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The European Commission has proposed a series of measures to ensure that under-25s who have been unemployed for four months will be offered either a job or training. Member states will be expected to boost cooperation between social partners and instruct employment agencies to intervene to prevent job shortages, while “making better use” of resources provided by the European Social Fund. Countries where youth unemployment is relatively low, notably Austria (8.5 per cent) and Germany (8.1 per cent), will be expected to pass on “best practices” to states in crisis, especially Greece (57 per cent) and Spain (55.9 per cent).

EU demands youth job guarantee – Die Presse

At a time when Greece has launched a buyback of €10 billion of public debt, the government in Athens is preparing to revise a plan to tax incomes in excess of €26,000 per year at 45 per cent, which is the focus of friction between the parties of the ruling coalition. The initial results of the debt buyback will be examined at the Eurogroup meeting on December 13.

Wrapped up in taxes – I Kathimerini

The eurozone countries have withdrawn the possibility of Portugal and Ireland benefitting from a softening of European loans agreed last week to Greece. At the last meeting, the Chairman of the Eurogroup, Jean-Claude Juncker, stated to some journalists that the EFSF rules applied to Greece would have to be applied to other countries under the adjustment programme. Yesterday, he called it a "misunderstanding".

Eurozone refuses to extend to Portugal mitigation approved for Greece – Público

The United Kingdom, France and Germany have demanded the cancellation of an Israeli government project to build 3,000 settler homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Foreign ministers in Paris, London, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Madrid summoned Israel’s ambassadors to protest against the plans on behalf of their governments.

Europeans angered by Israeli settlements – Berliner Zeitung

European financial aid to Moldova has doubled over the last three years, increasing from €60 to €122 million. The funds are mainly used to promote economic development, the rule of law, healthcare, and energy efficiency. European Commission President José Manuel Barroso recently travelled to Chișinău to voice his support for the reforms.

Moldovan reforms with European money – Timpul

On Tuesday, December 4, President François Hollande is to inaugurate a new branch museum of the Musée du Louvre in the industrial city of Lens, in the Pas-de-Calais, northern France. Completed at a cost of €150 million, the project was designed by the Japanese architectural firm SANAA and built on the site of a former coal mine. The Lens-Louvre will open to the public on December 12 and is expected to welcome 500,000 visitors per year.

Louvre-Lens, a mine of art – Libération

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting their first child, who will become third in line to the throne. Kate is thought to be less than 12 weeks pregnant but the couple were forced to make the news public because of the duchess's admission to hospital due to severe morning sickness.

We’re expecting – The Times