Europe
Czech PM admits Lisbon Treaty is "worse" than Nice Treaty;
Treaty wouldn't be passed in a referendum in the Czech Republic
Czech PM and EU President Mirek Topolanek yesterday told the European Parliament that the Lisbon Treaty "is a bit worse than the Nice Treaty", but said "I negotiated this text on behalf of the Czech Republic, we approved it, I signed it and I will vote for it; however, the fact of telling all member states that they are obliged to ratify a document and that they do not have the right to decide for themselves is quite absurd".
He added: "if a referendum were to take place in the Czech Republic, according to all indications, it would also not pass".
The Czech PM also reaffirmed the Czech commitment to energy during its Presidency, saying that the Nabucco pipeline was "an issue of the highest priority", reports European Voice.
The Czech Chamber of Deputies will probably not continue debate on the Lisbon Treaty in early February as planned since its Constitutional and Legal Committee decided yesterday that it will adjourn its discussion of the document until February 15, according to Czech paper Ceskenoviny.
Dan Hannan refers on his Telegraph blog to an Irish Independent piece by Kevin Myers which states that he will vote for the Lisbon Treaty despite the EU's "fundamental disrespect for democracy", but only because "this means we will be spared another layer of self-government."
Telegraph: Hannah blog Irish Independent: Myers European Voice EUobserver OE blog EurActiv European Voice 2 Ceskenoviny
Minister criticises democracy of Irish "no" vote
The Mail and the Sun report that Foreign Office Minister Lord Mark Malloch-Brown has said that Irish voters had no right to block the Lisbon Treaty. He said, "With 24 countries having approved the treaty, I am not sure whether the voters of Ireland should have a right of veto over the aspirations of all the other people of Europe. I am not sure whether that is, or is not, democracy."
With regard to the assurances given to Ireland Malloch-Brown added, "These do not change the Lisbon Treaty". He said that the Treaty had not been 're-opened' during Brussels negotiations adding: "In that regard, it is a referendum on the same Treaty as before."
Open Europe Director Lorraine Mullally is quoted by the Mail arguing, "Unelected British politicians have no right to dismiss the democratic will of the Irish people...If he wants to talk about a lack of democracy, then maybe he should start by remembering that the British people were promised a referendum on this Treaty - but Gordon Brown's Government failed to give us one...Ireland was the only country allowed a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty - it said no, and now it is going to be asked to vote again on the exact same text. Surely, even Lord Malloch Brown doesn't honestly believe that this is democratic?"
Sun Sun: Leader Iain Dale's blog Mail
John Hutton: Europeans are 'freeloading' on Britain and US in Afghanistan;
Telegraph: "Doesn't it make the idea of an EU army sound pathetic?"
In a speech to European and American security experts and diplomats at the Wilton Park conference centre in Sussex, Defence Secretary John Hutton will today suggest that the unwillingness of France, Germany and Italy to contribute more troops to the mission in Afghanistan has left a small group of countries including Britain, the US and Canada to do an unfair share of the fighting and dying. Hutton will say that countries need to stop "Freeloading on the back of US military security", the Telegraph reports.
Hutton will also say, "Anyone who wants to benefit from collective security must be prepared to share the ultimate price", and that the campaign in Afghanistan has left a "legacy of underinvestment by some European member states in their armed forces, significant variance in political commitment to the campaign and underneath it all a continued over-reliance, from certain members, on the US to do the heavy lifting."
A leader in the Telegraph argues, "don't expect our leading EU partners to make real sacrifices. Doesn't it make their grandiloquent talk about an EU army sound pathetic?"
Sun Telegraph Telegraph: Leader EU Referendum blog
Government announces plans to deport migrants for major crimes
PA reports that migrants will have to "earn" their citizenship under Government plans to be published today. Measures included in the Borders, Immigration and Citizenship Bill will speed up the process of becoming British for migrants who have jobs, pay tax and contribute to their communities.
The Bill will put migrants working in Britain on probation once they have proven they can speak English and have a basic knowledge about the country. According to PA, committing a major crime will mean they are deported, while minor crimes will slow their application for citizenship.
Comment: Under EU free movement rules, the Government is powerless to expel EU migrants that commit crimes.
EU remains powerless in gas dispute
The Guardian reports that Russia's refusal to pump gas to Europe and Ukraine's reluctance to let any gas through left European leaders "spluttering in impotent fury yesterday."
Commission President José Manuel Barroso said, "If the agreement is not honoured, it means that Russia and Ukraine can no longer be considered reliable partners for the EU in matters of energy supply."
The WSJ reports that leading EU-Russia analysts said that the Russian gas crisis is exposing two EU weaknesses: "an ineffective energy policy and an erratically led foreign policy." The paper notes that "a source of frustration is that the EU has failed to find a single strong voice to deliver its message." German Chancellor Angela Merkel has worked behind the scenes, including suggesting the idea of EU experts to monitor Ukraine's pipelines, said Ricklef Beutin, a spokesman for the German mission to the EU. "But we're going to let the Czech presidency do its job," he said.
Reuters reports that Slovakia and Bulgaria, the two countries most severely affected by the gas crisis, have undertaken their own initiatives by sending their Prime Ministers to Kiev and Moscow in the hope of reopening gas supply lines.
FT Irish Times IHT Mirror BBC WSJ WSJ-Wingfield Times-Righter Guardian Reuters EUobserver
Czechs offer apology for EU sculpture
There is continued coverage of the art installation commissioned by the Czech EU Presidency, depicting national stereotypes of the member states. Open Europe discussed the issue on Australian ABC News yesterday. The FT notes that the Czech Presidency has apologised for the piece, which turned out to be the work of a single Czech artist despite having been billed as the collaborative effort of all 27 member states.
BBC News FT Irish Independent Telegraph Telegraph: Leader EurActiv FT: Brussels blog Mail: Synon blog Times
The Irish Times notes that junior hospital doctors are still working shifts of 36 hours or more despite provisions in the EU's Working Time Directive restricting the length of the shift and number of hours doctors can work in a week.
Euro falls as rumours increase on IMF stepping in to help Ireland and Greece
The Irish Independent reports that Irish PM Brian Cowen has raised the possibility of a bail-out by the International Monetary Fund, causing the euro to fall at the prospect of a eurozone country having to call in the IMF.
Greece's borrowings were downgraded to the same level as Malaysia's debts by credit rating agency Standard and Poor's, according to Eurointelligence. The WSJ reports that Germany's GDP plunged far further than expected in the fourth quarter. Ken Wattret, economist at BNP Paribas, said it was "valid to say that there are question marks about the cohesion of the monetary union" with the region experiencing its worst downturn.
Irish Independent Irish Independent 2 Irish Times: Leader Irish Times FT Eurointelligence WSJ Conservative Home FT Buiter
In an interview with the Today programme, former WTO Director Peter Sutherland suggests that Britain should be following other countries in joining the Euro.
'Green' Heathrow to get third runway
The FT reports that the Government is to announce its plans for a third runway at Heathrow today. Environmental campaigners argue that the enlarged airport would be likely to breach strict European rules on noise and pollution.
However, the Guardian notes that Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon is to announce a number of 'green' conditions aimed at softening criticism of the project. Hoon is expected to give assurances that EU rules on air and noise pollution will not be breached by the expansion of Heathrow, while stating that operators must make use of the most modern planes, which are quieter and have a reduced impact on air quality. In addition, a high-speed rail link between Heathrow and St Pancras station will also be included in the deal in an attempt to reduce traffic travelling to and from the airport.
The Independent quotes Labour MP Martin Salter, who has led Labour rebels opposing the expansion saying, "This is a project that simply cannot be sweetened with conditions or rail links. I cannot see how on earth we will meet our environmental obligations under European law".
FT Mail Sun Mirror Telegraph BBC Times Independent Guardian
An article in the New Statesman argues that the EU's cap and trade scheme for CO2 emissions has "run into the sand because of industry lobbying". It also says that, "The European carbon cap is now so weak that the latest estimates suggest industry will be able to avoid any emissions cuts until 2017 simply by buying cheap overseas offsets."
MEPs yesterday backed new rules on the introduction of biometric passports in the EU later this year, reports European Voice. Member states will have until 2012 to implement the new rules, with an exemption for children under 12.
47.5 percent of Slovenians would vote against Croatia's EU entry if a referendum was held, a new poll shows.
A report adopted by the European Parliament urges EU institutions to do more to open up their registers and documents to the public.
The FT reports that the EU halted plans to upgrade diplomatic and economic ties with Israel yesterday. MEPs are to vote today on a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
FT Irish Times Irish Times 2 European Voice Guardian
The Labour Party has elected Glenis Willmott as their new leader in the European Parliament.
Gordon Brown is meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel today for discussions on the financial crisis, following discussions with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
French Prime Minister François Fillon said his government is considering an increase in aid to auto makers. He said France would consult with the European Union to find ways to avoid running foul of EU rules against subsidising national industries.
UK
Mervyn Davies appointed Trade Minister
Mervyn Davies, until yesterday the Chairman of Standard Chartered, has been recruited to the Government as Trade Minister, reports the Independent. Four members of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform now sit in the House of Lords and cannot be regularly questioned by MPs. A Leader in the Times argues that, "In ordinary times it might matter less that the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform was avoiding full parliamentary scrutiny... But this raises a wider point about the nature and quality of people being recruited into politics."
New powers to allow personal information about every citizen to be handed over to Government agencies were branded a "terrifying" assault on traditional freedoms by Liberty Director Shami Chakrabarti.
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