15/12 – Today’s headlines from across the EU

EUROPEAN HEADLINES

BBC Europe – Brexit: EU leaders set to move talks on to next stage. EU leaders are expected to formally agree to start the next phase of Brexit negotiations later. It means talks can move on to the long-term relationship between the UK and EU, days after Theresa May suffered her first defeat in the House of Commons. The next round of talks on a transition period after the UK leaves in March 2019 could begin as early as next week.

FRANCE

Les Echos

Growth accelerating all across Europe

The ECB is now expecting +2.3% GDP growth in the eurozone 2018. Banque de France welcomes Macron’s reforms, but calls for more savings.

GERMANY

Frankfurter Allgemeine

EU prepares severe punishment against Poland

The European Commission sees the rule of law at risk. It therefore plans to initiate a never before used procedure against the Member State. Brussels summit disputes about refugee policy

ITALY

Corriere Della Sera

Banks, Boschi affair explodes again

Vegas: She mentioned Etruria to me. She says: He invited me to his home at 8.00 am, I’ve got the SMS messages.

POLAND

Polska

Captain of new change

Even before becoming the Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki was known as a strong and brave man. Now he stands in front of a roaring sea.

SPAIN

El Pais

Pro-constitution bloc touches the triumph in Catalonia

Ciudadanos consolidates its leading position with a nearly two-point advantage over ERC.

BULGARIA

Trud

The inflated ambitions for the EU Presidency only create risks

Bulgaria between 12 seas (and one ocean).

DENMARK

Kristeligt Dagblad

Margrethe Vestager: Social media is a problem for democracy

Some of the “civilising restraint” has disappeared with the emergence of social media such as Facebook and Twitter, says European Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager, who also sees danger in the media being used by those who seek to undermine democracy.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Kommersant

A communicating vessel

On December 14, President of Russia Vladimir Putin held a press conference. Our correspondent notes an unusually aggressive behaviour of the journalists in an attempt to ask a question, the message of Vladimir Putin that he will run as an independent candidate for the elections, and an unusual coming out of one of the participants of the press conference, an alleged ‘son of Lieutenant Schmidt’.