Open Europe press summary: 26 October 2009

Europe

New Open Europe report: Lisbon Treaty paves way for EU surveillance state
The Sunday Express reported on Open Europe's new report - "How the EU is watching you - the rise of Europe's surveillance state", published today, which argues that when the Lisbon Treaty is ratified, the EU will be able to accelerate a raft of controversial new proposals which are set to radically increase the EU's role in policing, criminal and security matters. EU leaders hope to reach formal agreement on many controversial new initiatives by the end of the year.

They include: a target to train a third of all police officers across the EU in a "common culture" of policing; the mass collection and sharing of personal data including DNA records into an EU-wide database; controversial surveillance techniques including 'cyber patrols'; the creation of a fledgling 'EU Home Office' with powers to decide on cooperation on police, border, immigration and criminal justice issues; an EU "master plan" on information exchange; the transfer of criminal proceedings among EU member states; and a three-fold increase in the number of controversial EU arrest warrants, among many others.

Its author Stephen Booth was quoted saying: "How can citizens expect their fundamental rights to liberty and independence from the state to be protected by institutions which are unelected and have a vested interest in creating new laws?"
Sunday Express Open Europe press release Open Europe research

Miliband: Blair should become EU President because he warrants motorcade
Observer: Selection of EU President "makes a mockery" of Lisbon Treaty's original ambition to make EU more democratic
David Miliband has come out backing Tony Blair for President of the European Council. Miliband told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that: "It's about whether or not Europe wants a strong leader in that position...I think it would be very good for Britain as well as very good for Europe if Tony Blair was a candidate and was chosen." The front page of the Telegraph reports that Miliband also appears to have suggested that Blair should be made EU President because he warrants a large motorcade. "My own view is that we need somebody who can do more than simply run through the agenda. We need someone who, when he or she lands in Beijing or Washington or Moscow, the traffic does need to stop and talks do need to begin at a very, very high level. I think Europe has suffered from the lack of that clarity," Miliband said, adding that he was "puzzled" by the Conservatives' rejection of Blair in the role.

The Telegraph quotes Conservative Shadow Europe Minister Mark Francois as saying, "David Milliband has shown that securing jobs for the boys is more important than respecting the democratic wishes of the British people. The British people do not like the Lisbon Treaty and if it was used to impose Tony Blair as European President without the British people having a say, it would only underline the Treaty's complete lack of democratic legitimacy."

Meanwhile, a leader in the Observer noted that the process surrounding the election of the new EU President, created by the Lisbon Treaty, "is so opaque" that "It all makes a mockery of the original plan for a treaty that would usher in a more democratic and accountable era of EU decision-making." It concludes, "The EU is now less trusted than ever before. Fixing that problem is one of the first tasks that a permanent president of the European Council will face. It is not a task that Tony Blair is best qualified to perform." Leaders in today's Mail and Independent also argue against Blair as EU President.

The Sunday Telegraph reported that Poland is the latest in a number of countries coming out against Blair's candidacy.
Telegraph Mail Mail: leader FT Independent Independent: leader Guardian Iain Dale's diary Spectator: Coffee House blog Guardian Le Figaro Times Observer: leader

Miliband rules himself out of EU Foreign Minister role;
Times: Miliband's argument on EU foreign policy contradicts claims on Lisbon and reveals "illegitimacy" of not allowing a referendum
On the BBC Andrew Marr show yesterday, David Miliband ruled himself out of the role of EU Foreign Minister, saying, "I am not a candidate for that. I am not available." The Weekend FT quoted him saying "I'm not running for Europe high rep job. I'm the foreign sec thank you very much." Mark Francois, Shadow Europe Minister, is quoted saying: "The government's priority on top jobs in Europe should be not finding golden parachutes for panicking members of the cabinet but securing a major post for Britain in the European Commission."

Saturday's Independent reported on speculation about a Miliband candidacy for the role, but noted: "Mr Miliband's appointment is of course conditional on Tony Blair's failure. In fact, some British cabinet ministers yesterday dismissed the whole Miliband furore as an attempt by Blair opponents to kill off his candidacy." In the Telegraph, Nile Gardiner argued that David Miliband would be a disaster for Britain as EU Foreign Minister.

In a speech to the International Institute for Strategic Studies this morning entitled, "EU Foreign Policy after Lisbon", Miliband outlined what he considered should be the strategic priorities for EU foreign policy, including EU accession for the western Balkans. He said that for EU foreign policy, "the immediate challenge is to break the impasse for the transitioning from the office of the High Representative to the European Union Special Representative [EU Foreign Minister]", and added that the Lisbon Treaty would provide "strong leadership through a President of the European Council in office for five years who can represent the EU at events like EU-China and EU-Russia summits." When asked if, following the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty, he envisaged an EU role on the UN Security Council, he said "No, I don't see that as the future".

In an article in the Times, Miliband warns against turning inwards and says Britain needs to embrace "internationalism". He argues "Europe is far from perfect. It needs reform. But to get that it needs Britain. The Lisbon treaty gives Europe the chance to be an effective force defending the gains of the last 60 years and addressing new challenges, without the diversion of institutional squabbles." Criticising "Conservative attacks on 'federalism'", Miliband claims that "every country has a veto in the new structures" where foreign policy is concerned. In fact, the Lisbon Treaty introduces majority voting into 11 areas of EU foreign policy.

A leader in the paper argues: "There is a lot that is calm and sensible in Mr Miliband's analysis but at its pivot is a paradox. Unlike his political opponents, he is unapologetic about wanting more effective power over foreign policy at the European level. But, the more persuasive he is on this point, the more unwittingly he reveals the illegitimacy of not allowing a referendum on the Lisbon treaty. If a common European foreign policy is, all at once, vital for the future of European power within a world defined by powerful regional blocs, indispensable to solving some of the world's most intractable problems and the only way of preserving Britain's role as a leading player on the world stage, then it is impossible to maintain, as Mr Miliband does, that the Lisbon treaty is no more than an exercise in constitutional tidying up....The Lisbon treaty is both vital and yet not vital. It is not yet too late for the British people to decide."
Times - Miliband Telegraph - Gardiner Independent Independent: Hamilton Weekend FT Times

Swedish Presidency outlines role of powerful EU Foreign Minister
EUobserver reports on a Swedish paper which sets out the details for the role and responsibilities of the EU's Foreign Minister. According to the paper, the Foreign Minister will be in charge of the EU's Diplomatic Service, and become an institution with its own section in the EU budget. The Foreign Minister is to propose how much money he needs each year, authorise spending, appoint his own staff and take charge of the European Commission's existing delegations across the world, while having a limited role in enlargement, trade and development.

The new institution is to manage general foreign relations as well as EU security and defence projects, such as the police missions in Bosnia, Kosovo, Georgia and Afghanistan or any future peacekeeping operations in, for example, Africa. It is also set to take charge of the Situation Centre, the EU member states' intelligence-sharing hub in Brussels.
EUobserver

AIFM Directive: Swedish Presidency to add remuneration restrictions?
Dutch daily Het Financieele Dagblad reports that the EU Swedish Presidency is considering adding a "remuneration paragraph" to the EU's controversial AIFM Directive, which would introduce similar restrictions on bonuses for managers of hedge funds and private equity firms, to those applicable to bankers under a deal agreed by G20 leaders in September. The article quotes a diplomat saying, "exactly what the Swedes want to include in the remuneration plan is still unclear. But the reference to the [G20 rules] indicates that hedge fund managers would possibly be subject to the same restrictions as bankers".

In an article in the Sunday Telegraph, Matthew Elliott from the Taxpayers' Alliance argued that the EU's proposed Alternative Investment Fund Managers (AIFM) Directive threatens the financial interests of every family in Britain, by prompting tax hikes or deeper cuts in public spending as a result of an exodus of firms from Britain and the EU. He cited Open Europe's recent survey which suggests the industry contributes £5.3bn to the Exchequer every year. Conservative MEP Syed Kamall had a letter in the Sunday Telegraph arguing that "The reach of this directive will have an impact not only on London, but will also have an untold effect across the whole European Union."
Sunday Telegraph Open Europe report Guardian Weekend FT: Lex Sunday Telegraph: letters

New Europe Minister Chris Bryant accuses David Cameron of lying about a British referendum
In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, Europe Minister Chris Bryant said the time for arguing over the Lisbon Treaty had passed, and that the Conservatives were "living in cloud cuckoo land". He accused David Cameron of lying by promising the British people a referendum, saying: "We have got 26 countries that have ratified the treaty. The Tory position is inept, they haven't thought it through, and there is a fundamental deception at the heart of what they say. I think your readers will end up feeling deceived by Cameron over the question of a referendum. I would lay a very big wager that they will be very disappointed if there was a Cameron government, because they wouldn't end up having a referendum." He said Cameron's pledge that he would "not let matters rest there" was deliberately ambiguous, and covered the fact that he would not be able to renegotiate. He said: "Either he's incompetent and he doesn't know this, or he knows and he's downright fibbing."

According to the paper Bryant also launched a strong attack on the Conservatives over their alliance with the Polish Law and Justice Party in the European Parliament, saying the reason the Conservatives were happy to sit down with Michal Kaminski was that they shared his views on homosexuality. He said: "I said to Mark Francois, the shadow Europe minister, in the Commons the other day: 'I know why you are happy to sit down with Kaminski - because you share his views.'"
No link

UKIP threat to a Cameron majority
The Observer reported on a Labour party analysis suggesting that David Cameron could be denied up to 50 MPs at the next election because of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) splitting the Conservative vote. UKIP plans to try to divide the party by standing in marginal seats against Conservative candidates who fail to back a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty in all circumstances. The analysis notes that the impact of UKIP may not keep Gordon Brown in power, but ministers believe that the Conservatives could be forced to enter into a coalition, or leave them a much smaller majority in Parliament.

William Hague, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, insisted yesterday that "We won't be deciding on this policy [Europe] based on the activities of what is a fringe party. We'll decide on what is best for the country and what we really believe in. The real choice is between the failed government of Gordon Brown and a new government under David Cameron."
Observer

Lisbon Treaty to dilute Britain's voice in global economic institutions
The Financial Mail reported that Britain's independent voice in global economic institutions is feared to be under threat from the Lisbon Treaty. It argued that once the Lisbon Treaty is ratified, powerful new ambassadors from Brussels are expected to establish themselves in international financial institutions. It may mean that Britain's own representatives could be at odds with those of the new EU diplomatic service, with fears that the UK could be over-ruled in its dealings with key economic bodies. The paper reported that the EU External Action Service will establish missions to the IMF, the World Trade Organisation, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and both the UN Conference on Trade and Development and the UN Industrial Development Organisation. However, the Foreign Office said: "The UK will continue to have its own representatives on these bodies. This will not cramp our style in any sense."
Financial Mail

Jacques Delors: The Lisbon Treaty is not sufficient for further EU integration
In an interview with French website Toute l'Europe, former Commission Presdient Jacques Delors says that "I have always said that a federation of the United Nations is needed, in which we agree on the points over which we exercise communal sovereignty and over that which remains in the national domain, but where, at the top, we have instead a federal system which permits us to prepare decisions, to decide and to act upon. This is not the case currently. The Lisbon Treaty brings some improvements, but it is not sufficient."
No link

Klaus happy with compromise on Lisbon Treaty;
Czech Constitutional Court to deliver its verdict in a week
Saturday's Times reported that Czech President Vaclav Klaus has edged towards signing the Lisbon Treaty, welcoming a compromise surrounding the Charter of Fundamental Rights' application to the Czech Republic. Saturday's Telegraph noted that the details of the deal are not yet clear.

Meanwhile, today's Times notes that Klaus is still challenging the ratification of the Treaty at the Czech Constitutional Court, which will meet for a one-day hearing tomorrow, with its verdict expected in a week. He has written a statement in support of a case against the Treaty brought by 17 Czech senators, who have asked judges to rule that the agreement is unconstitutional because it transfers powers to Brussels. He also asked for a ruling on whether the Treaty changed the terms of the Czech Republic's accession to the EU in 2004 so significantly that a new referendum should be ordered.

Klaus wrote, "The Lisbon treaty contains commitments that de facto mean giving up basic attributes of the sovereign state. The constitutional court is therefore deciding on a matter that is absolutely fundamental for the future of our country."
European Voice Mail Telegraph Times Euractiv Le Figaro Times 2

UK to pay £5m more a day into EU budget after MEPs vote for increase
The Telegraph reports that MEPs have voted to increase the EU budget in 2010 against the advice of the European Commission and the European Council, which represents the 27 member states' national governments. The article notes that the increase from £106 billion this year to more than £116 billion would mean Britain funding the EU by an additional £5 million a day on top of its current annual net contribution of £4.1 billion. The European Conservative and Reformist group, to which the Conservatives belong, unsuccessfully tabled an amendment supporting a lower figure suggested by the European Council.
Telegraph

The Guardian reports Harriet Harman, minister for women and equality, is calling for female leaders across the EU to come together against workplace discrimination, arguing it is time for women to play an equal role in rebuilding economies.
Guardian

The European Parliament has rowed back from insisting on the maintenance of an amendment to a package of telecoms laws that would have ruled out member states' ability to cut off internet access to downloaders without prior trial.
EUobserver

A feature in the FT notes that "A stronger euro is adding to the tensions in Europe's 11-year-old monetary union, with the greater vulnerability of some countries and their industrial sectors complicating the job of policymakers."
FT

Sarkozy and Berlusconi urge more EU cooperation on immigration policy
French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi have sent a letter to Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso urging the EU to strengthen its border control agency, Frontex. This would include the creation of "specialised Frontex offices", and "the creation of an Erasmus program for border control agents".
FrenchForeignMinistry

Günther Oettinger selected as new German EU Commissioner
Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel has nominated Günther Oettinger, the minister president of Baden-Wuerttemberg, as Günter Verheugen's substitute in the next EU Commission. EUobserver reports that the move took everyone by surprise, including Oettinger himself, since he has no experience of the EU and he was not mentioned in any of the discussions.

The German media portray the decision as an attempt by Merkel to remove Oettinger from the national stage, as has been 'a thorn in Merkel's side' for several years.
EUobserver CoulissesDeBruxelles Financial Times Deutschland

General Motors has delayed signing a binding agreement with Magna over the sale of a majority stake in Opel and Vauxhall until next month, amid concerns that the European Commission will block the state aid Magna needs.
Telegraph Times

Data produced by the UK's Office for National Statistics showed the economy unexpectedly contracted by 0.4 percent of gross domestic product between July and September of this year, meaning that the UK is lagging behind several other European countries.
EUobserver

The Times reports that African fishermen, denied the right to sell their catch to the EU, are losing out to pirate vessels and EU trawlers fishing in their waters.
Times

The FT reports the European Commission is concerned that Nordbank's restructuring efforts may not be enough to ensure the German banks survival and commented that reforms may not comply with EU state aid rules.
Weekend FT

In a letter to the Guardian, Caroline Lucas, Green Party MEP criticised the "smoke and mirrors approach" being taken by EU leaders in the run up to Copenhagen climate talks.
Guardian

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