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It is fair to say that we will meet in a different political context from that of a few months ago, when the anti-EU forces were on the rise. The current developments on the continent seem to indicate that we are slowly turning the corner. In many of our countries, the political parties that have built their strength on anti-EU sentiments are beginning to diminish. We are witnessing the return of the EU rather as a solution, not a problem. Paradoxically, the tough challenges of the recent months  have made us more united than before. But it is also thanks to your determination, that we have preserved this unity. I thank you for this, and I ask for more. Our unity is precisely the reason why we are in a much better place today, with the new-found optimism for the future.

However, we cannot be complacent or naïve. We have to prove to the people that we are capable of restoring control over events which overwhelm and sometimes even terrify. Last year we agreed that the EU will protect our people against security threats, illegal migration and uncontrolled globalisation, and we must continue to deliver. Therefore, during the upcoming European Council, I want us to move further on our policy response in these three areas.

Firstly, security. Terrorism remains a major threat. The recent attacks highlight the new wave of home-grown radicalisation. Let me be honest: the EU will not replace national states in this fight, because the policy response depends mainly on governments. But the EU can help to win this fight. So far we have made progress on foreign fighters and returnees. Now it is time to step up cooperation with the online industry. Terrorist propaganda makes its biggest impact within the first few hours of being posted. We should therefore encourage the industry to develop tools that will automatically detect and remove content that spreads terrorist material or incites to violence.

Given that Europe's security is our common responsibility, I would also like us to agree on the need to launch Permanent Structured Cooperation in defence. For it to succeed, we will need your ambitious commitments: from projects that develop our defence capabilities, to more demanding tasks such as military operations. Decisions in this respect will demonstrate not only our determination to invest more in Europe's security and defence, but also our responsibility for transatlantic relations, at a time when it is needed on our side of the Atlantic as never before. Every Member State should be invited to participate in the newly emerging defence cooperation and no-one should be excluded. This cooperation can be the best example that we are not promoting "different" speeds, but setting up a work method that should allow the whole EU to gain the "right" speed.

Secondly, on illegal migration, we need to review the situation on the Central Mediterranean route. The number of illegal arrivals of primarily economic migrants to Italy has increased by 26% compared to last year; around 1 900 people have lost their lives at sea, and the smuggling business is taking on a new dimension. Some operational results of our decisions have been achieved, namely the training of Libyan Navy Coastguards, the arrests of more than 100 smugglers and the neutralisation of more than 400 of their vessels. But this is clearly too little, and I don't see why we cannot bear greater financial responsibility for the functioning of the Libyan Navy Coastguards. They are our allies in the fight against smugglers. I am drawing your attention to this, because at the working level some of your representatives are not taking the necessary decisions in this regard.

Finally, on uncontrolled globalisation. In order to protect our free trade agenda at home, we must prove that we can defend Europe against those who want to abuse our openness. To that end, we must ensure that our Trade Defence Instruments are efficient. We need to have a serious debate on how to enhance reciprocity and screen investments from countries that impose unfair restrictions. People need to know that we can protect them from unfair trading practices.

As for the meeting agenda, we will start our proceedings with the traditional exchange of views with the European Parliament President Tajani, at 15.00 on Thursday. Following this exchange, Prime Minister Muscat will update us on where we stand in implementing our previous conclusions. Our first working session will be dedicated to internal security, counterterrorism and defence. After the adoption of our conclusions on these points, we will suspend our work to meet the press. We will reconvene for a working dinner dedicated to external relations. Chancellor Merkel and President Macron will first present the state of play as regards the implementation of the Minsk Agreements. Then I will share with you my reflections after the recent international summits and meetings, including with Presidents Trump and Erdoğan. In that context I would like us to recall that we stand united behind the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. At the end of the dinner, Prime Minister May will inform us on her intentions as regards the negotiations on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. After dinner, I will invite the 27 leaders to stay for a brief update on the negotiations, and to endorse the procedure for the relocation of the UK-based agencies.

On Friday, we will start at 10.00 with ECB President Draghi, who will present the current economic situation. Following that, we will move on to trade and adopt the relevant conclusions. We will then tackle conclusions on migration, where Prime Minister Muscat will inform us on the follow-up to the Malta Declaration. Before concluding, we will briefly turn to the concept of Digital Europe with Prime Minister Ratas, in view of the incoming Presidency's work programme. Our meeting should end around lunchtime. I look forward to seeing you all in Brussels.

VIDÉO - Le garde des Sceaux n'envisage pas de quitter le gouvernement dans la foulée de Sylvie Goulard. À la différence de Marielle de Sarnez, qui pourrait prendre la tête du groupe MoDem à l'Assemblée.

Au lendemain de la sortie annoncée des États-Unis de l’Accord de Paris, la maire de la capitale française et actuelle présidente du réseau C40 (Cities for climate), réaffirme la puissance et la détermination des villes engagées contre le changement climatique. Un article de notre partenaire, La Tribune.

La ministre des Armées a souhaité quitter le gouvernement et le président a accepté sa démission. Elle souhaite démontrer sa bonne foi dans l'enquête préliminaire concernant les assistants parlementaires du Modem.

Plusieurs États membres et le secteur européen de la distribution s'interrogent sur le futur système de suivi et de traçage des produits du tabac proposé par la Commission européenne.

Military forces and airborne assets participating in EU-led military operations are highly likely to encounter adversaries armed with Surface-to-Air Fire (SAFIRE) weapons to interfere with, and potentially jeopardise, air operations. A recent EDA study developed a strategy on Counter SAFIRE (C-SAFIRE) with the aim to maximise air assets’ availability, survivability and freedom of manoeuvre in theatre of operations. 

Counter- Surface-to-Air Fire (C-SAFIRE) capability is required on EU-led military operations in order to prevent the threat or use of SAFIRE being a risk to mission success, excessively constraining air assets’ (fixed wing and rotary) freedom of action, or imposing avoidable costs or casualties. The C-SAFIRE study supports an EU approach to facilitate Member States’ participation in EU-led military operations under the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), while supporting mission effectiveness and operational risk management for participating air assets. The study states the  C-SAFIRE capabilities required for participation in EU-led military operations and addresses how air platforms with different capabilities can be employed.

Through the study, a technical, organisational and procedural guide on C-SAFIRE in EU led military operations was produced. The study also presented a common understanding of measures to be taken at national level to facilitate the development of an integrated approach in the assessment and development of Member States’ C-SAFIRE capabilities, training included. 

The project was funded by the EDA and carried out by a contractor. The study design and implementation was coordinated by the Project Team C-SAFIRE,  that bring together experts from the Member States. 

Copyright picture: Airbus Defence & Space

More information

• Public Executive Summary - Study to Inform Strategy on Counter-Surface-to-Air Fire (C-SAFIRE) in EU-Led Military Operations

 

Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation from President Rumen Radev to visit Bulgaria in 2018 to mark the 140th anniversary of the end of the Russo-Turkish war.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2017 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Le lutte contre la propagande et les cyberattaques est évoquée dans  nouveau partenariat stratégique. Une première.

Elle entend «démontrer sa bonne foi» dans l'enquête sur les soupçons d'emplois fictifs présumés au MoDem. Sylvie Goulard, ministre des Armées, a annoncé mardi sa décision de ne plus «faire partie du gouvernement»,...

After efforts in 2016 to curb widespread cannabis cultivation in Albania were unsuccessful, police have deployed helicopters as part of a new national effort to end the growing of illegal crops.

Chaque année, près d’un tiers de la population mondiale est exposée à plus de 20 jours d’une canicule potentiellement mortelle. D’ici à 2100, cette proportion pourrait s’élever à près de 75%, révèle une étude publiée lundi 19 juin dans Nature Climate Change. Un article de notre partenaire, le Journal de l’Environnement.

La ministre des Armées, Sylvie Goulard, a annoncé mardi sa décision de ne "plus faire partie du gouvernement", pour pouvoir "démontrer librement [sa] bonne foi" dans l'enquête sur des soupçons d'emplois fictifs présumés au MoDem.

Le Royaume-Uni ne peut se passer des 57 000 travailleurs européens qui font tourner son système de santé. Le Brexit, dont les négociations ont débuté le 19 juin, plombe déjà les inscriptions dans les écoles d'infirmiers. Un article de notre partenaire, Ouest-France.

Was eint die vier Staaten und wie sehen sie sich und ihre Funktion im europäischen Gesamtsystem? Wie stehen sie zu ihren östlichen Nachbarstaaten? Welche Rolle spielt insbesondere die Slowakei in dieser Konstellation? Die Verbindungsstelle Brüssel lud am 6. Juni 2017 in der Bayerischen Vertretung bei der Europäischen Union in Brüssel zur Diskussion über diese Fragen ein.

Un groupe d’États membres demande à la Commission européenne d’autoriser la distribution de bons d’achat au plus pauvres. Une manière d’aider moins chère et plus digne que les distributions de nourriture et de vêtements, estiment-ils.

VIDÉO - «Si le procureur souhaite m'entendre, il m'entendra» en cas de mise en examen, a déclaré l'ex-ministre de la Cohésion des territoires, qui devrait prendre la tête du groupe La République en marche à l'Assemblée nationale.

La « route des Balkans » est théoriquement fermée depuis mars 2016. Pourtant, des centaines de réfugiés continuent d'avancer sur les routes de la région, malgré les murs de barbelés et les frontières fermées. Souvent, ils doivent s'en remettre aux réseaux de passeurs, dont les affaires n'ont jamais été si florissantes... Retrouvez toutes nos infos en temps réel.
Par la rédaction
Les violences policières ne cessent d'augmenter dans l'Est de la Croatie
20 juin — 10h30 : Alors que se tiennent à Zagreb du 12 (...)

/ Albanie, Bulgarie, Roumanie, Macédoine, Grèce, Croatie, Serbie, Slovénie, Courrier des Balkans, Turquie, Migrants Balkans, Populations, minorités et migrations, Gratuit, #OpenEurope, Bosnie-Herzégovine

La « route des Balkans » est théoriquement fermée depuis mars 2016. Pourtant, des centaines de réfugiés continuent d'avancer sur les routes de la région, malgré les murs de barbelés et les frontières fermées. Souvent, ils doivent s'en remettre aux réseaux de passeurs, dont les affaires n'ont jamais été si florissantes... Retrouvez toutes nos infos en temps réel.
Par la rédaction
Les violences policières ne cessent d'augmenter dans l'Est de la Croatie
20 juin — 10h30 : Alors que se tiennent à Zagreb du 12 (...)

/ Albanie, Bulgarie, Roumanie, Macédoine, Grèce, Croatie, Serbie, Slovénie, Courrier des Balkans, Turquie, Migrants Balkans, Populations, minorités et migrations, Gratuit, #OpenEurope, Bosnie-Herzégovine