European Union

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Donald Tusk, the European Council president, listens to a question during Thursday's interview

After spending much of the six-month standoff between Greece and its eurozone creditors on the sidelines, Donald Tusk, the former Polish prime minister who is now European Council president, became the central actor in the Greek drama over the weekend when a summit he chaired became the scene of 17-hour marathon talks that finally led to a deal on Monday morning.

In a 90 minute interview with the Financial Times and six European newspapers, Tusk gave a behind-the-scenes account of how the deal was brokered – but he also gave voice to fears that the standoff has given new energy to radical political forces in Europe that has made 2015 resemble 1968. Our full write-up of the interview, focusing on his concerns about renewed radicalisation can be read here.

But as is our practice at the Brussels Blog, we’re providing a transcript of the interview below. It is slightly edited to eliminate occasionally long-winded questions and topics not directly related to the Greek crisis.

The interview started with a question on Germany and whether Tusk agreed with some commentators that Berlin’s standing in Europe has been hurt by perceptions Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, bullied Greece and its leader, Alexis Tsipras, into a deal on her terms.

I think the position in Germany today, after this negotiation, is maybe not weaker, but for sure not more powerful. It was one of my main aims in these negotiations, to avoid this risk that someone is a loser and someone is a winner, especially because as you noticed, for sure, the discussion during this economic negotiation was also about things like dignity, humiliation, trust. From history, we know very well that we can’t ignore such values, or such feelings or emotions like dignity, humiliation and trust, especially when we go back to German history. The discussion about dignity and humiliation could recall the most dangerous time in Europe, and this is why I think it’s very important to avoid this dimension in discussions and in negotiation because for sure what we needed was to have no losers and no winners in this context.

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BiH is a potential candidate country for EU accession following the Thessaloniki European Council, June 2003. On 16 June 2008, the Parties signed the Stabilization and Association Agreement.

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A draft EU law that would enable any member state to restrict or prohibit the use of EU-approved GMO food or feed on its territory was strongly opposed by MEPs from all political groups in a debate on Wednesday. Members were concerned that the draft did not include an impact assessment, that member state measures might not be compatible with single market or WTO rules and that the proposal might prove unworkable.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Huawei Technologies
Competition
The bringing of an action for a prohibitory injunction against an alleged infringer by the proprietor of a standard-essential patent which holds a dominant position may constitute an abuse of that dominant position in certain circumstances

A
Area of Freedom, Security and Justice
The court called upon to decide on parental responsibility also has jurisdiction to rule on the maintenance allowance payable by one of the parents in favour of his or her minor children

Commission v Italy
Environment and consumers
As a result of its incorrect application of the Waste Directive in the region of Campania, Italy is ordered to pay a lump sum of €20 million and a daily late-payment penalty of €120 000

CHEZ Razpredelenie Bulgaria
Principles of Community law
The installation of electricity meters at an inaccessible height in a district densely populated by Roma is liable to constitute discrimination on the grounds of ethnic origin when such meters are installed in other districts at a normal height

Singh and Others
Citizenship of the Union
A national of a third country who is married to an EU citizen residing in a Member State other than the citizen’s own State can no longer enjoy a right of residence in that State where the EU citizen leaves that State before the commencement of divorce proceedings

Lanigan
Justice and Home Affairs
The expiry of the timelimits to take a decision on the execution of a European arrest warrant does not free the competent court of its obligation to adopt a decision in that regard and does not preclude, in itself, the continued holding of the requested person in custody

Chmielewski
Free movement of capital
By imposing a fine, the amount of which corresponds to 60% of the amount of cash which is undeclared when crossing an external border of the EU, Hungarian law infringes EU law

Maïstrellis
SOPO
By prohibiting a male civil servant whose wife does not work from taking parental leave, Greek legislation is incompatible with EU law

The rescue package for Greece agreed at the 12-13 July Eurozone Summit on Greece was debated in the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee on Thursday. Members gave their views on the deal struck by Greece and its creditors, the functioning of the Eurozone, the role played by the European Parliament and on Parliament’s future involvement in monitoring the implementation of the agreement.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

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The Informal meeting of Ministers of Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities takes place on 16 and 17 July in Luxembourg.

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A binding emergency mechanism to relocate an initial total of 40,000 asylum seekers from Italy and Greece to other EU member states was backed by civil liberties MEPs on Thursday. An upcoming permanent scheme, on which Parliament will decide jointly with the Council, must be based "on a more substantial contribution to solidarity and responsibility-sharing among member states", MEPs say.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

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Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.
Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP