Tribune de Laurence Daziano parue le 26 janvier 2016 dans La Tribune. Pour l’auteure, la France n'a heureusement pas rompu tous les liens économiques avec la Russie, et une levée de sanctions serait de notre intérêt. De nouvelles coopérations fructueuses sont possibles, notamment dans le nucléaire.
Cet article Laurence Daziano – La Tribune – Développer les relations économiques avec la Russie est apparu en premier sur Fondapol.
Sunday 31 January 2016
London
18.30 Meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron
Tuesday 2 February 2016
17.00 Meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (photo opportunity)
Thursday 4 February 2016
London - Supporting Syria and the Region conference
(local time)
11.00 Intervention at the Supporting Syria and the Region conference
11:25 Meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
12.30 Meeting with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron
13.00 Meeting with President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz
14.30 Meeting with Prime Minister of Slovenia Miro Cerar
15.00 Meeting with Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoğlu, German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras and Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann
(B2) L’affolement est à son comble aujourd’hui face aux frontières qui se ferment en cascade. Et les mots fusent : l’exclusion de la Grèce de Schengen es proche, la fin de Schengen programmée, la catastrophe voire la fin de l’Europe en arrière-plan, etc. Dans ces paroles, il faut distinguer ce qui ressort d’un élément médiatique, de pression psychologique politique, destinée à faire prendre conscience aux Européens qu’il faut agir, vite et de façon décisive, et les réels problèmes.
De la même façon que pour la Zone Euro et la Grèce, on agite le pire pour obtenir le meilleur. Mais l’inquiétude est aussi bien réelle. Le sujet est sensible. Et l’Europe semble de moins en moins résiliente face aux crises qui se succèdent. Celle-ci étant la plus grave de toutes car elle touche aux valeurs même européennes. « Nous sommes au bord du gouffre » est la phrase souvent entendue, dans des milieux européens.
Pour revenir sur terre, j’ai cherché en savoir plus sur la réalité de ce qui est reproché à la Grèce aujourd’hui et ce que prépare la Commission européenne pour préserver Schengen. Entretien avec Natasha Bertaud, la porte-parole du commissaire européen chargé des Migrations, Dimitris Avramopoulos, réalisé pour Sud Ouest *.
La Commission a préparé un rapport sur la Grèce, très sévère. Que reprochez-vous ?
Ce rapport, c’est le résultat d’inspections à la frontière terrestre entre la Grèce et la Turquie et sur les îles de Chios et Samos, faites par des experts des Etats membres. Ils ont constaté les efforts des autorités grecques. Mais il y a encore des problèmes, importants. Les migrants en situation irrégulière ne sont pas identifiés et enregistrés efficacement. Leurs empreintes digitales ne sont pas systématiquement saisies. Et on ne vérifie pas systématiquement leur présence dans les bases de données de sécurité. Ce sont des manquements graves auxquels la Grèce doit remédier.
La Grèce sera-t-elle exclue de Schengen?
Non. Aucun pays-membre ne sera exclu de Schengen. Et nous n’allons pas non plus suspendre Schengen. Il serait même irresponsable de prétendre que ce soit possible. Le régime de Schengen ne prévoit pas cette option. Ce que nous voulons éviter par dessus tout, c’est nous retrouver dans la situation où chaque pays réintroduirait des mesures au niveau national en dehors du cadre européen. On n’en est pas là … En publiant ce rapport, nous préservons au contraire Schengen.
L’Allemagne et d’autres pays ont réintroduit des contrôles aux frontières intérieures. C’est la fin de Schengen ?
Au contraire. C’est parfaitement en ligne avec le code Schengen. Mais ces contrôles sont temporaires. Ils ne peuvent pas être prolongés plus de 8 mois, soit jusqu’au 13 mai pour l’Allemagne. Après, on dispose encore d’une procédure dite « de dernier recours », l’article 26 du code Schengen, qui permet de prolonger les contrôles, jusqu’à 2 ans supplémentaires. Ce qui donne du temps pour corriger les insuffisances. Une nouvelle inspection part bientôt en Grèce pour vérifier cela.
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
Lire aussi notre fiche-mémo complète sur La procédure de l’article 26 du Code Schengen,
(*) Papier paru dans Sud Ouest ce matin
Talk about the calm before the storm! The silence is deafening as both Brussels and Washington DC holds its breath days before the February 1st deadline for an agreement on a new Safe Harbor framework.
At the moment both sides of the Atlantic continue to stare hard at each other waiting for the other side to blink. Senior level negotiations occurred behind closed doors during Davos but very little was revealed. The EU is standing firm as Commissioner Jourova said she is clear that ‘when a European’s personal data travels the equivalent protections also need to go with it’. While Penny Pritzker, U.S. Secretary of Commerce said they have a comprehensive offer being refined ‘…that creates what’s called ‘essential equivalents’ which is the standard that needs to be met in order for Safe Harbor to receive what’s called an adequacy determination’.
What we can assume by next Monday is that some sort of agreement will be announced notwithstanding a complete breakdown in negotiations. Which is a possibility.
What would such an agreement look like? Hard to say, but here are some areas that have been discussed. Clarity on the use of legal mechanisms recognized by the High Court in Europe to allow the transfer of data from the EU to the US. In particular, Standard Contractual Clauses (SCC) and Binding Corporate Rules (BCR). There has even been discussion on potentially introducing new ‘creative’ mechanisms such as Codes of Conduct and Certification. However, some Data Protection Authorities in Germany have said they will challenge SCCs and BCRs and any new mechanisms would take several years to be develop, accept, and implement.
But what if the negotiations fail? Where does that leave companies that are directly impacted by the absence of Safe Harbor (of which many are European, by the way)?
We would hope that, in absence of an agreement, the European Commission and Data Protection Authorities will provide clarity and specific ways for companies to transfer data overseas. Unfortunately this does not exclude investigations being started by the Data Protection Authorities. We can hope these authorities will recognize the good faith companies have shown to date. Companies have repeated throughout the process that they do not have the competency to change how US laws are applied but have offered to make unilateral commitments such as providing transparency reports, developing compliance processes, implementing specific technical or organizational measures.
The real test will be that whatever is announced will need to stand up to European Data Protection Authorities. But it will also need to survive another challenge most likely to come from the High Court and the ‘Schrems’ of the world. A perfect acceptable solution will mean a seismic change in US domestic policy to halt its intelligence services and provide assurances that will need to be entrenched somehow in law. This is not likely in the current US political climate which is very sensitive in the run up to the Presidential elections. The current administration will not want to give Republicans more ammunition with an agreement that may be seen to appease the EU in exchange to sacrificing some of its national security. In addition, the EU would need to provide a credible message to the US explaining why it is ok for Member States, like France and the UK, to introduce new mass surveillance laws. The US will be less enthused to hear Brussels’ response that it does not have the competency to issue orders to Member States, especially not to the likes of the UK with Brexit on the horizon.
Unfortunately the only conclusion is that 1 February will not be the end of the painful discussions that will still be needed to ensure data can flow across the Atlantic. We can only hope cooler heads will prevail and factor in the benefits the free flow of trans-Atlantic data can have in bringing prosperity, jobs and important innovation. Maybe wishful thinking on my part.
Rajeev Batra is partner and head of risk consulting at KPMG.
By Rajeev Batra, Special to Gulf News
ABU DHABI, Jan 29 2016 (IPS)
(WAM) - The discovery of hydrocarbon reserves brought tremendous prosperity for the UAE and made it a central player in the global energy market. With one of the highest gross domestic product per capita levels in the world, the UAE has generally used its wealth wisely to stimulate sustainable economic growth. However, volatility in oil markets, growing unrest across the region and the growing threat of climate change has concentrated minds on the need for immediate and decisive action.
Credit: Gulf News archive
The UAE has long recognised that environmental responsibility and economic diversification are essential for a better, more sustainable future. As the first country in the region to set renewable energy targets and as home to the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena), Masdar City and the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the shift towards cleaner energy sources and reduced carbon emissions is evident.
Ahead of last month’s COP21 summit in Paris, the UAE government pledged to increase clean energy’s share of the national energy mix to 24 per cent by 2021. This is a pivotal step towards making the UAE a global centre of renewable energy innovation. With more than 300 days of abundant sunshine every year, increasing solar’s share of the UAE energy mix should be attainable. Hydrocarbons that are not burnt to generate electricity can be used for other, higher value-adding purposes, or sold to increase the gross national income. Clean energy could also reduce the long-term social costs the government will face as adverse environmental and health effects could be minimised — or even eradicated.
The UAE should be proud of its clean energy leadership role. Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy agency Masdar was a key sponsor of Solar Impulse, the flying laboratory full of clean technologies that represents 12 years of research and development. Solar Impulse generated tremendous global excitement when it attempted the first round-the-world solar flight to demonstrate how a pioneering spirit and clean technologies can change the world.
The Zayed Future Energy Prize — which represents the environmental stewardship vision of the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan — celebrates impactful, innovative and long-term achievements in renewable energy and sustainability. It reflects the UAE’s commitment to finding solutions that meet the challenges of climate change, energy security and the environment. The 2016 winners were announced on January 19 and ranged from SOS HG Shaikh Secondary School, a school for 300 students three hours from Somaliland’s capital, Hargeisa, to BYD, the largest rechargeable battery supplier and new energy vehicle manufacturer, based in Shenzhen. A lifetime achievement award to Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland recognised her many achievements and accomplishments, included being a guiding force behind the “Brundtland Report” on sustainability over 25 years ago.
The UAE, like many other developed and developing countries, faces a number of clean energy and carbon emission issues. In a reflection of its growing economy, there is an increasing number of vehicles on our roads, leading to increasing fuel usage and higher carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide levels. Electricity demand from individuals, industries and commercial buildings — which are major consumers of electricity — is high and the UAE has a significant carbon footprint. Competitively priced oil, gas and energy prices, while driving economic growth in some traditional industries, is undermining renewable energy and stifling growth in what could be a key sector of the country’s future economy.
The recent adoption of the Paris agreement was a historic moment. COP21 was an unprecedented international climate deal and presents both risks and opportunities for businesses who have an important role in terms of emissions reductions and investments to help governments achieve the goals.
As countries start reforming their economies based on their COP21 commitments, we should see the global economy evolving to a lower carbon model. Companies will be required to be more open and transparent about the financial, environmental and social risks and opportunities that they face from climate change.
Investment in clean technology should grow dramatically — governments are expected to double their clean-tech research and development budgets and the private sector is likely to increase its involvement and investment. The role of the private sector, in fact, is key to the sustainability agenda — because of its central role in the development of the global economy. The increase in the private sector’s rate of triple bottom-line reporting — which focuses on social and environmental as well as economic costs and benefits — will be a key marker of the likely success, or failure, of the COP21 programme.
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