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Open Europe: "The real expenses scandal is in Brussels"
Open Europe's ranking of all 785 MEPs continues to receive coverage. Open Europe's Research Director Mats Persson appeared on CNBC's Europe Tonight show, discussing the findings of the report. The ranking was also mentioned on this morning's BBC Breakfast Show, in the Scotsman, and several other European and regional newspapers. Open Europe also appeared on Irish radio station Northern Sound and was quoted in Danish daily Berlingske, in Finnish daily Helsing Sanomat and on Finnish broadcast network Yle. Open Europe's Director Lorraine Mullally appeared on More 4 News, discussing MEPs' expenses and allowances.
On the Guardian's Comment is Free page, Mats argues "the real expenses scandal is in Brussels". He says: "MEPs can claim an enormous £363,000 a year in expenses - not a penny of which requires a receipt...In other words, MEPs can spend their allowances on holidays, duck ponds, moats, mortgages or whatever takes their fancy, safe in the knowledge that neither the dreaded media nor taxpayers will ever find out." He also notes that "as late as April this year, a majority of British MEPs (60%) voted to keep details about their own expenses and information about misuse of EU funds secret."
CNBC Berlingske Yle EUobserver Comment Is Free: Persson Svenska YLE Helsing Sanomat Jyllands-Posten Dagens Nyheter Scotsman Open Europe research Open Europe blog
The Sun reports that MEPs have been warned by party leaders Gordon Brown and David Cameron that they have to publicly declare match tickets for tonight's Champions League Final, as part of the efforts to clamp down on unjustified expenses claims.
Open Europe's Mats Persson appeared on the BBC Breakfast Show this morning, discussing how the European Parliament impacts on business.
Open Europe research Open Europe research 2
30 percent of professionals are considering leaving the City amid concerns over heavier EU regulations
The FT reports that according to a new survey by eFinancialCareers, London City finance professionals are so worried about the future that nearly 30 per cent are planning to leave London. Their most desirable destinations are Zurich and New York, followed by Singapore, Geneva and Hong Kong. Increased taxes were seen as the main threat, followed by the potential impact of heavier European regulation.
"Concerns about the relative competitiveness of the City in the face of impending changes to the regulatory framework coupled to upheavals in the tax system are having an immediate impact on the desirability of London as a location in which to work," John Benson, Chief Executive of eFinancialCareers is quoted saying.
France vows to strengthen pan-European supervision of financial institutions amid UK opposition
The European Commission will today table its proposal for a pan-European supervisor which would oversee and coordinate the work of the national regulators, who supervise banking, insurance and pensions, and securities. Controversially, under the draft proposal the so-called European System of Financial Supervisors would have the right to step in and settle disputes if national regulators cannot agree on the oversight of multinational financial institutions, whose businesses cross borders. That idea is likely to provoke opposition from Britain, the IHT reports.
However, Le Monde notes that Commission President Jose Barroso "seems determined to get around London's opposition, with the support of a majority of capitals, including Paris and Berlin, and the vast majority of the [European] Parliament".
Le Monde also reports that former French European Affairs Minister and current President of the Autorité des Marchés Financiers Jean-Pierre Jouyet has launched an appeal for more ambitious financial regulation, referring specifically to the EU's proposal for a new pan-European supervision authority. Jouyet argues that the so-called de Larosière report, proposing more EU supervision and a slew of new EU regulations, "was unable to go as far as necessary on the issue of the architecture of European supervision: the supervisory system will still ultimately be based on national authorities." Jouyet adds that politicians should propose "a more ambitious supervisory architecture, in which the European Commission would have an increased role with regard to coordination, arbitration and sanctions for those who do not apply the regulations".
Le Monde Le Monde2 Le Monde Irish Independent Irish Times IHT
Cameron: "A progressive reform agenda demands that we redistribute power from the EU to Britain";
Brown: Conservatives' approach to the EU would threaten British jobs
The Times features an analysis of Conservative Leader David Cameron's speech on political reform. Cameron said, "It's no wonder people feel so disillusioned with politics and Parliament when they see so many big decisions that affect their lives being made somewhere else." He added that, "A progressive reform agenda demands that we redistribute power from the EU to Britain...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."
Cameron also noted that "Almost half of all the regulations affecting our businesses come from the EU." According to the FT, Cameron told the BBC at the weekend: "We've already passed too many powers from Westminster to Brussels and we should be trying to build a different sort of European Union".
Meanwhile, writing in the FT, Gordon Brown argues "We face a choice: to embrace our membership of the EU knowing that committed partnership is the only way to achieve our common aims and protect British jobs, or to accept the Conservative opposition's approach to British membership, which would threaten many British jobs." Adding that, "Across Britain and Europe, it is our task to persuade people that the millions of new jobs our countries need will depend on higher levels of co-operation between all members of the European Union."
Times: Cameron's speech Telegraph: Hannan Mail: Alexander FT FT: Brown
UK Treasury faces potential £5bn tax refund pay-out over ECJ ruling
The FT reports that the UK Treasury could be forced to pay out several billion pounds in tax refunds if the European Court of Justice (ECJ) rules that Britain's "stamp duty reserve tax" regime contravenes European Union law. This concerns the 1.5 percent stamp duty reserve tax (SDRT) on transactions using clearance systems, commonly used for holding and trading shares in continental Europe. They are taxed differently from share transfers in Britain, on which SDRT is levied at 0.5 percent.
Craig Leslie of PwC said reclaims could rise to £5bn if the Court decided the entire stamp regime was illegal, as it hinted in an opinion issued in March. Paolo Mengozzi, an ECJ advocate-general, concluded that UK rules breached an EU directive concerning indirect taxes and that the tax breached fundamental rules on free movement of capital.
Swedish Presidency wants huge cuts in EU agricultural spending
According to Handelsblatt, the upcoming Swedish EU Presidency wants huge cuts to the budget of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy, with Swedish Agricultural Minister Eskil Erlandsson saying that the share of the CAP in the EU budget, estimated at 43 percent, has to be reduced. He added that the reforms should give the CAP "legitimacy towards taxpayers, but also make farmers more competitive". Reportedly, the UK and the Netherlands are supporting the proposals, while Germany, France and Spain look set to show resistance.
Handelsblatt
Merkel warns against EU over-interference
AP reports that, at the Congress of the German Cities and Federalities Federation, (DStGB) German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned against excessive EU regulation. Merkel is quoted saying that the EU "should not take charge of everything. It is not Europe's business whether Hesse apple wine is allowed to be called apple wine nor should it somehow intervene in the salt content of our bread". However, Chancellor Merkel also reportedly said that the EU is an important voice regarding financial regulation.
AP
Ganley: "If I'm not elected, it's back to work for me";
Irish more likely to vote than any other country in EP elections
The FT looks at the EU election campaign of Libertas and Chairman Declan Ganley's bid to become an MEP in Ireland's North-West constituency. The article reports that the pan-European party is struggling, it may win only a few seats and Mr Ganley's election to the EP is "far from assured". The article quotes Mr Ganley confirming that he will not lead the No campaign in the second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty in Ireland in the autumn if he is not elected, saying "If I'm not elected, it's back to work for me. I've spent two years on this. That's a big commitment already."
The Irish Times reports that a new TNS poll commissioned by the EP has found that turnout is likely to be higher in Ireland than any other EU country, with two-thirds of voters saying they are likely to vote.
Meanwhile, in the FT, Tony Barber looks to the upcoming elections and suggests that low voter turnout will leave the EU with "an enormous and embarrassing paradox. At the heart of its operations will be a multinational parliament with more powers to affect people's lives than at any stage in the continent's post-1945 story of integration. But if elected by only a shrunken minority of citizens, it would represent a sorry state of affairs for those who care about the EU and democracy."
Danish MEP for the Social Democrats, and former Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, is considering running for the post as Commission President, Politiken reports.
EU employers' group BusinessEurope has called on the EU to withdraw its anti-discrimination directive, arguing that "Today's crisis does not allow for a business-as-usual attitude to regulatory policy" and that "new legislative proposals that risk creating an extra burden on companies should be avoided".
Euractiv Letter Business Europe
Commission to fund website to translate EU newspapers into 10 languages in effort to create "European public sphere"
EUobserver reports that a new website has been launched, due to receive €3 million a year from the European Commission, which will translate and monitor newspapers and media sources from inside and outside the EU. The site, part of the EU's drive to create a "European public sphere", will be available in 10 languages at first with all 23 of the EU's official languages expected to be covered within five year's time.
EU Communications Commissioner Margot Wallstrom, who promised the site will be 'editorially independent', said it will "broaden, enrich and expand coverage of European affairs."
The WSJ reports that the EU is close to approving a pan-European licence which will allow consumers to buy music online across the EU, rather than just in the country where they are based.
EUobserver reports that EU member states have agreed in principle to reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, but are no closer to decisions on cutting the size of fishing fleets.
Die Zeit journalist: "EU Commission is a post-democratic institution"
On his Die Zeit blog, Brussels correspondent Jochen Bittner looks at where decisions are taken in Brussels and argues that the EU Commission is a post-democratic institution, because none of the Commissioners are democratically elected.
Die Zeit
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