Europe News
Irish government in talks to keep Commissioner ahead of re-run referendum on Lisbon Treaty
The Irish Times reports that Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin has said that Dublin is in talks with other member states on retaining a permanent Commissioner, ahead of a possible re-run referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. Martin said, "Clearly, that issue of a commissioner was much more than just a commissioner...it almost signified what people perceived to be a loss of influence at the table".
EUobserver quotes Declan Ganley, leader of the Libertas group, one of the main organisations behind the No vote, saying that the declarations discussed by the Irish government on a permanent Commissioner and other issues would not have any legal weight. "Not a jot or title - not a comma - of the text of Lisbon can be changed, for otherwise it would be legally a new treaty which would have to go around all 27 EU States for ratification again", he said.
On his Coulisses de Bruxelles blog, Liberation journalist Jean Quatremer argues, "In order to let the Irish understand that their No vote was senseless, it would be desirable if the next Commission does not contain a Commissioner from their country."
Irish Times Irish Independent EUobserver Irish Independent Die Presse Coulisses de Bruxelles
EU climate package to be watered down?
Point Carbon notes that EU nations want some European power generators to get free emissions permits after 2013. The Commission's original proposal stated that power generators should have to pay for all their permits after this date.
The De Standaard blog reports on how German Chancellor Angela Merkel only wants to accept the "goals of the 20-20-20 plan (20 percent less energy use, 20 percent less carbon emissions, 20 percent renewable energy consumption)". It reports that "for the rest she wants to leave it to the member states to find out how they get there", as she "doesn't want to push extra environmental costs on the German chemicals, steel and auto industry." It also reports on calls from European industry to be helped by Germany, the only member state without a considerable budget deficit.
A news feature in the IHT reports that "there are signs that the financial crisis is causing cutbacks in public and private-sector investment in wind farms and solar and wave power, and economic angst may make the European Union scale back ambitious legislation to fight climate change."
French Agriculture Minister: Why don't more countries follow Europe's example over agricultural subsidies?
Agence Europe reports that at a meeting last week President of the European Economic and Social Committee Mario Sepi called for the EU's Common Agricultural Policy to "move out of its limited environment", saying "We need to put in place a global CAP, not just a European CAP". Sepi called for the creation of structures to incorporate European technical knowledge and experience into areas outside the EU. "Food safety can be one of the main messages sent out to the whole world by the European Union. The CAP must not allow the market free rein!" he continued.
At the same meeting French Agriculture Minister Michael Barnier asked, "Why do countries which have the same geographical coherence as us not do what we Europeans have been doing for 50 years with the CAP?"
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EU to bail out car industry?
The front page of Le Figaro reports that the EU is preparing a bail out package for the continent's car industry. The WSJ says that this could involve loans or subsidies, to help auto makers. Details are still under discussion, but the plan is likely to run to tens of billions of euros. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has publicly called on the EU to consider a Europe-wide rescue package, according to DW.
Separately, the European Investment Bank, the EU's long-term lending arm, is developing a 40bn euro loan package to encourage car makers to develop cleaner vehicles.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said on Friday that the EU is ready to take action at the World Trade Organization if it judges that US aid for its struggling auto industry is "illegal."
EU warming to pan-European security pact with Russia
Euractiv reports that the EU is warming to the idea of a pan-European security pact involving Russia. A spokesperson for the EU External Affairs Commissioner stated that talks on a new partnership agreement will resume on 2 December. Commission President Barroso stressed that recent speculation about missile sites in Europe must not dominate the EU-Russia agenda.
Le Monde reports that after a "salvo of criticism from central Europe", Sarkozy has retracted comments questioning the proposed US anti-missile shield, stating that "our Czech friends, and our Polish friends are sovereign in their own countries", citing the threat from Iran as justification for the shield.
Transnational Institute: Lisbon Treaty could be used to promote EU 'militarisation' of space
A new paper by the Transnational Institute argues that the EU is pursuing a "military space policy" via the European Space Agency (ESA), and warns that an increasing "overlap between civilian and military space applications" could lead to a new arms race. The paper looks at recent ESA projects such as the EU Satellite Centre to suggest that they form part of an EU security programme. The study argues that these policies are being pushed by the French Presidency of the EU and that the Lisbon Treaty will be significant because space policy will become part of the EU Treaties for the first time.
Commission defends EU structural funds
Agence Europe reports that the EU Commissioner for regional policy Danuta Hubner has defended the EU's structural funds in the wake of the Court of Auditors Report published last week, which highlighted a number of problems with the spending programme.
Hubner said that the structural funds are "needed more than ever in these challenging economic times". She said the Commission is helping member states reduce the level of errors in payments and working with them to simplify funding rules. She also said that 'error' is a general term used to cover any non-compliance and does not mean fraud; and claimed that the Cohesion Policy has created around 600,000 jobs since 2000.
Open Europe's list of EU waste Open Europe research
International Chamber of Commerce: Basel II exacerbates effect of recessions on banks' lending
Andrew Hope, Director of the International Chamber of Commerce, has a letter in the FT arguing that "Basel II [the international agreement on banks' capital requirements] has inadvertently become an obstruction to the very lifeblood of global trade" because it forces banks to restrict lending during times of economic stress, with highly negative effects on trade finance. Basel II has been implemented at EU level through the Capital Requirements Directive.
Commission: EU enlargement has not led to mass migration or rising unemployment
The European Commission has announced figures showing that there hasn't been mass migration from old to new member states after recent EU enlargements. The figures also show that enlargement did not cause rising unemployment or lower wages in countries opening their borders.
Amnesty International report challenges Georgia's account of Russian conflict
Amnesty International will today challenge the Georgian account of the war in a report which will accuse Georgian forces of "indiscriminate attacks...causing deaths and injuries among South Ossetian civilians and considerable damage to civilian objects", according to the Independent.
WSJ Cooley and Grgic Independent
Poll results in Croatia reveal that only 29% believe EU membership to be "a good thing". Unpopular government reforms to comply with EU accession rules are reported to be behind the lack of enthusiasm.
Iceland's ruling Independence Party has announced that it is to re-examine its traditional opposition to membership of the EU, yet it denies it is on an accession "fast track".
WSJ - Gissurarson Irish Times Editorial - Irish Times
A sharp increase in imports following the financial crisis has increased the Eurozone trade deficit to 5.7bn euros, the largest budget deficit since the introduction of the single currency.
The UK Government is considering allowing the use of product placement on TV through the EU's audiovisual media services directive
The EU wants to reinstate butter subsidies as local butter prices in several EU countries have fallen sharply.
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