Open Europe : Cut through the chatter

[Politics.be]

Moscovici: We won’t keep Greece in the Eurozone at any price EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici told Die Welt, “We will not keep Greece in the Eurozone at any price, but under strict conditions that are acceptable to both sides. It is clear to everyone that a possible third bailout package must look different to its predecessors.” On the possible consequences of a Greek euro exit, Moscovici said, “The Eurozone is in better shape than two years ago, but [Grexit] would cause great political damage to the Eurozone.” Meanwhile, Eurogroup Chairman Jeroen Dijsselbloem yesterday suggested that capital controls could be an option to prevent Greece leaving the euro. A Greek government spokesman dismissed the remarks as “a fantasy scenario.” Separately, Channel 4 News has disclosed a letter by a European Commission official urging the Greek government not to put its ‘humanitarian crisis bill’ to a vote in parliament today. The letter reads, “Doing otherwise would be proceeding unilaterally and in a piecemeal manner that is inconsistent with the commitments made.” It is unclear whether the vote will go ahead, although a Greek government source quoted by EurActiv has criticised the letter. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has asked to arrange a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President François Hollande, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, and ECB President Mario Draghi on the sidelines of the EU summit scheduled for tomorrow and Friday. Source: Die Welt EurActiv Kathimerini Reuters Bloomberg Kathimerini 2 Channel 4 News The Financial Times: Dragasakis et al.

Senior SPD and Green politicians open to paying Greece additional war reparations
In a break with her party’s official line, Gesine Schwan, Chairman of the German SPD’s internal Committee for fundamental values told Spiegel Online that she supports paying war reparations to Greece saying “I think it would be good, from the German side, if we put our own house in order in terms of the past… It is about recognising that we have committed a serious injustice in Greece.” Ralf Stegner, the party’s deputy chairman is also quoted as being sympathetic to Greek demands saying “The question of reparations should not be linked to the current debate on the euro crisis. But all the same, I believe that we need to have a discussion about reparations. It’s about dealing with our own history.” Anton Hofreiter, the opposition Green party’s parliamentary leader is also quoted as arguing “Germany cannot just sweep Greece’s demands off the table. Morally and legally, this chapter is far from complete.”

Source: The Financial Times Handelsblatt EUobserver The Daily Telegraph
Thousands of protesters clash with police at opening of new ECB headquarters
Ahead of today’s ceremonial opening of the new €1.3bn headquarters of the European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt, thousands of anti-capitalist and anti-austerity protesters affiliated to the Blockupy group are clashing with the police, leading to 350 arrests so far.

Source: Reuters Die Welt Handelsblatt
Commission: Member states’ right to decide their own energy mix should be respected
Ahead of this week’s European Council summit at which EU leaders will discuss plans for an EU Energy Union, EurActiv reports that a leaked Commission document states that the new design should ensure that “the right of member states to decide their own energy mix is respected”. Meanwhile, Het Financieele Dagblad reports that there is significant opposition from within the Netherlands to involve the European Commission in member states’ negotiations with Gazprom over gas supplies, a key element of European Council President Donald Tusk’s original proposal.

Source: Open Europe Intelligence: EU Energy and Climate Change Policies EurActiv Het Financieele Dagblad
EU likely to delay sanctions decision on Russia as Ukraine pleads for more financial support
With EU leaders split on whether or not to extend broader economic sanctions on Russia, the bloc is likely to navigate divisions by delaying a decision at this week’s EU Summit until June or July – when they will probably be extended until the end of 2015. An easing of sanctions will clearly be linked to the full implementation of the Minsk Agreement, reports the Wall Street Journal. In Kiev, the Ukrainian Parliament has begun the process of implementing parts of the Minsk Agreement that will give Eastern Ukraine special status with increased autonomy for the next three years. Separately, Ukrainian Finance Minister Natalie Jaresko has called on international allies to provide the country with more financial support, less than a week after the IMF approved a revised $17.5bn bailout.

Source: The Wall Street Journal Bloomberg Spiegel Online
Centre party enjoys comfortable polling lead ahead of April’s Finnish parliamentary elections
According to a TNS Gallup poll for Helsingin Sanomat ahead of next month’s parliamentary elections, the Centre Party leads on 24.7% followed by the Social Democratic Party on 16.9% and Prime Minister Alex Stubb’s National Coalition Party on 16.8%, the Finns party (formerly the True Finns) on 15.2%, the Left Alliance on 8.4% and the Greens on 8.2%.

Source: Helsingin Sanomat
Bank of England’s Brazier: UK has significantly influenced EU bank rules
City AM reports that Alex Brazier, executive director, financial stability strategy and risk at the Bank of England, told MPs on the parliament’s Treasury Committee that “The EU has in some ways led the way globally in implementing reforms and regimes to resolve failing banks… The UK had significant influence on their development, partly because of the UK’s position as a financial centre. Being part of that debate has been really quite valuable to the UK.”

Source: City AM
13 Cypriot MPs owe Bank of Cyprus €35.3m in non-performing loans
The Financial Times reports that a list requested by Cyprus’ central bank shows 13 out of 56 MPs had non-performing loans worth €35.3m with the Bank of Cyprus.

Source: The Financial Times
European Commission proposes forcing EU states to share tax deal information
The European Commission will today publish proposals aimed at tackling corporate tax avoidance by forcing EU states to share information on private tax deals they have granted to multinational businesses, reports The Guardian.

Source: The Guardian

Bron: politics.be