Don't let the doom merchants obscure the true European picture

[sasguru]

Look it's PooperScoop Billy-no-mates posting here again. Isn't there a forum you can post on in in your brilliant adopted country?

[TimberWolf]

And as a commenter wrote in a link posted yesterday, the European central bank can print money just as fast as the US and UK, even if individual member states can't.

[scooterscot]

Don't let the doom merchants obscure the true European picture | Steven Hill | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

If only the London owned UK could boast such figures...

Nearly three years since the economic earthquake that shook the world, most regions of Europe continue on the path of recovery. It is unfortunate that most of the headlines dwell on the plight of Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain because much of the rest of Europe is making steady progress toward developing a more sustainable economic model.

Germany has emerged as a global economic leader, with solid growth rates and unemployment declining to its lowest level in decades (about 6%, according to OECD harmonised figures, compared to 9.3% and 9.2% for the EU and US respectively). The Nordic countries of Finland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark all have seen steady growth. Sweden, viewed as "socialist" by many in the US media, in particular has been a bright spot, seeing growth of over 4% in 2010 with solid growth predicted in 2011 and 2012 as well. Sweden and Germany have defied the experts' predictions, and are a reminder of Europe's capacity for pleasant surprises.