The week started in warning mode as NATO warned of continued Russian activities in Ukraine, while Russia threatened Denmark with nuclear missiles. Disappointment was the key word in the European Commission as it talked about European road safety and roaming fees. Poland was also in a complaining mood, but over German minimum wages, and Greece still had to wait for a disbursement of urgently needed EU money.

The EU decision to keep Russian sanctions until the Minsk ceasefire agreement is fully implemented has not stopped Russia from providing arms to Ukrainian rebels.

NATO’s top military commander, Philip Breedlove, said at an annual high-level meeting that they still see disturbing elements and resupply and equipment crossing the porous border between Russia and Eastern Ukraine.

Nuclear missiles targeting Danish boats

In turn, Russia decided to give a serious warning to Denmark. The Russian ambassador in Copenhagen said that if the country decides to join the US led NATO missile defence then Danish warships will become targets for Russian nuclear missiles.

The Danish foreign minister, Martin Lidegaard, condemned the Russian behaviour calling it unacceptable.

Another warning came early this week from EU Commissioner Violeta Bulc. Then it concerned EU road safety.

Little progress improving road safety

Over 25 000 people lost their lives on European roads in 2014. It’s slightly less then the year before but certainly not good enough given the sharp positive downward trend from previous years.

The EU Transport Commissioner was disappointed when the figures were presented on Tuesday, 24 March, and she warned that it could be difficult to reach the EU target of halving the number of road deaths by 2020.

“This is going to be my big challenge. I really want to learn. I want to know what are the reasons in different countries because, as we say, we have to exchange best practices and at the same time we need to understand that there are individual characteristics in different member states. And we need to address those as well”, said Violeta Bulc to Euranet Plus in Brussels.

The Transport Commissioner and her team are looking at new steps to take and they will come back in May with a report on EU road safety that will set the agenda for the next five years.

EU countries want to keep roaming fees

Another disappointment in the Commission this week was the lack of progress in the talks about ending roaming fees. Earlier this month EU member states agreed on a common position saying that they should start phasing out roaming fees only from June 2016 onwards.

EU countries also asked the Commission to come back with another proposal in 2018 in order to proceed with the phaseout.

Andrus Ansip, Commission vice president who is responsible for the digital single market, spoke out against EU member states calling their proposal “a joke”.

“I am deeply disappointed, because we promised to abolish roaming surcharges. In the year 2006, Viviane Reding made this proposal already. Neelie Kroes continued with this process. Now Günther Oettinger and me, we are dealing with those issues. Now it is really time to abolish roaming surcharges”, Andrus Ansip told Euranet Plus.

Poland concerned with German minimum wage

Germany’s decision to apply the own country’s minimum wage also to foreigners has raised concerns in neighbouring Poland. Polish truck drivers have been protesting across the country against the applied German minimum wage of 8.50 euros an hour which is significantly higher than the Polish minimum wage.

The German decision was challenged by the Polish government.

“Europe’s power is a free labor market. EU countries should develop and work together. Now Germany is breaking EU laws on the free movement of goods and people. In Poland we also have a minimum wage but it concerns only people who are working in our country. We cannot demand anyone to adapt their wage to ours”, said Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, spokesperson of the Polish government, to Euranet Plus member, Polskie Radio.

The European Commission has not made any decision on the matter and in the meantime the minimum wage is being applied to most Polish drivers operating in Germany.

No money for Greece

The Greek government still awaits disbursements from the country’s bailout programme. The crisis hit country is said to be on the edge of default as major debt payments are due the coming weeks which Greece may not be able to pay without more financial support from the EU.

Despite a lot of meeting between the new Greek government and EU leaders there has been little progress in the negotiations about the bailout and necessary reforms.

Guntram Wolf, director of the Brussels based think tank Bruegel, told Euranet Plus that the newly elected Greek government has made the situation worse by touring around European capitals trying to raise support for softer bailout terms.

Instead they should have stayed in Athens doing their homework, fighting corruption and tax evasion, Guntram Wolff argued.

”That should have been their first priority. With this having done they could have achieved much more, I think, on the European level. But now, with a lot of noise that was produced, has actually created a lot of bad will even though there was a lot of good will initially”, said Guntram Wolff.

Janis Emmanouilidis, EU policy expert at the European Policy Centre, argued that these difficult discussions and meetings were necessary. And he pointed out that also the EU side could have handled the talks better.

However, both Guntram Wolff and Janis Emmanouilidis believe that, in the end of the day, the parties will find a solution so that Greece will be able to pay the bills.

Author: Andreas Liljeheden, Euranet Plus News Agency

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