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A Tanács 2017. február 27-én úgy határozott, hogy egy évvel, 2018. február 28-ig meghosszabbítja a Belarusszal szembeni korlátozó intézkedéseket. Ezen intézkedések keretében az EU egyrészt fegyverembargót rendelt el, másrészt a vagyoni eszközök befagyasztását és utazási tilalmat négy olyan személlyel szemben, akiket két ellenzéki politikus, egy üzletember és egy újságíró 1999. és 2000. évi, máig nem tisztázott eltűnésével összefüggésben vett jegyzékbe. A Tanács egyúttal mentességet biztosított a korlátozó intézkedések alól a biatlonfelszerelések Belaruszba irányuló kivitele számára, amelyet azonban az illetékes nemzeti hatóságoknak eseti alapon előzetesen engedélyezniük kell.

Amint az a Tanács a 2016. február 15-i következtetéseiben is szerepel, a Belarusszal szembeni jövőbeli uniós politika alakulása szempontjából továbbra is kulcsfontosságúak azok a kézzelfogható lépések, amelyeket az ország az egyetemes alapvető szabadságok, a jogállamiság és az emberi jogok tiszteletben tartása érdekében tesz.

Az EU első alkalommal 2004-ben rendelt el korlátozó intézkedéseket Belarusszal szemben a fent említett négy személy eltűnésével összefüggésében. A Tanács később további korlátozó intézkedéseket is elfogadott a nemzetközi választási normáknak és az emberi jogok nemzetközi jogának megsértésében, valamint a civil társadalommal és a demokratikus ellenzékkel szembeni elnyomásban érintett személyekkel szemben. A fegyverembargó elrendelésére 2011-ben került sor. 2016. február 15-én a Tanács úgy határozott, hogy 170 személlyel és három vállalattal szemben megszünteti a korlátozó intézkedéseket, ugyanakkor fenntartotta a fegyverembargót és négy személlyel szemben a szankciókat is. A határozattal egyidejűleg a Tanács nyugtázta a Belarusz által tett azon lépéseket, amelyek hozzájárultak az Unióval fennálló kapcsolatai javulásához.

I am pleased to welcome President Sargsyan to Brussels today.

Armenia whose independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity we support is an important partner for the European Union.

I am very pleased to announce today the conclusion of negotiations on the new EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement.

This new agreement will broaden the scope of our relations, taking into account the new global, political and economic interests we share and challenges we want to face together.

We are looking forward to stronger cooperation in sectors such as energy, transport and the environment, for new opportunities in trade and investments, and for increased mobility for the benefit of our citizens.

We have discussed today our shared values including our commitment to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, which underpin the new agreement and our future cooperation.

The EU is already the first trade partner of Armenia, its first international donor and strongest supporter to reforms. We intend to expand these relations further in the coming years and have encouraged Armenia to continue reforms across a range of issues, including economic development, the business environment, the judiciary, human rights, the fight against corruption and measures to ensure free and fair elections.

We also discussed the peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The status quo is unsustainable. The conflict needs an early political settlement in accordance with international law. It does not have a military solution. The EU continues to fully support the mediation efforts and proposals of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

Mr President, thank you very much for coming to Brussels for your visit, for all your efforts and for our cooperation.

Washington elsőként Európába küldi a többcélú, ötödik generációs F-35A Lighting II típusú harci repülőgépeit – nyilatkozta a napokban Herbert ”Hawk” Carlisle tábornok, a Légiharc Parancsnokság parancsnoka a szakújságíróknak.

Der Rat hat am 27. Februar 2017 beschlossen, die restriktiven Maßnahmen gegen Belarus um ein Jahr – bis zum 28. Februar 2018 – zu verlängern. Diese Maßnahmen bestehen zum einen in einem Waffenembargo; zum anderen bleiben die Vermögenswerte von vier Personen, die mit dem ungeklärten Verschwinden zweier Oppositionspolitiker, eines Geschäftsmanns und eines Journalisten in den Jahren 1999 und 2000 in Zusammenhang gebracht werden, weiter eingefroren, und das Reiseverbot gegen sie bleibt bestehen. Der Rat hat zudem eine Ausnahme von den restriktiven Maßnahmen beschlossen: Die Ausfuhr von Biathlon-Ausrüstung nach Belarus wird künftig gestattet sein, muss allerdings von Fall zu Fall von den zuständigen nationalen Behörden im Voraus genehmigt werden.

Wie der Rat in seinen Schlussfolgerungen vom 15. Februar 2016 erklärt hat, werden konkrete Schritte seitens Belarus zur Gewährleistung der Grundfreiheiten, der Rechtsstaatlichkeit und der Menschenrechte für die Gestaltung der künftigen Politik der EU gegenüber Belarus weiterhin entscheidend sein.

Die restriktiven Maßnahmen gegen Belarus wurden erstmals 2004 als Reaktion auf das Verschwinden der vier oben genannten Personen verhängt. Später beschloss der Rat weitere restriktive Maßnahmen gegen die Personen, die an der Verletzung der internationalen Wahlstandards und Menschenrechtsnormen und am gewaltsamen Vorgehen gegen die Zivilgesellschaft und die demokratische Opposition beteiligt waren. Das Waffenembargo folgte 2011. Am 15. Februar 2016 beschloss der Rat, die restriktiven Maßnahmen gegen 170 Personen und drei Unternehmen aufzuheben, am Waffenembargo und an den Sanktionen gegen vier Personen jedoch festzuhalten. Damit honorierte er, dass Belarus Schritte unternommen hatte, die zur Verbesserung der beiderseitigen Beziehungen beigetragen haben.

The Maltese Presidency and European Parliament representatives reached a provisional agreement on extending the EU's funding to the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG).

Nearly €14 million will be allocated for the period 2017 to 2020 to ensure the operational continuity of the EFRAG. The EU's contribution to EFRAG's budget accounts for around 60%.

Christian Cardona, Minister for the Economy, Investment and Small Business of Malta, said: "Adequate funding will allow the EFRAG to carry out its mission effectively. EFRAG is now well equipped to continue advising the European Commission on international financial reporting standards in the interest of the European project. Independence and transparency are essential for strengthening the single market of financial services and capital". 

EFRAG's mission is to develop and promote European views in the field of financial reporting. It also tries to ensure that these views are duly taken into account within the International Accounting Standards Board, which is the independent body responsible for developing International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). 

In 2009, the EU launched a programme to support activities in the field of financial services, financial reporting and auditing. The beneficiaries of the programme are the IFRS Foundation, the EFRAG and the Public Interest Oversight Board (PIOB). 

The programme was extended under regulation 258/14 for the period 2014 to 2020 for the IFRS Foundation and the PIOB only. 

Concerning EFRAG, the Council and the Parliament decided to wait until a number of reforms in the EFRAG governance were completed. The governance reform of EFRAG to strengthen the EU's contribution to the development of international accounting standards was implemented on 31 October 2014.

Today's provisional agreement has still to be confirmed by the Council and the European Parliament in the coming weeks. Once confirmed, the total allocation from the EU budget to EFRAG will amount to €23 million for the period 2014 to 2020, which matches the Commission initial estimate.

Pendant que, en France, la campagne électorale commence à prendre des allures de carnaval, avec ses faux-semblants et ses emplois fictifs, commencent, dans tous les pays imprégnés de christianisme, les fêtes portant ce nom, héritées des fêtes dionysiaques grecques et des lupercales romaines. [...]

The fifth meeting of the Accession Conference with Serbia at ministerial level was held today in Brussels to open negotiations on chapter 20 - Enterprise and industrial policy, and to open and provisionally close chapter 26 - Education and culture. 

The European Union delegation was led by Mr Louis Grech, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for European Affairs and Implementation of the Electoral Manifesto of the Republic of Malta, on behalf of the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The European Commission was represented by Mr Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations. The Serbian delegation was led by Ms Jadranka Joksimović, Minister without portfolio responsible for European integration. 

Following today's Conference, Serbia will have opened 8 chapters out of a total of 35 negotiation chapters of which 2 chapters have already been provisionally closed. Further Accession Conferences will be planned, as appropriate, in order to take the process forward. The accession negotiations were launched in January 2014. 

Chapters concerned 

Regarding the chapters on the agenda, the Union has closely examined Serbia's present state of preparations. 

Chapter 20 - Enterprise and industrial policy 

On the understanding that Serbia has to continue to make progress in the alignment with and implementation of the acquis in Chapter 20 - Enterprise and industrial policy, the EU noted that there is one benchmark that needs to be met for provisional closure of this chapter. The benchmark is as follows: 

• Serbia puts in place and starts to implement a comprehensive industrial strategy, supported by a system of evaluation indicators and benchmarks as suggested by EU policies relevant to industry.

Chapter 26 - Education and culture 

Regarding negotiations on chapter 26 - Education and culture, the EU considered that, exceptionally, benchmarks for the provisional closure of this chapter were not required, given the general good level of Serbia's state of preparedness in the area of Education and culture, and the limited scope and particular nature of acquis obligations in this chapter. The EU therefore noted that, at this stage, this chapter does not require further negotiations.

For both chapters on the agenda, monitoring of progress in the alignment with and implementation of the acquis will continue throughout the negotiations. The EU underlined that it would devote particular attention to monitoring all specific issues mentioned in its common positions. The EU will, if necessary, return to these chapters at an appropriate moment.

La Croatie saborde ses chantiers navals pour entrer dans l'UE
Croatie : la révolte du désespoir des chantiers navals de Split
Croatie : à Pula, la gauche en chantiers
La Croatie sacrifie sa zone protégée de pêche dans l'Adriatique pour entrer dans l'UE

/ Jutarnji List, Globus, Croatie, Economie

La Croatie saborde ses chantiers navals pour entrer dans l'UE
Croatie : la révolte du désespoir des chantiers navals de Split
Croatie : à Pula, la gauche en chantiers
La Croatie sacrifie sa zone protégée de pêche dans l'Adriatique pour entrer dans l'UE

/ Jutarnji List, Globus, Croatie, Economie

Transport aérien : les drôles de comptes d'Air Serbia
Serbie : les dessous sales du « contrat secret » Etihad-Air Serbia
Transport aérien : adieu la JAT, bonjour Air Serbia, filiale d'Etihad...
Trafic aérien en Serbie : « l'aéroport de Belgrade est l'un des plus chers d'Europe »
Yougonostalgie : la JAT, pour le meilleur et pour le pire

/ Serbie, Economie, Open source investigations

Transport aérien : les drôles de comptes d'Air Serbia
Serbie : les dessous sales du « contrat secret » Etihad-Air Serbia
Transport aérien : adieu la JAT, bonjour Air Serbia, filiale d'Etihad...
Trafic aérien en Serbie : « l'aéroport de Belgrade est l'un des plus chers d'Europe »
Yougonostalgie : la JAT, pour le meilleur et pour le pire

/ Serbie, Economie, Open source investigations

On 27 February 2017, the Council adopted a regulation on visa liberalisation for Georgians travelling to the EU for a period of stay of 90 days in any 180-day period.

"This agreement will bring the people of Georgia and the EU closer together and will strengthen tourism and business ties. It follows the completion of the necessary reforms by Georgia, addressing document security, border management, migration and asylum. In addition, the recent adaptation of the suspension mechanism has made this agreement possible." 

Carmelo Abela, Maltese Minister for Home Affairs and National Security

The Council and the European Parliament now need to sign the adopted regulation. The text will then be published in the EU Official Journal and will enter into force 20 days later, at the same time as the new visa waiver suspension mechanism.

The regulation formally amends regulation 539/2001, moving Georgia from Annex I (countries whose nationals need a visa to enter the Schengen area) to Annex II (visa free countries). Georgian citizens with a biometric passport travelling to the EU for up to 90 days for business, tourist or family purposes will no longer need a visa.

These measures will not apply to Ireland and the United Kingdom, in accordance with the protocols annexed to the EU treaties. The visa regime of these member states remains subject to their national legislation.

On 27 February 2017, the Council adopted a regulation to revise the suspension mechanism which can be applied to all existing visa liberalisation agreements.

"Visa liberalisation brings great advantages to the EU and third countries. At the same time, the EU must be able to respond effectively in cases where the rules are not being respected. The revision of the suspension mechanism adopted today makes it easier to tackle abuse of the system."

 Carmelo Abela,  Maltese Minister for Home Affairs and National Security

The objective of the revised regulation is to strengthen the suspension mechanism. It does this by making it easier for member states to notify circumstances which might lead to a suspension, by enabling the Commission to trigger the mechanism on its own initiative, and by tasking the Commission to send annual reports to the European Parliament and Council on the extent to which visa-exempt third countries continue to meet the necessary criteria.

The possible grounds for suspension have been extended, and include a decrease in cooperation on readmission, a substantial increase in the refusal rate of readmission applications, including for third-country nationals in transit, and a substantial increase in the risk to public policy or the internal security of the member states.

The use of the mechanism will also be facilitated by shortening reference periods and deadlines in order to allow for a faster procedure. In particular, the reference period for comparing the circumstances leading to the suspension with the situation during the previous year or before visa liberalisation is shortened from six to two months.

The suspension can be triggered by a notification of a member state or by the Commission. If a simple majority of member states notify, the Commission will have to adopt an implementing decision temporarily suspending the exemption from the visa requirement for certain categories of nationals of the third country concerned for a period of 9 months. During this period, the Commission shall establish an enhanced dialogue with the third country concerned to remedy the circumstances in question.

If the circumstances persist, the Commission shall adopt (at the latest two months prior to the expiry of the 9 months) a delegated act temporarily suspending the visa waiver for a further period of 18 months, for all the nationals of the third country concerned. Before the end of the period of validity of the delegated act, the Commission shall submit a report to the European Parliament and the Council. This report may be accompanied by a legislative proposal to transfer the reference to the third country concerned from Annex II (visa free countries) to Annex I (countries whose nationals need a visa to enter the Schengen area).

A monitoring mechanism has been introduced with the purpose of ensuring that third countries which have been granted visa exemption following a visa liberalisation dialogue continue to fulfil the criteria which were the basis for granting visa free status.

Ireland and the United Kingdom will not be subject to the application of these measures, in accordance with the protocols annexed to the EU treaties. The visa regime of these member states remains subject to their national legislation.

Next steps

The Council and the European Parliament now need to sign the adopted regulation. The signed text will be published in the EU Official Journal and will enter into force 20 days later.

Sorti en mars 2016, ce livre vient de me passer dans les mains. Façon journal de bord, il livre les 14
Plus d'infos »

Bosnie-Herzégovine : dangereux bras-de-fer entre Serbes et Bosniaques
« Fête nationale » en Republika Srpska : Dodik a eu son défilé et son discours
Bosnie-Herzégovine : Dodik rêve tout haut de sécession et réclame une armée pour la Republika Srpska
Bosnie-Herzégovine : Milorad Dodik ou l'avenir d'une guerre inachevée
Bosnie-Herzégovine : l'étrange cas du docteur Dayton et de M. Dodik
Bosnie-Herzégovine : Milorad Dodik rend (enfin) hommage aux victimes de Srebrenica
Srebrenica : la guerre des résolutions

/ Courrier des Balkans, Srebrenica, Bosnie-Herzégovine, Relations régionales, Politique intérieure

Bosnie-Herzégovine : dangereux bras-de-fer entre Serbes et Bosniaques
« Fête nationale » en Republika Srpska : Dodik a eu son défilé et son discours
Bosnie-Herzégovine : Dodik rêve tout haut de sécession et réclame une armée pour la Republika Srpska
Bosnie-Herzégovine : Milorad Dodik ou l'avenir d'une guerre inachevée
Bosnie-Herzégovine : l'étrange cas du docteur Dayton et de M. Dodik
Bosnie-Herzégovine : Milorad Dodik rend (enfin) hommage aux victimes de Srebrenica
Srebrenica : la guerre des résolutions

/ Courrier des Balkans, Srebrenica, Bosnie-Herzégovine, Relations régionales, Politique intérieure

En recevant son César pour «Merci patron !», le rédacteur en chef du journal «Fakir» a vivement dénoncé l’inaction politique en France vis-à-vis des délocalisations industrielles vers l’Europe centrale et la Pologne en particulier.

Lors de la cérémonie des Césars, vendredi soir, François Ruffin a reçu le César du meilleur documentaire pour son film « Merci Patron !», qui a fait plus de plus de 500 000 entrées en 2016.

Depuis, son discours fait buzzzzz sur internet. En Pologne, il n’est pas passé tout à fait inaperçu non plus. La chaîne d’actualités en continu Telewizja Republika (de droite conservatrice) a rapporté l’information sous la forme d’une courte dépêche factuelle, tout comme la station de radio RMF24.

« Mon film, il parle d’une usine qui part en Pologne et qui laisse derrière un paquet de misère et un paquet de détresse. Et au moment où je vous parle, c’est une usine d’Amiens, qui s’appelle Whirlpool, qui fabrique des sèche-linges, qui subit la même histoire puisque maintenant ça part là aussi en Pologne. […] Mais imaginons que ce soient les députés, qu’on dise les députés ne sont pas assez compétitifs. Un député français coûte 7610 euros par mois, un député polonais coûte 2000 euros par mois. […] Imaginons qu’on dise : demain, il faut délocaliser l’hémicycle à Varsovie ».

 

Was hat die Schweiz damals nur geritten? Im Kalten Krieg streitet sie monatelang über die Notwendigkeit von Militärpferden.

L'organisation État islamique a revendiqué, lundi, l’attentat déjoué la veille par la police algérienne devant le siège du commissariat de Constantine, dans l'est du pays.