European Union

http://tvnewsroom.consilium.europa.eu/uploads/council-images/thumbs/uploads/council-images/remote/http_7e18a1c646f5450b9d6d-a75424f262e53e74f9539145894f4378.r8.cf3.rackcdn.com/edf55d42-1675-11e5-b0a9-bc764e083742_6.36_thumb_169_1465986296_1465986296_129_97shar_c1.jpg

The Annual meeting of the Board of Governors of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) takes place on 16 June 2016, in Luxembourg.

Download this video here.

The definition of sovereignty is ‘supreme power or authority’. Only one country in the world has that. North Korea.

But whilst North Korea has cast iron sovereignty over its nation and people, in the outside world it has very little power, authority or influence.

In the modern, rational, democratic world, countries recognise that sharing some sovereignty actually increases their power and strength.

NATO countries realise that in their promise to come to the immediate aid of another NATO country under attack. That’s a classic example of sharing power and sovereignty.

‘Leave’ campaigners say that Britain was misled into thinking that the European Community was only ever about free trade. That, of course, is nonsense – which any cursory study of history will reveal.

The European Economic Community (now called the European Union) was always about a Union of countries sharing some of their power, sovereignty and strength for the common good.

Back in 1962, when Britain first applied to join the European Community, there was much talk about what impact joining would have on Britain’s sovereignty.

The then Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, explained to the British people:

“Accession to the Treaty of Rome would not involve a one-sided surrender of ‘sovereignty’ on our part, but a pooling of sovereignty by all concerned, mainly in economic and social fields.

“In renouncing some of our own sovereignty we would receive in return a share of the sovereignty renounced by other members.”

Mr Macmillan added:

“The talk about loss of sovereignty becomes all the more meaningless when one remembers that practically every nation, including our own, has already been forced by the pressures of the modern world to abandon large areas of sovereignty and to realise that we are now all inter-dependent.

“No country today, not even the giants of America or Russia, can pursue purely independent policies in defence, foreign affairs, or the economic sphere.

“Britain herself has freely made surrenders of sovereignty in NATO and in many other international fields on bigger issues than those involved in the pooling of sovereignty required under the Treaty of Rome.”

Over fifty years later, one might have thought these issues would have been settled and agreed by now.

But it seems some British people (actually, they most often call themselves ‘English’ rather than British) do not accept this idea of sharing some sovereignty for the common good.

They want England to have ‘supreme power’, meaning complete sovereign rule over its nation and its people, presumably just like in the ‘good old days’ when England had supreme power over its nation, its citizens and its Empire.

For those of us who belong to the modern world, we can see this makes no sense.

Britain is part of a planet that increasingly needs to work together with other nations, and working together, means sharing some power and agreeing some rules.

That’s our road to more civilisation, safely and prosperity.

That, of course, is the great strength of the European Union. 28 neighbouring countries coming together to share power and influence for the common good. It’s a huge success.

The EU is the world’s most successful economic, trade and political union of countries. No one can deny that the EU is the world’s biggest, richest economy, and that it has considerable influence in the world.

Let’s not throw that away by retreating into an island mentality. Having 100% sovereignty – like North Korea – will not make Britain Great. It will make us small.

Britain really is ‪’Stronger In’ the EU.

__________________________________________________

Other stories by Jon Danzig:

• You won’t get your country back if you vote for a Brexit
• Leave campaign is relying on lying to win
• Michael Gove is wrong about 5 million more migrants
• List of the latest articles by Jon Danzig

To follow my stories please like my Facebook page: Jon Danzig Writes

_________________________________________________

• Join Jon Danzig’s new Facebook community in support of Britain remaining a member of the European Union – Reasons2Remain

• Share on Facebook and Twitter:

#EUReferendum: 100% #sovereignty means #Britain losing power. Please share my latest blog: https://t.co/ZY5DjbuyFp pic.twitter.com/0Ci0UD7Ttu

— Jon Danzig (@Jon_Danzig) June 15, 2016

 

The post 100% sovereignty means Britain losing power appeared first on Ideas on Europe.

Making a living as a farmer is becoming increasingly difficult in Europe. As large retail chains are able to dictate the terms, farmers are often forced to sell their products for less than they cost to produce. On 7 June MEPs adopted a resolution, calling for an end to these unfair trading practices. They now want the European Commission to come up with proposals to improve farmers' bargaining position. Watch our video to find out more about how the market operates.
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Making a living as a farmer is becoming increasingly difficult in Europe. As large retail chains are able to dictate the terms, farmers are often forced to sell their products for less than they cost to produce. On 7 June MEPs adopted a resolution, calling for an end to these unfair trading practices. They now want the European Commission to come up with proposals to improve farmers' bargaining position. Watch our video to find out more about how the market operates.
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

On 15 June 2016, the Council's Permanent Representatives Committee endorsed the agreement reached with the European Parliament on 25 May on the new medical devices regulations. The Commission stated that it can also support the agreement reached between the two co-legislators. 

If the agreement is confirmed by the Parliament's ENVI committee the Council will approve the agreement at ministers' level. This is planned for September, once the draft regulations have been translated into all official languages. Following their legal-linguistic review the two draft regulations will be adopted by the Council and the Parliament, probably at the end of the year. The new rules will apply three years after publication as regards medical devices and five years after publication as regards in vitro diagnostic medical devices. 

"The new EU rules have a twofold aim: making sure that medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices are safe, while allowing patients to benefit from innovative health care solutions in a timely manner. They also contribute to promote growth and create jobs in the EU by offering manufacturers the right legal framework to produce the devices that patients ask for", said Edith Schippers, Minister of Health of the Netherlands and President of the Council.

Medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices cover a wide range of products, from sticking plasters to hip replacements, and from pregnancy tests to HIV tests. 

The new EU regulations: 

• strengthen the rules on placing devices on the market and reinforce surveillance once they are available; this will help toensure that medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices are safe
• establish explicit provisions on manufacturers' responsibilities for the follow-up of the quality, performance and safety of devices placed on the market; this will allow manufacturers to act swiftly when concerns arise and help them to improve their devices continuously on the basis of actual data
• improve the traceability of medical devices throughout the supply chain to the end-user or patient through a unique identification number; this will allow fast and effective measures in case of safety problems
• set up a central database to provide patients, healthcare professionals and the public with comprehensive information on products available in the EU; this will enable them to make better informed decisions

 

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Google+ Share on LinkedIn+var sbFBAPPID = '457641991045477';

Authorities are trying to understand the motives of the man who killed 49 people and wounded 53 more on Saturday evening in Orlando, Florida. Four men remain in critical conditions and 28 are still in hospital from the deadliest mass shooting attack in US history.

The motives of the 29-year old shooter Omar Mir Seddique Mateen are not straightforward.

President Barack Obama said on Tuesday that Mateen was “an angry, disturbed, unstable young man who became radicalized.” However, investigators have said that there is no evidence Mateen had been in contact with groups such as IS.

Moreover, it appears Saturday evening was not the first time Mateen was visiting Pulse. He had been several times before and witnesses suggest he was flirting with other men. Sources speak of other nightclubs as well. And there are more witnesses yet who say the man was visiting gay chat-rooms online. Investigators also place him in a number of venues associated with Gay Days 2016, a city-wide celebration, which may suggest surveillance.

The question now being asked was whether this was a planning routine or something else.

Matten’s former colleague Dan Gilroy told CNN that he constantly made homophobic, sexist and racist remarks. While his father said on Tuesday he did not think his son was gay. His ex-wife Sitora Yusufiy, with whom he had a 3-year old son, says she does not know whether Mateen was gay, but would not be surprised if he wa since he was “in such deep conflict within himself.”

Mateen has been twice investigated in 2014 when he suggested he have links to terrorist at work. Mateen has worked as a security officer.

His second Noor Zahi Salman told the FBI she was with him when he bought ammunition and that she once drove him to Pulse. Authorities are whether to prosecute Noor as it is believed she may have had prior knowledge of the attack.

Born in New York, Mateen had a degree in criminal justice technology.

(BBC, CNN, NBC)

The post Orlando shooters’ motives still unclear appeared first on New Europe.

In the aftermath of the massacre in Orlando and the murder of a policeman and his wife in France the press discusses potential links between terrorist crimes and radical Islamic ideologies. Were the attackers motivated by Islam? Commentators warn against hasty conclusions that encourage hatred and distrust of Muslim minorities.

Following the rioting at the stadium in Marseille Uefa has ordered the Russian Football Union to pay a fine of 150,000 euros. The Russian team will be immediately disqualified if its fans cause any more trouble. Can these punitive measures curb the hooligans' violence?

With just a few days to go before the referendum Brexit is increasingly likely, the latest polls show. This scenario is provoking many worried comments in the press.