European Union

Plenary sessions : The fact that diesel cars’ nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions are much higher in real driving conditions than in laboratory tests was known to the EU member states and Commission over a decade ago. They should now act swiftly to improve tests and checks on new cars on EU roads, say MEPs in recommendations voted on Tuesday. In a separate vote, MEPs also amended EU “type approval” rules to make environmental and safety testing more independent, with stricter oversight of cars already on the road.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

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The Italian government has taken the lead in dealing with the Libyans (whose fractured state makes the plural appropriate). It is part of the wider EU strategy aimed at stopping people coming to Europe while simultaneously reducing the number of deaths at sea.

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The 2017 French presidential elections are an opportunity for change. They are an opportunity for the citizens to elect a president who will create a new place for France in today’s globalised world; who will tell citizens the truth about opportunities and what’s needed to seize them. Far from trying to stop one candidate, this election must be about regeneration and growth for France.

For too long France has been living beyond its economic means, placing the burden on future generations rather than undertaking much-needed reforms to make public debt sustainable. France’s competitiveness has been falling in recent years, something that is clearly reflected in international trade figures. Many talented and highly competent people are losing motivation. Significant reforms to the education system are also required, to provide people with the skills that are needed for the modern job market. France is the country of ‘Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité’, but too many citizens find themselves permanently excluded from the system.

There are significant geopolitical threats facing France and the rest of the European Union, and these will hang over the new president. Following Donald Trump’s election as President of the United States it is evident, for the first time since the Second World War, that American policy will be aimed at dividing Europe rather than uniting it. The Turkish and Russian Presidents, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Vladimir Putin respectively, are at the EU borders, with interests that they will defend relentlessly, violating the European values of freedom, liberal democracy and the rule of law.

For the first time since the EU’s creation a member state, and a major one at that, has opted to leave. This event will have deep consequences for the EU but also for individual countries, including France. Time will tell what kind of deal will be negotiated, but the interests of all EU citizens need to be defended. National politics is incapable of responding adequately to threats such as climate change and terrorism; neither greenhouse gas emissions nor terrorists respect international borders.

“France has much that it can bring to the European project but it is not living up to its potential”

Not all these reforms will be easy but they are essential. And I believe that if citizens get a full explanation for the changes, then they will be ready not just to accept them, but even to support them.

So these elections in France are an opportunity to reject overly-simplistic, unrealistic solutions, and instead propose concrete, achievable projects that will make a difference to citizens’ lives – starting with the most marginalised. Lies told before elections create disappointment afterwards.

France has much that it can bring to the European project, to strengthen and reform it, but it is not living up to its potential. Over the last twenty years it has failed to show itself as a committed partner with a vision for the European project. This means, inevitably, that it has lost European influence.

France needs significant and credible reforms, in addition to balancing the budget and reducing public spending. In many cases, decision-making power should be devolved from Paris to regional and local authorities. Here, people fully understand the complexities of their specific situation and are better able to create innovative solutions. For example, a greater police presence in communities can develop relationships and networks that contribute to protecting citizens from security threats.

Better management of our reduced public finances is essential. To break the vicious cycle of social exclusion and poverty, often linked to long-term unemployment and limited education, more resources need to be allocated to the most deprived areas. Through this we can ensure that all of France’s young people gain the skills required to find their place in the workforce of the 21st century. For adults too, we can help those lacking in marketable skills to retrain, so that we can adapt to the new flexible working models that are now flourishing. This is essential if we are to create a truly inclusive society. It is only once these reforms have been undertaken that France can truly be seen as a credible partner on the European stage.

“Backroom, opaque deals need to stop, and citizens need to be better informed about how and why decisions were made”

National reforms need to go hand in hand with European reforms. In certain fields national sovereignty has been pooled to the European level, giving the EU sovereignty on the global stage. Trade is an exclusive European competence and yet this European sovereignty needs to be reinforced to ensure that the best possible trade deals are negotiated and ratified, and that they include ambitious social and environmental norms.

The same is true for economic and monetary union (EMU). Remarkable progress has been made so far – for example, the European Stability Mechanism rescue fund, created to provide stability to the eurozone, and the Banking Union. But governance remains incomplete. There are flaws that urgently need to be addressed. EMU needs to be strengthened and given its own budget to enable it to pursue genuine European policies.

Increased decision-making at the European level needs to be accompanied with genuine democratic reforms within the EU, to ensure greater transparency and accountability. Backroom, opaque deals need to stop, and citizens need to be better informed about how and why decisions were made. These reforms do not automatically require a treaty change.

European sovereignty needs to be created in other fields too. In 2017, with international terrorist networks, wars on the EU’s doorstep and post-truth politics reaping electoral success, we cannot remain static. As Donald Trump looks to weaken NATO, we need to strengthen European defence sovereignty, which can complement other international cooperation. This would make the EU stronger, safer and provide significant savings to national budgets. If Europe controls its external borders it will be able to provide security to its citizens. This must be genuinely European control, not a pooling of national controls, starting with a real EU border force and coastguard. A European intelligence bureau is needed, not merely the mechanisms for member states to share information if they feel like it. National egos and competition must be put to one side. It is measures like these that will address citizens’ very legitimate fears.

Far from the French elections being about trying to stop something out of fear, they are about embracing the chance of creating something better and stronger, and increasing our potential – as individuals and as a Union. The populists win when moderates do not offer a credible alternative. By electing a French president with a vision of how to create a strong, influential Europe, the citizens of France can contribute to this vision becoming a reality.

IMAGE CREDIT: CC/Flickr – Miwok

The post A reforming president in France can trigger reforms in Europe appeared first on Europe’s World.

Plenary sessions : To counter the impact of unsustainable palm oil production, such as deforestation and habitat degradation, particularly in South-East Asia, the EU should introduce a single certification scheme for palm oil entering the EU market and phase out the use of vegetable oils that drive deforestation by 2020, say MEPs in a resolution voted on Tuesday.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : To counter the impact of unsustainable palm oil production, such as deforestation and habitat degradation, particularly in South-East Asia, the EU should introduce a single certification scheme for palm oil entering the EU market and phase out the use of vegetable oils that drive deforestation by 2020, say MEPs in a resolution voted on Tuesday.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

https://tvnewsroom.consilium.europa.eu/uploads/council-images/thumbs/uploads/council-images/remote/http_7e18a1c646f5450b9d6d-a75424f262e53e74f9539145894f4378.r8.cf3.rackcdn.com/8a0be912-1921-11e7-8c55-bc764e092fac_1.03_thumb_169_1491301941_1491301941_129_97shar_c1.jpg

Donald TUSK, President of the European Council, visits Bulgaria on 4 April 2017.

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EU Ministers of Employment, Social policy and Health meet for an Informal session on 3 and 4 April 2017 in Valletta, Malta.

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Plenary sessions : MEPs will again debate the state of play on the second review of the economic adjustment programme for Greece, for the second time this year, on Tuesday at 15.00.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : MEPs will again debate the state of play on the second review of the economic adjustment programme for Greece, for the second time this year, on Tuesday at 15.00.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Dear members of the European Parliament,

Thank you for your letter of 27 March 2017 in which you comment on my remarks in an interview with the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Allow me to respond to this letter and reflect on the specific issues you have raised.

In my interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung I have underlined the importance of solidarity and reciprocity within the European Union.

I made the point that the agreed framework is crucial for confidence in the Eurozone, both in the outside world and between member states. For solidarity between the member states, which I value very much, it is crucial that we all show commitment and responsibility. Let me recall the exact wording:

"Zum einen machen wir uns nach außen hin berechenbar, wenn wir ihn konsequent anwenden. Zum anderen wirkt der Pakt innerhalb der Eurozone vertrauensbildend. In der Euro-Krise haben sich die nördlichen Eurostaaten solidarisch mit den Krisenländern gezeigt. Als Sozialdemokrat halte ich Solidarität für äußerst wichtig. Aber wer sie einfordert, hat auch Pflichten. Ich kann nicht mein ganzes Geld für Schnaps und Frauen ausgeben und anschließend Sie um Ihre Unterstützung bitten. Dieses Prinzip gilt auf persönlicher, lokaler, nationaler und eben auch auf europäischer Ebene.”

In the days following the publication of the interview my words were linked to the situation in countries in Southern Europe during the crisis years. It is very unfortunate that this link was made as this was not what I said. And it certainly was not what I had intended. The crisis has impacted societies throughout the Eurozone at great social expense and solidarity has been very much justified.

Regrettably, some people were offended by the way I expressed myself. Choice of words is of course personal as is the way they are picked up. I shall be even more careful in the future as it is never my intention to insult people.

Building a community, including solidarity, comes with commitment to joint values, laid down in our legal agreements. Let me be absolutely clear, this applies to all members of the EMU. Frameworks like the Stability and Growth Pact and the Banking Union are what keeps the Eurozone united and strong. On this base we can build and take next steps together.

Let me conclude by saying that I remain fully committed to work together with you as members of the European Parliament and all European citizens to strengthen our economies and our monetary union.

Yours sincerely,

Jeroen Dijsselbloem

Cc: Mr Antonio Tajani, President of the European Parliament

Fahimian
Area of Freedom, Security and Justice
The national authorities may refuse, for reasons of public security, to grant to an Iranian national with a degree from a university subject to restrictive measures a visa for study in a sensitive field such as information technology security

Good afternoon. Let me first of all thank President Radev for his hospitality here in Sofia. Our discussions today focused on the political situation in the Balkans, migration, Schengen and Brexit.

Let me start with migration. Bulgaria is perhaps the best example of how to protect our borders. I witnessed this myself today during the briefing on the situation at your borders with both Turkey and Greece. Thankfully, the situation is under control and it proves how efficient the Bulgarian border services and its political leadership are. Unfortunately, there will be a need for vigilance for a long time to come.

We are determined to keep routes of illegal migration in this region closed. And we remain committed to the full implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement. The EU is honouring its commitments, just like we expect Turkey to continue keeping its part of the deal.

I know that Bulgaria's strengthened border control has put a considerable pressure on your budget. You have invested a lot of your own security resources in this task. The EU and its Member States have helped with financial support and the rapid deployment of a joint European operation. Only at Bulgaria's border with Turkey, the European Border and Coast Guard has deployed around 100 officers to support you. Should further difficulties arise on Bulgaria's borders, the EU has already planned emergency funding, and stands ready to react quickly in support of Bulgaria.

For me the excellent job you are doing at your borders is evidence that you have made enough progress to become part of the Schengen area. Many think this should already have happened by now. I can assure you of my support but we need, as you know, all Member States' agreement. We work hard to make it happen. Member states have already shown their support for Bulgaria to be covered by the new high-tech systems we are building to strengthen Schengen, and this is a promising step forward.

Now let me add a word on the Brexit talks, which we also discussed today. Your citizens only recently gained the full right to work in the UK. They deserve our full commitment that their interests will be safeguarded. Our goal in this respect is clear: to minimise the costs of Brexit for all EU citizens wherever they come from.

You live in a challenging neighbourhood but you are an essential part of Europe. Europe is not only about procedures and money but also about shared values, dignity and political solidarity. And political solidarity means one for all and all for one. Edin za vsichki i vsichki za edin. Europe will always stand by you.

Britain’s Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, has postponed his visit to Moscow, and declared that he will not be “cosying up” to the Kremlin. The news is a source of disappointment for Moscow, which is interested in getting to know the ‘great Brexiteer’ and perhaps experiencing the ‘Boris effect’ on Anglo-Russian relations.

Links between the two countries are at a low point, and some emotional baggage needs to be cleared. Johnson offers the sense of fresh start. Accepting misunderstandings and hearing the Russian side of the story would be a graceful thing to do, and it would also allow the Russians to admit that they have not always been virtuous.

Russia’s current state will determine how it hears the message. Criticisms of Russia’s domestic policies, the treatment of its LGBT community and violations of human rights which have been usually brought up by the West will fall on deaf ears in Russia.

Many Russians believe that the West has lost the ability to lead by example. Its power to influence political transformation elsewhere, including in Russia, is diminished and invalidated. The Russian public observe Western politicians with their own problems that they failed to recognise as coming or cannot handle. So how can they lecture others?

But what of Russia’s much-publicised ability to influence Western domestic affairs? Well, it is much exaggerated. Americans did not elect Donald Trump as President of the United States because they watched Russia Today (just as the Bolshevik revolution, 100 years ago, was not the result of the Germans backing Lenin).

“Western problems are not of Russia’s making ‒ even if Moscow can be accused of exploiting them”

There is no evidence that Moscow was behind Brexit or benefitted from it. François Fillon, whose Welsh wife is reported to have enjoyed a windfall from public money, did not win the centre-right primary through electoral fraud orchestrated by the Kremlin. Marine Le Pen is not a Moscow puppet, but a response to the failure of the main parties in France. It was the Greek crisis that exposed divisions in the EU, while the response to Ukraine united it.

Established Western politicians are under pressure, but seeing a Russian hand everywhere is too much of a stretch. To Moscow, the accusations of ‘Russian interference’ appear inconsistent on two counts.

First, Western efforts to support Russia’s opponents were presented as ‘supporting democratisation’, while a hint of Russian payback made the West distressed.

Second, it attributes to Moscow the ability to project power well beyond the Kremlin’s wildest dreams. It appears that with fairly simple tools and a degree of luck Moscow has managed to achieve much more in a decade than the Soviet Union did in 70 years.

Western problems are not of Russia’s making (even if Moscow can be accused of exploiting them). Even if the alleged Russian hackers penetrated the US Democrats’ servers, it is clear that Hillary Clinton’s team had things to hide. The best response to a ‘Russian threat’ is not cyber-security, but ensuring that the actions are above-board.

The truth is that the West may be having its own ‘Orange revolution’ moment, ready to believe in outside manipulation as it struggles to come to terms with the shocking political outcomes delivered by their own societies. Similarly, Moscow saw no legitimate grounds for popular protests in Ukraine in 2004 and 2013, attributing them to external forces.

Rather than ascribing actions to foreign conspiracies, we need to acknowledge that the world has changed since 2014.The clocks cannot be turned back.

“Boris Johnson has the chance to start a new chapter for the West and Russia”

Russia will not give up Crimea. Sanctions produced a modest economic setback, but also fostered political consolidation and the development of alternative alliances. Ukraine is the thorniest issue, and the conflict there is a liability rather than an asset for Moscow.

Johnson will have to respond to Russian concerns: what is the strategy behind British assistance to the Ukrainian armed forces? How would London react if Kiev attempted a military solution in the separatist Donbas region ‒insist on a return to the Minsk peace process, or endorse the offensive?

Russian intervention in Syria is a fact. Russia’s army has turned out to be more capable than thought. And Moscow’s strategy is at least consistent: it backs a recognised government that is battling the forces of terrorism. It does it in messy and brutal ways, but the West does not offer a winning alternative, as expectations of a nearing victory in Iraq may be over-optimistic.

Russians have a different approach to conducting wars. They are brutal affairs when one inflicts and sustains casualties, but going all-in, they believe, shortens the period of destruction and brings fewer casualties. The rebuilding of physical infrastructure opens the road to peace faster than good governance programmes. The question Moscow has for Britain is what replaced former prime minister David Cameron’s mantra of “Assad must go”? Who is a friend and who is a foe in Syria?

Not wanting a Cold War, Russia braces itself for a Cold Peace ‒ mobilising the economy, military resources and ideas. Its assets are its core elite, who think sufficiently alike to make policymaking and execution easy, and its ability to combine quick reactions and strategic patience.

Vladimir Putin is not Napoleon. The Russian President’s ambitions are limited – for the West to recognise Russia as an independent player in world affairs, acknowledge its interests in the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, such as through ending expansion of NATO and halting support for the domestic opposition.

Johnson – when he finally goes to Moscow – has the chance to start a new chapter for the West and Russia.

IMAGE CREDIT: katatonia82/Bigstock

The post Waiting for Boris appeared first on Europe’s World.

The Monthly Highlights publication provides an overview, at a glance, of the on-going work of the policy departments, including a selection of the latest and forthcoming publications, and a list of future events.
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

AMENDMENTS 1 - 195 - Draft report Addressing human rights violations in the context of war crimes, and crimes against humanity, including genocide
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : Eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem’s repeated rejection of invitations to speak to Parliament and offensive remarks in the press were severely criticized by all political groups at Monday’s opening. President Tajani announced that he would send Mr Dijsselbloem a formal letter of protest. Mr Tajani also conveyed Parliament’s condolences to victims of mudslides in Colombia and the terrorist bomb attack on the St Petersburg metro in Russia.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : Eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem’s repeated rejection of invitations to speak to Parliament and offensive remarks in the press were severely criticized by all political groups at Monday’s opening. President Tajani announced that he would send Mr Dijsselbloem a formal letter of protest. Mr Tajani also conveyed Parliament’s condolences to victims of mudslides in Colombia and the terrorist bomb attack on the St Petersburg metro in Russia.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

The special meeting of the European Council will take place on 29 April 2017 in the Europa building in Brussels. The press centre remains located in the Justus Lipsius building.

Now open for last-minute accreditation requests (online only)
Procedure

Please note that due to the current security situation in Belgium, specific security measures have been put in place for last minute accreditation requests. Media representatives applying for the first time or who have not been screened recently will be the subject of a comprehensive and detailed verification by our security service. Considering the time and resources needed for these verifications, not all requests may be processed. Media are therefore advised to avoid sending representatives falling into these categories.

If this is your first registration, please make sure you have a recent ID-size photograph in JPEG format (.jpg) and the number of your passport or identity card ready before starting the online process.

You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt by email. Please read it carefully as it includes the list of original documents you will be asked to provide when collecting your badge. Depending on your profile, the requested document will include: Passport or ID card, press card and/or a letter from your editor-in chief as well as the signed original of your authorisation for security screening (only for media representatives of Belgian nationality or resident in Belgium). The press centre may contact you to request additional information if necessary. No accreditation badge will be issued if you cannot provide all required documents. 

Trainees with media organisations who do not possess a press card are not entitled to request accreditation. 

Journalists holding a 6-month badge (01.01.2017 - 30.06.2017) do not need to register

6-month badges can be collected at the accreditation centre of the LEX building during summits. Please ensure that you have all the required documents when collecting your badge.

Collection of badges

Accreditation badges must be collected in person from the LEX building (145 rue de la Loi, Brussels)  

• Thursday 27 April, from 09.30 to 13.00 and from 14.00 to 18.00
• Friday 28 April, from 08.30 to 20.00
• Saturday 29 April, from 08.00 to the end of the final press conference (max. 22.00)

Practical information on the press centre and the media programme will follow.

For more details on the special meeting of the European Council,  see the meeting page.

We cannot know for certain what Alfonso Dastis, Spain’s foreign minister, thought to himself on Sunday when he switched on the television and saw that Michael Howard, a former British minister, was talking about war to protect Gibraltar, but he might well have permitted himself a smile.

The past few days have been a diplomatic masterclass from Madrid.

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