Open Europe press summary: 16 January 2009

Europe

Not enough MEPs lend support to end wasteful monthly trips from Brussels to Strasbourg
A campaign by a Member of the European Parliament aimed at scrapping Strasbourg as the second official seat of the European Parliament has not reached the 393 signatures required to reach a parliamentary majority. Only 268 of the assembly's 785 MEPs signed a written declaration calling for an end to the 'travelling circus', which sees MEPs moving from Brussels to a second seat in Strasbourg every month at enormous cost to taxpayers across the EU.
The Parliament Open Europe blog

Europe's big three toughen stance on Russia in gas row
The WSJ reports that Germany, France and the U.K. have weighed in to try to force Russia to resume natural-gas supplies to the Continent via Ukraine, warning Moscow long-term relations could be damaged if it doesn't start pumping gas soon. "Confidence in Russia could be lost in the long term," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after meeting Gordon Brown in Berlin. The French Foreign Ministry appeared to reject a Russian proposal to hold an energy summit in Moscow to break the deadlock. "Conditions are not ripe" until gas flows have resumed, said a French Foreign Ministry spokesman.

The IHT notes that Andrew Wilson, Senior Policy Fellow and expert on Russia and Ukraine at the European Council on Foreign Relations, describes the EU's crisis management as "awful." He said, "Russia showed during the Georgia crisis that it clearly has a preference for negotiation with big member states."

Jan Sliva, spokesman for the Czech EU Presidency, rejected criticism of its handling of the crisis. "The question is being asked," Sliva said, "as to whether it takes a big member state to get involved. But the Czech Republic is holding its own and is doing what every big member state would do."
WSJ WSJ-Medvedev EUobserver IHT Economist: Charlemagne Telegraph European Voice EU Referendum blog

Almunia: European debt agency should be revisited
In an interview with European Voice the European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs, Joaquín Almunia, has said that higher borrowing costs should revive the debate about a centralised debt issuance agency for eurozone members. He said, "You can imagine a euro area agency which can issue public debt on behalf of [all] members of the area". He also dismissed concerns that the growing spreads between eurozone members were a threat to cohesion, saying, "I don't think the euro is under threat".

The article reports that Jean-Claude Juncker, Chairman of the eurozone group, is in favour of a European debt agency, but opposition would likely come from Germany which has worked hard to maintain its own fiscal discipline.

The Express reports that the notion of a debt agency would make Britain liable for other countries' debts if it were to join the Euro.
European Voice

Hutton: Europe's Nato members must "step up to the plate"
The Mail reports that whilst giving his strongest hint yet that thousands more British troops could be sent to Afghanistan, Defence Secretary John Hutton launched a "stinging attack" on Nato allies who have refused to commit more troops. Mr Hutton said other European Nato members must "step up to the plate". He said "It is not honest, credible or sustainable to say the Americans can do more. That is not an alliance, that is one-way traffic."

The WSJ writes that "We applaud Mr. Hutton's challenge to his European neighbours, but he may need to make a lot more speeches like last night's to win hearts and minds in Paris and Berlin."
WSJ-Editorial Mail Guardian

Martin: it would be "undemocratic" not to have second referendum on Lisbon Treaty
Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Micheal Martin has said that it would be "undemocratic" not to have a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, reports the Irish Independent. Mr Martin also said that, assuming the government gets the legal guarantees it wants, he is looking forward to a second referendum this year.
Irish Independent

In the first of a two-part series on the BBC News at Ten, Mark Mardell looked at the arguments in favour of withdrawing from, or limiting our relationship with, the EU.
BBC News

EU aid to post-Soviet states has 'limited' impact
A report by the European Court of Auditors has said that EU aid to former Soviet states such as Ukraine and Moldova to help fight corruption and human-trafficking has made little impact, reports EUobserver. The report said that "The visibility of the projects seemed to be designed for the own prestige of the officials."
EUobserver

Turkish PM to visit Brussels to revive EU membership bid
The Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is to visit Brussels this weekend in a bid to revive the country's bid for membership of the EU, reports EUobserver. To show its seriousness about the bid, Turkey last week appointed its first full time EU negotiator.
EUobserver

EU's new Schengen database could be scrapped
European Voice notes that EU plans for a major upgrade of a database that collates police data from across the Schengen area is hanging in the balance, with some countries calling for it to be abandoned immediately.

The article notes that the Commission's project management has been criticised with Austrian Interior Minister, Maria Fekter, telling journalists that "we have no more confidence in the [European] Commission". The project, which has cost the Commission 28 million euros since it started in 2002, is facing technical problems.
EUobserver European Voice

EU resumes export subsidies for dairy products
AP reports that the EU will next week restart export subsidies for butter, cheese and milk powder to help dairy producers hurt by falling prices. EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel said the EU moves should help stabilise the dairy market after severe price drops in recent months.
AP Tribune

Czech artist apologises for sculpture
There is continued coverage of the Czech Presidency's controversial art sculpture and the Times reports that the Czech artist, David Cerny, has agreed to return all the money he received for the piece. European Voice reports that the artist has apologised for any offence caused, but insists that artistic freedom is very important to former Iron Curtain states. A leader in the Times suggests that "critics might conclude that the money spent on mocking national pretensions is quite as useful as the Common Fishing Policy."
Times-Leader Times Times 2 European Voice FT: Brussels blog

A leader in the FT suggests that the ECB may run into trouble if interest rates reach zero because further monetary easing would require the bank to buy up assets, yet there is no single fiscal authority with which the ECB could coordinate action.
FT: Leader

In an article in the FT, Quentin Peel argues that new EU member states such as Latvia and Lithuania are facing a test of stability in the face of the economic downturn and early indications of domestic political instability.
FT-Peel

31 authors, including Peter Sutherland, John Stephens, Willem Buiter, Stefan Colligon, Will Hutton, John Palmer, Niels Thygesen, Stephen Wall and Wolfgang Munchau, have produced a report "10 years of the Euro - New perspectives for Britain", urging the UK to adopt the euro.
Summary Report

PA reports that the European Commission has said it will investigate the Irish government's decision to nationalise Anglo Irish Bank.
FT Guardian Irish Independent Irish Times Telegraph BBC

UK

Ex-Trade Minister Lord Digby Jones has suggested to MPs that as many as half of UK civil servants could be axed, delivering better value for taxpayers.
Mail

MPs' expenses will be made exempt from Freedom of Information laws, prompting claims that Commons' authorities are trying to keep secret the full scale of their claims.
FT Guardian Sun Telegraph