Open Europe press summary: 6 August 2009

Europe

New Government estimates: the cost of meeting EU renewable energy targets will add 15% to electricity and 23% to gas bills by 2020
According to an impact assessment conducted by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the Government's Renewable Energy Strategy, which is designed to meet the UK's share of the EU target of producing 20 percent of energy from renewables by 2020, will cost £4.2bn a year with annual benefits of £0.3bn a year. The cumulative cost is estimated at £60bn over 20 years, while the value of carbon saved is estimated at £5bn.

The Renewable Energy Strategy will translate into higher energy bills. The Government's Impact Assessment estimates that its policies to boost renewable energy use will add an average of £75 to domestic electricity bills and £172 to domestic gas bills by 2020, an increase of 15 and 23 percent respectively.

The UK's share of the EU target is to reach 15 percent of energy from renewables, an ambitious task given that the UK's current renewables energy use is less than 2 percent. Under EU rules the UK must also meet a renewables target of 10 percent in transport.
Department of Energy and Climate Change Open Europe research

Lord Patten's interest in EU Foreign Minister job could scupper Blair's EU bid
An article in the FT looks at the candidacy of Tony Blair for the job of first EU President, and Lord Patten's declaration that he would be "very positive" if offered the EU Foreign Minister's job, both of which would be created if the Lisbon Treaty came into force.

The article suggests that "Lord Patten could be problematic for Mr Blair, since he might become a magnet for support from those who dislike the former Labour leader", and it is unlikely that two Britons would be appointed to the two roles. It also suggests that Tony Blair's support of the Iraq War might hinder him, while Lord Patten's opposition could help him.

Daniel Cohn-Bendit, the French Green MEP, has backed Lord Patten for a top job and said last month: "He stood up to China as governor of Hong Kong. He could stand up to Angela Merkel and Sarkozy." The article also suggests that Lord Patten's appointment may appeal to some because of a mischief factor, as the paper suggests that the former Conservative Party Chairman would be a "thorn in the side of David Cameron".

The headline from an article in the Mail reads, "Ex-Tory chairman Lord Patten faces Cameron fury by wanting to be first EU Foreign Minister", and the headline of a Guardian article says, "Patten told to keep quiet over hopes to be EU's first 'foreign minister'".
Mail FT Evening Standard Open Europe blog Guardian El Mundo

Report reveals Poland has issued half of all European Arrest Warrants
Agence Europe reports that a report submitted to EU justice and home affairs ministers has revealed striking differences in the level of use of the European Arrest Warrant (EAW). In 2008, 11,681 EAWs were issued, half of which were from Poland.

Meanwhile, on the Guardian's Comment is Free site, Columnist, David Cronin argues "Though the arrest warrant was initially presented as a response to the horrors of September 11 and as a fillip for cross-border police and judicial co-operation, the execution of this system has been a shambles."
Comment is Free: Cronin OE blog

Claude Moraes MEP: The political debate should not be about for or against Europe
In an interview with the LabourList website the Deputy Leader of Labour MEPs in Europe, Clause Moraes, argues that, "whether you are a Euro sceptic or pro-European, there should be engagement in the UK about what we do and clear communication from us. The political debate should not just be about the UK centric for or against Europe - but that there is a left and right within the EU on every piece of legislation. And there is a genuine debate on whether we need EU legislation in some areas and not others. Where the EU works, is where a national solution is not possible or not enough."
LabourList

Irish Broadcasting Commission: 'Yes' and 'No' sides will not get equal airtime
The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland has ruled that commercial radio and television stations will "not have to give equal airtime to opposing sides in debates on the Lisbon Treaty referendum", the Irish Times reports. Yes campaign "Generation Yes" welcomed the announcement.
Irish Times OE research

On her Mail blog, Mary Ellen Synon picks up on Communications Commissioner Margot Wallstrom has earned almost €1.9m (£1.6m) during her 10 years of service.
Mail blog: Synon

France given more time to recover illegal CAP subsidies, but sum expected to rise
European Voice reports that following a meeting with French Farm Minster Bruno Le Maire, the EU Commission has agreed to give the French government until the end of September to come up with a plan to recover the millions of Euros in illegal state aid from fruit and vegetable farmers.

Meanwhile, Les Echos reports that, despite the French government having been granted an extension, there is a strong possibility that the total sum which French farmers will need to pay back could be €700million, compared to the original estimated sum of €500 million.
Le Figaro European Voice Common Agricultural Policy blog Les Echos AFP Le Monde Le Figaro Les Echos

Matthew Norman: Lord Mandelson is repositioning himself to neutralise his "Europhilia"
In an article for the Independent, Matthew Norman looks at the possibility that Lord Mandelson could be Prime Minister before the year is out and reports that, a few weeks ago, Lord Mandelson "told a parliamentary gallery lunch that there is no chance of Britain joining the euro for untold years. There could be no more blatant a piece of strategic repositioning, designed to neutralise the weakness that is his Europhilia, than that."
Independent: Norman

Plan for EU-wide university classification system criticised for lack of discussion in UK
An article in the Times Higher Education supplement looks at the EU Commission's proposed 'U-Map' project, which would categorise all Universities in the EU in a single classification system. Critics have warned that the plan could "pigeonhole" Universities, restricting their development, and concerns have been raised about the validity of the data collected for the system.

The article quotes Ray Land, Professor of Higher Education at the University of Strathclyde asking, "This project has been endorsed by European ministers of education and the European Commission is putting large sums of money into it, but there's not really been any discussion about it in the UK. Why not?"
Times Higher Education

EU countries ranked for 'influence potential'
Euractiv reports that a recent study by a Romanian think-tank, the European Institute for Participative Democracy, has compared the 'influence potential' of the 27 EU member states in the EU Parliament and found that Germany is over-represented in the European Parliament, giving it a correspondingly high potential to influence EU policies. However, it found that countries such as Ireland were under-represented, compared to Denmark, Slovakia, Finland, Cyprus, and even Luxembourg and Malta.
EurActiv

The EU has approved German request on cheap credits and state guarantees.
Sueddeutsche

UK needs tax breaks to avoid losing bright minds to EU
A report published today by the Institute for Public Policy Research reveals that the UK cannot retain the brightest of foreign workers. The study suggests that tax breaks are needed to encourage "talented workers" to stay in the UK permanently and has warned that other EU countries are doing more to attract bright young migrants.
Times

The German news magazine RP Online calls the behaviour of the EU on the Ahmadinejad inauguration a fiasco. Some EU member states sent observers, others ambassadors, some congratulated while others did not. The EU did not speak with one voice. RP Online underlines that as long as they do not, the EU will remain a dwarf with regards to foreign affairs.
RP Online

In an article for LabourList, Tim Nicholls argues that it is "obvious" that the EU's Common Agricultural Policy is outdated and hurts everyone by making food more expensive.
LabourList

Expansion reports that Spain will hold the EU presidency in 2010 despite not having fully applied 16 EU directives. Spain currently has 103 infringement procedures in areas which include the environment, trade, health and energy, making it only second to Italy, which has 112.
Expansion

The European Commission in Ireland and the Darklight Film Festival have launched a short film competition on the theme of 'Democracy & Dialogue'. The festival will take place from 8-11 October.
Commission website

Irish PM Brian Cowen is on the brink of leading a minority government after two of his Fianna Fail MPs last night resigned the party whip in protest at the transfer of breast cancer services.
Irish Independent

Eight EU member states, among them France and Germany, have written to the EU Commission demanding a price increase on the dairy products that the EU buys as well as an increase in export subsidies and a freeze on milk production quotas.
Europaportalen

Les Echos reports that French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde has written to the Governor of the Bank of France, Christian Noyer, asking for vigilance concerning executive remuneration and bonuses.
Les Echos Le Figaro

El Mundo reports that a European Commission proposal could guarantee that several key regional projects in Spain receive EU funds.
El Mundo

ABC reports that the European Central Bank will keep interest rates at 1% after a recent stabilisation of the economy in the euro zone. However, The ECB has been warned that they must be prepared to further reduce interest rates as demand is still below the desired level.
Expansion ABC

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