Open Europe press summary: 21 April 2009

Europe

Andrew Duff: "The Treaty of Lisbon is not the last word"
On his FT Brussels blog, Tony Barber looks at a new book from Andrew Duff MEP, entitled "Saving the European Union" and cites Duff saying, "The Treaty of Lisbon is not the last word."

Barber writes that EU leaders have previously promised that, if the Lisbon Treaty comes into effect, there will be no more institutional tinkering, no more inter-governmental conferences and no more constitutional conventions. He goes on to argue "I have always had a sneaking suspicion that the adoption of Lisbon would in fact serve as a prelude to another bite at the institutional cherry. Duff's book strengthens this suspicion." Barber ends his blog writing, "Lisbon isn't the last word. Europe must move on with its 'federalisation process'. You can't say you haven't been warned."
FT: Brussels blog

Shadow Europe Minister: We will not rule out a referendum even if Lisbon Treaty is already in force
Der Spiegel online features an interview with Shadow Europe Minister Mark Francois with a headline that reads: "We will not accept the Lisbon Treaty". The article reports that Francois said the Conservatives could torpedo the Lisbon Treaty, even if it has already entered into force after the General Election, saying: "we will not accept the Lisbon Treaty", adding that "if Lisbon enters into force before we are in Government, we will not just let it rest. The Treaty does not have democratic legitimacy in Great Britain, and we will not accept it as a fait accompli."

When asked what the Conservatives would do, and whether they would hold a retrospective referendum after they were elected, he replied: "We do not exclude that. We will talk about the details, when the time has come. But until then we hope that there will be a referendum. Gordon Brown might change his opinion, as Tony Blair did before the euro-elections of 2004."
Spiegel

European Parliament to vote tomorrow on bailout for MEPs' additional pensions
In the wake of revelations that the additional pension fund of the European Parliament has lost millions due to speculation, MEPs will vote tomorrow in Strasbourg on a clause saying that "under no circumstances will parliament provide extra money from the budget to cover the fund's deficit, as it did in the past."

Glenis Wilmott MEP is quoted by The Parliament: "I firmly believe that in the current economic situation the taxpayer should not be asked to cover any shortfall of the pension fund." According to the parliamentary budget discharge report, the scheme's membership is at around 1113, including 478 current MEPs, or 61 percent of the total number of MEPs, and 493 pensioners. Süddeutsche Zeitung reports that German MEPs are angry about the idea of balancing deficits of the parliamentary pension fund with tax revenues and quotes MEP Ingeborg Grässle calling the planned use of taxpayers' money a "scandal".
The Parliament Spiegel Sueddeutsche DPA DPA2 Open Europe press release Open Europe blog

MEP Tom Wise charged with false accounting over expenses
The Times reports that Tom Wise MEP and his assistant have been charged with false accounting and money laundering after an investigation into claims that they misused thousands of pounds of parliamentary expenses. Mr Wise was elected to the European Parliament as a member of the UK Independence Party but now sits as an independent, after being expelled from the party. He is alleged to have pretended that his own bank account was that of his researcher's, which is against EU rules.

The Mail reports that he is thought to be the first MEP to face criminal charges over the use of his expenses. PA reports that the story was uncovered by an article in the News of the World, which quoted him saying that being in the European Parliament was "the opportunity to make shedloads of money."
Mirror Guido Fawkes blog EU Referendum blog Times Mail

Belgian Foreign Minister: EU increasingly governed by the few
Euractiv reports that Belgian Foreign Minister Karel de Gucht has said that the 'institutional balance' of the EU is in "danger". With just a year to go until the Belgian EU Presidency, he warned that the EU is increasingly governed by an "executive board of big countries". Citing the recent G20 summit in London he said, "The London G20 meeting has first been prepared in Berlin by a small group of [EU] member countries, that is, those of them who are G20 members. The General Affairs Council was barely consulted, in fact only post factum."
EurActiv Knack

French proposal on illegal downloads could scupper EU telecommunications bill
The IHT reports that France is threatening to block an EU telecommunications bill that would undermine a French domestic proposal to cut off internet access to those who repeatedly downloaded illegally. The EU bill would prohibit the exact proposal that France is considering by requiring governments to obtain court orders before disconnecting internet service. The article reports that representatives of President Sarkozy have spent the past week lobbying Brussels to eliminate the clause, which is part of legislation that has been two years in the making.
IHT

Former Commissioner: EU unable to meet lowest common denominator on UN racism conference
All EU delegates yesterday walked out of the UN's anti-racism conference in Geneva after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the Israeli government was "racist", only minutes after the European Commission had implicitly criticised Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland for boycotting the meeting because of the Iranian President's attendance, according to European Voice.

On his BBC blog, Mark Mardell looks at the conference and the decision by some EU countries to boycott. He quotes former EU Commissioner for Justice and Security Franco Frattini in Il Giornale, saying that the failure to agree a common approach was "a very serious mistake, because it shows our inability, despite all the words uttered in this connection, to come up with at least a lowest common denominator on a basic problem: namely the struggle against discrimination, on behalf of which we in Brussels so often speak out".
EUobserver Guardian Times Mail FT Irish Times Telegraph BBC BBC: Mardell blog European Voice EU Referendum blog FT: Rachman blog IHT onet.pl Gazeta Wyborcza El País Diplomatie

Commission green paper says EU has too many fishing boats
A green paper by the European Commission on reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, due to be published tomorrow, says that the EU has far too many fishing boats and major cuts are needed to make fishing sustainable, reports the BBC. The green paper states that 30% of EU fish stocks are beyond safe limits, and the reality for EU fish and fishermen is "overfishing, fleet overcapacity, heavy subsidies, low economic resilience and decline in the volume of fish caught".
BBC

Ganley's MEP candidacy receives a boost
The Irish Independent reports that Libertas founder Declan Ganley's hopes of taking a seat in the European elections received a major boost after Fianna Fail MEP Sean O Neachtain last night announced his retirement from politics on medical grounds, only six weeks before the election. The article notes that Neachtain's withdrawal "heaps further pressure on a party already under strain as it heads into the European and local elections."
Irish Independent

European Socialists criticise Commission plans for hedge fund regulation
Gazeta Wyborcza reports that the Party of European Socialists (PES) has written a letter to Commission President José Manuel Barroso, describing the Commission's proposed directive on hedge fund and private equity regulation as so "filled with loopholes" that it would be "highly ineffective" in regulatory terms, according to the FT. The directive has not been officially published yet, but some of its content have been leaked. The PES have pointed out that the new directive regulates the activity of fund managers rather than funds as such, which creates a loophole for funds managed from outside the EU, and they argue that the legislation does not recognise the European Parliament report which was approved by all the major parties.

El Pais reports that the letter is also critical of the fact that funds below the €250 million threshold would be exempt from needing permits.

Handelsblatt reports that EU Internal Markets Commissioner Charlie McCreevy is in support of non-binding EU-wide regulation of salaries and bonuses for managers. However, the article reports that there is opposition to the proposals from some MEPs and quotes MEP Klaus-Heiner Lehne saying: "McCreevy has to provide a binding legislative proposal, so that we get a common basis for the remuneration of managers in the single market".
Gazeta Wyborcza Handelsblatt El País FT

Commission critical of China's attitudes to 'dangerous' products
EUobserver reports that EU Consumer Affairs Commissioner Meglena Kuneva has expressed dissatisfaction at Chinese authorities for failing to stop the flow of dangerous products of Chinese origin entering the EU market.

On his Telegraph blog, Bruno Waterfield looks at the issue, citing an example of anoraks seized by the EU because they were deemed unsafe for children. He writes, "Apparently, the banned anorak toggles could get tangled or caught leading to accidental strangulation of children." He quotes a Commission official saying, "Yes, you might well say that children have had drawstrings on their hoods for generations but not any more and they will be safer for it".
Telegraph: Waterfield blog EUobserver

Agence Europe reports that the European Commission has launched a public consultation on insider dealing and market manipulation. It is asking stakeholders whether the EU should introduce rules to cover short selling, potentially forcing short sellers to register their holdings with regulators.
No link

Commission approves UK plans to allow households to defer interest payments on mortgages
Euractiv reports that the European Commission has given the green light to Government plans to allow home owners to defer interest payments on their mortgages. Under the new scheme, British homeowners will be entitled to delay up to 70% of interest repayments on their mortgages for a maximum period of two years.
EurActiv

The European Commission is investigating seven international airlines, including five national flag carriers, over potential anti-competitive practices on transatlantic routes.
WSJ Times Times: Wighton Mail FT Telegraph Sun BBC European Voice EurActiv IHT

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has floated plans for a new global treaty on trade in fossil and nuclear fuel in an attempt to replace an earlier pact, the 1991 Energy Charter Treaty.
EUobserver

Agence Europe reports that Audit and Anti-fraud Commissioner Siim Kallas will take on the responsibilities of Budget Commissioner Dalia Grybauskaité during her presidential campaign in Lithuania.
No link

El Mundo reports that 54 MEPs will be elected in Spain in June, despite only 50 being eligible to take up their seat until the Lisbon Treaty is passed, which would increase the number to 54.
El Mundo

El Mundo reports that the Spanish Socialist party (PSOE) has launched an interactive online campaign to mobilise the electorate ahead of the European elections. People must first register on the website to have access to videos and make contact with other PSOE supporters.
El Mundo

UK

Guardian/ICM poll: Conservatives have a ten point lead over Labour
An ICM/Guardian poll puts Labour on 30% - identical to a March Guardian/ICM poll - Conservatives on 40%, down two points compared to a month ago, and the Liberal Democrats on 19%. Other parties are up three points to 11%, which, according to the Guardian, may be an indication of a strong showing to come in the June European elections.
Guardian

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