Section: Open Europe (UK)
Significant increase in EU migration to the UK as net migration hits a new record high
Significant increase in EU migration to the UK as net migration hits a new record highAccording to the latest ONS statistics published today, net long-term migration to the UK was estimated to be 330,000 in the year ending March 2015, a new record high and a significant increase from the 236,000 recorded over the previous twelve months. Net...
Merkel and Hollande call for “unified asylum system” and “fair sharing” of refugees
Merkel and Hollande call for “unified asylum system” and “fair sharing” of refugeesAt a joint press conference in Berlin yesterday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President François Hollande called for a “unified asylum system” and a “fair sharing” of refugees across the EU – although they stopped short of endorsing the binding quota...
Bundestag likely to follow other parliaments in approving Greek bailout
Bundestag likely to follow other parliaments in approving Greek bailoutThe Bundestag is in the midst of debating the third Greek bailout. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble presented the bill to MPs saying the bailout is “a good deal that is in the interest of Greece and in the interest of Europe.” He added that it is “essential” that the...
Schäuble calls on his party to back the third Greek bailout in stark U-turn
Schäuble calls on his party to back the third Greek bailout in stark U-turnIn an interview with ZDF, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble said he believed the bailout is the “right decision” and called for other members of his CDU/CSU party to back it just weeks after he said Greece should leave the Eurozone. He added “more progress” has...
When it comes to foreign affairs EU institutions cannot replace national policies
When it comes to foreign affairs EU institutions cannot replace national policiesFollowing former Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski’s calls for EU member states to “empower” the EU to conduct more effective foreign policy on their behalf, Open Europe’s Pawel Swidlicki argues the problem lies not with weak EU...
Greek Parliament approves third bailout package but large Syriza rebellion could mean fresh elections soon
Greek Parliament approves third bailout package but large Syriza rebellion could mean fresh elections soonAfter debating for much of the night, the Greek parliament this morning finally voted to approve the third Greek bailout package by 222 votes to 64 with 11 abstentions. Reports suggest that the government was only able to garner the support...
Boris Johnson: In the event of Brexit much of UK-EU relationship would be rebuilt on an intergovernmental level
Boris Johnson: In the event of Brexit much of UK-EU relationship would be rebuilt on an intergovernmental levelIn an interview with Spiegel Online, London Mayor and Tory MP Boris Johnson argues that “We’re always going to be a part of Europe psychologically. The trouble is that the euro and the Eurozone have taken over so much emotional and...
Greece said to have reached deal with creditors on third bailout
Greece said to have reached deal with creditors on third bailoutReuters reports that, after talks running through the night, Greece has reached a deal with its creditors. Officials said some “minor issues remained to be ironed out.” The bailout will total €86bn, as expected, and will likely be put to the Greek parliament in the next day or two,...
Juncker accuses member states of populism over migration crisis and says Commission could re-table mandatory burden sharing mechanism
Juncker accuses member states of populism over migration crisis and says Commission could re-table mandatory burden sharing mechanismIn an interview with AFP, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker accused some EU member states of behaving in a “populist” fashion in refusing to accept greater numbers of asylum seekers. He added “We...
Schäuble’s proposals to restructure Commission receive mixed response in Germany
Schäuble’s proposals to restructure Commission receive mixed response in GermanyFrankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reports that German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble’s proposals to restructure the European Commission by hiving off its supervisory and enforcement roles to a new, politically independent authority, have met with a mixed...
