Thousands of Romanians protested across the country on Sunday after the government passed an emergency decree that critics said chipped away at prosecutors' independence in one of the European Union's most corrupt states.

The decree, approved without public debate, is the latest in a slew of legislative and personnel changes by the ruling Social Democrats since they took power more than two years ago that have raised concerns over rule of law.

The European Commission, US State Department and thousands of magistrates have warned the changes to threaten judicial independence.

In an unprecedented protest, prosecutors have said they will only work on emergency cases from Monday for three to seven days. Many judges will follow suit.

Magistrates declined an invitation to meet Prime Minister Viorica Dancila on Monday to discuss the decree.

"The independence of the judiciary is non-negotiable," a statement signed by magistrates' associations said.

"Any dialogue regarding the approval of the ... decree should have been initiated before it was approved, not after. The only solution left now is to revoke the decree in its entirety."

In the capital Bucharest, an estimated 7,000 people protested outside government headquarters, blocking traffic and chanting "Justice, not corruption," "Magistrates, don't give up," and "Shame!" Thousands more rallied in cities across the country.

The decree changes the way chief prosecutors are appointed and removes most oversight of a prosecuting unit that investigates magistrates, something critics say was created to intimidate.

Thousands of Romanians protested across the country on Sunday after the government passed an emergency decree that critics said chipped away at prosecutors' independence in one of the European Union's most corrupt states.

Thousands of Romanians protested across the country on Sunday after the government passed an emergency decree that critics said chipped away at prosecutors' independence in one of the European Union's most corrupt states. The decree, approved without public debate, is the latest in a slew of legislative and personnel changes by the ruling Social Democrats since they took power more than two years ago that have raised concerns over rule of law. The European Commission, US State Department and thousands of magistrates have warned the changes to threaten judicial independence. In an unprecedented protest, prosecutors have said they will only work on emergency cases from Monday for three to seven days. Many judges will follow suit. Magistrates declined an invitation to meet Prime Minister Viorica Dancila on Monday to discuss the decree. "The independence of the judiciary is non-negotiable," a statement signed by magistrates' associations said. "Any dialogue regarding the approval of the ... decree should have been initiated before it was approved, not after. The only solution left now is to revoke the decree in its entirety." In the capital Bucharest, an estimated 7,000 people protested outside government headquarters, blocking traffic and chanting "Justice, not corruption," "Magistrates, don't give up," and "Shame!" Thousands more rallied in cities across the country. The decree changes the way chief prosecutors are appointed and removes most oversight of a prosecuting unit that investigates magistrates, something critics say was created to intimidate.

Thousands of Romanians protest against judicial changes

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/maduro-making-terrible-mistake-by-not-allowing-aid-to-enter-venezuela-trump-197250">Maduro making </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/maduro-making-terrible-mistake-by-not-allowing-aid-to-enter-venezuela-trump-197250">terrible</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/maduro-making-terrible-mistake-by-not-allowing-aid-to-enter-venezuela-trump-197250"> mistake by not allowing aid to enter Venezuela: Trump</a>

The US aid, sitting on the Colombian side of the border with Venezuela, has become the latest flashpoint in the US-led push to topple Maduro.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-sweden-sign-agreement-for-greater-cooperation-on-technology-manufacturing-197256">India, Sweden sign key pacts on technology, manufacturing</a>

The pact will provide a facilitating framework for greater cooperation on the high end and cutting edge technology and manufacturing.

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'Gully Boy' is the story of an honest, diligent Murad who may share a cube-like home with his large family in Dharavi but who also harbours dreams of becoming the next big thing in hip-hop.&nbsp;

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The European Commission had added Saudi Arabia, Panama, Nigeria and other jurisdictions to a blacklist of nations seen as posing a threat because of lax controls on terrorism financing and money laundering.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-real-madrid-edge-out-ajax-as-asensio-scores-late-winner-197252">Champions League: Real Madrid edge out Ajax as Asensio scores late winner</a>

Karim Benzema swept holders Real into the lead in the second half, before Hakim Ziyech scored a deserved equaliser for an energetic Ajax.

Maduro making terrible mistake by not allowing aid to enter Venezuela: Trump The US aid, sitting on the Colombian side of the border with Venezuela, has become the latest flashpoint in the US-led push to topple Maduro.

Maduro making terrible mistake by not allowing aid to enter Venezuela: Trump The US aid, sitting on the Colombian side of the border with Venezuela, has become the latest flashpoint in the US-led push to topple Maduro. India, Sweden sign key pacts on technology, manufacturing The pact will provide a facilitating framework for greater cooperation on the high end and cutting edge technology and manufacturing. 'Gully Boy' quick review: You don't have to be a fan of hip-hop to like this film 'Gully Boy' is the story of an honest, diligent Murad who may share a cube-like home with his large family in Dharavi but who also harbours dreams of becoming the next big thing in hip-hop. Pak, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka in European Commission blacklist for terror financing, money laundering The European Commission had added Saudi Arabia, Panama, Nigeria and other jurisdictions to a blacklist of nations seen as posing a threat because of lax controls on terrorism financing and money laundering. Champions League: Real Madrid edge out Ajax as Asensio scores late winner Karim Benzema swept holders Real into the lead in the second half, before Hakim Ziyech scored a deserved equaliser for an energetic Ajax.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Britain's <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/government-wants-to-urgently-work-with-eu-may-on-brexit-plan-195694">Prime Minister Theresa May</a> returned to Brussels on Thursday for a showdown with EU leaders as she bids to avoid a calamitous no-deal Brexit in 50 days' time.

The stony-faced premier shook hands stiffly with Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, but refused to respond to questions as they entered EU headquarters.

May is to demand that Brussels agree on the need to change the so-called "backstop" for the Irish border in the withdrawal agreement so that Britain cannot be "trapped" in the bloc against its will.

Expectations for the visit were already modest when, on Wednesday, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/european-union-now-sees-brexit-unstoppable-aims-to-avert-fiasco-195657">EU kingpins Donald Tusk and Juncker torched May's prospects of winning changes to the withdrawal agreement</a>.

Juncker, the president of the European Commission, told reporters that May already knows and accepts that the Union will not reopen talks on the deal.

And Tusk, who represents EU member governments as head of the European Council, triggered outrage across the Channel by damning pro-Brexit politicians for — in his view — recklessly failing to plan.&nbsp;

"I've been wondering what that special place in hell looks like, for those who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely," Tusk said.

Juncker later repeated the same warning that the withdrawal agreement, and the backstop clause designed to keep the Irish border open if no future trade deal is agreed, will not be changed.&nbsp;

"She knows that the commission is not prepared to reopen the issue," Juncker said, after talks with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, who also insisted on the need for the backstop.

'Don't gamble with peace'&nbsp;

But even this latest demonstration of EU unity did not deter Downing Street, which insisted May's top priority on the trip was to "find a way to guarantee we cannot, and will not, be trapped in the backstop".

Number 10 said that because the British parliament rejected the deal, May must seek material changes to the accord or see it fail.

When she meets Juncker, and later Tusk, the beleaguered British leader will admit that "securing such changes will not be easy", according to talking points released by Number 10.

But she will add: "Last week, Parliament made clear that for the first time it could support the withdrawal agreement, subject to changes to the backstop.&nbsp;

"The government now wants urgently to work with the EU to secure such changes. The EU shares the UK's commitment to leave with a deal. We must show determination and do what it takes to now get the deal over the line."

The impasse in Brussels has deepened fears that Britain could crash out of the EU without a deal on March 29, disrupting trade and supplies to manufacturing.

May has exasperated EU leaders by repeatedly coming to Brussels without detailed proposals to solve the Brexit deadlock, and Tusk warned her he expected her to bring "a realistic suggestion on how to end the impasse".

Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the main opposition Labour party, wrote to May on Thursday setting out his five conditions for backing her on Brexit — including the UK staying in the EU's customs union.

While his demands will not be palatable to many in May's Conservative party — not least because of the deeply entrenched tribalism of British politics — it suggests there may be room for manoeuvre, if not yet a clear path to a cross-party deal.

After seeing Tusk and Juncker on Thursday, May will have dinner with Varadkar in Dublin on Friday.

Painstaking talks&nbsp;

Varadkar, whose government has stressed the importance of maintaining an open border between Ireland and Northern Ireland after Brexit, said recent "instability in British politics" showed why a backstop was essential.

On Wednesday, May discussed the issue with Northern Irish leaders in the British province.

Last month, the House of Commons overwhelmingly rejected the Brexit deal that May had negotiated with the EU after 18 months of painstaking diplomacy.

May is now looking into changes to satisfy her MPs, who fear the backstop would keep Britain indefinitely tied to EU rules with even closer alignment for Northern Ireland.

May's spokesman stressed that she was not coming to Brussels to ask for more time and remained determined to deliver a Brexit deal before the March 29 deadline.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May returned to Brussels on Thursday for a showdown with EU leaders as she bids to avoid a calamitous no-deal Brexit in 50 days' time.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May returned to Brussels on Thursday for a showdown with EU leaders as she bids to avoid a calamitous no-deal Brexit in 50 days' time. The stony-faced premier shook hands stiffly with Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, but refused to respond to questions as they entered EU headquarters. May is to demand that Brussels agree on the need to change the so-called "backstop" for the Irish border in the withdrawal agreement so that Britain cannot be "trapped" in the bloc against its will. Expectations for the visit were already modest when, on Wednesday, EU kingpins Donald Tusk and Juncker torched May's prospects of winning changes to the withdrawal agreement. Juncker, the president of the European Commission, told reporters that May already knows and accepts that the Union will not reopen talks on the deal. And Tusk, who represents EU member governments as head of the European Council, triggered outrage across the Channel by damning pro-Brexit politicians for — in his view — recklessly failing to plan. "I've been wondering what that special place in hell looks like, for those who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely," Tusk said. Juncker later repeated the same warning that the withdrawal agreement, and the backstop clause designed to keep the Irish border open if no future trade deal is agreed, will not be changed. "She knows that the commission is not prepared to reopen the issue," Juncker said, after talks with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, who also insisted on the need for the backstop. 'Don't gamble with peace' But even this latest demonstration of EU unity did not deter Downing Street, which insisted May's top priority on the trip was to "find a way to guarantee we cannot, and will not, be trapped in the backstop". Number 10 said that because the British parliament rejected the deal, May must seek material changes to the accord or see it fail. When she meets Juncker, and later Tusk, the beleaguered British leader will admit that "securing such changes will not be easy", according to talking points released by Number 10. But she will add: "Last week, Parliament made clear that for the first time it could support the withdrawal agreement, subject to changes to the backstop. "The government now wants urgently to work with the EU to secure such changes. The EU shares the UK's commitment to leave with a deal. We must show determination and do what it takes to now get the deal over the line." The impasse in Brussels has deepened fears that Britain could crash out of the EU without a deal on March 29, disrupting trade and supplies to manufacturing. May has exasperated EU leaders by repeatedly coming to Brussels without detailed proposals to solve the Brexit deadlock, and Tusk warned her he expected her to bring "a realistic suggestion on how to end the impasse". Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the main opposition Labour party, wrote to May on Thursday setting out his five conditions for backing her on Brexit — including the UK staying in the EU's customs union. While his demands will not be palatable to many in May's Conservative party — not least because of the deeply entrenched tribalism of British politics — it suggests there may be room for manoeuvre, if not yet a clear path to a cross-party deal. After seeing Tusk and Juncker on Thursday, May will have dinner with Varadkar in Dublin on Friday. Painstaking talks Varadkar, whose government has stressed the importance of maintaining an open border between Ireland and Northern Ireland after Brexit, said recent "instability in British politics" showed why a backstop was essential. On Wednesday, May discussed the issue with Northern Irish leaders in the British province. Last month, the House of Commons overwhelmingly rejected the Brexit deal that May had negotiated with the EU after 18 months of painstaking diplomacy. May is now looking into changes to satisfy her MPs, who fear the backstop would keep Britain indefinitely tied to EU rules with even closer alignment for Northern Ireland. May's spokesman stressed that she was not coming to Brussels to ask for more time and remained determined to deliver a Brexit deal before the March 29 deadline.

Theresa May returns to Brussels trying desperately to avoid no-deal Brexit

Google, Facebook, Twitter and Mozilla must do more to combat fake news as Europeans head towards an election or the companies will face the threat of regulatory action, the European Commission said on Tuesday.

Companies and trade bodies representing the advertising industry signed up to a voluntary code of conduct in October to ward off more heavy-handed legislation. Critics say not enough has been done since they signed up.

The European Union's executive said signatories to the code of practice had taken steps to remove fake accounts and limit sites promoting fake news but said more was needed.

"Now they should make sure these tools are available to everyone across the EU, monitor their efficiency, and continuously adapt to new means used by those spreading disinformation. There is no time to waste," EU Commissioner for the Digital Single Market Andrus Ansip said.

European Parliament will hold elections in May while Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Poland, Portugal and Ukraine all go to the polls in coming months.

Russia has faced allegations - which it denies - of spreading false information to influence the US&nbsp;presidential election and Britain's referendum on European Union membership in 2016, as well as Germany's national election in 2017.

The Commission called on Facebook to provide more clarity on how it uses its tools to fight fake news and told Google to expand its actions to more EU countries.

It said Twitter should provide more details on its measures while it said Mozilla's online browser should have more information on how it would limit details about users' browsing activities.

The Commission also lamented the absence of advertisers signing up to the pact.

Google said it had announced several measures such as disclosing whether political organisations or political issue advocacy groups were paying for European parliamentary election advertisements, and setting up a library with these details.

Google's Project Shield would help protect campaign groups and journalists from cyber-attacks, it said.

Facebook said: "The battle against false news is an ongoing one, and we need to work together with others in the technology industry, public authorities and governments to make continued progress."

Twitter said in a statement it had made several changes "including enhanced safety policies, better tools and resources for detecting and stopping malicious activity, tighter advertising standards, and increased transparency to promote better public understanding of all of these areas."

Mozilla had no immediate comment.

Google, Facebook, Twitter and Mozilla must do more to combat fake news as Europeans head towards an election or the companies will face the threat of regulatory action, the European Commission said on Tuesday.

Google, Facebook, Twitter and Mozilla must do more to combat fake news as Europeans head towards an election or the companies will face the threat of regulatory action, the European Commission said on Tuesday. Companies and trade bodies representing the advertising industry signed up to a voluntary code of conduct in October to ward off more heavy-handed legislation. Critics say not enough has been done since they signed up. The European Union's executive said signatories to the code of practice had taken steps to remove fake accounts and limit sites promoting fake news but said more was needed. "Now they should make sure these tools are available to everyone across the EU, monitor their efficiency, and continuously adapt to new means used by those spreading disinformation. There is no time to waste," EU Commissioner for the Digital Single Market Andrus Ansip said. European Parliament will hold elections in May while Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Poland, Portugal and Ukraine all go to the polls in coming months. Russia has faced allegations - which it denies - of spreading false information to influence the US presidential election and Britain's referendum on European Union membership in 2016, as well as Germany's national election in 2017. The Commission called on Facebook to provide more clarity on how it uses its tools to fight fake news and told Google to expand its actions to more EU countries. It said Twitter should provide more details on its measures while it said Mozilla's online browser should have more information on how it would limit details about users' browsing activities. The Commission also lamented the absence of advertisers signing up to the pact. Google said it had announced several measures such as disclosing whether political organisations or political issue advocacy groups were paying for European parliamentary election advertisements, and setting up a library with these details. Google's Project Shield would help protect campaign groups and journalists from cyber-attacks, it said. Facebook said: "The battle against false news is an ongoing one, and we need to work together with others in the technology industry, public authorities and governments to make continued progress." Twitter said in a statement it had made several changes "including enhanced safety policies, better tools and resources for detecting and stopping malicious activity, tighter advertising standards, and increased transparency to promote better public understanding of all of these areas." Mozilla had no immediate comment.

Google, Facebook, Twitter must do more against fake news: EU

Bulgarian police have detained a suspect in connection with the murder of TV journalist Viktoria Marinova, whose body was found in a park in her Danube hometown of Ruse, a government source familiar with the investigation said on Tuesday.

"We can say there is a suspect detained," the source told Reuters without elaborating.

An interior ministry spokeswoman declined to comment. The prosecutor's office said three additional prosecutors were being sent to Ruse to back up the investigation.

Prosecutors have said the 30-year-old journalist, who was a presenter and anchor on a local television station, had been raped, beaten and suffocated. Marinova's body was found in a park near the river in her hometown, Ruse, on Saturday.

On her last aired TV show, on September 30, Marinova introduced two journalists who were investigating alleged corruption involving EU funds. She said her regional current affairs show, "Detector", would carry out similar investigations.

While authorities have not established any link to her work so far, her murder has angered and upset many in a country where people are frustrated with rampant corruption and an inefficient and graft-prone judiciary, for which Sofia has been repeatedly criticised by the European Commission.

Early on Tuesday, civilian volunteers combed bushes and ground along the Danube river in Ruse where Marinova's body was found in an effort to find clues that could help police.

Local people observed a vigil overnight and lay flowers and lit candles in front of her image. Many were stopping to put flowers to commemorate Marinova, who left a seven-year-old daughter, on Tuesday.

"This is extremely frustrating. We do not feel safe at all or calm when such things happen. I did not know her personally, but as a mother, I can only feel for her," said 28-year-old Denitsa Peicheva.

The European Commission urged Bulgaria on Monday to conduct a rapid investigation into the killing.

Bulgarian police have detained a suspect in connection with the murder of TV journalist Viktoria Marinova, whose body was found in a park in her Danube hometown of Ruse, a government source familiar with the investigation said on Tuesday.

Bulgarian police have detained a suspect in connection with the murder of TV journalist Viktoria Marinova, whose body was found in a park in her Danube hometown of Ruse, a government source familiar with the investigation said on Tuesday. "We can say there is a suspect detained," the source told Reuters without elaborating. An interior ministry spokeswoman declined to comment. The prosecutor's office said three additional prosecutors were being sent to Ruse to back up the investigation. Prosecutors have said the 30-year-old journalist, who was a presenter and anchor on a local television station, had been raped, beaten and suffocated. Marinova's body was found in a park near the river in her hometown, Ruse, on Saturday. On her last aired TV show, on September 30, Marinova introduced two journalists who were investigating alleged corruption involving EU funds. She said her regional current affairs show, "Detector", would carry out similar investigations. While authorities have not established any link to her work so far, her murder has angered and upset many in a country where people are frustrated with rampant corruption and an inefficient and graft-prone judiciary, for which Sofia has been repeatedly criticised by the European Commission. Early on Tuesday, civilian volunteers combed bushes and ground along the Danube river in Ruse where Marinova's body was found in an effort to find clues that could help police. Local people observed a vigil overnight and lay flowers and lit candles in front of her image. Many were stopping to put flowers to commemorate Marinova, who left a seven-year-old daughter, on Tuesday. "This is extremely frustrating. We do not feel safe at all or calm when such things happen. I did not know her personally, but as a mother, I can only feel for her," said 28-year-old Denitsa Peicheva. The European Commission urged Bulgaria on Monday to conduct a rapid investigation into the killing.

Bulgaria detains suspect over murder of journalist: Source

The European Commission on Wednesday announced plans to increase their post-Brexit budget to 1.279-trillion-euro that will trigger battles among member states over how to fill the funding gap left by Britain’s exit next year.

Bureaucrats have published the first draft Multiannual Financial Framework, which will run from 2021 to 2027 - the first directly affected by Brexit - and it is thought the loss of the UK’s contribution will have a major impact on the scope of the EU’s spending power from 2021.

During the 2021-27 period it would trim the biggest single item, farm subsidies, by 5 per cent and wants a new plastics tax. It would spend more on research and technology, foreign aid, euro zone stability, compensation for job losses from open trade and on joint defense and frontier guards.

It also introduces a new mechanism to penalize countries — notably in the ex-communist east — where governments breach EU rules on ensuring judicial freedom and the rule of law. These could find some of their important EU funding being withheld.

“With today’s proposal we have put forward a pragmatic plan for how to do more with less,” said European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

“A budget for a Europe that protects, empowers and defends,” declared the Commission, urging the remaining 27 member states to make up the shortfall of at least 10 billion euros ($12 billion) a year to be caused by Brexit after 2020.

That language reflects a campaign from Brussels to persuade voters the bloc remains relevant after a decade of crisis that has seen ferocious austerity in countries hit by the euro zone debt crisis and uproar over the arrival of more than a million irregular migrants across the Mediterranean in 2015 alone.

“A Europe that protects,” has also become a familiar demand from French President Emmanuel Macron, as he tries to work with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to tighten integration after the ever-skeptical British have left, while easing fears among voters that the EU means open borders and jobs exported abroad.

The German government reacted cautiously but the priorities it set out echoed many of those from the EU executive — tougher border control, more EU defense cooperation, tech innovation and a stronger defense of democratic values in Europe.

While, the EU’s largest budget contributor, Germany, has said it stands ready to pump in more cash to the Brussels machine, the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria and Sweden have raised concerns over stumping up any more cash to prop up the bloc in the wake of the UK’s departure.

For the first time, the Commission will create a “rule of law” mechanism that ties budget payments to a country’s respect for EU values. Brussels insists the rules will not be used to target the likes of Hungary and Poland with whom it has tussled over independent judiciaries.

It repeated its readiness, like France, to pick up a bigger bill if the budget strengthens the Union: “But that,” it added, “includes fair burden-sharing among all member states.”

The proposed budget of 1.28 trillion euros in inflation-adjusted future prices — or 1.14 trillion euros at 2018 prices — would be greater in real terms than the 1.09 trillion euros in the 2014-20 Multiannual Financial Framework.

It will be around 1.11 percent of the bloc’s economic output, the Commission said, up from the current 1.03 per cent. 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from Reuters)

The proposed budget of 1.28 trillion euros in inflation-adjusted future prices — or 1.14 trillion euros at 2018 prices — would be greater in real terms than the 1.09 trillion euros in the 2014-20 Multiannual Financial Framework

The European Commission on Wednesday announced plans to increase their post-Brexit budget to 1.279-trillion-euro that will trigger battles among member states over how to fill the funding gap left by Britain’s exit next year. Bureaucrats have published the first draft Multiannual Financial Framework, which will run from 2021 to 2027 - the first directly affected by Brexit - and it is thought the loss of the UK’s contribution will have a major impact on the scope of the EU’s spending power from 2021. During the 2021-27 period it would trim the biggest single item, farm subsidies, by 5 per cent and wants a new plastics tax. It would spend more on research and technology, foreign aid, euro zone stability, compensation for job losses from open trade and on joint defense and frontier guards. It also introduces a new mechanism to penalize countries — notably in the ex-communist east — where governments breach EU rules on ensuring judicial freedom and the rule of law. These could find some of their important EU funding being withheld. “With today’s proposal we have put forward a pragmatic plan for how to do more with less,” said European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. “A budget for a Europe that protects, empowers and defends,” declared the Commission, urging the remaining 27 member states to make up the shortfall of at least 10 billion euros ($12 billion) a year to be caused by Brexit after 2020. That language reflects a campaign from Brussels to persuade voters the bloc remains relevant after a decade of crisis that has seen ferocious austerity in countries hit by the euro zone debt crisis and uproar over the arrival of more than a million irregular migrants across the Mediterranean in 2015 alone. “A Europe that protects,” has also become a familiar demand from French President Emmanuel Macron, as he tries to work with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to tighten integration after the ever-skeptical British have left, while easing fears among voters that the EU means open borders and jobs exported abroad. The German government reacted cautiously but the priorities it set out echoed many of those from the EU executive — tougher border control, more EU defense cooperation, tech innovation and a stronger defense of democratic values in Europe. While, the EU’s largest budget contributor, Germany, has said it stands ready to pump in more cash to the Brussels machine, the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria and Sweden have raised concerns over stumping up any more cash to prop up the bloc in the wake of the UK’s departure. For the first time, the Commission will create a “rule of law” mechanism that ties budget payments to a country’s respect for EU values. Brussels insists the rules will not be used to target the likes of Hungary and Poland with whom it has tussled over independent judiciaries. It repeated its readiness, like France, to pick up a bigger bill if the budget strengthens the Union: “But that,” it added, “includes fair burden-sharing among all member states.” The proposed budget of 1.28 trillion euros in inflation-adjusted future prices — or 1.14 trillion euros at 2018 prices — would be greater in real terms than the 1.09 trillion euros in the 2014-20 Multiannual Financial Framework. It will be around 1.11 percent of the bloc’s economic output, the Commission said, up from the current 1.03 per cent. (With inputs from Reuters)

EU announces plans to boost post-Brexit budget to Euro 1.25 trillion

Romania's President Klaus Iohannis rejected on Monday a request by the justice minister to sack the head of the country's anti-corruption agency, the latest twist in a row over graft that has spurred large-scale street protests over the past two years.

The anti-corruption prosecution agency, the DNA, has earned the praise of the European Commission for its efforts under Laura Codruta Kovesi to tackle high-level sleaze in Romania.

But Justice Minister Tudorel Toader has accused Kovesi of exceeding her authority and damaging Romania's image abroad. He launched a legal bid in February to have her sacked, in a move that sparked renewed street protests by anti-graft campaigners.

"(The minister's) arguments for a revocation did not convince me," Iohannis, a centrist often at odds with the leftist-led government, told reporters after his advisers had examined Toader`s request.&nbsp

"Most of the reasons do not even meet the legal provisions," said Iohannis, who has often praised the DNA's work.&nbsp

Romania`s judicial watchdog has also spoken out against dismissing Kovesi.

Responding to the president`s announcement, Toader said on his Facebook page that the government would appeal to the Constitutional Court. He did not say when it would act.

DNA sent roughly 1,000 people to trial last year, Kovesi has said, including three ministers, six lawmakers and two deputy ministers. A third of the defendants were accused of committing fraud with European Union funds.

At the same time, DNA prosecutors won 713 convictions, including for four lawmakers, 28 mayors and 30 managers of state institutions and companies. Some trials were years old.

Investigations have shown some public works contracts are overpriced and some payments are made for fictitious works.&nbsp

Transparency International ranks Romania among the EU`s most corrupt states and Brussels keeps its justice system under special monitoring.

Romania's President Klaus Iohannis rejected on Monday a request by the justice minister to sack the head of the country's anti-corruption agency, the latest twist in a row over graft that has spurred large-scale street protests over the past two years

Romania's President Klaus Iohannis rejected on Monday a request by the justice minister to sack the head of the country's anti-corruption agency, the latest twist in a row over graft that has spurred large-scale street protests over the past two years. The anti-corruption prosecution agency, the DNA, has earned the praise of the European Commission for its efforts under Laura Codruta Kovesi to tackle high-level sleaze in Romania. But Justice Minister Tudorel Toader has accused Kovesi of exceeding her authority and damaging Romania's image abroad. He launched a legal bid in February to have her sacked, in a move that sparked renewed street protests by anti-graft campaigners. "(The minister's) arguments for a revocation did not convince me," Iohannis, a centrist often at odds with the leftist-led government, told reporters after his advisers had examined Toader`s request. "Most of the reasons do not even meet the legal provisions," said Iohannis, who has often praised the DNA's work. Romania`s judicial watchdog has also spoken out against dismissing Kovesi. Responding to the president`s announcement, Toader said on his Facebook page that the government would appeal to the Constitutional Court. He did not say when it would act. DNA sent roughly 1,000 people to trial last year, Kovesi has said, including three ministers, six lawmakers and two deputy ministers. A third of the defendants were accused of committing fraud with European Union funds. At the same time, DNA prosecutors won 713 convictions, including for four lawmakers, 28 mayors and 30 managers of state institutions and companies. Some trials were years old. Investigations have shown some public works contracts are overpriced and some payments are made for fictitious works. Transparency International ranks Romania among the EU`s most corrupt states and Brussels keeps its justice system under special monitoring.

Romanian president rejects government call to sack top anti-graft prosecutor

The European Commission said Thursday that US social media giants have made an effort to comply with EU consumer protection rules, but that Facebook and Twitter have not made all the required changes.

&quot;While Google&#39;s latest proposals appear to be in line with the requests made by consumer authorities, Facebook and, more significantly, Twitter, have only partially addressed important issues about their liability and about how users are informed of possible content removal or contract termination,&quot; the Commission, the EU&#39;s executive arm, said in a statement.

The three major internet companies had published on Thursday the changes they are making to comply with the demands of European regulators, which must be implemented in all languages &nbsp;by spring.

Some of those changes include having the right to withdraw from an online purchase; being able to lodge complaints in Europe rather than in California where the companies are based; and the platforms being responsible towards EU consumers in the same way as off-line services.

&quot;I am pleased that the enforcement of EU rules to protect consumers by national authorities is bearing fruit, as some companies are now making their platforms safer for consumers; however, it is unacceptable that this is still not complete and it is taking so much time,&quot; said Vera Jourova, European commissioner for justice, consumers and gender equality.

The European Union&#39;s demands to the US internet giants were made in November 2016 following numerous complaints by consumers in Europe about being hit with fraud and scams when using their websites.

There were also concerns by consumer protection authorities about requesting the removal of illegal content.

The Commission said unlike Google, Facebook and Twitter have not set up deadlines to deal with the requests of national authorities.

Monique Goyens, director general of the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC), said the situation with the social media companies showed that the EU needs to update consumer law to strengthen sanction powers.

&quot;What this shows is that there is a need for real sanction powers when a company does not respect EU law,&quot; she said in a statement.

&quot;The incentive for companies to comply with the law is rather low. These fines should not be symbolic but a real deterrent, going up to a percentage of the company&rsquo;s annual worldwide turnover,&rdquo; she added.

The three major internet companies had published on Thursday the changes they are making to comply with the demands of European regulators, which must be implemented in all languages by spring

The European Commission said Thursday that US social media giants have made an effort to comply with EU consumer protection rules, but that Facebook and Twitter have not made all the required changes. "While Google's latest proposals appear to be in line with the requests made by consumer authorities, Facebook and, more significantly, Twitter, have only partially addressed important issues about their liability and about how users are informed of possible content removal or contract termination," the Commission, the EU's executive arm, said in a statement. The three major internet companies had published on Thursday the changes they are making to comply with the demands of European regulators, which must be implemented in all languages by spring. Some of those changes include having the right to withdraw from an online purchase; being able to lodge complaints in Europe rather than in California where the companies are based; and the platforms being responsible towards EU consumers in the same way as off-line services. "I am pleased that the enforcement of EU rules to protect consumers by national authorities is bearing fruit, as some companies are now making their platforms safer for consumers; however, it is unacceptable that this is still not complete and it is taking so much time," said Vera Jourova, European commissioner for justice, consumers and gender equality. The European Union's demands to the US internet giants were made in November 2016 following numerous complaints by consumers in Europe about being hit with fraud and scams when using their websites. There were also concerns by consumer protection authorities about requesting the removal of illegal content. The Commission said unlike Google, Facebook and Twitter have not set up deadlines to deal with the requests of national authorities. Monique Goyens, director general of the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC), said the situation with the social media companies showed that the EU needs to update consumer law to strengthen sanction powers. "What this shows is that there is a need for real sanction powers when a company does not respect EU law," she said in a statement. "The incentive for companies to comply with the law is rather low. These fines should not be symbolic but a real deterrent, going up to a percentage of the company’s annual worldwide turnover,” she added.

Facebook, Twitter not fully complying with consumer rules: European Commission

The European Commission sounded the alarm on Wednesday over Italy&#39;s high level of public debt, adding to concerns about the eurozone&#39;s third-largest economy.

&quot;In the case of Italy, the persisting high government debt is a reason of concern,&quot; the European Commission said in a statement, adding that Brussels would write to Rome giving it until spring 2018 to bring things back in order.

The European Commission sounded the alarm over Italy's high level of public debt on Wednesday, adding to concerns about the eurozone's third-largest economy

The European Commission sounded the alarm on Wednesday over Italy's high level of public debt, adding to concerns about the eurozone's third-largest economy. "In the case of Italy, the persisting high government debt is a reason of concern," the European Commission said in a statement, adding that Brussels would write to Rome giving it until spring 2018 to bring things back in order.

Italy's high level of debt reason for concern: EU

European union antitrust regulators slammed Google&#39;s Alphabet unit with 2.42-billion-euro ($2.7 billion) fine, on allegations that the world&#39;s most popular internet search engine favours its own shopping services and did not exercise a healthy competition with rivals.

The European Commission said that Google has 90 days to stop its unfair practices or Alphabet shall face a further penalty of up to 5 per cent of it&#39;s average daily global turnover.

After a seven-year long investigation, the Commission found that Google had systematically given prominent placement in searches to its own comparison shopping service -- Google Shopping, and demoted those of rivals in search results.

&quot;What Google has done is illegal under EU antitrust rules. It denied other companies the chance to compete on the merits and to innovate. And most importantly, it denied European consumers a genuine choice of services and the full benefits of innovation,&quot; European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in a statement.

It is the biggest regulatory setback for Google, which settled with US&nbsp;enforcers in 2013 with a requirement to stop &quot;scraping&quot; reviews and other data from rival websites for its own products.

The hard fine, which is the largest for a single company in an EU antitrust case, exceeding the 1.06-billion-euro sanction handed down to US&nbsp;chipmaker Intel in 2009, hints that EU will be just as tough with Google in the two other cases.

The EU competition enforcer has charged Google with using its Android mobile operating system to crush rivals, a case that could potentially be the most damaging for the company, with the system used in most smartphones.

The company has also been accused of blocking rivals in online search advertising, with the Commission warning of deterrent fines if Google is found guilty of breaching EU rules.&nbsp;

Google has released a statement, denying the allegations.

($1 = 0.8890 euros)

(With inputs from Reuters)

The commission found that Google had systematically given prominent placement in searches to its own comparison shopping service

European union antitrust regulators slammed Google's Alphabet unit with 2.42-billion-euro ($2.7 billion) fine, on allegations that the world's most popular internet search engine favours its own shopping services and did not exercise a healthy competition with rivals. The European Commission said that Google has 90 days to stop its unfair practices or Alphabet shall face a further penalty of up to 5 per cent of it's average daily global turnover. After a seven-year long investigation, the Commission found that Google had systematically given prominent placement in searches to its own comparison shopping service -- Google Shopping, and demoted those of rivals in search results. "What Google has done is illegal under EU antitrust rules. It denied other companies the chance to compete on the merits and to innovate. And most importantly, it denied European consumers a genuine choice of services and the full benefits of innovation," European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in a statement. It is the biggest regulatory setback for Google, which settled with US enforcers in 2013 with a requirement to stop "scraping" reviews and other data from rival websites for its own products. The hard fine, which is the largest for a single company in an EU antitrust case, exceeding the 1.06-billion-euro sanction handed down to US chipmaker Intel in 2009, hints that EU will be just as tough with Google in the two other cases. The EU competition enforcer has charged Google with using its Android mobile operating system to crush rivals, a case that could potentially be the most damaging for the company, with the system used in most smartphones. The company has also been accused of blocking rivals in online search advertising, with the Commission warning of deterrent fines if Google is found guilty of breaching EU rules. Google has released a statement, denying the allegations. ($1 = 0.8890 euros) (With inputs from Reuters)

EU slams Google with record 2.42 billion-euro fine for tampering with search results

Ireland accused the European Commission on Monday of exceeding its powers and interfering with the EU member&#39;s national sovereignty over tax affairs in ruling that Apple owes Dublin billions of euros in taxes, saying it had failed to give proper reasons for its decision.&nbsp;

In September the Irish government agreed to join with Apple in appealing against the Commission&#39;s order that the US&nbsp;company must pay Dublin up to 13 billion euros ($14 billion) after ruling the firm had received illegal state aid in avoiding paying such taxes.

On Monday both Ireland and Apple laid out the legal arguments that would form the basis of their appeals.&nbsp;

&quot;The Commission has manifestly breached its duty to provide a clear and unequivocal statement of reasons in its decision, in relying simultaneously on grossly divergent factual scenarios, in contradicting itself as to the source of the rule that Ireland is said to have breached, and in suggesting that Ireland granted aid in relation to profits taxable in other jurisdictions,&quot; the Irish government said in a statement.&nbsp;

Dublin, which is seeking to protect a tax regime that has helped attract multinational companies that employ around 10 per cent of the country&#39;s workforce, listed a number of areas where it believed the commission had misapplied tax rules.

Firstly, it said Apple&#39;s subsidiaries did not receive special treatment in the 1991 and 2007 tax opinions at the centre of the case, and that the company&#39;s treatment did not depart from normal taxation, the statement said.&nbsp;

It then said the commission had overstated the level of profits attributable to Apple subsidiaries Apple Sales International and Apple Operations Europe. &nbsp;It said important decisions within the companies were made in the United States and the profits derived from these decisions were not properly attributable to them.&nbsp;

&quot;The Commission&rsquo;s attribution of Apple&rsquo;s intellectual property licences to the Irish branches of Apple Operations Europe and Apple Sales International is not consistent with Irish law,&quot; it said.

The Irish government said the Commission had incorrectly applied the &quot;arm&#39;s length&quot; principle, according to which individual group members of a multinational enterprise must be taxed on the basis that they act at arm&#39;s length in their dealings with each other.

And it said the Commission &quot;failed to act impartially and in accordance with its duty of care&quot; because it did not &quot;clearly explain&quot; its state aid theory during the investigation.&nbsp;

The European Commission is expected to shortly publish a more detailed version of its ruling against Apple.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Reuters)

Ireland attracts multinational companies on the basis of their unique tax laws, which have significantly lower rates than most countries

Ireland accused the European Commission on Monday of exceeding its powers and interfering with the EU member's national sovereignty over tax affairs in ruling that Apple owes Dublin billions of euros in taxes, saying it had failed to give proper reasons for its decision. In September the Irish government agreed to join with Apple in appealing against the Commission's order that the US company must pay Dublin up to 13 billion euros ($14 billion) after ruling the firm had received illegal state aid in avoiding paying such taxes. On Monday both Ireland and Apple laid out the legal arguments that would form the basis of their appeals. "The Commission has manifestly breached its duty to provide a clear and unequivocal statement of reasons in its decision, in relying simultaneously on grossly divergent factual scenarios, in contradicting itself as to the source of the rule that Ireland is said to have breached, and in suggesting that Ireland granted aid in relation to profits taxable in other jurisdictions," the Irish government said in a statement. Dublin, which is seeking to protect a tax regime that has helped attract multinational companies that employ around 10 per cent of the country's workforce, listed a number of areas where it believed the commission had misapplied tax rules. Firstly, it said Apple's subsidiaries did not receive special treatment in the 1991 and 2007 tax opinions at the centre of the case, and that the company's treatment did not depart from normal taxation, the statement said. It then said the commission had overstated the level of profits attributable to Apple subsidiaries Apple Sales International and Apple Operations Europe. It said important decisions within the companies were made in the United States and the profits derived from these decisions were not properly attributable to them. "The Commission’s attribution of Apple’s intellectual property licences to the Irish branches of Apple Operations Europe and Apple Sales International is not consistent with Irish law," it said. The Irish government said the Commission had incorrectly applied the "arm's length" principle, according to which individual group members of a multinational enterprise must be taxed on the basis that they act at arm's length in their dealings with each other. And it said the Commission "failed to act impartially and in accordance with its duty of care" because it did not "clearly explain" its state aid theory during the investigation. The European Commission is expected to shortly publish a more detailed version of its ruling against Apple. (Reuters)

Ireland fights in court to reject $14 billion in taxes from Apple

New proposals around copyright law to shake up how online news and entertainment is paid for in Europe were unveiled by European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker in Strasbourg today. &nbsp; 
 
The reform plan aims to bring a fair fight to American video-sharing website,YouTube. 
 
&quot;I want journalists, publishers and authors to be paid fairly for their work, whether it is made in studios or living rooms, whether it is disseminated offline or online, whether it is published via a copying machine or commercially hyperlinked on the web,&quot; Juncker said as he gave his annual State of the Union speech.&nbsp; 
 
Pop stars such as Coldplay and Lady Gaga will hail part of the plan. 
 
The overhaul is meant to bring European copyright law up to date with the digital age to make the world&#39;s largest trading bloc more competitive in a tough global field. 
 
One major change would force internet portals such as Google or Reddit to pay newspaper publishers a licence fee when using small extracts or snippets of news content - most notably on Google News or Huffington Post. 
 
&quot;The commission&#39;s plan to create a copyright for news publishers in Europe is a significant and historic step,&quot; said Carlo Perrone, head of the European Newspaper Publishers&#39; Association. 
 
But, not everyone was happy with the reform plans. 
 
Filmmakers and start-up investors see it as a threat to European innovation and a wrong-headed favour to powerful media groups. 
 
Opponents say this idea punishes smaller publishers and is highly ineffective, as proven when both Germany and Spain created similar systems with neither case producing the badly needed life support to starved newspapers. 
 
&quot;How we share and use the news is in danger. (This plan) won&#39;t lead to more income for news sites, let alone journalists,&quot; said MEP Daniel Dalton, a conservative from Britain. 
 
The commission is also asking that video platforms, such as YouTube or even Facebook, use technology that can track violations of copyright and shut them down. 
 
Cracking down on YouTube is a key demand of some of the world&#39;s biggest music artists who said in a letter to Juncker last June that YouTube was stealing value from streaming services, such as Spotify. 
 
The last time the European Union radically overhauled its copyright laws was in 2001, long before Spotify and YouTube existed. 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP)

The change would force internet portals such as Google to pay newspaper publishers a licence fee when using small extracts of news content

New proposals around copyright law to shake up how online news and entertainment is paid for in Europe were unveiled by European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker in Strasbourg today. The reform plan aims to bring a fair fight to American video-sharing website,YouTube. "I want journalists, publishers and authors to be paid fairly for their work, whether it is made in studios or living rooms, whether it is disseminated offline or online, whether it is published via a copying machine or commercially hyperlinked on the web," Juncker said as he gave his annual State of the Union speech. Pop stars such as Coldplay and Lady Gaga will hail part of the plan. The overhaul is meant to bring European copyright law up to date with the digital age to make the world's largest trading bloc more competitive in a tough global field. One major change would force internet portals such as Google or Reddit to pay newspaper publishers a licence fee when using small extracts or snippets of news content - most notably on Google News or Huffington Post. "The commission's plan to create a copyright for news publishers in Europe is a significant and historic step," said Carlo Perrone, head of the European Newspaper Publishers' Association. But, not everyone was happy with the reform plans. Filmmakers and start-up investors see it as a threat to European innovation and a wrong-headed favour to powerful media groups. Opponents say this idea punishes smaller publishers and is highly ineffective, as proven when both Germany and Spain created similar systems with neither case producing the badly needed life support to starved newspapers. "How we share and use the news is in danger. (This plan) won't lead to more income for news sites, let alone journalists," said MEP Daniel Dalton, a conservative from Britain. The commission is also asking that video platforms, such as YouTube or even Facebook, use technology that can track violations of copyright and shut them down. Cracking down on YouTube is a key demand of some of the world's biggest music artists who said in a letter to Juncker last June that YouTube was stealing value from streaming services, such as Spotify. The last time the European Union radically overhauled its copyright laws was in 2001, long before Spotify and YouTube existed. (WION with inputs from AFP)

EU's Juncker unveils radical copyright reform

European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker said that the EU&#39;s deal with Turkey on halting the flow of migrants towards the bloc is at risk of breaking down, in comments published on Friday. 
 
&quot;The risk is big. The success so far of the pact is fragile. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has already hinted several times that he wants to scrap it,&quot; Juncker told Austrian daily Kurier. 
 
&quot;(If that happens) then we can expect migrants to start coming to Europe again,&quot; he told the paper in an interview to be published today. 
 
The March accord between the European Union and Turkey succeeded in stemming the flow of migrants but there are concerns that it could fall apart after a failed coup against Erdogan on July 15. 
 
A subsequent purge in Turkey has seen thousands of arrests among the army, the police and judiciary, and hundreds have lost their jobs in every major Turkish ministry. 
 
Three days after the attempt on the government, a group of Turkish officials assigned to monitor the migration deal on the Greek side returned home, and have yet to be replaced. 
 
In a wide-ranging interview, Juncker also said he was &quot;very concerned&quot; about developments within the 28-nation EU, particularly with regard to Poland and Hungary. 
 
&quot;In Poland the government&#39;s course of action has damaged the rule of law... I am watching with concern preparations for Hungary&#39;s referendum on migration,&quot; Juncker was quoted as saying. 
 
On Wednesday the European Commission handed Poland&#39;s right-wing government a three-month deadline to reverse changes to its Constitutional Court or face sanctions for breaching EU norms on the rule of law and democracy. 
 
The move by the EU&#39;s executive arm is the second step in an unprecedented procedure which could eventually see Warsaw&#39;s voting rights suspended in the council of ministers, the EU&#39;s highest decision-making body. 
 
Hungary meanwhile has refused to accept a single migrant under a mandatory EU quota plan to share them around the bloc, and will hold a referendum on the scheme on October 2. 
 
Right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban this week called migration &quot;poison&quot; for Europe and said that his country &quot;does not need a single migrant&quot;. 
 
&quot;If referendums are going to be organised on every decision of the council of ministers and the European Parliament, then legal security is in danger,&quot; Juncker said. 
 
&quot;The Commission should really - although we&#39;re not that far yet - launch a breach of treaty procedure against Hungary. Orban though would then claim that the Commission is taking the Hungarian people to court.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

March accord between EU and Turkey succeeded in stemming the flow of migrants but there are concerns that it could fall apart

European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker said that the EU's deal with Turkey on halting the flow of migrants towards the bloc is at risk of breaking down, in comments published on Friday. "The risk is big. The success so far of the pact is fragile. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has already hinted several times that he wants to scrap it," Juncker told Austrian daily Kurier. "(If that happens) then we can expect migrants to start coming to Europe again," he told the paper in an interview to be published today. The March accord between the European Union and Turkey succeeded in stemming the flow of migrants but there are concerns that it could fall apart after a failed coup against Erdogan on July 15. A subsequent purge in Turkey has seen thousands of arrests among the army, the police and judiciary, and hundreds have lost their jobs in every major Turkish ministry. Three days after the attempt on the government, a group of Turkish officials assigned to monitor the migration deal on the Greek side returned home, and have yet to be replaced. In a wide-ranging interview, Juncker also said he was "very concerned" about developments within the 28-nation EU, particularly with regard to Poland and Hungary. "In Poland the government's course of action has damaged the rule of law... I am watching with concern preparations for Hungary's referendum on migration," Juncker was quoted as saying. On Wednesday the European Commission handed Poland's right-wing government a three-month deadline to reverse changes to its Constitutional Court or face sanctions for breaching EU norms on the rule of law and democracy. The move by the EU's executive arm is the second step in an unprecedented procedure which could eventually see Warsaw's voting rights suspended in the council of ministers, the EU's highest decision-making body. Hungary meanwhile has refused to accept a single migrant under a mandatory EU quota plan to share them around the bloc, and will hold a referendum on the scheme on October 2. Right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban this week called migration "poison" for Europe and said that his country "does not need a single migrant". "If referendums are going to be organised on every decision of the council of ministers and the European Parliament, then legal security is in danger," Juncker said. "The Commission should really - although we're not that far yet - launch a breach of treaty procedure against Hungary. Orban though would then claim that the Commission is taking the Hungarian people to court." (AFP)

European Commission head Juncker: EU-Turkey migrant deal at risk of breaking down

The European Commission on Thursday officially declared Spain and Portugal in violation of the EU rules on government overspending, the first step towards unprecedented penalties against members of the 28-country bloc. 
 
&quot;The Commission confirms that Spain and Portugal will not correct their excessive deficits by the recommended deadline,&quot; the EU&#39;s executive arm said in a statement. 
 
If endorsed by the EU&#39;s finance ministers, the commission is then legally obliged to propose fines against the two neighbouring countries, which were both hit hard by the financial crisis. 
 
&quot;Lately, the two countries have veered off track in the correction of their excessive deficits and have not met their budgetary targets,&quot; said Valdis Dombrovskis, the EU Commission&#39;s vice-president in charge of the Euro. 
 
&quot;We stand ready to work together with the Spanish and Portuguese authorities to define the best path ahead,&quot; he said. 
 
Many EU powers led by Germany have long hoped for the commission to finally crack down on public overspenders, but with populist fires burning after the Brexit vote, ministers meeting in Brussels on Tuesday could decide to delay their immediate endorsement. 
 
&quot;There is uncertainty creeping in light of the UK vote result,&quot; an EU diplomat told AFP. 
 
France and Italy will be the most willing to delay the penalty process, fearing that their own years of EU rule breaking would put them next in line for a sanction by Brussels. 
 
Ahead of the commission announcement, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa warned that Brussels would foster a rise in euroscepticism in Portugal if EU sanctions are applied. 
 
In a letter to the European Commission, Costa cited &quot;the results of the UK referendum and its impact on the European Union&quot; as reasons why the Commission should refrain from full implementation of the rules. 
 
(AFP)

It's the first step towards the imposition of unprecedented penalties

The European Commission on Thursday officially declared Spain and Portugal in violation of the EU rules on government overspending, the first step towards unprecedented penalties against members of the 28-country bloc. "The Commission confirms that Spain and Portugal will not correct their excessive deficits by the recommended deadline," the EU's executive arm said in a statement. If endorsed by the EU's finance ministers, the commission is then legally obliged to propose fines against the two neighbouring countries, which were both hit hard by the financial crisis. "Lately, the two countries have veered off track in the correction of their excessive deficits and have not met their budgetary targets," said Valdis Dombrovskis, the EU Commission's vice-president in charge of the Euro. "We stand ready to work together with the Spanish and Portuguese authorities to define the best path ahead," he said. Many EU powers led by Germany have long hoped for the commission to finally crack down on public overspenders, but with populist fires burning after the Brexit vote, ministers meeting in Brussels on Tuesday could decide to delay their immediate endorsement. "There is uncertainty creeping in light of the UK vote result," an EU diplomat told AFP. France and Italy will be the most willing to delay the penalty process, fearing that their own years of EU rule breaking would put them next in line for a sanction by Brussels. Ahead of the commission announcement, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa warned that Brussels would foster a rise in euroscepticism in Portugal if EU sanctions are applied. In a letter to the European Commission, Costa cited "the results of the UK referendum and its impact on the European Union" as reasons why the Commission should refrain from full implementation of the rules. (AFP)

EU declares Spain and Portugal in violation of deficit rules

European leaders told Britain on Tuesday to act quickly to resolve the political and economic confusion unleashed by its vote to leave the European Union last week, after the IMF said the uncertainty could put pressure on global economic growth. 
 
Sterling and world stock markets recovered slightly on Tuesday but investor confidence remains fragile despite policymakers saying they will take all necessary measures to protect their economies. 
 
Last week&#39;s referendum wiped a record $3 trillion off the value of global shares and Sterling fell to its lowest level in 31 years against the US Dollar. 
 
British finance minister George Osborne, whose attempt to calm markets on Monday went unheard, said on Tuesday the government will have to cut spending and raise taxes to stabilise the economy after credit rating agency Fitch became the third agency to downgrade UK debt.&nbsp; 
 
Businesses have announced hiring freezes and possible job cuts, despite voters` hopes the economy would thrive outside the EU.&nbsp; 
 
Germany&#39;s financial market regulator delivered a double blow to the city of London, saying it could not host the headquarters of a planned European stock exchange after Britain leaves the EU and could not remain a centre for trading in Euros. 
 
European countries are concerned about the impact of the political and regulatory uncertainty on the economies of the other 27 other EU members while the UK government works out how and when to begin withdrawal negotiations under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.&nbsp; 
 
European central bank president Mario Draghi said on Tuesday that central banks around the world should aim to align monetary policies to mitigate &quot;destabilising spillovers&quot; between economies.&nbsp; 
 
Draghi had added that he agreed with private economists who predict euro zone growth will be reduced by up to 0.5 per cent cumulatively over the next three years due to the &quot;Brexit&quot; vote.&nbsp; 
 
UK warned EU access depends on four freedoms&nbsp; 
 
At a summit meeting of the leaders of the 28 members of the EU in Brussels on Tuesday, Cameron said he hoped the UK would maintain as tight an economic and political relationship as possible with the EU. 
 
&quot;Britain will be leaving the European Union, but we will not be turning our back on Europe,&quot; he told a news conference after a dinner at which he said many European partners expressed regret and voiced friendship for Britain. 
 
Cameron said he told the EU summit that, &quot;People recognised the economic case for staying, but there was a very great concern about movement of people and that was coupled with concern about issues of sovereignty. I think we need to think about that, Europe needs to think about that.&quot; 
 
In a veiled rebuke to UK &quot;Leave&quot; campaign leaders such as Boris Johnson, who is vying to succeed him, Cameron said Britons would have to understand they could not keep all the benefits of EU membership without the costs. 
 
Driving home that message, French President Francois Hollande said continued access to the EU&#39;s prized single market was dependent on accepting the so-called four freedoms of movement of goods, capital, workers and services. 
 
&quot;If they don&#39;t want free movement, they won&#39;t have access to the single market,&quot; he said, adding that London will no longer be able to act as a clearing house in Euros. 
 
The European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution on Tuesday demanding that London activate the EU treaty&#39;s voluntary exit clause as fast as possible and launch negotiations on withdrawal terms with a two-year countdown to departure. 
 
But German Chancellor Angela Merkel said London should be allowed time to recover its balance after the political shockwave before formally notifying its partners of its plans.&nbsp; 
 
The other 27 EU leaders will hold their own meeting today to discuss how to deal with Britain on its way out of the bloc it joined in 1973 and how to take the Union forward without it.&nbsp; 
 
UK politics in upheaval&nbsp; 
 
Back in London, Conservative Party officials said on Tuesday that Cameron`s successor as prime minister would be appointed at the earliest on September 9. 
 
Cameron, who called the referendum and tendered his resignation as prime minister when it became clear he had failed to persuade Britain to stay in the EU, says he will let his successor declare the country`s exit formally. 
 
Meanwhile, UK Labour Party lawmakers passed a vote of no-confidence in leader Jeremy Corbyn on Tuesday, accusing him of failing to win over traditional supporters during the referendum campaign. The lawmakers fear a similar failure at the next general election, due in 2020, will lead to Labour suffering a major loss of seats in parliament.&nbsp; 
 
However, the Labour confidence vote does not automatically trigger a leadership election and Corbyn refused to quit. &quot;I was democratically elected leader of our party for a new kind of politics by 60 per cent of Labour members and supporters, and I will not betray them by resigning,&quot; he said.&nbsp; 
 
Underlining the political upheaval that the Brexit vote set in motion, Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon is to visit Brussels today for talks with the president of the European Parliament and European Commission officials. 
 
Sturgeon has said Scotland, where nearly two in three voters backed staying in the EU, does not want to leave the bloc and may hold a new referendum on independence.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

British finance minister said need to reduce spending and raise taxes to stabilise the economy after credit rating agency downgraded UK debt

European leaders told Britain on Tuesday to act quickly to resolve the political and economic confusion unleashed by its vote to leave the European Union last week, after the IMF said the uncertainty could put pressure on global economic growth. Sterling and world stock markets recovered slightly on Tuesday but investor confidence remains fragile despite policymakers saying they will take all necessary measures to protect their economies. Last week's referendum wiped a record $3 trillion off the value of global shares and Sterling fell to its lowest level in 31 years against the US Dollar. British finance minister George Osborne, whose attempt to calm markets on Monday went unheard, said on Tuesday the government will have to cut spending and raise taxes to stabilise the economy after credit rating agency Fitch became the third agency to downgrade UK debt. Businesses have announced hiring freezes and possible job cuts, despite voters` hopes the economy would thrive outside the EU. Germany's financial market regulator delivered a double blow to the city of London, saying it could not host the headquarters of a planned European stock exchange after Britain leaves the EU and could not remain a centre for trading in Euros. European countries are concerned about the impact of the political and regulatory uncertainty on the economies of the other 27 other EU members while the UK government works out how and when to begin withdrawal negotiations under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. European central bank president Mario Draghi said on Tuesday that central banks around the world should aim to align monetary policies to mitigate "destabilising spillovers" between economies. Draghi had added that he agreed with private economists who predict euro zone growth will be reduced by up to 0.5 per cent cumulatively over the next three years due to the "Brexit" vote. UK warned EU access depends on four freedoms At a summit meeting of the leaders of the 28 members of the EU in Brussels on Tuesday, Cameron said he hoped the UK would maintain as tight an economic and political relationship as possible with the EU. "Britain will be leaving the European Union, but we will not be turning our back on Europe," he told a news conference after a dinner at which he said many European partners expressed regret and voiced friendship for Britain. Cameron said he told the EU summit that, "People recognised the economic case for staying, but there was a very great concern about movement of people and that was coupled with concern about issues of sovereignty. I think we need to think about that, Europe needs to think about that." In a veiled rebuke to UK "Leave" campaign leaders such as Boris Johnson, who is vying to succeed him, Cameron said Britons would have to understand they could not keep all the benefits of EU membership without the costs. Driving home that message, French President Francois Hollande said continued access to the EU's prized single market was dependent on accepting the so-called four freedoms of movement of goods, capital, workers and services. "If they don't want free movement, they won't have access to the single market," he said, adding that London will no longer be able to act as a clearing house in Euros. The European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution on Tuesday demanding that London activate the EU treaty's voluntary exit clause as fast as possible and launch negotiations on withdrawal terms with a two-year countdown to departure. But German Chancellor Angela Merkel said London should be allowed time to recover its balance after the political shockwave before formally notifying its partners of its plans. The other 27 EU leaders will hold their own meeting today to discuss how to deal with Britain on its way out of the bloc it joined in 1973 and how to take the Union forward without it. UK politics in upheaval Back in London, Conservative Party officials said on Tuesday that Cameron`s successor as prime minister would be appointed at the earliest on September 9. Cameron, who called the referendum and tendered his resignation as prime minister when it became clear he had failed to persuade Britain to stay in the EU, says he will let his successor declare the country`s exit formally. Meanwhile, UK Labour Party lawmakers passed a vote of no-confidence in leader Jeremy Corbyn on Tuesday, accusing him of failing to win over traditional supporters during the referendum campaign. The lawmakers fear a similar failure at the next general election, due in 2020, will lead to Labour suffering a major loss of seats in parliament. However, the Labour confidence vote does not automatically trigger a leadership election and Corbyn refused to quit. "I was democratically elected leader of our party for a new kind of politics by 60 per cent of Labour members and supporters, and I will not betray them by resigning," he said. Underlining the political upheaval that the Brexit vote set in motion, Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon is to visit Brussels today for talks with the president of the European Parliament and European Commission officials. Sturgeon has said Scotland, where nearly two in three voters backed staying in the EU, does not want to leave the bloc and may hold a new referendum on independence. (Reuters)

EU leaders tell Britain to exit swiftly, markets steadier

Britain does not have &quot;months to meditate&quot; on the next steps following the Brexit vote, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said on Tuesday. 
 
&quot;I have some understanding for the fact that (Prime Minister) David Cameron wants to have some time in order to meditate,&quot; Juncker told a news conference after an EU summit. 
 
&quot;We want Article 50 (of the Lisbon Treaty formally stating Britain&#39;s intention to leave) to be triggered as soon as possible. It has to be speeded up. We don&#39;t have months to meditate, we have to act.&quot; 
 
Juncker added: &quot;What I don&#39;t understand is that those who wanted to leave (the EU) are totally unable to tell us what they want.&quot; 
 
&quot;I thought that if you want to leave you have a plan, you have a project, you have a global picture,&quot; he said. 
 
Juncker also said that he expected Britain to trigger Article 50 very soon after Cameron&#39;s successor is named on September 9. 
 
&quot;If someone from the &#39;Remain&#39; camp will become British PM this has to be done in two weeks after his appointment,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;If the next British PM is coming from the &#39;Leave&#39; campaign it should be done the day after his appointment.&quot; 
 
EU president Donald Tusk meanwhile said leaders appreciated that the situation needs to calm down in Britain following the Brexit vote before the next steps can be taken. 
 
&quot;The leaders understood that some time is needed for the dust to settle,&quot; Tusk said. 
 
(AFP)

European Commission president expects Britain to trigger article 50 soon after Cameron's successor is named on September 9

Britain does not have "months to meditate" on the next steps following the Brexit vote, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said on Tuesday. "I have some understanding for the fact that (Prime Minister) David Cameron wants to have some time in order to meditate," Juncker told a news conference after an EU summit. "We want Article 50 (of the Lisbon Treaty formally stating Britain's intention to leave) to be triggered as soon as possible. It has to be speeded up. We don't have months to meditate, we have to act." Juncker added: "What I don't understand is that those who wanted to leave (the EU) are totally unable to tell us what they want." "I thought that if you want to leave you have a plan, you have a project, you have a global picture," he said. Juncker also said that he expected Britain to trigger Article 50 very soon after Cameron's successor is named on September 9. "If someone from the 'Remain' camp will become British PM this has to be done in two weeks after his appointment," he said. "If the next British PM is coming from the 'Leave' campaign it should be done the day after his appointment." EU president Donald Tusk meanwhile said leaders appreciated that the situation needs to calm down in Britain following the Brexit vote before the next steps can be taken. "The leaders understood that some time is needed for the dust to settle," Tusk said. (AFP)

EU's Juncker says Britain doesn't have 'months to meditate'

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