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Last minute accreditation for the European Council on 17-18 December 2015

European Council - Tue, 08/12/2015 - 15:23

European Council meeting will take place on 17-18 December 2015 in Justus Lipsius building in Brussels. 

Journalists who have not yet applied for accreditation may apply online for last-minute accreditation:


You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt by email.

Journalists, who hold a 6-month badge (1.7.2015 - 31.12.2015) do not need to register.


Please note that due to the current security situation in Belgium, specific security measures have been put in place for last minute accreditation requests.

Media representatives applying to attend a European Summit for the first time or who have not been fully security screened in the last 18 months (i.e. have not attended a summit in the last 18 months or had registered last minute) will be the subject of a comprehensive and detailed verification by our security service.

Considering the time and resources needed for these verifications, not all requests may be processed. Media are therefore advised to avoid sending representatives falling into these categories. 

Categories: European Union

Article - Julie Ward on cultural diversity: "We're all human beings with common concerns"

European Parliament (News) - Tue, 08/12/2015 - 15:22
General : Recent events in Europe have brought the issues of marginalisation and extremism to the forefront of public debate. On 7 December Parliament's culture committee adopted a report on the role of intercultural dialogue, cultural diversity and education in promoting EU fundamental values. Ahead of the vote, we spoke to report author Julie Ward, a UK member of the S&D: "We have one world and we have to find some way of being mutually respectful and tolerant of each other."

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP
Categories: European Union

Article - Julie Ward on cultural diversity: "We're all human beings with common concerns"

European Parliament - Tue, 08/12/2015 - 15:22
General : Recent events in Europe have brought the issues of marginalisation and extremism to the forefront of public debate. On 7 December Parliament's culture committee adopted a report on the role of intercultural dialogue, cultural diversity and education in promoting EU fundamental values. Ahead of the vote, we spoke to report author Julie Ward, a UK member of the S&D: "We have one world and we have to find some way of being mutually respectful and tolerant of each other."

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP
Categories: European Union

Council conclusions on business taxation – future of the code of conduct

European Council - Tue, 08/12/2015 - 15:21

The Council: 

  1. RECALLS its determination to combat tax fraud, tax evasion and aggressive tax planning at EU and global level;
  2. RECALLS the adoption by the Council and the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, in December 1997 of a resolution on a Code of conduct for business taxation (hereafter "the Code");
  3. RECALLS the subsequent establishment in March 1998 of a Code of Conduct Group (hereafter "the Group") to assess the tax measures falling within the scope of the Code and oversee the provision of information on these measures;
  4. UNDERLINES that the May 2013 European Council conclusions noted that “it is important to continue work within the EU on the elimination of harmful tax measures. To that end, work should be carried out on the strengthening of the Code of Conduct on business taxation on the basis of its existing mandate”;
  5. RECALLS  the usefulness and the efficiency of the work done under the Code of Conduct so far to assess Member States individual tax measures;
  6. CONFIRMS that work on the future of the Code of Conduct and its reinforcement should focus on making better use of the existing mandate of the Code; on examining the possibilities and modalities to extend the mandate and to update the criteria and on the possible need to adjust the governance of the Code accordingly;
  7. ENDORSES the Group's new Work Package, and ENCOURAGES the Group to continue its work on that basis;
  8. CONFIRMS its invitation to the Group to develop general guidance to prevent tax avoidance, base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS);
  9. INVITES the High Level Working Party on Taxation (HLWP) to discuss a revision to the mandate in relation to the concept that profits are subject, as appropriate, to an effective level of tax within the EU, notwithstanding the competencies of Member States in the area of taxation;
  10. AGREES that the rollback and standstill procedures foreseen in paragraphs C and D of the Code should cover existing and future general guidance notes developed by the Group;
  11. INVITES in this respect the Group to ensure through such general guidance an effective implementation at the EU level of the relevant OECD BEPS Project conclusions when not covered by the EU legislation, and in accordance with the Group's new Work Program;
  12. AGREES that the Code Group should clarify the third criterion by developing guidance on the basis of the OECD BEPS conclusion on  Action 5;
  13. AGREES that the Code Group should clarify the fourth criterion by developing guidance  in the light of OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines, as amended by OECD BEPS conclusions on Actions 8-9-10;
  14. INVITES the Group to further develop, where appropriate, guidance notes on the interpretation of the criteria of the Code, including the gateway criterion, and their application;
  15. CONFIRMS the importance that the principles of the Code of Conduct are applied on as broad geographical basis as possible, WELCOMES in this respect the recent Joint Statement with Switzerland and ongoing dialogue with Liechtenstein and INVITES the Group to open dialogues with relevant third countries, as well as to monitor the implementation of past agreements;
  16. EXPRESSES the wish to improve the visibility of the work of the Code of Conduct Group and AGREES therefore that its results, in particular its 6-monthly reports, are systematically made available to the public;
  17. INSISTS however on the confidentiality of the Group's deliberations with a view to protect the public interest as regards the economic policy of Member States, maintain the efficiency of the assessment process and counter related risks of aggressive tax planning;
  18. INVITES the High Level Working Party on Taxation (HLWP) to conclude on the need to enhance the overall governance, transparency and working methods and to finalise the reform of the Group during the Dutch Presidency.
Categories: European Union

Bericht: Deutschland ist Vorreiter bei Erfindungen zum Klimaschutz

Euractiv.de - Tue, 08/12/2015 - 15:19

Deutschland führt bei klimafreundlichen Innovationen: Kein Land hat in den vergangenen Jahren so viele nachhaltige Technologien zum Patent angemeldet, zeigt ein Bericht des Europäischen Patentamtes.

Categories: Europäische Union

Megnyitotta első vidéki kirendeltségét a Debreceni Repülőtéren a Légügyi Hivatal

JetFly - Tue, 08/12/2015 - 15:18
Megnyílt a Nemzeti Közlekedési Hatóság Légügyi Hivatalának első, Budapesten kívüli kirendeltsége a Debreceni Nemzetközi Repülőtéren. Győri Gyula, a Nemzeti Közlekedési Hatóság elnöke az ebből az alkalomból tartott sajtótájékoztatón elmondta: a Légügyi Hivatal ezentúl helyben áll a hatósági szolgáltatások teljes spektrumával a Debrecenbe érkező és onnan felszálló utasok, a pilóták, a légitársaságok és a földi kiszolgáló szervezet szolgálatában. A közvetlenül nyújtott felügyeleti tevékenységgel a kirendeltség hozzájárul a repülés- és utasbiztonság növeléséhez éppúgy, mint a jogellenes cselekményekkel szembeni fellépéshez, amit a társszervezetekkel karöltve gyakorol.
Categories: Biztonságpolitika

Une conférence à Vincennes sur "les écrivains militaires de Monluc à Charles de Gaulle"

Lignes de défense - Tue, 08/12/2015 - 15:18

Pierre Montagnon prononcera une conférence sur "Les écrivains militaires de Monluc à Charles de Gaulle", le jeudi 10 décembre à 19h, en salle des cartes du Château de Vincennes.

Entrée libre mais inscription obligatoire par mail à thierry.widemann@yahoo.fr  
Se munir d’une pièce d’identité.

Saint-cyrien, Pierre Montagnon a servi comme officier en Algérie avant de se consacrer à une œuvre historique d’une quarantaine d’ouvrages. Celui précisément consacré à la guerre d’Algérie a reçu, en 1984, le prix de l’Académie française. Dans son dernier livre, L’épée et la plume, Pierre Montagnon évoque ces hommes d’armes qui ont pris la plume pour raconter leurs campagnes, réfléchir sur l’art de la guerre, ou aborder d’autres formes de manœuvres, comme l’auteur des Liaisons dangereuses.

Categories: Défense

Highlights - EPRS Briefing: ISIL/Da'esh and 'non-conventional' weapons of terror - Subcommittee on Security and Defence

The EU and its Member States must prepare for the possibility of a chemical or biological attack on their territory by the self-styled 'Islamic State' in Iraq and the Levant. Since the beginning of October 2015, terrorist attacks in Ankara, the Sinai Peninsula, Beirut, Paris and Tunis, for which ISIL/Da'esh has claimed responsibility, have cost the lives of 500 people. Immediately following the latest attack in Paris, the jihadist terrorist group threatened further attacks in European cities.
ISIL has vowed that future strikes will be more lethal andeven more shocking. This has prompted experts to warn that the group may beplanning to try to use internationally banned weapons of mass destruction infuture attacks. At present, European citizens are not seriously contemplatingthe possibility that extremist groups might use chemical, biological,radiological or nuclear (CBRN) materials during attacks in Europe. Under thesecircumstances, the impact of such an attack, should it occur, would be evenmore destabilising.

European governments and EU institutions need to be onalert, and should consider publicly addressing the possibility of a terroristattack using chemical, biological, radiological or even nuclear materials. TheEU institutions have devoted considerable efforts to preventing a CBRN attackon European soil and preparing worst-case scenarios. However, some gaps remain,in particular with regard to information-sharing among Member States.


Further information
EPRS Briefing: ISIL/Da'esh and 'non-conventional' weapons of terror
Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP
Categories: Europäische Union

Kinshasa sous les eaux

BBC Afrique - Tue, 08/12/2015 - 15:16
Le ministre de l'Intérieur gouvernement provincial de Kinshasa a annoncé mardi qu'une vingtaine de personnes sont mortes dans des inondations à Kinshasa. Des étudiants manifestent à Kinsasha 12 millions de dollars détournés en RDC
Categories: Afrique

COP21 : Pour rejoindre rapidement une trajectoire limitant le réchauffement à 2 °C

LeMonde / Afrique - Tue, 08/12/2015 - 15:09
Pour un futur sans émission de gaz à effet de serre et un changement climatique contrôlé, il est nécessaire de créer les outils adéquats. Les « Contributions prévues déterminées au niveau national » créées par la COP21 en font-elles partie, s’interroge un groupe de chercheurs ?
Categories: Afrique

Ghana : 20 juges limogés pour corruption

Afrik.com - Tue, 08/12/2015 - 15:08
Categories: Afrique

An FTT Christmas miracle? Think again.

FT / Brussels Blog - Tue, 08/12/2015 - 14:49

Luxembourg's Pierre Gramegna, chair of Tuesday's meeting, calls the session to order

With the festive season comes all kinds of traditions in Brussels: mulled wine, Saint Nicholas, and another deadline for nations to strike a deal on a financial transactions tax.

But while last year ministers found themselves empty handed when a December deadline for an agreement rolled around, this year it’s different. Sort of.

As Bruxellois bought their sapins de noel (Christmas trees) on the pavement outside the EU summit building, inside another Sapin (Michel), the French finance minister who has been one of the tax’s biggest champions, was full of holiday cheer.

During a meeting of EU finance ministers, Sapin (the minister) hailed a breakthrough moment in the nearly three-year slog for an FTT, which would issue a levy on all stock and a derivative trades in the ten EU countries who are part of the scheme.

Could this Christmas miracle really be true? Could there really be a deal?

In practice, it’s more like half of a deal. Pierre Moscovici, the EU commissioner in charge of tax issues, found a convoluted combination of tenses to sum it up: “We have now the main parameters of what this FTT should be, and hopefully will be.”

Read more
Categories: European Union

Reddition d’Américains combattant chez les Chabab en Somalie

LeMonde / Afrique - Tue, 08/12/2015 - 14:46
Les djihadistes étrangers en Somalie sont de plus en plus attirés par l’Etat islamique. Et préfèrent se rendre plutôt quêtre tués par les leurs.
Categories: Afrique

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