Archive for July, 2014

18

Jul

Europe Decides Weekly – 18 July

Tags: Alenka Bratusek, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Group, David Cameron, European People's Party Group, Ferdinando Nelli Feroci, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Herman Van Rompuy, Jacek Dominik, Jean-Claude Juncker, Jyrki Katainen, Kristalina Georgieva, Martine Reicherts, Socialists & Democrats Group

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This is the last Europe Decides Weekly before the summer break.

Weekly updates will resume on 5 September, and you can keep up to date with the latest news on Twitter (@europedecides).

Read more in Europe Decides Weekly, 18 July 2014

Top stories: 12-18 July 2014

Juncker elected as Commission President: The European Parliament has elected Jean-Claude Juncker as the next President of the European Commission. Juncker won 422 votes, comfortably above the threshold of 376. In his statement prior to the vote Juncker laid out his priorities for the next European Commission, emphasising his commitment to economic growth and implementing structural reforms while also taking account of the social consequences of decisions. Juncker’s nomination received support from the majority of MEPs from the European People’s Party, the Socialists and Democrats, and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats. Europe Decides Twitter; European Voice; EUObserver

EU leaders make no progress on top jobs: European leaders failed to agree on who would take the EU’s other top jobs during a summit on 16 July. Tensions over Ukraine have intensified the discussions surrounding the new High Representative, the Union’s top diplomat. Italy is promoting its young Foreign Minister, Federica Mogherini, while central and Eastern European states consider her too friendly towards Russia and doubt her experience. Bulgaria’s Kristalina Georgieva is considered a potential compromise candidate. The selection of the new President of the European Council appears equally difficult. Candidates include Denmark’s Prime Minister, Helle Thorning-Schmidt. The current President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, called a new meeting for Saturday 30 August. As member states continue to nominate commissioners, debates have begun regarding the distribution of portfolios, although it is now feared that the member states’ indecisiveness could delay the installation of the new College. Europolitics; Europolitics; Europolitics; EUObserver; EurActiv; EurActiv; Euronews; EUObserver; EurActiv; EurActiv; EUObserver

Approval of four new temporary commissioners: After being grilled by members of European parliamentary committees, four new commissioners have been approved, replacing those who left to become MEPs. They will serve for the rest of the Commission’s current term (which is scheduled to end on 31 October). The new commissioners are Jyrki Katainen (Finland – economic and monetary affairs), Ferdinando Nelli Feroci (Italy – industry and entrepreneurship), Martine Reicherts (Luxembourg – justice and fundamental rights) and Jacek Dominik (Poland – budgets). European Parliament; New Europe; EUObserver; EurActiv; European Voice; European Voice; European Parliament, European Parliament

11

Jul

Europe Decides Weekly – 11 July

Tags: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Group, Catherine Ashton, Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group, European Conservatives and Reformists Group, European People's Party Group, Greens / European Free Alliance Group, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Herman Van Rompuy, Jean-Claude Juncker, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, Nigel Farage, Olli Rehn, Socialists & Democrats Group

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Read more in Europe Decides Weekly, 11 July 2014

Top stories: 5-11 July 2014

Eurosceptics shut out as committees elect chairs and vice-chairs: The European Parliament’s 20 committees and two sub-committees have elected their key office-holders for the next two-and-a-half years. The centre-right European People’s Party and centre-left Socialists and Democrats groups won most of the top posts and teamed up with the Liberal ALDE Group to prevent positions going to the hardline Eurosceptic Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD). Members of the Petitions committee blocked the election of EFDD MEP Eleonora Evi to the chair, with EFDD leader Nigel Farage attacking “the europhile groups” and their “fear of democracy”. Similarly, two German Eurosceptic deputies from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Bernd Lucke and Beatrix Storch, were rejected as vice-chairs by the economic affairs and women’s rights committees respectively. New Europe; EUObserver; Euranet Plus; EurActiv; European Parliament News; European Voice; Europe Decides Twitter

Juncker exchanges views with political groups in European Parliament: The European Council’s candidate for the Commission presidency, Jean-Claude Juncker, has held meetings with the political groups of the European Parliament to gain support for his candidacy in the election on 15 July. The candidate had sent all groups a summary of his campaign priorities. Even though the Conservative ECR Group will vote against Juncker, and the Greens remain divided, the majority of the EPP, S&D and ALDE groups are expected to vote in favour of his candidacy, guaranteeing him therefore a majority. The EPP confirmed their support for Juncker, but the Socialists said his performance was “positive and useful but not yet fully satisfactory”, and looked for greater assurances on a number of issues. The ALDE Group will take a decision on Monday. EUReporter; European Commission; Europolitics; European Voice; New Europe; EurActiv; Euranet; EPP group; S&D news

Confusion over Juncker promise on key economic role: At a meeting with the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament, Jean-Claude Juncker allegedly announced that Olli Rehn’s successor as Commissioner for Economics and Monetary Affairs will be a Socialist. The top contenders for the position include Pierre Moscovici, a former French finance minister, and Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the current head of the Eurogroup and the Netherlands’ Finance Minister. However, in a press release following Juncker’s hearing before Liberal MEPs, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Group claimed that during their hearing Juncker noted that European Commission portfolios have not yet been allocated. ALDE; European Voice; Europolitics; EUObserver; Europe Decides Twitter

Leaders gear up for appointments summit: On Wednesday EU leaders will meet in an extraordinary summit to choose the future president of the European Council, the new foreign policy chief and the chair of the Eurozone finance ministers group. The current President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, has been consulting with national leaders and expects to conclude these talks on 11 July. Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt is a favourite for the European Council role, with Federica Mogherini, Italy’s Foreign Minister in line to replace Catherine Ashton as the new High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. European Voice

A big week, and a careful balancing act

This time next week, Angela Merkel will be celebrating her sixtieth birthday – and short of anything better to cheer, the rest of the European Council will probably be celebrating the end of the gruelling quinquennial EU top jobs race.

Tuesday (15 July) sees the election of the new President of the European Commission. Jean-Claude Juncker does not quite have his feet under the desk yet, but the ‘grand coalition’ that held for Martin Schulz’s election as President of the European Parliament is expected to hold and see Juncker made President-elect.

And then, on Wednesday, the rest of the pieces of the top jobs jigsaw are expected to be put into place.

The European Council, denied a backroom deal over the Commission presidency, can (more or less) get back to old ways with its selection of a new President of the European Council and a new High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (although the choice for the latter position is one for leaders to take with the President-elect). A new permanent president for the Eurogroup (finance ministers of eurozone countries) is also expected to be named. Read more

06

Jul

Europe Decides Weekly – 4 July

Tags: Antonio Tajani, Antonis Samaras, David Cameron, European People's Party, European People's Party Group, Günther Oettinger, Janusz Lewandowski, Jean-Claude Juncker, José Manuel Barroso, Jyrki Katainen, Martin Schulz, Matteo Renzi, Michel Barnier, Olli Rehn, Socialists & Democrats Group, Viviane Reding

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Read more in Europe Decides Weekly, 4 July 2014

Top stories: 28 June to 4 July 2014

Schulz elected Parliament President in first test of ‘grand coalition’: Martin Schulz has been elected for a second time as President of the European Parliament. Schulz, who recently returned to lead the Socialists & Democrats group, won 409 out of 612 valid votes, winning in the first ballot. Of the other candidates – who participated in a pre-election debate that Schulz did not attend – British Conservative Sajjad Karim (ECR Group) took 101 votes, with Spanish far-left candidate Pablo Iglesias and Austrian Green Ulrike Lunacek taking 51 votes each. The vote was a successful first test of the grand coalition between the EPP, Socialists and Liberals, although Schulz faced criticism for benefitting from a ‘backroom deal’ having criticised such agreements during the European election campaign. Schulz keeps the presidency until 2017, when an EPP candidate – possibly France’s Alain Lamassoure – is thought likely to take over the position. Europa RAPID; S&D news; New Europe; Deutsche Welle; European Voice; EUObserver; Europolitics; EurActiv

Juncker vote in Parliament moved to 15 July as Cameron tries to patch up differences: The European Parliament has brought forward its vote to elect Jean-Claude Juncker as the new Commission president to 15 July, one day earlier than originally planned. This will give more time to EU leaders before they meet in Brussels on 16 July to decide on a package of other top EU jobs, including the presidency of the European Council. Juncker’s biggest opponent in the European Council, British Prime Minister David Cameron, called the President-designate last weekend to discuss reform and economic growth in Europe. Thanks to the ‘grand coalition’ agreement in the Parliament, Juncker is likely to be elected, but the Socialists have stated that their support is dependent on certain conditions, including an unbreakable commitment to promote investment, sustainable growth and decent, secure jobs, and a plan to tackle poverty and inequality. EUObserver; European Voice; Deutsche Welle; S&D news

Renzi steals the show as Greeks depart: Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi saw his presentation of the priorities of the Italian Presidency of the Council greeted by warm applause from MEPs. Renzi focused on growth and values in his speech. The Commission and Parliament praised the work of the outgoing Greek Presidency. Greek PM Antonis Samaras said that from January to June, Greece had concluded 67 legislative initiatives and achieved consensus on another 15, addressing critical policy areas such as the economic and banking union, unemployment, and competitiveness and growth. Jose Manuel Barroso, the European Commission President, said Greece “not only responded to crisis but also contributed constructively to the European agenda.” Europolitics; Italian Government news; Europarl news; European Voice; Europa RAPID