Main focus of Friday, June 20, 2008

EU summit in Brussels

All eyes in Europe are on Brussels, where Europe's heads of state and government are meeting to discuss the Irish rejection of the EU Reform Treaty and the future of the Union. What expectations does Europe's press have for the summit?

La Repubblica - Italy

The Italian daily La Republicca comments on the conduct of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the EU summit in Brussels: "As if Europe did not have enough problems at the moment with the Irish No vote, it is now having to deal with Silvio Berlusconi. ... This was a bad start for Berlusconi's great Brussels comeback - in a Europe that in his opinion has lost character and moved backwards in the two years of his absence. ... Frau Merkel is increasingly adopting the leading position in the EU. The Chancellor had two lengthy conversations with Europe's two weak spots, the Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen and Czech Prime Minster Mirek Topolánek. Angela Merkel also set the priorities: the Treaty of Lisbon must enter force without a prior pause for reflection; the process of ratification by the remaining seven countries must continue; Ireland must reach a decision by October." (20/06/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » EU Constitution, » Europe
All available articles from » Andrea Bonanni

Mladá fronta Dnes - Czech Republic

The liberal newspaper Mlada fronta Dnes writes that so far the Czech Republic has lived up to expectations that it would play the role of outsider regarding the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon: "Neither Berlusconi nor Sarkozy nor Merkel were as important yesterday as [Czech Prime Minister] Mirek Topolánek. While the British and the Polish were busy stressing that the Treaty of Lisbon was not dead, the Czechs remained silent. Topolánek did not speak to journalists before the evening discussions. But all of Europe is familiar with the statement by President Vaclav Klaus that Lisbon is dead. That has done a lot to isolate the Czechs in the EU." (20/06/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Constitution, » Czech Republic, » Europe
All available articles from » Kateřina Koubová

Večer - Slovenia

The Slovenian newspaper Vecer comments on the effect the Irish No to the Treaty of Lisbon is having on the EU summit in Brussels and the upcoming French EU Council presidency: "Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen came to Brussels with the message that the Irish need time. ... German Chancellor Angela Merkel ... also steadfastly believes that a solution must be found together with the Irish. ... However, [these plans] do not suit French President Nicolas Sarkozy in particular. ... He wanted to stand in the limelight as a European head of state with major international plans, and to increase his support at home by coming across as an 'important statesman'. But no doubt the Irish have done the Slovenian presidency and [Slovenian Prime Minister] Janez Janša a favour, because the Slovienian EU Council presidency can now end with an important summit." (20/06/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » EU Constitution, » Europe
All available articles from » Darja Kocbek

Neue Zürcher Zeitung - Switzerland

The Swiss daily Neue Zürcher Zeitung reminds readers that the EU summit in Brussels was primarily meant to deal with rising oil and food prices. "To avoid giving the impression that the Irish No has plunged the EU once again into paralysis and navel-gazing as was the case after the failure of the draft constitution in 2005, the heads of state and government started by addressing a topic which certainly interests EU citizens more than treaties on institutional reform: the high price of food and oil. ... Fears are high that inaction on the part of the heads of state and government could be seen as a lack of interest in normal people's concerns - which could put an early end to any political career." (20/06/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » EU Constitution, » Energy, » Economic Policy, » Europe

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