Open Europe press summary: 9 September 2009

Open Europe is today hosting a lunchtime debate in Dublin on the topic of the Lisbon Treaty. Speakers include Gisela Stuart, Labour MP and former member of the European Convention which drew up the EU Constitution; Dr Jochen Bittner from German newspaper Die Zeit; and Erik Lakomaa, political consultant and strategist for the 2003 Swedish campaign against the euro. The event will be chaired by Bruce Arnold, Political Columnist for the Irish Independent. Places are limited. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to Pieter Cleppe at pieter@openeurope.org.uk or Tel: +32 2 54 08 625

Europe

Alliance of 136 Irish local councillors: Lisbon Treaty would 'undermine democracy'
The Irish Times reports that an alliance of 136 councillors has called for a No vote in the Lisbon Treaty referendum, stating that its ratification would be a bad deal for Ireland. The alliance said ratifying Lisbon would undermine democracy. The alliance includes Independent councillors and members of Sinn Féin, the People Before Profit Alliance, the Socialist Party and Labour.

Independent Cork City Councillor Chris O'Leary said that "This is a vote about democracy, the future and how we would like to see Europe."

Meanwhile, the Irish Times reports that Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen has warned that a No vote in Ireland's second Lisbon Treaty referendum would cost jobs. He said, "I am unequivocal in my view that a No vote in October would cost us jobs." He warned the outcome of next month's referendum would be interpreted as a signal of Ireland's future intentions regarding its place within the EU. "Whether we are seen as wanting to remain an influential player at the heart of Europe or suggesting that we are moving to the periphery based on suspicion or mistrust of Europe's direction and intent...As of now, the other member states have given a comprehensive response to our concerns," he said.

However, an article by Jamie Smyth in the paper notes that when Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer announced in June that EU leaders had agreed to the Irish government's request for legal guarantees on the Lisbon Treaty, he couldn't have been clearer. "It is an explanatory clarifying text which changes not a dot, nor comma of the Lisbon Treaty," he said.

Speaking in Dublin yesterday, European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek said his impression of the No camp was that it was "made up of marginal groups ...and some [located] outside your country". While stressing that he had no wish to "tell people how to vote", Mr Buzek said the referendum should not be "used for domestic messages" to convey dissatisfaction with the government.

Open Europe's Lorraine Mullally appeared live on Vincent Browne's debate on the Lisbon Treaty on Irish channel TV3 last night, alongside MEPs Joe Higgins and Susan O'Keeffe, and Professor Brigid Laffan, Chairwoman of the Ireland for Europe campaign.

Lorraine argued that the Treaty should be rejected on the grounds of democracy and trust - explaining that in spring and summer last year Europe Minister Dick Roche repeatedly insisted that Ireland would not hold a second referendum, but had gone back on his word. She explained why the loss of the national veto in 60 areas of policy would be bad for democracy, adding that under the Treaty Ireland will lose 40 percent of its power to block EU legislation it disagrees with, under new voting rules which the Irish government itself was originally opposed to when the Treaty was being negotiated in 2003.

Professor Laffan suggested that Open Europe's arguments should be ignored because "I've had a look at their Advisory Council... and there are no women on there."
Irish Times Irish Times 2 Irish Times: Smyth Irish Examiner Irish Independent Irish Times 3 European Parliament press release Irish Times 4 Il Corriere della Serra

German Bundestag clears the way for Lisbon Treaty
The German and international press report that ratification of the Lisbon Treaty has been cleared by the German parliament's lower house, the Bundestag. In yesterday's meeting of the Bundestag, 446 of 495 MPs voted in favour of the new laws that give the German parliament a greater say over EU affairs.

EurActiv reports that the German Left Party will probably not file a constitutional complaint against the new laws as the chance of success is very small, however they declared several times that they reject the Lisbon Treaty and will support the No campaign in the Irish referendum.

Following demands of the CSU party, Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed to give an official statement at the next EU summit at 17 September saying that the German constitutional institutions are bound to the judgment of the Constitutional Court.

Now the new laws will have to be approved by the upper house, the Bundesrat, in a vote on 18 September before the final step of ratification of the Lisbon Treaty - signature by German President Horst Koehler - can be taken.
Spiegel Sueddeutsche FAZ TAZ Tagesspiegel Zeit Deutsche Welle Reuters EurActiv AFP Euronews Standard Irish Times EUobserver BBC Telegraph Irish Times: Leader El Mundo

Brown issues 'vote of confidence' in UK's EU Commissioner Ashton but refuses to back a second term
The FT reports the Gordon Brown has issued a vote of confidence in Catherine Ashton, the UK's European Commissioner, although he refused to say whether he would back her for a second term. Baroness Ashton has served as Trade Commissioner since Lord Mandelson returned to domestic politics, but there has been speculation that Brown plans to replace her with Shriti Vadera - a key Brown adviser on banking and international finance. The paper reports that the re-election of European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso would start a 'scramble for jobs in his new team', and notes that further competition for the posts of President of the European Council and EU 'foreign minister' would follow if there was a 'Yes' vote in the upcoming Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
FT

Commission calls for new happiness measure to complement GDP
The European Commission has called for an alternative to the GDP measure to help determine a country's economic performance. The Commission said yesterday, "GDP was not intended to be a measure of well-being. It doesn't pick up on issues that are vitally important to the quality of our lives such as a clean environment, social cohesion or even how happy people are". EUobserver notes that the Commission wants to introduce an environmental index to complement GDP, to be proposed in 2010. The index will cover areas such as greenhouse gas emissions, loss of natural landscapes, air pollution, water use and waste generation.
EUobserver

Climate change talks 'in danger', warns David Miliband;
EU offers "modest" €15bn to developing countries to help cut emissions
Foreign Secretary David Miliband has warned there is a "real danger" that December's UN climate change summit in Copenhagen will fail to produce an effective treaty on cutting greenhouse gases. He urged the EU to agree to financial measures to halt deforestation and to help countries develop the technology to combat climate change. Miliband made the speech ahead of visits he will make around Europe to raise the issue of climate change.

Meanwhile, the FT reports that the EU is to offer a "modest" €15 billion to help poorer countries cope with the effects of climate change. The European Commission's proposal says that developing countries will need around €100 billion per year by 2020, up to half of which would be covered by governments, with EU states' contributions placed at 30 percent - equivalent to €15 billion. The proposal states that "The international carbon market, if designed properly, will create an increasing financial flow to developing countries", but the FT notes that a potential point of controversy is the suggestion that the EU could use development aid as part of this climate change contribution.
FT Times Times: Maddox

Swedish EU Presidency wants scrutiny of EU battle groups
EUobserver reports the Swedish EU Presidency has called on defence ministers to discuss why the EU's battle groups have never been deployed. Currently, their deployment requires a unanimous decision by all member states and Olof Skoog, a Swedish diplomat has talked about "variations" in political commitment.
EUobserver

Government advisory committee claims EU emissions trading scheme does not go far enough on aviation
The Times and the Mail report that a Government advisory committee has said the EU's emissions trading scheme, which will add around £4 to the cost of a return flight to Madrid and £18 for a return flight to Los Angeles when it is applied to aviation in 2012, does not go far enough and that the Government should act to raise prices further. The committee suggests that the Government should impose its own tax, so that charges increase to around £10 for a return flight to Madrid and £40 for a return flight to Los Angeles, in order to stop the rise in air travel and to raise money to compensate poorer countries for damage to the environment.
Times Mail

Tony Barber: There is "no substitute for Franco-German co-operation and leadership" of the EU
In the FT, Tony Barber argues that there is "no substitute for Franco-German co-operation and leadership" of the EU after a series of other failed leadership options. He writes that while the old style of cooperation between the two is no longer a plausible option, they must aim to work more closely together on fiscal and energy policies to bring their leadership back on track.
FT

A leader in the FT argues that the EU risks souring relations with Turkey if it does not refocus attention onto accession talks, and negotiations with Cyprus.
FT: Leader

The European Court of Justice yesterday ruled that national governments can uphold domestic restrictions on online gambling and ban foreign websites if the intention is to stop fraud and crime.
WSJ Times EUobserver Le Figaro

City AM reports that Ewald Nowotny, a member of the European Central Bank's Governing Council, has said the euro is unlikely to eclipse the dollar as the world's leading currency, although it "has the potential to provide a significant contribution to world financial stability".
No link

German Chancellor Angela Merkel fought off critics in a parliamentary session yesterday and said she will "not tolerate" accusations that Germany used excessive force in a Nato airstrike.
Times Sueddeutsche.de Irish Times FT

Finnish Finance Minister Jyrki Katainen admitted in an interview with Savon Sanomat that European banking was near collapse last October. He says, "we were a couple of days away from a complete catastrophe, which would have been ten times worse than the current situation." He described 8 October as the worst day when central banks worldwide simultaneously decided to reduce interest rates by half a point.
Talouselama Savon Sanomat

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will invest a record €8bn ($11.6bn; £7bn) in central and eastern Europe this year.
BBC

World

UN election monitors ordered a recount of suspicious ballots in the Afghan elections yesterday, citing "clear and convincing evidence of fraud", as the authorities declared President Karzai the outright winner.
Times

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