EU: The future of Europe is in unity, not uniformity- by Gunnar Hoekmark

Unity not Uniformity

Brexit, Le Pen and Geert Wilders. These are only three expressions of the new European discontent that trembles though the corridors of Brussels.

Amidst confusion and panic, and various attempts to display force, decisiveness and action are considered to be a remedy. Almost invariably the response is “More Europe”. And more Europe tends to be defined as more Brussels.

That is the wrong way to go.

The discussion about new institutions and new ways to balance power leads to centralism, which will not make Europe stronger. Nor will it make difficult political decisions easier. Rather to the contrary, it will create the illusion that the EU is responsible for all of the shortcomings in our societies.

The belief that reforms of EU institutions can solve political problems is an illusion that will only provide an excuse for not showing political leadership in reforming Europe today.

Centralisation at the cost of subsidiarity will only make the EU more exposed to criticism and more vulnerable when people realise that average solutions do not fit.

We are a political union as well as an economic one, but above all we are a union of European member states and citizens based upon the rule of law.

I have lived in Europe my entire life and I am a Member of European Parliament, elected by Swedish voters to represent them on a pro-European platform. But I am getting more and more convinced that we need to change our perspectives.

The solution to the crisis is not changes to the European institutions, but changes in what is not working in Europe.

In Brussels, institutional competition is sometimes understood as rivalry between EU bodies, such as the parliament and the executive, the EU commission. But in the social sciences, this concept means that diversity in policies creates competition between various political alternatives, displaying how some policies work better than others.

The internal market has greatly enhanced this process, showing how and why some economies create more wealth and jobs than others and that those who are lagging behind should learn from those who are more successful.

This aspect of the internal market and the road to competitiveness, cohesion and convergence should be strengthened, not weakened.

Rather than more Brussels in Europe, we need more Europe in Brussels, in the sense that plurality provides more strength and better dynamics than average decisions and uniformity. We don’t need new mechanisms or methods of decision tomorrow, we need decisions and political courage today.

We need to do what we have set out to do: to fulfil the promise of the free flow of goods, services, capital and people across borders, a real energy union and a common foreign and security policy worth its name.

Brussels should be a catalyst of national reform, not its inhibitor.

Reform is needed in Europe, not in the EU institutions.

While the EU boasts five of the ten most competitive countries in the world, the World Economic Forum shows that some member states are facing huge challenges in becoming modern and globally competitive.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach for such a variety of countries and situations. A Europe that focuses on the median will be stuck in mediocrity. That is not good enough.

The threats and the challenges we face today are of the same kind as the ones that once made us turn the vision of Europe into a legal framework of open borders, cooperation and solidarity.

We need to make all of this function better by being more courageous and decisive in order to make the union stronger with its policies, not by never-ending discussions on new institutions.

The 28 (or 27) social pillars, adapted to our differences, provides for more stability and social security than one pillar neglecting them all.

The openness over borders and between different models fosters something better than uniformity - unity. That’s the way to stay together in difficult times, standing strong as a unit and allowing for all of us to contribute in the best way possible.

There is a saying often credited the old roman Petronius Arbiter: “We trained hard—but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams we were reorganised. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganising, and what a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while actually producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralisation.”

This line of thinking is prevalent in the Commission White Paper and in the first scenario Jean-Claude Juncker presents as “Carrying on”. It is described as “unwieldy” and that such a path would “only deliver incremental progress”.

But what we need today is to develop what we have and what we are.

That is not simply to carry on, but to make full use of the proud achievements we have so far accomplished.

We should define a way forward that is characterised by unity, not by uniformity, and common goals rather than common societies.

Decisiveness on policies is needed today, instead of discussions on institutional make-overs tomorrow.

Gunnar Hoekmark is leader of the Swedish EPP delegation in the European Parliament and Member of the Committee on Economic Affairs.

Read more: The future of Europe is in unity, not uniformity

European fascists embrace Trump - by John J. Dunphy

European Fascism 2017

Members of what Tom Brokaw calls our nation’s Greatest Generation defeated fascism in World War II. Fresh out of the Great Depression of the 1930s when, as kids, many of them had experienced deprivation firsthand, they fought the combined might of Germany, Italy and Japan on land, on sea and in the air. Many of these young patriots didn’t wait to be drafted. They eagerly enlisted because they knew they were needed to turn back this threat to global civilization.

My late father served in the army and earned a Purple Heart. Dad rarely talked about his wartime experiences. Once in a very great while, however, he let something slip out. I recall when the TV news was broadcasting a story about an aged Nazi war criminal, who had been located living quietly in the United States. “Hang him! I saw what they did!” my father exclaimed. The implication was obvious. At some point while stationed in Europe, Dad had seen some of the horrors of the Holocaust.

Fascists feared and hated the American flag because it represented values such as justice and equality, which they abhorred. Our flag also symbolized military defeat for fascists, since it was carried into areas liberated by our fighting men. It made me sick and angry when I read that the Stars and Stripes, once the bane of fascists, is now carried by them during demonstrations.

The 62 million Americans who voted for Trump betrayed the legacy left to us by the Greatest Generation. Men such as my father fought to save the world from fascism. Trump voters allowed fascism to entethe USA  through the ballot box.

Read more: The Telegraph | Dunphy: European fascists embrace Trump

US Economy: Economic growth expectations are quietly falling through the floor - by Jeff Cox

Those looking for a rapid uptick in the U.S. economy probably will have to tone down their expectations, at least for now.

In the near term, growth projections, at least by the top-line measurement of gross domestic product, are looking a whole lot more tepid than they did a few months ago.

GDP, which measures the sum of goods and services in the economy, is likely to have increased just 1.2 percent in the first quarter, according to the Atlanta Fed's closely watched GDPNow model. That's below the 1.5 percent projected by CNBC's Rapid Update forecast.

While much of the market has been focused on increased growth expectations under the Trump administration, GDP numbers have been sinking rapidly, in a precipitous though somewhat stealthy manner.

As recently as Feb. 3, the Atlanta Fed was projecting 2.7 percent growth for the first three months of 2017. But a steady flow of disappointing numbers, from production to construction spending to trade, has pulled down the estimate.

Those numbers have stood in stark contrast to sentiment surveys from businesses, investors and consumers, as well as purchasing managers and others at the corporate forefront. That in turn has produced some severe head-scratching from market professionals.

Read more: Economic growth expectations are quietly falling through the floor

Pesticides and GMO's: What Grocery Stores Don’t Tell You about the Stickers on Produce

You know those stickers that can be found on most fruits and veggies in grocery stores worldwide? If you’ve ever bought produce from a grocery chain, you’ll recognize the ones we’re talking about. I’m sure for some of us who used to or currently work in a grocery store, those stickers are burned into our minds .

They usually have a a bar code on them for scanning and a PLU code, which helps your friendly neighborhood cashier identify what type of produce you’re buying.

But these unassuming stickers are more telling than you’d think. While the PLU is the “price lookup” number and identifies the fruit or veggie, it also helps to identify something else: how the produce was grown. By correctly reading this code, you can tell if the fruit was genetically modified, organically grown or produced with chemical fertilizers, fungicides, or herbicides

The story behind where your fruits and vegetables actually came from has been right under your nose all along! You just have to know how to analyze the labels and the PLU number. It’s actually a lot easier than you’d imagine

Here’s the basics of what you need to know about the truth behind PLU codes.

    1) If there are only four numbers in the PLU, this means that the produce was grown conventionally or “traditionally” with the use of pesticides. The last four letters (or only four, in this case) of the PLU code are simply what kind of vegetable or fruit you’re buying. An example is that all bananas are labeled with the code of 4011.
   
    2) If there are five numbers in the PLU code, and the number starts with “8”, this tells you that the item is a genetically modified fruit or vegetable. Genetically modified fruits and vegetables have been tampered with in an unnatural way; essentially, produce that has been genetically modified was created in a lab or over decades of artificial selection, and cannot be found in nature. A genetically engineered (GE or GMO) banana would be: 84011
   
    3) If there are five numbers in the PLU code, and the number starts with “9”, this tells you that the produce was grown organically and is not genetically modified. An organic banana would be: 94011
   
    Interestingly enough, the adhesive used to attach the stickers is considered food-grade, but the stickers themselves aren’t safe to consume.

If you’re looking to be hyper aware of what fruits and vegetables have been treated with pesticides and other chemicals and which have not, you’ll want to check out the homepage for the Environmental Working Groups. The EWG has compiled two lists to help consumers identify which produce is generally cleaner and which produce is generally tampered with; the Clean Fifteen and the Dirty Dozen.

The Top 5 for the “Clean Fifteen” produce are:

    1)Avocados
    2)Sweet Corn
    3)Pineapple
    4)Cabbage
    5)Sweet Peas (Frozen)

The Top 5 for the “Dirty Dozen” produce are:

    1)Strawberries
    2)Apples
    3)Nectarines
    4)Peaches
    5)Celery

For the full lists, food news, and additional food rankings, make sure to check out the EWG online.

Read more: What Grocery Stores Don’t Tell You about the Stickers on Produce | TipHero

International Women’s Day: Spanish MEP Iratxe García Pérez speaks out against mysogyny –by A. Welser, M.Sattonnay and O.Billot

Today Wednesday, 8 March, marks International Women’s Day, which celebrates the cultural, economic, social and political achievement of women.

Spanish PSOE lawmaker Iratxe García Péreze (S&D) speaking in the EU Parliament explains that a gender-biased mentality persists.

“We have to improve and we have to recognize that it  is necessary in that moment to work for the equality policy, to work for the same rights and opportunities,” she said.

To view speech Iratxe García Péreze to the EU Parliament click here: Spanish MEP Iratxe García Pérez speaks out against mysogyny – EURACTIV.com

Turkey has stepped up spying in Germany, says Berlin

Erdogan Dictatorship Referendum

Turkey has stepped up spying in Germany, says Berlin

Amid ongoing diplomatic unrest, German intelligence has reported an increase in Turkish spying in Germany. Turkey's Foreign Minister meanwhile has said Berlin "must decide whether Germany is a friend or not."

Read more: Symbolbild NSU Affäre Verfassungsschutz Jahrestag Terrorismus Rechtsradikale (picture-alliance/dpa)   

While tensions between Berlin and Ankara have escalated ahead of next month's referendum on Turkey's presidency, the German government said on Wednesday that there has been a significant increase in Turkish spying in Germany.

Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the BfV, said divisions in Turkey leading up to the controversial April 16 referendum on boosting the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan were mirrored in Germany.

"The BfV is observing a significant increase in intelligence efforts by Turkey in Germany," it said in a statement. No further details were provided.

Already strained relations between Germany and Turkey reached a new low this month in a row over canceled Turkish political rallies to drum up support for the impending referendum.

Some 1.4 million Turks living in Germany are eligible to cast their ballot in the vote.

Hoping to calm the storm on Wednesday, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel met with his Turkish counterpart Melvut Cavusoglu in Berlin. While both diplomats agreed on the importance of good relations, Cavusoglu said that Germany must now "decide whether Turkey is a friend or not."

In light of recent comments from both Cavusoglu and Erdogan, Gabriel also made it clear that in maintaining good relations "there are lines that should not be crossed."

"...And one of those is the comparison with Nazi Germany," Gabriel said.

Cavusoglu, meanwhile, said he would host Gabriel for a new round of talks in Turkey "as soon as possible."

In a bid to secure support ahead of next month's referendum, Erdogan himself is also due to hold a rally in Germany. Critics have warned, however that the proposed presidential system which seeks to expand Erdogan's powers as president would cement a one-man rule in the country.

Read more: Turkey has stepped up spying in Germany, says Berlin | News | DW.COM | 08.03.2017

Privacy Issues: CIA hacks TVs, phones all over the world, Wikileaks claims

The CIA has become the preeminent hacking operation, sneaking into high-tech phones and televisions to spy on people worldwide, according to an explosive WikiLeaks publication of purported internal CIA documents on Tuesday.

To hide its operations, the CIA routinely adopted hacking techniques that enabled them to appear as if they were hackers in Russia, WikiLeaks said.

WikiLeaks also claimed that nearly all of the CIA's arsenal of privacy-crushing cyberweapons have been stolen, and the tools are potentially in the hands of criminals and foreign spies.

WikiLeaks claimed the stolen tools ended up in the hands of "former U.S. government hackers and contractors... one of whom" leaked documents to WikiLeaks.

U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu of California called for an immediate congressional investigation.

"I am deeply disturbed by the allegation that the CIA lost its arsenal of hacking tools. The ramifications could be devastating," he said in a statement. ""We need to know if the CIA lost control of its hacking tools, who may have those tools, and how do we now protect the privacy of Americans."

"The potential privacy concerns are mind-boggling," he said.

WikiLeaks said it published the documents to show the potentially hazardous ramifications of the CIA's covert hacking program -- and the massive theft of those tools.

"There is an extreme proliferation risk in the development of cyber 'weapons,'" said WikiLeaks editor Julian Assange in a statement.

WikiLeaks, an outfit that believes in transparency, backed up the claims by publishing a massive trove of what it says are secret CIA documents. It calls the collection "Year Zero," and it consists of 8,761 documents and files.

The CIA, citing standing policy, declined to say whether the published documents are genuine.

"We do not comment on the authenticity or content of purported intelligence documents," said CIA spokeswoman Heather Fritz Horniak. 

Read more: CIA hacks TVs, phones all over the world, Wikileaks claims - Mar. 7, 2017

Identity: How Powerful Is Your Passport and how many countries can you visit with it?. - by Ricky Linn

People may be increasingly leaning on technology and personal devices to house their personal information, but a hard copy passport still carries a hefty amount of weight.

This infographic offers a glimpse into the power of the world's passports -- ranked by the travel freedom a passport holder enjoys.

EU-Digest

USA - as the drama unfolds: President Donald Trump is the most powerful cornered animal in the world - by L,Douglas

Trump lashes out by creating a chaos of conflicting claims to distract attention away from real allegations. It is all too effective

For all his inconstancy of character, Trump is a master manipulator. He rose to political prominence by slandering President Obama. He rode the birther myth as far as it would go – before brazenly jettisoning it with the insistence that it was all the handiwork of Hilary Clinton.

Now once again, he seeks to buoy his political fortunes by attacking Obama. Perhaps what is so striking about the tweets is not their desperation, but their cynicism. In exclaiming “This is McCarthyism!”, Trump said something deeply revealing – only about himself. McCarthyism was never in the first instance about wiretapping. It was about defaming public officials with charges of treason without a shred of evidence. Sounds familiar, no?

Equally revealing was Trump’s tweet: “I’d bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election!” As Trump well knows, a good lawyer can make a case out of anything.

In the 1970s, after the Justice Department accused the Trump Corporation of racially discriminatory rental policies, Trump hired Roy Cohn. This was a man who, as a young lawyer, had assisted Joseph McCarthy’s red-baiting. On Trump’s behalf, Cohn countersued the government for $100m, a tactic Trump absorbed and has practiced throughout his career: when on the defensive, attack.

Concerned about congressional investigations into contact between his campaign and the Russians? Make a groundless charge of wiretapping against Obama and insist that the allegations be included in the investigations.

Cohn’s countersuit did not prevail, nor will Trump’s charges against Obama stick. But that is not the point. The point is to distract attention away from real allegations by creating a chaos of conflicting claims. And in this regard the strategy is all too effective. If there is something extraordinary about Trump it is how low he is willing to go.

Trump spokesperson Sarah Huckabee was undoubtedly correct when she observed that “if this [the wiretapping] happened … we have … seen … a huge attack on democracy itself.” But if it didn’t, we have witnessed an attack on democracy no less ominous. It is an attack at once concerted and ongoing.

It’s hard to know where it goes from here. Perhaps Trump will turn his attention to a more traditional enemy: not a perceived political rival but a nation allegedly threatening American interests. Not an Australia, but a North Korea or Iran or even China. No better way to drown the voices of dissent than by pounding the martial tattoos of the war drum. Or maybe he will continue to tilt at his fellow Americans.

Since his election a scant six weeks ago, Trump has defamed a great newspaper, a federal judge, and a former president. He has attacked whole institutions, pillars of American democracy. He appears willing to hold a great constitutional order hostage to his narcissism and political insecurities.

One wishes to echo words of Joseph Welch who famously asked of Joe McCarthy: “Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?”

Read more: President Donald Trump is the most powerful cornered animal in the world

Britain - The Party Is Over: UK will have to give up all EU perks after Brexit, François Hollande warns - by Angelique Chrisafis

The French president, François Hollande, has warned that Britain cannot hang on to the advantages of EU membership after it leaves, saying his message to Britain is: “That’s not possible; the UK will become an outsider to the European Union.”

In an interview with the Guardian and five other European newspapers as he prepares to host a summit in Versailles to discuss the future of the European Union after Britain’s departure, Hollande said he regretted Britain’s decision to leave but stressed France’s long-held position that the UK could not exit the EU while holding on to any of the perks of membership.

The UK, which is expected to trigger the article 50 process to leave the EU within weeks, has been optimistic about finding trade agreements with the EU and an advantageous compromise on financial services.

But Hollande said the government would not be able to find an alternative in relations with the US under Donald Trump. “The UK’s problem is this: it had thought that in leaving Europe it would tie up a strategic partnership with the US. But it now happens that the US is closing itself off from the world. The UK has made a bad choice at a bad moment. I regret that.”

Hollande is to host a mini-summit with the leaders of Germany, Spain and Italy in Versailles on Monday night to prepare the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. Those Rome celebrations – to take place without the UK on 25 March – will include a declaration on the future of the EU post-Brexit. Several options for the shape of the future of the bloc have been put on the table. Hollande said the option of having a “multi-speed” Europe, with different countries integrating at different levels, had been resisted for a long time but was now becoming a possibility. If not, he warned, Europe could break up.

France will push for a more integrated European defence policy, something that Britain had strongly opposed in recent years. But Hollande said the door would be open for the UK – which has very close bilateral military ties to France – to have a clear link to any integrated European defence project. “In my mind, the UK, even outside the EU, should be associated with that,” he said

Read more: UK will have to give up all EU perks after Brexit, François Hollande warns | Politics | The Guardian

Germany - Turkey Relations: Turkey's Erdogan makes Nazi jibe over Germany rally ban

Recep Tayip Erdogan

Turkey's president has compared German officials to Nazis, in the latest escalation in a war of words.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan hit out after German authorities cancelled rallies designed to woo ethnic Turkish voters in Germany ahead of a key referendum.

"Your practices are not different from the Nazi practices of the past," Mr Erdogan said.

German Justice Minister Heiko Maas said the comments were "absurd, disgraceful and outlandish".

About 1.4m Turks in Germany can vote in the April referendum, which could give Mr Erdogan sweeping new powers.

Voters will be asked whether they back a new constitution, which would transform the country from a parliamentary republic into a presidential one.

That would give Mr Erdogan, as president, new powers over the budget and the appointment of ministers and judges, as well as the power to dismiss parliament.

Note EU-Digest: Look who is calling the kettle black - Take note President Erdogan - Europe says with one voice NO NO NO to your intimidation and accusations and.hopes Turkey's population will do the same.during the upcoming referendum by also saying No, No, No.. 

This is.not about Islam or any religion but in favor of democracy and against out of.control politicians like Erdogan, Le Pen. Wilders and.others.

Read more: Turkey's Erdogan makes Nazi jibe over Germany rally ban - BBC News

Europe - The Reformation - 2017: 500th Anniversary of the Reformation

2017 is a very special year for LutherCountry, as it marks the 500th anniversary of the year Martin Luther made his 95 Theses known to the world, thus changing the history of the church, country, and world forever.

In honor of this monumental occasion, Lutherstadt Wittenberg will host the Reformation Summer from April to September, inviting guests to experience an atmosphere of celebration and open dialog about the influence of the Reformation on culture, language, and education. Not only that, but two special exhibitions will provide fascinating insights into the life and legacy of Martin Luther, the most symbolic figure of the Reformation.

Martin Luther lived from 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546 and was  a German professor of theology, composer, priest, monk and a seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation.

Luther rejected several teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. He strongly disputed his understanding of the Catholic view on indulgences, that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money.

His refusal to renounce all of his writings at the demand of Pope Leo X in 1520 and the Holy Roman Charles V by the Pope and condemnation as an outlaw by the Emperor.  

Luther taught that salvation and, subsequently, eternal life are not earned by good deeds but are received only as the free gift of God's grace through the believer's faith in Jesus Christ as a redeemer from sin.

His theology challenged the authority and office of the Pope by teaching that  the Bible is the only source of divinely revealed knowledge from God.

Martin Luther Luther insisted on identifying Christian or Evangelical as the only acceptable names for individuals who professed Christ as their lord and Savior.

Christians and non Christians alike, make sure sure you put LutherCountry on your "must visit" calendar this year.

There's always something exciting to see and do in LutherCountry! Eat your way through the Weimar Onion Market, lose yourself in the magic and romance of our regional Christmas markets or let your hair down on an exciting hiking or biking adventure. Our region's rich musical tradition and wealth of exhibitions and museums invites cultural enthusiasts to indulge their passions and explore the strong ties between the Reformation and centuries of artistic expression. Come and discover LutherCountry with all your senses!

For more special events in relation to this 500th anniversary of the Reformation click on the link below.

Read more: Reformation Highlights in 2017

North Korea is spying on its citizens' mobile phones - by James Pearso

Kim Jungs Family Tree

Isolated North Korea is developing sophisticated tools to digitally spy on its citizens, who are increasingly using mobile devices to connect to each other, a US government-funded report released on Wednesday says.

The report, "Compromising Connectivity", says North Korea has allowed the growing use of mobile phones and domestic internet access in return for the detailed information the network feeds Pyongyang's surveillance state.

"By giving citizens new networked technologies like mobile phones and tablets, the government is able to automatically censor unsanctioned content and observe everything citizens are doing on their devices remotely," Nat Kretchun, the report's lead author, told Reuters.

"The authorities have found ingenious ways to turn those new technologies against the North Korean people who are adopting them," said Kretchun, a researcher at InterMedia, the Washington-based organization that produced the report.

North Korea's strategies for keeping tabs on its citizens have been in the limelight since last month's dramatic killing of leader Kim Jong Un's estranged half-brother at an airport in the Malaysian capital.

Access to outside information is tightly controlled in North Korea. South Korean television shows and Hollywood films are often shared in a genuinely social network of people trading or swapping files via Bluetooth, or small and easily-concealed USB sticks.

To fight such use, North Korea has rolled out mandatory software updates to mobile devices on its network that actively seek out and delete illegal foreign media files, the report says.

On North Korea's own "Red Star" computer operating system, software scans text documents for specific words or phrases deemed unfavorable by the regime and deletes them.

Read more: North Korea is spying on its citizens' mobile phones-Reuters

USA -The White House: The web of relationships between Team Trump and Russia - by Philip Bump

In the most abstract sense, there is nothing noteworthy about a government official meeting with an ambassador from a foreign country. When such an interaction becomes important is when that official is an ally of a presidential campaign that’s got a complex set of possibly inappropriate relationships with other representatives of that ambassador’s country — and when that official while under oath says he did not have communications with representatives of that country.

What we’re going to endeavor to do here is to parse out that complex set of relationships, using the information we have at hand. In this case, as you’ve hopefully ascertained, the country at issue is Russia and the campaign is that of President Trump. The official, of course, is Attorney General Jeff Sessions. And the ambassador is, at this point, the linchpin of a lot of the interactions between Trump and the rest of his team.

We’ll consider three Russian entities.

• Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. Russia’s man in Washington.
• The Russian government. Kislyak is part of this government, of course, but we’ll use this as a shorthand for interactions with President Vladimir Putin or other government agencies (who may or may not be known). Included here is RT, the Russia-backed and -based television network.
• Russian business interests. This encompasses everything from Rosneft, the Russian oil giant, to sketchy Russian oligarchs.

As for the American side, let’s start at the top and move outward through Trump’s network.

For the complete report click here: The web of relationships between Team Trump and Russia - The Washington Post

European Parliament votes to end visa-free travel for Americans - by Jon Sharman

The European Parliament has voted to end visa-free travel for Americans within the EU.

It comes after the US failed to agree visa-free travel for citizens of five EU countries – Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania – as part of a reciprocity agreement. US citizens can normally travel to all countries in the bloc without a visa.

The vote urges the revocation of the scheme within two months, meaning Americans will have to apply for extra documents for 12 months after the European Commission implements a “delegated act” to bring the change into effect.

The Commission discovered three years ago that the US was not meeting its obligations under the reciprocity agreement but has not yet taken any legal action. The latest vote, prepared by the civil liberties committee and approved by a plenary session of parliament, gives the Commission two months to act before MEPs can consider action in the European Court of Justice.


Australia, Brunei, Japan and Canada were also failing in their obligations, but all four have lifted, or are soon to lift, any visa restrictions on travel for EU citizens

The Commission is legally obliged to act to suspend the visa waiver for Americans, but the European Parliament or the Council of the European Union have the chance to object to the “delegated act” it uses to do so.In December, MEPs pressed for the move in order to “encourage” Washington to play its part, according to a statement by the parliament.

But Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos warned of “consequences”, including potential “retaliation” and a drop in visitor numbers precipitating substantial losses for the continent’s tourism industry.

In December, MEPs pressed for the move in order to “encourage” Washington to play its part, according to a statement by the parliament.But Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos warned of “consequences”, including potential “retaliation” and a drop in visitor numbers precipitating substantial losses for the continent’s tourism industry.

But Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos warned of “consequences”, including potential “retaliation” and a drop in visitor numbers precipitating substantial losses for the continent’s tourism industry.

Just days ago the Council said it would liberalise the visa regime for citizens of Georgia travelling into the EU.

Georgians can now, subject to final approval of the regulation, stay in any EU  country for 90 days in any period of 180 days without needing a visa.

Carmelo Abela, Malta’s minister for national security, said: “This agreement will bring the people of Georgia and the EU closer together and will strengthen tourism and business ties. It follows the completion of the necessary reforms by Georgia, addressing document security, border management, migration and asylum.”

Last month it was reported that the EU was considering the adoption of a US-style electronic travel permit scheme – a move that could create a new administrative hurdle for British tourists after Brexit.

Read more: European Parliament votes to end visa-free travel for Americans | The Independent

China-EU: Making the world a better place: EU and China strategic partners since 1975 and in it for the long run

Together, China and the EU generate 33.9 
percent of the world's economic output

On May the 7th, 2015  the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a Press release jointly issued by Wang Yi - Chinese Foreign Minister and Federica Mogherini  the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission commemorating the 40th anniversary of the day when China and the European Economic Community (EEC) officially established diplomatic relations.

It was a decision taken with exceptional foresight on both sides. "Note EU-Digest: specially if we look back at the developments going on in the world today".

The world is beginning to move towards a more multi-polar order: China and Europe want to lead that transformation - Note EU-Digest: and have done so quite peacefully and successfully so far". 

While this cooperation will continue, we need to look at ways to address the root causes of piracy on land. We also intend to expand our focus to promoting peace and security in Africa, by supporting the capacity of the African Union and working together in places such as Mali.

Our common successes embolden us to keep on the same track. Together we can address other longstanding peace and security challenges such as the Middle East Peace Process, where we are both committed to a comprehensive, two-state solution for Israel and Palestine..

Both China and the EU are convinced that the conflict in Ukraine can only be solved by diplomatic means and through full respect for international law, especially respect for Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence. We call on all sides to fully assume their responsibility and to implement their commitments under the Minsk agreements.

When Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the European Union last year, we were committed to developing potential synergies between EU policies and China's "Silk Road Economic Belt" initiative. As two major forces on the Eurasian continent, the EU and China should make joint efforts, together with the countries along the Silk Road, to strengthen communication and coordination on this topic.

We also have a shared responsibility for countering terrorism in all forms. The EU has been grateful for Chinese efforts to evacuate and bring back to safety Chinese, European and other citizens from Yemen.

Our efforts should continue now towards addressing the acute crises in Syria, Libya and Yemen by working towards negotiated political solutions under the aegis of the United Nations. And we should do everything we can to prevent such crises to arise in the future.

We have come such a long way since 1975, when our relationship was based on trade and economic relations only. But in forty years we have also reached an unprecedented level of interdependence.

Our trade now reaches, according to Chinese statistics, as much as $600 billion, and some 16,000 passengers are traveling between China and EU countries on over 70 flights each day. We are committed to strengthening trade and economic ties, facilitating people-to-people exchanges, and to boosting two-way investment and improving market access on a reciprocal basis.

Over the decades, we have also learned that development has to be sustainable and inclusive, with structural reforms and innovation at its core. These goals can only be achieved achieve if we work together, through constructive interaction and mutual support. This is the essence of our strategic partnership.

China and the EU are accountable for the well-being of about a quarter of the globe's population. Our two economies impact immensely on those around us. We should co-ordinate more closely at the multilateral level.

Significant resources have also been dedicated to advancing the climate change agreements and secured at the Paris Conference of the Parties.

At the EU-China Summit held in Beijing 12-13 July 2016 leaders discussed common challenges, including the protection of the rule-based international order.

The UN post-2015 development agenda also offers an important opportunity and means to alleviate and eradicate poverty, and to promote growth and human rights, not least the right to development. EU and China will work together for a fair, inclusive and sustainable post-2015 agenda.

The year 2015 also marked the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and the founding of the United Nations. China and Europe are among those who built and maintained the post-World War II international order based on the UN Charter.

China will continue to uphold the purposes and principles of the Charter, and their universality, and work actively for peace, development and human rights in international relations, the rule of law in international governance, and a more equitable international order.

Note EU-Digest: In 2016, China was the world's largest economy for the second year in a row. It produced $21.3 trillion in economic output. The European Union was in second place, generating $19.2 trillion. Together, China and the EU generate 33.9 percent of the world's economic output of $119.4 trillion.The United States fell to third place, producing $18.6 trillion. The world's three largest economies combined produced $59 trillion.

 March/04/2017

EU-Digest

Read more: EU and China strategic partners for long run

EU - dark clouds: The voting future of Europe

The year 2017 is set to be a crucial one for Europe, with key elections ahead in the Netherlands, France and Germany. The outcome of these elections will indicate whether or not the U.K.’s Brexit decision, along with the rise of populist parties, will trigger the subsequent unraveling of the union.

At a time when U.S. President Donald Trump’s ambivalence toward the European Union and NATO openly challenges the liberal democratic order, the EU’s future has gained the utmost importance in terms of upholding liberal values and preserving peace and stability in the continent.

After a number of misleading predictions such as the Brexit referendum and the U.S. elections, everyone tends to take the results of the elections polls with a grain of salt. However, the latest polls reveal interesting trends in all three countries.

To start with, Geert Wilders, the Dutch leader of the far-right populist Party for Freedom (PVV) who espouses an anti-EU, anti-immigrant and Islamophobic stance, is expected to win about 29 of the 76 seats needed to form a coalition government in the March 15 polls. The Liberal Party, on the other hand, is likely to get about 25 seats. Since the other Dutch parties are not willing to form a coalition with Wilders, the arithmetic dictates that the next Dutch government will include no less than five political parties, which means a shaky and unstable coalition. In the event of a short-lived coalition government, the PVV might emerge even stronger from a fresh round of elections.

In France, far-right Front National candidate Marine Le Pen, who has been campaigning to leave the eurozone, the EU and NATO altogether, is expected to come either first or second in the first round of presidential elections in late April. Among her rivals, the conservative candidate, François Fillon of the Republican Party, is currently embroiled in a widening corruption scandal. On the left, Socialist candidate Benoit Hamon’s radical leftist policies are considered unlikely to gain broader support.

Against this background, independent candidate Emmanuel Macron shines as the rising figure in French politics. A former economy minister and an ex-Rothschild banker, Macron is described as a liberal when it comes to the economy, but stands on the left on social issues. He is also in favor of revamping the EU and upholding the transatlantic alliance.

As such, Macron generates hope with his En Marche (let’s go!) movement, taking center stage as an ideal candidate who might even reverse the populist tide in Europe, provided he makes it to the second round of the elections in May. And his chances have visibly increased since veteran centrist François Bayrou declared last week that he would back Macron in the elections.

Moving to Germany, the electoral race has surprisingly become more competitive. A recent Insa poll indicates that the support for the far-right, Eurosceptic Alternative for Germany (AfD) has slumped from 16 to 12 percent due to controversial remarks from AfD member Björn Höcke, who he called for “a 180-degree turn in Germany’s tradition of remembering and atoning for the Nazi era.” Nevertheless, the AFD is expected to pass the 5 percent electoral threshold and enter parliament as the third largest party.

In the meantime, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s twin conservative parties, the CDU and CSU, have been facing a serious challenge from their coalition partner, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), which picked former European Parliament President Martin Schultz as its leader. The same Insa poll reported that the SPD had a narrow lead on Merkel for the first time in more than a decade.

Even though there are seven months until the Bundestag elections, the prospects for Merkel’s bid for a fourth term in office now hang in the balance.

Aside from economic policies, there is little that separates Merkel and Schultz on foreign policy, EU reforms or ties with Russia. However, Schultz presents a moderate alternative to the voters to channel their resentment and, in a way, punish Merkel. It is no secret that Merkel’s endorsement of an open migration policy landed her in hot water, while a truck attack in Berlin just before Christmas led to further questions about the pros and cons of admitting more refugees to Germany.

The outcome of these three elections will be critical for Europeans in terms of defining a way forward for their countries and the EU.

It requires remembering though, that any terrorist attack could easily affect the election process by playing into the hands of the far-right.

Note EU-Digest: Terrorist attacks during the elections in Germany, France and the Netherlands could on the other hand also make Europeans more united knowing that the terrorist problem requires rather more cooperationand unity within Europe than less.

Read more: The voting future of Europe - SELİN NASİ

France - Presidential Elections: Macron outlines plans for multi-speed Europe – by Aline Robert

In his program unveiled yesterday (2 March), Emmanuel Macron focussed on Europe. The eurozone is held back by “shame” and we must “dare to go for a multi-speed Europe”, he said.

The En Marche presidential candidate, currently riding high in the polls, unveiled his plans at length on Thursday. In a highly-centrist, pro-European programme, François Hollande’s former advisor did something rare in French politics: expressed his faith in the European Union.

Macron’s programme is right in line with the European Commission’s White Paper. Hardly surprising, given his contacts and high popularity in the EU executive.

Holding forth to an impressive crowd of some 400 journalists, including Chinese television and almost all of the foreign correspondents in Paris, Macron began by stressing the need to boost France’s credibility by restoring its public finances. This he hopes to achieve in the first six months of his mandate, before initiating a real investment plan and greater solidarity in the eurozone.

“The French-German axis is the core of the reactor, both in the eurozone and the EU. It is a pre-requisite for any progress,” he said. “I propose to restore the credibility of France in the eyes of Germany, to convince Berlin in the next six months to adopt an active investment policy and move towards greater solidarity in Europe. We need it because the future of Europe is at stake.”

“Since 2008 we have failed to build Europe. Since 2008 we have had a lost generation that has seen only a vacuum of plans. Our duty is to rebuild the European dream,” Macron added, stressing the need for a mulita-speed Europe.

Read More: Macron outlines plans for multi-speed Europe – EURACTIV.com

Trump-Gate: Attorney General Jeff Sessions will recuse himself from any probe related to 2016 presidential campaign - "as he failed to disclose that he met with a Russian envoy "

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Thursday he will recuse himself from any investigations related to the 2016 presidential campaign, which would include any Russian interference in the electoral process.

Speaking at a hastily-called press conference at the Justice Department, Sessions said he had met with department ethics officials soon after being sworn in last month to evaluate the rules and cases in which he might have a conflict.

“They said that since I had involvement with the campaign, I should not be involved in any campaign investigation,” Sessions said. He added that he concurred with their assessment, and would thus recuse himself from any existing or future investigation involving Trump’s campaign.

The announcement comes a day after The Washington Post revealed that Sessions twice met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak and did not disclose that fact to Congress during his confirmation hearing.

At that hearing, Sessions was asked by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) what he would do if he learned of any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of the 2016 campaign, and said, “I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians.”

Sessions defended his comment on meetings with Russian officials to Franken as “honest and correct as I understood it at the time,” though he also said he would “write the Judiciary Committee soon — today or tomorrow — to explain this testimony for the record.” His explanation, he said, was that he was “taken aback” by Franken’s question — which referenced a breaking news story about contacts between Trump surrogates and Russians. 

Note EU-Digest: "Oh! What a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive".

And now of course the obvious question, who approved  Attorney General Jeff Sessions contacts with the Russians? . 

Are all roads now leading to the White House and  could this become Trump-Gate ? 

Read more: Attorney General Jeff Sessions will recuse himself from any probe related to 2016 presidential campaign - The Washington Post as reported by Karoun Demirjian, Ed O'Keefe, Sari Horwitz and Matt Zapotosky March 2 at 2:37 PM

France - Presidential Elections: Gabriel warns of devious and dangerous Le Pen winning French presidential election

Marine Le Pen and Geert Wilders - a devious destructive duo

Le Pen's National Front party "has set itself the aim of destroying Europe," Gabriel said in an interview for Thursday's edition of the German daily "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung."
"It has become a realistic danger," said Gabriel, a center-left Social Democrat.

If Le Pen does win the election, the idea of European unity would not disappear, Gabriel insisted. "But without France's engagement, Europe is certainly unimaginable in the long run," he went on. "First and foremost, the French would be the first to feel the effects of a so-called Frexit.

"Because the results of such uncertainty about Europe's future would be of course capital outflow, absent investments and mass unemployment," Gabriel said.

Macron remains the frontrunner in the election race, with 39 percent of those consulted in the latest survey by pollsters Ipsos giving him a favorable opinion. In the poll, Le Pen is the favorite to win the first round in April with 35 percent of the vote.

In the poll released by the magazine "Le Point" on Wednesday, Macron was followed by Socialist candidate Benoit Hamon, with 38 percent, while former frontrunner Francois Fillon had fallen 18 percentage points to 25 percent, just behind Le Pen, at 26 percent.

Read more: Gabriel warns of Le Pen winning French presidential election | News | DW.COM | 15.02.2017

EU-US Privacy Pact: If Trump Spoils Privacy Pact, We'll Pull It, EU Official Warns - by Stephanie Bodoni

Vera Jourova spent months working with the Obama administration on a deal to protect Europeans from digital surveillance by U.S. spies. With a new occupant now in the White House, the EU’s privacy czar says she’s prepared to rip up the pact if the Americans don’t adhere to its terms.

“If there is a significant change, we will suspend” the accord, Jourova, the European Union’s justice commissioner, said in a Bloomberg interview. “I will not hesitate to do it. There’s too much at stake.”

The pact, clinched last year, was meant to keep data flowing across the Atlantic while ensuring that Europeans enjoyed safeguards from the snooping by American security services. The Privacy Shield plugged holes that led EU judges to overturn a previous accord dating back to 2000, and was greeted with relief by U.S. companies that process personal data from billing details to messaging platforms.

At the end of March -- the exact date still has to be finalized -- the former Czech regional development minister will travel to Washington to meet with the administration of new U.S. President Donald Trump on the privacy shield. Jourova said she’s hopeful she won’t have to suspend the pact, but conceded that Trump’s unpredictability has raised concern among European regulators.

“Unpredictability is a problem if you need to trust something,” Jourova said, adding that she remains “vigilant” about the government’s stance. The EU “expects continuity” and “I will want reconfirmation and reassurances when I will go to Washington.”

In a sign of rising concern, the commission on Feb. 7 sought clarification from the U.S. that EU citizens wouldn’t be affected by a Jan. 25 executive order by Trump on Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the U.S.

One section in the presidential order said that U.S. “agencies shall, to the extent consistent with applicable law, ensure that their privacy policies exclude persons who are not United States citizens” from the U.S. Privacy Act “regarding personally identifiable information.”

In a letter to Jourova’s office dated Feb. 22, the Department of Justice assured the EU of the U.S.’s continued commitment to the Privacy Shield.

The letter was written by Bruce Swartz, deputy assistant attorney general, who told Jourova that the U.S. government “looks forward to working closely with the commission in the weeks and months ahead to protect the privacy and security” of U.S. and EU citizens.

Wilbur Ross, the new Secretary of Commerce, offered some words of encouragement when he addressed Department of Commerce staff March 1, saying that “we must build on the hard work that many of you have done in supporting Privacy Shield.”

Tim Truman, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, declined to immediately comment other than to highlight Ross’s statements. The Department of Justice didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Still, “the disruptive political style of the new U.S. administration fills anyone working in the field of privacy with concern,” said Johannes Caspar, one of Germany’s most outspoken data protection commissioners.

“You don’t need to gaze into a crystal ball to see that the air surrounding the Privacy Shield is becoming thinner,” said Caspar, who is the Hamburg privacy regulator.

What the last few weeks have shown is that “everything is possible now,” according to Jan Philipp Albrecht, the European Parliament’s chief negotiator on stricter EU privacy rules. The bloc’s new data protection rules will from May 2018 give European data watchdogs the power to fine companies as much as 4 percent of their global annual sales for violations.

“There are some really dangerous announcements around that would endanger cooperation, but which would also put at risk the possibilities for business to operate as normal,” said Albrecht. “As soon as it’s clear that any orders will change the legal protections for Europeans in the U.S. system, the already widely criticized Privacy Shield, from a European perspective, cannot be upheld. It’s a very fragile thing,” he said.

“Unpredictability is a problem if you need to trust something,” Jourova said, adding that she remains “vigilant” about the government’s stance. The EU “expects continuity” and “I will want reconfirmation and reassurances when I will go to Washington.”

In a sign of rising concern, the commission on Feb. 7 sought clarification from the U.S. that EU citizens wouldn’t be affected by a Jan. 25 executive order by Trump on Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the U.S.

One section in the presidential order said that U.S. “agencies shall, to the extent consistent with applicable law, ensure that their privacy policies exclude persons who are not United States citizens” from the U.S. Privacy Act “regarding personally identifiable information.”

Still, “the disruptive political style of the new U.S. administration fills anyone working in the field of privacy with concern,” said Johannes Caspar, one of Germany’s most outspoken data protection commissioners.

“You don’t need to gaze into a crystal ball to see that the air surrounding the Privacy Shield is becoming thinner,” said Caspar, who is the Hamburg privacy regulator.

What the last few weeks have shown is that “everything is possible now,” according to Jan Philipp Albrecht, the European Parliament’s chief negotiator on stricter EU privacy rules. The bloc’s new data protection rules will from May 2018 give European data watchdogs the power to fine companies as much as 4 percent of their global annual sales for violations.

“There are some really dangerous announcements around that would endanger cooperation, but which would also put at risk the possibilities for business to operate as normal,” said Albrecht. “As soon as it’s clear that any orders will change the legal protections for Europeans in the U.S. system, the already widely criticized Privacy Shield, from a European perspective, cannot be upheld. It’s a very fragile thing,” he said.

The EU-U.S. Privacy Shield was enacted in July, months after both sides were forced back to the drawing board when the bloc’s top court annulled a “safe-harbor” accord dating back to 2000 for failing to offer sufficient safeguards. The new deal seeks to address concerns that American spies had unfettered access to European citizens’ private data.

One upcoming test of whether the U.S. has stuck to its commitments will be an annual joint review with the U.S. Department of Commerce.

While Jourova raised the possibility of pulling the deal, she first pledged to “engage in dialog” if there are signs that “somebody isn’t doing what he is committed to do.”

Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin, France’s data privacy regulator, said she was hopeful that President Trump’s background in commerce would mean he will be keen to preserve the pact.

“U.S. economic interests behind the shield are considerable too, so I think that Mr Trump, who is a businessman after all, isn’t completely oblivious to what’s at risk,” said Falque-Pierrotin, who’s also the head of the group of EU privacy watchdogs.

If the shield is abandoned, companies that transfer data as part of their day-to-day business would be thrown back into the legal limbo they were in before the deal, forcing them to revert to other, less straightforward data transfer tools.

“I don’t think it’s the aim of anyone in the EU, whether in the European Commission, in the Parliament or in the member states, to cause disruption to companies,” said Albrecht. “But there are certain actions, if Trump or his administration take them, that will leave the EU with no alternative than to take clear actions.”

Read more: If Trump Spoils Privacy Pact, We'll Pull It, EU Official Warns - Bloomberg

Middle-East -Gaza: Israel denies EU delegation entry into Gaza – Middle East Monitor

A European parliament delegation that attempted to enter the besieged Gaza Strip to assess the residual damage of Israel’s 2014 military offensive was denied entry by Israeli authorities today.

According to a statement released by the European Parliament’s Delegation for relations with Palestine, Israeli authorities told the group that their entry was denied owing to the fact that only humanitarian workers and diplomats accredited by the Israeli government or the Palestinian Authority (PA) are allowed access to Gaza, which has been under an Israeli military blockade for a decade.

The statement noted that the delegation has been denied entry since 2011.

The delegation’s statement decried the decision to refuse them access to Gaza, saying that the decision was based on “arbitrary grounds” and that the Israeli explanation was “unacceptable”.

“We had hoped that that visit had ushered in a new more cooperative era, but this has not been the case… What is there to hide from us? Our positions are well-known,” the statement read.

The delegation went on to demand the return of the PA to the Gaza Strip. “We urge all Palestinian forces to resume efforts towards reconciliation without delay, building on the latest unity deal reached in January,” the chairman of the delegation Neoklis Sylikiotis said.

He also called on the international community “to put pressure on Israel” in order to end the crippling Israeli siege on the Palestinian territory.

“On the ground in Gaza our aim is to assess the reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts to which the EU is the major donor. EU aid targets the promotion of employment and the poverty in Gaza. We are working to ensure the people in Gaza have access to basic necessities including potable drinking water, food, housing and schools,” Sylikiotis added.

Read More: Israel denies EU delegation entry into Gaza – Middle East Monitor

‘EU - Moving forward: Juncker’s real scenario’ is multi-speed Europe – by Georgi Gotev

A Commission source said that Juncker had proposed five scenarios for Europe by 2025, because if it had produced only one, “everybody” would start “shooting at it”.

But the real scenario hidden among the other four was Number 3. “This is the way we want to go,” the official said. He also said that scenario 1 (Carrying on) was the status quo, that scenario 2 (Nothing but the single market) was negative in terms of integration, and that 4 and 5 (Doing less more efficiently, and Doing much more together) were added “for the sake of having them”.

“It is about respecting what we have already,” said the official with respect to existing divisions such as eurozone and non-eurozone, “but in some areas, going further”.

“With the concentric approaches, Europe a la carte, two-speed Europe, all of this, we say to the member states – guys, it’s time to carve this out,” the official said.

The Commission’s logic was not to stay in the logic of the “sinking ship”, but to provide a forward-looking paper as a basis for discussion not only among governments, but also among citizens, he explained.

On 25 March, the White Paper will be official handed over to the 27 governments in Rome, and they will be asked until December to provide input “in a structured way”.

The paper doesn’t envisage changes to EU treaties. “For treaty change, there is no market,” the official said. “We want to keep it on a technocratic level. Not a political level,” he added.

The Commission is of course conscious that a multi-speed Europe is by far a scenario which can receive support from non-eurozone countries and in particular from Poland, a country with no plans to join the euro in the foreseeable future.

Consequently, the Commission foresees that by December, other scenarios will emerge, EURACTIV was told. In terms of potential scenarios, the official named one favoured by southern member states, another one by the “friends of EU defence”, a third from those supporting the liberal approach, and one from countries opposing a common EU response to the refugee crisis.


A number of papers are expected to be published by the Commission before December, specifically on developing the social dimension of the Union, on deepening the Economic and Monetary Union, on harnessing globalisation, on the future of European defence and on the future of EU finances, also with a horizon for 2025, as the White Book itself.

The official said that the Commission intends to listen to what governments will say and will try and be “an accountable scapegoat”.

Because of its position on relocation, Hungary’s PM Viktor Orbán could be one of the Spitzenkandidaten for the 2019 elections, the official said, as an extreme example of how the process could go on.

Read more: ‘Juncker’s real scenario’ is multi-speed Europe – EURACTIV.com

EU Integration: Germany and France endorse multi-speed Europe - by Eric Maurice

Germany and France will push for a multi-speed EU, in which some countries integrate more deeply than others, at a summit in Rome later this month.

"We must find means to better take into account member states' different levels of ambitions so that Europe can better address the expectations of all European citizens," the countries' foreign affairs ministers said in a joint statement on Wednesday (1 March)..

Read more: Germany and France endorse multi-speed Europe-

US President Trump: Poor TV Ratings Show The Trump Presidency Is Already In Danger Of Being Canceled - by Jason Easley

Donald Trump's failure to draw a big audience for his joint address to Congress suggest that America is already tired of the President Trump show and is considering a 2020 cancelation.

The numbers for Trump’s speech via The Hollywood Reporter, “The event predictably topped the night’s few other telecasts, grossing just more than 43 million viewers on eight networks airing coverage between 9 and 10:15 p.m. ET. On par with early metered market stats, a cumulative 27.8 overnight rating among households, it’s still a ways off from President Barack Obama’s first joint sessions meeting — or even his first State of the Union. Compared to Obama’s first address in 2009, Trump’s pull is down by 17 percent. Fox News, which the Trump audience has show itself to be especially fond of, led coverage on cable and broadcast with 10.8 million viewers during the speech — while NBC News topped among the Big Four with 9.1 million viewers.”

Another sign of Trump’s limited support was the fact that the top-rated network for his speech was the partisan Fox News network. Trump’s speech didn’t bring the country together. The American people didn’t tune in to give him a chance. Out of a population of 325 million, roughly one-eighth of America tuned to see President Trump.

None of this means that Trump is automatically doomed. The President’s base of support is solid and loyal to the core, but he is also a president who may never be able to expand his appeal beyond that base.

Read more: Poor TV Ratings Show The Trump Presidency Is Already In Danger Of Being Canceled

Britain: House of Lords defy Brexit Bill

British Ministers are expected to try to overturn an embarrassing defeat in the House of Lords on the Government’s Brexit Bill when the legislation returns to the House of Commons.

Peers in the upper chamber defied Prime Minister Theresa May in favour of an opposition amendment, guaranteeing the rights of EU nationals living in the UK after Brexit.

The Government said the defeat was “disappointing” but made clear they are determined to reverse it in the lower chamber.

Shadow Brexit minister Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town warned against EU nationals being used as “bargaining chips” in negotiations to quit the EU.

She said: “These people need to know now – not in two years’ time – or even 12 months’ time. They simply can’t put their lives on hold. “I now want to say to the Government: you can’t do negotiations with people’s futures. They’re too precious to be used as bargaining chips.”

There is a growing consensus that this issue must be resolved before Article 50 is triggered, and the Prime Minister is becoming increasingly isolated.

But, some pro-Brexit MPs were angry with the peers, arguing they were frustrating the will of the elected House of Commons over the Brexit Bill.

Read more: Lords defy Brexit Bill | Euronews

USA: Donald Trump and the end of American exceptionalism? - by Nick Bryant

When a German Chancellor feels the need to explain the refugee convention to an American president, the speaker of British House of Commons says the leader of its closest ally is not welcome to address parliament, China positions itself as the grown-up in the room by chiding him for his blunt Twitter diplomacy and the botched travel ban is denounced not just by US adversaries, such as Iran, but allies, such as France and Canada, is it not time to sound the death-knell of American exceptionalism?

That is, the credo pushed by successive presidents that the United States is a beacon of democracy, an exemplar of human rights, an indispensable country imbued with special values and beliefs that grants it the moral authority and national self-belief to influence and admonish other countries, friend and foe alike.

 Donald Trump, rather than being heralded as the leader of free world, has been pilloried. By protesters who took to the streets - and snow - from Australia to Antarctica as part of more than 600 protests worldwide on the first weekend of his presidency.

By satirists who came up with the "Netherlands Second" viral video - and all its other cheeky iterations - in response to Trump's "America First" doctrine.

When Jimmy Kimmel joked during his Oscars opening monologue that Donald Trump had made 225 countries hate America, he was exaggerating. As with all well-aimed satire, however, it contained more than a kernel of truth.

It is a measure of Trump's unpopularity that George W Bush, the last US president to attract such international ire, is being rehabilitated in the global mind as a cool-headed statesman and staunch defender of American press freedom.

Last year, at the height of the presidential campaign, a Pew Research Center poll suggested that 85% of Europeans have "no confidence" in Donald Trump to do the right thing as president.

A poll conducted by Gallup International Association suggested that, were the US election to be held in 45 foreign countries, Hillary Clinton would have won a landslide victory in every single one, with the sole exception of Russia. The French President Francois Hollande even said the brash billionaire made people "want to retch".

Read more: Donald Trump and the end of American exceptionalism? - BBC News

USA: Trump directs EPA to begin dismantling clean water rule

 President Trump stepped up his attack on federal environmental protections Tuesday, issuing an order directing his administration to begin the long process of rolling back sweeping clean water rules that were enacted by his predecessor.

The order directing the Environmental Protection Agency to set about dismantling the Waters of the United States rule takes aim at one of President Obama’s signature environmental legacies, a far-reaching anti-pollution effort that expanded the authority of regulators over the nation’s waterways.

The contentious rule had been fought for years by farmers, ranchers, real estate developers and others, who complained it invited heavy-handed bureaucrats to burden their businesses with onerous restrictions and fines for minor violations.

Obama’s EPA argued that such claims were exaggerated and misrepresented the realities of the enforcement process of a rule that promised to create substantially cleaner waterways, and with them healthier habitats for threatened species of wildlife.

The directive to undo the clean water initiative is expected to be closely followed by another aimed at unraveling the Obama administration’s ambitious plan to fight climate change by curbing power plant emissions.

“It is such a horrible, horrible rule,” Trump said as he signed the directive Tuesday aimed at the water rules. “It has such a nice name, but everything about it is bad.” He declared the rule, championed by environmental groups to give the EPA broad authority over nearly two-thirds of the waterways in the nation, “one of the worst examples of federal regulation” and “a massive power grab.”

Read more:Trump directs EPA to begin dismantling clean water rule

The Netherlands: Dutch Trump Even Scares His Own Brother - by Nadette De Visser

Wilders -" not even his own brother trusts him?

A security breach is the latest controversy looming around hate-speaking Dutch Islamophobe leader Geert Wilders on the campaign trail as parliamentary elections approach March 15. Thus far, he is the leading candidate, even though other parties may unite to keep him out of the government.

Last week, the Dutch security service, DBB, who are tasked among other things with protecting Wilders, discovered a leak. A member of the DBB staff, identified only as Faris K., was suspected of passing security information to the Dutch-Moroccan criminal network known as the Mocro-Mob, which is responsible for a string of notorious liquidations. Indeed, infighting among Mocro factions has resulted in the death of over 20 men of Moroccan descent. The most notorious incident in the killing spree was the beheading of a small-time thug in March 2016, whose head was placed in the street facing an Amsterdam shisha lounge as a warning to two men who were to testify the next day.

The DBB says there is no threat. Faris K. was questioned, then released. But Wilders has canceled all campaign appearances—which may really be out of security concerns, or may be a shrewd political maneuver, or both. Publicity about the menace posed by such a sordid bunch of thugs from Muslim backgrounds could serve Wilders better than his previous campaign theme, which emphasized his connections to U.S. President Donald Trump. Wilders even stumped for Trump at the Republican convention last summer.

It is all “much ado about nothing,” according to Faris K.’s lawyer speaking on Dutch TV. “I can reassure Wilders, my client is just a big talker.” The attorney Peter Plasman said Faris K. had been bragging about his job protecting Wilders to impress two girls he fancied. “A storm in a glass of water,” the Dutch version of a tempest in a teacup, is what comes to mind with every fresh headline about the turmoil that surrounds the peroxide blonde Wilders.

But in the most recent polls Wilders appears to be losing some of his momentum. They show his party may get one to five fewer potential seats than in previous surveys and there’s widespread speculation this is because of the “the Trump effect.” Many people in the Netherlands are shocked by the performance so far of the new U.S. president.

In any case, in this the electoral home stretch, Wilders appears to want to disappear. He has not only suspended his Party for Freedom (PVV) campaign in public pending further investigation into the Faris K. affair, he has been cancelling nationally broadcast debates left and right.

The first time he did this ostensibly because there were too many political parties invited to the TV talk. The second time because RTL TV had published an interview with his brother Paul Wilders, one of Geert’s toughest critics.

When asked about the commotion, Paul Wilders told The Daily Beast: “Ah, all that to-do about a little interview with RTL was to be expected; I estimated a 50 percent chance that Geert would use it to get out of a disagreeable debate he was expected to attend.”

Paul, who is ten years older than Geert, is known for his impatience with his younger brother’s political views. “He governs his domain like an emperor, whoever contradicts him seriously is done with, family or not,” Paul says, blaming Geert’s isolation. “If you have been an emperor for so long … without a social life, then you start living accordingly. It is a sad thing to see happen. I wish him better than that.”

Read more: Dutch Trump Even Scares His Own Brother - The Daily Beast

EU: Immigrants and refugees: Le Pen, Petry and Wilders all trying to cure the symptoms not the cause - by RM

The European Destruction Team

Senior members of Alternative for Germany cut short a meeting Monday with the Central Council of Muslims, accusing the group of failing to renounce religious beliefs that they claim clash with the German constitution.

The confrontation came days after the party — known by its acronym AfD — launched a campaign against the construction of a mosque in the eastern state of Thuringia, joining up for the first time with the group known as the Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West.

When you read all the nonsense the so-called right-wing nationalist parties, specially those in France, Germany and the Netherlands are saying, reporting and announcing, you can only wonder if the electorate has gone crazy, or if the existing political leadership just does not have it together anymore?

This is the reason why Europe has a refugee problem

The large flow of immigrants to Europe is certainly not because they find Europe such a wonderful or great place to be living in, but mainly because we, together with our so-called "allies",  have bombed their cities, homes and countries into oblivion.

As the saying goes - "you always harvest what you sow".

Geert Wilders (Holland), Marine Le Pen (France) and Frauke Petry (Germany) have taken full advantage of the fact that our present European political leadership have never dared to tackle the true cause, as to why all these refugees came to Europe.

Obviously the electorate, which had been kept in the dark by their political leaders on the true cause  and reasons of the refugee influx into Europe, unfortunately resulted in the fact they started  listening to the garbage coming out of the mouths of Wilders. Le Pen and Petry,.

They put the blame of the refugee problem on national Government policies, related to immigration and refugees, not on the real cause of the refugee problem re: the military involvement of EU countries in the Middle East wars.

Instead the Ultra-Right focused on Islamophobia, decay of national economy/sovereignty. and the functioning of the  EU,  without producing any plan to back-up their arguments .

It is a sad state of affairs and will not get better unless the EU and its member states take a more independent direction and stance when it comes to military alliances and foreign policies.

If the nationalist succeed in breaking up the EU - no country in Europe will be able to stand-up on their own against the manipulations of the USA, China or Russia. It is as simple as that.

EU-Digest ©

EU: Growth Of Minimum Wages Accelerates Across Europe - by Karel Fric

The growth in average (nominal) pay of employees has accelerated in recent years in EU countries after a slump following the economic crisis (AMECO data). Similar developments show up in data on collectively agreed wages. However, higher wage growth figures do not automatically mean that all employees benefit equally. On 14 February 2017, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) launched a campaign Europe needs a pay rise. It says workers’ wages have not kept pace with productivity for decades and have been falling compared to profit, shares and capital income. One way to counter extreme wage inequalities in the labour market is to set a statutory minimum wage level.

According to EurWORK’s article on Statutory Minimum Wages in 2017, growth in minimum wages inside the EU has accelerated this year compared to the previous year. This development is consistent with recent progressive developments in average nominal compensation per employee and in collectively agreed wages. Fifteen out of 22 EU countries with general statutory minimum wages implemented greater increases during 2016–2017 than 2015–2016. Newer member states generally experienced a more pronounced growth than the majority of other EU countries, with Romania, Hungary and the Czech Republic leading the charge and with increases reaching up to 38% in Romania. Within the EU-15 minimum wages grew most in Spain (up 8%).

Last year, MEPs first floated the idea of a minimum wage pegged at 60% of the median income in a resolution on social dumping. (See Eurofound’s 2013 report which examines hypothetical effects of such provision.) However, such proposals are controversial among businesses, politicians and even some trade unions.

January 2017 saw an intensified discussion about the minimum wage at the European level. In mid-January, MEPs called on the European Commission to require all member states to introduce national minimum wages. Six EU countries now (Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Italy and Sweden) haven’t implemented a generally binding statutory minimum wage.

EU Social Affairs Commissioner Marianne Thyssen has insisted over recent years that she wouldn’t propose an EU-wide minimum wage. However, she has encouraged individual countries to introduce one. At the end of January, Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, called for a minimum salary in each EU country.

While minimum wages protect employees from receiving extremely low wages, their ‘side effects’ are often disputed. Especially with regards to unemployment, many claim that setting minimum wages too high can lead to rises in unemployment. To avoid this, minimum wage growth needs to be accompanied by sufficient growth in labour productivity. As such minimum wages need to be used in a virtuous circle with pro-active fiscal policies and incentives to – for example – increase educational attainment levels and develop high added-value economical activities.

Read more: Growth Of Minimum Wages Accelerates Across Europe