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Bernard Jenkin MP: EU Bill’s ‘sovereignty clause’ would “hand over control of parliamentary sovereignty to unelected judges”;

William Hague: The EU Bill “will be the strongest defence of national democracy put in place anywhere in Europe”

The Government’s European Union Bill reaches committee stage in Parliament on Tuesday, when MPs will debate Clause 18, which the Government claims protects Parliamentary sovereignty and states that EU law only has effect in the UK after Parliamentary approval. Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Conservative MP Bernard Jenkin argued that, “It will do nothing of the sort. Parliamentary supremacy, or sovereignty, or primacy doesn’t feature in it. As currently drafted, it is so feeble it would effectively hand over control of parliamentary sovereignty to unelected judges.” He concluded, “This would be a legal document, enforceable by the courts, destroying parliamentary sovereignty and replacing it with rule by judges.”

 

Foreign Secretary William Hague defended the Bill in an article in the Sunday Telegraph, arguing, “Not only will Parliament now be given a full say over all kinds of treaty change but any treaty change that hands over powers to the EU or extends its control over any area of policy will also be subject to a referendum […] When [the Bill] becomes an Act this will be the strongest defence of national democracy put in place anywhere in Europe.” Appearing on BBC Radio 5 yesterday, David Cameron insisted that "if you read the Bill it is really clear. This is a manifesto pledge delivered and I am really proud of that.”

 

In the coming weeks, MPs will turn to the Bill’s provisions designed to give more control to Parliament and voters over transfers of power to the EU. The Sunday Express featured Open Europe’s recent briefing on the Bill, which argues that Ministers should get the approval of Parliament before opting into EU justice and home affairs matters and in certain cases make a referendum compulsory. The current Bill leaves it entirely up to Ministers to decide whether to sign up to new EU justice laws, which also mean transferring power to EU judges. Stephen Booth was quoted saying, “MPs should demand the right to approve the decisions the Government makes in the name of their constituents. The EU’s growing ambitions in justice and home affairs deserve Parliament’s undivided attention.”

Open Europe research Open Europe press release Mail on Sunday Mail on Sunday: Jenkin Sunday Telegraph: Hague Sunday Telegraph Sunday Express Times Express

 

Der Spiegel: Germany and France are pushing Portugal to seek a bail-out

Germany and France are pushing Portugal to apply for an EU-IMF bail-out in order to reduce the risk of contagion to Spain and Belgium, reported Saturday’s Der Spiegel citing sources in Berlin. The front page of Correio da Manhã reports that Portugal could need a €80bn bail-out. FAZ notes that Spanish banks are exposed to €75bn of Portuguese debt – more than German and French banks combined. Meanwhile, the Swiss National Bank confirmed on Friday that it had stopped accepting Portuguese government securities as collateral for repurchase agreements. 

 

In an interview with Portuguese daily Diário de Notícias, opposition leader Pedro Passos Coelho said that if Portugal were to accept aid from the IMF it would represent a “significant and serious political failure”, and that, “only a government newly chosen by the Portuguese will have sufficient force to lead the recovery of the country, there is no other alternative.” Portuguese and German government officials have denied claims that Portugal will need a bail-out. El País reports that Portugal will try to sell between €750m and €1.25bn of bonds in an auction on Wednesday.

 

The FT’s Alphaville blog quotes Jens Nordvig, Managing Director at Nomura, arguing that the ECB does not appear to be intervening to avoid a Portuguese bail-out. “The ECB appears unwilling to use bond purchases to impact market sentiment,” he said.

 

Handelsblatt suggests that Germany may be ready to discuss increasing the €750bn eurozone rescue fund at the next EU summit. FT Deutschland notes that, for the first time ever, investors are charging higher interest on government bonds from the 15 Western European eurozone countries than on Eastern European countries outside the euro. Welt am Sonntag noted that if this week’s auctions fail, the debate on common eurozone bonds will start again.

 

In the Sunday Express, Conservative MP John Redwood argued: “The UK wisely kept out of the euro. Our own public finances are still very stretched and we cannot afford to be dragged into more bail-outs of our neighbours […] I like my neighbours and enjoy sharing a meal or drink with them. I am not ready to share a bank account.”

Diário de Notícias: Coelho Correio da Manhã Publico FT Euractiv EUobserver Reuters Handelsblatt FT Telegraph Telegraph 2 Mail AFP Le Figaro El País El País: Editorial El País 2 WSJ Sunday Times Guardian Saturday’s Times Saturday’s Independent Saturday’s FT El Pais El Pais 2 Saturday’s FT Saturday’s FT WSJ 2 WSJ WSJ 2 Diário de Notícias Diário de Notícias Bloomberg Spiegel Welt Spiegel Diario Publico Reuters Welt FT: Alphaville Diário de Notícias: editorial Diário de Notícias: editorial 2 Correio da Manhã: Esteves Pereira FT Alphaville: Nordvig FT 3 European Voice Sunday Express: Redwood Sunday Times: Dey FT: Munchau WSJ: Stelzer El Pais: Gonzalez

 

Il Sole 24 Ore notes that Italy’s Andrea Enria is very likely to be appointed as chairman of the London-based European Banking Authority after his main competitor, the UK’s Carol Sargeant, reportedly withdrew her candidacy.

Il Sole 24 Ore

 

Saturday’s Express featured a 23-page pull-out titled “Get Britain out of the EU”.

Saturday's Express

 

An article in the FT notes that the strengthening of the EU’s single market has slipped down the agenda due to the worsening of the eurozone debt crisis.

FT

 

The Observer reported that UK poultry farmers will hold a crisis meeting with European Commission officials amid fears that new EU rules outlawing the keeping of egg-laying hens in battery pens could undermine the livelihoods of many producers.

Observer

 

The Independent on Sunday reported that the EU is considering disbursing more than £1bn to help the UK set up plants to use greenhouse gas to recover North Sea oil – a move which could extend the productive life of oilfields in the North Sea to 50 years.

Independent on Sunday Euractiv

 

Saturday’s Express reported that Romanian President Traian Basescu has threatened to freeze the budget for border security in Romania unless the country’s application to join the EU’s border-free Schengen area is agreed.

Saturday’s Express

 

The Sunday Times reported that UK railway companies may face an investigation by the European Commission over the dumping of lavatory waste on the tracks and in railway stations.

Sunday Times Sunday Times: Clover

 

The Weekend FT noted the fault lines between East and West EU member states, citing the EU budget and the EU’s interference in Hungary’s recent media law as examples.

Weekend FT Saturday’s Times

 

Saturday’s Express reported that new figures have revealed that nearly a million tons of edible fish are thrown back every year in the North Sea due to EU fishing quotas.

Saturday’s Express