Europe
EU officials fear for Lisbon Treaty as prospect of Conservative government looking ever closer;
Diplomats desperate to ensure that Ireland's Lisbon 'guarantees' don't prompt calls for re-ratification
The FT reports that concerns are growing in Brussels that Gordon Brown's escalating political difficulties could jeopardise prospects for the EU's Lisbon Treaty. European governments are following events in London closely, with Franco Frattini, Italy's Foreign Minister, acknowledging yesterday that Mr. Brown's government "faces the risk of collapse". With polls suggesting that the Conservatives are likely to win the next general election, EU officials are becoming increasingly worried by the Conservatives' opposition to the Treaty.
EUobserver notes that, "The prospect of a snap general election and a potential Tory victory spells turbulence for Brussels, with Mr. Cameron having promised to hold a referendum on the Lisbon treaty and to call for the EU to return powers to London." A leader in the Economist writes "Britain's prime minister is losing his grip. An election later this year is the best option".
Meanwhile, EUobserver notes that there is a continued tussle over the wording of Ireland's 'guarantees' for holding a second referendum on the Treaty, which threaten the Irish government's hope of having them informally agreed in a week's time. The article notes that if the scope of Ireland's 'declaration' is too wide, then it could result in calls for a re-ratification of the entire Treaty.
An unnamed diplomat said, "What worries us is that our ratification will still stand." The article notes that an agreement still seems to be some way off with another diplomat saying, "We would very much appreciate to get some clarity. We have only been briefed orally. The wording could raise real issues...re-ratification is one of the problems we definitely don't want."
FT EUobserver Economist: Leader EUobserver
Dutch exit poll suggests victory for Dutch Freedom Party in EU elections;
Dutch voter turnout lower than five years ago
The Guardian reports that the Dutch Freedom Party, the PvdV led by Geert Wilders, scored a victory yesterday, seizing 15 percent of the vote and second place in the European elections in the Netherlands, according to exit polls last night. Wilders wants the European Parliament abolished, Bulgaria and Romania to leave the EU, the mass deportation of immigrants from the Netherlands, and a radically reduced EU influence over Dutch policy. He was barred from entering Britain earlier this year, while the Dutch authorities are prosecuting him for inciting hatred.
NRC Handelsblad reports that the exit polls suggest the governing Christian Democrat party, the CDA, will remain the biggest party, losing 2 seats out of 7. The PvdV will likely obtain 4 seats, with the left liberal D66 party increasing its number of seats from 1 to 3. The biggest losers are projected to be the social democrats of the PVDA, losing 4 of their 7 seats in the EP. Voter turnout in the Netherlands was 36.5 percent, down from 39 percent in the EU elections five years ago.
Tubantia reports that early announcement of election results is illegal under EU law, but Dutch electoral law imposes transparency on the process of immediate counting of the votes. According to the article, a threat in 2004 by the European Commission to sue the Netherlands was not carried out.
Guardian BBC Times EUobserver EurActiv WSJ El Mundo Welt FTD NRC Handelsblad Results Netherlands Tubantia Open Europe blog
Andrew Duff MEP: National MPs are demoralised, because powers are being transferred to the EU
A leader in the Economist looks at the European Parliament and writes, "Among eurotypes the preferred answer to the "democratic deficit" has usually been to increase the powers of the (directly elected) European Parliament. But to most of Europe's disillusioned citizens the parliament seems to be part of the problem."
It goes on to say, "In many ways MEPs have more say over legislation than do most of their national counterparts...It would be hard to scrap elections to the parliament now. That is a pity, because such a step might, strangely, make the EU less remote and more accountable."
A separate article in the Economist quotes Andrew Duff MEP saying, "Whenever I am in a national parliament, I have the impression they are rather demoralised, because powers are transferring to the European Union level." The article notes: "Last year British Labour MEPs voted with their Socialist colleagues to strip Britain of an opt-out from an EU directive that limits working hours. In doing so, they were going against the policy of both the British (Labour) government and majority public opinion in Britain. Most British voters have no idea that they did this, however. Depending on your politics, this sort of thing either makes MEPs unsung champions of the European spirit, or makes a mockery of their claims to democratic accountability."
Economist: Leader Economist Open Europe research OE blog
Economist: The fear in the City is that heavy EU regulation will "stifle" flair for innovation;
FT Lex: EU hedge fund proposals would "hobble entire trading strategies"
An article in the Economist looks at the EU's plans for financial supervision and writes, "The fear in the City is that heavy European regulation will stifle the financial centre's flair for innovation, and indeed drive business offshore."
The FT notes that French officials now fear that, amid his domestic political problems, Gordon Brown will revert to a position of defending the City of London at all costs. The article notes that "there is a danger of a clash between the two leaders over plans to harmonise financial supervision in Europe at an EU summit this month."
Meanwhile, the FT Lex column reports on hedge fund managers' warnings that they may begin an exodus from the City of London if the European Commission's draft directive on regulation of hedge funds is adopted in its current form. The column argues that, "Restrictions on borrowing, shoe-horned into the Commission's draft directive at the last minute, would hobble entire trading strategies."
FT: Lex Economist FT
Open Europe's league table of MEPs continues to receive coverage across Europe, in Hungarian paper Nepsava, Bulgarian news agency Novinite and in the Irish News.
Novinite Nepsava Open Europe press release Irish News
Open Europe's findings on the cost of pensions for MEPs is covered in Polish magazine Przekroj and in Professional Pensions magazine, which quotes Open Europe's Sarah Gaskell saying, "At a time when everyone else is seeing their pension pots dwindle in the recession, MEPs have ensured themselves a gold-standard pension under new rules in the new parliamentary session, which they will pay nothing into themselves."
Professional Pensions Przekroj Open Europe press release
Slovak paper Hospodárske Noviny has an article looking at voter apathy in the European elections, and quotes Open Europe's Mats Persson.
Hospodárske noviny
Swedish PM and Finance Minister outline priorities for EU presidency
In the FT, Swedish PM Fredrik Reinfeldt and Finance Minister Anders Borg have outlined Sweden's priorities for its EU Presidency, writing "Two challenges stand out: restoring the functioning of, and confidence in, financial markets, and countering the negative impact on employment and growth." They add that they will seek political agreement on "initiatives to establish a new structure for European financial sector supervision", namely the de Larosière report's proposals.
FT: Reinfeldt and Borg
ECB defends independence after Merkel attack
The FT Deutschland reports that ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet has defended the European Central Bank's "fierce independence" in a telephone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who attacked the central banks' 'loose' monetary policy. Trichet is quoted saying: "I was extremely happy that the chancellor could confirm that she was fully backing our independence and appreciated what we were doing".
The FTD also reports that Trichet confirmed yesterday that the ECB's purchases of covered bonds of up to €60 billion will start in July of this year and are likely to run until June of next year, with their distribution spread across the euro area.
EUobserver Eurointelligence FTD ARD El Pais Eurotopics
France keen to make Barroso 'sweat' on re-nomination
The Economist's Charlemagne column reports that French President Nicolas Sarkozy has endorsed Jose Manuel Barroso for a second term as Commission President, but he seems "keen to make him sweat", with the decision on Mr Barroso's future taken at the 18-19 June summit to be a political one, leaving a legally binding nomination for later. European Voice notes that renewed French pressure on Barroso has been led by Bruno Lemaire, the French EU Affairs Minister, who said in May: "Competition must no longer be the alpha and omega of European economic doctrine."
Economist: Charlemagne European Voice
FT: European unity would be the greatest casualty of a Baltic collapse
The Times reports that the Latvian government failed to raise any money in a bond auction on Wednesday, and the share prices of Swedish lenders fell as fears intensified that Latvia will be forced to devalue its currency -- a move that might trigger similar moves among the other Baltic states. A leader in the FT argues in favour of an accelerated accession to the Euro for Baltic countries, writing that, "The greatest casualty of a Baltic collapse would be European unity."
Times FT: Leader
UKIP threatens legal challenge over 'sticky' ballot papers
The Express reports that the UK Independence Party (UKIP) claimed to have been "swamped" with calls from supporters who could not find the party on their ballot papers for the European elections. In some cases the printing process was said to have left the lengthy ballot paper stuck shut, requiring voters to prise it open to reveal the UKIP entry.
Party leader Nigel Farage wrote to Justice Minister Michael Wills saying: "We are outraged that today's European election has not been contested on a free and fair basis. We have been swamped with upset voters who failed to find us on the ballot paper. In many cases they have voted for other parties such as NO2EU and even the BNP."
Express
Leader of BusinessEurope criticises lack of effective European cooperation in crisis
The FT reports that the outgoing President of BusinessEurope, Ernest-Antoine Seillière, has argued that the European response to the economic crisis has lacked efficient cooperation.
FT
Jones: EU's Economic Partnership Agreements need "urgent revision"
Emily Jones, writing for the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development, looks at the negotiations surrounding the EU's Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAS) and writes that, "A cursory glance at the negotiations points to a deep disquiet on the part of most African countries". She also argues that the economic crisis has highlighted the need for increased flexibility in trade policy for African countries, and "In this regard, elements of the EPAs clearly need urgent revision."
ICTSD OE blog
El Mundo reports that Spanish MEPs will earn €4,500 more a month, when their salary increases under new rules to €7,550 per month, but estimates that with allowances it could exceed €13,000 a month.
El Mundo
European Voice reports that ALTER-EU, which campaigns for greater lobbying transparency in the EU, has said that the EU voluntary lobbyists' register is a "failure" and quotes Jorgo Riss of ALTER-EU saying, "It is as useful as a phonebook without any numbers." Süddeutsche reports that the Commission is considering the introduction of an obligatory register in the next few years.
Mail: Synon blog European Voice The Parliament Standaard EUobserver
Russia yesterday promised to accelerate its membership bids for both the OECD and WTO.
WSJ
An editorial in the WSJ praises German Chancellor Angela Merkel's recent demand for tighter monetary policy from the European Central Bank and the US Federal Reserve.
WSJ
Die Zeit reports that, with right-wing party support on the rise in the EU, the possibility of a new ultra right group within the EP should not be ruled out.
Zeit
In the Times, Damian Chalmers, Head of the European Institute at the London School of Economics, argues that the EU "is simply too big and culturally diverse for EU-wide rules and laws - however reasonably intended - not to be insensitive to local customs or ways of doing things." He proposes "a body that helps us to assess when EU law has gone too far and a way for ordinary people to express their concerns."
Times: Chalmers
UK
Ministerial resignation forces Cabinet reshuffle
The Guardian reports that Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell quit the Cabinet last night, and called on Gordon Brown "to stand aside to give Labour a fighting chance of winning the next election". Defence Secretary John Hutton resigned this morning, and a Cabinet reshuffle is now underway.
Meanwhile the first results have been declared in the English local elections, with the Liberal Democrats taking control of Bristol City Council and the Conservatives taking control of Lincolnshire County Council.
FT Mail Express Sun Mirror IHT Telegraph BBC BBC 2 Times Times 2 Times: Leader Guardian Independent Guardian 2 Independent 2 Spectator: Coffee House blog Times 3 Guardian 3 Independent 3
Former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has criticised Labour's election campaign for the local and European elections, describing it as a "non campaign", according to the Sun. He also criticised Labour's election co-ordinator Douglas Alexander and Deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman, saying they "lacked the will to fight".
Sun
Open Europe is an independent think tank campaigning for radical reform of the EU. For information on our research, events and other activities, please visit our website: openeurope.org.uk or call us on 0207 197 2333.
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