Thursday

28th Mar 2024

Agenda

This WEEK in the European Union

  • Mario Monti - a familiar figure in Brussels (Photo: ec.europa.eu)

Greece will dominate the headlines once more this week as it seeks to meet three conditions by Wednesday (15 February) in order to secure a second €130 billion bail-out.

The mood of the week will be shaped by whether the Greek parliament on Sunday approves the terms of the package, broadly agreed by Greek party leaders.

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Greek politicians, who have sparred their way through one deadline to the next over the past weeks, will then have to come up with ideas to bridge a fiscal gap of €325 million to meet budgetary targets for this year as well as commit to keeping to the policy programme no matter who is elected into office in the next general election, expected in April.

All these pieces have to be in place by the time euro finance ministers meet in Brussels on Wednesday evening, with just over a month to go before Athens is due a major bond redemption. Without the new bail-out programme, Greece will not be able to make the repayment commitments and will default.

The European Commission will next week issue its first ever report on macro-economic imbalances in the EU, a new task and power accorded to it under strengthened budgetary surveillance rules that came into force in December.

The report will look at where the greatest imbalances are in the EU, with the new laws giving the commission the power to require countries to undertake corrective or preventative measures. The study, due Tuesday, is set to be politically controversial with some economists saying that Germany, with its large current account surplus, needs to do more to ensure liquidity in the European market.

The European Commission will take on a second controversial issue later in the week when it publishes an ideas paper on pensions in Europe.

Pensions remain a national power, and member states are keen to keep it that way, but the commission has begun to tell capitals what kind of reforms they ought to be undertaking in order to boost economic growth and productivity. The problem has become acute in recent years as the elderly dip into pensions for longer, while the funds themselves are paid into by fewer workers.

The European Parliament, in Strasbourg for its monthly plenary session, will on Wednesday host a debate with Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti. The technocrat Monti - well known in Brussels for his stints as a European Commissioner - has brought back seriousness to Italian politics following turbulent years under Silvio Berlsuconi. He has also secured Rome a seat at the EU's top table with Germany and France.

Meanwhile, the rest of Europe hopes he can restore market confidence in Italy to stop it going the way of other bailed out euro countries, with far greater consequences for the eurozone.

This WEEK in the European Union

Another European summit kicks off on Monday afternoon, with leaders aiming to finalise outstanding issues on the European stability mechanism and the fiscal compact treaties.

Environment, Ukraine imports, fish and Easter this WEEK

This week, expect no more than talks on environment, agriculture and fisheries, including discussions between the Polish and Ukrainian governments over angry protests by Polish farmers objecting to cheap grain imports from Ukraine.

EU summit, Gaza, Ukraine, reforms in focus this WEEK

This week, EU leaders come together in Brussels for their usual two-day summit to discuss defence, enlargement, migration and foreign affairs. EU ministers for foreign affairs and EU affairs will meet earlier in the week to prepare the European Council.

EU summit prep work and von der Leyen's Egypt visit This WEEK

MEPs will hold a debate with EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen about the next European Council on Tuesday. Later this week, on Sunday, von der Leyen will be in Egypt for talks regarding a potential 'cash-for-migrant-control' deal.

Defence, von der Leyen, women's rights, in focus This WEEK

Ursula von der Leyen is expected to be confirmed as the EPP candidate for president of the next EU Commission. A new defence strategy will be unveiled this week, while the ECB is expected to maintain interest rates.

More farmers, Ukraine aid, Yulia Navalnaya in focus This WEEK

EU agriculture ministers meet in Brussels amid new farmers' protests. MEPs will hear from Alexei Navalny's widow and give the final green light to the €50bn Ukraine facility, while the CBAM proposal faces a formal challenge at a WTO meeting.

Opinion

EU Modernisation Fund: an open door for fossil gas in Romania

Among the largest sources of financing for energy transition of central and eastern European countries, the €60bn Modernisation Fund remains far from the public eye. And perhaps that's one reason it is often used for financing fossil gas projects.

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