Denmark the big winner from rebate negotiations

In the run-up to the summit, much of the political rhetoric about rebates for some net contributors to the European Union’s budget had focused on the long-standing ‘correction’ given to the United Kingdom. 

The rhetoric persisted after the summit, with the UK’s prime minister, David Cameron, declaring that “attempts to undermine our rebate were made again and again at almost every meeting we had, but I fought off these attempts, and the British rebate is safe”.

However, as France’s President François Hollande noted, the UK’s compensation, which fluctuates from year to year (between €3.6 billion and €5.7bn in recent years) is protected under the EU’s treaty. The real battles were elsewhere – though Hollande used the opportunity to fire a warning shot across the bows of the British leader, saying that the legal protection for the rebate is a point that “the British party should bear in mind when it requests that the EU treaty be amended”.

Austria entered the summit in the most vulnerable position. Under proposals presented in November, it would have lost its rebate. In the budget finally agreed, the rebate will be phased out, ending in 2016. The size of the compensation is small – €60 million over three years – but it offers a political success of sorts for Werner Faymann, Austria’s chancellor, who faces elections in September.

The German, Swedish and Dutch leaders were in an easier position, knowing that the draft envisaged the continuation of their rebates. November’s draft foresaw annual rebates totalling €2.8bn for Germany, €1.15bn for the Netherlands and €325m for Sweden.

The final budget gives no overall figure and obscures the final result for each country, by distinguishing two sources of funding – a lump sum with specific figures for Sweden (€160m) and the Netherlands (€650m), and a VAT rebate without specific figures for Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany. The lack of specific estimates for the VAT rebate allowed the leaders of all three countries to declare themselves winners.

The principal victor to emerge, though, was Denmark. Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the prime minister, threatened to veto the budget if Denmark was not added – for the first time – to the list of rebate beneficiaries. She won €130m per year, with the reward that the biggest headlines about rebates were in the Danish papers, rather than British or other media.

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Calls for deal on bank-capital rules

Negotiations are to continue throughout July on two significant proposals for European Union financial legislation, with deals on both still a long way off. 

Officials from Cyprus, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council of Ministers, were scheduled to hold their first trilogue discussions with the European Parliament and the European Commission on proposed bank-capital requirement rules yesterday and today (11-12 July).

When the EU’s 27 finance ministers met in Brussels on Tuesday (10 July), they urged the Cypriot presidency to keep up the momentum of the negotiations, and Cyprus undertook to reach agreement as soon as possible.

Yesterday saw the first round of talks on the proposed ‘two-pack’ legislation on economic governance. Olli Rehn, the European commissioner for economic and monetary affairs and the euro, told finance ministers that the Parliament’s amendments went far beyond the scope of the proposed legislation, in seeking to use the two-pack to force eurozone countries to share debt.

The Parliament’s approach is unlikely to be approved by member states at this stage. However, a debt-sharing obligation is likely to be included in the blueprint for the future of the euro that Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council, is scheduled to publish in December.

 

EU agrees changes to spending rules

Member states and MEPs strike compromise deal on financial regulation after nine months of negotiations.

The European Parliament and the Council of Ministers have agreed revisions to the European Union’s financial regulation, which sets the rules for how EU money is spent.

MEPs were defeated in their attempt to oblige politicians from the member states to make declarations that their national administrations were spending EU money correctly.

The compromise, which was reached late on Friday (22 June), will require formal approval from the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers before taking effect, probably on 1 January 2013.

Both the Council and the Parliament wanted the rules to be agreed before negotiations on the EU’s next multi-annual financial framework (2014-20) enter their decisive phase in the autumn.

After nine months of negotiations, the main remaining disagreement was over the Parliament’s demand for political declarations by national governments that EU money had been properly spent and accounted for. The members states viewed the demand as a “non-starter”, according to a diplomat. The compromise text foresees annual management declarations being made by national administrative bodies in charge of managing and controlling the spending of EU funds. 

The EU’s financial regulation sets out the procedures for adopting and implementing the EU’s budget and for presenting and auditing accounts. 

The revisions to the financial regulation are supposed to increase the accountability of recipients while reducing the administrative burden of managing EU funds. They include provisions regulating the use of novel financial mechanisms such as equity investments or project bonds.

The rules will make it possible for the first time for the European Commission to launch and manage multi-donor trust funds for assistance to countries outside the EU, pooling EU funds with those from other donors. Public-private partnerships – the pooling of EU funds with private funds – are also made easier.

Ingeborg Grässle, a centre-right German MEP who was the Parliament’s lead negotiator on the financial regulation, described the rules as a “milestone for a better European budget policy and a signal that the EU is able to act decisively”.

The Wigan Athletic fullback was set for a stunning move to Milan until a medical showed that he had an irregularity

U.S. men’s national team fullback Antonee Robinson revealed a dream move to Milan broke down after his medical with the club revealed a heart problem.

The left-back looked set to leave English second-tier side Wigan Athletic when Milan made their move on deadline day in January.

However, the 22-year-old saw his hopes of a San Siro switch dashed in the window’s final moments when a health issue became apparent during routine checks.

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Robinson has not played in the six weeks since that transfer collapsed, and has now disclosed he will undergo a procedure in an effort to control his heart rhythm.

“During my medical for a potential transfer to Milan on deadline day, an irregularity was picked up in my heart rhythm,” Robinson said, in a statement released by Wigan.

“Further testing was required to ensure the move could be finalised and ratified, though there was not enough time to complete this before the transfer deadline.”

Robinson said he has “undergone a period of testing and treatment” and despite feeling “absolutely fine”, he acknowledges the issue must be dealt with before he can return to playing matches.

He added: “Following consultation with the club’s medical staff and independent specialists, it has been decided I will need a medical procedure later this month to address the irregularity in my heart rhythm – a procedure called an ablation.”

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MEPs reject airport liberalisation

The European Commission’s plans to liberalise ground-handling services at EU airports has been opposed by the European Parliament’s transport committee.

The European Parliament’s transport committee voted today (6 November) to reject a proposal from the European Commission to liberalise ground-handling services at EU airports.

The vote comes a day after 2,000 demonstrators from ten member states demonstrated outside the Parliament in Brussels, organised by the European Transport Workers Federation. The union says a 1996 liberalisation of these services has already led to deteriorating social protection for workers and only saves money for airlines. The Commission had wanted to go further than the 1996 law by requiring airports to open the market to more companies not affiliated with the airport or the national carrier.

Green Austrian MEP Eva Lichtenberger said after the vote, “The proposals to further liberalise the sector failed to address concerns with social and employment standards for workers in airports.”

But the Association of European Airlines decried the vote. “As a result of the European Parliament’s decision, the ground-handling market will remain limited to only two suppliers at some of the largest European airports, thereby protecting existing monopolies and depriving both passengers and airlines of more efficient and competitive ground-handling services,” the association said in a statement.

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MEPs also rejected the Commission’s plan to end monopolies over airport slots by big airlines, opting instead to align themselves with an alternative proposal agreed by member states last week.

Under the Commission’s proposal to update 1993 rules on airport slot allocation, a slot would be taken away from an airline if it is used less than 85% of the time. The current threshold is 80%. The committee voted to keep the existing threshold, as did member states. But this could still be reversed in a plenary vote by the full parliament.

The Commission’s plan to increase its own control over airport noise restrictions, the third piece of the airports package it proposed in December, survived the committee with some small changes. “Despite some cosmetic changes, the proposed rules on airport noise still foresee a role for the EU Commission in decision-making on flight plans, allowing the Commission to intervene to oppose operating restrictions at airports,” said Lichtenberger.

“For example, airports that want to introduce night-time flight bans, which are clearly in the interests of local citizens, could be challenged by the Commission,” she added.

There are three new confirmed cases of coronavirus at the Serie A side, two of which are players

Fiorentina players Patrick Cutrone and German Pezzella are among three new confirmed cases of coronavirus at the club.

Physio Stefano Dainelli has also tested positive for COVID-19, the Serie A side announced on Saturday.

All three “are in good health at their homes in Florence”, Fiorentina said via their official Twitter account.

On Friday, striker Dusan Vlahovic became the Viola’s first confirmed case, although the club said he was at home and did not have any symptoms.

“The club is in the process of undertaking all the necessary isolation procedures in accordance with the regulations, starting with identifying all the people who have had contact with the player,” Fiorentina said.

Juventus defender Daniele Rugani was the first Serie A player to test positive for the virus, which has spread alarmingly quickly in the country.

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Sampdoria striker Manolo Gabbiadini was the second confirmed case in Serie A and the club announced a further five positive tests on Friday.

First-team players Omar Colley, Albin Ekdal, Antonino La Gumina and Morten Thorsby, as well as club doctor Amedeo Baldari, have all contracted the virus.

As of March 14, Italy has seen 17,660 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 1,266 deaths.

The Italian government has suspended all sport until April 3 due to the outbreak and placed the country in lockdown, with all shops except food stores and pharmacies closing.

On Friday, the Premier League, Ligue 1 and Bundesliga followed suit, postponing all matches until the start of April, while La Liga did so earlier in the week.

Fiorentina currently lie 13th is Serie A on 30 points, five clear of the relegation zone. They were undefeated in three games before the suspension of activities. 

Given the uncertainty of events, there is no indication how or when the season may be completed, with UEFA having postponed next week’s Champions League and Europa League fixtures.

Football is not the only sport to have been locked down by the pandemic, with the Six Nations rugby, which was due to be concluded this weekend, and the Masters golf, which was slated for later in the month, among the major events to have been postponed or cancelled.

 

The Manchester United midfielder took to Instagram to offer advice to the general public as the virus situation continues to escalate

Paul Pogba has urged his Instagram followers to “dab to beat coronavirus” has he issued an update on social media amid the global Covid-19 crisis.

The Manchester United midfielder posted an image to his social media account on Friday that urged people to use the dab celebration that had become synonymous with the France World Cup winner.

The text accompanying the picture read: “We must all be ready for coronavirus. Dab when you cough, dab when you sneeze, dab to beat coronavirus. Follow @WHO advice to Be Ready for #COVID19.”

The coronavirus outbreak has become a global crisis, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) having declared that Europe is the “epicentre” of the pandemic, with more than 132,500 people having been diagnosed worldwide as of Friday evening.

Sport has inevitably been hugely affected by the Covid-19 outbreak, with the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and many other top-flight leagues across Europe and globally having been postponed.

Indeed, the Premier League announced that they hope to resume with the competition on April 4, although there is no guarantee they will be able to stick to that schedule given the precarious nature of the situation.

Teams in England’s top-flight are still due to play nine – 10 for Manchester City, Arsenal, Sheffield United and Aston Villa – matches in the 2019-20 campaign and it’s unclear how the Football Association would proceed should there be further delays or even the season being cancelled.

Pogba, meanwhile, had been expected to return to first-team action for United, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirming that the Frenchman trained with the Red Devils this week.

The former Juventus star, who has been linked with a return to the Serie A champions, has missed the majority of the season due to various ankle issues, making just eight appearances in all competitions thus far this season.

Despite the speculation over his long-term future at Old Trafford, Solskjaer has insisted that the expectation is that the 26-year-old will still be a United player next season.

Should the Premier League get back underway in three weeks’ time, United would be due to face Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium on April 4 and potentially with Pogba back in the squad.

The Atletico Madrid boss has instructed fans to stay at home as much as possible during the recent outbreak

Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone called for people to stay home in Spain to prevent the spread of coronavirus and protect “all of those around us”.

La Liga and Segunda games have been postponed for at least the next two matchdays in efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19, which continues to disrupt sport across the globe.

Simeone used social media to spread awareness about coronavirus.

“I wanted to send you a message of awareness,” Simeone said in a video message posted to Twitter.

“From my home, I invite you all to follow the path set by the experts, taking care of ourselves and all of those around us. Let’s stay home.”

There have been more than 5,000 cases of coronavirus in Spain, with over 100 deaths.

Globally, over 5,400 people have died from the virus following more than 145,000 cases.

Prior to La Liga being suspended, Atletico were enduring a frustrating season. Although they had lost only four matches, 12 draws ensured they were placed no higher than sixth, a point behind fourth-placed Real Sociedad, with Barcelona two points clear atop the table, 13 distant from the capital side.

Their fortunes in Europe, however, had been better.

On Wednesday, they dramatically qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League by twice coming from behind to defeat Liverpool 3-2 at Anfield after extra-time, with Marcos Llorente the hero as he netted twice.

When or even if that competition concludes, however, is unclear as UEFA has acted to postpone the second legs of next week’s last-16 matches amid the global health scare.

Europa League fixtures have also been disrupted, with the last-16 first legs between Sevilla and Roma, and Inter and Getafe postponed. Meanwhile, the second legs of the other ties, which were due to take place next Thursday, have also been put on hold.

All of Europe’s major leagues have been suspended because of the outbreak of the latest coronavirus, while football has not been the only sport touched.

Major events all around the world, including the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Australia and the Masters golf in the USA have been postponed or cancelled in a bid to slow the virus’ spread.

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The governing body have enabled teams to stop their employees from going to play for their countries in an attempt to combat COVID-19

FIFA have issued a statement granting clubs the option to prevent their players from joining up with their national teams and have recommended that all international matches be postponed until further notice due to coronavirus.

The outbreak has already seen most top-level club competition suspended, both at domestic league level and at European level.

A round of international fixtures had been scheduled to take place in March and April, including Euro 2020 qualification games, but FIFA have suggested that the games should not go ahead.

“In light of the current situation concerning the Coronavirus, the Bureau of the FIFA Council has decided that the general football rules which normally oblige clubs to release players for national team matches will not apply for the up-coming international windows in March/April,” an official FIFA statement read.

“The situation is rapidly evolving across the world and various international travel restrictions have already been imposed by different public authorities.”

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However, it is not just for health reasons that the governing body are suggesting a postponement, but for sporting reasons as well, with some national teams potentially at a disadvantage if they are unable to call on their best players.

“FIFA understands that to hold the matches under current circumstances might not only present potential health risks to players (and to the general public) but would also, most likely, compromise the sporting integrity of such matches insofar as certain teams may be deprived of their best squads whilst others may not,” the statement continued.

“To avoid any unnecessary health risks and also situations of potential sporting unfairness, we therefore recommend that all international matches previously scheduled to take place in March and April should now be postponed until such time that they can take place in a safe and secure environment, both for players and for the general public. The final decision on this issue rests with the respective competition organisers or relevant member association in case of friendlies.”

FIFA also insist that work regarding potential rescheduling of any postponed games is already underway.

“The qualifying matches for the FIFA World Cup in both Asia and South America have already been postponed following consultation between FIFA and the Confederations concerned,” the statement read.

“In consultation with the confederations and relevant stakeholders, FIFA will be studying the possibilities for re-scheduling any postponed matches and is confident that with goodwill and flexibility from all sides, appropriate solutions will be found to allow the matches to take place in due course and with minimal disruption.

“We are working in close cooperation with relevant national and international public health authorities (most notably the World Health Organisation) and, taking into account the expert advice that we have received on the matter, we consider this measure and recommendation to be the most appropriate and responsible step to take under the current circumstances.”

While there is no guarantee the Reds would be crowned champions were the season called off altogether, the club is taking a safety-first approach

Liverpool have welcomed the decision to postpone the Premier League in an attempt to combat the coronavirus pandemic, despite the uncertainty over what it could mean for their expected title win.

While the disease originated in China, there are now coronavirus hotspots across much of the rest of Asia and Europe.

The global death toll has passed 5,000, while the confirmed number of cases has surpassed 125,000. 

At the last count, 798 people had tested positive for coronavirus in the UK and 10 had died. With Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi among those affected, it was announced on Friday morning that the Premier League, FA, EFL and WSL had collectively agreed to postpone professional football in England in response to the outbreak.

While the Premier League will be on hold until April 4 at the earliest, the number of coronavirus cases in the UK is expected to rise considerably over the next few weeks and further postponements are possible.

Depending on whether games can feasibly be rescheduled, it remains conceivable that the season could be called off altogether.

Though nothing has been decided, there is no guarantee that Liverpool would be awarded the Premier League title by default were the season cut short. Jurgen Klopp’s side are currently top of the table on 82 points and, though their nearest rivals have a game in hand, they are an enormous 25 points clear of second-placed Manchester City.

Nonetheless, Liverpool have backed the decision to postpone the league season and are taking a safety-first approach.

“Liverpool Football Club continues to implement the government’s advice on the coronavirus outbreak and welcomes today’s Premier League statement to postpone all games, including Premier League, FA Cup, academy and Women’s Super League fixtures, in the best interests of players, staff and supporters,” read a statement on the club’s website.

“The club has implemented its own precautions across its sites to minimise the spread of the coronavirus by minimising contact where practicable and reinforcing the official medical advice for everyone to take responsibility for excellent personal hygiene.”

Along with the Premier League, FA Cup, Football League and WSL, all UEFA competitions including the Champions League and Europa League have been postponed.

Though they were knocked out of the Champions League by Atletico Madrid earlier this week, Liverpool’s league fixtures against Everton and Crystal Palace will be affected. Should the Premier League return on April 4, however, the Reds’ next game could be an away trip to face City at the Etihad.