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Oh dear. It’s like Fifa all over again.

How was it that the Americans managed to unearth all the rottenness in Volkswagen, Europe’s top carmaker? How come the Europeans were asleep at the wheel again?

That pretty much summed up the shame-faced mood at today’s session of the European Parliament’s environmental committee, where MEPs wanted lots of answers from the European Commission. And didn’t really get any.

Christofer Fjellner, a Swedish centre-right MEP, captured the spirit: “Of course it’s embarrassing that it’s the Americans that show us we have a problem. It could be telling that it is the Americans because in Europe, in member states, we are not up to the task of scrutinising our own heroes the way we should.”

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The Investigative Committee of Russia decided to renew a criminal investigation on the case of the Romanov family’s execution, said Vladimir Markin, an official spokesman of the committee.

The presentation of a new biographical book about former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder took place in Berlin, on September 22. Schroeder’s close relationship with Russia and its President Vladimir Putin became one of the major issues in the publication.

Russia will preserve its strategic cooperation with Europe while boosting the country's cooperation efforts in the "eastern direction."

General : EU heads of state and government met this Wednesday 23 September to discuss the migration crisis in the EU and, speaking at the start of the European Council, EP President Schulz said that the European Union "is built on de facto solidarity, out of necessity, not romanticism." "The European Parliament will now engage as a matter of priority with the Council on the proposals presented by President Juncker on 9 September, and present its own further proposals, " he said.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

General : EU heads of state and government met this Wednesday 23 September to discuss the migration crisis in the EU and, speaking at the start of the European Council, EP President Schulz said that the European Union "is built on de facto solidarity, out of necessity, not romanticism." "The European Parliament will now engage as a matter of priority with the Council on the proposals presented by President Juncker on 9 September, and present its own further proposals, " he said.

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

For almost ten years, a Russian-Ukrainian company has been managing the logistics of NATO countries and carrying out heavy air cargo transports. The SALIS project stood up to the Ukrainian crisis, however, its future is uncertain, Deutsche Welle reported.

Positive changes are being seen in the relations between the West and Russia, former Indian ambassador and columnist for Asia Times Melkulangara Bhadrakumar said.

Depuis plusieurs années, l’assurance-vie de par sa souplesse, ses taux parfois bas et sa fiscalité avantageuse, se positionne comme étant le placement favori des français. Cependant, est-ce un placement risqué ?

L’assurance-vie : placement risqué ou pas

L’assurance-vie est un placement qui est toujours présent lorsqu’il s’agit de succession ou pour complémenter tout simplement une retraite. En dépit de la chute des taux, on observait en 2014 un placement moins rentable par rapport aux années antérieures. En effet, bien qu’il était toujours aussi avantageux sur le court terme, le rendement moyen des fonds des contrats d’assurance-vie était estimé à environ 2,5%.

Le risque d’un renforcement de sa fiscalité plane toujours car l’assurance-vie a toujours bénéficié d’une protection dans la mesure où c’est elle qui finance la majorité des emprunts liés au Trésor Public. La principale menace du rendement des assurances-vie réside dans l’oscillation du taux de change de l’euro.

Les assureurs n’ont pas conséquent pas tous la même façon de réagir face à ces contraintes tant structurelles que politiques. Par ailleurs, en 2015, on observait chez certains des taux de rendement supérieurs à 4%. Il convient de noter que les taux relatifs à l’assurance-vie sont différents de ceux du livret A. En effet, ils ne sont pas fixés par l’État.

C’est la raison pour laquelle il est vivement conseillé de consulter plusieurs assurances-vie avant d’en choisir une. Ainsi, vous aurez le temps de bien étudier les offres de chacune d’entre-elles, de bien prendre en compte les différents éléments qui entreront dans la facture. Il vous faudra également mettre sur pied une stratégie fiscale parfaite dans la gestion de votre assurance-vie, varier les versements, organiser les rachats.
Bien qu’il soit un placement inévitable, l’assurance-vie se révèle être assez compliquée qu’il ne parait. Par conséquent, une gestion sage est exigée afin qu’elle demeure une valeur sûre.

ECB President Mario Draghi painted a somewhat downbeat picture of economic developments in the Eurozone but assured Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee MEPs that the ECB "will not hesitate to act if some of the downward risks weaken the inflation outlook over the mid-term more fundamentally than we project at present". He hinted at the possibility of adjusting the size, composition and duration of the ECB’s asset purchase programme, to add monetary policy impetus if necessary.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

ECB President Mario Draghi painted a somewhat downbeat picture of economic developments in the Eurozone but assured Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee MEPs that the ECB "will not hesitate to act if some of the downward risks weaken the inflation outlook over the mid-term more fundamentally than we project at present". He hinted at the possibility of adjusting the size, composition and duration of the ECB’s asset purchase programme, to add monetary policy impetus if necessary.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

The environment committee said on Wednesday that Parliament's delegation to the COP 21 climate talks in Paris must call for a 40% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, a 40% energy-efficiency target and a binding 30% target for renewable energy.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

The environment committee said on Wednesday that Parliament's delegation to the COP 21 climate talks in Paris must call for a 40% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, a 40% energy-efficiency target and a binding 30% target for renewable energy.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

On 23 September 2015, the 58th meeting under the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) took place in Ergneti, co-facilitated by Kęstutis Jankauskas, the Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), and Ambassador Angelo Gnaedinger, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus.

The security situation was assessed as stable, and specific incidents along the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) were discussed.

Constructive discussions were held especially regarding access to land for local farmers; it was agreed to keep this issue under review. Participants committed to increase vigilance and to intensify the exchange of relevant information in relation to wildfires on both sides of the ABL.

Participants discussed the latest information on several cases of forensic expertise being conducted; and anticipated the early exchange of relevant documentation.

In order to respond to the concerns of the local population, participants promised to provide timely additional information on military exercises.

The next IPRM meeting will take place on 29th October.

Related Stories

• Consultations by OSCE Special Representative Angelo Gnaedinger in Tbilisi, Tskhinvali, Sukhumi and Moscow
• The OSCE Troika meet prior to “Emperor-Otto Award” ceremony in Magdeburg to discuss Ukraine, preparations for the Ministerial Council
• OSCE Chairperson Dačić condemns recent attacks in Turkey

Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

Tank crews in Russia’s central Chelyabinsk region are testing an advanced “stealth” paint that ensures low visibility against electronic surveillance systems, a military spokesman said earlier this month.

(Actualisé-2) Le montant du contrat est d'un peu plus de 950 millions - l'équivalent du remboursement à la Russie.