Latest Europe Headlines
All the headlines from our Europe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Cancun Climate Talks End with Modest Steps, No Kyoto Deal
Dec 13 2010 // The world’s governments agreed Saturday to modest steps to combat climate change and to give more money to poor countries, but they put off until next year tough decisions on cutting greenhouse gas emissions. The...
EU Will Back Russia’s WTO Entry
Dec 8 2010 // The European Union formally backed Russia’s bid to join the World Trade Organization on Tuesday, clearing the way for Moscow to join the body in 2011, after 17 years of trying. EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht...
Swiss Re’s Economic Forum Sees Continued Growth, Pressure and Risks
Dec 8 2010 // Swiss Re’s Economic Forum singled out three main factors that will continue to affect the re/insurance market in 2011. The Forum’s economists forecast “continued global economic expansion in 2011, led by...
Catlin Re Switzerland Receives Approval from Swiss Regulators
Dec 8 2010 // Catlin Group Limited, the international specialty property/casualty insurer and reinsurer, announced that its reinsurance subsidiary, Catlin Re Switzerland Ltd. has received approval from the Swiss Financial Market...
Lloyd’s Warns of ‘Increasing Stress’ on Water Resources
Dec 7 2010 // “Water scarcity is a pressing problem around the world – and not just in countries that have an arid climate,” warned Lloyd’s in its latest 360 Risk Insight report. “Water is a critical...
Talk About the Weather
Dec 5 2010 // Floods, Windstorms, Droughts, Heat Waves and Wildfires There was a time in the not-so-distant past when events such as these would have been considered somewhat unusual in Europe. But these days, extreme weather events are...
Spain’s Economy Minister Says Country ‘Not Next’ for EU Bailout
Dec 3 2010 // Spain will not be next in line for a rescue package from Europe, but a common economic policy is needed to support a single currency, Spanish Economy Minister Elena Salgado told BBC Radio on Friday. Salgado also said Spain...
Lockton, Germany’s Funk Group Extend Service Pact
Dec 2 2010 // Two large privately-held and independent insurance brokers, U.S.-based Lockton and Germany’s Funk Group, said they will expand their risk management service alliance. Through the alliance, Funk will provide risk...
Northern Europe Counts Costs of Early Winter Weather
Dec 2 2010 // Heavy snow caused travel chaos across much of northern Europe on Thursday, keeping London’s Gatwick airport closed for a second day and disrupting road and rail travel in France, Germany and Switzerland. Days of...
Best Revises Aviva and Subs Outlook to Positive; Affirms Ratings
Dec 1 2010 // A.M. Best Europe – Rating Services Limited has revised the outlook to positive from stable and affirmed the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a-” of the UK-Based non-operating holding company, Aviva plc....
European Storm Season Starts, But Forecasts are Difficult, Says Lloyd’s
Dec 1 2010 // The world really gets no respite from global weather events. Just as the hurricane season draws to a close, the European windstorm season, which usually lasts around four months, starts up. In its examination of the onset...
Euro Crisis Worries Spread; U.S. to Send Treasury Envoy
Dec 1 2010 // Global concern about the debt crisis rocking the euro zone mounted on Wednesday, with Washington sending a top U.S. Treasury envoy to Europe and G20 officials discussing the turmoil in a conference call. A day after...
Catastrophes Cost World $222 Billion in 2010: Swiss Re
Nov 30 2010 // According to initial estimates from Swiss Re’s sigma research team, worldwide economic losses from natural catastrophes and man-made disasters totaled $222 billion in 2010; more than triple the 2009 figure of $63...
France, Germany Say Euro Saved; Investors Remain Skeptical
Nov 29 2010 // Germany and France declared on Monday that Europe had taken decisive action to save the euro by rescuing Ireland and laying the foundations of a permanent debt resolution system, but investors were not convinced. Under...
UN Climate Talks Seek to Bridge Rich-Poor Divide
Nov 29 2010 // A new round of U.N. climate talks opens on Monday with almost 200 nations meeting in Mexico in hopes of clinching an agreement on a narrow range of crunch issues dividing rich and emerging economies. The two-week...
Ireland, EU Conclude $113 Billion Bailout
Nov 29 2010 // Negotiators for the Irish government and the European Union put the finishing touches on an €85 billion [$113 billion] bailout for the beleaguered country over the weekend. The agreement follows Ireland’s...
European Union Faces Both a Debt and a Communication Crisis
Nov 24 2010 // The European Union has deployed billions of euros and endless words to try to contain its sovereign debt crisis this year, but poor communication and bad timing have left financial markets unconvinced. The communications...
UK MGAs Gather to Support New Managing General Agents’ Association
Nov 24 2010 // The UK’s insurance industry has spawned numerous professional and trade associations over the years, but, oddly enough, one of the most important sectors, the managing general agents, or MGA’s, who underwrite...
EU to Give Insurance Industry More Time to Prepare for Solvency II
Nov 18 2010 // European Union regulators look set to bow to insurance industry demands for more time to adjust to new solvency rules, with the head of the EU’s insurance watchdog acknowledging that some of the measures would have...
Aon Benfield Warns on Perils of European ‘Uncommon’ Storm Tracks
Nov 17 2010 // Aon Benfield has issued a briefing on uncommon European winter storm tracks in conjunction with the University of Cologne. The research points to a lower total number of events in the future, but “indicates intense...
