Open Europe press summary 25 September 2008

Europe

Audit Commission: EU waste law could add £30 to council tax bills
The Telegraph reports that the public spending watchdog, the Audit Commission, has said in a new study that EU rules on reducing landfill waste could cost councils up to £7 million each per year. This would equate to around £30 per household.

The article notes that under European Union Directives, councils must reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill by half of 1995 levels by 2013 or face fines of up to £180 million per year. The report said the only way to reduce waste going to landfill was the controversial use of incinerators - despite huge cost and environmental concerns. Incinerators cost a minimum of £20 million, are often opposed by local residents.

Becky Slater, Friends of the Earth's Waste Campaigner, said incinerators would not be a good use of taxpayers' money. She said: "Burning rubbish contributes to climate change and sends valuable resources up in smoke - it's no wonder that they face powerful opposition from communities around the country."
Telegraph BBC

EU ministers are today set to adopt EU Immigration Pact;
Asylum laws to be harmonised
An immigration pact set to be adopted today by EU ministers urges EU countries to encourage highly qualified foreigners to come to the EU by making their working and living conditions more attractive. It foresees stricter rules on the unification of immigrants' families but it aims to make it easier for immigrants to send money to their native countries and ultimately to return home themselves.

The pact calls for decisive action by EU member states in applying measures such as expelling illegal immigrants, paying them to leave their countries voluntarily and agreeing deals with illegal immigrants' countries of origin to accept them back.

It aims to harmonise different asylum practices across EU member states, putting a clearer focus on resettling people who are deemed genuine refugees. At a meeting today, EU ministers responsible for immigration will also review a proposal for a European "blue card" - creating a single, EU-wide work and residence permit for skilled foreigners. In particular, labour mobility would be restricted because the owner of a blue card in one EU country would not have the right to move to another for work purposes.
FT

EU threatens Italy with legal action over plan to expel criminals from other EU countries
The European Commission has threatened Italy with legal action if it does not change its decree which would allow the automatic expulsion of other EU citizens condemned to more than two years of jail there, a measure which is part of the Italian immigration package. The European Commission, however, did not object earlier this month to Italian plans to fingerprint Roma, a decision fiercely criticised by human rights groups.
DW

AA says EU daytime car light could add £160 to family car costs
There is widespread coverage of the plans announced by EU Industry Commissioner Günter Verheugen that all new cars will have to be fitted with automatic headlights by 2011. "The introduction of Daytime Running Light for cars, trucks and buses makes them more visible, which will increase road safety. This will make a positive contribution to our goal of reducing fatalities on European roads whilst being more fuel efficient then existing lights," said Verheugen.

The plans have come under severe criticism from car manufacturers, who point to the risk of drivers forgetting to switch on their headlights at night, confusion among road users between these lights and front fog lamps, and added carbon emissions. There are also concerns that the safety of motorbikes - which currently are subject to regulations on daytime running lights - would be jeopardised, as they no would no longer stand out and would therefore be harder to spot.

The Mail reports that the proposals would mean the fuel bill for a typical family car could rise by £68 per year, or £160 for less efficient models, according to the Automobile Association.
Mail AP Autoweek EU Referendum PA EUreferendum Telegraph Express Euobserver

Irish No campaign condemns "outrageous" claims from MEPs that it is a US-backed conspiracy
Declan Ganley, founder of the Irish anti-Lisbon Treaty group, Libertas, has made further disclosures of his campaign's finances, after being accused by MEPs of being part of a US-backed conspiracy against a stronger EU. Ganley told the Irish Times that he considered the remarks, made by EU Parliament President Hans-Gert Pöttering, to be "absolutely outrageous".

Bruno Waterfield argues on his Telegraph blog that "The EU fixation with the No campaign's finances and the role of Mr Ganley is a complete denial and inversion of the real political balance of forces in the Irish Lisbon referendum battle. The entire political establishment in Ireland, with the Pope's support, backed a Yes vote - a priceless coalition... It is not about the EU versus the US, this is nothing more than a smokescreen for the euro-reactionaries who believe that EU referendums should only have one answer, Yes."
Irish Times Irish Times Keena Telegraph Waterfield Liberation Quatremer Open Europe blog

European Parliament approves of extensive telecom package;
Opposes IP privacy infringement provisions
EUobserver reports that the European Parliament yesterday overwhelmingly voted in favour of a plan to separate the network operations from the services operations of previously state-owned telecommunications firms. It is reported that the telecoms operators have expressed their strong opposition to the move. MEPs also voted in favour of setting up a European telecoms regulatory group - the Body of European Regulators in Telecoms - which will comprise of regulators from all 27 EU member states, similar to the currently existing European Regulator's Group. EU Commissioner Viviane Reding had pushed for an independent EU telecoms regulator supported by EU funds, which would also include oversight of internet security. A proposal for measures to allow consumers to be able to switch their phone number to another operator within one day was also approved.

AFP notes that the Parliament also voted to include an amendment stating that it is not the responsibility of internet service providers to police clients' activities for anything illegal. The French government is pushing for measures to combat internet copyright piracy, and wanted a provision included in the package that would see warning messages sent to web surfers who download material illegally or even the suspension of Internet access.
EUobserver AFP NY Times Die Presse Euractiv

Fine Gael to head inquiry into the Lisbon referendum
The Irish government has agreed to an eight-week inquiry into the reasons for the No vote. Fine Gael will head a subcommittee of the Oireachtas Committee, whose membership will increase to include one representative of Sinn Féin and one of the Independents.

Meanwhile, activists who campaigned against the Treaty are asking elected representatives at local, national and European level to sign a "covenant" to oppose a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty and any attempt at ratification through the Oireachtas.

The text declares that the signatory believes the Lisbon result "expressed the democratic will of the people of this State and must be fully respected" and recognises that the treaty "must be ratified by all member states before it can come into force". The document continues: "I therefore reject calls from whatever source to have a further referendum on the treaty or to ratify it by any other means."

Patricia McKenna, former Green MEP for Dublin, told a news conference in Dublin yesterday: "It is clear that both here and abroad there is an ongoing attempt to overthrow the decision of the Irish people and it's essential that those elected to serve the people of this country respect the will of the people of this country."
Irish Times

Prospect: Lisbon Treaty could have weakened response to Georgia crisis
Prospect's Brussels diary argues that the Lisbon Treaty could have weakened the EU in the Georgia crisis, because instead of being fronted by a heavyweight in Nicolas Sarkozy, the EU Presidency could well have been headed up by someone like Jean-Claude Juncker, Luxembourg PM, who would not be taken seriously by the Kremlin.
Prospect

EU national anthem restored by MEPs
MEP Daniel Hannan notes that the European Parliament's Constitutional Affairs Committee has just voted to restore emblems (such as the flag and anthem) that were originally included in the EU Constitution.
Telegraph Hannan

The BBC's Europe Correspondent Mark Mardell discusses "Germany's love of coal" on his blog, arguing that it may be difficult to reconcile with EU carbon emissions targets.
BBC Mardell

The FT notes that the German Christian Social Union risks losing its absolute majority in Bavaria for the first time in 46 years. The shake-up, if it happens, could have important implications for Angela Merkel, the Chancellor.
FT

EU rules out US-style bank bailouts
The EU has ruled out US-style bailouts for the banking sector. "The situation we face here in Europe is less acute and member states do not at this point consider that a US-style plan is needed," EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia told the European Parliament.
EUobserver AFP Telegraph Evans Pritchard

World

Russia has pulled out of talks on sanctions against Iran.
Times

UK

A poll for the Sun shows Labour up seven points on 31 per cent, the Conservatives down three points on 41 per cent, and the Lib Dems on 16 per cent.
Sun