Europe Labour MEP defends European Parliament's 'sign in, sod off' culture: "At least you have to turn up to claim any allowance"; Tory MP promoted business interests on expenses-paid EU visit An article in the Times notes that "After the Westminster expenses scandal and less than a week before next Thursday's European vote, the spotlight is now focusing on MEPs' generous and largely unregulated expenses." According to the article, more than a third of British MEPs are paying one or more relatives up to £40,000 a year, despite a ban by the European Parliament next month on employing family members. Open Europe's Mats Persson is quoted arguing that even though there is no suggestion of wrongdoing the employment of relatives reinforces the public perception of the European Parliament as a "gravy train". He says, "It is not acceptable for any MEP to continue employing members of their family...You have to ask why more than a third of British MEPs are employing their own relatives." The article also notes that the salary of British MEPs rises next month from £63,000 to £80,500, and that in total MEPs can receive expenses and allowances of £363,000 a year including a £261 daily subsistence allowance for simply turning up at work and £45,648 in general office expenses, even if they don't have an office in their home constituency. The Charlemagne column in the Economist notes that "If [the generous allowances] were not enough, in March this year almost 70% of MEPs voted to keep future expenses secret." In a debate with Open Europe's Mats Persson on the BBC World Service's Europe Today show, Labour MEP Richard Corbett denied that MEPs can claim more than £360,000 in allowances each year. When asked why Corbett voted in March this year to keep MEPs' expenses secret, despite sitting on a cross-party group in the European Parliament campaigning for more transparency, Corbett suggested he could not remember the vote, saying "I'm not sure what the vote is that you're referring to." When asked about the widely criticised practice in the European Parliament whereby MEPs sign in to claim their daily allowance, only to leave for a long weekend without doing any work in the Parliament, Corbett defended the system, saying "That can happen, but at least you have to turn up to claim any allowance." Meanwhile, a separate article in the Times notes that Nirj Deva, a Conservative MEP, used an official trip to Barbados to lobby on behalf of a plastic bag company - Symphony Environmental Technologies, which pays him £33,000 a year - to expand its business in the developing world. According to the article, Symphony's executives flew out to host a cocktail and dinner reception at the Barbados Hilton where about 100 guests were told about the company's biodegradable plastic bags. Symphony urged developing countries against banning plastic. Open Europe's Pieter Cleppe is quoted in the Wall Street Journal arguing, "There's a slow realisation that the parliament has to become more accountable and transparent." Open Europe's ranking of all 785 MEPs received further coverage in the Argus and on Irish radio station Ross FM. Open Europe's Lorraine Mullally appeared live on the BBC's Question Time Extra last night, commenting on the special 'European elections' edition of Question Time. Lorraine described the huge expenses pot available to Members of the European Parliament, who, unlike British MPs, do not have to produce receipts to claim their expenses, calling on the parties to commit to change. BBC World Service WSJ FT Times Times Economist: Charlemagne The Argus Open Europe: EU referendums encourage voter engagement with the EU In a letter to the FT, Open Europe's Lorraine Mullally argues that referendums on the EU stoke public interest and debateand that "national referendums on EU treaties should be encouraged, not avoided at all costs, as is the current consensus in Brussels". Lorraine notes that according to a poll by the European Parliament turnout for the European elections is expected to be highest in Ireland, which was the only country to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. Mark Mardell: "In government the Conservatives will hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, no ifs, no buts." Foreign Secretary David Miliband and his Shadow William Hague appeared on the BBC Today Programme to discuss their respective European policies ahead of the elections next week. Hague argued: "The choice in this election is between Conservative MEPs who have the strongest record on transparency, who support a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, who want to cut the administration costs of EU legislation and oppose wasteful spending throughout the EU, in contrast with a Labour record on Europe where our influence in Europe has not been extended, the cost of being in Europe has been greatly increased by the utter feebleness of the Labour Government in giving up so much of Britain's rebate and the standing of the EU is at its lowest level for a long time in the UK, partly because the promised referendum has never been held...That is a record of failure." He added that if the Lisbon Treaty has already been ratified by the time the Conservatives come to power "We will set out in our general election manifesto how we will proceed." On his BBC blog, Mark Mardell looks at Conservative Leader David Cameron's recent speech on political reform, citing the passage: "We will therefore hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, pass a law requiring a referendum to approve any further transfers of power to the EU, negotiate the return of powers, and require far more detailed scrutiny in Parliament of EU legislation, regulation and spending." Mardell notes that "Whether he meant it or not it is now on the record: in government the Conservatives will hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, no ifs, no buts." BBC Today BBC: Mardell blog HLN Tony Bunyan: "The surveillance society is an EU-wide issue" In an article for the Guardian's Comment is Free, Tony Bunyan from Statewatch argues that "The EU's new five-year plan for justice and home affairs - the Hague Programme - will export the UK's database state to the rest of the EU." He looks at the proposals of the so-called 'future group', which include plans for "the mass gathering of personal data" and a "Euro-Atlantic area of cooperation with the USA in the field of freedom, security and justice", which he argues "would go far beyond current co-operation and mean that policies affecting the liberties and rights of everyone in Europe would not be determined in London or Brussels but in secret EU-US meetings." He notes that a formal process will start when the Commission adopts proposals in June, and that the European Parliament will be consulted when it re-assembles in September. He concludes: "We can either leave these decisions to our leaders (and an elite group of civil servants) or we can insist on an open and meaningful debate now before it is too late. The idea that the surveillance society and database state is just a UK issue is naive: it is a European one in which our government plays a very active role." Economist poll shows falling support for EU integration The Economist reports on a new YouGov poll which shows that support for greater European integration in Britain has dropped from one in three in 1995 to one in five today. Those within that group who favour a fully-fledged European government make up only 5% of the total, down from 10% in 1995. Over the same period support for loosening Britain's ties to the EU has risen from 36% to 51%, and those who want Britain to withdraw from it have almost doubled, from 12% to 21%. The paper notes that over the past quarter-century the proportion of people who think Britain's membership of the EU is a good thing has fallen from 43% to 31% (with a spike in 1990 after sterling's ill-fated entry into the Exchange Rate Mechanism). The share of those who think it is a bad thing has risen from 30% to 37%. A separate article notes that in light of these results, "Campaigning to push power to Brussels, so that decision-making becomes even more remote from ordinary voters, seems foolhardy in the current anti-political climate." EP President: European elections matter because the Lisbon Treaty will give MEPs equal power to governments in "practically 100% of cases" In Le Figaro, European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pottering argues why Europeans need to vote, saying "When the Lisbon Treaty comes into force; Parliament's legislative powers will be equal to the Council's in practically 100% of cases. The European Parliament will therefore have the same legislative power as the Council in areas where it was previously only consulted". No Link Sarkozy cancels trip to Sweden over Swedish Minister's comments on Turkey Le Monde reports that President Nicolas Sarkozy has cancelled a visit to Sweden on 2 June. Although Sarkozy's office say the trip was cancelled for "agenda reasons", a French Minister confirmed Sarkozy had "cancelled his visit due to Carl Bildt's interview". Bildt, Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister, expressed his support for Turkey joining the EU and indirectly criticised French economic policy. According to Le Monde, Sarkozy will reschedule his visit before 30 June, but does not want a "clash" over Turkey before the European elections. Le Monde Liberation EUobserver General Motors' bailout sparks battle to protect jobs An editorial in the WSJ notes that the bankruptcy and pending bailout of General Motors Europe has put several EU countries at loggerheads as they each try to secure the jobs of their own workers. It argues, "Unless the European Commission takes a tough line, the deal threatens to make a mockery of Europe's supposed single market." The Guardian reports that Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, will appeal to the European Commission if the German government-led bailout of GM Europe leads to unjustified job losses among its 5,000 Vauxhall workers in the UK. Neelie Kroes, EU Competition Commissioner, will tomorrow warn European ministers not to pursue "tit-for-tat" protectionist measures over GM Europe. Swedish MEP: It's too easy to spend other people's money Quoted in Kvällsposten, Swedish MEP Christopher Fjellner says the EU does not differ from any other public function: "it's easier to spend other people's money" he says. Fjellner proposes a system in which for every new EU initiative undertaken, another one should be terminated in order not to spend excessive amounts of public money. "The EU should say what is done, and not explain why it is good, or try to steer what we choose to engage in", he concludes. Merkel states opposition to EU 'economic government' In a speech in Berlin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has expressed strong opposition towards the notion of an EU 'economic government', as proposed by France, saying that "the criteria for eurozone membership should remain strict and the independence of the ECB should be maintained," DPA reports. France still seeking to secure Internal Market Commissioner portfolio The Coulisses de Bruxelles blog notes that France is setting its sights on securing the Internal Market Commissioner portfolio, with Michel Barnier being the favourite to take on the role. Jean Quatremer notes that France has never secured this portfolio before and that it had previously been reserved for member states more in favour of the free market. FAZ: Election campaigns in Austria are widely critical towards the EU FAZ reports that election campaigns in Austria are being shaped by EU-critical statements from all parties. Ernst Strasser, top candidate of the Conservative ÖVP, is quoted by FAZ saying that he wanted to make sure "that the concerns of Austrians are listened to in Brussels and Strasbourg", and he reportedly aims to attract voters that are critical towards "EU centralism". No link NRC Handelsblad reports that a majority of Dutch citizens are opposed to the EU gaining more power, according to a survey from 21minuten.nl. Ahead of next week's European elections vote, the Party of European Socialists has listed a selection of what it considers "terrible European election candidates" from other political groups in the European Parliament. The Irish Times quotes Irish Minister Eamon O Cuiv saying: "As it stands, Ireland cannot enter into a common defence without a referendum" in reference to the Lisbon Treaty. In the FT, Tony Barber notes that it is almost certain that Commission President Barroso will achieve a second mandate but that opinion is divided on his merits. Barber concludes "the EU is a game of poker, he is the player whom the others let stay in - on condition that he is never dealt anything higher than a pair." Poland has announced the sale of two of its historic shipyards after the European Commission ruled that state aid granted to the shipyards, the birthplace of the anti-communist Solidarity movement, was in breach of EU competition rules. The FT reports that the EU is closer to reaching an agreement on patent reform and will consult the European Court of Justice on introducing specialist courts to manage patent disputes. In Aftonbladet, columnist Johan Hakelius writes urging Swedes not to vote in the EP elections, due to the fact that 18 elected MEPs from Sweden will not have any say in a parliament of 736 members. In a letter to the Guardian, David Martin MEP argues that the European Parliament does make decisions on issues that are import to people, citing the example of animal welfare.Open Europe
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Friday, 29 May 2009
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