European Union

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What halted the main wave of Europe’s epoch-making migration crisis? Was it the fences of the western Balkans route? Or a transformative deal with Turkey? That is more than just an academic question as Europe wrestles with how to deal with Ankara, and the other policy dilemmas that stem from a world on the move.

This chart, inspired by some conversations with officials in Brussels, attempts to differentiate the two:

The first two lines show the political chain reaction triggered by the Austrians and others imposing quotas on their borders and effectively closing off the western Balkans route migration route.

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France v Commission
State aid
The General Court annuls the Commission’s decision classifying the unlimited implied guarantee granted by the French State to the Institut français du pétrole (French Petroleum Institute) as State aid

France v Commission
State aid
The General Court annuls the Commission’s decision classifying the unlimited implied guarantee granted by the French State to the Institut français du pétrole (French Petroleum Institute) as State aid

France v Commission
State aid
The General Court annuls the Commission’s decision classifying the unlimited implied guarantee granted by the French State to the Institut français du pétrole (French Petroleum Institute) as State aid

On 25 May 2016 Lebanon enters its third year without a President. The sovereignty, stability, territorial integrity and independence of Lebanon are important for the European Union. Lebanon remains an example of freedom, diversity and tolerance for the region, but the prolonged political crisis can only further weaken the country and its institutions in facing its many challenges. Lebanon cannot afford to wait for the region to solve its problems before it addresses this issue.

The EU again urges Lebanese political forces and all stakeholders to put partisan and individual interests aside and find a viable compromise to elect a President swiftly. The EU supports the efforts deployed by the Lebanese government under difficult circumstances to ensure that issues of dissent do not hinder completely the functioning of Lebanese Institutions, and do not compromise the delivery of international assistance. In this context the EU commends the Lebanese Armed Forces' work for the safety and security of the country. The National Dialogue and other mediation efforts are laudable initiatives to ensure communication between political forces and prevent a deterioration of the political climate. The EU welcomes the holding of the Municipal elections and the Parliamentary by-elections for a vacant Parliamentary seat, and calls on all parties to create the conditions for the holding of Parliamentary elections.

The EU is fully aware of the additional challenges that the refugee crisis poses for the stability of Lebanon. The EU commends the Lebanese people for their efforts to host refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria, and stresses the importance of respect by all parties of the right to safe and voluntary return of refugees displaced from Syria. As demonstrated by the EU's pledge at the London Conference and its initial implementation, the EU and its Member States are committed to supporting Lebanon, its host institutions and public services in addressing the growing needs of all vulnerable host communities and refugees.  The EU welcomes Lebanon's Statement of Intent presented at the London Conference, and fully supports its implementation.

The EU reiterates its commitment to the partnership with Lebanon, and reaffirms the need to work together to respond to common challenges on the basis of our common values, including human rights, democracy, and respect for diversity.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, European Council President Donald Tusk, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, French President François Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and UK Prime Minister David Cameron, made the following joint statement in the margins of the G7 Summit in Ise-Shima:

“We, the Leaders of Japan, the European Union, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, in the margins of the G7 Summit in Ise-Shima welcome the view shared by the leaders of Japan and the European Union on the occasion of their meeting on 3 May 2016 to instruct their respective negotiators to accelerate the negotiations on the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)/Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and reaffirm our strong commitment to reach agreement in principle as early as possible in 2016.

We commend the work of our negotiators over the last 3 years, and for the substantial progress already made. With our full backing, the negotiators are entrusted to make the efforts necessary in the coming months to move forward with the negotiations, paving the way for reaching agreement encompassing all key issues including all types of tariffs and non-tariff measures, in line with the timeline committed above in a constructive manner, based on mutual trust, toward a comprehensive, high-level and balanced agreement which further consolidates our solid trade and economic partnership.

Recognizing the strategic importance of the Japan-EU EPA/FTA, we remain committed to creating a free, fair and open international trade and economic system, which will promote stronger, sustainable and balanced growth and contribute to the creation of more jobs and economic opportunity in Japan and the European Union and to the increase of our international competitiveness.”

Emanating from Russia in the east and the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the south, the EU has been increasingly hit by destabilising messages amounting – in different forms and to different degrees – to coherent hostile ‘strategic communications’ campaigns, or the processes of infusing communications activities with an agenda or plan to impact the behaviour of a target audience. Both Russia and ISIL have engaged in aggressive messaging and deceptive media campaigns, albeit with distinct narratives, targets and audiences. This paper analyses the ‘what’ and the ‘how’: the respective narratives of each actor, their specificities, their similarities and their differences. The analysis also draws attention to strategic communications efforts undertaken by the EU, which are vectored into defensive (react and respond) and offensive (probe and push) dimensions. This understanding of the present context finally allows for an evaluation of what actions can be taken to enhance the effectiveness of the EU’s own strategic communications.
Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

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On 26-27 May, President Tusk attends the G7 summit in Ise-Shima (Japan). Global growth remains an urgent priority for the G7 and leaders are expected to commit to further strengthening their policy response. They are also expected to discuss the most pressing foreign policy challenges, including the situation in Syria and Ukraine and cross-cutting themes like counter-terrorism. The G7 is also expected to discuss the global migration and refugee crisis and commit to increased assistance.

Download this video here.

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EU Finance ministers meet in Brussels on 25 May 2016 to agree on a draft directive addressing tax avoidance practices used by large companies. It is discussing plans for a definitive VAT system and a report on VAT fraud, as well as banking union and macroeconomic imbalances and structural reforms in the member states.

Download this video here.

DRAFT OPINION on the future of ACP-EU relations beyond 2020
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Javier Couso Permuy

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Representatives of the EU Member States, the Western Balkans and Turkey, the European Commission and the European Central Bank, as well as representatives of the central banks of the Western Balkans and Turkey[1] met for their annual economic policy dialogue[2]. Participants welcomed the submission of the 2016 Economic Reform Programmes (ERPs) of the Western Balkans and regretted that Turkey's ERP had been submitted with a significant delay. The programmes outline the medium-term macroeconomic and fiscal framework as well as structural reforms (affecting labour markets, transport, energy, education etc.) to enhance competitiveness and long-term growth. The programmes cover the period 2016-2018. 

Participants took note of the Conclusions of the General Affairs Council on 15 December 2015 in which the Council took note of the Commission's communication on the EU enlargement strategy and the reports, which have a strengthened focus on economic governance. The dialogue on economic governance with the Western Balkans and Turkey is meant to prepare them for their future participation in the EU economic policy coordination. The dialogue reflects to some extent the European Semester process at EU level. 

Participants recalled the commitment to set out a new set of targeted policy guidance to support efforts towards fulfilling the Copenhagen economic criteria. In this context, Participants agreed that the elements of the 2015 policy guidance which had not yet been fully implemented remained valid and needed be addressed by policymakers in the Western Balkans and Turkey. 

 [1] Montenegro, Serbia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Albania and Turkey are candidate countries for EU accession. 

[2] The conclusions of this dialogue are without prejudice to EU Member States' positions on the status of Kosovo.  

 

Plenary sessions : As milk prices have collapsed across the EU and show no signs of recovering any time soon, MEPs will quiz Commissioner Phil Hogan on measures to alleviate pressure on dairy farmers and stabilize their incomes in a debate on Thursday, starting at 8.30. Factors blamed for the crisis include the Russian ban on imports from the EU, the end of milk quotas in 2015 and a drop in global demand.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : As milk prices have collapsed across the EU and show no signs of recovering any time soon, MEPs will quiz Commissioner Phil Hogan on measures to alleviate pressure on dairy farmers and stabilize their incomes in a debate on Thursday, starting at 8.30. Factors blamed for the crisis include the Russian ban on imports from the EU, the end of milk quotas in 2015 and a drop in global demand.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : New initiatives to allow consumers and companies to buy and sell products and services online more easily across the EU were welcomed by most MEPs in a debate with Commission Vice-President for the Digital Single Market, Andrus Ansip, on Wednesday. Parliament will co-decide on equal footing with the EU Council of Ministers on the Digital Single Market legislative proposals.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands addressed Parliament in Brussels in a formal sitting on Wednesday for the first time since his accession to the throne in April 2013. Speaking of identity and solidarity, the King said he belonged to the first generation of Europeans in history to enjoy the good fortune of peace and expressed the hope future generations would have this opportunity too: “It’s all too easy to take peace for granted.“

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP