Open Europe : persoverzicht

[Politics.be]

Rachel Sylvester: Conservatives and Labour are both rethinking their stance on the EUIn the Times, Rachel Sylvester notes that, “The Prime Minister and the Chancellor have started to discuss the possibility of repatriating some powers from Brussels. A group of Conservative backbenchers, led by George Eustice, the Prime Minister’s former press secretary, has been given the nod, tacitly, by No 10, to draw up a list of areas that would be a priority for renegotiation.” She adds that, “The Labour Party under Ed Miliband is, meanwhile, taking an increasingly Eurosceptic stance…He recently had dinner in Westminster with Sigmar Gabriel, the leader of the SPD in Germany. According to one confidant, ‘they talked about the need for a new kind of mission for the EU’.”

Meanwhile, the FT argues, “Mr Osborne’s willingness to endorse closer fiscal union – and his tacit acceptance that this may mean a diminution of British influence – is a realistic response to a grave crisis. But the creation of a two-tier Europe is unlikely to make the UK’s relationship with Brussels any smoother.”
FT: Editorial Times: Sylvester Conservative Home John Redwood's diary

Italian and Spanish borrowing costs back on the rise
Market fears over the long term health of the eurozone returned yesterday, despite a brief respite following the second Greek bailout, reports the WSJ. Spanish ten year borrowing costs breached 6% again, while Italy’s topped 5.5%, levels seen as close to unsustainable for both economies in the long run. The FT reports that full details on private sector involvement in the second Greek bailout are not expected until the end of August.

Meanwhile, the WSJ Real Time Brussels blog notes that the Greek bailout package may actually increase Greek debt this year, since Greece must borrow the money to purchase collateral for the private sector involvement before it can reap any of the rewards from the bond swap or rollover. Separately, Belgium held a successful bond auction yesterday selling €2.5bn at only slightly higher interest rates than in May, quelling fears that it could be dragged into the eurozone crisis.
WSJ FT Les Echos CityAM EUobserver El Pais Jornal de Negocios El Pais 2 Telegraph WSJ 2 WSJ 3 WSJ 4 IHT WSJ: Real Time Brussels FTD Handelsblatt

Commission: France and Italy didn’t violate Schengen
The European Commission ruled yesterday that Italy and France did not technically violate the Schengen Treaty, when responding to immigrants arriving from Tunisia earlier this year. Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström said, “From a formal point of view steps taken by Italian and French authorities have been in compliance with EU law. However, I regret that the spirit of the Schengen rules has not been fully respected”. Malmström also called for the Schengen area to have “a stronger evaluation and monitoring system”, something which is currently carried out by national experts. The Commission is due to unveil proposals to revise Schengen rules in September.
FT WSJ EurActiv European Voice EUobserver Straneuropa Commission press release

The Council yesterday adopted its position for the EU’s 2012 budget, calling for an increase of 2.02%, lower than the Commission’s proposed 4.9% increase.
El Pais Les Echos Zeit 2 Council statement

PA notes that a group of MPs has renewed calls for the Government and medical regulators to speed up efforts to resolve potential problems posed by doctors and nurses who qualify elsewhere in Europe and earn the right to work in the UK without having their language or medical skills tested.
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Eurozone comment round-up
In the FT, Gideon Rachman notes, “The EU has contributed to Greece’s something-for-nothing culture by pouring money into the country over the past 30 years. Greece has benefited from billions of euros of grants for agriculture and infrastructure. That money was channelled through government ministries, controlled by political parties that used European funds as a form of patronage. And yet, as part of an effort to restore growth to the Greek economy, the EU has just agreed to hand over another €17bn in new grants (not loans) to Greece. It is hardly surprising that northern European taxpayers feel upset about this.”

In Die Zeit Editor Josef Joffe argues that “what is most worrying is the legitimacy crisis of Europe. One can blame Merkel, as she does not live up to her role as the leader of the wealthiest and most powerful EU member state.” At the same time, Handelsblatt argues that Germany’s role in Europe has already gone too far: “While the Germans used to be the mild giant of the EU, they are now the ones who dictate harsh reforms on weaker countries. That cost them both sympathies and assertiveness…The constant progress of the EU, where every crisis was a step to further integration is out. People just don’t want more Europe.”
FT: Rachman FT: Jenkins IHT: Dempsey Le Monde: de Menthon El Pa�*s: Carnero El Pa�*s Publico.pt Zeit Handelsblatt BBC: Peston

Le Figaro reports that French President Nicolas Sarkozy has written an open letter to both houses of Parliament, a procedure never used before, calling for France to be “exemplary in the rearrangement of its public accounts”, in a clear allusion to the “golden rule” included in the EU’s economic governance pact, that would inscribe in the French Constitution the obligation of a return to budgetary stability.
Le Figaro Le Figaro: du Limbert

FT Deutschland reports that European insurance companies have been given more time to implement the EU’s Solvency II Directive. The measures will still come into effect in January 2013 but they will only be fully applicable in January 2014.
FTD

The Commission has demanded that Spain show evidence that Romanian people have a negative impact on the labour market, after the Spanish government passed rules to restrict Romanians’ work permits.
Expansion

Bron: politics.be