Open Europe : Press Summary

[Politics.be]

David Cameron: New settlement between Britain and Europe will require fresh consentDuring his visit in Brazil, David Cameron told reporters, "I don't think it is in Britain's interests to leave the EU, but I do think what it is increasingly becoming the time for is a new settlement between Britain and Europe and I think that new settlement will require fresh consent", stressing that he is opposed to a "straight in and out" referendum.

In a feature article with Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza, Open Europe’s Pawel Swidlicki argued that UK public opinion could be reconciled with EU membership, given new membership terms. Open Europe's Director Mats Persson appeared on Sveriges Radio, discussing the UK's role in Europe. Open Europe's research estimating that EU regulations cost the UK economy £124 billion between 1998 and 2010 was cited by former Defence Secretary Liam Fox in an op-ed in the Telegraph and by Dalibor Rohac of the Legatum Institute in an op-ed in City AM.

Open Europe's recent report on UK-EU trade was cited by the Spectator. Ahead of the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, Open Europe's Senior Analyst Christopher Howarth wrote a piece for Conservative Home, setting out three things Cameron should tell his party on Europe, and three things he should not.

Open Europe at the 2012 Party Conferences

Open Europe held a series of fringe events at the Labour and Conservative Party Conferences. Speakers included: Europe Minister David Lidington, Conservative MPs Andrea Leadsom, Chris Heaton-Harris and George Eustice, Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander and Shadow Treasury Minister Chris Leslie.

Open Europe's fringe event with Douglas Alexander and Chris Leslie - jointly organised with BNE and CER and kindly sponsored by JP Morgan - was mentioned on the Spectator's Coffee House blog. Summaries of the events are available on our events page.

UK ready to veto "massive increase" in next long-term EU budget

Ahead of the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, David Cameron said that he would be prepared to block the on-going negotiations over the 2014-2020 EU budget if there were demands for a "massive increase".

On his Telegraph blog, Mats Persson argued that, in order to prevent the veto from backfiring, Cameron should use it "to seek the repatriation of the structural funds for richer member states (with a GDP of 90% or above the EU average). This would reduce the UK’s net contribution substantially – possibly by several billions over next budget framework." Mats also appeared on LBC Radio and was quoted by the Sunday Telegraph. Pawel Swidlicki was quoted by Polish daily Rzeczpospolita and EurActiv, discussing how the next long-term EU budget ought to be reformed.

Anti-austerity protests continue in struggling eurozone countries

Anti-austerity marches took place in 57 Spanish cities, while the Greek police clashed with protesters in Athens on the day of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit.

Open Europe’s recent briefing on the degree of 'internal devaluation' needed by struggling eurozone countries to keep the single currency intact - and whether citizens in these countries will be able to stomach the adjustments required - was cited by the FT, Times, New York Times, Reuters Breakingviews and several other news outlets.

Mats Persson appeared on BBC Newsnight discussing Open Europe's findings, and the programme also reproduced a graph from the briefing. Open Europe’s Pieter Cleppe appeared on BBC World, while Open Europe’s Raoul Ruparel was quoted by the World Politics Review.

Opt-out of EU crime and policing laws is "clear choice between more or less EU control"

After David Cameron suggested that the Government "will be exercising" its block opt-out of up to 130 EU crime and policing laws, the Economist quoted Open Europe's Research Director Stephen Booth - who co-authored Open Europe’s recent report recommending using the opt-out - as saying that this is "a clear choice between more or less EU control over the British justice system."

Check out our website for all our media appearances.
And finally...

The EU has been awarded the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize, due to its contribution "to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe." The prize will be presented in Oslo on 10 December. It is unclear who will be receiving the award on behalf of the EU, although a Nobel Prize spokesman suggested that the EU will be free to choose the person. Let the squabble begin...

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