European Union

Parliament President Martin Schulz and the EU’s foreign chief Federica Mogherini opened the EU Pavilion at the World Expo in Milan. To mark Europe Day on 9 May, they also exchanged views on the EU with more than 1,000 citizens, during which Schulz made the case for an active Europe: “The world needs an active and engaging Europe.”

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Infrastructure has quite suddenly become the new mantra of governments around the world. Europeans and Americans are waking to the modernisation of their crumbling roads, sewerage and water systems as ways of reviving flagging economies, but in Asia infrastructure is the key to a new era of progress and prosperity.

For vibrant as Asia undoubtedly is, it still has leaden feet. It’s not hard to understand the region’s preoccupation with infrastructural development when stuck in, say, Jakarta’s or Manila’s endlessly gridlocked traffic jams. Outside the cities, rural life in much of Asia contends with road and rail communications so poor that economic development risks being seriously handicapped for many years to come.

The contrast between backward Asia and the go-getting image of ‘Asia Rising’ is stark, and the implications are inescapable. Unless Asia’s teeming mega-cities and largely undeveloped rural communities can resolve their transport and mobility problems, they are liable to start slipping backwards in terms of global economic competitiveness.

The politics of infrastructural investment are a hot topic in Asia. From India to China, and including all the smaller nations in between, the region’s transport and information-related needs by 2020 have been estimated at a gigantic $8 trillion by the Asian Development Bank. How to mobilise such an amount, and where and how to spend it were that sort of money to be available, are burning questions.

That’s why so much attention is being focused on the Beijing-backed project of an Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and also on a parallel project that has received no attention at all in most parts of the world, but is potentially a highly significant geopolitical game-changer. Plans are afoot to set up an Islamic Infrastructure Investment Bank (IIIB), probably to be headquartered in Jakarta as capital of the world’s largest Muslim nation.

High hopes are now pinned on both. The aim of the AIIB is to mobilise much more investment capital than the World Bank and its development arm, the International Finance Corporation, have so far contributed in Asia. Its supporters and propagandists say that in only a few years its capitalisation should double from $500 billion to $1 trillion.

The birth of the AIIB, no one should be in any doubt, reflects China’s undisguised impatience with Western-dominated global institutions, rules and standards that many developing countries see as skewed to favour America and Europe. The origins of the IIIB are very different, yet perhaps equally capable of catalysing change in the international banking system.

The IIIB is to be an off-shoot of the Islamic Development Bank that has been based in Jeddah for the last 40 years, and whose chief shareholders along with its Saudi Arabian hosts are Nigeria, Iran and Libya, with Malaysia and Indonesia holding smaller stakes. Although the IIIB will start with a capital base of only $1 billion, an important element of the project will be to further develop Sharia banking that adheres to Islamic principles on lending, and then harness that growing sector of financial services to Asia’s hunger for infrastructure. Once the IIIB is up and running in Jakarta, it will evidently operate in tandem with financial institutions in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, where Sharia-compliant bank assets stand at $170 billion against Jakarta’s $21 billion.

The uncertainties and unanswered questions surrounding both these proposed multilateral lending bodies are legion. To begin with, who will call the shots on the AIIB’s structure and development? China is clearly in the lead, but with almost 60 countries around the world now signed up as founding members, can Beijing claim ownership and retain sweeping executive powers? Unsurprisingly, China refused Taiwan’s candidacy, but that doesn’t mean its own role will forever go unchallenged.

And where will the AIIB be based? Hong Kong seems out of the running because the democracy protests there have irritated Beijing. Singapore is actively lobbying to play host, and its sophisticated banking industry is an undeniable lure. Even more important than location is the wider issue of lending criteria. Both the AIIB and the IIIB will have to deal with extremely sensitive political choices about priorities in the financing queue. This is already apparent at the embryonic Shanghai-based New Development Bank – better known as the BRICS bank. Launched two years ago in New Delhi by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, it is already grappling with its founders’ very different development needs.

Asian nations, too, are disparate. The ten countries in the almost 50-year-old Association of South-East Asian Nations – Asean – range from tiny, rich Singapore to sprawling Indonesia. Its fast-growing population of 250m may eventually even challenge China economically, but first, like so much of Asia, it must tackle daunting infrastructural weaknesses.

 

IMAGE CREDITS: CC / FLICKR – november-13

The post Europe’s infrastructure needs – and ambitions – are dwarfed by Asia’s appeared first on Europe’s World.

General : Should animal testing be banned? The Stop Vivisection citizens' initiative aims to repeal the European directive on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes and ask the European Commission to present a new proposal that does away with animal experimentation. The Parliament is holding a hearing on Monday 11 May, during which MEPs will debate the issue with experts and the initiative's organisers. Watch the discussion live online from 15.00 CET.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

General : Should animal testing be banned? The Stop Vivisection citizens' initiative aims to repeal the European directive on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes and ask the European Commission to present a new proposal that does away with animal experimentation. The Parliament is holding a hearing on Monday 11 May, during which MEPs will debate the issue with experts and the initiative's organisers. Watch the discussion live online from 15.00 CET.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

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EU Finance Ministers will meet on 12 May 2015 in Brussels to discuss ongoing work on the proposed European fund for strategic investments, the Commission's in-depth reviews of macroeconomic imbalances in the member states, as well as implementation of structural reforms.

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General : Tax rulings, EU-Russia relations, Turkey’s reform progress, boosting free trade with the US, empowering women in Africa and the current situation in Georgia are all on the Parliament's agenda when MEPs gather this week in Brussels. Political groups will also prepare for the plenary session in Strasbourg on 18-21 May. Meanwhile Parliament President Martin Schulz will be awarded the Charlemagne Prize in Aachen on Thursday.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

General : Tax rulings, EU-Russia relations, Turkey’s reform progress, boosting free trade with the US, empowering women in Africa and the current situation in Georgia are all on the Parliament's agenda when MEPs gather this week in Brussels. Political groups will also prepare for the plenary session in Strasbourg on 18-21 May. Meanwhile Parliament President Martin Schulz will be awarded the Charlemagne Prize in Aachen on Thursday.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Dr Denis Mukwege will join the Development Committee to debate how empowering women in Africa can foster the overall development of societies and why addressing health and human security is a prerequisite for progress in developing countries. Dr Mukwege was awarded the Sakharov Prize 2014 for his work for the victims of sexual violence in Eastern Congo's Kivu provinces.
Committee on Development

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Dr Denis Mukwege will join the Development Committee to debate how empowering women in Africa can foster the overall development of societies and why addressing health and human security is a prerequisite for progress in developing countries. Dr Mukwege was awarded the Sakharov Prize 2014 for his work for the victims of sexual violence in Eastern Congo's Kivu provinces.
Committee on Development

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

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One of the new A400M military transport aircraft crashed Saturday, May 9 near Seville in southern Spain. It was a test flight, conducted systematically before a new airplane is delivered to the customer. This usually occurs with a reduced crew. This is the first accident of this type of device since its commissioning. The aircraft informed the control tower to report a problem, before rushing toward the ground. The crew was Spanish and the accident has cost four lives.
The manufacturer Airbus Defence and Space, a subsidiary of European aerospace group (former EADS, up to 2013), which assembles the A400M at its factory in Seville, Andalusia, said in a statement that the plane was destined for Turkey. Airbus was not able to provide details of the accident, but has formed a crisis unit.

The first copy of the new European aircraft was delivered to France in 2013. Since then, Turkey and Germany have also taken delivery. Equipped with four turboprop engines, the A400M can carry up to 37 tons on 3300 km, land on unprepared terrain like sand, with a cargo of tanks or helicopters. The device has experienced many delays in its production and in its deliveries and accumulated an overbudget of 6.2 billion euros (around 30%).
Airbus has high hopes for this device that hits the market when its US competitors are at an end, including the C-130 developed there over 50 years. A total of 174 copies have been ordered to date, including 50 from France, 53 from Germany, 27 from Spain and 22 from the UK.

Following the crash of the Saturday A400M, Germany, the UK and Turkey have decided to stop their planes. If other countries are waiting for the identification of disaster`s causes, France has meanwhile decided to keep its six A400M in service but only "for priority flights," said the Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

In March 2015, the Royal Air Force has received its second A400M transport aircraft "Atlas". And one of the six aircraft delivered to the Air Force will going to fly, this March 6, around the world, in 15 days, 11 stops and 3 days, 2 hours and 20 minutes of cumulative flight (Transall C-160 would require three times as long). And that in order to ensure the commercial promotion of the device in Australia, check the availability of land and Faa'a Tontouta in New Caledonia and measure crew`s fatigue and alertness during the long trips.

These appearances are deceiving. After being rescued in 2010 while additional costs and delays mounted, the A400M program traverses a zone of turbulence again, which led to the replacement of Airbus military aviation branch`s director, Domingo Ureña-Raso by Fernando Alonso. The first A400M delivered in December to the German army, would have been found some "875 shortcomings" ... Hence the severe criticism of the manufacturer by Berlin, which also wants to replace as soon as its C-160 Transall suffering a serious problem of availability. "There is more at stake than the single image of an industrial company, it is question of the reliability of Germany in its alliances' military even said Ursula von der Leyen, the German Minister of Defense. And estimate that Airbus "seemed to have a problem with understanding the quality of a product". French Air Force was to receive 4 planes in 2015, it will have to settle for just 2. And Again, if all goes well as the delivery of the second aircraft is expected to occur at the end of the year.

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L`une des nouveaux avions de transport militaire A400M s'est écrasé samedi, le 9 mai près de Séville, dans le sud de l'Espagne. Il s'agissait d'un vol d'essai, réalisé systématiquement avant qu'un nouvel appareil soit livré au client. Il s'effectue généralement avec un équipage réduit. C'est le premier accident de ce type d'appareil depuis sa mise en service. L'avion a informé la tour de contrôle pour lui signaler un problème, avant de foncer vers le sol. L'équipage était espagnol et l`accident a coûté la vie à quatre personnes.

Le constructeur Airbus Defence and Space, filiale du groupe aéronautique européen (EADS jusqu`à 2013) qui assemble l'A400M dans son usine de Séville, en Andalousie, a indiqué dans un communiqué que cet avion était destiné à la Turquie. Airbus n'a pas été en mesure de donner des détails sur l'accident, mais a constitué une cellule de crise.

Le premier exemplaire de ce nouvel avion européen a été livré à la France en 2013. Depuis, la Turquie et l'Allemagne en ont également pris livraison. Équipé de quatre turbopropulseurs, l'A400M peut transporter jusqu'à 37 tonnes sur 3.300 kilomètres, se poser sur des terrains non préparés comme le sable, avec à son bord des blindés ou des hélicoptères. L'appareil a connu de nombreux retards dans sa fabrication puis dans ses livraisons et a accumulé un dépassement de budget de 6,2 milliards d'euros (environ 30%).
Airbus a de grands espoirs pour cet appareil qui arrive sur le marché quand ses concurrents américains sont en bout de course, notamment le C-130 conçu il y a plus de 50 ans. Au total, 174 exemplaires ont été commandés à ce jour, dont 50 par la France, 53 par l'Allemagne, 27 par l'Espagne et 22 par le Royaume-Uni.

Suite au crash de l'A400M de samedi, l'Allemagne, le Royaume-Uni et la Turquie ont décidé d'immobiliser leurs avions. Si les autres pays attendent que soient identifiées les causes de la catastrophe, la France a quant à elle décidé de garder ses six A400M en service mais seulement "pour les vols prioritaires", a précisé le ministre de la Défense Jean-Yves Le Drian.

En mars 2015 le Royal Air Force vient de recevoir son deuxième avion de transport A400M « Atlas ». Et un des six exemplaires livrés à l’armée de l’Air va boucler, ce 6 mars, un tour du monde accompli en 15 jours, 11 escales et 3 jours, 2 heures et 20 minutes de vol cumulé (un Transall C-160 aurait besoin de trois fois plus de temps). Et cela afin d’assurer la promotion commerciale de l’appareil en Australie, de vérifier l’accessibilité des terrains de Faa’a et Tontouta en Nouvelle-Calédonie et de mesurer la fatigue et le niveau de vigilance des équipages sur de longs trajets.

Ces apparences sont trompeuses. Après avoir été sauvé en 2010 alors que les surcoûts et les retards s’accumulaient, le programme A400M traverse à nouveau une zone de turbulences, ce qui a conduit au remplacement du directeur de la branche aviation militaire chez Airbus, Domingo Ureña-Raso par Fernando Alonso. Sur le premier A400M livré en décembre à l’armée allemande, il aurait été constaté quelques « 875 manquements »… D’où les sévères critiques adressées au constructeur par Berlin, qui veut par ailleurs remplacer au plus vite ses Transall C-160 qui souffrent d’un sérieux problème de disponibilité. « Il y a plus en jeu que la seule image d’une entreprise industrielle, il est question de la fiabilité de l’Allemagne dans ses alliances » militaires, a même déclaré Mme Ursula von der Leyen, le ministre allemand de la Défense. Et d’estimer qu’Airbus « semblait avoir un problème avec sa compréhension de la qualité d’un produit ».L`armée de l’Air française devait recevoir 4 avions en 2015, elle devra s’en contenter de seulement 2. Et encore, si tout va bien étant donné que la livraison du second avion devrait avoir lieu à la fin de l’année.

Source : Sudouest.fr et Zone militaire

Language English Tag: A400M

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To celebrate Europe day, held every year on 9 May, the EU institutions open their doors to the public. Visitors to the Council are be able to take guided tours of the facilities and learn more about the work of the institutions on the available information stands. Events and activities for all ages take place throughout the day.

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Wow isn’t my timing great! Just as I decide to wind down my European blogging, the Conservatives go and get a majority and an In/Out referendum is on the table for 2017. Under those circumstances, I think even the Australians will be a bit more interested in EU issues, so I’ll write a bit more about them than I have been doing!

So what are my thoughts on this the day after? I’m not a big fan of referenda in general – we have a representative democracy and in the absence of clear instructions, as in the Irish constitution, on which issues should go to a referendum, it seems to me to be either a cop out or a buck pass. As in UK politics in general, matters get reduced to a simple black/white, when we know that they are almost always more nuanced than that.

Having said that, if there is one, then bring it on. I’m not worried about having a chance to have the debate, and within a referendum campaign, I am hoping that those who see our membership of the EU as a necessity, or something of importance, but have had no real reason to articulate that publicly, may now be prepared to stand up and be counted. Hopefully there will be more room in public debate for both, or rather all, sides of the argument. Hopefully we will move on from a situation where three-quarters of the stories in the BBC’s UK and the EU section are about Nigel Farage.

Screenshot from BBC iPad app on 9 May 2015

 

The interesting dimension is Scotland, and also Wales and Northern Ireland. If English votes take the UK out of the EU, how will that play in those home nations that have tended to have a more realistic if not necessarily positive relationship with the EU?

These are certainly going to be “interesting times” for a Eurogeek, whichever side of the world I will be on in 2017.

European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker called again for the bloc to build an army, saying a flock of hens posed more of a threat than its current military capabilities. "A bunch of chickens looks like a combat formation compared to the foreign and security policy of the European Union," Juncker told a Brussels forum in typically lively language.
"I always call for a European army as a long-term project. It is not something you can build from scratch tomorrow morning," he said. Juncker has consistently backed the idea that the EU's 28 member nations — all no strangers to a bloody, war-torn past — should accept a military arm, a need highlighted by the Ukraine crisis. "A common army among the Europeans would convey to Russia that we are serious about defending the values of the European Union," he told Germany's Welt am Sonntag in March.

A joint EU force would also rationalize defense spending and drive further EU integration. For many European Union states, however, defense is a no-go area, with Britain especially hostile to sacrificing what it sees as a core sovereign prerogative to Brussels.Britain also insists that NATO, the US-led military alliance set up to hold the Cold War line against the Soviet Union, should remain the focus of European defense efforts. Juncker told the forum that considering the current fragmented state of EU military readiness, it was perfectly "right that central and eastern European countries put their trust primarily in NATO." "The 28 armies are just not up to it," he added.

EU leaders are due to review the bloc's security policy at a June summit to take on board the threat posed by a more assertive Russia and turmoil across North Africa and the Middle East. Analysts say it is unlikely to lead to radical changes in the current very limited joint military operations undertaken by the EU, such as the Atalanta anti-piracy mission off the Horn of Africa.

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Tag: JunckerCFSPCSDP

OPINION on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the use of Passenger Name Record data for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of terrorist offences and serious crime
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Arnaud Danjean

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

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On 14 November 2005, the Council established an EU Police Mission in the Palestinian Territories (EUPOL COPPS) under the European Security and Defence Policy. The operational phase began on 1 January 2006 with an initial duration of 3 years.

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