Pierre Briançon

1 week ago | breakingviews.com | Pierre Briançon

One Euro coins are seen in this illustration taken November 9, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationThe European Commission and the European Central Bank have okayed Sofia’s entry to the euro next year. Bulgaria met all criteria to join. But with only 0.7% of the euro area’s GDP and unstable politics, the drawbacks will exceed the benefits if its government turns eurosceptic. Editing by George Hay; Production by Streisand NetoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

1 week ago | cincodias.elpais.com | Pierre Briançon

En los últimos años, en Europa ha sido poco habitual que se produjera una operación bancaria amistosa sin intervención gubernamental. Por lo tanto, la adquisición de Novo Banco por parte de BPCE podría animar a los reguladores de la zona euro, ávidos de concentración. El banco mutualista francés va a comprar el 75% de la entidad crediticia portuguesa, que la empresa de capital riesgo Lone Star ha reflotado desde 2017. El precio parece razonable, dada la rentabilidad de Novo.

2 weeks ago | cincodias.elpais.com | Pierre Briançon

Una defensa europea creíble tendrá que basarse en la disuasión nuclear. Pero ninguna de las dos únicas potencias nucleares de la región, Francia y el Reino Unido, dispone de los fondos necesarios para satisfacer las ambiciones de sus líderes. El presidente Emmanuel Macron y el primer ministro Keir Starmer están de acuerdo en aumentar los presupuestos de defensa, junto con sus compañeros de la OTAN, muy por encima del 2% del PIB que gastan actualmente.

2 weeks ago | breakingviews.com | Pierre Briançon

The Novo Banco logo is seen on the facede of its headquarters in Lisbon, Portugal March 31, 2017. REUTERS/Pedro Nunes/File PhotoBPCE, the Paris-based mutual, is buying Novo Banco for 6.4 bln euros. The valuation looks reasonable, and Lisbon seems on board after selling shareholder Lone Star turned the lender around. It’s a stark contrast to the dire mood music for European bank consolidation elsewhere.

2 weeks ago | breakingviews.com | Pierre Briançon

BERLIN, June 10 (Reuters Breakingviews) - A credible European defence will have to be based on the nuclear deterrent. But the region’s only two nuclear powers, France and the UK, don’t have the money to match their leaders’ ambitions. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Emmanuel Macron are on board with raising defence budgets, along with their fellow NATO members, way above the 2% of GDP they currently spend. So far, that is only a statement of principle.