German politicians and media are intensifying pressure on Rome in anticipation of today’s EU Commission verdict on Italy’s national budget. Already last week, EU Budget Commissioner Günther Oettinger announced, in reference to the Italian deficit, that the Italian government must “correct” its draft budget. Media reports refer to a “black week” for Rome. Negative reporting – like rating agencies’ devaluation of Italy’s creditworthiness – can contribute to the destabilization of Italy’s financial and credit markets. The country’s current downward spiral threatens to re-escalate the banking crisis. Whereas Berlin insists that the EU take sharp measures against deficits, Germany’s Finance Minister at the time, Wolfgang Schäuble had prevented the EU Commission from taking measures against excessive surpluses, which the commission sees as potentially just as destabilizing. Germany has been achieving these surpluses year after year.
Corruption
Polskie Radio: Polish MEP calls on EU to combat pro-Russian ‘political corruption’
A Polish member of the European Parliament has urged the European Commission not to allow former top politicians to work for Russian energy companies, a news website has reported. Read here Another job offer at […]
Climate Crisis
Euractiv: Netherlands to ban fossil heating from 2026, make heat pumps mandatory
The Netherlands bans new natural gas heating systems, requiring heat pumps, hybrids, or district heating by 2026. Subsidies for installing clean heat accompany the ban. Huge move in a country where gas currently provides 70% […]
EU politics
Common Space: ‘A sanitised version of the nineteenth century workhouse’: 10 damning conclusions from the new UN poverty report
This was all done during EU membership. Where was the social and labour protection so touted by the EU? Read here
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