LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Conservatives have overtaken the Labour opposition in an opinion poll for the first time this year, enjoying a bounce from Prime Minister David Cameron's veto of a new Canada's central bank on Monday welcomed European efforts last week to address a deepening debt crisis but warned of much pain ahead for the eurozone and said EU nations must do more.

Ljubljana mayor wins Slovenia election upset

2011-12-04T14:00:12Z

LJUBLJANA (Reuters) - The centre-left mayor of Slovenia's capital Ljubljana won a narrow victory in a parliamentary election on Sunday, making the outgoing Social Democrats the latest casualties of the euro zone economic crisis.

The defeat for

Croatia center-left to take power as economy sinks

2011-12-01T12:30:26Z

ZAGREB (Reuters) - A center-left opposition bloc is on course to take power in Croatia on Sunday but faces a tougher fight to revive the ex-Yugoslav republic's flagging economy before it joins the European Union in 2013.

Voters loo...

Croatia centre-left to take power as economy sinks

2011-12-01T10:00:49Z

ZAGREB (Reuters) - A centre-left opposition bloc is on course to take power in Croatia on Sunday but faces a tougher fight to revive the ex-Yugoslav republic's flagging economy before it joins the European Union in 2013.

Voters loo...

EU trade holding up, but risks ahead: De Gucht

2011-11-29T14:30:57Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - European Union Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said Tuesday that European import demand was holding up well despite the debt crisis, but trade could fall suddenly if a recession takes hold.

"When you get into a crisis you can have a ver...

EU trade holding up, but risks ahead-De Gucht

2011-11-29T14:30:52Z

"When you get into a crisis you can have a ver...

Belgian parties reach 2012 budget deal

2011-11-26T13:30:13Z

Belgium fell in behind model eurozone pupils Italy and Greece on Saturday, its feuding politicians ending 19 months of deadlock with an 11th-hour budget deal that met EU strictures hours after a brutal downgrade.

"There is an agreement," French...

EU leaders to brief Obama on debt crisis at summit

2011-11-22T08:00:25Z

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will offer what guidance he can on how to resolve the European debt crisis when he meets the EU's top officials at a summit in Washington next week, the U.S. ambassad...

Emergency post-election measures won't save Spain

2011-11-17T09:30:45Z

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's new government may rush through emergency measures immediately after Sunday's parliamentary election, but unless the euro zone finds a durable systemic solution to its debt crisis, Madrid will still be forced to...

Analysis: Emergency post-election measures won't save Spain

2011-11-17T07:30:27Z

France and Germany clash over ECB crisis role

2011-11-16T15:30:54Z

PARIS/ROME (Reuters) - France and Germany, Europe's two central powers, clashed on Wednesday over whether the European Central Bank should intervene more forcefully to halt the

France, Germany clash over ECB role to stem crisis

2011-11-16T08:00:34Z

PARIS/ROME (Reuters) - France and Germany, Europe's two central powers, clashed on Wednesday over whether the European Central Bank should intervene more forcefully to halt the

Euro zone posts growth, but downturn seen likely

2011-11-15T03:00:12Z

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The 17-nation euro zone economy grew a modest 0.2 percent in the third quarter from the second, the EU said on Tuesday, lifted by France and

New Italian, Greek governments race to limit damage

2011-11-14T04:00:10Z

ROME/ATHENS (Reuters) - Technocrat leaders in Italy and Greece rushed to form governments as they sought to limit the damage from the euro zone debt crisis on Monday, and the euro climbed on relief that a key Italian bond auction drew dec...

Global factories lose steam

2011-11-01T10:00:25Z

SINGAPORE/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Global factory activity slowed in October on weak demand for exports, with a sharp contraction in Britain's manufacturing sector suggesting that Europe was on the brink of a new recession.

While manufacturing surveys on Tuesday from

China welcomes consensus reached at EU debt talks

2011-10-27T01:30:13Z

BEIJING (Reuters) - China said on Thursday it welcomed the consensus reached at the European Union's summit to tackle the euro debt crisis and supported measures taken by the bloc.

"We hope that this consensus ... is conducive to boosting market ...

World awaits Europe's answer to debt crisis

2011-10-25T20:30:13Z

European leaders faced intense pressure on Wednesday to deliver on a promise to resolve the debt crisis at a summit crucial to the world economy as they battled to protect Italy from collapse.

European Union presidents and prime ministers gather for their second summit in three days with markets demanding a watertight deal to defuse fears that the crisis will deteriora...

Fate of Italy clouds Europe make-or-break summit

2011-10-25T19:30:23Z

Europe struggled to finalise a grand deal to end its festering debt crisis Tuesday on the eve of a summit vital to the world economy but clouded by fears of Italy following in the footsteps of bailed-out Greece.

Global markets were lower in cautious trade as investors awaited the summit for a long-awaited game-plan as the

US stocks slide on economic, Europe worries

2011-10-25T18:30:23Z

US stocks sank Tuesday on indications of a still-weak economy and worries that European leaders might not reach a deal on resolving the eurozone debt crisis on the eve of a key summit.

"Yesterday's confidence stemming from economic optimism, hopes of a debt deal coming out of tomorrow?s EU summit, and positive earnings reports out of the TOKYO (Reuters) - The European Union is ready to adopt decisive measures to tackle its sovereign debt crisis, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said Sunday.

"Member states, including European Union nations over how to solve the eurozone debt crisis threatening the world economy on Thursday forced the 17-nation eurozone to call a fresh summit next week.

After vowing decisive action to G20 partners to resolve Europe's crisis, wrangling between Paris,

China confident EU can overcome troubles

2011-10-20T12:00:44Z

Beijing expressed confidence Thursday in Europe's ability to overcome its worst financial crisis in decades, ahead of a China-EU summit on October 25.

Europe's debt crisis will top the agenda when the president of the Euro...

France warned on rating as EU debt hopes dampened

2011-10-18T19:30:22Z

France vowed Tuesday to keep its triple-A rating following a warning from Moody's, as Germany's Angela Merkel warned that the upcoming EU summit was only one step in resolving a crisis over

EU chief wants law change to target rogue bankers

2011-10-16T03:30:05Z

European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso has proposed the introduction into European law of "individual responsibility" which would expose financial sector wrong-doers to criminal sanctions.

"This Thursday I am going to propose that individual criminal responsibility for financial players be recognised in European law," Barroso said in com...

G20 summit to focus on euro zone debt crisis: EU

2011-10-10T04:00:07Z

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The euro zone debt crisis is likely to be the focus of the summit of the leaders of the world's 20 biggest developing and developed economies (G20) in early November, because of concern about the dangerous spillovers it may have on the rest of the world, top Europe races to rescue its banks, the EU executive on Friday gave governments 10 days to agree on coordinated plans to recapitalise lenders hit by the eurozone debt crisis.

The deadline comes as the governments of France and

Merkel tells Europe to prop up its banks

2011-10-06T03:30:14Z

Germany called on its EU partners to recapitalise the banking sector to help prevent the eurozone debt crisis spreading as the IMF warned the European Union to get its act together.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said helping the banks was "justified, if we have a ...

Greek economy stuck in recession, complicates fiscal

2011-10-03T08:00:34Z

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece will remain trapped in recession next year, threatening the country's efforts to cut deficits and claw its way out of a debt crisis shaking the euro zone, budget figures showed on Monday.

The economy will suffer a fourth consecutive year of contrac...

Europe finance chiefs defend crisis action

2011-09-24T01:30:06Z

Europe's finance chiefs defended their approach in addressing the debt crisis as pressure built from markets and other regions to take action to prevent it from snowballing.

With the US and eurozone debt and deficit crisis overhanging the IMF-World Bank annual meeting in Wa...

Latvia teaches austerity pain and gain to Greece

2011-09-23T07:30:18Z

RIGA (Reuters) - Latvia's lesson for Greece is that harsh austerity is unavoidable to remedy years of over-indulgence but the vast social differences between the two countries suggest it may be lost on ordinary Greeks.

Latvians, having suffered two year...

European treasury needed to avoid Depression: Soros

2011-09-14T23:00:09Z

(Reuters) - Billionaire investor George Soros has warned Europe's debt crisis risks triggering another Great Depression unless European Union to help it confront its debt crisis, Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega said on Tuesday.

"The BRICS nations will meet next week in Washington and we will discuss how to help the European Union get out of this situation," he said. The BRICS nations comp...

No plans for EU-backed ratings firm: Barroso

2011-09-06T03:30:10Z

European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso on Tuesday ruled out creating a Brussels-backed public ratings agency to rival established credit firms following a series of sovereign downgrades in Europe.

The Portuguese politician said there were question...

EC chief Barroso does not see recession in Europe

2011-09-05T01:30:09Z

European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso on Monday said he did not expect Europe to slide into recession, calling the European Union and the euro "strong and resilient."

On his first official visit to European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso on Monday said he did not anticipate Europe sliding into recession, instead seeing modest growth.

"We don't anticipate a recession in Europe. The latest forecast by the European Commission shows there will be growth, modest growth it is true," he...

EU-IMF audit suspended as Greece overshoots budget

2011-09-02T12:30:27Z

The EU and IMF left a critical audit of Greek finances unfinished on Friday saying more budget work was needed, and the government admitted its deficit target is in trouble.

Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos conceded that Greece would have to revise its public deficit target for this year, a key condition for continued funding from the 110-billion-euro ($158-billi...

China says debt financing unlikely 'to save' US, EU

2011-08-05T15:30:32Z

China said Friday that debt deals in the United States and in Europe would not be enough to save their economies and "concrete steps" must be taken to rebalance the global economy.

"The only way the Americans have come up with to improve economic growth has been to take on new loans to repay the old ones," a blistering commentary published ...

Greek bailout deal boosts Asian stocks

2011-07-22T08:30:28Z

Asian shares rose Friday, led by banks, after eurozone leaders finally struck a bailout deal for Greece that also puts in place steps to avoid contagion in other struggling economies.

Relief that the multi-billion-dollar" class="inform">dollar agreement had been reached also sent the euro soaring aft...

'Time for Europe to wake up' on debt crisis: Papandreou

2011-07-16T17:30:11Z

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou said Saturday it was "time for Europe to wake up" and find a conclusive solution to his nation's debt crisis, which threatens to undermine the eurozone.

Papandreou, who has frequently expressed impatience at the slow progress of the negotiations, made his latest comments in an interview...

Greek budget gap widens, misses targets

2011-07-11T07:30:12Z

ATHENS (Reuters) - A deeper-than-expected recession caused Greece's central government deficit to widen by almost one third in the first half of the year, widely missing an interim budget target under the country's bailout plan, the finance ministry said on Monday.

Budget slippages amid the recession caused the government last month to...

European suicide rates pushed higher by financial crisis

2011-07-07T16:30:32Z

LONDON (Reuters) - Suicides rates rose sharply in Europe in 2007 to 2009 as the financial crisis drove unemployment up and squeezed incomes, with the worst hit countries like Greece and Ireland seeing the most dramatic increase...

"Probably inevitable" a country will exit euro: Soros

2011-06-26T05:30:18Z

VIENNA (Reuters) - Billionaire investor George Soros thinks a country will eventually exit the euro zone and urged policymakers on Sunday to come up with a "plan B" that could rescue the European Union<...

Euro ministers fail to clinch deal on Greek aid

2011-06-14T15:00:21Z

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Euro zone ministers failed on Tuesday to reach agreement on how private holders of Greek debt should share the costs of a new bailout, putting the onus on the leaders of Germany and

EU carbon emissions 'plummeted in 2009'

2011-05-31T09:30:15Z

Greenhouse-gas emissions by the 27 members of the European Union fell by 7.1 percent in 2009 over 2008, driven by economic recession but also a switch to renewable energy, the European Environment Agency (EAA) said on Tuesday.

Emissions of the 15 countries that signed up to the It's a lot to expect, and the indications are not promising

The economic catch phrase of the year has become ‘kicking the can down the road’, applied to all the problems that are not being solved, but are simply kicked further down the road.

It’s an apt description, as it is exactly what’s happening.

But what else could we expect?

After all, the election is only 18 months away, and it’s well known in Washi...

Strauss-Kahn casts shadow over EU debt crisis talks

2011-05-16T05:30:27Z

The storm over the IMF chief's sex assault case threw a giant cloud Monday over a European finance ministers' meeting aimed at easing the euro debt crisis and considering a new bail-out for Greece.

Domininque Strauss-Kahn, who has played a key role in striving to tame Europe's debt crisis, had been due at the talks that start from 1300 GMT.

Replaced by his number two

Bulgarians protest over economy

2011-05-01T04:00:08Z

SOFIA (Reuters) - Hundreds of Bulgarians urged the government to resign Sunday over its failure to cope with the economic crisis in the European Union's poorest country at a protest in capital Sofia.

About 2,000 people chanted "Resign" at the second rally staged by the opposition Socialists and dubbed "OSLO (Reuters) - Recession drove industrialized nations' greenhouse gas emissions down 5.6 percent in 2009 but analysts said the plunge may be a brief, misleading sign of progress in slowing climate change.

Emissions by about 40 nations fell to the equivalent of 16.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2009 from 17.4 billion in 2008, and were a record ...

EU-IMF experts review crisis help for Romania: IMF

2011-04-22T12:30:09Z

EU and IMF experts are to visit Romania next week for a first review of crisis loan arrangements, the International Monetary Fund said on Friday.

A team from the European Union and IMF will study the situation here from April 27 to May 9, the IMF said.

In February, the EU and IMF decided...

Recession cuts EU CO2 emissions by record 7.2 percent

2011-04-20T08:00:12Z

OSLO (Reuters) - Recession drove European Union greenhouse gas emissions down by a record 7.2 percent in 2009, putting the bloc ahead of schedule in making promised cuts, EU data showed on Wednesday.

"The strength of the 2009 recession affected all economic sectors in the EU," the

New strike called in Greece amid reform warning

2011-04-18T16:30:33Z

A call by the Greek central bank for faster structural reforms in an economy going nowhere was trumped Monday by plans for a general strike against the government's latest tough austerity measures.

The General Confederation of Workers, the million-strong organisation representing private sector staff, said it would hold an action day on May 11 against the austerity roadmap announced by the government last week.

"We a...

Irish economy slumps, stoking eurozone tensions

2011-03-24T13:30:43Z

Ireland's economy shrank in the fourth quarter of 2010, data showed Thursday, sparking new tensions over the eurozone debt crisis amid fears that Portugal could be next for an EU-IMF bailout.

Irish gross domestic product (GDP) shrank by 1.6 percent in the three months to December, ...

Hard times do not justify health aid cuts: study

2011-02-25T12:30:28Z

LONDON (Reuters) - The World Bank and World Health Organization have voiced fears that donor nations will slash health aid budgets because of the economic downturn, but experts said on Friday such a move could harm recov...

Recession still gripping Greek economy

2011-02-15T17:30:15Z

The troubled Greek economy shrank by 1.4 percent in the last quarter of 2010, deepening the recession which saw a contraction of 6.6 percent throughout last year, official data showed Tuesday.

The new figures, from the Greek statistical authority, left little doubt that the recession would continue in a country which last year required a 110-billion-euro ($150-billion) bailout loan from the European Union and ...

Spain economy shrinks 0.1% in 2010

2011-02-11T15:30:29Z

Spain's jobs-scarce economy shrank 0.1 percent in 2010 as the government slashed spending to avert an Irish-style debt crisis, provisional data showed Friday.

The economy fared better than the government's grim forecast for a 0.3-percent decline but even as the figures turned positive again late in the year, there was still not enough growth to make any impression on the country's massive jobless queues.

Spain finished 2010 with the h...

Soros tells Europe to bolster banks

2011-01-19T07:30:39Z

US billionaire George Soros urged Europe on Wednesday to recapitalise its banks in addition to creating a new aid programme for heavily indebted countries.

The investor, who is of Hungarian origin, said efforts by European Union leaders to resolve a persistent debt crisis were laced with errors.

"The rescu...

Latvian economy stayed out of the red in 2010: PM

2010-12-28T15:30:28Z

Latvia's economy looks to have stayed just out of the red this year, as the Baltic nation emerges from the world's deepest recession, Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis said Tuesday.

"For the whole year, the economy has probably remained flat -- without growth and without recession," Dombrovskis was quoted as saying by the China's commerce minister has warned that measures being taken in Europe to fix the sovereign debt crisis are "turning an acute disease into a chronic one", state media said Friday.

The comments from Chen Deming come after China said this week it supported measures taken by the

Euro heads higher against dollar

2010-12-23T09:30:35Z

The euro, which was slammed this year by the eurozone debt crisis, edged higher against the dollar on Thursday in muted pre-Christmas trade, as dealers digested a fresh message of support from China.

In morning deals, the European single currency rose slightly to 1.3102 dollars, compared with 1.3095 late in New York on Wednes...

China pledges support to eurozone countries

2010-12-23T07:30:18Z

China on Thursday pledged its backing to eurozone countries amid an ongoing debt crisis and said Europe would be a "major market" for investment of Beijing's massive foreign exchange reserves.

"We are ready to support the eurozone countries to overcome the financial crisis and realise economic recovery,...

IMF chief says Spain to avoid wider debt woes

2010-12-16T12:30:50Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Spain will ward off the worst of a European debt crisis without needing a rescue and there is no threat to the euro currency's existence, the head of the

IMF chief says situation in Europe still 'troubling'

2010-12-08T16:00:41Z

The head of the IMF Dominique Strauss-Kahn said Wednesday that the situation in Europe, which is battling a debt crisis, remains troubling and that the future looked uncertain.

However, he insisted that the euro was not in danger, although the eurozone risked posting very slow growth if it failed to p...

Greek journalists strike, protest cuts and lay-offs

2010-11-30T06:00:13Z

ATHENS (Reuters) - Thousands of Greek journalists staged a nationwide strike on Tuesday to protest against wage cuts and lay-offs in their sector, hit by the recession as the country struggles to recover from a debt-crisis.

State and private TV stations broadcast cartoons and documentaries instead of news and regular programmes, while hundreds of journalists, holding banners reading "No lay-...

Euro will survive debt crisis, Merkel vows

2010-11-29T14:41:35Z

...

The PIGs Are At It Again

2010-11-29T14:41:29Z

...

= White House Calls Ireland Financial Rescue 'Good News'

2010-11-29T14:45:23Z

...

Spain struggles to avoid link to debt-stricken Ireland

2010-11-21T02:30:27Z

As debt-stricken Ireland heads for a Greek-style EU bailout, Spain is desperately trying to avoid being lumped in the same basket but analysts warn it will have to do more to keep investors happy.

There is "absolutely no reason" to compare Spain with Ireland, Finance Minister E...

Ireland Seems Nearer $136 Bil Rescue Pact

2010-11-29T14:45:10Z

...

Greeks march to mark student revolt anniversary

2010-11-17T07:30:23Z

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek police fired teargas at a small group of stone-throwing protesters as thousands marched through Athens on Wednesday to mark the anniversary of a 1973 student uprising against the dictatorship then ruling Greece.

About 15,000 students and teachers, wo...

Will Europe's Financial Crisis Finish the Euro and the EU?

2010-11-29T14:49:35Z

...

Europe Losing Cohesion: Could Ireland Be the Last Straw?

2010-11-29T14:49:33Z

...

Global Market Preview: A Question of Timing

2010-11-29T14:49:28Z

...

British problems and solutions

2010-11-29T15:41:07Z

...

Ireland begins austerity drive with six billion euro savings

2010-11-04T13:31:12Z

The EU hailed the cuts, which Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen said were necessary to tackle a "once in a century financial and economic crisis."

"The government has agreed on an adjustment of six billion euros (8.52 billion dollars) for 2011," Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan

How to tell if a recession is on the way

2010-11-04T14:26:58Z

...

Will the global recession cause a new world order?

2010-11-04T14:32:56Z

...

EU sets out plans for managing troubled banks

2010-10-20T07:00:26Z

EU sets out plans for orderly resolution of troubled banks to protect taxpayers

The European Commission outlined radical measures Wednesday to deal with banks that run into trouble with the key aim of making shareholders and creditors, not taxpayers, foot the bill.

It proposed that supervisors be allowed to suspend di...

Recession casualty Latvia holds general election

2010-10-02T02:15:16Z

Latvians voted Saturday in a general election, as the Baltic nation emerges from the world's deepest recession but remains locked in a biting austerity drive.

Opinion polls showed centre-right Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis's coalition could retain power, but that the left-wing opposition, rooted in the Russian-speaking minority, could see big gains.

The ballot is a crucial test for Dombrovskis -- at 39, Europe...

European cities hit by anti-austerity protests

2010-09-29T06:15:41Z

Police threw a ring of steel around EU headquarters Wednesday as tens of thousands in a sea of banners from across Europe took to the streets in a worker backlash against painful spending cuts.

Similar demonstrations were planned across the continent, from Poland to Europe finally voted through landmark curbs Wednesday to clamp down on its finance industry just as fears returned that Ireland, like Greece, was staring down bankruptcy.

The crossing of the final political hurdle at the European parliament marks the end of fierce negotiations stretching back to February 2009, after the

Euro inflation retreats to 1.6% in August: EU

2010-09-15T09:16:08Z

Inflation across the 16-nation eurozone retreated to 1.6 percent in August, having hit a near two-year high in the summer, new European Union data confirmed on Wednesday.

The 12-month rate slipped from 1.7 percent in July, although a year earlier Brussels had logged 0.2 percent deflation,...

Hungary Power Politics

2010-12-29T06:30:59Z

FILE - In this Oct. 28, 2010 file photo, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrives for a EU summit in Brussels, Belgium. Hungary's democratic credentials are under scrutiny as it prepares to assume the EU presidency Saturday, with some crit...

Belgium Europe Financial Crisis

2010-12-23T09:30:49Z

Portugal's Prime Minister Jose Socrates arrives for an EU summit in Brussels, Friday, Dec. 17, 2010. European Union leaders are changing the treaty that underpins the bloc to make room for a huge new rescue system for countries that get into debt trouble in the long term. But they aren...

China EU

2010-12-20T22:00:14Z

European Commission Vice President in charge of competition policy, Joaquin Almunia, center, speaks at the 3rd EU-China High-level Economic and Trade Dialogue at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Tuesday Decem...

Europe Financial Crisis

2010-12-17T09:32:36Z

File - In this May 7, 2010 file photo French President Nicolas Sarkozy, center, meets with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, left, and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, right, during an EU summit at the EU Counci...

Belgium EU Chocolate Rabbit

2010-12-17T03:31:56Z

FILE - In this March 15, 2006 file photo, chocolate rabbits from the Swiss chocolate maker Lindt & Spruengli are seen on display in Kilchberg, Switzerland. As of Friday, Dec. 17, 2010, chocolate rabbits, mice and reindeer remain free to roam, unshackled by trademarks, after the European Union's highest court ruled against chocolate producers that wanted to claim the dainty sweets as ...

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