European Union

Evidence of law enforcement shortcomings in EU member states as regards car emissions is set out in the draft report by the Committee of Inquiry into Emission Measurement in the Automotive Sector (EMIS), published on Monday. The report and draft recommendations were prepared jointly by co-rapporteurs Jens Gieseke (EPP, DE) and Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy (ALDE, NL). EMIS will have a first public debate on the text on 12 January.
Committee of Inquiry into Emission Measurements in the Automotive Sector

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Evidence of law enforcement shortcomings in EU member states as regards car emissions is set out in the draft report by the Committee of Inquiry into Emission Measurement in the Automotive Sector (EMIS), published on Monday. The report and draft recommendations were prepared jointly by co-rapporteurs Jens Gieseke (EPP, DE) and Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy (ALDE, NL). EMIS will have a first public debate on the text on 12 January.
Committee of Inquiry into Emission Measurements in the Automotive Sector

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

General : "The history of humanity is the history of migrations. Zero migration has never existed, and it never will”, said Louis Michel (ALDE, BE), EU Co-President of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) at the opening of its 32nd session, in Nairobi (Kenya) on Monday. “We must manage migration flows in a human way, in line with our values. Fortress Europe is not working”, he added.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

General : "The history of humanity is the history of migrations. Zero migration has never existed, and it never will”, said Louis Michel (ALDE, BE), EU Co-President of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) at the opening of its 32nd session, in Nairobi (Kenya) on Monday. “We must manage migration flows in a human way, in line with our values. Fortress Europe is not working”, he added.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

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Russia, Iran, and Turkey will be convening in Moscow to discuss Syria on Tuesday.

The meeting will take place on foreign ministers level. Russia and Iran are backing the Assad regime, while Turkey has long been working with the opposition.

The trilateral meeting scheduled for December 27 has been moved forward due to developments in Aleppo, Anadolu agency reports. Turkey’s current priority appears to be to ensure that Kurdish militants will not be able to advance territorial gains in Syria.

The RIA agency cites Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that the trilateral meeting engages those who can make a real difference on the ground, “while our Western partners are busier with rhetoric and propaganda.”

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According to an annual survey, more than half of British employers expect the U.K will become a less attractive place to invest over the next five years, largely as a result of Brexit.

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and recruitment agency Pertemps Network Group said on Monday that the periodic survey of British employers suggests that overall, respondents expecting the UK to be a more attractive place to employ people in the next five years “has flipped from +16% in our 2015 survey to -21%.”

Thriving labour market now, but tomorrow?

The annual survey engaged 353 employers with a 1.2 million people workforce from August to October 2016.

The labour market in the U.K appears to be buoyant with over 41% of those surveyed expecting to hire more next year, with permanent jobs growing more dynamically than temporary workers. This year there was a 28% growth in the number of companies expanding their workforce.

However, existing and future skill gaps have risen to the number one concern for British businesses.

Prime concern: access to highly skilled labour

Over 50% of respondents believe Britain is a less attractive or much less attractive place to do business. However, for 29% of respondents, Britain will be a more attractive place to invest.

The chief concern among employers is access to highly skilled labour and fear of skill shortages; this was fifth on the list of 2015 concerns.

The CBI survey suggests that a rise in the minimum wage has led to a modest rise in income and the trend is likely to continue. 41% of employers say they will absorb the added cost of labour without passing it on to customers.

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NATO is holding a round of formal talks with Russia on Monday, 19 December, discussing European security and the Ukraine conflict. NATO is also trying to reassure Russia that its troop deployments in the Baltic states and Poland next year are purely defensive.

The NATO-Russia Council, the forum bringing together North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ambassadors and Russia’s top diplomat dealing with the U.S.-led alliance, is meeting for only the third time this year with the crisis in Ukraine still the top concern for Brussels and Washington.

Russia says it is concerned about a NATO military build-up near its borders. “We count on having a frank discussion about the security situation in Europe … including … the consequences of NATO reinforcements on the eastern flank,” Russia’s ambassador to NATO, Alexander Grushko, said on Friday.

 With relations already at a low ebb, Russia’s devastating bombing campaign in Aleppo, which is not expected to be formerly discussed, has provided a dark backdrop for the meeting, diplomats said.

However, NATO allies, particularly Germany, have been pushing for the meeting with Grushko to explain why they are sending four multinational battalions of up to 4,000 troops to the former Soviet states of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland from early 2017.

NATO governments say the measures are modest compared with the 330,000 troops the alliance believes Russia has amassed on its western flank near Moscow since May.

Allies say the four battalions, backed by additional U.S. forces on rotation, are justified by Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Crimea that alarmed the Baltics that they might be next.

“The whole idea with re-enforcements is to prevent the conflict,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said earlier this month following a meeting with Estonia’s president. “It’s to send a clear message of deterrence.”

NATO’s top commander Curtis Scaparrotti also said this month he wants the NATO-Russia Council to address the massive military exercises that Russia has often held, with very little warning given. “Russia has not been transparent,” he told reporters.

NATO allies France and Germany are also seeking to implement a peace deal for eastern Ukraine, where the West accuses the Kremlin of providing money and weapons to rebels. Moscow denies that, saying the violence in Ukraine’s industrial east that has killed more than 10,000 people is the result of a civil war.

The post NATO tries to remend ties with Russia at meeting in Brussels appeared first on New Europe.

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French and Spanish police forces have made five arrests over the weekend in relation to a weapons’ cache belonging to the Basque terrorist group ETA.

arrests

The cache included fire arms, explosives and ammunition, DPA reports. The suspects were transferred to Paris for questioning.

The cache was discovered in Louhossoa, in southern France, officials said.

Since 2011, ETA declared a ceasefire that has been overall upheld. In 2014 the group stated that its weapons were “beyond use.” But, the Spanish government refuses any negotiation. The main demands put forward by ETA relate to improving prison conditions or releasing some of its 350 arrested members. In exchange, the group offers further decommissioning  and complete dissolution.

“political”

French human rights lawyer Michel Tubiana told AFP that the suspects intended to destroy the weapons and hand them over to authorities. Originally, she intended to be present during the intended decommissioning of the weapons. However, the French Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux said on Saturday that “nobody has the right to proclaim themselves a destroyer of arms.”

Tubiana called the arrests “political.” Among those arrested is the head of an ecologist group and a journalist.

Speaking in San Sebastian, in the Basque Country, EH Bildu spokesman and former convicted ETA member Arnaldo Otegi told AP on Saturday that French and Spanish authorities are in effect ‘preventing’ the disarmament.

ETA was founded in 1959 during the reign of the dictator General Franco, seeking independence. However, the organization continued to operate for years after Spain’s transition to democracy.

The post Arrest of five ETA suspects in France dimissed as “political” appeared first on New Europe.

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Sweden will be completely online by 2025, according to the government’s new three-part broadband strategy. One-quarter of the population currently does not have access to fast broadband.

As reported by The Local, Digitalisation Minister Peter Eriksson said: “We cannot continue with a strategy that leaves people out. It is unacceptable that not everyone is included”.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven has also promised that over half a million more Swedes will gain access to fast broadband Internet over the next four years.

Under the government’s new strategy, three targets have been set: 2020, 2023 and 2025. More specifically, in 2020, 95% all households will have access to broadband of at least 100 Mbps. In 2023, all of Sweden will be connected to stable mobile services of high quality.

“We have beaten our current targets and our new target is for all of Sweden to be connected by 2025,” said Eriksson.

According to The Local, the government expects that more than 500,000 more Swedes will have access to fast broadband within the next four years.

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Dublin is telling Brussels that tax policy is a national matter.

The Irish government said on Monday that the European Commission overstepped its mandate in a tax ruling against Apple in August, asking the American multinational to pay €13bn to Dublin for illegal state aid.

Political context

The former Danish economy minister and European Competition Commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, has argued that Apple’s Irish tax bill implied a tax rate of 0.005 percent in 2014.

Apple is one of many multinationals drawn to Ireland due to a favourable tax regime, as well as a highly trained workforce and the English language. Dublin is keen to maintain its competitive advantage that has generated 10% of its jobs, often the best paid.

Apple has its European Headquarters in Cork, Ireland.

On Monday, Apple and the Irish government on made their legal case against the European Commission, opposing the ruling in concert.

The standoff between Dublin, Apple, and the European Commission takes place against the backdrop of the election of President-elect Donald Trump. Trump has promised to slash corporate tax rates and to provide incentives for companies to repatriate global profits.

Government

“The Commission has manifestly breached its duty to provide a clear and unequivocal statement of reasons for its decision,” said the Irish government in a statement.

Dublin denies Apple was granted a special tax regime neither in 1991 nor 2007. In addition, the Irish government considers that the Commission has overstated Apple’s corporate profits in Europe.

In effect, The European Commission is attributing to the Irish-based company all profits made outside the United States rather than Europe alone. The decision in August infuriated the White House.

Apple

For its part, Apple is also legally challenging the Commission’s ruling. The US multinational will argue that the Commission is mistaken when it claims that Apple Sales International (ASI) and Apple Operations Europe are phantom entities created for tax avoidance purposes.

The company’s General Counsel, Bruce Sewell, and Chief Financial Officer, Luca Maestri, told Reuters that Apple is a “convenient target” that Margrethe Vestager is aiming to soar her political capital and become “Dane of the year for 2016.”

They suggest that the case against Apple is weak and the complying with the ruling would require Ireland violating its own past tax laws, setting different rules for resident and non-resident companies.

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Joint press release following the 3rd Association Council meeting between the European Union and Ukraine

The European Union and Ukraine held the third meeting of the Association Council on 19 December 2016 in Brussels, one month after a successful 18th EU-Ukraine Summit. The Association Council reaffirmed the close and comprehensive partnership between the EU and Ukraine, based on common values of democracy, rule of law and human rights. It reaffirmed the continuing commitment to political association and economic integration between the EU and Ukraine. The importance of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, including its Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, was underlined in this regard. The Association Council took note of the decision by EU Heads of State and Government on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, which opens the way towards its full entry into force. 

The Association Council welcomed the substantial progress achieved by Ukraine in the reform process since its last meeting, including approximation with EU norms and standards across the board. The EU welcomed the commitment and determined work of the Government of Ukraine on implementation of political and economic reforms during its first nine months, reaffirming resolute support for these efforts and encouraging their continuation in a swift and sustainable manner. The Association Council welcomed the work of the European Commission's Support Group for Ukraine in coordinating this support. The Association Council took stock of progress and discussed the way forward in the reform process as committed to jointly by the EU and Ukraine in the Association Agenda, notably regarding human rights, constitutional and electoral reforms, rule of law and judiciary, decentralisation and local self-governance, public administration, public procurement, energy sector, deregulation, trade related reforms and health sector reform. The recent launch of electronic-asset declarations, the ProZorro public procurement system and the establishment of new anti-corruption bodies are notable successes in this regard. The Association Council underlined that progress should be consolidated and continued notably in the field of anti-corruption by strengthening the capacities and independence of the anti-corruption institutions. 

The EU reaffirmed its support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, along with efforts aimed at a sustainable and peaceful settlement in eastern Ukraine. The EU and Ukraine agreed that the complete implementation of the Minsk arrangements by all sides was crucial, underlining Russia's responsibility in this regard. The EU outlined its support for further efforts in the "Normandy" format and in the context of the OSCE, including for the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission. The EU signalled its readiness to step up its support for the implementation of the Minsk agreements, including through a possible OSCE election security mission subject to discussion in the OSCE, as well as an important role in early recovery and future reconstruction efforts. The EU recalled that the duration of economic sanctions imposed against the Russian Federation was linked to the complete implementation of the Minsk agreements. The EU recalled its policy of non-recognition of the illegal temporary occupation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation and condemned the severe deterioration of the human rights situation on the peninsula and its militarisation by Russia. The EU reiterated its solidarity as regards the humanitarian situation in eastern Ukraine, calling on all sides to facilitate the freedom of movement of civilians, and for the effective provision of social benefits to all Ukrainian citizens. 

The Association Council acknowledged and welcomed the economic benefits of provisional application of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area since January 2016, which has already increased the trade volume between the EU and Ukraine by 7.5% in the period October 2015-September 2016 compared to the previous year. The Association Council acknowledged the need for improvement of the business and investment climate in Ukraine in order to restore the confidence of foreign investors. The EU also noted the prospects of possible additional trade opportunities for Ukrainian exports to the EU (beyond trade concessions included in the DCFTA) arising in the context of the European Commission legislative proposal for additional Autonomous Trade Measures. The Council also welcomed the preparations for the first session of the EU-Ukraine High-Level Industrial Dialogue to be held in Brussels in the first quarter of 2017. 

The Association Council welcomed Ukraine's ambitious agenda and progress to date in the area of the digital economy and society. Both sides noted considerable potential for EU-Ukraine cooperation in this area both at the bilateral level and in the framework of the Digital Community, opening good prospects for Ukraine's integration in the EU Digital Single Market. 

The EU commended the successful launch of the e-asset declaration system by Ukraine. The Association Council underlined the importance of processing and verifying the submitted data in an objective and transparent way. The Association Council also acknowledged and welcomed progress on visa liberalisation, on the basis of the legislative proposal by the Commission to the Council and to the European Parliament, taking into account ongoing process of approval of the suspension mechanism. The Association Council recalled the importance of a timely finalisation of the processes required for visa liberalisation, as underlined by the EU in the Council conclusions on Eastern Partnership in November 2016. 

The EU outlined the way forward in the implementation of its Macro-Financial Assistance programme, urging Ukraine to fulfil the outstanding conditions that could allow the EU to disburse the second tranche of EUR 600 million. 

The Association Council welcomed ongoing and future cooperation in the field of energy based on the principles of solidarity and trust. The EU reaffirmed Ukraine's role as a strategic transit country for gas. Both sides welcomed the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on strategic energy partnership between the EU and Ukraine. The Association Council underlined the importance of uninterrupted gas delivery to Europe this winter and also took stock of trilateral talks on gas. 

The Ukrainian side expressed its concern over the revised European Commission's exemption decision on OPAL pipeline. Both sides agreed to further discussions on this matter. The Association Council confirmed the readiness of both sides to continue cooperation on the joint modernisation and operation of the Ukrainian gas transportation system and storage as well as on gas supplies from Europe to Ukraine. 

The Association Council reaffirmed the importance of closer bilateral and multilateral cooperation in justice and home affairs and welcomed in this context the recent signing of the Agreement between Ukraine and Europol on the Strategic and Operational Cooperation. 

The Association Council recalled that transport cooperation plays an essential role for safe and secure movement of people, development of business contacts, the tourism industry and reliable transportation of goods between Ukraine and the EU, fulfilling the needs and requirements of the Association Agreement. In this context the sides discussed the situation of the Common Aviation Area Agreement between Ukraine and the EU and underlined the importance of its signature at the earliest possible date. 

The Association Council stressed the importance of a continuous dialogue on the inclusion of inland waterways of Ukraine in the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), based on progress to be made by Ukraine as regards compliance with international environmental conventions. 

The Council reaffirmed the readiness of both sides to continue the cooperation in order to preserve, protect, and improve the quality of the environment, the sustainable use of natural resources and promote measures at international level to address regional and global issues of the environment, particularly in the context of the Eastern Partnership. The sides agreed on the need for rapid adoption of pending legislation in Ukraine relating to good environmental governance. 

The EU recalled that its neighbourhood was a strategic priority and a fundamental interest as reaffirmed in the recent EU Global Strategy. The Association Council discussed a number of regional and foreign policy issues, taking stock of the developments in the European Neighbourhood Policy and the Eastern Partnership, including preparations of the next Eastern Partnership Summit in 2017. Both sides stressed the importance of effective and strategic communication with citizens in the framework of EU-Ukraine relations and Eastern Partnership participation, agreeing to continue cooperation in this regard. 

The EU reaffirmed its strong commitment to support a comprehensive and sustainable reform of the civilian security sector in Ukraine, notably by continuing the implementation of the enhanced mandate of the European Union Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform (EUAM Ukraine), including hands-on support and based on good governance and human rights. The EU welcomed Ukraine's interest to continue its engagement with the EU on various Common Security and Defence Policy activities, including participation in EU-led missions and operations. 

The Association Council welcomed: 

• signing of the financing agreement for Public Administration Reform (PAR) programme, a 104 million euro contribution to support policy development, civil service and human resource management;
• announcement of the PRAVO programme of 52.5 million euro to support rule of law in Ukraine, namely judiciary and law enforcement;
• signing of financing agreements for four Cross Border Cooperation (CBC) programmes in which Ukraine participates;
• signing of five agreements between Ukraine and the European Investment Bank, underlining the importance of further successful cooperation in line with the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Ukraine and the European Investment Bank.

The Council was chaired by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Ms Federica Mogherini. The First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, Mr Stepan Kubiv, led the Ukrainian delegation, accompanied by other members of the Government of Ukraine.

The third meeting of the EU−Ukraine Association Council took place on 19 December 2016 in Brussels. 

Following the meeting, the EU and Ukraine adopted a joint press release: 

Joint press release following the meeting of the Association Council

The Association Council discussed relations between the EU and Ukraine, specifically on: 

• Political dialogue and reform, political association;
• Justice, freedom and security;
• Economic and sectoral cooperation, as well as trade and trade-related matters,

Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Stepan Kubiv, First Vice Prime Minister who headed the Ukrainian delegation, also discussed developments related to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, including efforts towards the full implementation of the Minsk agreements.

At the beginning of the plenary meeting, the EU and Ukraine signed the following agreements:

• a financing agreement governing the European Commission support to Ukraine's public administration reform worth €104 million (as part of a larger package totalling € 300 million)
• four agreements confirming Ukraine's participation in EU-funded cross-border cooperation, in the shape of new programmes involving Romania-Ukraine, Poland-Belarus-Ukraine, Hungary-Slovakia-Romania-Ukraine, and the Black Sea region.

More information on the agreements

The EU also continues to assist the reform process through the support group for Ukraine, as well as through the EU Advisory Mission in Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine), which supports security sector reform. The EU increased its budget for the mission for the period from 1 December 2016 to 30 November 2017 by 17.7%, reaching €20.8 million. 

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The outgoing president of Poland’s highest constitutional court has warned that the country’s ruling rightwing Law and Justice party (PiS) is making a systematic attempt to destroy oversight of government activity. He described the country as being “on the road to autocracy”.

As reported by the Guardian, the departure of Andrzej Rzepliński, whose term expired on December 18, is expected to pave the way for PiS appointees to assume control of Poland’s most important institutional check on executive power.

The expiration of Rzepliński’s term comes amid signs of the most serious political crisis in Poland since PiS won presidential and parliamentary elections in 2015.

On December 16, a group of demonstrators attempted to barricade MPs in the parliament building after the government sought to restrict media access to parliamentary proceedings.

Opposition MPs accuse PiS deputies of holding illegal votes outside the parliamentary chamber after an opposition MP was expelled for protesting against the media restrictions and opposition leaders occupied the parliamentary podium in protest.

Speaking to the Guardian, Rzepliński defended his attempts to uphold the independence of the tribunal, which rules on the constitutionality of legislation and decisions taken by state authorities.

He said the government’s refusal to recognise the legitimacy of a number of the court’s rulings threatened to “create a double legal system, with some courts upholding our rulings, and others not. Judges really don’t know what the law is, and without that, in a continental system, courts cannot operate.”

Meanwhile, Julia Przyłębska is tipped by some observers to be appointed as Rzepliński’s successor.

The post Andrzej Rzepliński: Poland is ‘on road to autocracy’ appeared first on New Europe.

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The U.S. Electoral College is expected to officially confirm Donald Trump as the next President of the United States on Monday.

Electoral College System

The election of Donald Trump will be formalized when 538 electors cast their ballots in every state. In each state, voters elects a body of electors who are supposed to confirm their vote. Electors have never produced any surprises and the process is expected to be a mere formality, verifying the November 8 result.

Trump won 306 electors and 30 states, needing 270 to secure election. The mass defection of electors does not have a precedent.

However, as the CIA reports that Russia intervened to favour President-elect Trump, there is a last minute campaign asking electors not to vote for Trump, defying the popular vote. The Trump campaign dismisses the claim that Russian state-backed hackers had a bearing on Trump’s victory. But Clinton’s campaign chairman, John Podesta, said that the question of whether the Trump campaign cooperated with Russia is still open.

Speaking to CNN on Sunday, Republican Senator John McCain calls for a select committee that is “time-limited, cross-jurisdictional, and purpose-driven” to address the allegations and confirmed he is worried that Donald Trump has never been heard being critical of Russia.

“Wisdom” or “failure” of the founding fathers?

At this point, there are two ways of looking at the Electoral College system.

First, there are those who are looking at the election of Donald Trump as a failure of the electoral system. Since the election, the system of the Electoral College has come under criticism since Hillary Clinton has in fact won the popular vote but secured fewer electors. A CBS poll suggests 54% of Americans want their President to be directly elected.

Secondly, there are those why see in this specific electoral system an opportunity to prevent Trump’s election that is in line with the spirit of the Constitution. There is still a campaign to prevent Trump from being formally confirmed, trying to dissuade electors to go rogue. Among them, there are electors who believe their role in the Constitution is to ensure that a demagogue does not come to power. Apparently, some electors are considering a rogue vote, with one of them coming out openly.

29 out of 50 states have laws binding electors to vote in line with the electorate. But, if they don’t, they either pay a small fine or nothing happens. But, what is theoretically possible is not likely.

 

The post Campaign to convince the Electoral College not to vote Trump likely to fail appeared first on New Europe.

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Germany’s Justice Minister Heiko Maas has called on the country’s judges and prosecutors need to crack down on fake news disseminated through social media platforms like Facebook.

According to the Reuters news agency, Maas, who is a Social Democrat in conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel‘s coalition, has repeatedly warned the US technology company to respect laws against defamation in Germany that are more rigid than in the US.

In an interview with Germany’s Bild am Sonntag newspaper on December 18, he said the principle of free speech did not protect against slander.

“Defamation and malicious gossip are not covered under freedom of speech,” Maas said, just days after other top government officials called for legislation to tackle ‘hate speech’ and fake news on Facebook and other social media platforms,” he said. “Justice authorities must prosecute that, even on the internet,” he said, noting that offenders could face up to five years in jail. Anyone who tries to manipulate the political discussion with lies needs to be aware [of the consequences].”

Fears of fake news ahead of the election have increased after the head of Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, Hans-Georg Maassen, reported a rise in Russian propaganda and disinformation campaigns aimed at destabilising German society, reported Reuters.

In a separate report, Deutsche Welle (DW), Germany’s international broadcaster, noted that European Union parliamentary leader Martin Schulz has called for hard, Europe-wide laws to stem the spread of harmful fake news stories. The German government is already looking to draft its own law.

Schulz proposed that Facebook set up a 24-hour hotline to report fake news and harmful bots, and face penalties if the problems were not dealt with in a timely manner. He slammed the idea put forward by some tech companies that they were merely conduits.

The post Germany to take on fake posts on Facebook ahead of election appeared first on New Europe.

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On 1 January 2016 entered into force the Free Trade Area (DCFTA) between Ukraine and the European Union. The EU is seeking an increasingly close relationship with Ukraine, going beyond co-operation, to gradual economic integration and a deepening of political co-operation. Ukraine is a priority partner country within the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP).

Download this video here.

Most European citizens are fond of ‘Europe’: its values, culture and social model. When it comes to its leadership, citizens have more mixed feelings. 60% of citizens tend not to trust the EU institutions. They feel that European policy is disconnected from their daily reality.

As a tech entrepreneur who is active in big data, I too feel disconnected – in my case, from the digital agenda of the European Commission. The agenda and its priorities do not align with the tremendous potential of the digital revolution, something I have the immense privilege to experience every day.

From fighting Ebola to alleviating poverty – I am a member of a community of shapers who use technology to improve society. Every day I encounter yet more amazing digital visionaries who create robots, build networks and develop apps that affect every facet of our lives. From citizen to state to Union, we are witnessing the acceleration of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

“Ambition matters. It sets leaders apart. It allows them to inspire people through their vision of society, and to drive change”

But what are we doing about this revolution? At the EU level, we can summarise the strategy in three words: defragmentation, standards and infrastructure. All important, all relevant, but nothing near the level of ambition required.

And ambition matters. It sets leaders apart. It allows them to inspire people through their vision of society, and to drive change.

I would fight for an EU with ambitions to use digital to save the planet, or to connect citizens to their cities, or to give everyone meaning in their lives, whether through a job, a task or simply helping their peers.

In the absence of political ambition, tech entrepreneurs will set their own. But is this the road we want to take? Do policymakers want to shape the agenda or only to react?

The time has come to be ambitious. We need leaders who are willing to take up that role.

My call for a greater digital ambition comes from my entrepreneurial background. Without naming the problem you cannot correctly design a solution, but instead of simply pointing the finger at EU leaders I have three simple initiatives that could put Europe back on the global digital map.

The first solution is for the European Commission to practice what it preaches – or ‘eat its own dog food’. Is the Commission itself digital? How much paper does it produce? How much big data does it use to improve its effectiveness? How often do its politicians and officials use Amazon, Uber or Spotify?

These questions boil down to a simple task: show us that you are role models; show us that you are the champions of this revolution. I’m tired of naming American or Chinese companies as the most digital organisations. I want to name you. You can get there.

“It is time to bring back our digital visionaries. With these experts Europe can bridge the digital gap within a decade”

Second, make policies based on what people do, not on what people say. At some point in history, EU policymakers surely had reason to design a law requiring internet users to accept cookies before browsing. In 2016, I don’t get the point. Do you know a single person who refuses the cookie and declines to browse a website? Policymakers should observe our behaviour and test policies before making laws.

Third, bringing back our visionaries. Most of Europe’s most brilliant and disruptive minds have left Europe to go to the United States. It is time to find a way to bring them back. With these experts, and with their networks and ambitions, Europe can bridge the digital gap within a decade.

I’m aware that I’m biased: entrepreneurs see the world as an ocean of opportunities. Digital frontrunners believe in the positive nature of technology.

I know I am not paying attention to certain constraints. I know I don’t have the full context. And I’m not a politician. But I’m a believer in Europe, in the value of statesmanship, and in the immense potential of our citizens.

I will act to shape this European ambition. Will you join me?

IMAGE CREDIT: Believeinme/Bigstock.com

The post Europe needs ambition to make the most of the digital revolution appeared first on Europe’s World.

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The situation in Syria would have gone from bad to worse if Nato had intervened, according to the alliance’s head, Jens Stoltenberg. He warned of the dangers of military escalation in warzones such as Syria.

One the same day the UN Security Council planned to meet to discuss the worsening crisis in the city of Aleppo, Stoltenberg told the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag that a military mission in the country, which has been embroiled in an increasingly brutal civil war for more than six years, could have made an already bad situation worse.

“Sometimes it’s right to use military means – such as in Afghanistan. But sometimes the costs of military missions are greater than their benefits,” he said. “If every problem, every humanitarian catastrophe were answered with military force, we would end up in a world with even more war and suffering,” he said.

Meanwhile, Deutsche Welle (DW), Germany’s international broadcaster, quoted German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen has saying: “Neither the Syrian people nor the international community will forget the merciliness of [their actions in] Aleppo, which is unjustifiable. Whoever is responsible for the deployment of poison gas and bombs on hospitals and children can’t simply go back to normal.”

According to the Reuters news agency, the UN Security Council agreed on a French draft resolution aimed at ensuring that UN officials can monitor evacuations from the Syrian city of Aleppo. They were slated to vote on the text on December 18.

But DW noted that Russia’s UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said he would examine the draft. It was unclear whether the council would pass it.

According to the UN, some 40,000 civilians and rebels remain trapped in opposition-held parts of Aleppo, which recently has seen some of the worst violence of the entire war.

In a separate report, Turkey’s Anadolu news agency noted Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests – which erupted as part of the “Arab Spring” uprisings.

More than a quarter of a million people have been killed and more than 10m displaced across the war-battered country, according to the UN.

The post Nato chief defends decision not to intervene in Syria appeared first on New Europe.

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The United Nations atomic energy watchdog chief, Yukiya Amano, told reporters in Tehran on December 18 that Iran has shown full commitment to an internationally-backed deal on its nuclear programme. His statement follows Iran’s decision to start working on nuclear-powered vessels and complaints over the US disrespect for the deal.

“We are satisfied with the implementation of the [agreement] and hope that this process will continue,” he said, Iran’s IRNA news agency.

“Iran has been committed to its engagement so far and this is important,” Amano was quoted as saying after a meeting with Iran’s nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi.

As reported by Tehran Times, Amano arrived at Tehran on December 18 for “high-level consultation with between Iran and the [International Atomic Energy Agency] IAEA”.

Tehran has complained that the recent US Congress vote to a bill which extends sanctions against Iran for another ten years infringes on the terms of the nuclear deal.

“We are satisfied with the implementation of the [agreement] and hope that this process will continue,” Yukiya Amano says.

But Washington says the Iran Sanctions Act would not affect the overall implementation of the nuclear agreement.

Under the deal reached in 2015, Iran rolled back its nuclear programme in exchange for relief from economic sanctions, mainly imposed by the US and European countries.

In a separate report, The Associated Press (AP) noted that the IAEA in November said Iran exceeded its heavy water limit by 100kg over the 130 metric tonnes allowed under the agreement. Heavy water is used to cool reactors that produce plutonium, which can be used in atomic bombs.

Iran later said it transferred 11 tonnes of heavy water to Oman.

The post UN says Iran committed to nuclear deal appeared first on New Europe.

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EU Ministers for Environment meet in Brussels on 19 December 2016 to discuss the review of the emissions trading system (ETS) and adopt conclusions on the sound management of chemicals.

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