European Union

Here it comes! The European Commission today will publish its long awaited Circular Economy package.

If you have been following this saga, you will know that a Circular Economy package first appeared in July 2014, when Commissioner Potočnik led on environmental policy. Soon after however, winds changed in Brussels. The package became a victim of the Better Regulation agenda and was withdrawn with Commission Vice-President Timmermans’ promise to “replace [it] by [a] new, more ambitious proposal by the end of 2015.”

Is the Commission delivering on its First Vice President’s promise? How do we rate the level of ambition?

This is about waste

The revision of the waste legislative framework is the backbone of the Commission’s package. Recycling targets, calculation methods, Extended Producers Responsibility – and more – should keep MEPs and Environmental attachés busy next year. In fact, codecision has not even started yet and we already hear a few disappointing (potentially angry) voices: How could the Commission lower the municipal waste recycling target? Why switching back to an input-based calculation method? And where is the food waste reduction target?

This is about reconciling environmental and economic ambitions

Beyond waste, the Circular Economy package is an attempt to transform production and consumption patterns in Europe; an attempt to reconcile our economic model with environmental imperatives. The Commission’s action plan is crystal clear. Before 2019, a number of key initiatives should be undertaken in order to “reinvent our economy and create new competitive advantages for Europe on a sustainable basis.” All stages of the product lifecycle from production to consumption and from waste to the secondary raw material market will be considered, to truly ‘close the loop’. Product design is particularly interesting in this regard as the Commission announces that the future Ecodesign framework should systematically take into account criteria such as reparability, durability, recyclability or the identification of certain materials or substances.

This is about the Juncker Commission

Today’s publication is last – but not least – a test for the Commission’s ability to deliver on objectives and new working methods. Since taking office a year ago, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has tried hard to stick to its ‘growth and jobs’ direction and transform Commission’s internal working methods accordingly.

The Circular Economy is no exception. In fact, the package is likely to be one of the best examples of what the Better Regulation agenda has delivered so far. Indeed, while the first circular economy package had been very much dominated by DG Environment, the new one results from a joined effort between Commissioners Timmermans’ (regulation and inter-institutional affairs), Katainen’s (economy), Vella’s (environment) and Bienkowska’s (industry) services.

Has the Commission finally managed to overcome its ‘silo’ mindset? Is the package delivering on competitiveness and the environment? Will Members States, the European Parliament and all interested parties be seduced by this approach? The next months will tell us more. Stay tuned.

NOTE: You would like to know more about Circular Economy? Want to discuss the content of the package and understand what it means for your company or your sector? Don’t hesitate to send us a message.

Pauline Tawil and Lara Visser

FH Chemicals and Environment Legislative Timeline

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The "European Union-NATO Declaration on the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP)" and the "Berlin Plus" arrangements are the basic documents for the EU-NATO strategic partnership.

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The EU stands united with the people and Government of France and expresses solidarity on the 13 November Paris attacks.

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Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

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A Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) between the EU and Tajikistan was signed in October 2004 and it is currently being ratified by the EU Member States. Tajikistan is also part of the EU and Central Asia Strategy for a New Partnership.

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The EU-Canada Partnership Agenda adopted at the Ottawa Summit on 18 March 2004, identifies ways of working together to move forward, especially where joint action can achieve more than acting alone.

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Ministers in charge of competitiveness have a first discussion on the new internal market strategy. Better regulation, Competitiveness check-up, and European Research Area are also on the agenda of the Council, on 30 November and 1 December.

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Human rights have become an integral part of most donors' development cooperation. In addition to their intrinsic value, human rights are considered instrumental in achieving sustainable development. Implementing the international development goals related to civil and political rights and governance will be challenging. The EU has gradually refined its policy on integrating human rights into development cooperation. The EU approach includes imposing different forms of conditionality, supporting projects and programmes, and mainstreaming human rights across development actions. Aid to governance and civil society has increased in the last decade, reaching 9 % of the EU’s sectorallocable aid in 2013. Implementing a rights-based approach to development will be decisive, but challenging. The European Parliament, a strong supporter of integrating human rights into development cooperation, has its own toolbox to support human rights abroad.
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Barack Obama speaks with Angela Merkel on the sidelines of the Paris climate summit

Now that the EU has signed a tentative deal with Turkey to help it stem the flow of migrants coming from the Middle East, Brussels appears to be turning to other allies for help – including the US.

According to diplomats, the Obama administration has for months been asking for a “wish list” from the EU on ways it can help, and in recent weeks it finally got that list from the European Commission. Brussels Blog got its hands on the five-page memo, titled “Potential areas of US political and operational support on international immigration and refugee crisis”, and has posted it here. (To give credit where credit is due, our friends and rivals over at the Italian daily La Stampa got their hands on it before we did.)

The document contains few surprises, including a lot of requests for US funding. But there are a couple of “asks” that are particularly interesting. First, the Commission is seeking Washington’s help in pressuring Sunni allies in the Gulf to both help with money and with the more politically combustible issue of accepting some of the hundreds of thousands of refugees that have been fleeing Syria. Or, in the words of the document:

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Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

As Brussels began a lockdown on November 21 to search for suspected terrorists following the murderous attacks in Paris, I was on my way to Jakarta to attend the second world Forum for Muslim Democrats, a still little-known but potentially powerful platform for reflection on 21st Century Islam.

Islam was on the agenda in both cities – and on both continents. But with a big difference.

In Brussels and other European capitals, the talk was of militant Islam, the alleged link between Islam and violence and why young European Muslims were being drawn to fight with and for the so-called Islamic State.

The talk was harsh, angry and negative, at times darkly Islamophobic. Europe was hurting and it wanted to know why. What was wrong with its Muslim minority? What was wrong with Islam?

As the Far Right thundered “I told you so”, many blamed the refugees streaming in from Syria, others raged against Belgium for “allowing” its towns to turn into hotbeds of Jihad. It was nasty and unpleasant  – but understandable as a first, raw reaction.

The Forum in Jakarta also fretted about IS and its global ramifications – and the damaging shadow the terrorist group and its sponsors had cast over the world and over Islam.

But, refreshingly and importantly, discussions were also about renewal and revival of the religion, the importance of democracy and good governance and replacing the IS/Wahabi version with a fresh narrative of Islam as a religion of moderation, tolerance, understanding and inclusiveness.

Although none of the official documents mention Wahabism by name, the message was loud and clear: it was crucial to get Islam out of its Arab stranglehold, to end the equation between Islam and IS. It was time to listen to other voices, other interpretations and to highlight diversity and freedom of thought.

There was consensus that to counter the cruel Wahabi interpretation of Islam, non-Arab Muslim nations would have to take the lead in spotlighting what the organisers of the Forum described as the “true, peaceful and pluralistic nature of Islam.”

“Muslim democrats must not allow the deep state or terrorists to continue hijacking the course of history. We must chart a new course,”  according to the Forum’s initiator Malaysian opposition politician Anwar Ibrahim who is still in prison.

In a speech read out by his daughter Nurul Izzah, a Malaysian member of Parliament, Anwar insisted, “we must strive to stamp out bigotry and intolerance within ourselves. Islamophobia begins at home.”

“Islamic resurgence is about ensuring the rule of law, clean government, social justice and cultural empowerment where women are not treated as second class citizens…and minorities are not marginalised,” he underlined.

The message from others, including Surin Pitsuwan, the former ASEAN Secretary General who is from Thailand’s small Muslim minority, was that Muslim nations on the “periphery” should have the self-confidence to take ownership of Islam, to take the dominant narrative of the religion “away from the heartland”.

As economic power moves to Asia, the continent should also take the lead in crafting and disseminating a different narrative of a religion to challenge existing interpretations. As one participant put it, “let’s forget the Middle East for a while and focus on our priorities: good governance, education, science and technology”.

“Diversity of opinion is a blessing, we should be critical, curious and question,” said Surin. “There must be an open space for a dialogue amongst ourselves.”

The Forum illustrates the importance of “track two” civil society initiatives in tackling much-needed global challenges.  Plans for expanding membership are being considered – current members include Indonesia, Malaysia and Turkey – but it’s not going to be easy. Authentic Muslim democrats are few and far between. And even the existing members face trouble at home.

Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, is clearly well-placed to lead the struggle for Islamic renewal given its largely positive record in transiting from dictatorship to democracy. Nahdlatul Ulama, an Indonesian Muslim organisation which claims more than 50 million members has taken the lead in campaigning against extremism.

But even as we met to discuss the role and challenges facing Muslim Democrats, Jakarta was on alert against terror attacks. Human rights organisations warn against creeping intolerance in the country. There are sporadic attacks on churches and against Ahmediya.

Malaysia’s political troubles are worsening, with Anwar Ibrahim still in prison, and Turkey is slipping dangerously towards authoritarian rule.

The challenges are enormous. As Anwar underlined in his message to the Forum, many Muslim countries are poor, ruled by ruthless dictators and autocrats who act as “incubators of fanatics” whose only option is to blow themselves up.

But the meeting in Jakarta showed that the future need not be as dark as many predict, that Islam and Muslims can thrash out a new course for their religion and themselves. But it requires a fundamental shift in attitudes and mindsets.

The future of Islam’s renewal probably does lie in Asia and the non-Arab world. But for that to happen the region’s intellectuals, scholars and democrats will have to stop looking to the Middle East.

Instead, they should consult and dialogue more with each other. And become more assertive and self-confident. If they succeed, the world could still become a more peaceful place.

This article was written by Friends of Europe Director of Policy, Shada Islam, after the World Forum for Muslim Democrats held in Jakarta last week.

IMAGE CREDIT: CC / FLICKR – Matthew Kenwrick

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