Today's front pages

The president of the regional government has acknowledged that according to a “strict” reading of EU treaties, if Catalonia becomes independent, it will not remain part of the EU. For the Madrid daily, the issue of Catalonia’s inclusion in the EU is "a key question and an essential prerequisite" for the planned referendum on independence within four years, which Artur Mas wants to hold after regional elections on 25 November.

Mas admits Catalonia would remain outside the EU – El Mundo

Worried by the economic situation in the EU, Norway has decided to change the strategy of its Government Pension Fund Global. In future, European stocks and bonds will only account for 41% of the fund, a reduction from the current level of 54%. The fund is expected to increase its investment in emerging countries.

Norway shifts 66 billion euros out of Europe – Wirtschaftsblatt

Finance ministers from the G20 countries, led by Britain’s George Osborne and Germany’s Wolfgang Schäuble, called on the OECD to accelerate plans to stop big corporations shifting their profits around the world to minimise their tax bills, and to report in February. “The G20 intervention also comes amid mounting anger at the comparatively low rates of tax paid to the UK Treasury by US multinationals: Google, Amazon, Starbucks and Pfizer pay between 0 and 2.5 per cent tax in the UK”, writes the daily.

Big business faces tax raid – The Times

The ruling black-yellow coalition of Christian democrats and liberals has approved a range of new welfare benefits to be distributed in 2013.They include a 100 euros per month payment for parents bringing up under-3-year-olds at home, free medical consultations, and increases to low pensions. The region’s opposition and employers’ lobby have described the measures as “a costly election gift” in the run-up to general elections next year.

Already Christmas! – Die Welt

Commissioned by President François Hollande following his election last May, the report on the competitiveness of French companies was submitted to the government on 5 November. Drafted by the former CEO of EADS Louis Gallois, it recommends cutting payroll taxes by 30 billion euros, a measure that is hotly contested by the ruling left-wing majority.

Competitiveness: the bothersome report – Le Monde

In response to the question, “What prevents you from sleeping?” which was posed in eight European countries as part of a survey conducted by a Zurich based insurer, 47% of Portuguese spoke of “the circumstances of their children”, 37% of "the management of family funds” and 28% of “the political situation in the country”. Some 40% believed that the main threat they face is unemployment, while 32% believed it was poverty.

Portuguese lose sleep over crisis – i

According to the polls, Barack “Obama leads with a slight advantage over [Mitt] Romney” in final hours before the US presidential election to be held on 6 November.

Only a handkerchief in the difference at the finish – ABC