Europe
Giscard d'Estaing: Britain should be given 'special status' in Europe to avoid halting integration
The Telegraph looks at today's conference with Valéry Giscard d'Estaing - former French President and one of the authors of the EU Constitution, later renamed the Lisbon Treaty - in which he will express support for a "special status" for Britain in the EU. During the conference, organised by the Telegraph and think-tank Global Vision, d'Estaing will say: "The European Union has already come too far with the project of closer integration to stop now. However, we have to accept that not all countries share the same vision, or are comfortable proceeding at the same speed. If countries such as Britain do not want to move to the next stage we should be prepared to agree with them on a special status that would preserve close ties, but avoid them acting as a brake on the progress of others." Lord Blackwell of Global Vision is quoted saying that Britain should "negotiate a new, looser relationship with the EU that preserves the benefits of free trade and cooperation but allows us to opt out of the project of political and economic integration."
A leader in the Telegraph notes that although none of the British parties want to talk about Europe at the moment, "we cannot avoid the question of what would happen if all the other countries except Britain - or perhaps Britain and Ireland - wanted to adopt the constitution." It goes on to argue, "A generation ago, the British people voted, as they thought, to join a common market, not a common polity. There is no dishonour in giving people what they voted for."
Irish Foreign Minister against Lisbon defence opt-out -
Europe Minister to repeat preference for second referendum and urge Europe not to pressure Ireland
Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin and Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea have said they are personally against opting out of European security and defence policy - a move that has been proposed in order to make the Lisbon Treaty acceptable to the public following the 'No' vote. The Irish Times quotes Martin saying that such an opt-out would "undermine the capacity of the Irish Army to function as effective peacekeepers." The article notes that a complete opt-out from European security policy would mean that the Irish Defence Forces may not be able to take part in EU peacekeeping missions, such as the operation in Chad. However, Martin also added that the government is considering all the options open following the rejection of the Treaty, including a declaration insisting that Irish people could never be conscripted into any future EU force.
Meanwhile, Minister for European Affairs Dick Roche will today ask a conference of German ambassadors in a speech in Berlin not to set any artificially imposed deadline for the Irish government to come up with a 'solution' to its Lisbon dilemma. "It would not be helpful if the impression were created in Ireland, or elsewhere in the union, that Ireland is being obliged to respond to any artificially imposed deadline," Roche will say. He will also repeat his view that at some stage it may be necessary to consult the people again in a second referendum, given that a "different question" was posed in the original referendum. At the conference, Roche will reportedly meet with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier to discuss ways to take the Lisbon treaty forward.
EU renewables targets will lead to a "dash for gas"
The BBC has a news feature on EU targets for renewables, which could see one third of Britain's electricity being sourced from wind. Because wind power requires fossil fuel back up, the article argues that the renewable targets will lead to a "dash for gas". Dieter Helm, Professor of energy policy at Oxford University, says Britain could find itself badly exposed. It would be "about the worst possible thing that one could conceive of given what's going on in Russia and given our dependence on Russian gas supplies". The article picks up on a recent report from E.on, which suggested that backup for intermittent renewable power sources could cost consumers £10bn per year, which would add £400 to the average annual household energy bill.
A separate article on the BBC notes that almost a quarter of the UK population will be pushed into fuel poverty by the end of next year, according to the National Housing Federation. Average household electricity bills are expected to increase to more than £500 per year by 2010, and gas bills to around £900. Ruth Davison, director of the federation's campaigns and neighbourhoods department, called the findings part of a "full-scale national energy crisis".
Christopher Booker argued in the Sunday Telegraph, "The energy from turbines is derisory: the 1,600MW plant planned for Kingsnorth [coal plant] would generate two-and-a-half times more electricity than all the 2,300 wind turbines already built." He concludes "In this sense, in terms of what it will cost us, energy looks to become the defining issue of our EU membership."
EU failing on waste policy
Neil O'Brien has an article on EU waste policy on the Telegraph Ways and Means blog. He notes that EU rules are responsible for the spread of fortnightly bin collections, and that the EU has regulated across the board in this area. He argues that the EU's approach of trying to control and regulate, rather than incentivise green behaviour, is a failure.
EU Commission in cash for secrets scandal;
Mandelson to support further tariffs on Chinese shoes
The front page of the Sunday Times reported on a six month investigation which implicates a senior figure in the EU Commission's Trade Directorate. Fritz-Harald Wenig leaked highly sensitive commercial information to undercover journalists in return for the promise of future financial benefit.
Wenig, who was responsible for "anti-dumping" investigations which decide whether to levy tariffs on manufacturers from outside the European Union, told the reporters which companies in China would be given special exemptions from these tariffs. He also disclosed secret information that this week Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson will support further tariffs on imports of Chinese shoes.
When the question of payment was raised with Wenig over dinner, he replied: "you put all this money somewhere with a kind of frozen joint access . . . and that this is only accessible after my retirement."
Alisdair Gray, Director of the British Retail Consortium in Brussels, said: "This is like insider trading. It gives a commercial advantage to anyone who chooses to act on it."
Wenig also criticised Mandelson for being "radical" and "extreme" in his support for free trade. "His wish is to remove barriers for trade, but unilaterally. Only to remove barriers at any cost. And in the real world this is, of course, not possible" said Wenig.
Croatian Foreign Minister: Possible for Croatia to join EU without Lisbon Treaty
Bernard Kouchner: No Lisbon, no enlargement
The Irish Times reports that Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Jandrokovic has said that "It is legally possible for Croatia to become a member not only with the Lisbon Treaty but also with the amendments of the Nice Treaty," while adding "But politically it is very hard to reach such an objective and, because of that, we hope that the EU will find a solution or mechanism to allow Croatia to become a member." He urged EU leaders not to make Croatia a "hostage" of the Irish 'No' vote. It is reported that Germany and France are insisting there will be no enlargement of the union until the Lisbon Treaty is implemented. French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner yesterday said, "No Lisbon, no enlargement" when asked about Ukraine's prospects of becoming an EU candidate state.
Ministers of justice detail plans for harmonisation of EU criminal justice
Six justice ministers have a joint piece in Le Figaro, explaining their plans for "the construction of European security space", which they hope will "give new political impetus to the Union". They say that we must "establish the same level of penal guarantees across the Union, in offering all citizens guarantees common to anyone arrested or suspect during a criminal procedure".
Czechs launch cryptic "sugar cube" advert
The Czech Republic has launched a TV advert promoting its forthcoming Presidency of the EU, which shows celebrities playing with sugar cubes (a Czech invention). One drops a cube into a coffee, which Deutsche Welle reports may be an allusion to Vaclav Klaus' prediction that the EU would dissolve the Czech Republic. The advert also features a promise to "make it sweet" for Europe - an ambiguous phrase in Czech which could be taken literally, or could refer to "giving someone a hard time".
Sarkozy attempts to persuade Russia to withdraw troops from Georgia - ceasefire agreement was damaged by poor translation
French President Nicolas Sarkozy will travel to Moscow today to try to persuade the Russians to withdraw troops from South Ossetia as part of a French-brokered peace plan between Georgia and Russia. He will also need to secure Moscow's backing to deploy an EU observer mission to the region of conflict.
According to the Independent, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner refused to set Moscow a fixed deadline for the pull-out. He would also not be drawn into what the EU would do if Russia failed to heed its demands. "Let's just see what happens Monday," he shrugged. "Whatever happens, we want to solve this through diplomacy, not sanctions." A senior official told the paper, "The problem is, we have no plan B, we have no tough tools to bring the Russians into line."
The Telegraph notes that sloppy translation of the original ceasefire agreement has led to important ambiguities in what the document actually means.
Germany has called for a full inquiry into the outbreak of the war on 7 August, while Britain wants to investigate allegations of war crimes, including Georgia's use of cluster bombs.
Le Figaro Independent Telegraph Irish Times-Kinsella AFP EUobserver Telegraph Knack FT Times Lucas International Herald Tribune BBC BBC Today
EU economic partnership agreement could worsen Senegalese food crisis
In a letter to the Guardian, Director of ActionAid Senegal, Mussa Faye, argues that a new EPA, which will grant European vessels access to Senegalese fishing waters, will exacerbate existing fish shortages. Faye highlights the importance of fishing to Senegalese people "who rely on fish for 70% of their protein needs".
Page: EU quotas criminalise fishermen
In the Mail on Sunday, Robin Page presents the case of British fisherman Mick Mahon, who is facing prosecution and a fine of up to £50,000 for refusing to throw his surplus catch overboard. Page argues that EU regulations are unresponsive to the realities facing Britain's fishermen: "the EU says stocks are running low" however, "in recent years, Cornwall's fishermen have never seen so many haddock". Page contrasts this situation with that in Norway, which is not a member of the EU: "by landing all its fish, the Norwegian authorities can keep track of exactly how much is caught daily - and make instant decisions to halt or allow fishing. By dumping fish at sea, the EU has no idea of the fluctuations in fish stocks".
O'Doherty: EU is like a "giant Nanny"
The IHT reports that the European Parliament has voted in favour of restrictions on 'sexist' advertising. In the Irish Independent Ian O'Doherty cites the report, arguing that the EU is acting like a "giant Nanny, with cane in hand, who wants to tell the rest of us what to think, what to believe and, as we have seen in the wake of the Lisbon Treaty, how to vote".
Irish Independent O'Doherty International Herald Tribune
The German SPD party has ousted Kurt Beck as chairman, and has nominated Frank-Walter Steinmeier to run for Chancellor next year.
FT International Herald Tribune Deutsche Welle
Britain broke EU rules by training Chinese officer
The Times reports that the UK Government has breached EU rules banning military cooperation with China by allowing a Chinese army officer to study at Sandhurst. Officer Cadet Liu Liu, who graduated from the Royal Military Academy last month, has spent the past year training alongside British army cadets.
Italy will propose that the European Union consider changing the European Investment Bank (EIB) into a sovereign investment fund for the 27-nation bloc, Economy Minister Giulio Tremonti said yesterday.
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