The news that matter in Europe
The news that matter in Europe
European Commission Statement Rome, 21 May 2021 Good afternoon,
Thank you Mario,
I am pleased to say that we had an excellent Summit. I would like to report on two strands. First, on the principles that we co…
Even a vaccine isn’t enough to persuade some European lawmakers back to Strasbourg.
The French government is trying to entice the European Parliament back to its official seat on June 7 after more than a year away during the pandemic. In addition to the renewed prospect of the region’s Alsatian wine lounges, or winstubs, and choucroute (sauerkraut), the Parliament building now has a vaccine center on-site, offering jabs that might be hard to get elsewhere for some.
But it all comes with a catch. There’s still a 9 p.m. curfew in Strasbourg, and travel rules still dictate that all staff would have to quarantine after returning to Belgium.
The result is a reduced three-day session that will be held mostly online — yet another sign that despite the increasing availability of vaccines and scaled-back COVID restrictions, Europe is far away from returning to pre-pandemic normalcy.
“The French push for Strasbourg in June and in the end no one might show up,” said Daniel Freund, a German Green MEP. “The pandemic is not over … To move the Parliament back to Strasbourg at this stage is simply ridiculous — especially for staff with families.”
When the pandemic hit Europe in March 2020, David Sassoli, the European Parliament president, canceled parliamentary sessions in Strasbourg after French authorities designated the area a coronavirus red zone. Since then, sessions have been held in Brussels, partly online and partly in person. But French officials have repeatedly expressed frustration at Sassoli’s decisions to remain in Brussels, urging him to resume sessions in Strasbourg, which is the Parliament’s official home.
Earlier this month, Sassoli said in a note to leaders of the Parliament’s political groups that sessions in Strasbourg would resume in June under a hybrid format. “We are in a sanitary situation that has improved, particularly on the contamination rate,” one Parliament spokesperson said.
“There is now a possibility in Strasbourg to eat out and sleep in hotels,” the spokesperson noted, adding that the 9 p.m. curfew would be extended to 11 p.m. on June 9 (two days after the start of the session). In addition, Parliament has set up an on-site vaccination center, which the spokesperson said MEPs and staff have used to get their jabs.
But neither the promise of vaccines nor the improved health situation in Strasbourg is sufficient to convince some MEPs to go back to Strasbourg.
Besides France’s curfew, Belgium still requires a week-long quarantine and two COVID tests for anyone who spends over 48 hours in France. And even if MEPs were exempt from quarantine rules, Freund complained that staffers would still be subject to the rules “simply for doing their job.” As a result, Freund said, staffers “could not bring their kids to school and would have to isolate from their families.”
One European People’s Party official added that even for vaccinated individuals, the “digital green certificates” — the Commission’s plan to allow vaccinated people to travel seamlessly through the bloc — will not yet be in place in time for the Strasbourg session.
“We will have to get a test, and the test rooms in the Parliament are already packed,” the official said. “I am going, but honestly I’m not sure what will happen to me.”
“There are still a lot of question marks that we must resolve,” said Assita Kanko, a Flemish MEP from the European Conservatives and Reformists. “We stayed in Brussels for so long … This only confirms the fact that we can easily work in Brussels and that we don’t need to go to Strasbourg.”
Those who will go to Strasbourg in June also grumbled that they might spend hours on a train, only to sit in an office and follow group meetings online. “The session will be mostly virtual, so why do we do all this if in the end we will sit in our offices?” the EPP official wondered.
German MEP Andreas Schwab plans to go to Strasbourg in June simply because Strasbourg “is the official institution.”
“But if we do it, we must do it seriously,” he added.
Bulgarian writer Georgi Bardarov‘s novel Absolvo Te, which means “forgiveness of all sins”, is among the winners of the European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL). The novel was published in 2020. It intertwines the threads of several conflicts that still smoulder today. The main character, a Holocaust survivor, is also among the victims of the Arab-Israeli conflict, which is especially topical today due to the increased tensions in the Gaza Strip.
“The novel Absolvo Te, which I created together with my friends from the publishing and production house Musagena, is officially the winner of the European Union Prize for Literature!
I receive this award as a recognition of the fact that I never give up, and that I believe very strongly in the causes I write and speak about. I am strongly convinced that the forgiveness, which the characters in my novel give to each other, is the only way out of the reckless Arab-Israeli conflict, which is still taking innocent victims.
All of them and all of us need to say: ABSOLVO TE!
I thank the jury for the great recognition. I thank the readers for their favourable comments and opinions!” wrote Georgi Bardarov.
Bardarov’s novel is one of the 13 winning books and authors of the EUPL, which were revealed during a video broadcast on 18 May. Their names were individually announced by a representative of each national jury. The price recognises emerging fiction writers from the European Union and beyond. Engaging the 41 countries participating in the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union, the Prize celebrates 41 outstanding new literary talents across a cycle of three years.
Among this year’s 13 laureates are Lucie Faulerová, Czech Republic (Deathmaiden); Laura Vinogradova, Latvia (The River); Gerda Blees, Netherlands (We are light); Frederico Pedreira, Portugal (The Sleepwalker Lesson); Maxim Grigoriev, Sweden (Europe); Anja Mugerli, Slovenia (Bee Family), etc.
The 2021 laureate for each country was selected by a national jury of experts in the fields of literature, publishing and bookselling.
The EUPL is organised by a Consortium of associations comprising the European Writers’ Council (EWC), the Federation of European Publishers (FEP), and the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF), with the support of the European Commission. Spotlighting the creativity and the immense and diverse wealth of Europe’s contemporary literature in the field of fiction, EUPL aims to promote the circulation of literature within Europe and encourage greater interest in non-national literary works. The 2021 edition awards 13 laureates from the countries participating in this cycle.
The aim of the EUPL is to put the spotlight on the creativity and diverse wealth of Europe’s contemporary literature in the field of fiction, to promote the circulation of literature within Europe and to encourage greater interest in non-national literary works. The works of the selected winners (one per country participating in the Prize on a rotation basis) will reach a wider and international audience, and touch readers beyond national and linguistic borders.
May 21, 2021 – 10:59 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net – The European Parliament on Thursday, May 20 adopted a resolution demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Armenian prisoners of war by Azerbaijan, Member of the European Parliament François-Xavier Bellamy said in a tweet.
The measure was approved by an overwhelming majority in the parliament, with 607 out of 688 MEPs voting in its favor.
“Now it is time to act: for them, for their families, every single day counts,” Bellamy said.
The resolution cited Article 8 of the tripartite ceasefire statement signed to end the fighting, which stipulates that prisoners of war, hostages and other detainees, as well as the remains of those killed, must be exchanged, and that these exchanges should be conducted according to the ‘all for all’ principle.
It demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all Armenian prisoners, both military and civilian, detained during and after the conflict, and that Azerbaijan refrain from making arbitrary detentions in the future.
The parliament also expresses its grave concern about credible reports, according to which Armenian prisoners of war and other captive persons have been and are being held in degrading conditions, and that they have been subjected to inhuman treatment and torture when captured or during their detention.
So far, more than 70 Armenian POWs have returned home. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev claims that persons still being kept in Baku are not prisoners of war but “terrorists and saboteurs”. Officials and human rights advocates from the Armenian side, however, maintain Azerbaijan is still holding hundreds of people hostage, pledging to submit evidence proving the capture of said persons to international agencies and courts.
European Parliament chambers
BRUSSELS—The European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy welcomed the passage of an urgent resolution by the European Parliament, demanding the unconditional release of all the Armenian prisoners of war and captives, still illegally detained by Azerbaijani.
The joint cross-party resolution which was co-signed by 47 Members of the European Parliament, representing the five largest political groups in the parliament, was adopted Thursday by an overwhelming majority. The voting took place after a plenary session, during which several lawmakers firmly condemned the Azerbaijani barbaric behavior towards the Armenian POWs and called on the EU to take an active part in the process of their release.
The European Parliament expressed deep concern about reports on the degrading conditions, the inhumane treatment and torture of many Armenian hostages by the Azerbaijani authorities. Furthermore, the European Parliament called on Azerbaijan to strictly respect the international humanitarian law, according to which the ill-treatment of POWs is a war crime.
The Parliament also raised the issue of the Azerbaijani refusal to cooperate with relevant international organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and called on the Azerbaijani authorities to stop prohibiting the access to Armenian prisoners for the representatives of these organizations or other lawyers, doctors and human rights defenders.
In addition, the resolution calls on the Azerbaijani government to fully cooperate with the European Court of Human Rights by providing an exhaustive list of all persons held in its captivity and detailed information on their conditions of detention and state of health. As a member-state of the Council of Europe, Azerbaijan is mandated to comply with the interim measures of the ECHR—something that the Azerbaijani authorities have failed to do.
In addition to the issue of Armenian POWs, the resolution criticizes the latest incursion by the Azerbaijani armed forces in Armenia’s sovereign territory and the violation of its territorial integrity as well as of international law. The European Parliament also deplored the increased level of hate speech and anti-Armenian state policy in Azerbaijan, particularly the opening of the so-called “Trophy Park” in Baku and urges that it be closed without delay.
The European Parliament reiterated its full support to the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and their mandate to find a sustainable peaceful solution for the conflict based on the OSCE 2009 Basic Principles, including the right for self-determination of the peoples. To conclude, the resolution also emphasized the urgent need to send humanitarian assistance and to ensure the security of the Armenian population and its cultural heritage in Nagorno Karabakh.
“With the resolution adopted by the European Parliament, the European Commission and the EEAS have an additional powerful tool in their possession to act more concretely and use all their political and diplomatic leverage for the return of all the Armenian captives,” said EAFJD president Kaspar Karampetian.
“It is an absolute disgrace that the Azerbaijani authorities are using this humanitarian issue as a bargaining chip for more geopolitical or territorial gains. The rights of the Armenian POWs to be treated humanely and to be released regardless of the circumstances of their detention are guaranteed by international conventions signed also by Azerbaijan. Since the end of the war, Azerbaijan is violating all of them,” added Karampetian.
“It is also important that with this resolution the European Parliament clearly criticized the ongoing violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia by Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani invasion must be firmly condemned by the international community,” concluded Karampetian.
The European Parliament has voted to freeze the ratification of the EU-China investment deal due to the sanctions that Beijing has imposed on five members of the hemicycle, Euronews reported.
In a resolution passed on Thursday afternoon, the Parliament also deplores what it calls the “crimes against humanity” that are taking place against the Uyghur Muslim minority in the Xinjiang region and the crackdown on the democratic opposition in Hong Kong.
The latest development represents a new blow to the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) that European leaders reached during a video call with Chinese President Xi Jinping less than five months ago.
The agreement’s main goal is to increase market access and ensure fair treatment for EU investors and companies doing business in China. The text wants to create a so-called level playing field and contains provisions on state-owned enterprises and subsidies.
The ratification of the investment deal by the European Parliament—a necessary step in the EU legislative cycle—was in doubt from the very moment the draft text was published, but tensions escalated rapidly when, in late March, the European Union decide to impose the first sanctions against China in more than 30 years.
The raft of measures, designed in coordination with Western allies, targeted four Chinese officials and one entity believed to be involved in the human rights violations against the Uyghur minority.
China reacted swiftly and furiously: in an almost instantaneous counter-strike, the Chinese Foreign Ministry slapped sanctions on ten European individuals, including five Members of the European Parliament, and four entities, among which was the Parliament’s subcommittee on human rights.
Beijing also blacklisted elected officials from the UK, the US, and Canada. In total, more than 30 individuals and entities were sanctioned.
The Chinese counter-sanctions have infuriated the European Parliament and soured the mood for ratification.
In the joint resolution approved on Thursday with 599 votes in favor and 30 against, MEPs lambaste Beijing’s response, calling it “an attack against the European Union and its Parliament as a whole, the heart of European democracy and values, as well as an attack against freedom of research.”
“While the EU’s sanctions target human rights violations and are based on legitimate and proportionate measures embedded in international law, China’s sanctions lack any legal justification, are entirely unsubstantiated and arbitrary and target the criticism of such human rights violations,” the parliamentarians wrote.
The MEPs say that any discussion around the investment deal “has justifiably been frozen because of the Chinese sanctions” and refuse to open the debate as long as they remain in place. They argue their ability to scrutinize the agreement has been “significantly hindered” by the restrictions placed on the subcommittee on human rights.
Moreover, the Parliament “considers the sanctions to be part of an effort to police speech about China worldwide and to determine what kind of speech and discussions would be allowed globally, and sees this effort as part of a totalitarian threat.”
The lawmakers took the opportunity to push the European Commission, which acts as main negotiator of the deal, to “improve the protection of human rights and support for civil society in China” and underlined that other trade and investment agreements with regional partners, like Taiwan, “should not be held hostage to the suspension of the CAI ratification.”
MEPs also urged the Chinese government to ratify and implement several conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO), including those related to forced labor, freedom of association and the right to organize.
China and the United States are the only big economies that have not ratified the 1930 convention that abolishes forced labor in all its forms. China hasn’t ratified either the United Nations’ International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Reacting to the move from Brussels, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the investment deal is a “win-win” for both sides and asked for “positive efforts” towards an early ratification. Spokesperson Zhao Lijian defended the Chinese counter-sanctions as a “necessary, legitimate and just reaction to the EU’s moves of imposing sanctions and seeking confrontation.”
“China has every sincerity in developing its relations with the EU. That said, we will firmly safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests. Sanctions and confrontation cannot solve the problems; dialogue and cooperation is the right way forward,” he said.
When the European Union finally adopted targeted sanctions against Chinese officials deemed responsible for crimes against humanity in Xinjiang in March, few in Brussels expected immediate retaliation from the Chinese government. But if Beijing’s intent was to bully the EU back into silence, the move backfired dramatically.
Today, only a few months after the conclusion of the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI), a trade deal between the EU and China, the European Parliament adopted a resolution to freeze its ratification. The deal has been controversial in the Parliament given concerns about forced labor in China, its rushed conclusion, and its lack of human rights protections and redress mechanisms. Beijing’s countersanctions against several European lawmakers and institutions managed to unite the European Parliament on CAI like nothing else has, and will now prevent any movement on ratification as long as they remain in place.
The European Parliament has been fiercely critical of China’s human rights violations, adopting numerous damning resolutions and awarding its prestigious Sakharov Prize in 2019 to Ilham Tohti, an ethnic Uyghur scholar sentenced to life imprisonment for his peaceful human rights activities. The Parliament has also begun the process for new due diligence legislation that if adopted would force companies to prevent and address human rights and environmental abuses in their supply chains, making it virtually impossible for them to operate in tightly repressed places like Xinjiang.
Members of the European Parliament should feel proud in their principled stance against China’s horrendous human rights violations and unrelenting bullying of its critics at home and abroad. They should recognize that China’s countersanctions were adopted not because European parliamentarians and institutions were implicated in human rights abuses, but because they dared to criticize China’s.
But rather than linking their opposition to the trade deal to Beijing’s groundless countersanctions, they should stay focused on the real obstacle to closer ties with China: that no institution should agree to preferential trade relations with a government that is committing crimes against humanity.
YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS. The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the POWs issue with 607 votes in favor, demanding the Armenian war prisoners to be released immediately and without preconditions.
ARMENPRESS presents parts of the resolution.
– having regard to its previous resolutions on Armenia and Azerbaijan,
– having regard to the EU-Armenia Partnership Council meeting of 17 December 2020 and the EU-Azerbaijan Cooperation Council meeting of 18 December 2020 and their respective conclusions,
– having regard to the Charter of the United Nations (UN), the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the European Convention on Human Rights and the Geneva Convention (III) relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War,
– having regard to the tripartite ceasefire statement by Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia of 9 November 2020, which came to effect on 10 November 2020,
– having regard to the Human Rights Watch report of 19 March 2021 entitled ‘Azerbaijan: Armenian POWs Abused in Custody’,
– having regard to the EU statement of 28 April 2021 on captives from the recent conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan,
– having regard to the Statements by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group of 25 October 2020, 30 October 2020, 14 December 2020, 13 April 2021 and 5 May 2021,
– having regard to the European Court of Human Right’s notification to the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers of 9 March 2021, under Rule 39 of the Rules of the Court, of interim measures in relation to the recent armed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan,
– having regard to Rules 144(5) and 132(4) of its Rules of Procedure,
Due to retaliatory sanctions imposed by Beijing on European parliamentarians, diplomats, academics and think tanks, members of the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to suspend the approval of the proposed agreement. Thursday’s resolution was passed with 599 votes in favour, 30 votes against and 58 abstentions.
Although it has no legal effect, the vote showed obstacles to the implementation of the agreement, which requires the approval of the European Parliament. This also reflects the shift in EU capital relative to the agreement, which only reached agreement on the political level in December.
In response to the European Union’s travel ban and the freezing of four Chinese officials and a security organization’s persecution and mass detention of Uyghur Muslims, Beijing has imposed sanctions on sanctions. China’s measures are mainly aimed at criticism of its policies, but also include EU institutions, such as the EU Political and Security Committee composed of ambassadors from 27 member states.
German green environmentalist Reinhard Bütikofer (Reinhard Bütikofer) is the head of the Chinese delegation to the European Parliament and one of the sanctioned members. He said that the legislature “will not succumb.” He said that Beijing’s efforts to conduct global dialogue and oversight on China issues are “ridiculous and conceited, and will fail.”
He said: “Due to sanctions, China miscalculated.” “They should learn from their mistakes and rethink.”
Pedro Marques, a member of the Socialist European Parliament from Portugal, said that China has been guilty of “attacks on European democracy” and declared: “We will not tolerate it.”
As the United States seeks to establish an international alliance to deal with Beijing in areas such as trade and security, the dispute over investment agreements highlights the increasingly fierce debate on EU policy towards China. European groups are expanding their economic arsenal, including proposing to ban foreign companies subsidized by certain countries from entering the EU single market.
Dutch Trade Minister Sigrid Kaag said her country “very” supports the actions taken by the European Parliament on the investment agreement.
She pointed out that “political pressure” from China is increasing, including adding Dutch parliament members from her own free D66 party to the sanctions list.
Kag also urged better coordination among EU institutions to formulate a consistent policy towards China.
She said on Thursday: “This is an example of a broader, difficult relationship. We need to find a way forward.” “We can’t just build some good modules for ourselves and then check the boxes instead of connecting the dots.”
The EU has been seeking this investment agreement for a long time, which will provide opportunities for EU companies doing business in the Chinese market while trying to resolve long-standing complaints about unfair treatment.
On the surface, industries that enjoy better access conditions include the automotive industry, private healthcare, cloud computing, and ancillary services for air transportation.
With the strong support of German Chancellor Angela Merkel (Angela Merkel), Germany pushed for this political agreement in the final days of the EU’s rotating presidency in December.
Armin Laschet, whose center-right party was nominated as chancellor of Germany in the September election, hinted on Wednesday that the deal would not be approved unless sanctions were lifted. “If you want to be [our] Partner, you must show mutual respect,” he said. “So on this issue, I hope to see the Chinese side move. ”
The Chinese delegation to the European Union did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The European Union, both in this case and in any other case, stands for the preservation of territorial integrity, Head of the European Union Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin told reporters in Syunik province.
She explained that the ambassadors of the EU countries are also in the Syunik province of Armenia.
The purpose of the visit is to collect facts and get acquainted with the situation on the spot, she noted.
European Parliament has adopted the resolution demanding Azerbaijan to release all Armenian POWs.
The resolution has been adopted with 607 votes for and 27 votes against, while 54 MEPs abstained to vote.
Parliament deplores the violence that took place during the most recent war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh area between 27 September and 10 November last year. MEPs also express their grave concern about credible reports, according to which Azerbaijan has been holding and torturing Armenian prisoners of war and other captive persons in degrading conditions since the end of active hostilities.
MEPs urge the Government of Azerbaijan to provide exhaustive lists of all persons held in connection with the armed conflict and to provide information about their whereabouts and health, including of those who have died in captivity.
The resolution finally demands the immediate and unconditional release of all Armenian prisoners, both military and civilian, detained by Azerbaijan during and after the conflict, and that Azerbaijan refrain from detaining people arbitrarily in the future.
The draft resolution reads as follows:
“MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 144 of the Rules of Procedure
on prisoners of war in the aftermath of the most recent conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on the South Caucasus and on the European Neighbourhood Policy,
– having regard to its resolution of 20 January 2021 on the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy – annual report 2020,
– having regard to the European Parliament recommendation of 19 June 2020 to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the Eastern Partnership, in the run-up to the June 2020 Summit,
– having regard to the letter by 120 Members of the European Parliament to Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Charles Michel, President of the European Council, on the Armenian prisoners of war held by Azerbaijan of 3 May,
– having regard to the Statement by High Representative Josep Borrell on the Armenia/Azerbaijan border situation of 14 May 2021,
– having regard to the EU Statement on captives from the recent conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan at the 1402nd meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 28 April 2021,
– having regard to the Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on Nagorno Karabakh of 19 November 2020,
– having regard to the Statements by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group of 13 April and 5 May,
– having regard to the letter addressed by Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović to President Aliyev on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict of 20 April 2021,
– having regard to the Joint Statements by the Chair of the Delegation for relations with the South Caucasus, MEP Marina Kaljurand, the European Parliament’s Standing Rapporteur on Armenia, MEP Andrey Kovatchev, and the European Parliament’s Standing Rapporteur on Azerbaijan, MEP Željana Zovko of 13 November 2020, 2 February 2021 and 23 March 2021,
– having regard to the Human Rights Watch report “Azerbaijan: Armenian POWs Abused in Custody” of 19 March 2021,
– having regard to the Partnership Priorities between the EU and Azerbaijan endorsed by the Cooperation Council on 28 September 2018,
A. whereas the trilateral ceasefire agreement of 9 November 2020 between Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia ended the hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh that were conducted from September 27 to November 9; whereas the war resulted in the loss of lives of thousands of servicemen on both sides and caused great suffering to civilians by causing hundreds of tragic civilian casualties and tenths of thousands of displaced people;
B. whereas the paragraph 8 of the ceasefire agreement provides that “exchange of prisoners of war, hostages and other detainees as well as the remains of the fatalities shall be carried out”; whereas it was agreed by the parties concerned that the return of captives would be carried out on the principle of “all in exchange for all”;
C. whereas Armenia released all captives of the recent war and no Azerbaijani prisoners of war or civilians are known to be held in Armenia or Nagorno-Karabakh;
D. whereas Azerbaijan still holds Armenian prisoners of war and has allegedly made new prisoners, including civilians, after the official end of hostilities; whereas it is difficult to precisely draw up the number of remaining prisoners and captives, due to the high number of missing persons and the lack of cooperation from the Azerbaijani side, but it would include 69 people whose captivity Azerbaijan admits, 112 people about whom Azerbaijan did not provide any information, and 61 people whose captivity Azerbaijan categorically denies, but about whom there is concrete evidence to the contrary;
E. whereas the refusal of the Azerbaijani authorities to unconditionally liberate all the prisoners of war and captives is a grave violation of the international humanitarian law, a non-respect of the ceasefire agreement of 9 November 2020 and is also in deep contradiction with Azerbaijan’s claims to move to normalization and reconciliation;
F. whereas Azerbaijan has not responded to the mandatory information request by the European Court of Human Rights on the circumstances of the capture, the conditions under which prisoners of war are detained, their medical examinations or treatment with the support of medical certificates, made by the Court under Rule 39 in the context of legal proceedings initiated at the urgent request of Armenia[1];
G. whereas the Human Rights Watch reported on 19 of March that Azerbaijani security and armed forces abused Armenian prisoners of war, subjecting them to cruel and degrading treatment and torture either when they were captured, during their transfer, or while in custody at various detention facilities; whereas Azerbaijani forces used violence to detain civilians and subjected them to torture and inhuman and degrading conditions of detention, leading to the death of at least two detainees in Azerbaijani captivity; whereas Azerbaijani forces detained these civilians even though there was no evidence that they posed any security threat to justify their detention under international humanitarian law;
H. whereas the creation of a « Military Trophies Park » in Baku goes against the responsibility held by authorities of Azerbaijan to heal the wounds inflicted by the armed conflict and to ensure that citizens under Azerbaijan’s rule are treated with respect;
I. whereas videos reportedly circulated on the Internet and social media which evidenced instances of abuse and ill treatment of captives by members of the armed forces of both sides; whereas there is no indication that Azerbaijani or Armenian authorities have conducted prompt, public and effective investigations into these incidents, or that the investigations, if any, have resulted in criminal prosecutions;
J. whereas during the hostilities from September to November 2020 the Armenian and Azerbaijani military forces carried out unlawfully indiscriminate rocket and missile strikes on populated areas, causing civilian casualties and damaging homes, businesses and schools, and contributing to mass displacement; whereas both sides also used cluster munitions, banned because of their widespread indiscriminate effect and long-lasting danger on civilians, in populated areas, resulting in civilian casualties;
K. Whereas millions of pieces of unexploded ordnance and mines are spread in and around Nagorno Karabakh; whereas all sides should provide available maps of minefields to permit civilians to return to former conflict regions;
L. whereas on May 12, troops from Azerbaijan entered the territory of Armenia, which amounts to a violation of the territorial integrity of Armenia and of international law;
M. whereas on May 16, Azerbaijan started military exercises in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic involving up to 15,000 military personnel and heavy military equipment;
N. whereas the European Commission announced on 17 of May the allocation of an additional €10 million in humanitarian aid to help civilians affected by the recent conflict in and around Nagorno Karabakh, bringing the EU assistance to people in need, since the start of the hostilities in September 2020, to over €17 million;
Regrets that the outcome of the ceasefire agreement led towards deployment of the so-called Russian peacekeepers to Nagorno-Karabakh, which based on experiences of other Eastern Partnership countries serves the interests of Russia alone;
Condemns the support provided to Azerbaijan by Turkey, which only encouraged Azerbaijan to use military force instead of peaceful negotiations; also condemns the participation of Syrian mercenaries, brought by Turkey, to the armed conflict;
Notes that the conflict destabilized Armenian political environment, which after 2018 parliamentary election embarked on a path of democratic and pro-European reforms, and increased Armenia’s dependability on Russia known for its active opposition to democratization of the EU’s Eastern Partners;
Stresses that a lasting settlement still remains to be found and that the process of achieving peace and determining Nagorno-Karabakh’s future legal status should be led by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and founded on their 2009 Basic Principles, in line with the norms and principles of international law, the UN Charter and the OSCE 1975 Helsinki Final Act;
Regrets that the EU Member States participating in the OSCE Minsk Group were not present when the ceasefire agreement was brokered, as well as the EU did not demonstrate leadership in bringing to the negotiation table two of its highly valued Eastern Partners;
Expresses concerns over decreased activity of the OSCE Minsk Group and capacity to serve its purpose; calls for active EU and its Member States engagement in reinforcing the peace and reconciliation process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, applying similar leadership demonstrated in Georgia when mediating the prolonged political crisis;
Raises concerns over a decision of the separatist parliament of Nagorno-Karabakh to make Russian the region’s second official language, along with Armenian language;
Calls on both parties to fully and expeditiously complete the exchange process for all prisoners, detainees, and human remains, and to respect their obligations to ensure the humane treatment of detainees;
Calls on Azerbaijan to comply with its obligations under the international humanitarian law and with the ceasefire agreement and to release without delay all remaining prisoners of war and detained persons, regardless of the circumstances of their arrest and to refrain from arbitrary detentions in the future; urges the government of Azerbaijan to provide the lists of all persons in captivity in Azerbaijan detained in connection with the armed conflict or in its aftermath and to provide information about their whereabouts and state of health;
Expresses its grave concern over the numerous allegations of abuse of the prisoners of Nagorno-Karabakh war, in particular as documented in the Human Rights Watch report “Azerbaijan: Armenian POWs Abused in Custody”; reminds the governments of Azerbaijan and Armenia of their international obligations to conduct independent, prompt, public and effective investigations and prosecute all credible allegations of breaches of the Geneva Conventions, and violations of the prohibition of torture; stresses that full respect of international humanitarian law and the prohibition of torture and other degrading or inhuman treatment must be ensured;
Calls on the government of Azerbaijan to refrain from any violence, harassment, torture and ill-treatment of Armenian prisoners and fully respect the provisions of international humanitarian and human rights law; calls, furthermore, to respect legal safeguards, to ensure judicial control over detentions, allow access of independent lawyers, doctors, human rights defenders to prisoners, and facilitate communication with the relatives;
Calls on Azerbaijan to provide the outstanding information requested by the European Court of Human Rights;
Calls on the government of Azerbaijan to guarantee free and unimpeded access to prisoners for relevant international organisations, such as International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT);
Highlights the urgent need to ensure that humanitarian assistance can reach those in need, that the security of the Armenian population and its cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh is ensured, that unexploded ordnance and mines are removed, i.a. through the provision of maps of minefields, and that internally displaced persons and refugees can return to their former places of residence;
Disapproves the opening of the “Military Trophies Park” in Baku, which displays Armenian military equipment taken as a trophy during the war and caricatured mannequins of Armenian soldiers; sees such exposition as humiliating and dehumanizing, increasing the violent rhetoric, and obstructing much needed reconciliation efforts;
Strongly insist on both parties to refrain from any actions destructing Armenian heritage in Azerbaijan and Azeri heritage in Armenia; deplores destruction of the Armenian cemetery in Julfa, in the Nakhchivan exclave of Azerbaijan, and dismantling of the Ghazanchetsots Cathedral in Shushi by Azerbaijan, inter alia; deplores the destruction of mosques and cemeteries by Armenian forces during the past 30 years; considers unacceptable reports of destruction of or manipulation with Armenian cultural and religious sites by Azerbaijani authorities; urges that no interventions on Armenian heritage sites occur prior to a UNESCO assessment mission, and that Armenian and international cultural heritage experts are consulted prior to, and closely involved during interventions on Armenian cultural heritage sites; calls for full restoration of these and other demolished sites and for greater involvement of the international community, particularly UNESCO, in protecting the world heritage in the region;
Underlines that renewed efforts are necessary to build confidence between both countries, which include the lifting of restrictions on access to Nagorno-Karabakh, including for representatives of international humanitarian organizations, the unblocking of transportation and communication lines throughout the region, and the fostering of direct contacts and co-operation between communities affected by the conflict as well as other people-to-people confidence building measures;
Calls on the EU and Member States to put pressure on Azerbaijan and Armenia to take a firm stance against any rhetoric or actions which lead to triggering animosity or hatred and instead, provide full support and political backing towards efforts aimed at promoting peace and reconciliation between the populations affected by the conflict, particularly bearing in mind the wellbeing of the future generations of Azerbaijan and Armenia;
Calls on the parties to resume at the earliest opportunity high-level political dialogue under the auspices of the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group;
Calls on Azerbaijan and Armenia to make an immediate commitment not to use cluster munitions and to take the necessary steps to join without further delay the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which comprehensively bans their use;
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, the EU Member States, the Council of Europe, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the OSCE, Armenia and Azerbaijan.”
On 20 May 2021, Europol supported the German Regional Criminal Police of Nordrhein-Westfalen (Landeskriminalamt Nordrhein-Westfalen) and the Italian Finance Corps (Guardia di Finanza) of Rome and Naples in dismantling an organised crime group involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit euro banknotes, drug trafficking and tax fraud. Law enforcement authorities from the BelgianFederal Police (Federale Politie, Police Fédérale) and the French National Police (Police Nationale) also assisted the investigation. The suspects are believed to have ties to the Camorra mafia clan.
The criminal network is involved in the production of counterfeit euros in the area of Naples in Italy and their subsequent distribution in Germany.
The main suspect is also believed to be involved in the trafficking of different illegal commodities including drugs, stolen vehicles and falsified documents. He is suspected of distributing these illegal commodities, acquired by his associates living in Naples and connected to the Camorra.
During the course of the investigation law enforcement officers made several seizures including cocaine, an illegal firearm and counterfeit money for a value of about €160 000. This investigation also led to the first seizure of a counterfeit banknote of the new €100, just six months after its official release by the European Central Bank.
Europol facilitated the information exchange, operational coordination and provided analytical support. During the action day, Europol supported with technical expertise and cross-checked operational information against Europol’s databases and the systems of the European Central Bank.
This investigation is part of the Italian DIA Project ONNET, an EU-financed initiative to tackle mafia-type organised crime groups active in Europe. The project was launched at Europol’s headquarters and targets the mafia-style criminal groups in their entirety, rather than one or more of their specific criminal activities.
Headquartered in The Hague, the Netherlands, Europol supports the 27 EU Member States in their fight against terrorism, cybercrime, and other serious and organized crime forms. Europol also works with many non-EU partner states and international organisations. From its various threat assessments to its intelligence-gathering and operational activities, Europol has the tools and resources it needs to do its part in making Europe safer.
European Commission Daily news Brussels, 20 May 2021 Coronavirus: la Commission signe un troisième contrat avec BioNTech-Pfizer portant sur 1,8 milliard de doses supplémentaires
La Commission europ&e…
The Board of Supervisors confirmed the appointment at its meeting on Thursday 20 May, following the European Parliament’s confirmation of Ms. Cazenave’s candidature in its plenary session on 18 May.
Anneli Tuominen, Interim Chair, said
“I welcome today’s appointment of Natasha Cazenave as ESMA’s new Executive Director. She brings with her a wealth of experience from the public and private sectors, which will benefit ESMA as it enters its second decade.
“The members of the Management Board and the Board of Supervisors are looking forward to working with Natasha in implementing its ambitious Work Programme and preparing for future challenges and responsibilities.
“On behalf of the Board of Supervisors I would like to warmly thank Verena Ross for her role over the past ten years in making ESMA the successful EU authority it is today.”
Natasha Cazenave, incoming Executive Director, said
“I am honoured by this appointment and eager to work with the members of the Board and ESMA’s committed staff as the organisation begins a new phase of development.”
Ms. Cazenave replaces Verena Ross, the outgoing Executive Director, and is appointed for a five-year term, renewable once. She is currently Deputy Secretary General and Head of the Policy and International Affairs Directorate at the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF).
The European Parliament on Wednesday adopted a report on Turkey’s accession process noting serious concern that its government has pursued a continuous and growing distancing from EU values and standards in recent years.
The report also recommends the formal suspension of accession negotiations with Turkey in line with the negotiating framework from October 2005.
It was voted in with 480 in favor, 64 against and 150 abstentions, out of a total of 694 EMPs.
“…(The suspension) is in order for both sides to review in a realistic manner and through a structured and comprehensive high-level dialogue, the appropriateness of the current framework and its ability to function, or, if necessary, to explore possible new models for future relations,” it said.
“Unilateral actions in the Eastern Mediterranean as well as strong and at times provocative statements against the EU and its Member States have brought EU-Turkey relations to an historical low point, having deteriorated to such an extent that it requires both parties to profoundly reassess the current state of these relations and their framework, in order to restore dialogue in a context of mutual trust and cooperation and effectively solve the root causes of the current conflicts,” it added.
The EP is deeply concerned that, over the years, the lack of progress in Turkey’s convergence has transformed into a full withdrawal, marked by a stark regression in three main areas:
(i) backsliding in relation to the rule of law and fundamental rights,
(ii) adopting regressive institutional reforms and
(iii) pursuing a confrontational and hostile foreign policy, including towards the EU and its Member States, especially Greece and Cyprus.
On Cyprus, the report notes that the EP “is deeply concerned by Turkey’s unprecedented illegal behaviour in the Eastern Mediterranean conducted by an EU candidate country against EU Member States, and by the related security and stability risks”.
“The EP strongly condemns Turkey’s illegal activities in Greek and Cypriot waters, as well as its violations of the Greek national airspace, including overflights of inhabited areas, and its territorial sea, which violate both the sovereignty and the sovereign rights of an EU Member State and international law.”
The EP also expressed its full solidarity with Greece and the Republic of Cyprus and reaffirmed the right of Cyprus to enter into bilateral agreements on its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and explore and exploit its natural resources in full compliance with relevant international law.
It also expresses its “grave concern about the illegal Turkish fishing activities within Greek territorial waters in the Aegean Sea and the unregulated and unreported fishing activities of Turkish fishing fleets in international waters in the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean.”
It urges Turkey and all stakeholders involved to engage in “the bona fide peaceful settlement of disputes and to refrain from any unilateral and illegal action or threats; stresses that a sustainable conflict resolution can only be found through dialogue, diplomacy and negotiations in a spirit of good will and in line with international law;
“Calls on all sides for a genuine collective engagement to negotiate the delimitation of EEZs and the continental shelf in good faith, fully respecting international law and the principle of good relations between neighbours.”
It also “notes with regret that the casus belli declared against Greece in 1995 has not been withdrawn yet”, but welcomes “the new round of exploratory talks between Greece and Turkey, after a five-year hiatus which seek to address, amongst other things, the delimitation of the continental shelf and the EEZ in line with international law. ”
It reiterates its call on the Turkish Government “to sign and ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which is part of the European Union acquis.”
Furthermore, the Parliament in paragraph 67, “strongly condemns the partial illegal reopening of Varosha in the city of Famagusta, which undermines mutual trust and therefore the prospect of the resumption of direct talks on the comprehensive resolution of the Cyprus issue, by changing the situation on the ground for the worse, exacerbating division and embedding the permanent partition of Cyprus.”
The report “warns against any change of the status quo in Varosha in violation of the UNSC resolutions” and calls on Turkey “to reverse this action and avoid any other unilateral action that could raise further tensions on the island, in compliance with the recent call of the UNSC”.
It calls on Turkey “to withdraw its troops from Cyprus, to transfer the Varosha area to its lawful inhabitants under the temporary administration of the UN in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550 (1984) and to refrain from actions altering the demographic balance on the island through a policy of illegal settlements.”
It reiterates its call on Turkey “to commit and contribute to a comprehensive settlement in line with the relevant UNSC resolutions, including on the restitution of property and the preservation of religious sites”.
The report, among other issue calls upon Turkey to reverse its withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, urges the country to recognize the Armenian Genocide and calls for an EU-Turkey leaders’ meeting after a genuine process of de-escalation, in order to review the current framework of relations or explore new, more effective models for EU-Turkey relations.
YEREVAN, MAY 19, ARMENPRESS. The European Parliament confirmed a resolution-report on Turkey a while ago, where the institution reaffirms its call for recognizing the Armenian Genocide. The resolution also urges Turkey to refrain from anti-Armenian propaganda and hate speech, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Armenian Embassy in Belgium.
The reports also makes a number of references to the negative role of Turkey in Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
The fact that Turkey decided to unconditionally support Azerbaijan’s military operations and contributed to its continuation instead of making calls for stopping the military operations and resuming peace talks under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs’ format was condemned.
The fact that Turkey sent Syrian and other mercenaries to Nagorno Karabakh, which has been confirmed by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair countries is condemned.
The report once again calls on Turkey to refrain from any action or rhetoric that can further escalate the situation in the South Caucasus.
In addition, the reports calls on the EU and EU member states to think about including ”Grey wolves” extremist movement in the EU list of terrorist organization and ban the activities of its branches in the EU member states, as well as to attentively monitor their activities and countermeasure their possible actions which are mainly a threat for the citizens of Armenian, Kurdish or Greek origin.
* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)
Click to read the article in Turkish (1) (2)
Prepared by Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Nacho Sánchez Amor, the European Parliament’s 2019-2020 report on Turkey was adopted at the Plenary Session yesterday (May 19).
While 480 MEPs voted in favour of the report 64 MEPs voted against it. 150 MEPs abstained from the vote.
The report has called on the Commission, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council and all Member States “to suspend accession negotiations with Turkey and all financial agreements between the European Union (EU) and Turkey, in particular by freezing pre-accession assistance to Turkey, until the EU is convinced that Turkey is fulfilling its contractual obligations to properly manage the funds and is fully complying with EU and international law.”
Urging Turkey to recognize the Armenian genocide, the report has also demanded that Turkey “align its anti-terrorism legislation with international standards in order to ensure effective protection of fundamental rights and freedoms and proportionality and equality before the law.”
The report has called on “Turkey to maintain progress in its alignment with the EU directives and acquis related to the environment and climate action and to ratify the Paris Agreement on climate change” and condemned Turkey for withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention.
The report has also said the following about the Eastern Mediterranean: The EP is “deeply concerned by Turkey’s unprecedented illegal behaviour in the Eastern Mediterranean conducted by an EU candidate country against EU Member States, and by the related security and stability risks; strongly condemns Turkey’s illegal activities in Greek and Cypriot waters, as well as its violations of the Greek national airspace, including overflights of inhabited areas, and its territorial sea, which violate both the sovereignty and the sovereign rights of an EU Member State and international law; expresses its full solidarity with Greece and the Republic of Cyprus.”
CLICK – EP’s 2019-2020 Report on Turkey
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey condemned the adoption of this report by issuing a press release yesterday.
“This unilateral and by no means objective report, adopted in a period when efforts are made to revive Turkey-EU relations on the basis of EU membership perspective within the framework of a positive agenda, is unacceptable,” the Ministry has said and briefly added the following:
“We reject this biased text which not only includes false allegations regarding human rights, democracy, the rule of law, our governmental system and political parties; and views Turkey’s effective, solution-oriented, humanitarian and enterprising foreign policy as a threat; but also reflects the completely unfair and biased Greek and Greek Cypriot arguments regarding the Aegean, the Eastern Mediterranean and Cyprus issue and supports the one-sided and inconsistent Armenian narratives regarding the 1915 events.
“We consider that the wording in the report which is trying to open the future of Turkey’s accession negotiations to discussion, reflects a lack of vision and an effort to deviate from the principle of pacta sunt servanda. It is well known by the EU institutions and the EP members that the standstill in Turkey’s accession negotiations is not due to Turkey’s lack of will for reforms or any shortcoming in assuming the EU acquis, but, rather, to the fact that certain circles have exploited the membership process as an opportunity for political gains against Turkey since the beginning of this process. EU membership is a strategic goal for Turkey and will be beneficial for all of Europe and beyond. Turkey will decisively continue its efforts in line with this objective.
“While the EU expresses its appreciation for our efforts, particularly with regard to migration issue, within the scope of the Turkey-EU Statement of 18 March 2016, for which we have fulfilled our commitments, the EU should get out of the vicious circle of not taking any concrete step to fulfil its own commitments in the 18 March Statement, ranging from Turkey’s EU accession process to cooperation on migration.
“As a candidate country, Turkey expects the EP to carry out constructive efforts about how the relations can be improved with Turkey and how it can contribute to Turkey’s EU integration process, rather than being a platform for baseless allegations and blind accusations against Turkey.” (EKN/SD)
Singapore Business Review, in partnership with Invest Northern Ireland, is bringing you in an exclusive webinar on Investing in Northern Ireland: Market Access to United Kingdom and European Union. Within the 60-minute webinar, find out about the success of Northern Ireland in capturing foreign direct investment and why it will continue as a major FDI destination as it moves past UK’s EU exit.
On top of this, join us as we learn what Citibank and Rakuten have in common? And maybe even look closer at what brought each of these diverse companies to Europe’s fastest-growing FDI destination.
Join this exclusive webinar on 22 June 2021 at 16:00 (SGT) to learn:
● Northern Ireland’s value drivers for inward investment and sector strengths;
● The case of Rakuten in investing in Northern Ireland; and
● Northern Ireland’s investment proposition post EU Exit – Dual Access to UK and EU
AGENDA
Subject to change
4:00 pm – 4:05 pm (SGT) – Welcome Remarks
Paul Howell, Managing Editor, Singapore Business Review
4:05 pm – 4:15 pm (SGT) The traditional main value drivers for Foreign Direct Investment into Northern Ireland
Resulting in Northern Ireland becoming:
• The #1 international investment location for US cyber security firms.
• The world’s top region for FS technology inward investment.
• Belfast is Europe’s leading FDI destination for new software development.
Nick Caldwell, Head of Territory APAC, Invest Northern Ireland
4:15 pm – 4:30 pm (SGT) Why Rakuten chose to acquire a Northern Irish company and how they have continued to invest and expand in the region?
Highlighting:
• How, why, and when their organization invested in Northern Ireland;
• What was Rakuten’s expectations?
• Any hurdles they had to overcome?
• Why Rakuten decided to set up Blockchain lab in Belfast
• And the results since the move
Fergal Downey, Vice President of Engineering, Rakuten Blockchain Lab
4:30 pm – 4:40 pm (SGT) Northern Ireland’s Investment proposition post EU Exit
Dual Access to UK and EU:
• What the Northern Ireland protocol is.
• How the protocol gives Northern Ireland a unique advantage compared to other regions in the UK, and throughout Europe.
• How the protocol is attracting non-traditional FDI opportunities in sectors such as Advanced Manufacturing.
• How Invest NI can assist your company to utilise the advantages provided by the Protocol.
Peter Curran, Trade Manager, Invest Northern Ireland
4:40 pm – 4:55 pm (SGT) Q&A
4:55 pm – 5:00 pm (SGT) Closing Remarks
5:00 pm (SGT) End of programme
The European Parliament chambers in Brussels, Belgium.
Condemns Ankara’s overt support of Azerbaijan in its aggressive attack on Artsakh, including sending mercenaries to fight
The European Parliament on Wednesday reaffirmed its recognition of the Armenian Genocide with a resolution passed by the body that also urged Turkey to end its anti-Armenian propaganda and hate speech directed at Armenians, Armenia’s Embassy in Belgium reported.
The European Parliament first recognized the Armenian Genocide in 1987 and in 2015, on the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, strengthened its position.
Wednesday’s measure further reaffirmed the body’s commitment to justice, by placing a spotlight on Turkey’s overt intervention in last fall’s Karabakh War.
The European parliament also condemned the fact that Turkey decided to unconditionally support Azerbaijan’s military operations and contributed to its continuation instead of making calls for stopping the military operations and resuming peace talks under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs’ format.
Furthermore, it also decried that Turkey sent Syrian and other mercenaries to Nagorno Karabakh, which has been confirmed by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairing countries.
Wednesday resolution-report also called on the European Union and its member states to including the extremist Turkish “Grey wolves” in the EU list of terrorist organization and ban the activities of its branches in EU member states, “as well as to attentively monitor their activities and counter their possible actions which are mainly a threat for the citizens of Armenian, Kurdish or Greek origin.”
Sir, – Jennifer Bray quotes unnamed sources as claiming that subsidies for affordable housing developments on State lands in urban areas could fall foul of EU state aid rules (“How do Opposition party policies on housing stack up?”, Analysis, May 14th). This misleading argument is used by some to blame the EU for the lack of social and affordable housing here or to shut down the conversation on the role of the State in the supply of social and affordable housing, or both.
<p class="LETTER">The European Commission has made it very clear that it is up to each member state to define its policy on services of a general economic interest (SGEI) into which social and affordable housing falls.</p>
<p class="LETTER">The only role the European Commission has is to ensure that the aid intended for social purposes is not misused to finance commercial activities. </p>
<p class="LETTER">In a recent report commissioned by the Irish Council on Social Housing, Prof Padraic Kenna of NUIG has pointed out that “the EU Treaties prohibit state aid which would distort competition, but some state aid is permitted to designated SGEIs. These are economic activities which deliver outcomes for the overall public good, that would not be supplied (or would be supplied under different conditions in terms of quality, safety, affordability, equal treatment or universal access) by the market, without public intervention. The explicit designation of an economic activity, with a public interest mission, as an SGEI, by a member state is recognised in EU law.” </p>
<p class="LETTER">The public interest mission for social and affordable housing in Ireland is set out in the 2009 Housing Act and in the Affordable Housing Bill 2020. Affordability is defined in the 2009 Act as representing 35 per cent of net income. It is a pity that the current Bill going through the Oireachtas sets affordability at 25 per cent of the market rent. </p>
<p class="LETTER">In a rental market that is clearly dysfunctional for those on moderate incomes a 25 per cent reduction in rent or, indeed, 35 per cent of net income, may be crippling. Nonetheless, linking affordability to income is critical. – Yours, etc,</p>
<p class="LETTER">ANNE BARRINGTON,</p>
<p class="LETTER">Director and Trustee,</p>
<p class="LETTER">Ó Cualann </p>
<p class="LETTER">Cohousing Alliance,</p>
<p class="LETTER">Glenageary,</p>
<p class="LETTER">Co Dublin.</p>