Stability Mechanism) and IMF support, are major steps forward to stabilise vulnerable euro area sovereign debt markets, even if confidence has not yet fully been restored.
DI - 28/3/2012
Released together with the Survey of the Euro Area 2012, this OECD’s report highlights that ‘the EU needs to tackle the economic crisis and move to stronger, fairer and cleaner growth’. Therefore, an ambitious programme of structural reforms is needed, and strengthening the single market should be at the centre of the EU policy action to boost growth.
DI - 26/3/2012
The Council of the European Union has adopted this conclusions relating to the EU Strategy for Security and Development in the Sahel at the 3157th Foreign Affairs Council meeting on 23 March, a year after its presentation in March 2011. The Ministers expressed deep concern about the deterioration of the security situation and condemned attempts to seize power by force in Mali. More information: CONSILIUM website.
DI - 26/3/2012
The United Nations E-Government Survey 2012: E-Government for the People examines institutional framework for e-government and assesses Member States’ government web portals with a focus on the provision of e-information and e-services, which include interactive, transactional, and e-participation features that connect governments and citizens. It ranks countries in accordance with the E-Government Development Index (EGDI), a composite indicator measuring the willingness and capacity of national administrations to use information and communication technologies to deliver public services.
DI - 22/3/2012
The World Water Day 2012 website is coordinated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. This year’s theme “Water and Food Security” is high on the agenda with three major international events (World Water Forum, World Water Day and World Water Week).
DI - 22/3/2012
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has improved its Statistical Yearbook to make the statistical data on food and agriculture more accessible and meaningful to people who need to use them. The 2012 edition provides a snapshot of related economic, environmental and social trends and issues.
DI - 21/3/2012
The United Nations Department of Political Affairs has published new guidelines to help UN mediators and mission chiefs address the problem of sexual violence – as a threat to security and an impediment to peace- in peace agreements and cease-fires negotiations.
DI - 16/3/2012
Published by the Directorate General Enterprise and Industry, the Innovation Union Scoreboard (IUS) includes innovation indicators and trend analyses for the EU27 Member States, as well as for Croatia, Iceland, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland and Turkey. The Scoreboard places Member States into 4 country groups. Spain is in the moderate innovators group as its performance is below that of the EU27 average.
DI - 13/3/2012
The statement concerning Spain was issued by the Ministers of Finance in the euro zone after a meeting of the Eurogroup on 12 March.
DI - 7/3/2012
Published by UNESCO and UIS, this atlas shows the educational pathways of girls and boys and the changes in gender disparities over time. Its information and analysis highlight the persistent of these disparities and the need for greater focus on girls’ education as a human right.
DI - 6/3/2012
‘The achievements made by women all over the world towards equity in education are still very far from making an impact on their having a fair share in the economy or in political power’, according to the Gender Equity Index (GEI) 2012. It also stresses that the lack of equity cannot be justified by a lack of resources. This annual index of Social Watch measures the gap between women and men in education, economy and political empowerment.
DI - 5/3/2012
The conclusions of the Brussels European Council -held from 1 to 2 March- are focused on the implementation of the EU’s economic strategy. The Council also endorsed the five priorities for 2012 set out in the Commission’s Annual Growth Survey.
DI - 2/3/2012
The Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance (TSCG) -signed by 25 European leaders on 2 March- aims to strengthen the fiscal discipline and convergence in the euro area. It also introduces stricter surveillance, in particular by establishing a ‘balanced budget rule’. See also the speech by President Herman Van Rompuy and the press release.
DI - 2/3/2012
The documentation of the 56th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, which is taking place from 27 February to 9 March, ranges from the empowerment of rural women, the financing for gender equality (agreed conclusions from the 52nd session) and the engagement of young women and men to advance gender equality.
DI - 27/2/2012
The final communiqué of the G-20 meeting of Ministers of Finance and Central Bank Governors, held on 26 February in Mexico, states that a decision by the Eurozone leaders to boost their own firewall is ‘essential’ to fight Europe’s debt crisis before any more external resources could be allocated via the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
DI - 24/2/2012
The conference –held on 23 February at Lancaster House- brought together fifty-five delegations from Somalia and the international community. The final communiqué includes a seven-point plan promising more humanitarian aid, support for African Union peacekeepers and better international co-ordination. The conference was preceded by a meeting on humanitarian issues co-chaired by the United Nations and the United Arab Emirates.
DI - 23/2/2012
The euro area finance ministers agreed a second programme for Greece at their meeting on 20 February. The Eurogroup statement announced that the official sector financing of the programme would amount to 130 billion euro until 2014. It is expected that the International Monetary Fund also contributes significantly to this programme.
DI - 22/2/2012
The 9th edition of the UNEP Yearbook examines the most important events and developments from the year and provides the latest environmental science. It also highlights two emerging issues in detail: the benefits of soil carbon and the decommissioning of nuclear power plants.
DI - 20/2/2012
Issued on 2 February, the resolution of the European Parliament on women’s situation in war states a series of technical recommendations, such as the creation of a Special EU Representative on Women, Peace and Security within the EEAS.
DI - 6/2/2012
The speeches and statements of the participants in the 48th Munich Conference on Security Policy held from 3 to 5 February 2012. Themed ‘A World In Disarray -- Shifting Powers -- Lack Of Strategies’, this year’s conference addressed topics ranging from the repositioning of US military power to the ‘Arab Spring’ and to the mounting difficulties in sustaining security under increasing financial pressure.
DI - 6/2/2012
Originally signed in July 2011, the ESM treaty was modified on 2 February by the eurozone’s countries ambassadors in Brussels. It establishes the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) as an international financial institution which aims to support euro area countries where indispensable to safeguard financial stability. More information: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/homepage/showfocus?lang=en&focusID=79757
DI - 31/1/2011
The HRW World Report documents ongoing human rights practices in the world and summarises key human rights issues in more than 90 countries and territories worldwide. The introductory essay of the 22nd edition examines the Arab Spring and the creation of an opportunity for change in the region.
DI - 31/1/2012
Issued on 30 January, this statement of the members of the European Council contains the EU leader’s commitment to strengthen European growth and competitiveness.
DI - 30/1/2012
The Green Economy Report –‘Towards a Green Economy: Pathways to Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication’- is compiled by the Green Economy Initiative of the UN Environment Programme in collaboration with economists and experts worldwide. It shows that greening economies is a new engine of growth, a net generator of decent jobs and a vital strategy for the elimination of persistent poverty.
DI - 26/1/2012
The Obama Administration has responded to ‘We the People’ petitions on SOPA and online piracy (VETO the SOPA bill and any other future bills that threaten to diminish the free flow of information and Stop the E-PARASITE Act). The official response highlights that 'the important task of protecting intellectual property online must not threaten an open and innovative internet'.
DI - 24/1/2012
The Council of the European Union adopted new sanctions on Iran at the 3142th Foreign Affairs Council meeting on 23 January. The document includes a ban on the import, the purchase and the transport of crude oil and petroleum products.
DI - 18/1/2012
This year’s edition of the WESP stresses that global economic growth started to decelerate on a broad front in mid-2011 and this slow growth is expected to continue into 2012 and 2013. The WESP report provides an overview of recent global economic performance and short-term prospects for the world economy.
DI - 5/1/2012
Issued at the 3134th Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council meeting on 13 December 2011, this document highlights the ‘need to preserve the open and neutral character of the Internet’. More information at the public consultation on the open internet and net neutrality website
DI - 26/12/2011
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), migration is a topic that often has negative and polarizing connotations. This year’s edition of the World Migration Report (WMR) argues for a fundamental shift in the way we communicate about migration and includes a review of migration trends and major policy issues in 2010/2011.
DI - 19/12/2011
‘Women at the frontline of climate change - Gender risks and hopes’ is a new report of the United Nations Environment Programme, which focuses on women, gender issues and climate change.
DI - 12/12/2011
The latest United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Durban (South Africa) ended with an agreement to start negotiations on a new accord that would put the 194 countries under the same legal regime enforcing commitments to control greenhouse gases.
DI - 1/12/2011
The statement followed wide-ranging talks on global economic issues, bilateral relations and opportunities to promote growth and jobs between the US president and the European Union leaders on 28 November in Washington D.C. They also announced a joint working group to explore how to enhance the ‘untapped potential’ of transatlantic economic co-operation.
DI - 30/11/2011
The 2011 edition of the International Labour Organization’s World of Work Report highlights that it will not be possible to recover successfully from the Great Recession unless social inequalities are addressed through well-designed policies.
DI - 29/11/2011
‘American values differ from those of Western Europeans in many important ways’, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project conducted in the U.S., Britain, France, Germany and Spain from 21 March to 14 April, as part of the broader 23-nation poll in spring 2011.
DI - 28/11/2011
The UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet outlines a comprehensive policy agenda of 16 concrete steps to end violence against women globally focusing on three critical pillars: prevention, protection and provision of services.
DI - 28/11/2011
The 2011-2012 Country Brand Index (CBI) documents perceptions around 113 nations. The index is based on interviews, insights and key opinion-makers and consultant’s information collected through social media tools. Canada takes the No.1 spot, followed by Switzerland and New Zealand. Spain is ranked 14.
DI - 24/11/2011
The European Commission adopted economic and budgetary recommendations which sets priorities for 2012 and includes new measures to reinforce eurozone financial governance and stability.
DI 23/11/2011
This report presents the 5th Transparency International Bribe Payers Index, which ranks 28 of the world’s largest economies according to the perceived likelihood of companies from these countries to pay bribes abroad.
DI - 14/11/2011
‘Growth in the EU has stalled and it will take time to pick up again’, according to the European Commission’s latest economic prospects for the EU and the euro area at the aggregate level published on 10 November. A special chapter dedicated to developments in the labour markets, highlights that unemployment is forecast to remain at the currently high levels. More information.
DI - 11/11/2011
‘ICTs as an Enabler for Private Sector Development (PSD)’ is the sixth edition in a series of annual reports published by the UN Conference on Trade and Development. It shows that the potential of leveraging information and communication technologies (ICTs) to develop the private sector is far from fully exploited, and makes policy recommendations on how to remedy this situation.
DI - 10/11/2011
The 2011 edition of the State of the World Population –published by the UN Population Fund (UNPFA) and entitled ‘People and Possibilities in a World of 7 Billion’- explains the trends that are defining our world of 7 billion people and documents actions that people in different countries and circumstances are taking in their own communities.
DI - 7/11/2011
The 9th edition -in a series of annual reports published by IFC and the World Bank- compares business regulations in 183 economies and measures regulations affecting eleven areas of everyday business activity.
DI - 7/11/2011
This report is part of the UN Environment Programme’s ‘Global Environmental Outlook-5’ (GEO -5) series, the UN’s most authoritative assessment of the state, trends and outlook of the global environment. It is conceived as a new compilation of statistical data which highlights the environmental changes that have swept the planet over the last twenty years. See more GEO-5 publications.
DI - 4/11/2011
Urgent global challenges of sustainability and equity must be addressed together, according to the HDR 2011 – subtitled ‘Sustainability and Equity: A Better Future for All’. The 2011 Report also includes Human Development Index (HDI) and updated editions of the complementary indices introduced in the 2010 Report (the Inequality-Adjusted HDI, the Gender Inequality Index, and the Multidimensional Poverty Index).
DI - 4/11/2011
The declarations and reports of the Cannes G20 Summit of the Heads of State and government held in France from 3 to 4 November include:
The Presidency Conclusions of the Brussels European Council -held on 23 October- stressed the importance of boosting sustainable and job-creating growth. It also set the EU’s position for the next G20 Summit and discussed the preparations for the Durban conference on climate change.
DI - 11/10/2011
This year’s edition of the State of the Food Insecurity in the World –subtitled ‘How does international price volatility affect domestic economies and food security?’- highlights the differential impacts that the world food crisis of 2006-08 had on different countries, with the small and import-dependent countries being most affected and specially vulnerable to poverty and food insecurity. It was produced by the three Rome-based agencies the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP).
DI - 11/10/2011
According to the International Monetary Fund’s REO, the European economies face the prospect of a pronounced slowdown, as global growth has softened, risk aversion has risen and the pressure on Europe’s sovereign debt and financial markets have deepened.
DI - 10/10/2011
The first Global Study on Homicide is a comprehensive cross-national and time series homicide data from 207 countries and territories. It provides an overview of crime as a phenomenon marked by large disparities in distribution, demographics, typologies and mechanisms.
DI - 3/10/2011
According to the September 2011 issue of the GFSR, ‘the risks to global financial stability have increased substantially in recent months, during which heavy public debt burdens and weak growth prospects in many advanced economies combined with a series of shocks to the global financial system’.
DI - 27/9/2011
‘While almost every country has high vulnerability in one major climate impact area, much damage caused by climate change is still readily preventable by a wide range of adaptation techniques’, according to the Climate Vulnerability Monitor developed by DARA and the Climate Vulnerable Forum.
DI - 23/9/2011
The 10th annual Transatlantic Trends survey shows that 51% of Americans feel that Asian countries were more important to their country’s national interests than were the countries of the European Union (38%). On the other hand, 52% of Europeans thought that US was more important to their national interests than Asian countries.
DI - 21/9/2011
According to the World Economic Outlook (WEO) – released in September 2011-, ‘global activity has weakened and become more uneven, confidence has fallen sharply recently, and downside risks are growing’.
DI - 19/9/2011
The EU Finance Ministers have reached an agreement on the six-pack draft legal acts (5 regulations and 1 directive) on economic governance. According to the ECOFIN, ‘the new rules will improve budgetary discipline in the Member States and strengthen stability of the EU economy’.
DI - 15/9/2011
The report released by the World Economic Forum highlights that Switzerland remains at the top of the ranking while Singapore overtakes Sweden for second position. The US continues its decline for the third year in a row running to fifth place. Spain's ranking goes up six places to 36th position, versus 42nd in the previous edition of the GCR.
DI - 12/9/2011
The 2011 edition of the Trade and Development Report focuses on the post-crisis policy challenges in the world economy, and highlights that the recovery is slowing down and that the “two-speed recovery” is mainly the result of wide differences in domestic demand.
DI - 26/7/2011
This year’s edition of the World Trade Report examines the growing number of preferential trade agreements (PTA’s) and describes its historical development and the current landscape of agreements.
DI - 22/7/2011
The Heads of State or Government of the 17 countries of the euro zone have agreed on a new rescue plan for Greece and changes to the European Financial Stability Fund, both aimed at stopping the spread of the debt crisis.
DI - 19/7/2011
Published on 13 July this Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council presents options on a common solution for extracting information and establishing a European system for tracking terrorist financing.
