
Credit rating agencies (CRA) such as Moody’s, Fitch or Standard & Poor’s will have to work under more strict regulations in the European Union where they could face claims if investors suffer a loss due to an infringement committed by the agency intentionally or with gross negligence, according to a European Council directive approved on Monday.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has become the second cabinet minister to say he would vote for Britain to leave the EU if a referendum were held now. But, like education secretary Michael Gove, he said David Cameron must be given a chance to bring powers back from Brussels before deciding.

China has raised concerns about European Union plans to negotiate an ambitious free trade deal with the United States, fearing it is a protectionist move and at the same time Beijing new administration is doubling efforts towards Latinamerica and Africa.

European Union governments and institutions must take immediate action to promote growth and jobs creation as countries are tired of austerity, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said this week.

Brazil’s Finance Minister Guido Mantega slammed the United States and Europe for repeatedly delaying reforms of their dominated shareholding and voting power in the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

France said it would block proposed negotiations on a free trade agreement between the European Union and the United States unless cultural sectors, such as television and radio, were excluded from the talks.

“We’re optimistic about Sunday’s election and the future of Paraguay if we can agree on long term state policies, but something is for certain: democracy in Paraguay is here to stay” said Ricardo Caballero Aquino, Chargé d’affaires of the Paraguayan embassy in Montevideo who was also positive about future relations with Unasur and Mercosur.

Austria vowed to stick to its bank secrecy laws, defying renewed pressure to follow Luxembourg in revealing information on European Union depositors and criticized the United States and Britain for permitting tax havens.

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi urged indebted governments to move beyond spending cuts and tax hikes and introduce reforms that would boost growth and reduce the “tragedy” of unemployment.

Unemployment in the Euro zone reached a new high of 11.9% in January, as an additional 201,000 people joined the jobless ranks in the crisis-battered bloc, latest data showed Friday. The unemployment rate has been increasing relentlessly since the middle of 2011.