European Union

Plenary sessions : The need to stabilise the internal situation in Libya and to preserve the EU values, including human rights, were the recurring points raised by MEPs in a Wednesday afternoon debate with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on growing migratory pressure in the central Mediterranean.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

WiFi – a term coined less than twenty years ago – is now part of our daily language. But now its sister technology, known as LiFi, is ready to make a breakthrough.

LiFi – short for light fidelity – is a new wireless communication technology that uses both visible and infrared light for ultra-high-speed wireless communication. Specifically, LiFi draws upon the light produced by light emitting diodes (LEDs). This means that in the future your energy-saving LED lightbulb will not only provide illumination, but will simultaneously act as your gigabit wireless router.

All lightbulbs in our homes and offices could function as wireless routers, creating massive high-density wireless networks. Your wearable technology, your oven, your TV, your toaster, your fridge, your car and streetlights – could all be turned into wireless routers.

But why do we need it?

Light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum that ranges from low-frequency radio frequency signals to gamma rays. It belongs to the same family as radio frequency signals, which we have been using for more than 100 years for various wireless services. But our exhaustive use of the radio frequency spectrum means that space has become a rare commodity.

“We are witnessing a trend where the use of artificial intelligence in smart environments is gaining significant traction”

This has now become a problem, referred to as the radio frequency ‘spectrum crunch’ by some. And the significance of this development is huge as we live through what economist Jeremy Rifkin calls the 3rd Industrial Revolution, and prepare for the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Until now people have been using the internet primarily for private and professional purposes. Now we are witnessing a trend where the use of artificial intelligence in smart environments is gaining significant traction. This means that objects around us are becoming more intelligent: I call them ‘smart-X’ – examples being smart city, smart home and smart manufacturing. A prominent example of this phenomenon is the driverless car.

But ‘connectivity’ is the key. For an environment to become smart, an intelligent system needs to sense it as we humans would do with our senses, and transmit then the information to a central processor, the equivalent of the human brain.

This process happens usually by electrical impulses sent through the nervous system, or equivalently through our wireless networks. The ‘brain’ processes the data in real time and has the tremendous task of filtering relevant information. In technical terms this is called ‘big data’ or ‘data analytics’.

Next, the intelligent system will act on the available information by moving the legs, or steering the wheel in case of a driverless car.

And this is where LiFi comes in.

In the future, there will be a storm of ‘things’ that will be connected to the internet. There will also be a push towards more intelligent systems to modernise manufacturing and to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, to give just two examples.

“In light fidelity we have found a resource equivalent to mineral oil – LiFi can provide the unprecedented and ubiquitous connectivity that drives the new economies”

We need more space, and the visible light spectrum is thousand times more plentiful than the entire radio frequency spectrum. The light spectrum is unlicensed and it is not known to cause any health concerns as long as the eye safety regulations are maintained.

What this means is that in light fidelity we have found a resource equivalent to mineral oil, which was the driver for the energy-based 2nd Industrial Revolution. LiFi can provide the unprecedented and ubiquitous connectivity that drives the new economies, as it holds huge potential for creating future economic success in Europe. The European governments can accelerate this success by helping with large scale LiFi adoption in public buildings and public places, and by developing research programs that will ensure continuous leadership in this field when international competition is gaining significant momentum.

A European spin-off company, pureLiFi Ltd, is currently leading the way in LiFi commercialisation and has already equipped the European lighting industry with LiFi modules. As a result, there is LiFi-enabled equipment available on the market and a number of pilots are underway – for example, at the headquarters of the Sogeprom real estate company in Paris.

Perhaps we are, in fact, entering a new enlightened era.

IMAGE CREDIT: arrow123/Bigstock.com

The post LiFi ready to transform wireless communications appeared first on Europe’s World.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Since the EU adopted its Counter-Terrorism Strategy in 2005, it has focused on forging closer ties with third countries in the fight against terrorism. Cooperation with the Southern Neighbourhood in this field is particularly important. Every single country within this region is affected by terrorism to different degrees and terrorist attacks on European soil are increasingly linked with the Middle East and North Africa. The EU adopted a wide-ranging counter-terrorism approach in the South including actions that go beyond the strictly military and security interpretations of counter-terrorism. In line with the UN’s 4-pillar approach, the EU’s counter-terrorism measures can be broadly subdivided into four fields: (i) building state capacity (particularly in the areas of border control, criminal investigation and prosecution, and countering the financing of terrorism); (ii) strengthening the rule of law and respect for human rights; (iii) fostering regional cooperation; and (iv) preventing and combating terrorism. This study outlines and contextualises current counter-terrorism activities in the region.
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : “Accelerating the modernisation of Europe’s entire economy, making it low carbon and efficient in energy and resources” are key aims of Energy Union legislation, said Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič in Wednesday’s plenary debate.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : “Accelerating the modernisation of Europe’s entire economy, making it low carbon and efficient in energy and resources” are key aims of Energy Union legislation, said Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič in Wednesday’s plenary debate.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : Political group leaders reacted on Wednesday to President Donald Trump’s recent signing of an executive order banning nationals of seven countries from entering US territory. Most MEPs described the travel restrictions as arbitrary and defying the core values of western democracies, such as freedom, non-discrimination and solidarity.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : Political group leaders reacted on Wednesday to President Donald Trump’s recent signing of an executive order banning nationals of seven countries from entering US territory. Most MEPs described the travel restrictions as arbitrary and defying the core values of western democracies, such as freedom, non-discrimination and solidarity.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : President Tajani announced that a statement by EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on “travel restrictions following US President executive orders” would be added as the first item on Wednesday, followed by a debate. A debate on migration along the Central Mediterranean route was added on Wednesday and a debate on democracy and justice in Romania was added as the first item on Thursday.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : President Tajani announced that a statement by EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on “travel restrictions following US President executive orders” would be added as the first item on Wednesday, followed by a debate. A debate on migration along the Central Mediterranean route was added on Wednesday and a debate on democracy and justice in Romania was added as the first item on Thursday.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

When Martin Schulz resigned as president of the European Parliament to return to German politics, many British saw that as removing an opponent of Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson’s goal of the UK having its cake and eating it too, that is, gaining generous special terms when it leaves the European Union. The bad news is that Schulz is not leaving European politics. On Sunday he was named leader of the German Socialist Party (SPD) and will be the chief challenger of the current Chancellor, Angela Merkel, at the German election in September.

Even if Angela Merkel succeeds in maintaining her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) as the largest group in the German Bundestag, she will need to form a coalition in order to retain office as Chancellor because the country’s proportional representation system prevents any party from gaining an absolute majority.

As the second largest party in the German Bundestag, the SPD is the only coalition partner available to the CDU. Both parties are almost certain to lose seats in the Bundestag to the anti-immigration Alternative for Deutschland, but remain large enough to form another coalition government. In that case Schulz will be in line to receive the post of German Foreign Minister, normally reserved for the second partner in a coalition. This will make him a major voice in Parliament and in discussions with Angela Merkel about how the German government responds to British demands for EU concessions.

If Schulz becomes Germany’s new foreign minister, he will meet his British opposite number at regular meetings of the EU’s foreign secretaries. He can offer Boris Johnson a piece of Black Forest cake and ask BoJo to demonstrate his trick of eating the cake and still having it on the plate. If he can’t work his magic, then Schulz can eat the cake himself and leave BoJo with nothing but an empty plate to show for his too clever by half comment.

Of course, Schulz may not become foreign minister: he may end up as the head of a left wing German coalition government. This could happen if a combination of SPD, Green and Left parties MPs gain a majority of seats. The SPD would then have a choice of remaining a junior partner of Angela Merkel or taking control of government. Choosing to form a left-wing coalition government would satisfy many SPD members who have felt the loss of power and votes as a junior partner in Merkel’s CDU-led government.

If Schulz became Chancellor then BoJo would be saved an embarrassing encounter demonstrating that his magic only applies to words, not real objects. As Chancellor, Schulz would then be Theresa May’s opposite number. Moreover, his presence would be the biggest presence in meetings of the European Council, where 27 heads of EU member states will decide what terms, if any, the EU will offer for Britain’s post-Brexit relations with Europe.

How likely is it that Schulz could replace Angela Merkel?  Opinion polls currently show the total vote of three left parties averaging at the same level as the combined vote of the CDU/CSU plus Free Democrats. The complexities involved in awarding seats in a German electoral system, plus the complexities of arriving at a coalition pact needed to form a government, make it impossible to forecast the outcome. It’s too early to tell. At the moment, Schulz has less of a chance of becoming Chancellor than Merkel has of remaining Chancellor. On the other hand, his chance appears better than that of Donald Trump a year ago.

Downing Street has been working on the assumption that Theresa May will be dealing with Angela Merkel throughout the Brexit process. It is possible that this could produce a ‘pig’ of a Brexit compromise that would satisfy both sides. British negotiators could bring home enough bacon to satisfy meat-eating Tories while leaving lots of Black Forest ham on the table to satisfy hefty German appetites.

It is easy to deal with any Downing Street spokespersons claiming with certainty that Angela Merkel will remain the friendly face backing Britain in EU deliberations next winter. Just ask them: How is Theresa May getting on with President Hilary Clinton?

Bon Appétit.

By Professor Richard Rose, author of Representing Europeans: a Pragmatic Approach and a commissioning fund awardee of The UK in a Changing Europe. It updates a blog he posted on this website on 29 November captioned:  “Another Nail in the Coffin of a Soft Brexit?”

The post German election threatens Bojo’s diet appeared first on Ideas on Europe.

Plenary sessions : Ahead of the informal European Council meeting of 3 February, MEPs will debate the current growing migratory pressure in the central Mediterranean with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on Wednesday afternoon at around 17.00, following the addition of this item to the plenary agenda.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Plenary sessions : Ahead of the informal European Council meeting of 3 February, MEPs will debate the current growing migratory pressure in the central Mediterranean with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on Wednesday afternoon at around 17.00, following the addition of this item to the plenary agenda.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

On 6 February, the SEDE committee invites Herbert Salber, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, EEAS, Natalie Sabanadze, Ambassador of Georgia to the EU and Amanda Paul, Senior Policy Analyst, European Policy Centre, Brussels, to discuss the new developments in the increasing Russian influence in the South Caucasus.
Further information
Draft agenda and meeting documents
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Place:     Europa building, Brussels
Chair:     Federica Mogherini, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

All times are approximate and subject to change

+/- 08.30
Arrivals (live streaming)
VIP entrance, Europa building

+/- 09.30 (ttbc)
Doorstep by High Representative Federica Mogherini
VIP entrance, Europa building

+/- 10.00
Beginning of the meeting (Roundtable)
Adoption of the agenda
Approval of non-legislative A items

+/- 10.15
Ukraine
Libya

+/- 13.00
Working lunch: Egypt

+/- 15.00
Middle East Peace Process

+/- 16.30
Press conference by Federica Mogherini (live streaming)
Main press room, Justus Lipsius building

RECOMMENDATION on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Framework Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Mongolia, of the other part
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Helmut Scholz

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

REPORT containing a motion for a non-legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Framework Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Mongolia, of the other part
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Helmut Scholz

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Parliament and Council negotiators agreed on wholesale price caps on Tuesday evening. Caps are significantly lower than those proposed by the Commission. Wholesale price caps define how much telecoms operators can charge each other for using their networks to carry cross-border “roaming” calls.
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Parliament and Council negotiators agreed on wholesale price caps on Tuesday evening. Caps are significantly lower than those proposed by the Commission. Wholesale price caps define how much telecoms operators can charge each other for using their networks to carry cross-border “roaming” calls.
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

EU Council President Donald Tusk has described the new US administration as a factor of uncertainty, citing it alongside Russia, the Middle East and China. Europe can no longer count on good relations with the US, commentators concur, calling on the EU to close ranks and defend the values of the West.