Brussels briefing
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President François Hollande are still engaged in the ritual of staking out territory, as nicely displayed at the summit during the week.
The Frenchman suggested some of Ms Merkel’s more recent statements were to do with her elections next autumn.
With the audacity that only politicians appear able to muster, she said she was aghast at such suggestions when it was put to her by journalists. In fact, she followed that up with a blow Taoiseach Enda Kenny did not want to hear — no deal for legacy bank debt.
The Taoiseach — doubtless anticipating such upheavals — had pushed the boat out earlier, declaring that while Ireland would conduct their presidency of the EU in the objective manner required, he would use it to press for the country’s debt to be made more sustainable.
The capital is in competition for the title of European Green Capital with five other cities, all of which have been shortlisted for the 2015 award by the EU.
International experts will assess each city on 12 indicators, covering climate change and energy performance, sustainable local transport, air quality and noise levels, green urban areas and sustainable land use, promotion of nature and biodiversity, waste management, water consumption and waste water treatment, eco-innovation and sustainable employment, as well as the environmental management practice of the local authority.
Next year, they will present their proposals to an international jury that will decide which would be the best role model for other European cities. The winner will be announced in June.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin was back in Brussels for the first time in ages, attending the pre-summit meeting of the liberal group.
The event used to be well covered by Irish media when Brian Cowen attended and was one of the group’s glitterati, as one of its few prime ministers.
More recently their main interest has been Olli Rehn, the commission’s euro czar, who belongs to the group. Having Micheál back in town gave it added interest as he was privy to the thoughts of Mr Rehn behind closed doors on the state of the euro and programme countries like Ireland. Without the large retinue that attended Mr Cowen, Mr Martin reflected the diminished status of Fianna Fáil, talking of the long journey back to wining Irish voter confidence.
Whether buying online or in your local store, it’s not always easy to check on a product’s safety.
But the EU, as well as most developed nations, has a database of those that have failed safety tests and been recalled.
Now they have come together to produce a searchable database with all the products worldwide that have been recalled by makers — about 3,000 a year — on globalrecalls.oecd.org/.
Kevin Barry has become the second Irish writer to win the EU Literature prize, following on from Karen Gillece two years ago.
The former Irish Examiner journalist from Limerick, now based in Sligo, received his award for his novel, City of Bohane — based in the west of Ireland 40 years in the future.
It was described as “a work of mesmerising imagination and vaulting linguistic invention”.
He collects his award next month.
Almost before the announcement was complete, the question on everyone’s lips in Brussels was who would collect the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the EU.
The thought of 27 heads of member states trooping out like boys and girls collecting their end of school awards was not pretty.
The prospect of the presidents of the EU institutions — the Commission’s Barroso, the Council’s Van Rompuy and Parliament’s Schulz — conjured up images of a well-paid, select body of bureaucrats far removed from the EU’s citizenry.
Swedish Justice Commissioner Cecilia Malmström has suggested that 27 children, one from each member state, should collect the prize. Unfortunately, so far her suggestion has been met with derision, with some even suggesting it would be “an insult to the EU institutions”.
Ireland is one of six states to have exceeded its milk quota for the year, and will have to pay a superlevy.
This is despite the fact that the EU as a whole has failed to reach its total quota, with 10 countries producing at least 10% less than their quota.
Ireland is gearing up for the abolition of quotas in Apr 2015, when it believes it can produce much more than is allowed at present — and is why it lobbied to ease the quota system and have it abolished early.
The most unhappy job in the whole EU system at the moment must be that of the Budget Commissioner.
He is under siege on two fronts — the need to cut the budget for the coming year for the institutions, and conducting the battle of the decade to retain sufficient money for the EU for 2014-20.
The Commission proposed a 2% increase to €150.9bn to take account of inflation and cover the demands for services from member states. More than 90% goes back to the member states, with Ireland still getting more than it contributes.
Member states want the budget increase to be less than the inflation rate and it should come to a head in the European Parliament this week as MEPs vote on it.
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