⊂ EUROPE ⊃
EU to propose joint defence fund: The EU Commission is planning to propose the creation of a fund for military procurement and research. The proposal comes amid wider plans to create an EU defence union in response to Brexit and to the election of Donald Trump, a Nato-sceptic, in the United States. The multibillion-euro plan would fund research into areas like encrypted software or robotics and boost investment in joint projects across member states such as drones or helicopters. Participating states would be able to borrow from the fund to buy assets for their national militaries and would be able to offset their contributions from their EU budget targets
euobserver.com, reuters.com
EU unveils reform to boost renewables: The EU Commission has presented a package of measures to keep the EU competitive as the clean energy transition is changing global energy markets. For this reason the EU has committed to cut CO2 emissions by at least 40 percent by 2030 while modernising the EU’s economy and delivering on jobs and growth for all European citizens. The 1,000-page reform seeks to meet goals on cutting emissions and adapt Europe’s grid to digital technologies and fitful wind and solar power that is transforming industry and challenging utilities.
ec.europa.eu, uk.reuters.com
Pittella and Verhofstadt enter race for EU Parliament President: The head of the Socialist group in the European Parliament, Gianni Pittella, formally entered the race to become the next European Parliament president on Wednesday, potentially setting up a battle to succeed Martin Schulz in one of the EU’s top jobs. The Italian MEP said he would run on an anti-austerity agenda after winning the unanimous backing of the S&D group. Guy Verhofstadt, former Belgian prime minister and leader of the liberal group, Alde, could also emerge as a candidate.
handelsblatt.com
Merkel doesn’t expect progress on Turkish EU talks: German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, on Wednesday rejected reports claiming that Merkel had changed policy on Turkey and now opposed the opening of any more of the so-called chapters that must be completed before a country can join the EU. Merkel had not outlined a new policy position, as the paper implied, but rather clarified the current status of the process after a curious Christian Democrat MP asked what he should tell constituents about Turkey’s EU membership bid, Seibert said.
dw.com
Eurozone: Inflation rate highest since April 2014 wsj.com
EU Parliament: Two votes added on seeking ECJ opinion on EU-US data protection deal europarl.europa.eu
⊂ QUOTES ⊃
„The three presidencies of the three top European institutions cannot belong to the People’s Party. One of the three presidencies must belong to the Socialists.“
The leader of the European Parliament’s socialist group (S&D) Gianni Pittella, has thrown his hat into the ring to become the EU Parliament’s next president.
euronews.com
⊂ COUNTRIES ⊃
ESM proposes debt relief for Greece: A European Stability Mechanism (ESM) proposal for short-term debt relief for Greece would initially increase the debt-to-GDP ratio, then put it 2.5 percentage points lower in 2030 and 21.8 points lower in 2060, according to ESM calculations. Meanwhile, Greece said on Wednesday that talks to sell a 66 percent stake in gas grid operator DESFA to Azerbaijan’s OSCAR did not conclude successfully.
wsj.com, reuters.com
German domestic spy agency denies security lapse after Islamist mole: The head of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Hans-Georg Maassen, said that the body maintained all security standards and had no way of knowing that a 51-year-old employee, hired last April, was a follower of the radical Salafist movement. The BfV and the interior ministry deny that the man did any real damage to Germany’s domestic security. Critics are calling for background checks to be beefed up.
dw.com
France’s Fillon to beat Le Pen next year: Francois Fillon will convincingly beat National Front leader Marine Le Pen in a presidential election runoff next May, taking 66 percent of the vote, a new opinion poll showed on Wednesday. The poll showed free-marketeer conservative Fillon, who secured his Les Republicains party nomination on Sunday, remains firmly in first position among several declared or potential candidates, including Le Pen and socialist incumbent Francois Hollande.
reuters.com
Italy’s referendum explained: Italian citizens will vote on constitutional reform on Sunday in what is seen by many analysts as the most significant European political event of 2016. The reforms would remove power from the Senate and mean that proposed laws would only require the approval of the lower house of parliament, as opposed to the current system which requires approval from both houses. Prime Minister Matteo Renzi is campaigning for a „yes“ victory in an effort to make it easier to govern the nation moving forwards.
cnbc.com
Ukraine: Russian forces in Crimea put on alert before Ukrainian missile tests reuters.com
Hungary: Syrian man sentenced to 10 years in prison for border riot euobserver.com
⊂ JOB-BOARD ⊃
politjobs.eu: ONE seeks a Campaign Assistant (m/f) *** PPTA seeks Communications Assistant (m/f) *** European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology seeks Senior EU Affairs and Media Coordinator“ (m/f) *** Uni Europa seeks Policy Officer (m/f) *** Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft sucht Praktikant (m/w) *** Orgalime seeks Adviser Energy Policy (m/f) *** Eurogroup for Animals seeks Programme Manager (m/f) *** Facebook seeks Public Policy Manager, Connectivity
politjobs.eu, politjobs.eu/submit (Inserat schalten)
⊂ MALFUNCTION ⊃
German press gala enrages with refugee swim class joke: The annual German Press Ball has sparked outrage over an “almanac” printed for the event’s guests. Inside the publication was a piece meant to be satirical, advertising swim lessons for refugees on the Mediterranean. The description for preschool refugee swimming classes states that young ones will learn the right survival swimming to hold onto ship wreckage. German journalists denounced the brochure and opposition politicians called it inhuman and cynical.
tagesspiegel.de