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[Politics.be]

Labour rules out referendum on UK’s EU membership unless more power is transferred to Brussels Writing in the FT, Labour leader Ed Miliband has announced that he will not adopt the Conservative party’s policy of holding an in-out referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU before 2017. Instead, he writes that a “Labour government will legislate for a new lock: there [will] be no transfer of powers from the UK to the EU without a referendum on our continued membership of the EU,” adding, “it is unlikely there will be any such proposals in the next parliament”. He sets out his own EU reform agenda arguing, “Britain needs to work more effectively for change within the EU” for such things as “improving competitiveness… Completing the single market in energy, services and the digital economy” and argues that “Europe should also do more to address anxieties about immigration.” Open Europe blog FT: Miliband FT FT 2 Reuters Times Mail Telegraph Euractiv European Voice BBC Mirror Independent Guardian Guardian 2

European Commission proposes unilaterally opening trade to Ukraine as EU prepares targeted sanctions for Russia
The European Commission yesterday adopted a proposal to temporarily remove customs duties on Ukrainian exports to the EU from June until November 2014: a measure which it said would benefit the Ukrainian economy by €500m annually – mostly in the agricultural sector. Meanwhile, Western officials yesterday readied a first wave of sanctions (asset freezes and visa bans) to be potentially adopted against Russians directly implicated in “infringements on Ukrainian sovereignty.” Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, suggested that the sanctions were a done deal and would be effective from Monday.

Separately, Die Welt reports that Russian gas-giant Gazprom is in talks with German industrial-conglomerate BASF in a deal that could give it control of 20% of Germany’s gas storage capacities, and 5% of the German gas market. The deal is expected to conclude later this year. Open Europe’s Nina Schick appeared on Channel News Asia discussing the extent to which EU sanctions could harm Russia and the EU.
Open Europe Blog FAZ FAZ 2 FAZ: Veser Süddeutsche Süddeutsche: Eppler Reuters Deutschland Spiegel Welt: Stürmer Welt Handelsblatt live blog Bloomberg FT WSJ WSJ 2 Irish Times Euractiv European Voice BBC VRT Guardian

Talks over bank resolution fund fail to yield agreement as views “remain very divergent”
In a statement following yesterday’s meeting of EU finance ministers, EU Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier said that the points of view of the member states and the European Parliament “remain very divergent” over the plans for a Single Resolution Mechanism (SRM) under the banking union. Progress was made in streamlining the decision-making process somewhat, limiting the role of finance ministers to accepting or rejecting recommendations, and on the potential for speeding up the introduction of the resolution fund. However, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble said that, “The European parliament has to make a lot of move, otherwise we will not get a decision… And then we will have no regulation.” Talks between the member states, the Commission and the Parliament will take place in Strasbourg today.
Commission Statement FT Reuters Bloomberg Nu.nl Welt

Cyprus appoints new central bank governor as rumours of political deal increase
Cyprus has appointed Chrystalla Georghadji, who has been Auditor General for 16 years, as the new Governor of the Central Bank of Cyprus. Meanwhile, the Cypriot Attorney General has said that he has dropped the criminal probe into the previous Governor Panicos Demetriades, sparking reports of a political deal to drop the investigation in exchange for his resignation. Over on his Forbes blog, Open Europe’s Raoul Ruparel discusses the implications of Demetriades resignation for central bank independence, concluding that the real lesson is about “transparency and accountability” required from a central bank which also acts as financial supervisor.
Cyprus Mail FT City AM Forbes: Ruparel

The Greek government will hold further talks with the EU/IMF/ECB Troika over the coming week, with discussions focusing on what the government’s primary budget surplus will be used for. Deputy Transport Minister Michalis Papadopoulos hit out at the Troika yesterday, saying it “has adopted a way of thinking that involves them serving particular interests.”
Kathimerini Kathimerini 2

FAZ reports that the French government wants to integrate the areas of economy, energy, industry, trade and competition under one single EU Commissioner. The French Finance Minister is quoted as saying, “France should have a very big portfolio with the next EU Commission,” implying that he would be running for this position.
FAZ

A majority of MEPs yesterday backed a 0.8% pay rise for EU officials which would be retroactive from July 2012. The Greek EU Presidency had last week given in to the demand of a pay freeze for 2012. Member states still need to approve this measure.
Roll call vote nr 10 EP legislation European Voice SP blogs: de Jong

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi will today announce tax cuts worth as much as €10bn and unveil his ‘Jobs Act’ – a package of labour market reforms. The package is expected to include a new model of permanent contract, whereby newly-hired employees would only gain protection rights gradually, and a broadening of Italy’s unemployment benefits system.
La Stampa Repubblica Bloomberg

Austria and Luxembourg signalled yesterday that they could be ready to give up their long standing opposition to the sharing of tax data and policies to increase tax transparency to fight tax evasion. However, they stressed other countries considered tax havens, including non-EU members, must also sign up to the agreement.
EUobserver WSJ De Morgen RFI EU Press Release

The European Commission has adopted a new non-binding procedure which will allow it to increase pressure on member states which it believes are violating the rule of law.
European Voice Euractiv DPA

The European Parliament yesterday endorsed a report calling “on the Commission, the Council and Parliament to ensure the greater transparency of informal trialogues, by holding the meetings in public, publishing documentation.” Most MEPs from the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) group voted against the report.
EP Report Roll call vote nr 45 SP blogs: de Jong ALDE press release

The European Parliament yesterday approved the Omnibus II directive, which gives the EU Commission the power to finalise the draft rules of Solvency II in order to set capital requirements for insurers across the EU.
City AM FT

The European Parliament's Environment Committee yesterday backed proposed changes to the EU’s packaging waste directive designed to reduce the sale of single use plastic bags in every member state by 80% by 2019.
Mail
Cameron: More competitive and flexible EU good for Europe, not only for the UK
In an interview with Bild, David Cameron said “it would be good for Europe, not only for the UK, if the EU is more open, competitive, and flexible…I believe there are also many people in Germany who perceive the EU as too bossy, too regulatory, too overbearing.” He also called for the EU “to be flexible enough to cooperate more closely with countries such as the UK who do not want to join the euro.”
Bild: Cameron

EU officials meet in London today to draw up target list for Russian sanctions;
France says sanctions on Russia could start this week
Western officials meet in London today to draw up a list of Russian individuals to target with asset freezes and travel bans if Moscow refuses to withdraw troops from Crimea. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has said that decisions on sanctions “could be taken as early as this week.” Meanwhile, the German press reports that Berlin is toughening up its stance and becoming less hesitant to adopt sanctions on Russia, while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has urged Germany to reduce its reliance on Russian gas.

Separately, the Mail reports that British aid money has been used by the EU to train Ukrainian soldiers in riot control. Labour demanded an inquiry last night into whether the £1m project helped train troops accused of shooting protesters during the overthrow of the Ukrainian government last month.
Handelsblatt live blog EUobserver Euobserver 2 Handelsblatt Welt Welt 2 Der Standard Spiegel Spiegel 2 Spiegel 3 Independent FT Times Telegraph FAZ FAZ 2 Mail

Former Dutch Finance Minister calls for euro referendum
Wouter Bos, former Dutch Finance Minister and former leader of the centre-left PvdA party, has called for a referendum on whether the Netherlands should keep the euro, which he thinks would boost the “democratic legitimacy” of European integration. He added that, if the ‘No’ were to win, “No then should mean no, with all consequences” – including a Dutch euro exit.
NRC Twitter: Albrecht RTL Dagelijkse Standaard

EU finance ministers said overnight that they made progress on plans for a single resolution mechanism (SRM) under the eurozone banking union, but no conclusion was reached and talks will continue today. French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici suggested Germany was close to accepting an eight year timeline for the build-up of the resolution fund, as opposed to the ten years currently scheduled.
Reuters Kathimerini Bloomberg Expansión

The Times has a feature on Ukip leader Nigel Farage, which argues that “Nigel Farage is Ukip.” Meanwhile, the Guardian reports that Ukip MEPs are using the generous expenses system in the European Parliament to make donations to the party.
Times Times 2 Times: Sylvester Guardian Guardian 2

Cypriot Central Bank Governor Panicos Demetriades resigned yesterday, citing “family and personal” reasons. He will be leaving his post on April 10. Reports in the Cypriot media suggest Demetriades could be replaced by Chrystalla Georghadji, currently serving as the island’s Auditor General.
Kathimerini WSJ Cyprus Mail Cyprus Mail 2 Cyprus Mail 3 FT City AM FAZ EUobserver

On his blog, Dutch socialist MEP Dennis de Jong notes that EU member states have agreed to raise the salaries of European civil servants, despite previously calling for a pay freeze.
SP Press Release

In an interview with the Radio Times, the BBC’s John Humphrys has said that, “We weren’t sufficiently sceptical – that’s the most accurate phrase – of the pro-European case. We bought into the European ideal. We weren’t sufficiently sceptical about the pro-immigration argument. We didn’t look at the potential negatives with sufficient rigour.”
Mail Telegraph

Swedish daily Aftonbladet reports that the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats are considering joining a new political group that France’s Front National is trying to set up for the next European Parliament.
Aftonbladet

Data released by the German statistics office DESTATIS this morning showed that German exports grew by 2.2% in January, compared to December, while imports grew by 4.1%.
DESTATIS DESTATIS (English) La Tribune Reuters Deutschland Handelsblatt Spiegel

Greek Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras came under pressure at a meeting of eurozone finance ministers yesterday to wrap up the latest review of Greece’s bailout – which has dragged on for 170 days – by the end of this week.
Kathimerini Welt

Reports in the French press suggest France’s Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici has set his eyes on an important economic portfolio in the next European Commission.
Le Figaro Les Echos

After nine consecutive quarters of recession, Italy’s GDP grew by 0.1% in the last quarter of 2013 compared to the previous three months.
Il Sole 24 Ore

The FT reports on growing opposition to the inclusion of an “investor-state dispute settlement” (ISDS) provision within the EU-US free trade deal (TTIP) currently being negotiated. The clause would allow investors to sue governments if their investments were threatened.
FT

Austrian Central Bank Governor Ewald Nowotny has warned that attempts to wind down regional lender Hypo Alpe-Adria could cost a further €3.6bn this year, potentially pushing the country’s public deficit above the EU’s limit of 3% of GDP.
FT

The ECB will today announce further details of the methodology for its upcoming Asset Quality Review (AQR) of bank balance sheets. However, the FT reports that the review will not include scrutiny of German banks residential mortgage portfolios, despite German regulators voicing concerns over a potential property bubble in the country.
FT Irish Independent Reuters





Bron: politics.be