http://www.openeurope.org.ukThe latest daily press summaries from Open Europe(c) 2008 Open Europe. All rights reserved.5Agence Europe reports that according to a joint release published by Paris and Moscow on Tuesday evening, Russia's President Dmitri Medvedev has told President Sarkozy that Russian troop withdrawal will be complete by 21 or 22 August – except for some 500 personnel responsible for implementing additional ‘security measures’ in accordance with Article 5 of the 12 August agreement.http://www.openeurope.org.uk/media-centre/summary.aspx?id=66421 August 2008 NATO ministers yesterday said that “business as usual” with Russia is no longer possible, but only succeeded in agreeing to freeze the NATO-Russia Council, and pledging to establish a NATO-Georgia council. Several EU members added that Russia should not be isolated.http://www.openeurope.org.uk/media-centre/summary.aspx?id=66320 August 2008 The Guardian reports that NATO foreign ministers will meet today to discuss responses to Russia’s intervention in Georgia, with the US pressing its European allies to deliver initial sanctions against Russia by deciding to suspend the six-year-old NATO-Russia council.http://www.openeurope.org.uk/media-centre/summary.aspx?id=66219 August 2008 The IHT reports that the Kremlin announced on Sunday that Russia's President, Dmitri Medvedev, promised in a conversation with French President Nicolas Sarkozy to begin the withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgia, starting today from noon local time. However, it is reported that Medvedev did not specify the pace or scope of the withdrawal, and said that Russian troops would only withdraw to a "security zone" set 14km from the border with South Ossetia.http://www.openeurope.org.uk/media-centre/summary.aspx?id=66118 August 2008 The Guardian reports that a British trawler has been filmed taking a boatload of endangered fish from Norwegian waters and dumping 5 tonnes back dead in the UK zone of the North Sea. The incident has sparked an international row and renewed calls for a reform of the EU Common Fisheries Policy.http://www.openeurope.org.uk/media-centre/summary.aspx?id=66015 August 2008George W. Bush has ordered US military forces into Georgia, in order to lead a ‘vigorous’ humanitarian mission. Meanwhile, the EU yesterday agreed to send non-military “monitors” – but only on the condition that the move is first approved by the UN. The FT notes that “The fudge was necessary not only to maintain the support of the Russians but also to bridge the widening gap separating EU partners.http://www.openeurope.org.uk/media-centre/summary.aspx?id=65914 August 2008 EU foreign ministers meet in Brussels today to discuss the next steps following the cessation of hostilities in Georgia. Le Figaro reports that EU member states are “divided between firmness and moderation towards Moscow”. The paper notes that Poland, the Baltic countries and Sweden favour a tough line, with Warsaw seeing the issue in terms of nothing less than a battle to stop Moscow reconquering its former empire.http://www.openeurope.org.uk/media-centre/summary.aspx?id=65813 August 2008 Declan Ganley the Chairman of Libertas, a prominent group in the Irish No camp, has said it is becoming much more likely that Libertas will field candidates next summer for the European Parliament elections. According to the Irish Independent, he will be holding a meeting with backers in Paris next weekend when tactics, names and campaign funding will be discussed.http://www.openeurope.org.uk/media-centre/summary.aspx?id=65712 August 2008 A new report from Open Europe has found that 170,000 people are needed to run the EU, as opposed to the 32,000 that the EU Commission claims. Open Europe analyst Nick Cosgrove was quoted by the Telegraph, Mail and De Telegraaf as saying, "The Commission desperately tries to play down just how many people are now working for the EU.http://www.openeurope.org.uk/media-centre/summary.aspx?id=65611 August 2008 The front page of the Telegraph reports that Gordon Brown’s consumer advocate, Ed Mayo has said that a lack of competition in the European energy markets means that British consumers are being overcharged on energy bills to subsidise customers in continental countries.http://www.openeurope.org.uk/media-centre/summary.aspx?id=65408 August 2008