November 30, 2009
Further to Friday’s piece on the new EU Commission posts (described by Nicolas Sarkozy as a “victory” for France, who said the British were the ‘big losers’) it emerges that Jonathan Faull has been appointed as Michel Barnier’s right-hand man as Direct…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
The Sunday Times reported on the huge payoffs the 13 EU Commissioners stepping down this week will walk away with, on top of the pretty hefty salaries they netted while in office.Open Europe has calculated that the 13 outgoing EU Commissioners have cos…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
November 27, 2009
The Commission has just published the new list of EU Commissioners and their responsibilities for the next five years. It looks like the paper obtained by Jean Quatremer which we reported on yesterday got it quite wrong.Here’s our initial reaction:1) …
Posted by Open Europe blog team
November 26, 2009
Brussels is awash with rumour about who will get what in the newly appointed European Commission, due to be unveiled by President Barroso next week.Having ruled itself out of any of the important economic portfolios with the appointment of Cathy Ashton…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
November 24, 2009
In a letter in the Evening Standard yesterday we argued that the EU’s new President, Herman Van Rompuy, should not be underestimated.Just looking through Nicolas Sarkozy’s press conference in Brussels last week, this is reinforced.Sarko describes Van R…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
November 23, 2009
Number 10 is facing growing accusations that Gordon Brown had ‘sold Britain down the river’ once again by giving up the influential EU trade portfolio currently held by the UK’s Cathy Ashton in return for the arguably less important external relations …
Posted by Open Europe blog team
Suddenly the illusive Belgian Prime Minister’s various books have taken on a new appeal and we’ve been down the library in an effort to learn more about our unelected new President, Herman Van Rompuy and what kind of thinking he will bring to Europ…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
November 20, 2009
Some light relief for Friday evening from Swedish blogger Johan Norberg:http://www.johannorberg.net/?page=displayblog&month=11&year=2009#3391
Posted by Open Europe blog team
See here for Open Europe’s reaction to the outcome of yesterday’s EU summit.According to the Telegraph the UK’s Cathy Ashton was told at 5pm yesterday that she had been put forward for the job. Two hours later she had bagged the job and was celebratin…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
November 19, 2009
Rumours are swirling thick and fast from the EU summit in Brussels…Apparently Herman Van Rompuy is still leading the pack as the frontrunner for the EU President job – especially now that Merkel and Sarkozy are doing their best to stitch it up for hi…
Posted by Open Europe blog team
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