Britannia Radio

	Home   About Us   Multimedia   In The News   Events   Research & Analysis Media Centre Open Europe Berlin
New on the Open Europe Blog Has Martin Schulz been receiving some good PR advice recently? Open Europe Blog Is Italy already heading for fresh political uncertainty? Open Europe Blog The coalition has missed a chance to debate the fundamental issue at the heart of cross-border crime and police cooperation Open Europe Blog
Daily Press Summary Germany rebukes Commission proposal for eurozone bank resolution mechanism The European Commission yesterday presented its proposal for the creation of a Single Resolution Mechanism for the eurozone banking union, which it would control. The proposal was met with hostility in Germany, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert saying, “In our view the Commission proposal gives the Commission a competence which it cannot have based on the current treaties.” Dr Gunther Dunkel, President of the influential VÖB (the German Association of Public Banks) also criticised the plan saying, “It is not up for discussion for us, that funds gained through the work of German banks are used to contribute to the rescue of banks in other Member States”. Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem also raised concerns about the proposal. Open Europe published a flash analysis in response to the plan, which concluded, “The eurozone is yet to face up to the fundamental problem of reconciling the economic realities within the existing legal and political limits – this proposal is another example of attempting to circumvent them in another ad-hoc way.” The analysis was cited on the Telegraph live blog and the Guardian live blog. Writing on hisTelegraph blog, Open Europe’s Mats Persson describes the Commission’s plan as “a legal stretch” and argues, “The more the line between the eurozone and the single market is blurred, the more likely the UK is to leave.” Open Europe flash analysis Telegraph: Persson Guardian live blog FT FT Lex CityAM WSJ HandelsblattReuters Reuters 2 Reuters 3 Spiegel Welt FAZ New York Times EUobserver Welt Guardian TelegraphEuractiv BBC FAZ: Mussler FAZ Telegraph: Live blog Government warned it could face defeat if it forces vote on EU crime opt-ins next week Home Secretary Theresa May has been warned she faces defeat over her plan to “opt back in” to 35 pan-European crime and justice measures, including the European Arrest Warrant, if she calls a vote in Parliament next week. The Telegraph reports that Labour is “likely” to table an amendment delaying next week’s vote, which some Conservatives could support. Mrs May has promised that there will be more “protections” for British citizens under the European Arrest Warrant and a new proportionality test. However, at meeting of the backbench 1922 Committee last night, a succession of Conservative MPs reportedly criticised the Home Secretary's plans. Open Europe blog Open Europe research Telegraph Spectator: Coffee House blog Greek government MPs raise concerns over latest austerity package Leaders of the Greek government coalition held an emergency meeting last night after eleven coalition MPs expressed concerns about the multi-bill reform package submitted to the parliament. The bill needs to be passed within the next week to ensure the release of the next tranche of bailout funds. The two largest Greek unions have announced that they will hold a strike next week in opposition to the reforms. Separately, a European Commission document, leaked by Reuters, suggested that Greece would have a funding gap of €4bn within the next 12 months, despite the government insisting no such gap would open up. In an interview with Süddeutsche, Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem said that the eurozone is “ready for further assistance” to Greece, but warned there was not “enough political support” for the eurozone bailout fund, the ESM, to take the burden of the Greek bank bailouts off the state. Meanwhile, non-performing loans held by Greek banks soared in the first quarter of 2013 to €66bn, around 29% of all loans. Kathimerini Kathimerini 2 Kathimerini 3 Süddeutsche: Dijsselbloem FAZ FAZ 2Reuters In an interview with Dutch magazine Elsevier, European Parliament president Martin Schulz said "In the Netherlands and Germany, people have the feeling that they pay too much and that they get nothing in return. In Greece, that they're under a foreign regime. In order to deal with this, we must return Brussels' tasks to the national states." Open Europe blog Elsevier The leader of Italy’s centre-left Democratic Party, Guglielmo Epifani, said this morning, “Either [Berlusconi’s party] shows that it’s interested in the country’s problems, and not in Berlusconi’s, or…we will say that [the government] can’t carry on this way.” Open Europe’s blog post warning that Italy may be heading for fresh political instability featured on the Guardian’s live blog. Open Europe blog La Stampa Guardian: Live blog The Mail features an interview with John Caudwell, the Phones4U entrepreneur and philanthropist, who says that the UK must renegotiate its “completely ludicrous” position in the EU. The article cites Open Europe’s research which found that EU regulation cost the UK economy £124bn between 1998 and 2010. Open Europe research: EU regulation Mail Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva yesterday rejected the prospect of snap elections but called for the three leading parties to reach a “national salvation pact” which would form a consensus around the current reform programme needed in Portugal. WSJ BBC FT Diario de Noticias The EU announced substantial changes to the state-aid rules for banks yesterday meaning any bank receiving aid would have to present a restructuring plan in advance, likely with shareholders and junior bondholders taking losses. Any bank which accepts aid will also face strict limits on executive pay. Unlike other banking proposals, these rules come into force at the end of the month. Commission press release Reuters Luxembourg's Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker will trigger snap elections by tendering his resignation to the country’s Grand Duke, following claims he failed to stop illegal security agency activity. FT WSJ FAZ Süddeutsche Reuters Deutschland Welt Euractiv BBC Times Le Quotidien Wort The Sun cites an Afis poll for the European Parliament which found that 17% of 15 to 55 year olds in Bulgaria are ready to move abroad in search of work, with 22.9% of this group citing Germany as their favoured destination and 22.5% citing the UK.  Open Europe research: Free Movement Sun The High Court of Justice ruled yesterday that England’s fleet of small fishing boats is entitled to a share of the EU fishing quotas awarded by the Government to large commercial producers, many of which are foreign owned. Times The Times reports that as a result of the on-going eurozone crisis and active efforts on the part of the German government to recruit more skilled workers, the number of migrants going to Germany last year from Spain increased by 45%, and by 43% from Portugal and Italy. Times Times 2 Czech President Milos Zeman has sworn in his new cabinet despite the opposition of the main parties in parliament and speculation his new appointments will fail to win a confidence vote due within 30 days. BBC Economist