After many European leaders expressed concern over Silvio Berlusconi’s candidacy for the Italian premiership, the European People’s Party formally condemns his decision to withdraw support to Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti’s government and mulls his party’s expulsion. German Chancellor Angela Merkel entered the Italian election campaign denouncing Berlusconi’s “anti-German populism” and saying that the country must “keep on the right track”. Meanwhile Berlusconi’s only remaining ally, Lega Nord, do not want him to be the candidate.
Europe rejects Berlusconi – La Repubblica
Britain is leaving itself with “no voice in Europe” by drifting to the margins of the EU, says German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble. But Chancellor Angela Merkel has told UK Prime Minister David Cameron that she will do everything she can to keep Britain in the EU, as the PM attempts to recover powers from Brussels and calm his eurosceptic MPs.
Germans strive to keep UK at heart of Europe – The Times
Steelmaker Thyssen Krupp is planning to close down its production facilities in Europe. The group, which employs 29,000 workers and generates 70 per cent of its sales with steel products, may be redeveloped as a technology trust. In the wake of a failed attempt to establish itself in American and Brazilian steel markets, Thyssen-Krupp sustained losses of €5bn this year.
Goodbye to steel – Handelsblatt
Negotiations on the transfer to Italy of a percentage of taxes evaded by Italian citizens domiciled in Switzerland have ground to halt, in part because of the ongoing political crisis in Rome and also in the light of Italian reservations about Switzerland’s proposal. A decision by the Bundesrat, Germany’s federal council, to reject a similar tax accord negotiated by Berlin has also influenced Italy’s position.
Tax deal with Italy put on back burner – Neue Zürcher Zeitung
In the run-up to the anniversary of the death of former president Václav Havel on December 18, the current President Václav Klaus, whose mandate is slated to end in March, has asserted that Havel undermined the Czech Republic’s politicians with his advocacy of civil society. Voicing his support for a book by his political advisor Petr Hájek, which portrays Havel as a “diabolical” figure, Klaus remarked: "If it is not exaggerated, I agree with the criticism of his historical role."
And, they're off! Klaus versus Havel again – Mladá Fronta DNES
Since 2011, Belgian authorities have cancelled social integration benefits for 2,500 EU citizens resident in Belgium. The €755 per month benefit payments are supposed to provide a minimum income for EU nationals, as well as stateless individuals and recognised refugees. However, starting in 2010, authorities introduced tighter controls when they found that a number of Bulgarian and Romanian Roma were attempting to abuse the system.
2,500 EU citizens lose “living wage” – De Standaard
The government is planning to pump 1bn PLN (€245m) into struggling Polish airline LOT. The national carrier will be forced to adopt a drastic belt-tightening programme or it will certainly face bankruptcy.
PLL LOT: bailout or end – Dziennik Gazeta Prawna
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