European Union

Today, the Eurogroup discussed the 9 December update of the Draft Budgetary Plan (DBP) of Spain and the 15 December update of the DBP of Lithuania, based on the Commission Opinions of 17 January. We welcome the fact that these two Member States submitted full DBPs as requested in the Eurogroup statement of 5 December 2016.

We agree with the Commission Opinion that the budget of Spain is broadly compliant with the requirements of the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP). We invite Spain to ensure compliance with these provisions within the national budgetary processes and welcome Spain's commitment to take any measures, if necessary.

We agree with the Commission Opinion that the budget of Lithuania is at risk of non-compliance with the requirements of the SGP. The Commission's 17 January Opinion largely confirms its November assessment. The Eurogroup also notes that the Commission will assess the authorities' application for the flexibility clause for Lithuanian structural reforms this spring. If granted, this would result in a smaller deviation from the adjustment path towards the MTO. The Eurogroup reiterates its invitation to Lithuania to implement the measures necessary to ensure that the SGP requirements are met.

As stated on 5 December 2016 the Eurogroup will follow progress made with respect to the implementation of the DBPs and additional commitments, based on follow-up assessments from the Commission, currently planned for March 2017.

Good evening and welcome to this Eurogroup press conference. Today we welcomed to the Eurogroup the new Minister of Finance of Lithuania, Vilius Šapoka, who informed us of the new government's plan and priorities; we also welcomed Sabine Lautenschläger, Vice-Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM). She came in specially to talk about the report of the European Court of Auditors on the FSM.

First let me say some words on the euro area economy. We had a good exchange today with the IMF on the findings of their interim mission relating to the Article IV consultations with the euro area.  Growth in the euro area is firming and broadering in many countries -for the first time since the crisis all euro area Member States are forecast to grow again. Of course there are risks: risks from the inside relating to political instability or possible instability, and risks from the outside related to a new government in the US and the BREXIT. We have achieved a lot in the last few years, and we have left the crisis behind but at this juncture, it seems particularly important to reaffirm our continuous support for global free trade and the deepening of our single internal market. Both of which can and should deliver higher potential growth. So we should keep driving for open markets, to achieve more growth, job creation and improvement of living standards.

Second let me talk about Greece. We were first debriefed by the ESM on the implementation of the short term debt measures. I am sure Klaus Regling would say more about that.

Then we were informed by the institutions on the state of play of the second review. The good news is that the Greek economy is recovering faster than anyone expected. There are also strong dynamics on the fiscal side, with better than expected revenues. We have also heard that Greece is set to over perform its 2016 fiscal target.

And there is a clear understanding that a quick finalisation of the second review is in everyone's interest and will continue to support the positive trend in the economy.

The institutions and the Greek authorities will remain engaged in constructive discussions to solve the outstanding issues. We have encouraged them to accelerate that work, with a view to a quick return of the mission to Athens and reach a staff level agreement as soon as possible.

Third, on post-programme surveillance, the institutions debriefed us on the main findings of their missions to Ireland and Portugal.

As regards Ireland, we were very pleased to hear about the excellent economic and fiscal performance, while also noting some risks associated with the economic environment, of course especially at the UK "leave" vote. I think Michael Noonan the Irish minister said with his welknown Celtic under statement: "We are in a pretty good shape", and that basically sums up the  mission to Ireland.

On Portugal, it was good to learn that the recovery is underway and progress achieved on the fiscal and financial sector front. However, there are important risks in the medium term and there is no room for complacency. It is crucial that Portugal commits and stays committed to the reform agenda, given the need to boost potential growth also in the context of the still high debt and volatile market conditions. The Portuguese government is aware of these challenges and determined to tackle them.

Fourth, we discussed the Draft Budgetary Plans (DBPs) of Spain and Lithuania. I can be brief here as we have issued a statement on this topic.

The Eurogroup agrees with the Commission's Opinion that the budget of Spain is broadly compliant with the requirements of the SGP and that the budget of Lithuania is at risk of non-compliance. We also noted that the Commission will assess the Lithuanian authorities' application, for the flexibility clause related to their structural reforms and Commission will come back to that in spring.

And as stated at our previous meeting the Eurogroup will follow progress made with respect to the implementation of the DBPs plans and additional commitments that were made by ministers, following-up on the  next assessments from the Commission, currently planned for March 2017. So we will come back to the budgetary plans in March.

We were informed by the Commission about the report on compliance with the Fiscal Compact. This report is almost finished and it will come available in the coming weeks.

Finally, we exchanged views on the recommendations of the European Court of Auditors' Special Report on the Single Supervisory Mechanism. We fully agree with the overall assessment of the Report. And I have to say that the ECB has been very effective in setting up the SSM in a very short period of time. Really great work. The Report does deliver a number of recommendations for further improvements  and the ECB has been very clear that they will take on those recommendations and work on those improvements and we will take stock of the follow-up in the coming months in the framework of our regular dialogue with the SSM.

That's my introduction.

DRAFT OPINION on Towards a new trade framework between the EU and Turkey and the modernisation of the Customs Union
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Kati Piri

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

On behalf of the European Council, I wish to congratulate you on your appointment as the Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria.

I am confident that during your term Bulgaria will continue contributing constructively to the further development and improvement of the European Union. The many challenges facing the European Union, such as migration, economic recovery and geopolitical threats, are the same ones Bulgaria is confronted with. Bulgaria's dedication in addressing these challenges is an inspiration to the rest of Europe.

I look forward to working closely with you, and I wish you every success.

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EU-Lebanon relation is laid down in the Association Agreement which was adopted in 2002, entered into force on 1 April 2006 and open the way to fully incorporate Lebanon into the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP).

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Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Good afternoon. Today I warmly welcome Prime Minister Duško Marković to Brussels. Let me use this opportunity to congratulate the Prime Minister on his appointment, I can assure you of my full support to Montenegro's Euro-Atlantic ambitions,  which are also in the strategic interest of the European Union.

The recent parliamentary elections in Montenegro under the new legislative framework, were competitive and respected fundamental freedoms.

In our meeting today, Prime Minister Marković updated me on the current political and economic situation in the country. I encouraged the Prime Minister to nourish a close dialogue with the opposition for the benefit of the whole country and to clarify some remaining questions surrounding the so-called coup attempt. This could help to restore trust and promote dialogue.

We also discussed bilateral relations: Montenegro remains a frontrunner in accession negotiations. I encouraged him  to re-double efforts so that recent reforms on the rule of law the fight against corruption and against organized crime are felt by ordinary people. It is an important benchmark by which our Member States and also Montenegrin citizens, will judge the success of this government. I know that with your personal experience and determination you will succeed.

In foreign policy, Montenegro is already a de-facto EU Member. You are steadfast in protecting our values and interests, your troops serve alongside ours off the coast of the Horn of Africa and soon in Mali and you apply our sanctions against Russia. I thank you for your loyalty and support.

As I said last May in Podgorica, you have built your independence wisely and patiently, without needless victims. And after gaining it, you pursued good relations with your immediate neighbours in a most mature way. I expressed the wish that  your neighbours could follow you on this peaceful track and turn towards the future.

Unfortunately, today, nationalistic rhetoric and populism is gaining ground across Europe, including in the Western Balkans. The enemies of liberalism despise  our freedoms and free trade, they promote national egoism, speak of violence and disregard the rights of their peers and neighbours. They stand against your Euro-Atlantic future, they  speak of alternatives to Europe.

Yet, there is no better alternative for the Western Balkans than the European Union and all that it represents. We know this from experience: the European Union  has the potential to unite countries and peoples in the region, to overcome the hatred of the past for the sake of a common future and to bring stability and reconciliation.

Thank you for your efforts, Mr Prime Minister. Not only for me, but in Brussels and in Europe, Montenegro is the best example that a positive scenario is still possible in our continent.

Location : Brussels JAN 2Q2Further information
Programme
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

On 26 January 2017 the Council, led by the Maltese presidency, reached a preliminary political agreement with the European Parliament on a draft regulation defining the specifications of fishing vessels.

The new rules repeal and recast Council regulation No 2930/86 in line with the European Union's  commitment to simplify and clarify EU law in order to make it clearer and easier to understand. 

Hon. Roderick Galdes, Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Animal rights welcomed the agreement and said that 'such an early agreement under the Maltese Presidency, the first of the year, confirms Malta's commitment to the fisheries sector and is a demonstration of our determination to bring forward better regulation.' 

The new regulation keeps the content of its 1986 predecessor, which was amended several times, but brings it up to date and adapts it to the current legal framework. It also grants the Commission additional powers to bring  the requirements for determining continuous engine power in line with technical developments and possible changes in the international ISO standards. 

Next steps 

The agreement still needs to be approved by the Council's Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper). After formal endorsement by the Council, the new  legislation will be submitted to the European Parliament for a vote at first reading and to the Council for final adoption.

This should enable the new regulation to enter into force by mid 2017.

The priorities of the Maltese Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers are being outlined to parliamentary committees by Maltese ministers at a series of meetings taking place in January.
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
Committee on Transport and Tourism
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
Committee on Regional Development
Committee on Culture and Education
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
Committee on Development
Committee on Legal Affairs
Committee on International Trade
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

The priorities of the Maltese Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers are being outlined to parliamentary committees by Maltese ministers at a series of meetings taking place in January.
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
Committee on Transport and Tourism
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
Committee on Regional Development
Committee on Culture and Education
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
Committee on Development
Committee on Legal Affairs
Committee on International Trade
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

The priorities of the Maltese Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers are being outlined to parliamentary committees by Maltese ministers at a series of meetings taking place in January.
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
Committee on Transport and Tourism
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
Committee on Regional Development
Committee on Culture and Education
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
Committee on Development
Committee on Legal Affairs
Committee on International Trade
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Hope, when so many despair, has been rekindled by the choice of António Guterres as the United Nations’ new Secretary-General. Hope in a reinforced UN that is more efficient and able to intervene against whoever wages war. Hope for global security and conflict resolution. Hope for economic regulation, social justice, sustainable development, human rights and the international rule of law.

A former Portuguese prime minister, a former president of the Socialist International and a former United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Guterres is highly intelligent, good-hearted but also has sang froid. Thanks to his personal and political journey through national, European and international institutions, he has been able to polish his exceptional diplomatic skills and in-depth knowledge of the UN machinery and of the many fields where it operates.

All of this contributed to his nomination by acclamation by the Security Council after an unprecedented selection process for the post of secretary-general, the most open and scrutinised ever allowed by its five permanent members, known as the P5. But what made Guterres win in all voting rounds – overcoming the ‘obstacles’ of being neither a woman (how ironic) nor from eastern Europe – was  the transformative and strategic ambition that he proposes to give back to the UN.

At a time of unprecedented challenges − from cyber warfare to the ‘post-truth’ information age, from a Putin-Trump duet aiming at destroying the European Union to the denial of climate change – it is only by sticking with the UN that we can generate some degree of legitimate and efficient multilateralism and global cooperation. This is not possible with the G7, G8, G20 and other groups that have no moral or binding power.

“One cannot change the world all at once, but there is a moment in time when change begins”

But clearly the UN does not currently match up to this challenge. This is mainly because the P5 have blocked urgently-needed reform of the Security Council, which, paralysed by vetoes, has left humanity to drown in the criminal and impudent slaughter of children and other innocent civilians in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, South Sudan, and elsewhere.

In such troubled times, can any secretary-general make the difference, especially with P5 members who are increasingly entrenched in the defence of indefensible privileges? Can any secretary-general make the difference when the post-Second World War architecture is under attack by some of those very same powers that shaped it?

If anybody can make the difference, if anybody can face up to these tremendous challenges, it is António Guterres. He fights for values, has strategic insight and has an abundance of political courage. Given the transparent process to which he was submitted, he has legitimacy and responsibility.

But humanity’s most representative institution cannot satisfy itself with self-congratulation on the smoothness of the process. It has to show results. One cannot change the world all at once, but there is a moment in time when change begins. It is when hope is rekindled. Change began when the international community managed to agree on António Guterres as the new Secretary-General.

Now, he must use his voice, influence and actions to press all member states to live up to their commitments according to the UN’s principles – an existential issue at a time when Trump and Putin seem willing to expose mankind to civilisational regression.

IMAGE CREDIT: CC/Flickr – UN Geneva

The post The new UN chief is an ambassador of hope appeared first on Europe’s World.

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EU Finance ministers meet in Brussels on 27 January 2017.

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EU Finance Ministers of the eurozone meet in Brussels on 26 January 2017 to discuss Greece's economic adjustment programme, recommendations for the euro area in 2017, interim results of the IMF Article IV consultation with the euro area and Lithuania's and Spain's draft budgetary plans.

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Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

The provisional deal with the Council on the updated EU firearms directive was endorsed by Parliament’s Internal Market Committee on Thursday by 25 votes to nine, with two abstentions. The revised law tightens the controls on blank firing and inadequately deactivated weapons like those used in the Paris terror attacks. It also requires EU countries to have a monitoring system in place for the issuance or renewal of licences and to exchange information with one another.
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

The provisional deal with the Council on the updated EU firearms directive was endorsed by Parliament’s Internal Market Committee on Thursday by 25 votes to nine, with two abstentions. The revised law tightens the controls on blank firing and inadequately deactivated weapons like those used in the Paris terror attacks. It also requires EU countries to have a monitoring system in place for the issuance or renewal of licences and to exchange information with one another.
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

The provisional deal on the revision of the EU firearms directive, which sets out the conditions under which private persons may lawfully acquire and possess guns or transfer them to another EU country, was backed by the Internal Market Committee on 26 January 2017. The vote by the full Parliament is expected to take place in March.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

The provisional deal on the revision of the EU firearms directive, which sets out the conditions under which private persons may lawfully acquire and possess guns or transfer them to another EU country, was backed by the Internal Market Committee on 26 January 2017. The vote by the full Parliament is expected to take place in March.

Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP