Archive

Year: 2015

  • Can Europe fill its investment gap?

    March 11, 2015

    When Jean-Claude Juncker took office last year as President of the European Commission he claimed that Europe had a problem – it was chronically under-investing in its critical infrastructure. The long lag in economic growth following the financial crisis and the fiscal pressure felt by most European countries since have contributed to an investment gap of up to €370 Bn below Europe’s current potential – compounding the economic malaise of the continent and reducing, in...

  • Yep, Europe got a C+ on childhood obesity

    February 26, 2015

    Europe’s Judgement Day came on Monday, when Member State representatives, international health officials and medical experts met at The High Level Conference on Healthy Lifestyles held to discuss the state of childhood obesity in Europe.  Are our children’s waistlines getting larger? Are existing initiatives helping us get healthy? What more do we need to do? As in all conferences, papers and discussions about obesity, no clear cut answers were provided.  While International Organization such as...

  • Energy Union Package: FH Analysis and Timeline

    February 26, 2015

    On 25 February 2015, the European Commission published its Energy Union package. The package seeks to shape the EU’s approach to climate and energy policy for the next five years. The key documents of the package are two complementing documents: a Communication which defines the objectives of this Energy Union, and a Roadmap laying down the measures, both legislative and non-legislative and the timeframe under which these measures need to be implemented. In this analysis...

  • Healthy Lifestyles Conference in Riga; will the EU get a C+ on childhood obesity?

    February 19, 2015

    With a few days to go before the High Level Conference on Healthy Lifestyles called by the Latvian Presidency, delegates and experts will be making their way to Riga to enjoy a glass of Kvass before discussions begin. The industry, for its part, awaits the conference’s verdict(s) with baited breath. Will certain products be targeted? Will reformulation need a boost? The answers (or lack thereof) will be revealed on Monday 23rd of February.  In the...

  • 77 Days to the UK General Election: The View From Westminster

    February 18, 2015

    Every General Election claims that it is the most important, the one that will have lasting implications in our lifetimes and beyond. This election is no different. All parties state that this election is the most crucial one of a generation - and for once, this may not be just hyperbole. The results of the 2015 election could have huge ramifications for the UK, and of course, the EU as a whole. In practice, any...

  • Social Media for Trade Associations – Reaching Audiences within the Brussels Bubble and Beyond

    February 11, 2015

    Join your colleagues and our Digital Strategist Brett Kobie for an informal lunch discussion that covers the why, who and how of social media in the association world.  For more information and registration please click here.

  • 2015- is this the year the ‘European Project’ crosses the proverbial Rubicon?The view from London and Brussels

    February 10, 2015

    The ‘European project’ felt somewhat of a bounce in 2014, thanks to the pan- European elections that brought a refresh and renew to both the European Parliament and the European Commission. But even the briefest of glances at the European political horizon for 2015 will tell you that this bounce is not set to last. The outcome of Greece’s national elections, and the national elections of Portugal and Spain (and to a lesser extent, Poland...

  • The Energy Union: Background and Progress

    February 5, 2015

    The escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2014 gave policymakers a new priority, and with the creation of the new ‘Energy Union’ portfolio, new Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has taken action. He has placed energy security along with issues such as the lack of interconnection in the EU energy market, the EU’s climate goals, and competiveness under the all-encompassing umbrella of the ‘Energy Union’ to be run by former Vice President of the European Commission...

  • Social media and “content” explained with stick figures

    February 1, 2015

    It used to be that a only a handful of media outlets (television, radio, print) had the resources to blast information to the masses. We all agreed to listen and stay tuned if we found that information relevant, useful and/or entertaining.But today everyone can talk to everyone. Traditional media is still around, but we can circumvent it if we want to and go straight to our target audience. And we're happy to listen to what others...

  • Ou! So now you care about Greek politics? – Well you should.

    January 26, 2015

    Nενικήκαμεν (We have won!) After a short but intense electoral period SYRIZA won a milestone victory. According to official results, ‘SYRIZA’ won 36.34% of the votes compared to 27.81% for the outgoing government coalition leader ‘New Democracy’, 6.28% for Golden Dawn, 6.05% for ‘To Potami’ party, 5.47% for the Communist party ‘KKE’, 4.75% for the right wing ‘Independent Greeks’ and 4.68% for the centre-left ‘PASOK’ party.   According to the Greek electoral law, in an...

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