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	<title>Michael Berendt's blog</title>
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	<link>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu</link>
	<description>Blogging commentary on current events from the perspective of someone who has been closely involved with the policies, the policy-makers and the whole complex network of people who make the process of European integration so exciting and absorbing.</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Wed, 09 May 2012 11:16:42 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>Guess who’s coming to dinner!</title>
		<link>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2012/05/09/guess-who%e2%80%99s-coming-to-dinner/</link>
		<comments>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2012/05/09/guess-who%e2%80%99s-coming-to-dinner/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 May 2012 11:09:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Berendt</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[European politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eurozone]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Financial Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[french]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Innovation and Growth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trade & Industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[French elections]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[greek]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/?p=385</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[European Council president Herman van Rompuy has arranged a summit dinner for EU leaders on May 23. For François Hollande the Brussels feast will be a first opportunity to brief all his colleagues on France’s new approach to the eurozone crisis and how he sees a return to growth in Europe. His message will be [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Budget chickens come home to roost</title>
		<link>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2012/04/26/budget-chickens-come-home-to-roost/</link>
		<comments>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2012/04/26/budget-chickens-come-home-to-roost/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:43:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Berendt</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Economy & Euro]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eu budget]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/?p=380</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The European Commission is struggling to justify an increase of nearly 7 per cent in the EU payments budget for 2013.  The timing could hardly be worse, with national budgets feeling the full force of austerity, governments facing fierce opposition to spending cuts at home, and the Dutch being forced into new elections as coalition [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Economic growth is the theme for spring</title>
		<link>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2012/04/13/economic-growth-is-the-theme-for-spring/</link>
		<comments>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2012/04/13/economic-growth-is-the-theme-for-spring/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Apr 2012 16:36:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Berendt</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Economy & Euro]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Elections]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eurozone]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[french]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[French elections]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/?p=375</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Spring is the season of growth, and economic growth in Europe has become the dominant theme of the moment. It is certainly a central theme of the French presidential elections. In a few days time the European Commission plans to launch its economic growth plan for Europe, setting out the measures it believes that member [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Good news for the ozone layer, but what lessons for climate change?</title>
		<link>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2012/03/23/good-news-for-the-ozone-layer-but-what-lessons-for-climate-change/</link>
		<comments>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2012/03/23/good-news-for-the-ozone-layer-but-what-lessons-for-climate-change/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Mar 2012 12:21:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Berendt</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Agriculture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business & Climate Change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Climate change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fisheries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ozone layer]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/?p=372</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A few days ago the death was announced of F. Sherwood Rowland, the American scientist who identified the damage being caused by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to the earth’s protective ozone layer. His pioneering scientific work and the fierce campaigning by him and his collaborators led to a UN framework agreement to tackle the problem and to [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>New deal on finance tax may bring calm</title>
		<link>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2012/03/14/new-deal-on-finance-tax-may-bring-calm/</link>
		<comments>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2012/03/14/new-deal-on-finance-tax-may-bring-calm/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:25:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Berendt</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Banking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy & Euro]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Financial Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Taxation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/?p=368</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A compromise may be in sight to defuse the conflict over a proposed EU turnover tax for all financial transactions. It seems that finance ministers are looking at stamp duty on share deals as an alternative way of taxing the financial sector, perhaps marking a calmer phase in the evolution of European financial services legislation. [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Greek debt report reinforces doubts on bail-out package</title>
		<link>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2012/02/23/greek-debt-report-reinforces-doubts-on-bail-out-package/</link>
		<comments>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2012/02/23/greek-debt-report-reinforces-doubts-on-bail-out-package/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Feb 2012 19:58:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Berendt</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Banking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ECB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy & Euro]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eurozone]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[euro]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[greece]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/?p=365</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It’s no surprise that the “disciplinary” elements of this week’s Greek bail-out deal have been badly received by many in Greece. Strengthening of the Commission Task Force in Athens to provide an “enhanced and permanent presence” to oversee Greek government measures, and deposit of quarterly debt repayment funds in an escrow account to ensure their [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Fierce troika attack on Greek labour costs</title>
		<link>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2012/02/09/troika-targets-greek-labour-costs/</link>
		<comments>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2012/02/09/troika-targets-greek-labour-costs/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:19:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Berendt</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Balkan politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ECB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy & Euro]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eurozone]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[greece]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/?p=360</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Devaluation was invariably the path to survival for weaker European economies in the days before the euro. But when devaluation is no longer an option, there is evidently no choice for failing economies but to squeeze public spending and slash labour costs in the hope of paying off debt and restoring competitiveness. A striking aspect [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Human Rights Court under fire</title>
		<link>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2012/01/26/human-rights-court-under-fire/</link>
		<comments>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2012/01/26/human-rights-court-under-fire/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:51:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Berendt</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[EU Institutions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[European politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Justice & Home Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UK politics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/?p=356</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For many British politicians and for much of the UK press, the European Court of Human Rights is the very embodiment of foreign meddling in British life. Two particular findings of the Court have stirred passions in Britain: a 2005 ruling that anyone in prison should be allowed to vote in elections (not currently permitted [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2012/01/26/human-rights-court-under-fire/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Hungary poses a stern test for Europe</title>
		<link>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2012/01/10/hungary-poses-a-stern-test-for-europe/</link>
		<comments>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2012/01/10/hungary-poses-a-stern-test-for-europe/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:57:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Berendt</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Czech]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ECB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy & Euro]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hungarian]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/?p=352</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The European institutions have rarely faced a sterner test than in their dealings with Hungary. As defender of the European treaties the Commission must do all in its power to protect the fundamental principles that underpin liberal democracy in the EU, yet any decision to block an EU-IMF aid package until Hungary’s authoritarian measures have [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2012/01/10/hungary-poses-a-stern-test-for-europe/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Consequences of Britain’s summit veto</title>
		<link>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2011/12/22/consequences-of-britain%e2%80%99s-summit-veto/</link>
		<comments>http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/2011/12/22/consequences-of-britain%e2%80%99s-summit-veto/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:15:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Michael Berendt</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Banking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy & Euro]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[EU Treaty & Institutions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Financial Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UK politics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michaelberendt.blogactiv.eu/?p=348</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It’s too early to gauge the real impact of David Cameron’s veto at the European Council in the early hours of December 9 and the decision of 26 countries to devise a new treaty, but there have been straws in the wind over recent days which indicate how positions are evolving and which will set [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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