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Daily Press Summary Government considering Open Europe’s proposal to liberalise EU services market; Mats Persson: Cameron should beat Europe at its own game As part of a special feature on the future of the EU, the FT notes that the UK Government is looking at Open Europe’s proposal that an “avant-garde” of liberal countries might be formed to push forward EU services liberalisation. Open Europe Director Mats Persson is quoted as saying a fully liberalised market could boost growth by €300bn and that “EU leaders can no longer afford to let the slowest member set the pace”. Writing on his Telegraph blog, Mats argues that, “instead of giving in to rushed calls for an EU exit,” David Cameron should “beat Europe at its own game” by pushing for free trade in services based on mutual recognition. “Cameron should say: you’ve asked for more Europe, we’re proposing more Europe – in the area that really matters: boosting jobs and growth.” Open Europe’s report continues to draw coverage around Europe and is cited by City AM, the WSJ’s Real Time Brussels blog, and in the Dutch media by Volkskrant, Elsevier and news agency ANP. The Guardian’s live blog featured Open Europe’s video interview with the British Chamber of Commerce’s Adam Marshall, explaining the benefits of services liberalisation to British business. Open Europe’s Chris Howarth argues on Conservative Home that, “For the EU to increase its relevance to our future, it must do more to open itself to the UK’s world class services.” Open Europe press release Open Europe report Telegraph blogs: Mats Persson Conservative Home: Howarth FT City AM Guardian live blog WSJ: Real Time Brussels ANP Volkskrant Elsevier Capital.grForexinfo.it FT: Future of the EU 2013 Die Welt features Open Europe Berlin’s new report arguing for services liberalisation across the EU. Open Europe Berlin’s Director Michael Wohlgemuth is quoted as saying, “Our proposal would improve the chances of growth, employment and competitiveness in the EU.” Open Europe Berlin press release Open Europe Berlin report Welt Opposition to the Financial Transaction Tax (FTT) spreads to the heart of Europe; New study shows cost to German companies could be €1.3bn a year The Deutscher Aktieninstitute (DAI), an organisation representing German listed companies and investors, has warned that the EU’s FTT will cost German companies up to €1.3 billion per year. Blue-chip companies, including Siemens and Bayer, say they will face tens of millions of euros of additional cost from the tax. Separately, Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem has revealed Dutch Central Bank estimates that the FTT in its current form will cost the Netherlands €500m even though has not signed up to it. Meanwhile, Financial News reports that MEPs may be cooling on the FTT, with over 100 amendments to the current proposal being submitted, including – exemptions for pension funds and repo markets as well as calls for a more extensive cost benefit analysis of the impact of the tax. DAI Financial News Finanzen.net Irish Times FT De Morgen David Cameron defends his EU reform stance as “logical, sensible, practical”David Cameron today defended his approach of seeking fundamental EU reform and holding a referendum on membership after 2015 as “logical, sensible, practical”. Hitting back at “pessimists” who have said reform is impossible, he said, “I think it is possible to change and reform this organisation and change and reform Britain's relationship with it.” Following Lord Lawson’s call for the UK to leave the EU, former Cabinet minister Michael Portillo writes in the Times that he too would vote to leave the EU. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson said yesterday, “Given the choice, I would rather remain in the single market but only if we get a decent renegotiation.” On theSpectator Coffee House blog, co-ordinator of the Fresh Start group of MPs, Andrea Leadsom, argues that, “I don’t agree with the idea that we should simply withdraw now. That day may come, but surely not before we have given fundamental reform our best shot.” Separately, the Telegraph reports that some Conservative backbenchers are discussing the option of trying to amend the EU Approvals Bill, in order to force a House of Commons vote on an EU referendum. Open Europe blog Times Times: Portillo Spectator Coffee House blog: Leadsom Guardian Mail: LeaderTelegraph Telegraph 2 Following a joint letter from the Austrian, German, Dutch and UK Interior Ministers to the EU Commission in which they demanded an end to EU benefits tourism, EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding told reporters yesterday that “no member state has provided the commission with facts about a 'perception' [that something is wrong]." Open Europe research: Free Movement EUobserver ECB executive board member Jörg Asmussen yesterday suggested that the EU/IMF/ECB Troika should be wound down over time and replaced by eurozone institutions.WSJ FAZ Danish daily Dagbladet Information cites Open Europe’s Raoul Ruparel discussing the leaked European Commission proposals to regulate shadow banking, obtained by Open Europe last week.Open Europe blog Dagbladet Information The WSJ’s Euro Crisis blog reports that the ECB has provided €10,000 to a street art project outside the construction site of its new headquarters in Frankfurt. Open Europe’s Pawel Swidlicki is quoted as saying that with the new headquarters is already subject to substantial cost over-runs, the ECB should be more mindful of its spending. WSJ: Euro Crisis blog According to an IPSOS-Publicis poll, 57% of Germans and 53% of Italians think EU membership is “rather a handicap” for their countries – compared to 42% and 47% respectively who think it is “rather an asset”.IPSOS poll Le Monde La Stampa The European Commission yesterday presented plans aimed at making it easier to switch bank accounts across the EU, with banks required to shoulder the administration cost of switching. The Telegraph reports on concerns that the proposals could be difficult to enforce given that different countries have very different models for retail banking. Reuters Telegraph Euractiv Kathimerini reports that eurozone finance ministers are likely to give political approval to the release of the next two tranches of Greek bailout funds, although the funds for the second quarter of the year will be conditional on implementing civil servant cuts. The ministers are also likely to approve the release of the first €3bn tranche of funding for Cyprus. Kathimerini Kathimerini 2 Reuters France Reuters Famagusta Gazette Cyprus Mail Cyprus Mail 2 Kathimerini reports that Theodoros Katsanevas, the son-in-law of former Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, has founded the ‘Drachma Five-Star Movement’, modelled on Italian comedian Beppe Grillo’s anti-establishment party. The ‘Drachma Five-Star Movement’ calls for Greece to scrap its bailout deal with the EU and the IMF and return to its old national currency.Kathimerini The Spanish Constitutional Court has temporarily suspended the Catalan parliament’s ‘declaration of sovereignty’ adopted in January, and is due to issue its final ruling on the validity of the declaration during the summer.El País El País 2 Expansión La Vanguardia In an interview with WAZ media group, Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann reiterated his criticism of France's failure to stick to its deficit reduction targets, pointing out that France would still have a deficit of around 4% this year, which was even set to rise next year. “To me this is not saving”, he says. WAZ: Weidmann Süddeutsche Spiegel In a letter to the Times, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair argues the EU’s long term budget for 2007 to 2013 which he negotiated was “an excellent deal for the UK... overall contributions by the wealthy countries went up as part of EU enlargement… we should base our decisions on the facts not the mythology of the 1984 rebate which occurred in totally different circumstances.”Times letters: Blair The WSJ reports that the shale gas boom in the US has caused a surge in the imports of cheap coal in Europe, forcing the closure of many gas plants across the continent.WSJ Euractiv The Court of Appeal in Milan yesterday upheld Silvio Berlusconi’s conviction for tax fraud, sentencing him to four years in prison and imposing a five-year ban from holding public office. The sentence cannot be executed immediately because Berlusconi can still appeal to Italy’s Supreme Court. Corriere della Sera Repubblica La Stampa Independent IHT Handelsblatt Presse Kurier