Today's front pages

The American carmaker has announced the closure of its plant in Genk, in north-eastern Belgium for 2014. 4,300 people are to be affected by a social plan, while 6,000 other jobs related to subcontractors are threatened.

1962-2012 Ford Genk – Gazet van Antwerpen

Greek Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras has been forced to drop claims that the EU-ECB-IMF troika had granted him a two-year extension to achieve a balanced budget, by 2016 instead of 2014. Not only has the troika not yet approved the agreement, nor have the socialist PASOK or the Democratic Left, the other two partners in the Greek ruling coalition.

Agreement still “in the air” – I Kathimerini

Some 18 years after first entering Italian politics, Silvio Berlusconi announced he will not run for the premiership in the spring 2013 elections. Ending months of speculation, he also announced that primaries will be held on December 16 to appoint his successor as head of the People of Freedom party.

Goodbye – Il Giornale

According to a survey, 78.8% of Austrians are very satisfied with their lives. They derive their national pride from traditional values​​, beautiful scenery and good wine. On the other hand, Statistik Austria, which conducted the survey, notes that in 2011, 1.4 million people were at risk of social marginalisation.

Land of the blessed – Kleine Zeitung

According to a inquiry conducted by Germany's federal interior ministers, a possible ban of the far-right NPD party could lead to a complaint being lodged with the European Court of Human Rights. It is particularly likely to conflict with the principle of proportionality, since even more radical far-right parties are tolerated in the EU. The ministers must take their decision in early December. Fourteen out of sixteen of them would be in favor of the ban.

Incalculable risk in case of new NPD ban – Die Welt

Poland has used 167bn zloty (€40bn) of EU money since 2008, but part of it has been wasted. Funds that could have been used to stimulate economic growth are spent on meetings, training seminars, and conferences, the Warsaw daily complains.

Union gives money, Poland throws it down drain – Dziennik Gazeta Prawna

According to the World Bank's Doing Business Report 2013, which ranks countries in terms of access to credit and electricity, building permits, procedures for starting a business and enforcing contracts, Malta comes 102nd out of 185. It is lowest ranked European state, behind Greece and EU candidate countries. The most attractive EU member is Denmark (5th).

Malta most difficult place to do business in Europe – The Malta Independent