European Union

More than three out of four Europeans think that the EU should only distribute funds to member states that implement rule of law and democratic principles, according to a new survey commissioned by the European Parliament.

The initiatives for due diligence in supply chains are seeing growing support for their potential to create a level playing field, but European worker representatives say the benefits of this legislation would not be limited to the workers at the start of the value chain.

After public pressure and national debate, a study of German police forces is on the way. The Social Democrat's (SPD) proposal to specifically investigate racism within the German authorities will only be one of many topics, as the study will instead be focusing on the 'daily work' of officers. EURACTIV Germany reports.

EDA’s 4th Electronic Warfare course (5-16 October) involving more than a dozen participants from Belgium, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Sweden and Ukraine has just been completed at Sintra Air Base, Portugal. It was the first helicopter course held in the Agency’s new training facility set up over the past four months at Sintra Air Base which will also host the future Multinational Helicopter Training Centre (MHTC) by mid-2023.

The Electronic Warfare course, which is part of EDA’s wide-ranging helicopter training activities, allowed participants to deepen their knowledge and expertise about Electronic Warfare and its application in the current operational theatres. From threat briefings to mathematics classes, an array of topics was touched upon with the goal to increase the know-how of the students who also had the opportunity to share experiences among them despite the strict precautionary Covid-19 measures put in place by the Portuguese Air Force and the country’s health authorities. 
 

 
Sintra ready for high-quality training

After months of intense preparations, the Sintra training centre meets all necessary conditions for delivering high-quality training for the EDA Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP), the Helicopter Tactics Course (HTC) and the Helicopter Tactics Instructors Course (HTIC) programmes. The centre includes a large office and classroom building and a hangar built to accommodate an advanced helicopter mission simulator. The state-of-the-art simulator is composed of two full cockpits and rear cabins allowing to provide training to all the crewmembers, both pilots and rear crews. Based on the very latest simulation technology, the training device has VBS4 software integrated in a world data base, a very realistic flight model and a complete EW Defence Suite, all of which will allow crews to improve and extend their tactical skills and knowledge in any type of physical or tactical environment.

The new training facilities will ensure the continuity of the current EDA programmes until mid-2023 when they will be fully handed over to the Multinational Helicopter Training Centre (MHTC), also to be based at Sintra Air Base, which will take over the management of the three EDA helicopter programmes.
 

More information:

• EDA's helicopter initiatives (EDA project page)
• Multinational Helicopter Training Centre (MHTC) sets course for Sintra (EDM magazine article, June 2020)

Europe has been trying for a long time to decarbonise its transport sector. However, official data shows that despite a number of EU legislative actions, road transport dependency on oil will remain high by 2030, raising doubts over the effectiveness...

The Three Seas Initiative virtual summit held in Estonia on Monday (20 October) saw further consolidation between its 12 members. At the same time, the US has started seeing the project as a vehicle to win the geopolitical battle for 'hearts and minds' in the region, in a bid to reduce Chinese and Russian influence there.

Written by Eric Pichon (1st edition),

© octofocus / Adobe Stock

The EU is in the process of adapting its budgetary instruments to respond to the consequences of the coronavirus crisis, in particular in raising the established ceilings for some financial instruments. The proposed adjustments include, among other things, measures aimed at helping the most fragile third countries recover from the consequences of the pandemic. In particular, on 28 May 2020, the European Commission put forward a proposal concerning the European Fund for Sustainable Development (EFSD) in order to expand its coverage and raise the funds dedicated to leverage private investment for sustainable development and the guarantees to de-risk such investment. On 21 July 2020, the European Council rejected the draft amending budget that would have provided increased EFSD funding for the current year.

Versions

• Amending the European Fund for Sustainable Development (1st edition)

Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending regulation (EU) 2017/1601 establishing the European Fund for Sustainable Development (EFSD), the EFSD Guarantee and the EFSD Guarantee Fund Committee responsible: Foreign Affairs (AFET), Development (DEVE) and Budgets (BUDG), jointly under Rule 58 COM(2020) 407
28.5.2020 Rapporteur: To be appointed 2020/0107 (COD) Shadow rapporteurs: To be appointed Ordinary legislative procedure (COD) (Parliament and Council on equal footing – formerly ‘co-decision’) Next steps expected: Publication of draft report and discussion in committee

The European Parliament will vote on the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) at the end of the week. In an interview with EURACTIV France, Bundestag MP Harald Ebner (Greens) spoke about how crucial it was to integrate the European Commission's 'Farm to Fork' strategy into the new CAP, which according to him, should be greener and fairer.

The European Parliament in a plenary vote refused to sign off the accounts of the EU's smallest institution, the European Economic Social Committee (EESC), over its harassment cases. Some 618 voted against "granting discharge" to the EESC, 68 abstained and only one voted in favour. "Harassment of any type cannot be accepted and certainly not be covered up by the EU institution," said Mikuláš Peksa Greens/EFA and Pirate MEP.

A majority of EU citizens supports a larger EU budget to overcome the pandemic. Public health is the priority, followed by economic recovery and climate change.

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

A majority of EU citizens supports a larger EU budget to overcome the pandemic. Public health is the priority, followed by economic recovery and climate change.

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

In view of the sharp rise in the number of coronavirus infections across Europe, many governments have reimposed stricter containment measures. The discussion about these steps also revolves around the way politicians and the media are communicating these measures. While some commentators criticise unnecessary scare tactics, others call for stronger statements.

After the killing of a teacher near Paris, President Macron spoke of a "vicious Islamist terrorist attack". Samuel Paty was murdered on Friday not long after discussing Mohammed cartoons in class. Observers see the attack as a further test of the country's already strained cohesion - and fear politicians will not react wisely.