Open Europe : Daily Press Summary

[Politics.be]

idington: Dutch ideas for EU reform are “in harmony with our instincts”Ahead of today’s Open Europe event in the Hague on Anglo-Dutch cooperation on EU reform, Europe Minister David Lidington said in an interview with Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad, “We have a lot in common…We’re both nations who are outward looking, campaigners for free trade and the internal market,” adding that “what [Dutch PM] Mark Rutte and [Dutch Foreign Minister] Frans Timmermans say is in harmony with our instincts”. He denied that Britain was asking for a special deal in the EU, saying that, in his Bloomberg speech, David Cameron had not demanded individual opt-outs. The interview also features Conservative MP Andrea Leadsom, co-founder of the Fresh Start Project for EU reform, discussing the group’s EU negotiating mandate.Open Europe event Fresh Start Manifesto

Asmussen leaves ECB to join new German government
Following the SPD membership’s approval of the grand coalition agreement with 76% of votes, the German government revealed the make-up of its new cabinet. The big surprise comes as Jörg Asmussen steps down, for personal reasons, from the ECB Executive Board to become Deputy Labour Minister. The front runner to replace him is Sabine Lautenschläger, vice-president of the Bundesbank. Elsewhere the SPD’s Frank-Walter Steinmeier returns as Foreign Minister, while Sigmar Gabriel takes over a combined portfolio of Economy and Energy. The CDU’s Ursula von der Leyen, often tipped as a successor to Chancellor Angela Merkel, takes over as Defence Minister, the first woman to hold the post in Germany. CSU’s Hans-Peter Friedrich is moved from Interior Minister to Agriculture Minister, while Wolfgang Schäuble stays on as Finance Minister. Overall, the CDU holds five ministries, the CSU three and the SPD six. Open Europe’s Raoul Ruparel appeared on CNBC Squawk Box Europe this morning discussing the implications of the new cabinet set up.
FT FT 2 City AM FAZ FAZ 2 FAZ: Georgie FAZ: Kohler Süddeutsche Süddeutsche: Prantl EUObserver Reuters Deutschland Handelsblatt Spiegel Euractiv European Voice BBC Bild WSJ Le Figaro Independent Handeslblatt

The Irish Examiner reports on Open Europe and the Fresh Start Project’s pan-European conference for EU reform, which will be held on 15 and 16 January 2014 in London. The paper notes that Irish Europe Minister Paschal Donohoe is due to speak along with UK Europe Minister David Lidington and their Finnish counterpart Alexander Stubb.
Irish Examiner Open Europe press release

Theresa May: Free movement should be addressed in new UK-EU relationship
The Sunday Times reported that a leaked Government report on the effect on Britain of free movement of EU citizens suggests proposing an annual net immigration cap of 75,000, which could cut net migration from EU countries by 30,000 from the current 106,000 a year. However, today’s Times cites a Whitehall source making clear that the proposal did not appear in the draft report. The figure was suggested by David Goodhart, a director of Demos, as part of his submission to the Government’s EU Balance of Competences review over the summer.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Home Secretary Theresa May declined to comment on the leaked report. But she said, “This is something I've been talking about with my opposite numbers – interior ministers in other countries within the European Union – for some time now.” She added, “What I'm saying is that as we look ahead to the whole issue of reform of the European Union, I think we do need to look at this question of free movement.”

Meanwhile, in a question and answer session on Twitter on Friday, EU Commissioner Laszlo
Andor threatened the UK with legal action over its latest measures to restrict EU migrants’ access to benefits and once again claimed that the Coalition’s position over Romanian and Bulgarian migrants is “nasty”. Saturday’s Telegraph reported that more than 70 Conservative MPs are expected to confront ministers this week to demand tougher restrictions on Romanian and Bulgarian migrants.
Times Mail Times 2 Telegraph Telegraph 2 Saturday's Mail Saturday's Telegraph Saturday's Telegraph 2 Saturday's Mail 2 Conservative Home: Goodman

BBC Radio 4’s World Tonight programme on Friday featured detailed coverage of Open Europe’s EU War Games event including an interview with Andrea Leadsom MP, Vivien Pertusot and John Bruton - the UK, French and EU representatives respectively. Open Europe were described as an “enterprising think tank”. Open Europe’s Raoul Ruparel appeared on BBC Wales on Sunday discussing the event.
Open Europe events BBC Radio 4: World Tonight

Confusion and complexity reign as eurozone searches for deal on banking union
The FT reports that the latest proposals for a single eurozone bank resolution mechanism could, in a worst case scenario, involve a process where nine panels need to be consulted and 143 votes cast in order to wind down a failing bank, even though this may need to be done over the course of a weekend and under extreme pressure from financial markets. The complexity arises due to member states wanting to retain control over decisions when one of their large banks is involved. The WSJ reports that, according to a leaked letter sent by German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble to some of his counterparts, the broad deal outlined last week may unravel somewhat with confusion over the use of taxpayer funds once the single resolution fund has been exhausted.
FT Reuters WSJ WSJ: Nixon

EU banking watchdog waters down proposed criteria to cap bankers’ bonuses
Saturday’s Guardian reported that the European Banking Authority (EBA), the EU’s single banking supervisor, has watered down its proposed criteria to implement the 1:1 bonus cap for bankers due to come into effect on 1 January. Under the latest proposal, banks would be allowed to exempt staff earning up to €750,000 a year from the bonus cap if the latter are not deemed to be taking or managing risks. Between €750,000 and €1 million, the banks would have to seek approval from national regulators to exempt staff from the bonus cap, while exemptions for staff earning more than €1 million would need the EBA’s explicit approval. The UK launched a legal challenge at the ECJ against the bonus cap at the end of September.
Open Europe blog Saturday's Guardian

Open Europe’s Christopher Howarth is quoted in Polish daily Rzeczpospolita as saying that, when it comes to support for EU membership, recent polls suggest Scots are only marginally more in favour than the UK average.
Rzeczpospolita

Front National leader Marine Le Pen has called for an abolition of the EU’s Posted Workers Directive, which sets down rules and rights for workers who are sent by their employer to carry out work in another member state, calling the directive a “terrifying ticking time bomb” for social cohesion in France. The Directive has become a central topic in the European Parliament election campaign.
Euractiv

The Independent reports that an ICM poll, which will be published this week, found that 41% of adults aged between 18 and 24 were either firmly in favour of EU membership or leaning towards support, against 32% who took the opposite view. By contrast, the survey found that, among the over-65s, 60% were strongly against continued membership or leaning towards that stance.
Independent Independent: Leader

In an interview with Kathimerini on Sunday, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said that he would “insist” that a decision on further debt relief for Greece be taken in April and not delayed until after May’s European elections. Separately, Greece is close to reaching an agreement with the EU/IMF/ECB Troika for the release of the next tranche of funds.
Kathimerini Kathimerini 2 Kathimerini: Samaras

Ireland officially exited its bailout programme over the weekend as the IMF approved the release of the final tranche of funds on Friday evening.
IMF FT FT 2 FT 3 City AM FAZ Süddeutsche Euractiv BBC Irish Times

�*tefan Füle, the EU commissioner for enlargement, has said plans to agree a trade deal with the Ukraine have being put on hold due to President Viktor Yanukovych’s conflicting statements. 200,000 protesters staged demonstrations in central Kiev for the fourth weekend in a row.
Euractiv European Voice BBC Telegraph Guardian FT FT 2 City AM Reuters EUObserver Times

The Dutch parliament has voted against a government proposal to grant Albania EU candidate status blocking formal EU approval on 19-20 December.
Euractiv

Der Spiegel reports that a number of SPD MPs have called for the implementation of the EU Data Retention Directive – which the grand coalition is committed to – to be delayed following the ruling by ECJ Advocate-General Pedro Cruz Villalón that the directive breaches the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights.
Spiegel FAZ


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