EU: Tusk pledges 'fight' for EU values as new EPP president - by Elena Sánchez Nicolás

The EU's largest political party's congress gathered in Zagreb on Wednesday (20 November) to nominate outgoing EU Council president Donald Tusk as their new president - as Poland's former prime minister was the only candidate for the position.

With new leadership, the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) said it was ready to work on a concrete political strategy to tackle the challenges of the EU's enlargement process and climate change - the two main concerns of the political group at their congress, amid their unfinished battle against Hungary's ruling party Fidesz.

"I am ready to fight" for Christian-Democratic European values and against populism, said Tusk.

"I deeply believe that only those who want and are able to give people a feeling of safety and security, preserving at the same time their freedoms and rights, have a mandate to run for power," he added.

Read more atL Tusk pledges 'fight' for EU values as new EPP president

Britain-Brexit: Boris Johnsons Brexiteers' bid to force no-deal suffers legal blow, as constitutional expert warns UK 'heading for deep trouble': by Adam Forrest, Ashley Cowburn, Zamira Rahim, Jane Dalton

A new Trans-Atlantic Axis

Britain is in “deep trouble” unless Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn can act like “good chaps” and find a way to resolve the Brexit crisis, a leading constitutional expert has warned.

In a boost for pro-EU campaigners, a Court of Session judge has ruled that a legal challenge seeking to prevent Mr Johnson from suspending parliament to force through a no-deal exit will be heard before 31 October.

It comes as No 10 is said to be ready to pull British diplomats out of Brussels. Donald Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton, meanwhile, said the UK was “first in line” for a trade deal with the US after meeting the PM.

Meanwhile John Bercow, the House of Commons speaker, has warned that he will try to stop the prime minister from suspending parliament.

Mr Bercow told an audience at the Edinburgh Fringe festival that he "strongly" believes the House of Commons "must have its way", in remarks reported by the Herald newspaper.

"And if there is an attempt to circumvent, to bypass or - God forbid - to close down Parliament, that is anathema to me," he said.

"I will fight with every breath in my body to stop that happening."

Amber Rudd also told the BBC on Tuesday that she would urge the prime minister not to suspend the Commons.

Read more at:: Boris Johnson news: Brexiteers' bid to force no-deal suffers legal blow, as constitutional expert warns UK 'heading for deep trouble' | The Independent

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EU Parliament: Socialists nominate Sassoli in crisis meeting - by Irene Kostaki

The EU press corps that travelled to Strasbourg to witness the first chamber meeting of the new parliament were caught by surprise as the European Council’s top jobs package caused a meltdown.

“We know this is for the Parliament to decide on the names. Our intention is to have a president of the parliament from the S&D for the first term, and a candidate from the EPP for the second term. But this is our political opinion. All of the leaders underlined that it is only for the Parliament to decide,” said European Council President Donald Tusk as he presented the package to journalists in Brussels after the third consecutive day of talks in the Belgian capital.

 Even though the leaders have no ability to dictate what the composition of the European Parliament will be, the political group and geographical balance brought Bulgaria’s Sergei Stanishev, president of the Party of European Socialists, into the equation.

 After a long meeting in Strasbourg, the Socialists appeared divided over the package that the leaders announced in Brussels. The compromise between French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and the chief negotiator for the Socialist family, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

 Stanishev was a compromise candidate for the EPP, with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov throwing his full backing behind his candidacy. “We will strongly support him,” he said, adding that Stanishev’s own party was not in favour of putting his name forward. “A Bulgarian at such a high position is a question of honour and pride. Despite the fact that his own people don’t like him.”

Read more: EU Parliament Socialists nominate Sassoli in crisis meeting

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EU: There is no Europe without the rule of law says President Tusk

EC's Donald Tusk says 'There is no Europe without  the rule of law'

Read more at
https://p.dw.com/p/3IFrD

EU May Parliamentary Elections: EU President Tusk warns on foreign (Russian) meddling in EU election

A growing list: Brexit, USA and now the EU Parliamentary elections

"There are external anti-European forces which are seeking - openly or secretly - to influence the democratic choices of the Europeans," EU Council president Donald Tusk said in Brussels on Tuesday, while meeting Armenia's prime minister. He said outside forces had interfered in the Brexit referendum in 2016 "and it may again be the case with the European Parliament election in May", amid concern on Russian election-meddling.

Read more: EU Parliamentary Elections: Tusk warns on foreign meddling in EU election

BRITAiN - BREXIT: EU PRESIDENT TUSK SPEAKS OUT AGAINST BREXIT

EU President Donald Tusk: "Special place in hell for Brexiteers without a plan"

Note EU-Digest:  President Tusk is absolutely right. The British Government and parliament went into this Brexit referendum without doing their homework, cheered on by Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson and other political lightweights. Unfortunately the British taxpayers will be paying the price, while Farage, who is still a member of the EU parliament and Johnson, a member of the British Parliament are still getting their big salaries. Yes indeed they deserve their place in hell, together with Donald Trump, who has been cheering them on.

Read more at: 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47143135

EU-Trump Visit to Brussels: European Commission head Donald Tusk slaps back at Trump after his latest NATO swipe saying: 'America: appreciate your allies. After all you don’t have that many'

• President Trump repeatedly berated America's European allies for failing to meet their defense spending obligations  to NATO 
• European Council President Donald Tusk hit right back at him at an EU-NATO signing event: 'America does not have and will not have a better ally than Europe'
• Tusk said: 'America appreciate your allies. After all you don’t have that many'  
• President Trump tweeted minutes later: NATO countries must pay MORE, the United States must pay LESS. Very Unfair!'
• He told reporters as he prepared to board Marine One that America has plenty of allies and put new pressure on NATO nations to increase their defense spending 
• U.S. NATO ambassador said this week that the United States' European partners had not brought up trade in the context of security alliance
• 'Our diplomats are professional and they are staying on our NATO issues, where we are 100 percent allied,' Kay Bailey Hutchison said on Sunday
• Trump defied her and put his tariffs on the table for discussion at NATO's summit in Brussels, where he arrives on Tuesday evening, in tweets
• The appearance was gearing up to be a repeat performance of a confrontation at last month's G7 summit in Canada

Read more: Trump says U.S. 'spending many times more than' fair on Europe | Daily Mail Online

EU-US Relations: EU President Donald Tusk warns EU leaders to ″prepare for the worst″ in EU-US relations

European Council President Donald Tusk warned European Union leaders that they should "prepare for the worst" in EU-US relations in a letter to EU leaders who will be gathering in Brussels for a summit on Thursday and Friday.

He laid out the agenda for discussions at the important meeting, with migration topping the list.

Transatlantic relations

Writing on the issue of transatlantic relations, Tusk said the EU must be prepared for "worst-case scenarios" as US President Donald Trump's policies have been increasingly at loggerheads with the bloc's values.

"It is my belief that, while hoping for the best, we must be ready to prepare our union for worst-case scenarios," Tusk wrote. "Despite our tireless efforts to keep the unity of the West, transatlantic relations are under immense pressure due to the policies of President Trump."

Trump has decided to withdraw his country from the Paris climate deal and the Iran nuclear deal, despite repeated pleas by the EU to stick with them.

One EU official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told DPA news agency that such "negative" decisions were starting to "look like a pattern" where the US has "no friends, no enemies" and where preserving the international rules-based structure was not a focus.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will share his views on EU-NATO cooperation at the meeting.

Read more: Donald Tusk warns EU leaders to ″prepare for the worst″ in EU-US relations | News | DW | 27.06.2018

Poland: Donald Tusk: I’ll be back in Poland, and not to watch TV – by Michał Broniatowski

European Council President Donald Tusk hinted at a return to domestic politics in an interview Friday.

“I’m not going to retire,” he told Polish news channel TVN24. “In 2019 I will be back in Poland and let no one think that I will only watch TV.”

The former Polish prime minister refused to elaborate, saying: “I will not formulate scenarios for the moment and I hope there will be no emergency scenarios.”

He added: “I hope that Poles who dream about stable democracy and the rule of law will be able to win future elections — I will be the happiest man on earth if this materializes. If things go differently, I do not exclude anything.”

Tusk was speaking at the European Center of Solidarity, a museum and cultural center built in the Gdańsk Shipyard where the Solidarność movement was created in 1980.

On the fight between Poland and the EU, which accuses Warsaw of going against the rule of law, Tusk said: “The problem is that permanent solutions may be taken. For example, when we talk about future European funds. I wish Poland didn’t lose a single euro cent for this reason.

“I will not be on the side of the PiS [the ruling Law and Justice party, which is a political enemy of Tusk’s] in the debate in Europe concerning the rule of law. I will not justify wrong actions of PiS.”

Read more: Donald Tusk: I’ll be back in Poland, and not to watch TV – POLITICO

EU-US Relations: Revive trade deal talks to avoid trade war, EU urges Trump - by Martti Kainulainen

The European Union urged the United States on Wednesday to revive trade talks rather than escalate a dispute over tariffs on metals and cars.

European Council President Donald Tusk responded on Wednesday by urging Trump to “make trade not war”.

“When the president complains of too many tariffs between the EU and the U.S. I can understand him. We are not happy either,” Tusk, who chairs summits of EU leaders, told a news conference in Helsinki. 

“That is the reason why a few years ago we started trade negotiations with the U.S. We should go back to these talks now. Make trade not war, Mr President,” he said.

Read more: Revive trade deal talks to avoid trade war, EU urges Trump

Brexit Talks Brussels: Davis and Barnier hold press conference after first day of Brexit talks - by Andrew Sparrow

Brexit Negotiations get underway

The British newspaper The Guardian reports EU negotiator Michel Barnier said it will be up to the European council, led by Donald Tusk, to decide later if sufficient progress has been made on these issues to allow talks to move on to trade.

He said, in leaving the EU, Britain will no longer have the same rights and opportunities as EU members.

But the EU can build a new partnership with the UK, and that will contribute to stability on the continent.

He says “a fair deal is possible, and far better than no deal”.

The British negotiator David Davis said the talks were “very constructive”. He says a deal is “eminently achievable”.

Note EU-Digest: Britain is about to go down on its knees before Trump to beg for post Brexit trade access to the USA,  and is in no position to stand up to him and all his nonsensical "make America great again" ideology, as France, Germany and Italy have done, when they issued a powerful joint public statement against Trump policies. Bottom line, the best thing for Britain is to get back into the EU fold and face the global storm winds as a member of the EU. After all  - United we stand -Divided we fall.     

Read more: Davis and Barnier hold press conference after first day of Brexit talks - Politics live | Politics | The Guardian

EU-Belgium-NATO: Trump meets with EU officials and scolds world leaders at NATO ceremony in Brussels

"Manneken Pis," Bruxelles most famous fountain

President Trump criticized leaders at a dedication ceremony at the new NATO headquarters in Brussels, May 25, saying they need to increase financial contributions to combat "the threat of terrorism."

"America instead of haggling over money", say most European politicians," must not forget that Europe is on the front-line of the American defense in case of an attack from the Russians. That should be worth every cent the US invests into Europe's defense."

In his speech to NATO leaders, President Trump also said  NATO must focus on terrorism and that “nations owe massive amounts of money” on defense.

Thursday’s NATO meeting was scheduled to allow Trump and leaders of NATO states to take the measure of each other. The 27 other members had hoped to relieve anxiety that arose during Trump’s campaign, when he questioned why the United States was spending its own money to defend Europe, called NATO “obsolete” and ill-equipped to deal with terrorism, and threatened to withdraw if other members failed to pay their “fair share.”

Moreover, though the White House had sent recent signals that the United States would stay in NATO’s mutual defense pact, known as Article 5, Trump made no mention of it as he stood next a monument dedicated to the only time the article had been previously invoked: during the terror attacks on September 11, 2001.

Donald Trump did vow, however, to crack down on leaks that prompted Manchester police to withhold information from the United States about the investigation into this week’s bombing.

Earlier during the day Mr. Trump met with EU President Tusk and other EU officials. 

After the meeting at the EU headquarters in Brussels ended, Tusk, who presides over the European Council said:  "I am not 100% sure that we can say today ... that we have a common position, common opinion, about Russia," but Tusk added that both parties remain critical of Russia's military incursions into neighboring Ukraine.

Tusk also said "some issues remain open" with Trump, including climate change and trade policy.

EU members have long questioned Trump's warm comments toward Putin, who has backed many anti-EU candidates in elections throughout the continent. And countries such as France, Germany, and the United Kingdom have expressed concerns about similar Russian hacking and disinformation campaigns to undermine elections in their countries.

Trump's meeting with Tusk, who presides over the European Council, and Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, preceded talks with leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

The Trump Brussels stop came in the middle of Trump's first foreign trip as president, one that began with visits to Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Rome. Trump is spending nine days away from Washington, which is still reeling from a spate of recent revelations related to Trump's links to Russia.

Trump's first foreign trip as president came a week after the Justice Department appointed a special counsel to look into possible ties between Trump campaign associates and Russians who sought to influence the 2016 presidential campaign.

The U.S. intelligence community has accused Moscow of orchestrating a high-level campaign of cyberattacks, propaganda and fake news to try and influence the 2016 election, though the president and his aides have denied any collusion.


EU-Digest

EU - China Relations: America First' Trump Play Opens Door for EU-China Trade Detente - by V

Donald Trump is forcing the European Union and China to decide how willing they are to set aside trade tensions that go back decades.

As the U.S. president pushes his mantra of “America First,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese President Xi Jinping are taking almost every opportunity to affirm their commitment to free trade. Just last week, they agreed on a phone call “to continue their trusting cooperation” on open markets.

The challenge, say trade officials, will be using those warm words to overcome knotty issues that have soured China-EU relations for years. Just over a decade ago, the so-called Bra Wars highlighted European angst about cheap Chinese textiles undercutting domestic manufacturers, and tensions continue to simmer over solar power, steel and even bicycles. Meanwhile, populist groups like Marine Le Pen’s National Front in France are running for election on an anti-free trade ticket.

“There are still many obstacles to cooperation,” said Wang Yiwei, a professor of International Relations at Renmin University in Beijing and a former Chinese trade official in Europe. “We don’t look to Europe to balance the United States, but we can hope that Europe might help with the kind of American unilateralism or its tendency to do whatever it pleases that we’ve seen in the past.”

Read more: 'America First' Trump Play Opens Door for EU-China Trade Detente - Bloomberg

EU: Poland says will 'play rough' with EU after Tusk vote - by Marcin Goettig

Poland will start obstructing European Union business and "play a rough game" in Brussels after the bloc angered Warsaw by reappointing Donald Tusk as head of the European Council, the foreign minister said.

Tusk, Poland's former prime minister and a long-standing rival of current Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, won a second term as chairman of EU summit meetings - with Poland the only country to vote against his extension.

Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski said in comments published on Saturday that his government will respond to the vote by "blocking other initiatives, to play a very rough game" in the European Union.

"One has to state it openly: EU policy turned out to be a policy of double standards and cheating," Waszczykowski told tabloid Super Express.

He said that Poland could not boycott the European Council and will take part in its meetings. "We must be aware that we may be cheated any moment," he said.

Warsaw has portrayed Tusk's reappointment as an issue in which Polish vital national interests had been ignored by a Brussels machine dominated by Germany.

"For sure we must drastically lower our level of trust toward the EU. Also start conducting a negative policy," Waszczykowski said.

The Polish government of the euroskeptic Law and Justice (PiS) party has already clashed with EU's executive arm, the European Commission, over issues including the rule of law, migrants, climate policy and environmental protection.

The ruling right-wing party accuses Tusk, a centrist, of overstepping his mandate by, for example, criticizing the Warsaw government during the opposition's blockade of parliament last year in a protest over planned limits on media access.

Before his departure to Brussels, Tusk had been the head of Poland's largest opposition party Civic Platform (PO) ousted by PiS in 2015.

Despite the government's disputes with the EU, Polish society is overwhelmingly in favor of EU membership. Poland is by far the biggest recipient of billion of euros in EU aid in the 28-member bloc. 

Read more: Poland says will 'play rough' with EU after Tusk vote | Reuters

EU-US Relations: EU political party leaders team up to reject Trump ambassador to EU – by Georgi Gotev

The three major “pro-European” groups in the European Parliament, the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), the centre-left Socialists and Democrats (S&D), and the ALDE liberals, have taken the position that the EU should reject Ted R. Malloch as US ambassador to the EU.

Manfred Weber, the leader of the EPP group in the European Parliament, and Guy Verhofstadt, his colleague from ALDE, co-signed a letter to Council President Donald Tusk yesterday (2 February), proposing that the EU rejects Malloch as US ambassador to the EU.

Note EU-Digest: Hopefully EU President Donald Tusk will take positive action on this letter, which is supported by the political majority in the EU parliament.

EU-Digest

Brexit: Donald Tusk: Brexit could destroy Western political civilisation -

European Council president Donald Tusk has warned that a UK vote to leave the EU could threaten "Western political civilisation".

Mr Tusk said a vote to leave the EU would boost anti-European forces.

"As a historian I fear Brexit could be the beginning of the destruction of not only the EU but also Western political civilisation in its entirety," he told the German newspaper Bild.

UKIP MP Douglas Carswell said the Remain campaign was "falling apart".

He tweeted: "Why hasn't Western civilisation come to an end already seeing as how most countries are self governing?"

Read more: Donald Tusk: Brexit could destroy Western political civilisation - BBC News

Unity and Integration: Let's hear it for the US - the EU still has a long way to go on this - by RM

UNITY IS WHAT COUNTS

Yes indeed -This time let's hear it for the US. 

To those of you who are sometimes critical of the US (including myself) it must also be noted there are still quite a few positive things happening there

This in spite of the steady progress made by Corporate America to get an ever stronger grip on the US political system and economic environment.

 Here is one of the developments that I believe is quite positive.

Even though not everyone might be impressed by the Presidential candidates running for office to replace President Obama, what is impressive, on the other hand, is that among the candidates running for the Presidency are, a woman, two Cuban Americans, a Socialist and a Fascist.

All hoping to replace a black President, with a Muslim father from Nigeria and a Christian mother from Kansas, USA

In a way, as Europeans, we can certainly learn from that, if we ever want to overcome our rampant religious, racial and cultural phobias, and achieve real unity.

EU-Digest

EU Migrant Crises: Donald Tusk Tells 'Economic Migrants' To Stay Away From Europe

European Council President Donald Tusk on Thursday pleaded with “ economic migrants” not to make the perilous journey to Europe, ahead of an EU summit on migration.

“I want to appeal to all potential illegal economic migrants wherever you are from: Do not come to Europe. Do not believe the smugglers. Do not risk your lives and your money. It is all for nothing,” Tusk said at a press conference after talks with Greek premier Alexis Tsipras.

“No European country will be a transit country,” Tusk pledged, meaning that anyone who makes a sea crossing to southern Europe with the intention of reaching the prosperous north will have their hopes dashed.

Read more: Donald Tusk Tells 'Economic Migrants' To Stay Away From Europe

Tusk tells EU leaders to end migrant blame game

European Council President Donald Tusk has called for an end to the "recriminations" and mix-ups at the EU leaders' summit on refugees. Brussels has launched action against 19 states for breaking common asylum rules. 

Read more: Tusk tells EU leaders to end migrant blame game | News | DW.COM | 23.09.2015

EU leaders go into summit seeking a long-term strategy on Russia

As he arrived at the summit venue on Thursday, the new European Council president, Donald Tusk, said a long-term strategy to deal with Moscow was vital to maintaining stability on the EU's eastern borders.

"The situation is really dramatic and very dynamic and of course…. demands immediate reactions," said Tusk, hosting his first European Union summit since taking up the new post on December 1.

"We will not find a long-term solution for Ukraine without an adequate and consistent, both tough and responsible, strategy towards Russia," he said, referring to the military conflict between pro-Russia separatists and government forces in eastern Ukraine.

"Today we should send a strong signal on our readiness to further support Ukraine also financially as we have done politically," he added

Read more: EU leaders go into summit seeking a long-term strategy on Russia | News | DW.DE | 18.12.2014