EU Lawmakers Pledge to Reject EU-China Investment Deal in First Meeting on Beijing’s Sanctions

Members of European Parliament have vowed to reject the EU-China Investment Agreement that was awaiting ratification over China’s human rights abuses and sanctions by the ruling communist party.

More than 30 MEPs took the floor on April 28 to denounce China for demanding that the EU stop criticism of its human rights record, saying they won’t ratify the China investment deal unless human rights are addressed first. Some have said outright that they want the deal thrown out.

The comments were made during the European Parliament’s first meeting regarding the Chinese communist regime’s counter-sanctions against EU representatives and entities who sanctioned several Chinese communist officials over human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang in late March.

But the counter-sanctions imperiled the likelihood of the investment deal being ratified.

French MEP Emmanuel Maurel told parliament of the CCP’s sanctions, “If we want to show, once and for all, that the EU is not just a supermarket but rather has principles … we have to come up with some tangible action, and that means we need to reject the investment agreement.”

Vice-Chair of the EU Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights and German MEP Hannah Neumann said, “This is a regime arbitrarily shooting a shotgun targeting our freedom of expression, our freedom of research, and our rights as members of parliament.”

She told Parliament that human rights need to be addressed before moving forward with the investment deal, adding “I am not willing to let a foreign country dictate to me how to do my job.”

German Greens MEP Reinhard Bütikofer, Chair of the European Parliament’s China Delegation, who was targeted by Beijing’s sanction list, said that if the sanctions Beijing has imposed on the EU parliament are not lifted, the “EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment, or ‘CAI’, is in the deep freeze as far as the European Parliament is concerned.”

He said the sanctions marked “a new height of China’s aggressive claim to power.”

“Instead, we will put pressure to use new instruments to better protect our economy against unfair Chinese practices, be it in access to procurement markets, the fight against illegal subsidies, or against products made using forced labour,” he added, according to a statement.

Maria Arena, a MEP from Belgium, added, “If pro-democracy rights in Hong Kong or Taiwan cannot be discussed in this parliament, then nothing can be discussed in this parliament.”

Five leading EU MEPs whose votes are needed to ratify the EU-China investment deal were included in the sanctions.

Focus on Trade, Not Human Rights: Beijing

Meanwhile, Chinese leaders have continued trying to push for the deal, calling the EU to focus on trade and not human rights.

Xi Jinping on April 16 urged the EU to ratify the investment deal in a video conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of the world leaders’ summit on climate issues.

On April 20, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with business leaders from major EU countries in Chengdu’s China-EU center to seek support for the investment deal.

Then, on April 28, in a virtual meeting for the sixth German-Chinese government consultations, Li told German Chancellor Angela Merkel that Germany should focus on trade and not China’s “internal affairs” that include human rights issues, Politico reported.

The EU-China investment agreement has been championed in the EU by German Chancellor Angela Merkel for its promise to open up more sectors of the Chinese economy to EU investment and benefits for European carmakers manufacturing out of China. French President Emmanuel Macron has supported Merkel’s efforts, despite several EU country’s objections.

The agreement was signed last December after seven years of negotiations but it must be ratified by EU Parliament to take effect.

Merkel is stepping down in September and her SPD has slumped in recent election polls, with the opposition Greens party enjoying a polling lead.

The Greens recently said in statement: “Trade is a powerful lever to defend and strengthen human rights and fundamental democratic values. Unfortunately, the EU-China investment agreement, hastily concluded by the German government at the end of last year, contradicts this very goal.”

Macron is also facing strong backlash against the CAI domestically ahead of next year’s presidential election.

The EU on April 24 also took action to condemn the Chinese regime’s aggression in South China Sea that it said was endangering regional peace.

On April 21, EU President Ursula von der Leyen had also said in “progress report” on China that “fundamental divergences” between the EU and China about “economic systems and managing globalization, democracy and human rights, or on how to deal with third countries” were becoming a reality that are “set to remain for the foreseeable future and must not be brushed under the carpet.”

EU Commissioner for Employment Hopes for Agreement on EU Minimum Wages by June

Member States will hopefully reach a common position on the definition of EU minimum wages before the end of Portugal’s presidency of the Council, which runs until June, European Commissioner for employment, Nicolas Schmit, told Lusa.pt, highlighting the “efforts” made by Portugal to that end.

“I have my wishes and that would mean reaching an agreement on a common position in the Council … as soon as possible, but it would be good if it could be during the Portuguese presidency,” Schmit told Lusa in Brussels.

He stressed that he did not want to “speculate on when there might be a common position” between member states, but noted that “the Portuguese presidency is making a lot of effort in this area” to achieve an agreement.

“I do not want to interfere in discussions at Council level, so we will see,” he said.

Alluding to Portugal’s objective of reaching a compromise text in the Council on the new directive on European minimum salaries, Schmit stressed that “the process is moving forward” towards that end.

“We have a report on minimum wages, or at least a draft report, and we have discussions at the Council level and especially in the Council’s working group,” he said.

When asked if any kind of compromise could be reached during the Social Summit scheduled for 7 May in Porto, the commissioner said he did not expect “a solution on minimum wages or other issues that are under discussion” to be reached so soon, speaking rather of a “political signal” to be given in this policy area.

The definition of a fair and adequate European minimum wages is one of the elements of the negotiation of the action plan for the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, which Portugal wants to see approved during its EU Council presidency, despite differences among the 27 member states.

The Social Pillar is a non-binding text to promote these rights in the EU in which reference is made to pay, among other issues, with the argument that “Workers have the right to fair wages that provide for a decent standard of living.”

Last October, the European Commission presented a legislative proposal on European minimum wages, but there have been difficulties in the negotiations in the Council. As a result, the commission has stressed that it does not want to impose amounts on countries, but rather indicators to ensure a decent quality of life for workers.

EU treaties recognise the competence of each member state in setting wages, but the commission has used a flexible interpretation that includes wages in working conditions – which are covered by EU law.

Currently, 21 member states have a minimum wage defined by law, while in the remaining six – Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Italy and Sweden – such benchmarks are set through collective bargaining. It is mainly these six countries that oppose the concept, but employers’ associations are also against the proposal, arguing that the directive could jeopardise the viability of businesses already badly affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

The commission has already completely ruled out the idea of a single minimum wage applicable in all 27 states.

Figures released by Eurostat, the EU’s statistics office, show that at the beginning of this year, the gross minimum wage in the EU ranged from €332 in Bulgaria to €2,202 in Luxembourg. Portugal’s ranks 10th at €776 (recalculated to take account of the fact that the actual minimum salary is paid in 14 instalments). Ana Matos Neves/Euractiv

Juncker: EU has to be ‘less naive’ with China

Former European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker believes the European Union has to be “less naive” with China, saying that “Europeans have to organise their relations” better with other foreign powers.

“China, of course, is a trade partner of the European Union, a quite important one – depending on the different countries because European countries have different trade relations with China – but China is our rival and is our competitor,” Juncker said in an interview with Lusa.

In the office he holds in the Berlaymont, the headquarters of the European Commission, which he presided over between 2014 and 2019, Juncker stressed that China’s internal market is “large” and the EU should seek to “ensure” that it “remains open to European companies, in the same way that Europe’s internal market is open to Chinese companies.”

He said that the EU “needs better access to the internal market of China and all efforts spent in that direction are welcome”.

In this sense, Juncker considers that the EU-China investment agreement – whose agreement in principle was reached between the European Union and China in December 2020, after seven years of negotiations that had begun under Juncker’s presidency – is “a step in the right direction,” even though it is insufficiently robust on labour conditions.

In the agreement, China – which so far hasn’t ratified four of the eight core International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions, including the two on forced labour – commits to “effectively implement” the conventions it has already ratified, to “work towards ratifying” the missing ones and to “make continued and sustained efforts to ratify” the two conventions on forced labour.

Juncker believes these references to ILO conventions are “very weak”.

“China has to realise that we expect our Chinese partners to respect all international standards and principles” on labour issues, he stressed.

Asked if he would advise the European Parliament not to ratify the agreement in question – one of the steps missing for the agreement to enter into force – Juncker said “no” because he believes that MEPs, “like the general public in Europe,” are “very sceptical when it comes to trade agreements and investment protection agreements”.

“The European Parliament is playing its role when it draws attention to the basic principles that should characterise European trade relations. But I think that at the end of the day, as always, after having protested, the EP will ratify the agreement,” he said.

He said that the “less naive” attitude towards China was part of a need to “better organise” relations between Europeans and “foreign powers,” which include Moscow as well as Beijing.

“With Russia, we have no relation for the time being, and that’s not the kind of relations we should have with Russia when it comes to European future issues,” Juncker said.

In this sense, the former Commission President called for the EU to “reconnect” with Moscow, without “giving up” its “main concerns”, namely its “firm opposition” to what “Russia has done in Crimea” and what “it is doing in the eastern part of Ukraine”.

“But we have to reconnect with Russia, which of course, presupposes that Russia will be willing to do so. I don’t have the impression that Russia is making the efforts which are needed in order to be able to establish normal relations with the European Union,” he said.

[Edited by Frédéric Simon]

PM Imran Khan to discuss European Parliament’s resolution on Pakistan’s GSP plus status today

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan will chair an important meeting comprising senior ministers today (Monday) to discuss the European Parliament’s move to seek a review of Pakistan’s GSP Plus status. 

The European Parliament had adopted the resolution on Thursday, calling for a review of the GSP Plus status granted to Pakistan, saying that it has been observed that laws (that it said were discriminatory) towards minorities and fundamental rights, were on the rise.

The resolution was presented by Renew Europe, a liberal, pro-European political group of the European Parliament. It was adopted with a majority of 681 votes against six.

The prime minister will hold consultations over the development with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, his commerce advisor Abdul Razak Dawood, Minister for Religious Affairs Noor ul Haq Qadri, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed and other ministers.

The meeting is expected to discuss the resolution and take important decisions on the European Parliament’s call to review Pakistan’s GSP Plus status.

European Parliament resolution reflects lack of understanding, says FO

Responding to the European Parliament’s resolution, the Foreign Office had expressed disappointment over the development.

“The discourse in the European Parliament reflects a lack of understanding in the context of blasphemy laws and associated religious sensitivities in Pakistan – and the wider Muslim world. The unwarranted commentary about Pakistan’s judicial system and domestic laws are regrettable,” read a statement by the FO.

“Pakistan is a parliamentary democracy with a vibrant civil society, free media and independent judiciary, which remains fully committed to the promotion and protection of human rights for all its citizens without discrimination,” the Foreign Office had added.

The FO had said Pakistan is proud of its minorities who enjoy equal rights and complete protection of fundamental freedoms as enshrined in the Constitution. Judicial and administrative mechanisms and remedies are in place to guard against any human rights violations.

“Pakistan has played an active role in promoting freedom of religion or belief, tolerance and inter-faith harmony. At a time of rising Islamophobia and populism, the international community must exhibit a common resolve to fight xenophobia, intolerance and incitement to violence based on religion or belief and work together to strengthen peaceful co-existence.”

Two Tulla students win European Union ‘Model Council’ contest

                NATIONAL honours in a competition to raise awareness of how the European Union works have gone to St Joseph’s Secondary School in Tulla.<br/>Leaving Cert students Liam Boyce and Eoghan Kinsella won the 2021 Model Council of the European Union at a virtual event last week, beating strong competition from teams around the country.<br/>The theme of this year’s debate was highly topical as EU Member States actively look into ways to co-ordinate their health policies to respond more effectively to global pandemics and emergencies such as Covid-19.<br/>For the Model Council, each school team plays the role of a particular members state and must research the issues for the country they are representing.<br/>Liam and Eoghan were assigned to represent The Netherlands and, as part of their advance research, they held a virtual meeting with Ambassador Adriaan Palm.<br/>Mrs Lorraine Glynn, who coached the team said the school is delighted with the win.<br/>“In preparation for the debate the boys held a virtual meeting with the Netherlands Embassy in Dublin,” she outlined.<br/>“Ambassador Palm was very generous with his time and guidance. During the debate, the boys had to represent the views of the Netherlands and respond according to that member states perspective.<br/>“I have been coaching our teams here for the last five years and we are delighted to have won it twice. First in 2017 and again this year. It is such a demanding competition and I am so pleased that the boys took home the title.”<br/>Second place went to St Mary’s College, Naas, County Kildare, and third place to St Columba’s College, Stranorlar, Donegal.<br/>Along with St Joseph’s in Tulla, these schools rose above 24 other schools from all over Ireland, while discussing a co-ordinated response at EU level to serious cross-border threats to health.<br/>The virtual event was formally opened by Minister for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne. “Taking part in negotiations at the heart of the European Union is not an easy task,” he said. “It requires knowledge of different cross-cutting policy areas, from climate and agriculture, to science, technology and health.<br/>“You need to be able to understand various points of view from different people and Member States, to actively listen and work constructively with them.”<br/>Acting Head of the European Commission Representation in Ireland, Andy Klom paid tribute to all involved, and thanked EU Member State ambassadors for their support.<br/>The debate was chaired by Martina Fitzgerald, CEO of Scale Ireland, and the judges were Noelle O’Connell of European Movement Ireland and Mary McCaughey of Eurofound. The prizes were announced by Green Party MEP, Grace O’Sullivan.

Russia imposes entry ban on Czech EU commission VP Věra Jourová, seven other officials

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    Věra Jourová, the Czech Vice-President of the European Commission, in charge of democratic values and transparency, is one of eight European officials now banned from entering Russia. Among the others is European Parliament President David Sassoli.

Moscow announced the sanctions on Friday in retaliation to those put in place by the EU in March, amid renewed tensions between Russia and the West. The Russian foreign ministry said Brussels was imposing unilateral, illegitimate restrictive measures targeting both individuals and businesses.

The presidents of the European Parliament, Council of the EU and European Commission said in reaction the EU reserves the right to take appropriate action in response. For her part, Jourová said that Russia’s relentless spread of disinformation and undermining of human rights required a strong and lasting response.

Gunmen attack home of candidate who called on EU to halt funding to PA

Sports Direct under scrutiny from EU tax authorities over VAT bills

Sports Direct is in talks with tax authorities in the European Union that could lead to settlements related to a controversial deal between billionaire founder Mike Ashley and his brother.

Documents filed at the high court reveal that Sports Direct, since renamed Frasers Group, came under scrutiny in Ireland, France and Finland, over an arrangement that involved it paying VAT in the UK on all of its sales to customers overseas over a seven-year period.

The plan involved setting up a separate company called Barlin Delivery, which had no drivers or trucks and was run by Ashley’s computer scientist brother John, to deliver orders abroad.

The arrangement has already been the subject of a bruising investor revolt, after shareholders balked at Sports Direct’s plan to pay John Ashley £11m for his services.

But court papers suggest it also prompted scrutiny from European tax authorities, amid concern that the arrangement may have led to them missing out on VAT payments.

Sports Direct said that while Barlin had not been set up to reduce its tax bill, it suggested it had settled with some foreign tax authorities and remained in discussion with others. It declined to give further details.

“It would be inappropriate for the group to comment further on the progress of settlement negotiations or to provide details of settlements which have been reached,” the company said in a statement.

“As we have repeatedly stressed, the group is adopting a fully cooperative approach with HMRC and EU member states in order to ensure VAT was paid in the correct place.

“That process is not yet complete – progress has been slowed by the ongoing pandemic – but we hope and expect that it will be completed soon.”

Details of tax authorities’ examination of Sports Direct emerged after the investigative thinktank TaxWatch analysed court papers that form part an investigation by the UK’s accounting watchdog, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC).

The FRC is looking into why Sports Direct’s former auditor Grant Thornton did not disclose the relationship with Barlin. It has applied to the high court to force Sports Direct,to hand over documents relevant to the audit.

Legal documents related to the application detail Sports Direct’s interpretation of “distance selling” rules, which apply when customers order goods from overseas.

According to the rules, VAT on cross-border purchases delivered “by or on behalf of” a retailer should be paid to the tax authority in the country where the buyer lives. In other words, if the retailer arranges transport, the sale is deemed to have taken place in the buyer’s country of residence. However, if the buyer arranges collection from the UK, the sale is deemed to have taken place in the UK.

Such arrangements fall into the remit of Article 33 of the Principal VAT Directive, which was capable of being interpreted a number of ways and have only been clarified this year.

Court papers suggest that Sports Direct set up a separate delivery company called Etail Services in 2010, which it believed would be deemed a separate entity for VAT purposes.

With Etail not deemed to be carrying out the delivery “by or on behalf of” Sports Direct, but on behalf of shoppers who were opting to use Etail to arrange delivery of the goods, Sports Direct would then pay the duty in the UK.

HMRC agreed to the structure but suggested Sports Direct confirm with foreign tax authorities that they agreed with this interpretation of where VAT would be due.

Sports Direct told the Guardian that it was “not thought necessary” to do this because HMRC had not objected to tax being paid in the UK.

After French tax authorities wrote to Sports Direct and several other countries began investigating similar structures, Sports Direct became concerned it would face a legal claim for unpaid VAT.

Amid concern over the “large amounts of VAT involved”, court documents say the company engaged Deloitte in 2014 to find a way to adjust the structure.

The papers appear to show that Deloitte advised that Sports Direct add an extra layer of separation between itself and the company delivering its goods, proposing the plan in a presentation codenamed “Project Fawkes”.

This led to the replacement of Etail with Barlin Delivery, incorporated in 2015 and run by Ashley’s brother John from what appeared to be a residential address in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in Lincolnshire, England.

Sports Direct said it set up Barlin to reduce administrative complexity as it expanded in the EU and not as a way of reducing VAT. It strongly denies it was involved in any sort of tax avoidance or minimisation scheme.

It said that HMRC had agreed to the scheme and that the company had at all times sought to comply with European tax law, which it said was open to interpretation at the time.

Similar arrangements were being used by other international retailers, it said.

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p class=”css-1yqigsj”>Deloitte declined to comment.

UK’s Raab: No final decision on EU ambassador’s status

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain has not made a final decision on whether to grant the European Union’s ambassador in London, Joao Vale de Almeida, full diplomatic status, Foreign Minister Dominic Raab said on Sunday.

Britain and the European Union have been at odds over the British government’s refusal to grant EU representatives’ full diplomatic status in London after Brexit.

Asked whether a decision had been taken to grant diplomatic status, Raab said:

“Look, we’re pragmatic about this, of course the EU’s not quite an international organisation, it’s not quite a normal state, we’re engaged in negotiations and I’m sure we’ll get that result.”

“We will treat our EU partners with all of the respect that they rightly deserve… we’re looking forward to turning the page on over the Brexit saga.”

(Reporting by William James; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)

Pakistan denounces EU resolution on blasphemy

Special
Assistant to the Prime Minister on Interfaith Harmony Hafiz Muhammad Tahir
Mehmood Ashrafi on Saturday said there would be no compromise on the blasphemy
laws, as all the Ulema and religious leaders rejected the resolution passed by
the European Union in the regard.

Addressing
a press conference at the Muthida Ulema Board Seerat Academy, he said no one
could be allowed to blasphemy of the Holy Prophet Muhammad in the name of freedom
of speech or religion and any violence in that regard was also not tolerable.

A
negative discussion continued in the European Union regarding Islamophobia and
blasphemy, Ashrafi said adding the international propaganda on forced
conversions in Pakistan was baseless.

If
some elements were found involved such activities, they would be sentenced, he
added.

Human Rights Minister
Shireen Mazari

Responding to the passage of the resolution,
Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari (while apparently referring to) co-author
of the resolution Charlie Weimers of Sweden, said: “It is unfortunate that
the co-sponsor of the EU’s anti-Pakistan resolution was a member of a party
that the Swedish PM Stefan Lofven referred to as ‘a neo-fascist single-issue
party’ with ‘Nazi and racist roots’.”

She said the pertinent question now was
“whether GSP Plus is getting muddied in Islamophobia?”

“We have issues to resolve but there has
been more movement now on our Human Rights International Convention commitments
than in previous governments. The way forward is dialogue & negotiations,
which we have been doing, not extreme public positionings. Unfortunate,”
she wrote.

Meanwhile,
Pakistan’s Foreign Office Friday expressed its disappointment at the adoption
of a resolution at the European Parliament on blasphemy laws in the country.

Foreign
Office Spokesperson Mr. Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry noted that the unwarranted
commentary about Pakistan’s judicial system and domestic laws are regrettable.

While
reminding the world about growing the anti-Muslims and anti-Islam trends in the
world, Chaudhry noted that at a time of rising Islamophobia and populism, the
international community must exhibit a common resolve to fight xenophobia,
intolerance and incitement to violence based on religion or belief, and work
together to strengthen peaceful co-existence.

The EU resolution

According to the resolution, the situation in
Pakistan “continued to deteriorate in 2020 as the government
systematically enforced blasphemy laws and failed to protect religious
minorities from abuses by non-state actors, with a sharp rise in targeted
killings, blasphemy cases, forced conversions, and hate speech against
religious minorities including Ahmadis, Shia Muslims, Hindus, Christians and
Sikhs; whereas abduction, forced conversion to Islam, rape and forced marriage
remained an imminent threat for religious minority women and children in 2020,
particularly those from the Hindu and Christian faiths”.

The EU
resolution also criticized the judiciary of Pakistan by saying: the judicial
procedures in blasphemy cases in Pakistan are highly flawed; whereas low
standards of evidence are required for a conviction and judicial authorities
often uncritically accept allegations; whereas the accused are often presumed
guilty and have to prove their innocence rather than vice versa.

Shagufta Kausar and
Shafqat Emmanuel

The EU resolution expresses particular
concern regarding the case of a Christian couple Shagufta Kausar and Shafqat
Emmanuel, who were sentenced to death on blasphemy charges in 2014. These
charges emanated from the alleged sending of text messages disrespectful of
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) from a phone number registered to Kausar to the person
accusing the couple of blasphemy.

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EU accuses Apple of distorting competition in music streaming market

Brussels, Belgium | Xinhua | The European Union (EU) on Friday accused Apple, the American digital giant, of abusing its dominant position in the on-line market and distorting competition of music streaming providers.

European Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager said Apple exercises considerable market power in the distribution of music streaming apps to owners of Apple devices.

“On that market, Apple has a monopoly,” said Vestager. Apple controls the only access to apps on Apple devices, and it also offers a music streaming service that competes with other apps available in the Apple App Store, such as Spotify or Deezer.

Apple charges a high commission fee for all purchases through its system, a condition that is too hard that some music streaming providers choose to stop offering paid subscriptions in their apps.

Another concern is that the app developers are not allowed to inform users of cheaper alternatives elsewhere.

“Through these rules, Apple steps in between its competitors and their customers,” noted Vestager. With access to valuable data, Apple gets insights which its competitors do not get, she added.

She said Apple has been offered an opportunity to respond to the concerns.

The case was formally opened less than a year ago when both Europe and the United States bore the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Xinhua

With more reforms, Zimbabwe can attract more investments, says EU

HARARE – European Union (EU) ambassador to Zimbabwe, Timo Olkkonen, says Government should address corruption, transparency and rule of law issues, among bottlenecks stifling business, the economy and investment.

Zimbabwe has suffered from years of under investment and western sanctions, but the new administration has embarked on cross cutting reforms since taking over in 2017 and its starting to pay off. The new Government is mobilising a US$3.5 billion fund to compensate white former farmers who lost their land during the historic land reform programme. 

The EU diplomat said problems constraining business, the economy and investment in Zimbabwe are well documented and these included challenges of access to long term capital.

He was speaking during a virtual ceremony this week for a Euro 15 million loan by the European Investment Bank (EIB) to CABS; the first such investment in 2022 years and first ever to a local bank.

The EIB has agreed to support with Euro 15 million new long term financing for entrepreneurs and business in Zimbabwe, through CABS, to build resistance to the negative impact of Covid-19.

Olkkonen said a vibrant private sector was a precondition for any economic growth, adding the public sector does not exist in a vacuum but depends on the private sector, which also pays taxes.

“In Zimbabwe, private sector faces many challenges, I don’t need to innumerate all of these here, I am sure many of you . . . know them very well, many of you are also following these issues in the media,” he said. 

Olkkonen said the Government should address the bottlenecks facing the private sector, through reforms that cover increasing transparency, promoting rule of law and reducing corruption. 

<

p class=”p4″>This comes as Government is working on a number of reforms that encompass engaging and re-engaging the west, improving ease of doing business, constitutional changes and property rights issues.

The EU’s top diplomat in Zimbabwe said addressing contentious issues to create a level playing field was the best way to encourage “both domestic and foreign investment in the country.

Olkkonen said one of the biggest constraints faced by private sector in Zimbabwe was access to affordable long term finance, which has been compounded by the outbreak of Covid-19.

It is against this background the Olkkonen said he had no doubt that the EIB’s approval of a Euro 15 million loan to CABS would go a long way in addressing challenges of business finance.

This is particularly the case, Okkonen said, in light of long standing access to finance issues in the country as well as new challenges presented by the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said the funding facility to CABS was the first in decades and demonstrated the fact that there was scope for joint efforts with EIB to promote private sector investment in Zimbabwe.

“Ensuring access to finance by Zimbabwean entrepreneurs is essential to overcome business uncertainties and economic challenges enhanced by Covid-19,” Okkonen further said.

He stressed that the EIB, CABS partnership was part of Team Europe’s efforts to provide liquidity, sustain jobs amid the pandemic, grow investment and build post Covid-19 resilience in Zimbabwe.

The seven year EIB loan will allow new financing to be provided to private sector businesses, notably small to medium enterprises, across the length and breath of the southern African nation.

European Union and Ministry of Social Development celebrate Ramadan with Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza

Ramallah/PNN/

The European Union and the Palestinian Ministry of Social Development (MoSD) celebrate Ramadan with the most vulnerable Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. They visited Beit al-Ajdad elderly home in Jericho yesterday and scheduled to organise a similar event in Gaza next week. The visits mark the start of the joint Ramadan events for vulnerable Palestinian families.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Iftars could not be organised this year. Instead, around 650 food and hygiene parcels will be distributed to 530 families and 16 care centres and shelters hosting the elderly, orphans and people with disability in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The holy month of Ramadan is the occasion for solidarity towards the Cash Transfer Programme (CTP) beneficiaries who are hit hardest by the pandemic, socially and economically.

In this context, the EU Representative Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff and the Minister of Social Development Ahmad Majdalani visited the Beit Al-Ajdad Elderly home.

Since 2014 the EU, together with MoSD, organises Iftars for the CTP beneficiaries in order to raise awareness of the PEGASE financial support providing social allowances to the poor, vulnerable and marginalised Palestinian families in the West Bank and Gaza. The COVID-19 crisis has brought to light the key role of social protection – worldwide and in Palestine – for crisis prevention and recovery.

At the end of the visit, European Union Representative Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff said, “I am pleased to join the Minister of Social Development to visit this elderly home. We are here to show support and solidarity amid truly challenging times. The past year was difficult for all and particularly bad for the most vulnerable.

Our joint efforts with the Palestinian Authority throughout the year but also during Ramadan will hopefully provide some relief to the children, women and men who would otherwise risk being left behind. Team Europe remains committed to supporting the Palestinian people in their quest for health, security, peace, and independence. This is the unified position of Team Europe”.

The EU and the Member States are leading donors in the social protection sector in Palestine.

The EU supports the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) Ministry of Social Development (MoSD), which is responsible for the provision of basic social protection to the most vulnerable families in the West Bank and Gaza through its Cash Transfer Programme (CTP).

In 2020, the EU, with some EU member states, reached a total amount of EUR 185 million disbursed to face address the ongoing crisis, which included payment of salaries, pensions, social allowances and referrals to the East Jerusalem Hospitals.

GSP Plus status: European Parliament resolution reflects lack of understanding, says FO

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday said it was disappointed at the adoption of a resolution at the European Parliament on blasphemy laws in the country.

“The discourse in the European Parliament reflects a lack of understanding in the context of blasphemy laws and associated religious sensitivities in Pakistan – and in the wider Muslim world. The unwarranted commentary about Pakistan’s judicial system and domestic laws are regrettable,” said the Foreign Office.

This was in reference to a resolution adopted in the European Parliament on Thursday which asks for a review of the country’s GSP Plus status, citing an increase in laws that it sees as discriminatory towards minorities and fundamental rights.

The resolution was presented by Renew Europe, a liberal, pro-European political group of the European Parliament. It was adopted with a majority of 681 votes against six.

Those watching the situation say this is no surprise and Pakistan should have been prepared for this even though in its past report the EU had commended the work being done by the Ministry of Human Rights. Pakistan will have to at a very high level move quickly for some urgent damage control as if the EU withdraws the GPS+ status it would cripple the economy beyond repair.

“Pakistan is a parliamentary democracy with a vibrant civil society, free media and independent judiciary, which remains fully committed to the promotion and protection of human rights for all its citizens without discrimination,” said the Foreign Office.

It added that it was proud of its minorities who enjoy equal rights and complete protection of fundamental freedoms as enshrined in the Constitution. Judicial and administrative mechanisms and remedies are in place to guard against any human rights violations.

“Pakistan has played an active role in promoting freedom of religion or belief, tolerance and inter-faith harmony. At a time of rising Islamophobia and populism, the international community must exhibit a common resolve to fight xenophobia, intolerance and incitement to violence based on religion or belief and work together to strengthen peaceful co-existence,” added the Foreign Office.

Instead, Pakistan says that with the EU it has have multiple mechanisms in place to discuss entire spectrum of bilateral relations, including a dedicated dialogue on democracy, rule of law, governance and human rights and it would continue to remain positively engaged with the EU on all issues of mutual interest.

European Parliament lacks understanding of blasphemy laws in Pakistan, says FO

• FO says discourse in European Parliament reflects a lack of understanding in the context of blasphemy laws in Pakistan.
• Says unwarranted commentary by European Parliament about Pakistan’s judicial system and domestic laws was regrettable.
• FO statement comes a day after European Parliament adopted a resolution against Pakistan for a review of country’s GSP Plus status.

The Foreign Office (FO) on Friday expressed disappointment over the European Parliament’s resolution on Pakistan and said that the body lacks the contextual understanding of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws.

“Pakistan is disappointed at the adoption of a resolution at the European Parliament on blasphemy laws in the country. The discourse in the European Parliament reflects a lack of understanding in the context of blasphemy laws and associated religious sensitivities in Pakistan – and in the wider Muslim world,” said Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri in a statement.

The statement added that the “unwarranted commentary” by the lawmaking body of the regional bloc “about Pakistan’s judicial system and domestic laws” was “regrettable”.

Read more: EU gives Pakistan favourable review for GSP+ status

The FO reminded the EU that Pakistan is a “parliamentary democracy with a vibrant civil society, free media, and independent judiciary”. It reiterated that Pakistan remains “fully committed to the promotion and protection of human rights for all its citizens without discrimination”.

“We are proud of our minorities who enjoy equal rights and complete protection of fundamental freedoms as enshrined in the Constitution,” said the FO. It added that the judicial and administrative mechanisms and remedies are in place in the country to help guard any individual “against any human rights violations”.

“Pakistan has played an active role in promoting freedom of religion or belief, tolerance, and inter-faith harmony. At a time of rising Islamophobia and populism, the international community must exhibit a common resolve to fight xenophobia, intolerance, and incitement to violence based on religion or belief and work together to strengthen peaceful co-existence,” said the FO.

Read more: PM Imran Khan’s aide says misuse of blasphemy laws stopped in Pakistan

Chaudhri reminded that Pakistan and the regional bloc have multiple mechanisms to discuss “entire spectrum of bilateral relations, including a dedicated Dialogue on Democracy, Rule of Law, Governance and Human Rights”.

He added that Pakistan “would continue to remain positively engaged with the EU on all issues of mutual interest”.

EU parliament wants Pakistan’s GSP plus status reviewed

On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted a resolution against Pakistan which asks for a review of the country’s GSP Plus (GSP+) status, citing an increase in laws that it sees as discriminatory towards minorities and fundamental rights.

The resolution was presented by Renew Europe, a liberal, pro-European political group of the European Parliament. It was adopted with a majority of 681 votes against six.

The resolution says Pakistan has violated the conditions of its Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus status.

Read more: Pakistan to unite Muslim countries under one banner against Islamophobia, says PM Imran Khan

The GSP+ is a special component of the GSP scheme that provides additional trade incentives to developing countries already benefitting from GSP.

The GSP+ status granted to Pakistan requires the country to demonstrate progress on the implementation of 27 international core conventions. This condition constitutes strong leverage for the European Union in terms of monitoring any direct advocacy with Pakistan, said the European Commission.

The EU Parliament session discussed the situation of religious freedoms in Pakistan under its “human rights and democracy resolutions” manifesto.

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Sajjad Karim, a former negotiator on GSP plus and part of the EU Parliament trade committee says the adoption of this resolution is “serious.”

He said it is backed by the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee David McAllister and former chief election observer to Pakistan from EU Michael Ghaler – both of whom were previously always supportive of GSP+ for Pakistan.

He said Ghaler raised his concerns with him over the topic some time ago.