Spain vowed to take a backstage role during its stint as holder of the six-month rotating EU Presidency, saying the frontmen will be Herman Van Rompuy, the EU's first permanent President, and Catherine Ashton, the new High Representative for foreign affairs. Miguel Angel Moratinos, Spanish foreign minister, said Spain will only play a supporting role to the EU's new leaders. Meeting the Brussels press for the first time in his new EU capacity on 18 December, Moratinos made it clear that with the Lisbon Treaty now in force, Spain will take a step back on the EU scene and will provide full support to Europe's new leaders and institutions. "I would like to state it very clearly. The engagement of the Prime minister of Spain and of the entire Spanish government is that we have new European representatives who will lead, give momentum and will steer [the Union] through the first semester of 2010," said Moratinos, who was speaking in Spanish. "Spain will not abandon its responsibility [...] but we will do it with modesty, with discretion, through our work and our support. This is what we have decided and what we have agreed with the Permanent President, with the High representative, and I can say that there will be no competition, there will be complementarity, there will be support to these new institutions and personalities," he stated.
Miguel Angel Moratinos, Spanish foreign minister, said Spain will only play a supporting role to the EU's new leaders.
Meeting the Brussels press for the first time in his new EU capacity on 18 December, Moratinos made it clear that with the Lisbon Treaty now in force, Spain will take a step back on the EU scene and will provide full support to Europe's new leaders and institutions.
"I would like to state it very clearly. The engagement of the Prime minister of Spain and of the entire Spanish government is that we have new European representatives who will lead, give momentum and will steer [the Union] through the first semester of 2010," said Moratinos, who was speaking in Spanish.
"Spain will not abandon its responsibility [...] but we will do it with modesty, with discretion, through our work and our support. This is what we have decided and what we have agreed with the Permanent President, with the High representative, and I can say that there will be no competition, there will be complementarity, there will be support to these new institutions and personalities," he stated.
EU's incoming presidency intends to put economic reform at heart of its six-month programme. The incoming Spanish presidency of the EU said today that it will seek binding commitments from member states that they will reform their economies. It wants the binding commitments to form part of a ten-year strategy that governments are expected to agree upon next year whose aim will be to improve the EU's growth and competitiveness."Sooner or later we are going to have to face the need for enhanced and better [economic] co-operation," Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos said. The strategy, labelled `eu2020' by the European Commission, will replace the EU's Lisbon reform agenda, which expires next year.
The incoming Spanish presidency of the EU said today that it will seek binding commitments from member states that they will reform their economies.
It wants the binding commitments to form part of a ten-year strategy that governments are expected to agree upon next year whose aim will be to improve the EU's growth and competitiveness.
"Sooner or later we are going to have to face the need for enhanced and better [economic] co-operation," Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos said.
The strategy, labelled `eu2020' by the European Commission, will replace the EU's Lisbon reform agenda, which expires next year.
However there are four issues that are basically economic but which have political aspects and these four will be the issues on which the European triumvirate of Barroso, Van Rompuy and Ashton will be judged.The first major issue is the institutional relations with Russia, in particular concerning Russian energy sources and a certain degree of EU "energy security".The second major issue which also concerns Russia is the policies toward the states of former Yugoslavia and Albania on the one side and the states of the former USSR on the other, in particular Moldova, closely linked to EU member Romania (2), Georgia, and Ukraine. Which of these states will become members of the EU, and if so, when? What will be the relations with the states that do not become members of the EU? Are there limits to EU membership, and what, if any, is the relationship between EU and NATO membership?The third major issue is of a similar nature of membership or relations but needs to be looked at separately. This issue is the relations with Turkey. Although membership in the EU for Turkey was at the basis of EU-Turkish talks and on-and-off negotiations, there are those among the Turkish governing elite who believe that the EU is permanently hostile to Turkish membership. They believe that the alternative to EU membership lies in creating Turkish influence in the Middle East. This is the policy of what I call the "neo-Ottomans" and there are signs of this policy with improved relations with Syria, with Armenia, with the Kurds, and greater distance from Israel. If Turkey does not join the EU, what will be the institutional relations between Turkey and the EU?The fourth major challenge remains the financial-economic recession, the high unemployment in most of the EU countries, the migration of people within the EU, and the desire of people from outside the EU to come to Europe for economic and political reasons. This fourth challenge is the daily work of the European Commission, but they have broad socio-political aspects that require top-level attention.The tasks of the European triumvirate are crucial. They do not require high profile personalities, but they do require more dynamic leadership than has been seen in the past.
However there are four issues that are basically economic but which have political aspects and these four will be the issues on which the European triumvirate of Barroso, Van Rompuy and Ashton will be judged.
The first major issue is the institutional relations with Russia, in particular concerning Russian energy sources and a certain degree of EU "energy security".
The second major issue which also concerns Russia is the policies toward the states of former Yugoslavia and Albania on the one side and the states of the former USSR on the other, in particular Moldova, closely linked to EU member Romania (2), Georgia, and Ukraine. Which of these states will become members of the EU, and if so, when? What will be the relations with the states that do not become members of the EU? Are there limits to EU membership, and what, if any, is the relationship between EU and NATO membership?
The third major issue is of a similar nature of membership or relations but needs to be looked at separately. This issue is the relations with Turkey. Although membership in the EU for Turkey was at the basis of EU-Turkish talks and on-and-off negotiations, there are those among the Turkish governing elite who believe that the EU is permanently hostile to Turkish membership. They believe that the alternative to EU membership lies in creating Turkish influence in the Middle East. This is the policy of what I call the "neo-Ottomans" and there are signs of this policy with improved relations with Syria, with Armenia, with the Kurds, and greater distance from Israel. If Turkey does not join the EU, what will be the institutional relations between Turkey and the EU?
The fourth major challenge remains the financial-economic recession, the high unemployment in most of the EU countries, the migration of people within the EU, and the desire of people from outside the EU to come to Europe for economic and political reasons. This fourth challenge is the daily work of the European Commission, but they have broad socio-political aspects that require top-level attention.
The tasks of the European triumvirate are crucial. They do not require high profile personalities, but they do require more dynamic leadership than has been seen in the past.
More than 2,000 people spent hours trapped inside the Channel Tunnel after five Eurostar trains broke down due to cold weather.The trains failed as they left the cold air in northern France and entered the warmer tunnel. Some passengers were evacuated via service tunnels to car trains, while others were kept on their trains. Many have faced gruelling 15-hour journeys. Eurostar has cancelled all its services for Saturday. Meanwhile, more snow and freezing temperatures are expected for parts of Scotland and south-east and eastern England. Heavy snowfall caused travel chaos, forced schools to close and cut off power supplies in parts of the UK on Friday. Electrics failureAlthough one Eurostar train is still stuck in the tunnel, there are no passengers on board. John Keefe from Eurotunnel, the operator of the Channel Tunnel, said the situation was "absolutely extraordinary and unprecedented". "There's never actually been an evacuation of a Eurostar train in the 15 years that the tunnel has been opened and last night we evacuated two whole trains to get people off."
More than 2,000 people spent hours trapped inside the Channel Tunnel after five Eurostar trains broke down due to cold weather.
The trains failed as they left the cold air in northern France and entered the warmer tunnel.
Some passengers were evacuated via service tunnels to car trains, while others were kept on their trains. Many have faced gruelling 15-hour journeys.
Eurostar has cancelled all its services for Saturday.
Meanwhile, more snow and freezing temperatures are expected for parts of Scotland and south-east and eastern England.
Heavy snowfall caused travel chaos, forced schools to close and cut off power supplies in parts of the UK on Friday.
Electrics failure
Although one Eurostar train is still stuck in the tunnel, there are no passengers on board.
John Keefe from Eurotunnel, the operator of the Channel Tunnel, said the situation was "absolutely extraordinary and unprecedented".
"There's never actually been an evacuation of a Eurostar train in the 15 years that the tunnel has been opened and last night we evacuated two whole trains to get people off."
The five trains were coming from Brussels and Paris, and Eurostar said the change in the atmospheric conditions caused a problem with their electrics.
LOL, that's a bit broad... could be anything from the pantograph to the motors... *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The European Parliament has adopted a bumper EU budget for 2010, with economic recovery spending amongst the items swelling the accounts. The €122.9 billion budget - approved on Thursday (17 December) - represents a six percent increase on this year's figure, almost half of which (€58bn) will be spent on agriculture, rural development and the environment. The second largest portion (€36bn) - known as `cohesion' funds in euro jargon - is headed towards poorer regions. The 2010 accounts will also include €2.4 billion for economic recovery projects - part of €5 billion agreed for 2009-2010 - to be spent primarily in the energy sector and on broadband development in rural areas.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The European Parliament has adopted a bumper EU budget for 2010, with economic recovery spending amongst the items swelling the accounts.
The €122.9 billion budget - approved on Thursday (17 December) - represents a six percent increase on this year's figure, almost half of which (€58bn) will be spent on agriculture, rural development and the environment.
The second largest portion (€36bn) - known as `cohesion' funds in euro jargon - is headed towards poorer regions.
The 2010 accounts will also include €2.4 billion for economic recovery projects - part of €5 billion agreed for 2009-2010 - to be spent primarily in the energy sector and on broadband development in rural areas.
The European Parliament has approved a 122.9bn euro (£110bn) EU budget for 2010 - nearly half of which is to go to agriculture and natural resources.It is a 6% increase on the 2009 budget, which was worth 116bn euros. Next year the EU is due to conduct a major review of the budget. The UK wants to see a cut in farm subsidies.
The European Parliament has approved a 122.9bn euro (£110bn) EU budget for 2010 - nearly half of which is to go to agriculture and natural resources.
It is a 6% increase on the 2009 budget, which was worth 116bn euros.
Next year the EU is due to conduct a major review of the budget. The UK wants to see a cut in farm subsidies.
EU member state has 'reservations' about the opening of talks on three policy areas. Slovenia is once again blocking Croatia's negotiations on admission to the European Union and is thwarting attempts to advance its neighbour's membership talks next week. Slovenia held up the EU's talks with Croatia for most of 2009 over an unresolved border dispute and allowed negotiations to resume only in October, after the two countries agreed to submit the dispute to international arbitration. But despite the agreement that bilateral questions should not further delay Croatia's accession bid, Slovenia is again obstructing the membership negotiations.
Slovenia is once again blocking Croatia's negotiations on admission to the European Union and is thwarting attempts to advance its neighbour's membership talks next week.
Slovenia held up the EU's talks with Croatia for most of 2009 over an unresolved border dispute and allowed negotiations to resume only in October, after the two countries agreed to submit the dispute to international arbitration.
But despite the agreement that bilateral questions should not further delay Croatia's accession bid, Slovenia is again obstructing the membership negotiations.
Either that or it's the US.
It's not necessarily the goal here to slow down EU expansion but maybe to ensure that Croatia's accession is delayed until it can join simultaneously with Serbia. En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma
It is good that Slovenia did not want Serbia's SAA with the EU to be conditional on Kosovo's independence, and that the U.S. at least did not want it to seem to be so. Surrendering territory should not be the price of entry into the European club. Surrendering perpetrators of genocide should be. Serbia still shields Ratko Mladić, the butcher of Srebrenica. According to Politika, Slovenia complained to the U.S. that the Netherlands and Belgium are insisting on Serbia's compliance with the ICTY; and the U.S. promised to tell the Dutch that an SAA for Serbia is more important for stabilizing the region than compliance with the Hague. Now that is disrespect for international law. The Dutch have held out, forcing EU foreign ministers to compromise on offering Serbia an interim agreement instead of a full-fledged SAA. Messy, but possibly for the best.
According to Politika, Slovenia complained to the U.S. that the Netherlands and Belgium are insisting on Serbia's compliance with the ICTY; and the U.S. promised to tell the Dutch that an SAA for Serbia is more important for stabilizing the region than compliance with the Hague. Now that is disrespect for international law.
The Dutch have held out, forcing EU foreign ministers to compromise on offering Serbia an interim agreement instead of a full-fledged SAA. Messy, but possibly for the best.
Berlusconi's Mediaset has managed to get their feet through the door by acquiring the Spanish TV channel Cuatro from Prisa as well as 22% of Prisa's Digital Plus. The billion euro affair will give Prisa some pocket change to affront their nearly six billion euro mountain of debt. Mediaset's Telecinco-Cuatro pole now represents the largest audience share in Spain. If Italy is any precedent one can expect a patient growth of audience shares and further acquisitions from a belaboured Prisa. Although Prisa controls 57% of Digital Plus, it's Mediaset's undeniable experience in the market that will tip the balance in its own favour.
Prisa also owns El Pais. A similar takeover occured in Italy with Mondadori. Berlusconi first acquired their Retequattro and quickly moved to take over the entire group which at the time included the Espresso-la Repubblica editorial group. In a memorable financial-political battle the Espresso-la Repubblica group managed to break off and get away. Berlusconi has been recently condemned to pay 750 million euro to the De Benedetti group (editors of Espresso and la Repubblica) for damages derived from Berlusconi's having bribed judges in the Mondadori legal battle.
Berlusconi is not going to let El Pais get away. Seeing how Berlusconi quickly converts once venerable news sources into scurilous propaganda megaphones, it would be best that the editors and reporters there get on the ball quickly. Otherwise, le Monde, la Repubblica and other major European dailies that collaborate together will have to count Spain out once Berlusconi controls El Pais. Good luck.
A special Eurostar service from Paris has become stuck near Ebbsfleet in Kent, after trains were left stranded in the Channel Tunnel on Saturday.Passengers say there is no heating and lighting, and food has run out. Earlier, five trains were stuck in the tunnel trapping more than 2,000 people for up to 16 hours. Eurostar said special trains were being laid on on Saturday night to transport "vulnerable passengers" between London and Paris and Brussels. Passengers on board the train in Kent say staff are unable to tell them when they will arrive at St Pancras. The trains that became stuck in the tunnel suffered electrical failure due to freezing conditions.
A special Eurostar service from Paris has become stuck near Ebbsfleet in Kent, after trains were left stranded in the Channel Tunnel on Saturday.
Passengers say there is no heating and lighting, and food has run out.
Earlier, five trains were stuck in the tunnel trapping more than 2,000 people for up to 16 hours.
Eurostar said special trains were being laid on on Saturday night to transport "vulnerable passengers" between London and Paris and Brussels.
Passengers on board the train in Kent say staff are unable to tell them when they will arrive at St Pancras.
The trains that became stuck in the tunnel suffered electrical failure due to freezing conditions.
Scotland Yard has warned businesses in London to expect a Mumbai-style attack on the capital. <...> Security sources said concerns had been raised by "chatter" on a prominent jihadist website two weeks ago. One contributor suggested fighters could use automatic weapons to strike places such as nightclubs, sporting venues and Jewish centres. In an online discussion hosted on December 2, another contributor invited suggestions for carrying out "guerrilla warfare" and proposed "a group of mujaheddin raid police stations and fire at them". Another said: "Make sure that all those at the location are of age, that there are no children and so on. Insist on the locations and times where no Muslims or children are to be expected. "If machine guns are available, and explosive and expertise for [explosives] are not available, this is a good way ... The [Mumbai] operation is the ideal scenario for operations you are talking about." A third contributor said targets should be "chosen in a studied manner". He added: "In general, targeting economic joints and intelligence centres if possible has priority over police stations." ...
Scotland Yard has warned businesses in London to expect a Mumbai-style attack on the capital.
<...>
Security sources said concerns had been raised by "chatter" on a prominent jihadist website two weeks ago.
One contributor suggested fighters could use automatic weapons to strike places such as nightclubs, sporting venues and Jewish centres.
In an online discussion hosted on December 2, another contributor invited suggestions for carrying out "guerrilla warfare" and proposed "a group of mujaheddin raid police stations and fire at them".
Another said: "Make sure that all those at the location are of age, that there are no children and so on. Insist on the locations and times where no Muslims or children are to be expected.
"If machine guns are available, and explosive and expertise for [explosives] are not available, this is a good way ... The [Mumbai] operation is the ideal scenario for operations you are talking about."
A third contributor said targets should be "chosen in a studied manner".
He added: "In general, targeting economic joints and intelligence centres if possible has priority over police stations." ...
Meanwhile the city of London terrorist police responded by circulating to the media confiscated footage showing an "alleged terrorist" (who was not charged with any terrorist related offence) supposedly scouting london landmarks. Their idea being to justify the current behaviour of police in banning the now criminal act of photography from the entire London area.
So this warning is just so much crapola to rank alongside the constant raising of the terrorist alert anytime somebody started quesitoning Iraq policy.
Be afraid, be afraid. If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear. We are only taking your freedoms for your safety. Trust us.
One only has to modify Reagan's "worst 9 words" to get how I feel. "I'm from the government security service and i'm here to help protect you keep to the Fen Causeway
Goldman Sachs has threatened the UK Treasury with plans to move up to 20 per cent of its London-based staff to Spain in a standoff over tax and bonuses. [...] The bank, which employs around 5,000 staff in London, is believed to have strong links to the Spanish government, although it has a relatively modest number of employees in the country. Although staff moving to Spain would not receive any special tax incentives, the bank could avoid paying the bonus tax, details of which, so far, remain sketchy. A Goldman Sachs spokesman said it is looking at all options as it negotiates with the tax authorities over the bonus tax.
[...]
The bank, which employs around 5,000 staff in London, is believed to have strong links to the Spanish government, although it has a relatively modest number of employees in the country. Although staff moving to Spain would not receive any special tax incentives, the bank could avoid paying the bonus tax, details of which, so far, remain sketchy. A Goldman Sachs spokesman said it is looking at all options as it negotiates with the tax authorities over the bonus tax.
