The retirement age is being debated in the Swedish parliament ahead of an expected pension reform package in April.

In its proposal, the government wants to give people the right to remain at work until 69 instead of the current 67 cut-off age. Meanwhile, the right to early retirement would be delayed by two years, to 63. 

However, Reinfeldt said in several interviews over the weekend that Sweden must consider taking the step even further by raising the retirement age to 75.

Last July, the EU launched an anti-dumping inquiry into claims by the German solar panels manufacturer, Solarworld AG, that Beijing had unfairly granted state loans to EU solar panel imports worth some €21 billion.

China responded by filing a suit against Italy and Greece at the World Trade Organisation, claiming that they had unfairly subsidised their own solar panel producers.

International fury at the EU law led Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard last year to propose a temporary exemption for intercontinental flights.

The European Parliament's Environment Committee voted in favour of her proposal, dubbed "Stop the Clock". The move needs the endorsement of a full parliamentary session in April, but has so much support that it is unlikely to be overturned.

British new media reported that new documents would be introduced to make it harder for Bulgarians and Romanians, who will be free to settle in the UK after January 2014, to obtain social benefits.

On Monday (25 February), the Home Office published a new price list for the documents it issues, including “European Residence Documents”. Its price from 6 April will be £55.

Merkel, on a visit to Turkey, said she had hesitations over Turkey's full membership in the European Union but said the entry process should nevertheless be kept "on track."

"We want the process to advance, despite the fact that I have hesitations concerning Turkey's full European Union membership," said Merkel, quoted by Deutsche Welle. "We are conducting negotiations whose outcome is open-ended, that is to say the results are not known."