European Union

In order to tackle the unprecedented flows of refugees in 2015, the EU has set out a comprehensive strategy and is fully engaged in solving the most pressing issues. On the basis of the strategic orientations set out by the European Council and by the Council, the Presidency has assigned itself four priorities:

(a)    Providing assistance to those in need: humanitarian situation, civil protection, etc.
(b)   Stemming the migration flows: cooperating with third countries, prevent/deter, actions against smugglers, targeted communication, etc.
(c)    Strengthening the capacity at entry: hotspots, entry points, registration, security, border cooperation, etc.
(d)   Managing the flows within internal borders: processing including screening, security checks, reception, asylum, relocation, return, etc.

The Presidency has held numerous meetings and consultations, conducted field visits and activated the Integrated Political Crisis Response (IPCR) for the first time ever (cf. annex). Member States, the Commission, the EEAS and relevant EU agencies have been fully mobilised to support the Council in taking decisions on actions to meet the needs of arriving refugees and migrants, including the 1.2 million asylum seekers that have arrived since January 2015 (+ 90% than in 2014) in the EU. Implementation has been advancing rapidly in some areas, but significant gaps still remain.

At its constitutive meeting in Strasbourg on Thursday, members of the Special Committee on Tax Rulings - which will continue to function for 6 more months under a new mandate - have re-elected Alain Lamassoure (EPP, FR) as their chairman by acclamation.
Special Committee on Tax Rulings and Other Measures Similar in Nature or Effect (TAXE 2)

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

At its constitutive meeting in Strasbourg on Thursday, members of the Special Committee on Tax Rulings - which will continue to function for 6 more months under a new mandate - have re-elected Alain Lamassoure (EPP, FR) as their chairman by acclamation.
Special Committee on Tax Rulings and Other Measures Similar in Nature or Effect (TAXE 2)

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Neptune Distribution
Approximation of laws
The sodium content of natural mineral waters must be calculated on the basis not only of sodium chloride but also of sodium bicarbonate

WebMindLicenses
DFON
The transfer of know-how enabling operation of the erotic site livejasmin.com from Hungary to Madeira where a lower rate of VAT applies does not amount, in itself, to an abusive practice

The deal on climate change, concluded on December 2015 in the UN Climate Conference in Paris, can justifiably be described as a game-changer or, in U.S. President Barack Obama’s words, humanity’s “best chance to save the planet”.

195 countries – including the U.S. and China which account for 35% of greenhouse emissions – managed, thanks to the competent and determined leadership of the hosting country’s Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, to set a limit to the increase of global temperature since the Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries at 2 degrees Celsius and pursue the effort so as to lower it to 1.5 degrees.

The attainment of this target would require, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), spending about $16.5 trillion on renewables and energy efficiency until 2030. Policies would include incentives for clean energy production, scaling back support for fossil fuels like oil, making emissions more costly and reducing deforestation. Carbon pricing through markets or taxes, planting trees, burning biomass instead of fossil fuels are some among the tools to be used. The accord is not legally binding but relies on rigorous monitoring rules to secure transparency.

The agreement’s paramount aim is to pass the message that fossil fuels carry financial and legal premiums while clean energy is subsidised. It will take effect in 2020 provided that it is ratified by 55 countries accounting for 55% of emissions. A key feature of the deal is that developed nations committed $100 billion in annual aid to the developing nations so as to overcome the inevitable tensions that undermined past efforts to control emissions.

The effective implementation of this accord is fraught with dangers of economic as well as political nature, inherent in any endeavor that involves many players and spans over a long period of time. Here we shall focus on two such factors which have recently reasserted themselves, namely the volatility of the price of oil and growing geopolitical uncertainties.

Recently the world experienced a precipitous fall in oil prices. The slowdown in energy demand, as a result of weaker growth in emerging markets as well as the switch of the Chinese economy to a more diversified and less energy-intensive growth model, largely explain this development suggesting that the market for oil will eventually rebalance via higher demand and lower growth of supply. The supply response is more uncertain than demand – which sooner or later will pick up – as it depends on the policies of OPEC as well as of non-OPEC producers.

According to IEA estimates, more resilient non-OPEC supply and higher Middle East output could hold the oil price close to $50/bbl until the 2020’s. However, an investment slowdown in the oil industry – in response to low prices – will tend to increase the risk of a sharp market rebound destabilising the market.

Crucially, a prolonged period of lower prices would undermine support for the energy transition by stimulating oil use and diminishing the case for efficiency investment and switching to alternative sources. Policymakers will, therefore, have to adjust market rules, policies and subsidies so as to maintain the momentum towards cleaner energy. In order to minimise the additional fiscal cost that this will entail governments should ring-fence policies against potentially large market swings.

If the world stays the course, renewables are set to become the leading source of new energy supply by 2040. In the U.S. and India renewable-based power generation will represent about 25%, in China and Japan 30%, and in the EU 50% (IEA estimates).

Besides sharp swings in the oil price, the other major threat to the transition process concerns energy security. Geopolitical risks are rising, particularly in areas which hold strategic positions in the global energy map. Russia is attempting to restore its former great-power status by taking action in areas traditionally claimed by the Russian and Soviet empires, such as Ukraine, and intervening militarily in Syria. NATO is redeploying forces close to East European frontiers while a serious incident at the Turkish-Syrian borders led to the downfall of a Russian military aircraft and the loss of the life of one pilot.

In the Middle East itself, the process of resolving the Palestinian question is frozen, Syria is in the middle of a horrendous civil war and other Arab countries, like Libya, are in turmoil as a consequence of the destabilising effects of the Arab Spring. The only bright spot is the eventual re-integration of Iran into the international system as a result of the nuclear deal, although this is inflaming the Sunni-Shia rivalry involving major powers like Saudi Arabia.

Low oil prices, by concentrating global supply to low-cost but unstable Middle East producers, would aggravate energy security. In a conference organised in early December by the Bosphorus Energy Club in Turkey talks focused on security and the future of the gas relationship with Russia. The history of major gas pipelines planned to be constructed in the area covering Russia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East indicates the existence of unresolved, economic and geopolitical, conflicts. The Nabucco pipeline, linking Azerbaijan with Austria via Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary, was abandoned in June 2013. The South Stream, linking Russia with Austria via Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia, was cancelled in December 2014. The Russian Stream, linking Russia with Turkey, was abandoned in December 2015.

Conflicts or accidents may disrupt supply flows and destabilise markets as viciously as market forces. The world’s governments should be watchful and pro-active in both the economic and political sphere so as to ensure a smooth passage to clean energy – fulfilling thus a vital condition for saving the planet.

IMAGE CREDIT: FLICKR/Takver

 

The post Threats to the Paris accord appeared first on Europe’s World.

SNCF v Commission
State aid
The General Court confirms that the State aid in the sum of € 503 million granted by France to Sernam and conditionally approved by the Commission in an earlier decision was wrongfully implemented

Spain v Commission
State aid
The General Court annuls the Commission’s decision that the Spanish tax lease system is an illegal state aid.

I’ll begin with a confession. This blog should have been finished weeks ago. If my first 3 months working for FleishmanHillard have taught me anything, it is that when you’re working full time, things will always get in the way. This is hopefully the first blog of many and I’ll be writing about a range of things regarding communications, public affairs and how they overlap.

But enough about me. This blog isn’t about my life, it’s about Twitter. Specifically it’s about unlocking the potential of Twitter and using it in such a way that covering events becomes less about reflecting the argument and more about shaping it. Sound complicated? It’s not.

If you have an objective which you want to achieve and messages which you need to get across then you need to cut through the conversation. You need to be seen and hastily typing out some live text tweets simply isn’t enough. Those of us in Communications are lucky that Twitter offers us the potential to set and shape any given agenda and we need to stop wasting it.

Which brings us to Paris. The city of love, lights and (at least during last week) engaging and meaningful social content. Recently, I was part of a team which went with a major industry association to COP21. Whilst there, we communicated a range of specific and important messages in a space that wasn’t so much crowded as overloaded with people all trying to do the same.

The Challenge? Taking a complex and technical issue and communicating it to people inside and outside the event in a way that made them want to engage with it.

The plan? To make use all of the options given to us by Twitter and demonstrate that covering an event  isn’t necessarily about telling people what is happening, but rather showing them. Why tell people what is happening in the room when we can bring them in there with us?

So that’s what we did. Powered by the expertise and talent of FleishmanHillard Brussels’ in-house Digital, Social & Creative team we created several batches of content which viusalised the client’s messaging and delivered on their objectives. Using GIFS, Videos, Pictures, Vines, Animations, Caricatures and yes, text, we showed twitter users not only what was happening at COP21, but why and how the client was a part of it.

The results? More followers, more video views, more likes, more impressions, more engagements and more exposure on Twitter than we had got in the 3 months leading up to COP21. We were talking about what our client had to offer and we were covering an event, but we were doing it in such a way that people were sitting up and taking note. Don’t believe me? Before COP21 the association’s account was averaging 5 retweets a day. During the event it regularly topped 100.

The methodology we used is very simple. You need an objective, specific messaging and an understanding of both who your audience is and how to reach it. When you have all of that it is simply a matter of using those insights to shape your content.

The catch? Creating content which both stands out from the crowd and delivers on your objectives isn’t easy… but you can’t afford not to try.

Alex Burchill – Digital, Social and Creative Team

 

 

 

 

Dear President Poroshenko, Dear President Juncker. Dear Petro and Jean-Claude,

One year ago when I hosted my first European Council, EU leaders pledged to stay the course on Ukraine. And we have done so, working to help stabilise the situation and making sure that Ukraine's own efforts are transforming the country in a positive direction.

Our policy of non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol is in force. And our economic sanctions against Russia will remain linked to the complete fulfilment of the Minsk Agreements.

Beyond the crisis, the European Union has been supporting Ukraine in its ambitious, and absolutely crucial, agenda of political and economic reforms. Reforms have started to bring results, but still we continue to expect a lot from the Ukrainian authorities in the months to come.

We are lending economic and technical support and have engaged, through the efforts of Jean-Claude and the Commission, on securing Ukraine's energy supplies. We are making sure that the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement will enter into force as smoothly as possible from the 1st of January next year. This will lead to the gradual economic integration of Ukraine in the EU internal market.

Finally, Ukraine has made good progress over past months with regard to visa liberalisation, which should allow us to advance towards a visa-free regime as soon as possible. I hope we can find an agreement on the outstanding issues this evening.

To sum up. Europe will stay the course. Ukraine must stay the course of reforms. And Russia must change its course.  

Plenary sessions : No-one should ever be detained for the sole reason that he or she is an asylum seeker, said speakers in a debate on Wednesday evening. To apply for asylum is a basic human right, and detention can only be used as a measure of last resort, they insisted. Several MEPs criticised declarations by European Council President Donald Tusk about detaining migrants for up to 18 months in order to “screen” them. Other MEPs argued that such decisions are better taken at national level.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Plenary sessions : No-one should ever be detained for the sole reason that he or she is an asylum seeker, said speakers in a debate on Wednesday evening. To apply for asylum is a basic human right, and detention can only be used as a measure of last resort, they insisted. Several MEPs criticised declarations by European Council President Donald Tusk about detaining migrants for up to 18 months in order to “screen” them. Other MEPs argued that such decisions are better taken at national level.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

VI. United Kingdom

20. The European Council had a political exchange of views on the UK plans for an (in/out) referendum. Following today's substantive and constructive debate, the members of the European Council agreed to work closely together to find mutually satisfactory solutions in all the four areas at the European Council meeting on 18-19 February 2016.

Full text of the European Council conclusions available here:

 

General : A request by 283 members of the European Parliament for the creation of an inquiry committee to investigate breaches of EU rules on car emission measurements will be put to the vote by the full house on Thursday.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

General : A request by 283 members of the European Parliament for the creation of an inquiry committee to investigate breaches of EU rules on car emission measurements will be put to the vote by the full house on Thursday.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

I. Migration

1. Over the past months, the European Council has developed a strategy aimed at stemming the unprecedented migratory flows Europe is facing. However, implementation is insufficient and has to be speeded up. For the integrity of Schengen to be safeguarded it is indispensable to regain control over the external borders. Deficiencies, notably as regards hotspots, relocation and returns, must be rapidly addressed. The EU institutions and the Member States must urgently: 

a) address the shortcomings at the Schengen external borders, notably by ensuring systematic security checks with relevant databases, and prevent document fraud;

b) address deficiencies in the functioning of hotspots, including by establishing the necessary reception capacity to achieve their objectives; rapidly agree a precise calendar for further hotspots to become operational; ensure that Frontex and EASO have the necessary expertise and equipment; 

c) ensure systematic and complete identification, registration and fingerprinting, and take measures to tackle refusal of registration and stem irregular secondary flows;

d) implement relocation decisions as well as consider including among the beneficiaries of existing decisions other Member States under high pressure who have requested this;

e) take concrete measures to ensure the actual return and readmission of people not authorised to stay and provide support to Member States as regards return operations;

f) enhance measures for fighting smuggling and trafficking of human beings;

g) ensure implementation and operational follow up to:

• the High Level Conference on the Eastern Mediterranean - Western Balkans route; in this context, it is important to help non EU Member States along the Western Balkans route to accomplish registration according to EU standards; 
• the Valletta Summit, particularly as regards returns and readmission, and
• the EU-Turkey Statement of 29 November 2015 and the EU-Turkey Action Plan; in this context COREPER is asked to rapidly conclude its work on how to mobilise the 3 billion euro for the Turkey Refugee Facility;

h) continue implementing the agreed resettlement scheme;

i) continue to closely monitor flows along migration routes so as to be able to rapidly react to developments.

2. The Council should continue work on the crisis relocation mechanism taking into account experience gained, and rapidly decide on its position on the list of safe countries of origin. The Council is invited to rapidly examine the situation concerning Afghanistan. The Council should rapidly examine the Commission proposals of 15 December on a "European Border and Coast Guard", the Schengen Borders Code, "A voluntary humanitarian admission scheme", and travel documents for returns. The Council should adopt its position on the "European Border and Coast Guard" under the Netherlands Presidency. The Commission will rapidly present the review of the Dublin system; in the meantime, existing rules must be implemented. It will also soon present a revised proposal on Smart Borders.

3. The Presidency, the Commission and the High Representative will report back on progress before the February meeting of the European Council.

On 16 December 2015, under the Luxembourg Presidency and subject to the European Parliament and Council formal vote, the Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA) approved a final compromise on a proposal for regulation on school milk, fruit and vegetables scheme.

The Council and the European Parliament representatives identified the overall compromise during a trilogue meeting held on 10 December. On the same occasion the SCA approved a Council Regulation on the same subject, which completes the school scheme, notably as regards the fixing of the EU aid.

Promotion of certain foods for public health

School schemes were originally established in order to promote the consumption of fruit and vegetable and milk products, beneficial in the public health context and are suitable for the distribution to school children. In addition, those sectors are also important for the EU agriculture. Under these schemes EU aid is allocated to member states for the supply of those products in educational establishments. 

The school fruit and vegetables scheme and the school milk scheme are currently separate programmes. In January 2014, the Commission made a proposal merging the schemes and amending the new single Common Market Organisation (single CMO) regulation under the reformed Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) (5958/14) and the regulation fixing certain aids and refunds (6054/14). The new scheme will have an overall yearly budget of €250 millions (milk products: €100 millions; fruit and vegetables: €150 millions).

The next steps

The European Parliament is expected to vote the compromise text at a meeting of its Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development in late January.

The Chairman of the SCA, for the Presidency, will send a letter to the Chairman of the European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. This letter indicates that if the Parliament votes at its plenary session the compromise texts as approved by the SCA, after legal-linguistic revision, the Council will be able to reach agreement with the European Parliament on school milk, fruit and vegetables schemes in first reading. This should enable the entry into force of the new scheme in Spring 2016 and its application from August 2017.

Companies and organisations hoping that the European Commission’s impact assessment on ED criteria will drive evidence-based policy with appropriate consideration of all costs and benefits should take warning of today’s ruling from the General Court of the European Union (Judgment in Case T-521/14 Sweden v Commission).

You may remember that in July 2014 Sweden decided to bring the European Commission before the Court for being late on delivering criteria to identify endocrine disrupting substances (ED) by December 13 2013 – as required by the biocides regulation. It turned out that Sweden was not the only one tired of waiting for the Commission to act as Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Finland, the European Parliament and the Council decided to join the case as well.

Following a markedly fast moving procedure, the Court has come to a decision on 16 December. The judges found  the Commission breached its clear, precise and unconditional obligation to adopt scientific criteria for the determination of endocrine-disrupting properties. Interestingly, the court notes that no provision forced the Commission to conduct an impact assessment before proposing ED criteria; an argument used by the Commission’s lawyers to justify the delay.

The ruling should not come as a surprise as the Commission clearly missed the deadline. A few important comments need to be made though.

From a legal perspective on the one hand, it is probably the first time that the binding nature of a deadline enshrined in legislation is so clearly recognised by the Court. According to the judges, the deadline is not a mere objective but a legally binding obligation. In other words, the Commission has no margin of maneuver. On the other hand, the case should also draw attention from a political perspective as it could affect the ongoing ED impact assessment process – most importantly how its outcome could be received.

The impact assessment will go on, of course, and eventually deliver the long-awaited ED criteria. However it remains to be seen how much the Commission’s credibility on this dossier could be (even more) weakened by the ruling. In bringing the Commission before the Court, Sweden had more than a legal objective in mind (otherwise Swedish authorities would challenge the Commission every time they miss a deadline). With the chemicals policy high on its political agenda – EDs in particular – it was particularly important for Sweden to have the Commission’s failure to adopt the criteria acknowledged by the European judge.

From that perspective, it is a success for Sweden and its supporters. A success that many more of their allies could use to challenge upcoming Commission’s decisions, when necessary.

by Pauline Tawil and Michael Stanton-Geddes