European Union

Information about accreditation requirements for the informal meeting of heads of state or government in February

On 17 January, EU ambassadors approved the text on the effort sharing regulation to ensure further emission reductions in sectors falling outside the scope of the EU emissions trading system (ETS) for the period 2021-2030.

President Donald Tusk presented to the European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg the outcome of the European Council meetings on 14 and 15 December 2017

Committee Week

Source : © European Union, 2018 - EP

(French version below)

France and the United Kingdom strengthen military cooperation : A new phase of the Lancaster House Agreement in 2010

French President Emmanuel Macron and the British PM Theresa May announced Thursday, January 18, 2018 a strengthening of Franco-British cooperation in the areas of migration and defense. The United Kingdom has just announced the availability of "heavy" helicopters to support French operations in the Sahel and Sahara. The United Kingdom has indeed agreed to make available to French forces in Mali three of its military helicopters "Chinook". This is precisely the tool that is missing most French infantry in the Sahel and Sahara.

Barkhane aligns well 17 helicopters, but none can carry thirty men and their equipment in one fell swoop. The United Kingdom will also provide 56 million euros of additional aid for the alliance for the Sahel. In recent years, UK and France have worked side by side to combat the global threat posed by the Ebola virus. The peries will increase our efforts in the Sahel to prevent Islamic extremism from increasing instability and insecurity that feeds the migration crisis.

London could also announce a contribution to the financing of the joint G5 Sahel force (FCG5S) at the Brussels meeting on 23 February. Paris and London are also announcing increased support in East Africa, particularly through AMISOM, the African Union Mission for Somalia.

The two capitals announce that the Combined Joint Expedition Force (CJEF), launched after the Lancaster House agreements, will be ready to be deployed in the most demanding operations by 2020. This force has obtained its certification final spring 2017, during Exercise Griffin Strike. In addition, now some 50 officers are inserted into the respective armed forces.

French officers were deployed on British operations and British officers on French operations. (We are very moved about the "incredible speed" of the setting up of such a force by 2 West European states whose armed forces are the most important: 10 years!)Finally, on the industrial side, France and the United Kingdom confirm their willingness to cooperate in the field of submarine UAVs and in the future air combat systems.

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La France et le Royaume-Uni renforcent leur coopération militaire : Une nouvelle phase des Accords de Lancaster House en 2010

Le président français Emmanuel Macron et le PM birtannique Theresa May ont annoncé jeudi 18 janvier 2018 un renforcement de la coopération franco-britannique dans les domaines des migrations et de la défense. Le Royaume-Uni vient ainsi d'annoncer la mise à disposition d'hélicoptères « lourds » pour appuyer les opérations françaises au Sahel et au Sahara. Le Royaume-Uni a en effet accepté de mettre à disposition des forces françaises au Mali trois de ses hélicoptères militaires « Chinook ». C'est précisément l'outil qui manque le plus aux fantassins français au Sahel et au Sahara.

Barkhane aligne bien 17 hélicoptères, mais aucun ne peut transporter d'un seul coup une trentaine d'hommes et leur équipement. Le Royaume-Uni fournira aussi 56 millions d'euros d'aide supplémentaire pour l'alliance pour le Sahel. Ces dernières années, le Royaume-Uni et la France ont travaillé côte à côte pour combattre la menace globale que représente le virus Ebola. Les perties vont augmenter nos efforts dans le Sahel pour empêcher l’extrémisme islamique d'augmenter une instabilité et une insécurité qui nourrissent la crise migratoire ».

Londres pourrait aussi annoncer une participation au financement de la force conjointe du G5 Sahel, (FCG5S) lors de la réunion de Bruxelles le 23 février prochain. Paris et Londres annoncent aussi un soutien accentué en Afrique de l'Est en particulier via l'AMISOM, la mission de l'Union Africaine pour la Somalie.

Les deux capitales annoncent que la Force expéditionnaire commune (CJEF - Combined Joint Expedition Force), lancée après les accords de Lancaster House sera prête à être déployée dans les opérations les plus exigeantes d'ici 2020. Cette force a obtenu sa certification finale le printemps 2017, lors de l’exercice Griffin Strike. Par ailleurs, désormais quelque 50 officiers sont insérés au sein des forces armées respectives.

Les officiers français ont été déployés dans le cadre d’opérations britanniques et des officiers britanniques dans le cadre d’opérations françaises . (Nous sommes très émus concernant la "vitesse incroyable" de la mise en place d`une telle force par 2 Etats ouest-européens dont les forces armées sont les plus importants : 10 ans!)
Enfin sur le volet industriel, la France et le Royaume-Uni confirment leur volonté de coopérer dans le domaine des drones sous-marin chasseurs de mine et dans les systèmes de combat aérien du futur.

Tag: CJEFG5 Sahel

Seven years after the 2011 uprising in Egypt, a combination of domestic challenges, together with instability in the Middle East and North Africa region has stalled the country’s ongoing transition. Stability in Egypt is key for the region, and the country’s international partners such as the EU have a clear interest in helping move the country towards stability and prosperity. To that end, this study investigates the main challenges facing Egypt, focusing on social, economic, political and environmental challenges. The study analyses the implications of these challenges for Egypt’s stability in the coming decades. The study then examines the key drivers of EU-Egypt relations and provides a number of policy recommendations on how the EU can support Egypt’s longer-term stability. The study argues that the EU’s economic and security engagement with Egypt should not come at the expense of supporting democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The study also argues that EU programmatic assistance to Egypt should focus on youth, women, education, and entrepreneurship. Finally, the study also argues that the EU’s engagement is likely to be more successful if EU member states are more unified in their approach towards Egypt.
Source : © European Union, 2018 - EP

Quest for Europe and street art.

 

“I am here because I do care”

“Your choice makes the difference!”

 

 

A barricade on the avenue down to Maidan, on which some weeks later dozens of unarmed activists were shot dead from small distance.

 

 

A symbolic barricade against the backdrop of the hotel “Ukraine” (formerly “Moscow”)

 

 

Free kitchen for the protesters and Euro-Maidan visitors

 

 

“Boguslav for the EU!”, etc.

 

 

“Towards Europe!” poster with one of Kyiv´s symbols

 

 

“Ukraine is Europe!”

 

 

“We=exist / We=Europe”

 

 

Streets full of Ukrainian and European symbols.

 

 

Streets full of Ukrainian and European symbolic combinations.

 

 

Kyiv Commandant’s Office, run by protestors in front of the City Council building

 

 

Christmas tree on Maidan, decorated with a photo of Yulia Tymoshenko, imprisoned by the regime of Victor Yanukovych.

 

 

“The world´s best Christmas tree”

 

 

Photos and copyright:

ALEXANDER   SVETLOV

The post Euromaidan as EU-popularizer II appeared first on Ideas on Europe.

The main ideological impulse, indeed, a driver for public protest on Kyiv´s Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) in late 2013 – early 2014 was the idea that Ukraine should be part of Europe, as opposed to the Russia-led Customs Union. Preceded by the Revolution on Granite of 1990 and the Orange Revolution of 2004, it rightfully became to be known as the Revolution of Dignity and Euro-Maidan.

 

“Euro-Maidan”: one of the posters.

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“Transcarpathia for European Ukraine”: a poster on one of the Maidan tents.

 

Car drivers for the EU (Auto Maidan movement)

 

National and European symbols sell like hot dogs.

 

“Revolution of Dignity”, “The will to change everything!”, etc.

 

Auto Maidan cars: “Yes to EC/EU”

 

On the fence with the EU flag: “For Ukraine” – words from a Ukrainian patriotic song, which in 1991 was a candidate to be adopted as the anthem of Ukraine:

“For our Ukraine,
For her fate,
For honor and will,
For the people!”

 

SberBank of Russia fenced off by protesters.

 

Pandas for Euro-Maidan.

 

 

Photos and copyright:

ALEXANDER   SVETLOV

The post Euromaidan as EU-popularizer appeared first on Ideas on Europe.

Leading German and French economists have presented their proposals for the reform of the Eurozone in Berlin and Paris. One notable aspect here was that both proponents of market discipline and austerity and economists who favour more solidarity and risk-sharing formed part of the work group - i.e. representatives of the two camps that often seemed irreconcilable in the euro crisis. Are their ideas any good?

One month after the formation of Austria's right-wing conservative government Chancellor Sebastian Kurz visited Angela Merkel on Wednesday. In view of Kurz's criticism of Berlin's refugee policy and his aim of limiting Brussels' power the meeting had been eagerly anticipated. But there's little evidence of conflict, commentators conclude.

Skopje and Athens are apparently close to finding a solution in the 27-year-old conflict over the name Macedonia. UN mediator Matthew Nimetz has said that a proposed compromise could take the process "in a positive direction", without indicating what precisely that direction may be. In the two countries in question, however, there is little sign of a willingness to compromise.