17/02 – Today’s headlines from across the EU

EUROPEAN HEADLINES

FT Europe – Saudis and Russia agree output freeze in bid to halt oil price slide. Traders’ sceptical deal will win wide acceptance. Accord amid high tension over Syria.

WSJE – Deal could cap oil output. Freeze by Venezuela, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Qatar hinges on Iran and Iraq agreeing.

INYT – Conspiracies fog up the war against Zika. Officials have to battle virus along with rumours about larvicides and plots.

BBC Europe – EU referendum: Cameron wrangling ahead of summit. David Cameron faces last-minute wrangling over his EU reforms ahead of a crunch summit on Thursday.
Poland and three other countries are reported to be still resisting welfare curbs while France is thought to be against financial regulation changes.
But Germany’s Angela Merkel said a lot of his demands were justified.

FRANCE

Le Monde – EDF under great strain, requests help from the state. EDF’s net profits were divided by three in 2015, down to 1.2 billion. The future is uncertain and the group does not currently have the resources to fulfil its ambitions.

Les Echos – Unemployed persons: large companies’ shock measures. The AFEP wants a rights’ strong degression and the strengthening of controls over unemployed people. It accepts a bonus/penalty system on short contracts. Pierre Pringuet: “Reorganisation has to become a real cause of dismissal.”

GERMANY

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) – Merkel dampens expectations ahead of EU summit. Agreement on refugee quotas unlikely. De Maizière praises Turkey.

Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) – CDU says SPD delays asylum agreement. The CDU and CSU want to declare Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco ‘safe countries of origin’ before the regional elections on March 13. Socialists reject it.

ITALY

La Repubblica – Civil unions: M5S turns around. Wrath of PD: high-risk law. Clash in parliament around the anti-obstruction amendment. Pensions, interviews of Tito Boeri: a reform, only if we change the Stability Pact.

Il Sole 24 Ore – Oil: Saudi Arabia and Russia freeze their production. In order to stabilise oil prices, Saudi Arabia and Russia made an agreement to freeze their oil production at the level of last January.

POLAND

Gazeta Wyborcza – PLN 1 billion-worth Morawiecki plan. The government adopted the Morawiecki plan for sustainable growth. The plan envisages rebuilding the industry and higher spending on innovations and sustainable growth.

SPAIN

El País – Judges are trying to find Aguirre and Gonzalez’ link with the Púnica network. The police are following signs of corruption on the Isabel II canal.

The Times – Don’t push us into Brexit. A much stressed David Cameron pleaded with European leaders not to water down his renegotiation yesterday as he warned that Britain was in danger of voting to leave the EU.

The Guardian – Four EU states shun Cameron benefits plan. Revolt over the UK’s welfare concessions comes on the eve of key Brussels summit.