Lord Leach: Business values access to European markets but doesnt see why it has to come with a political union Writing in the Sunday Times great EU debate feature, Open Europe Chairman Lord Leach argues that business tends to be neither die-hard europhiles nor convinced outers with exceptions, most are in between. Business values access to European markets but doesnt see why it has to come with a political union. He adds, The objective is therefore simple. The EUs defining purpose must be the single market it doesnt have to be the only thing the EU does, but it is the primary mission. The task at hand is equally simple: maximise trade including in the hugely underdeveloped EU services market and minimise non-trade costs. Once we have tested the limits of reform, we can see if it still makes sense to remain an EU member. He concludes, So its time for business to make its voice heard
If Europes wealth and job creators throw their weight behind this agenda, not even the most detached politician or eurocrat will be able to resist. Sunday Times: Leach
Rachida Dati: Cameron is right to listen to public on EU
In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, former Justice Minister and French MEP Rachida Dati described David Cameron as brave for heeding the British publics concerns about the EU. David Cameron's proposals show he is listening to people, listening to British citizens. I believe the British, like the French are probably pro-Europe. However, they are not pro-European institutions, said Ms Dati, who is still a leading member of the main opposition centre-right UMP party. The European elite, those technocrats who want to keep their jobs, cry over Europe being rejected by the people, but the people are not rejecting Europe, they are rejecting the eurocrats. This is what is fuelling extremism and populism, she added.
Sunday Telegraph
In an interview with the LSEs Europp blog, Open Europe Director Mats Persson argues that national parliaments are indeed the solution to the EUs infamous democratic deficit we need to enhance the yellow card and turn it into a red card in which national parliaments have an effective veto, with no way out for the Commission if enough parliaments object.
LSE Europp blog: Persson
Open Europes Pieter Cleppe was interviewed by Euronews, commenting that countries in the eurozone periphery are still struggling to close their competitiveness gap with Germany.
Open Europe research
The Telegraph reports that multi-millionaire businessman Paul Sykes has pledged to do whatever it takes to help UKIP top the polls in Mays European elections.
Telegraph Telegraph 2 BBC
EBA Head warns that stress tests may be undermined by flawed decision making process
In an interview with the FT, Andrea Enria, Head of the European Banking Authority (EBA), has warned that Europes attempts to build buffers against a future financial crisis are being undermined by the impossible committee led governance. Enria added that next years bank stress tests could be undermined if the decision making process at the EBA is not streamlined and national bias limited. Enria stressed that he is not seeking power and would be open to another agency taking on the role, provided it is able to take decisions in the European interest. In a separate interview with FAZ, Enria also said that too few European banks have been wound down during the crisis.
FT FT 2 Reuters FAZ
Handelsblatt reports that the SPD will agree to use the eurozones ESM rescue fund for direct recapitalisation of troubled eurozone banks, if a financial transaction tax is introduced. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble continued to insist, however, that such a move would not be possible without a change in German law, telling Tagesschau, We have the firm intention to change the legal basis, and to fulfil our obligations.
Handelsblatt Tagesschau
According to a new IFOP/Journal du Dimanche poll, only 20% of French are satisfied with President François Hollande. This makes Hollande the least popular French President ever since the foundation of the Fifth Republic in 1958.
Le Figaro JDD RTL Welt
Silvio Berlusconis decision to relaunch his old party, Forza Italia, provoked a split in his ranks with breakaway centre-right groups being formed in both houses of the Italian parliament. Berlusconi is likely to lead the revamped Forza Italia into opposition, but the new groups are sufficient to grant Prime Minister Enrico Lettas coalition government a parliamentary majority.
Corriere della Sera Il Sole 24 Ore Repubblica La Stampa FT WSJ WSJ 2
A new YouGov poll has found that 72% of Germans distrust the eurozone crisis strategies of European governments, the EU and the European Central Bank. Only 15% of respondents trust them.
DPA
In an interview with the Times, French Industry Minister Arnaud Montebourg praised the UKs economic policies, claiming that, Its a tough policy in budgetary terms but very flexible in monetary terms and that is what we need in Europe We need a European Central Bank that follows the example of the Bank of England, which, as I recall, makes out cheques for billions of pounds to Mr Osborne.
Times
The French government has revealed that it is facing a 5.5bn shortfall in income tax revenue due to economic growth being lowered than forecast over the past year. Meanwhile, Christian Noyer, Head of the Bank of France, has urged more flexibility, advising French President François Hollande to lower national debt by cutting government spending rather than imposing higher taxes.
City AM FAZ
The Times reports that, according to a leaked internal document, European Parliament plans for a bank resolution fund could see the cost reach 150bn in a worst case scenario well beyond proposals presented by the Council and Commission.
Times
New figures published by the Bank of Spain this morning show that Spanish banks bad loans ratio reached 12.6% in September marking the largest monthly increase of 2013.
El País
Kathimerini reports that, according to a Commission study, public sector workers in Greece get paid between 30% and 58% more than private sector counterparts with similar qualifications.
Kathimerini Kathimerini 2
A new poll by Maurice de Hond shows that the number of Dutch citizens who think the Netherlands should leave the EU has increased to 29%, up from 25 % in 2011. Only 13% thinks that "the EU should ultimately become one country", down from 17% in 2011.
Peil.nl Telegraaf
Checks by Spain at its border with Gibraltar did not break EU laws, the European Commission has ruled.
BBC El Pais Gibraltar Chronicle Gibraltar Chronicle 2 European Commission: press release
Bild reports that despite a pay freeze, EU officials salaries are set to go up by an average of 240 per month as their pension contributions are being retroactively reduced from 11.6% to 10.3%.
Focus Bild
Bron: politics.be
Rachida Dati: Cameron is right to listen to public on EU
In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, former Justice Minister and French MEP Rachida Dati described David Cameron as brave for heeding the British publics concerns about the EU. David Cameron's proposals show he is listening to people, listening to British citizens. I believe the British, like the French are probably pro-Europe. However, they are not pro-European institutions, said Ms Dati, who is still a leading member of the main opposition centre-right UMP party. The European elite, those technocrats who want to keep their jobs, cry over Europe being rejected by the people, but the people are not rejecting Europe, they are rejecting the eurocrats. This is what is fuelling extremism and populism, she added.
Sunday Telegraph
In an interview with the LSEs Europp blog, Open Europe Director Mats Persson argues that national parliaments are indeed the solution to the EUs infamous democratic deficit we need to enhance the yellow card and turn it into a red card in which national parliaments have an effective veto, with no way out for the Commission if enough parliaments object.
LSE Europp blog: Persson
Open Europes Pieter Cleppe was interviewed by Euronews, commenting that countries in the eurozone periphery are still struggling to close their competitiveness gap with Germany.
Open Europe research
The Telegraph reports that multi-millionaire businessman Paul Sykes has pledged to do whatever it takes to help UKIP top the polls in Mays European elections.
Telegraph Telegraph 2 BBC
EBA Head warns that stress tests may be undermined by flawed decision making process
In an interview with the FT, Andrea Enria, Head of the European Banking Authority (EBA), has warned that Europes attempts to build buffers against a future financial crisis are being undermined by the impossible committee led governance. Enria added that next years bank stress tests could be undermined if the decision making process at the EBA is not streamlined and national bias limited. Enria stressed that he is not seeking power and would be open to another agency taking on the role, provided it is able to take decisions in the European interest. In a separate interview with FAZ, Enria also said that too few European banks have been wound down during the crisis.
FT FT 2 Reuters FAZ
Handelsblatt reports that the SPD will agree to use the eurozones ESM rescue fund for direct recapitalisation of troubled eurozone banks, if a financial transaction tax is introduced. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble continued to insist, however, that such a move would not be possible without a change in German law, telling Tagesschau, We have the firm intention to change the legal basis, and to fulfil our obligations.
Handelsblatt Tagesschau
According to a new IFOP/Journal du Dimanche poll, only 20% of French are satisfied with President François Hollande. This makes Hollande the least popular French President ever since the foundation of the Fifth Republic in 1958.
Le Figaro JDD RTL Welt
Silvio Berlusconis decision to relaunch his old party, Forza Italia, provoked a split in his ranks with breakaway centre-right groups being formed in both houses of the Italian parliament. Berlusconi is likely to lead the revamped Forza Italia into opposition, but the new groups are sufficient to grant Prime Minister Enrico Lettas coalition government a parliamentary majority.
Corriere della Sera Il Sole 24 Ore Repubblica La Stampa FT WSJ WSJ 2
A new YouGov poll has found that 72% of Germans distrust the eurozone crisis strategies of European governments, the EU and the European Central Bank. Only 15% of respondents trust them.
DPA
In an interview with the Times, French Industry Minister Arnaud Montebourg praised the UKs economic policies, claiming that, Its a tough policy in budgetary terms but very flexible in monetary terms and that is what we need in Europe We need a European Central Bank that follows the example of the Bank of England, which, as I recall, makes out cheques for billions of pounds to Mr Osborne.
Times
The French government has revealed that it is facing a 5.5bn shortfall in income tax revenue due to economic growth being lowered than forecast over the past year. Meanwhile, Christian Noyer, Head of the Bank of France, has urged more flexibility, advising French President François Hollande to lower national debt by cutting government spending rather than imposing higher taxes.
City AM FAZ
The Times reports that, according to a leaked internal document, European Parliament plans for a bank resolution fund could see the cost reach 150bn in a worst case scenario well beyond proposals presented by the Council and Commission.
Times
New figures published by the Bank of Spain this morning show that Spanish banks bad loans ratio reached 12.6% in September marking the largest monthly increase of 2013.
El País
Kathimerini reports that, according to a Commission study, public sector workers in Greece get paid between 30% and 58% more than private sector counterparts with similar qualifications.
Kathimerini Kathimerini 2
A new poll by Maurice de Hond shows that the number of Dutch citizens who think the Netherlands should leave the EU has increased to 29%, up from 25 % in 2011. Only 13% thinks that "the EU should ultimately become one country", down from 17% in 2011.
Peil.nl Telegraaf
Checks by Spain at its border with Gibraltar did not break EU laws, the European Commission has ruled.
BBC El Pais Gibraltar Chronicle Gibraltar Chronicle 2 European Commission: press release
Bild reports that despite a pay freeze, EU officials salaries are set to go up by an average of 240 per month as their pension contributions are being retroactively reduced from 11.6% to 10.3%.
Focus Bild
Bron: politics.be