Eurotopics.net

Britain and other EU member states will have the right to deny welfare benefits to EU migrants for up to four years. The British government has responded positively to this and other proposals put forward by EU Council President Donald Tusk. But can they prevent a Brexit?

Portugal's government has adopted its draft budget for 2016 - without waiting for the European Commission's findings. The commissioners deem many of the new socialist minority government's prognoses too optimistic. Will this be the start of another row over the austerity policy?

Valdis Dombrovskis, Vice-President of the EU Commission, has endorsed the proposal put forward by the German Finance Minister Schäuble to finance the reception and integration of refugees with a Europe-wide fuel tax. The Latvian press thinks little of its countryman's behaviour.

Copenhagen has introduced tougher asylum laws. In future the police will be able to confiscate asylum seekers' cash and valuables, there are new restrictions on family reunion and the validity periods for residency permits have been shortened. The move has drawn fierce criticism from abroad - which several Danish commentators reject.