European Union

After eight months of deadlock the negotiations on the formation of a new government in Spain seem set to make progress once more. The leadership of the People's Party gave Mariono Rajoy the green light to start talks with the liberal Ciudadanos on Wednesday. The negotiations can only be successful if Rajoy shows more flexibility, commentators point out and warn that Spain cannot afford a third election.

Russia has stationed long-range bombers at an air base in Iran and is attacking rebel positions in the north of Aleppo from the site. Moscow and Tehran are united by common strategic goals in the region, commentators observe, and criticise the international community's increasing indifference in the face of the Syrian civilian population's unbearable suffering.

It could be another three years before the UK actually leaves the EU, representatives from Britain's political and business circles believe. London must present itself as genuine friend of Europe in the Brexit negotiations, commentators warn.

The citizens of Hungary will vote in a referendum on October 2 on whether to accept mandatory quotas for the distribution of refugees among the EU member states. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán rejects the quota system approved by Brussels. The Hungarians will back their leader, commentators predict, and call for binding regulations regarding the EU's migration policy.

Doping remains the dominant topic at the Rio Olympics. Some athletes competing in the event have been unusually critical of their rivals and accused them of taking banned substances. Now a leading IOC Executive Board member has been arrested on charges of selling tickets illegally. Many commentators voice disappointment at the course the major sporting event has taken.

General : From Brexit to the migration crisis: 2016 has proved a very eventful year, but Parliament's work is far from finished. Until the end of the year MEPs will be working on a broad range of issues, from tackling the terrorism threat to improving the digital single market. Read on for an overview of the challenges MEPs will be dealing with the coming months.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

General : From Brexit to the migration crisis: 2016 has proved a very eventful year, but Parliament's work is far from finished. Until the end of the year MEPs will be working on a broad range of issues, from tackling the terrorism threat to improving the digital single market. Read on for an overview of the challenges MEPs will be dealing with the coming months.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

The EU strongly condemns the escalation of violence in Aleppo, the continuous bombardments and the sieges that have put the lives of hundreds of thousands of Syrians in further danger and is hindering the efforts of the international community both to provide humanitarian aid and to support a political solution to the conflict. Recalling that the Syrian authorities have the primary responsibility for the protection of its people, the EU strongly condemns all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure and the excessive and disproportionate attacks by the Syrian regime. 

The EU believes that a Syrian led political transition, as supported by the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), endorsed unanimously by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and agreed in talks convened by the United Nations, is the only way of putting an end to more than five years of conflict in Syria. The EU will continue to do all in its power to ensure the full implementation of the Geneva Communiqué and relevant UNSC Resolutions. There is no military solution to the war and the ongoing escalation of violence has seriously put at risk the success of this process. 

The EU supports the ISSG co-chairs and the UN Special Representative in their efforts to create the conditions for restarting intra-Syrian talks in Geneva as soon as possible. The EU stands ready to fully and actively support these negotiations in close coordination with Staffan de Mistura and the two ISSG Co-chairs. 

Therefore, the EU and its Member States call for: 

- an immediate halt to the fighting in Aleppo to allow medical evacuations, deliveries of aid and repairing of essential water and electricity infrastructure. Humanitarian operations in Aleppo must serve a humanitarian purpose and fully comply with international humanitarian principles and standards. They cannot be part of any military strategy; 

- all parties to the conflict to restore the cessation of hostilities, ensure the lifting of all sieges and allow sustained, countrywide humanitarian access to those in need; 

- all international actors to abide by the commitments of the ISSG meeting of 17 May 2016.

There will be no peace in Syria without a genuine political transition which is inclusive and representative of all Syrians. Once this transition has begun, the EU and its Member States will be in a position to provide immediate support to Syria's reconstruction and also to help the return of refugees and the internally displaced to their communities.

The Candidate Countries Turkey, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, Montenegro* and Albania*, the country of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia align themselves with this Declaration.

*The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

On 30 August 2016, Vincenzo Tagliaferri, a senior police officer from Italy, was appointed head of the EU civil mission in Libya, EUBAM Libya. He will take up his duties on 1 September 2016. He takes over from Antti Juhani Hartikainen. 

As part of the EU's comprehensive approach to support the transition to a democratic, stable and prosperous Libya, EUBAM Libya is mandated to plan for a possible future EU mission providing advice and capacity-building in the area of criminal justice, migration, border security and counter-terrorism. 

The decision was taken by the Political and Security Committee.