At today's EU summit in Brussels, Open Europe and friends from around Europe will stage a protest against EU leaders' plans to ignore the Irish 'no' vote and press ahead with the Lisbon Treaty. Protesters will be wearing masks depicting European leaders and holding placards calling for the 'no' vote to be ignored. For more information or to arrange an interview, please click here, or call Lorraine Mullally on 44 7817 027 911 or Mats Persson on 44 7799 460 691.
Europe
Ireland to hold second referendum before 31 October 2009
Ireland will hold a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty before 31 October 2009, according to draft conclusions EU leaders are expected to sign off today, reports the Irish Times. Member states will offer concessions on issues allowing each member state a Commissioner and guarantees on issues of Irish neutrality, "with a view to enabling the treaty to enter into force by the end of 2009". The paper also reports that E leaders are expected to specify that Ireland must ratify the Treaty before the end of the current Commission's term, which expires on 31 October.
The paper also reports that any grumblings from the Benelux countries over allowing one Commissioner per member state will not affect the proposals, due to strong support from Commission President Barroso over Ireland's concern.
In a comment piece in the Irish Times Viscount Étienne Davignon, a former Vice-President of the European Commission, writes that the right of the Irish people to reject the Lisbon Treaty must be accepted, but that other countries may still move ahead and "implement the essential parts of the Treaty".
An anti-Lisbon Treaty group is considering a constitutional challenge if there is a second referendum on the Treaty, reports the Irish Times. The group, the Campaign Against the EU Constitution, has received legal advice that grounds could be found to bring a challenge to a second referendum.
The Telegraph reports that Libertas will field candidates in Britain, in next year's European elections. A Libertas source is quoted saying that, "The European elections can be turned into a popular vote on the Lisbon Treaty".
Irish Times Irish Times 2 BBC Irish Independent Irish Independent Irish Times 3 Irish Times: Comment Telegraph Telegraph Waterfield: Blog Irish Independent Refdag De Morgen Le Monde
Merkel seeks major concessions for industry in EU climate talks
The FT reports that the EU's 27 governments were edging towards a deal on a climate change package during negotiations yesterday, ahead of the EU summit commencing today. The EU is targeting a 20 per cent cut in emissions by 2020 compared to 1990 levels, combined with 20 per cent of fuel to come from renewable sources and a 20 per cent improvement in energy efficiency. However, unresolved issues include how the burden is to be divided among member states and also how much of their emissions reductions can be achieved through projects outside Europe.
A major stumbling block has been the proposed auctioning of permits to emit CO2 in the next phase of the EU's emissions trading scheme, from 2013. The French EU Presidency has offered Polish and other coal-dependent utilities a partial exemption from auctioning until 2020 in the hope of securing a deal. The Times reports that German Chancellor Angela Merkel, under pressure from German heavy industry, arrives in Brussels today demanding free carbon credits for 90 to 100 per cent of German factories until 2020 - potentially "blowing a hole in a key climate change scheme". German industry has complained that it faces "carbon leakage" -- the relocation of steel, aluminium and cement production to countries less scrupulous about pollution, free from targets and emissions trading.
The Times article notes that Germany's demands are likely to strengthen calls from eastern European countries, led by Poland, for more free permits and subsidies from western Europe to fund green technologies. The European Commission has proposed a "solidarity fund" for the coal-dependent countries worth 7.5 billion euros (£6.5 billion) in sales of carbon credits. However, the article notes that this may not be enough to satisfy these countries. Britain opposes the principle of the subsidy.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who holds the EU Presidency, is keen to resolve the climate talks at the EU summit to send a positive signal of European unity to UN climate change talks being held at the same time in Poznan, Poland.
The BBC has a feature on the impact of the EU's renewables targets on the UK. It quotes Andrew Bainbridge, the head of Britain's Major Energy Users Council, speaking at Open Europe's event on the EU's climate change package, saying, "It is not feasible to diversify away from fossil fuel dependence to reduce carbon emissions so quickly, in pursuit of arbitrary, politically determined targets of questionable practicality."
Britain is expected to produce 15% of its energy from renewable sources within the next 12 years. However, the UK has a higher renewable hurdle to climb than many other EU member states, as its base is so low. The Department for Energy and Climate Change, states that, at present, only 1.8% of Britain's energy is generated from renewable sources.
BBC EUobserver EUbusiness Times FT FT 2 European Voice BBC 2 Euractiv Irish Times IHT FT Guardian Irish Times 2 Irish Times: Comment BBC BBC Mardell: Blog Independent-Hamilton EUobserver 2 Open Europe Events
German Finance Minister: UK stimulus package is "crass Keynesianism" and will take a decade to pay off
The German Finance Minister, Peer Steinbruck, criticised the UK's £20 billion package of tax cuts and spending in response to the economic crisis as "crass Keynesianism", on the eve of the European Council summit in Brussels. The BBC reports that, in an interview with Newsweek, Steinbruck warned that it would take a generation to pay off the debt from "tossing around billions" for the UK's stimulus package. The Times quotes Steinbruck at length arguing, "The speed at which proposals are put together under pressure that do not even pass an economic test is breathtaking and depressing."
The FT's Brussels blog writes that there is a widening of yield spreads between German and other government bonds, which is attracting attention at the European Central Bank. It quotes the German member of the ECB's executive board, who says that high interest rate spreads and calls for loose application of the EU's fiscal rules, calls into question "the credibility of politicians' commitment to sound public finances." It points to this as the source of Germany's reluctance to embrace the European fiscal stimulus package.
The front page of the IHT puts in doubt the chances for success of the EU summit with Germany as a "recalcitrant partner", at odds with expensive measures on the recession and climate change. On his BBC blog, Mark Mardell suggests that if the EU doesn't agree to a stimulus package equivalent to 1.5% of European Union GDP, it will be a sign that Chancellor Merkel has blocked the proposal.
Meanwhile, a wide number of papers have reported that the value of the pound has slumped. It is now "on the verge of parity with the euro", writes the Times.
FT: Brussels Blog AFP IHT Times FT BBC Mail Independent Evening Standard BBC Mardell: Blog EUobserver Times 2 Irish Times Sun Telegraph Express BBC 2 Mail 2 Independent 2 FT: Comment Independent-Hamilton
FT
Commission: member states' implementation of freedom of movement rules "disappointing"
EUobserver reports that the European Commission has criticised EU member states' implementation of rules on free movement and residence within the bloc as "rather disappointing". According to the Commission, "not one single member state has transposed the directive [on the right of EU citizens to move and reside freely within the EU] effectively and correctly in its entity. Not one article of the directive has been transposed effectively and correctly by all member states."
European Voice notes that the Commission is concerned by some member states' rules over the residence rights of spouses from outside the EU and the high number of documents needed to apply for residence in another member state. The Commission said it will issue new guidelines on how to implement the directive in early 2009.
Irish Times European Voice EUobserver
Verheugen: Europe to be "chemist shop" of the world
The European Commission has unveiled plans to control the spread of counterfeit medicines on the European market and improve innovation in the sector. Günter Verheugen, Industry Commissioner, is quoted on European Voice, saying that "Europe should be the chemist shop of the world".
However, EUobserver reports that the plans will loosen strict rules on advertising of medicines and allow drug companies to "provide information" on medicines via websites, which has been criticised by the European Consumers' Organisation as "advertising in disguise".
European Voice WSJ EUobserver
UK concedes on European copyright plans
The FT reports that Britain has conceded to European plans for a common position on copyrights, allowing musicians to enjoy lifetime entitlement to their royalties, ministers will report today. The UK Government is reluctant to endorse Charlie McCreevy, Internal Markets Commissioner's plans for a 95-year limit, which would bring Europe into line with the US, instead settling for a compromise "lifetime" limit of 70 years.
In a letter to the FT, Desmond Lachman of the American Enterprise Institute writes that membership of the euro "deprived Spain of an independent monetary policy that might have been used to deflate the Spanish housing market bubble before it became unmanageable."
FT: Letters
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment