Joaquín Almunia, Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner in charge of Competition

In recent years, the EU competition watchdog has imposed billions in fines on companies found to have breached the club's antitrust rules. This was the case in November when 11 airlines were asked to pay almost 800m euros for fixing the price of air cargo between 1999 and 2006. Joaquín Almunia also tells France 24 why he thinks his home country, Spain, will not need a bail-out.

TALKING EUROPE

Presented by Christophe Robeet (France 24) and Marjorie Hache (RFI)

Prepared by Soumaya Benaïssa

Christophe Robeet

Presenter

02/03/2013 - TALKING EUROPE

Arctic scramble: climate change prompts ressource race

As the Arctic ice melts, the battle for natural resources is heating up. Up to a quarter of the world’s oil and gas deposits are thought to lie beneath the chilly seas, and big global players such as China are trying to get in on the act. In our debate, the Norwegian ambassador to Belgium defends the drilling interests of a traditional Arctic power, while a Swedish Green MEP questions Oslo’s stance on the environment.

23/02/2013 - TALKING EUROPE

Victor Ponta, Romanian Prime Minister

Romania seems to be everyone's favourite whipping boy. It was initially blamed in the horsemeat scandal. The UK has launched a PR campaign to keep Romanian workers away. And the European Commission says the country’s anti-corruption methods are not up to EU standards, even though Romania has been in the EU for six years. We ask Prime Minister Victor Ponta what it’s like to constantly battle an image problem.