Europe
Irish government considers second referendum in autumn 2009
The front page of the Irish Independent confirms that the Irish government is considering a second Lisbon referendum in autumn 2009 - which would use the guarantee of holding on to a European Commissioner as "the carrot for a 'Yes' vote". There are also expected to be written assurances on the issues of abortion, taxation and neutrality. The paper notes that in order to accommodate this timeframe, the appointment of the new EU Commission would need to be temporarily delayed until the winter of 2009 - after a second Irish referendum. A senior government source told the paper: "You'd have to arrive at that decision by a logical means by the end of this year. It's shaping that way. It's being kicked around."
Former minister Mary O'Rourke told a Dail committee yesterday "It is a very foolish route we are taking if we think we can have another referendum... The people said 'No'. There is no escaping that. We will not be able to carry another referendum. The sooner we realise that, wake up to it, the better."
A leader in the Irish Independent argues that the plan for a second referendum "deserves calm appraisal", but says that a recent poll from Open Europe showing it would be defeated "should not be dismissed out of hand". Fionnan Sheahan argues in the paper that a second Lisbon referendum is "inevitable, so the only question is when". He believes that an autumn 2009 poll "will allow the heat to be taken out of the situation for a while", but accepts that "a second referendum will be trickier than the first." On his BBC blog, Mark Mardell also mentions Open Europe's recent poll and notes that the ratification process in Ireland could drag on.
The Irish Times reports that "Some parties' MEPs had access to EU funds to support their campaigns" for the Lisbon Treaty. Figures from the Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland show that Fine Gael's five MEPs spent 102,858 euros on print and outdoor advertising in June.
Irish Independent Irish Times Irish Times Mark Mardell's blog
Doha trade talks break down
There is widespread coverage of yesterday's breakdown of the Doha round of global trade talks. The immediate cause of the breakdown is reported to be a disagreement between the US and China and India over a mechanism allowing developing countries to protect farmers from surges in imports and prices - described as a comparatively small part of the talks. The FT notes that there was relatively little trading of blame in the aftermath of the breakdown. However, China and some other developing countries blamed wealthier countries for protecting their agricultural sectors while demanding poor countries cut tariffs on industrial goods and liberalise services markets.
Peter Mandelson said that the talks on agriculture had been harmed by the new US Farm Bill - a five-year programme of agricultural subsidies recently passed by the US Congress. He called it "one of the most reactionary farm bills in the history of the US". Pascal Lamy, the World Trade Organisation's chief, said he expected he would attempt to revive the Doha talks but it was not possible to say how or when that might happen. The WSJ notes that by the end of 2009, there will be a new US President, a new EU Trade Commissioner and possibly a new Indian government - all which could make a new global trade deal even harder. Open Europe's Hugo Robinson was interviewed on Al-Jazeera English, discussing the breakdown of the talks.
Comment: The EU is far from blameless. During the Geneva talks, the EU did not make any new concessions on tariff reductions relative to the 2006 position. Last week, Mandelson attempted to spin that the EU had proposed reducing farm tariffs by 60% - up from the existing offer of 54%, calling it a "a very considerable improvement on our own part." However, EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer-Boel and French Trade Minister Anne-Marie Idrac admitted that the offer was "nothing new" - the difference between the two figures was merely down to whether tropical products were included in the tariff cut calculations or not. Trade negotiations are inevitably based on reciprocity: given the intransigence of the EU on market access, it's hardly surprising that large developing countries were wary of demands that they bring down their own tariffs. The question of safeguard mechanisms was merely the final straw that led to the collapse of talks.
Irish Independent El Pais EUobserver AFP FT FT 2 WSJ IHT Irish Times Independent EU Referendum blog Independent Guardian
Fischer calls for flexible EU defence policy
Former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer has called for a group of EU member states to develop a military force capable of responding to current global crises. At a presentation of a report carried out by the European Council on Foreign Relations, Mr Fischer said that a selection of EU member states should form a "pioneering group" to deal with issues of European security and defence. In the report it was suggested that if such a European reaction force were created it would be able to react to violence around the globe more effectively than allowed by current policies.
Meanwhile, the Telegraph reports that a European peacekeeping mission was funded by a staff whip-round and a loan from British ambassador's entertainment budget. A report published yesterday says that Europe's plans under the Lisbon Treaty to increase combined defence initiatives and boost the EU's international role are threatened. The report's author, Nick Witney, the senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, blames "inertia and resistance in defence machinery" for thwarting the EU's aim to contribute to global security.
Deutsche Welle
Blair favourite amongst business for EU Presidency
EUobserver reports that European business leaders would like to see former Prime Minister Tony Blair as the first occupant of the proposed post of permanent EU President. Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel was runner-up in a poll carried out by CNBC Europe. French President Nicolas Sarkozy signalled last year that he would back Mr Blair for the role but other European governments are less keen.
EU migrants may join armed forces
A Commons select committee report has recommended that Polish migrants should be allowed to join the UK armed forces. A growing lack of specialists is said to be undermining the army, a situation that Chairman James Arbuthnot stressed must be addressed with "flexibility and imagination". It is suggested this move could help with over-stretched situations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
15,000 Serbian protestors clashed with police in the "Freedom for Serbia" rally in Belgrade last night.
El Pais WSJ IHT Irish Times EUobserver Independent
Common EU divorce laws to move ahead under enhanced cooperation?
The Economist blog looks at a proposal which will enable some EU members to move ahead with adoption of common divorce legislation if they choose - under so-called enhanced cooperation. It is noted that proposals for common divorce laws have consistently been opposed by member states with the most liberal divorce laws, who worry about having to apply foreign laws that are more restrictive than their own. For instance, Sweden has warned that their courts could even be forced to adopt restrictive divorce policies from countries like Iran.
New poll: 49% of Belgian francophones want to join France
Le Figaro reports that according to a new Ifop poll, 49% of Belgian francophones are tempted by the idea of joining France - up from 29% between October 2007 and January 2008. 45% are opposed to joining France. 60% of French people are in favour, including some MPs - up from 54% in November last year.
UK
Miliband in leadership bid
The Times reports that David Miliband has unveiled a plan to guide Labour to victory in the next election. He called for change and a return to "New Labour", and suggested that delayed reform of the NHS and a failure to devolve power are reasons for the party's increasing unpopularity. The article did not mention Gordon Brown at all, so many are viewing this as a bid for leadership.
No comments:
Post a Comment