European Parliament supports the people of Belarus in their quest for democracy
The quest for democracy and freedom is in the hands of the people of Belarus. They should know that they are not alone, writes David McAllister.
MEP David McAllister (EPP) is chair of the European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee.
The Kalinowski Forum, which took place on Monday, brought together the leaders of the Belarusian democratic forces, European and international organisations, as well as key parliamentarians and diplomats. I would like to thank the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania for organising this very timely event. Lithuania has been especially active in keeping the issue of democratic change in Belarus at the top of the European political agenda. And rightly so!
Vilnius is the closest capital of an EU Member State to Belarus. It has also become a place of refuge for many Belarusians, who were forced out of their country for daring to resist the Lukashenko regime. Vilnius and Warsaw are the major hubs of activity of Belarusian pro-democratic forces, civil society organisations, academic institutions and independent media.
The purpose of the Kalinowski Conference was – inter alia – to take stock of what we have done since the dramatic changes in Belarus last summer. The European Parliament has a lead role in recognising and supporting the Belarusian democratic forces and raising their profile at an international level. Parliament was the first EU institution that invited Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya when it became clear that she was deprived of her victory in the presidential election through obvious fraud and falsifications. Ms Tsikhanouskaya appeared before the Committee on Foreign Affairs on 25 August. Since then, she has become a regular guest in the European Parliament, taking part in several discussions about the situation in Belarus.
Democratic resistance is a joint effort of various Belarusian political forces, civil society organisations, human rights activists and ordinary people, who have had enough of living in a dictatorship and demand that the dignity and the fundamental rights of citizens are finally respected.
The European Parliament awarded its 2020 Sakharov Prize for the Freedom of Thought to the democratic opposition of Belarus, represented by the Coordination Council, an initiative of brave women, as well as prominent political and civil society figures, in recognition of their extraordinary courage in facing a ruthless regime.
The cause of the democratic movement in Belarus enjoys overwhelming cross-party support in the European Parliament. We have sent strong political signals through our resolutions, drawing attention to ongoing serious human rights violations and calling for concrete action by the European Union and its Member States.
As the situation in Belarus keeps on evolving, it is important to be in close contact with the key actors in the democratic movement, to listen to their perspective and to know how we can effectively and meaningfully assist them. For this purpose, the European Parliament organised a digital fact-finding mission last December.
It included meetings with a broad range of Belarusian interlocutors, such as the members of the Coordination Council, representatives of independent media, trade unions, civil society and academia.
On 25 March, Belarusians will be commemorating Freedom Day. It will be a day of defiance against the regime, which is once again preparing for a crackdown.
In reaction to such systematic violations of human rights, on 26 March the European Parliament will launch the Platform for discussion and strategic coordination on the fight against impunity in Belarus.
It will include democracy support measures and international mediation that would lead to the genuine national dialogue and a peaceful democratic transition. It will be a strong political signal to the regime in Minsk.
This initiative comes in response to the concrete needs of Belarusian human rights organisations. Its aim is to provide a space for all relevant actors to come together, with a view to exploring ways to provide operational and strategic support to those Belarusian civil society organisations that are collecting evidence of human rights violations in the country.
The regular meetings will bring together Belarusian umbrella human rights organisations, key international and local initiatives aimed at fighting impunity, as well as the representatives of the EU institutions.
The Platform is a work in progress that will evolve to respond to the needs of the Belarusian civil society. It is envisaged that it will perform the following three functions:
- A regular independent assessment of the human rights situation in Belarus and allegations of human rights abuses;
- Acting as a coordination and contact centre for stakeholders from Belarus and international actors working on Belarus;
- Providing expert advice and mentoring for Belarusian human rights defenders and other civil society initiatives.
With these activities, the Platform should address important gaps in the international reaction to the ongoing human rights crisis in Belarus.
The mass protests that erupted following the fraudulent elections show that a new Belarus has emerged. However, it is still being ruled by the old regime, which is trying to suffocate the spirit of freedom with an iron grip of repression. As the resistance regains strength after the harsh winter, the slogan of that defined the events of last summer – “we believe, we can, we will win” – is still very much relevant.
The quest for democracy and freedom is in the hands of the people of Belarus. They should know that they are not alone. It is the responsibility of the democratic community to support this struggle not only with messages of encouragement but also with deeds.
This is particularly important at this crucial juncture for the protest movement. The Belarusian people have shown courage and determination. We should do the same. Therefore, Belarus will remain at the top of the political agenda of the European Parliament.
The fate of Facebook’s business model may lie in the hands of the European Union supreme court
The supreme court of the European Union has been drawn into a German battle over whether Facebook’s broad collection of user data is in breach of competition rules, in a landmark challenge threatening the viability of the technology giant’s business model.
The decision will be closely watched on both sides of the Atlantic amid a global effort to regulate Big Tech that has picked up speed over the past year.
The case involving the German competition regulator, the Bundeskartellamt, represents a unique nexus between privacy and competition laws. The regulator has effectively used data protection regulations as a method of challenging Facebook’s market power.
The Higher Regional Court in Düsseldorf said on Wednesday that it would ask the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) to issue an opinion on whether the competition regulator was right to determine that Facebook
FB,
was in breach of the EU’s data protection rules, called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The court in Düsseldorf said it could only issue a decision on the fate of Facebook’s broad collection of user data after the ECJ weighs in, effectively putting a hold on a verdict until the Luxembourg-based court has its say.
Essential reading: Facebook, Google, Apple and Amazon could face multibillion-dollar fines under new EU tech regulations
“The question of whether Facebook is abusing its dominant position…because it collects and uses the data of its users in violation of the GDPR can not be decided without referring to the ECJ,” said the court, chaired by Prof. Dr. Jürgen Kühnen, in a written statement that has been translated.
Wednesday’s hearing is just the latest development in a case that stretches back to February 2019, when the Bundeskartellamt ordered Facebook to curb its data collection.
The regulator said at the time that the social media giant abused its market position by harvesting user data across its platforms, including WhatsApp and Instagram, as well as from third-party services. Facebook was given a year to seek users’ consent for the company to combine personal data across platforms.
Plus: Google, Facebook undertake appeasement campaigns before Thursday CEO showdown in House
The social media giant appealed, and the Higher Regional Court in Düsseldorf suspended the Bundeskartellamt’s order. The regulator appealed to the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe, a higher body, which then overruled the Düsseldorf court’s decision in June 2020 and reinstated the order until the case was settled.
The case returned to Düsseldorf, where the original question of whether the competition regulator was right in deciding that Facebook’s collection of user data is anticompetitive moved a step closer to being settled on Wednesday.
One of the reasons the Bundeskartellamt’s challenge against Facebook is so meaningful is that it threatens one of the pillars of Facebook’s business model: selling comprehensive user profiles to advertisers. If the social media giant is unable to combine user data from across its platforms, as well as third parties, its ability to create comprehensive profiles will be hampered.
“Today, the Düsseldorf Court has expressed doubts as to the legality of the Bundeskartellamt’s order and decided to refer questions to the Court of Justice of the European Union,” Facebook said in a statement to MarketWatch. “We believe that the Bundeskartellamt’s order also violates European law.”
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IPI to European Union: Prioritize press freedom in Turkey
* Photo: Dursun Aydemir – Anadolu Agency (AA)
Click to read the article in Turkish
International Press Institute (IPI) has addressed a letter to President of the European Council Charles Michel and called on the Council to prioritize press freedom in Turkey ahead of the European Union (EU) leaders meeting where EU-Turkey relations are on the agenda.
“On behalf of the International Press Institute (IPI), a global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists for press freedom, we are writing to you ahead of European Council meeting on March 25 and 26 where EU-Turkey relations are on the agenda as part of the discussions on the Eastern Mediterranean,” reads the open letter, briefly adding:
‘At least 67 journalists behind bars’
“IPI calls on the European Council to insist on concrete and measurable improvements in Turkey’s domestic human rights record and specifically an end to the targeting of independent media and restrictions of press and media freedom as a prior condition to any improvement in diplomatic relations.
“Currently, there are at least 67 journalists in prison in Turkey, 53 of whom were convicted mostly on terrorism-related charges in retaliation for their journalistic work. Defamation charges for insulting public officials including President Erdoğan are also commonly used to criminalize journalism.
“Since the beginning of 2021 alone, IPI has recorded that Turkish courts sentenced 14 journalists to a total of 45 years and 8 months. Since the 2016 coup attempt journalists have been sentenced to a total of 1430 years of prison. Furthermore, the independent press in Turkey has been muzzled to such an extent that the space available for critical, investigative journalism today is almost non-existent.
“We urge the European Council to take the opportunity of this meeting to send a strong message that press freedom and fundamental rights are central to the EU’s principles underlying its foreign policy and that improved relations, economic or otherwise, can only be offered on the basis of Turkey’s respect for press and media freedom.”
Letter also shared with Borrell, von der Leyen
IPI has shared the letter also with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Commission Vice-President and High Representative Josep Borrell, who is expected to submit a report on EU-Turkey relations ahead of the EU leaders’ meeting.
According to preview information gained by local news on the report, his report is expected to describe the domestic situation in Turkey as “deteriorating”. But, the detailed scope remains unpublished. (HA/SD)
* Click here to read the full letter
European Union countries agree on temporary fishing quotas
March 23, 2021, 10:10 pm<br/>
Brussels (dpa) European Agriculture Ministers have agreed on fishing quotas – but the final round is still ahead. There is also no indication of an agreement regarding the second major construction site.
European Union countries agreed to temporary fishing quotas by the end of July.
This will ensure that European fishing companies can continue their business after March 31, said Ricardo Santos, Portugal’s Minister of Maritime Affairs and current chair of the ministerial meeting. According to the European Union’s Commissioner for Fisheries, Virginius Sincivius, the agreement stipulates that the total catch will correspond to seventeen scientific recommendations for 2021.
The background to this is negotiations with the United Kingdom over shared assets. After the British left the European Union, there was a complex dispute over the total catch and its distribution. At times, negotiations on a trade pact on Brexit threatened to fail over the fish issue. After the agreement between the countries of the European Union, the next step will be to continue negotiations with Great Britain. Sinkevi explained? Ius says the agreement provides for total initial catches by July 31.
Since Brexit negotiations continued until Christmas 2020, EU countries only agreed to temporary hunting rules in mid-December for shared stocks with the UK. Many fish stocks are depleted or endangered. Environmentalists have long called for more fishing restrictions to be imposed in order to protect ecosystems from severe damage.
The meeting’s second major construction site is the imminent reform of the European Union’s multi-billion dollar Common Agricultural Policy. Today the Council of Agriculture is spinning over potential settlement lines with the European Parliament on the Common Agricultural Policy, on Twitter by Federal Agriculture Minister Julia Klikner (CDU). The European Union countries are currently trying to agree on a common line with the European Union Parliament. The Green Group complains that national ministers are unwilling to make concessions.
And Martin Hosling, spokesman for the agricultural policy of the Green Party in the European Parliament, predicted this afternoon that the negotiations between Parliament and the European Union countries due to take place on Friday would end in chaos. So far, MEPs have not had an agenda and no middle lines have been introduced by the European Union Commission and national agriculture ministers. In the evening, the Commissioner for Agriculture of the European Union Janusz Wojczovsky was more optimistic. He is confident that there will be an agreement in May.
The sticking point in the negotiations between the European Union and Parliament is how to make agriculture more environmentally friendly in the coming years. Among other things, it concerns the question of whether the so-called common regulations should be determined at the European level or only at the national level. While Parliament calls for people to have a say at the level of the European Union, the countries of the European Union support national sovereignty. There are also different views on how much CAP money should be paid out on the basis of common regulations. Parliament supports 30% and Member States 20%.
dpa-infocom, dpa: 210323-99-938198 / 4
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Biden to join virtual meeting of European Council summit
March 23, 2021
On Thursday, March 25, President Biden will meet virtually with the European Council during its summit. At the invitation of European Council President Charles Michel, President Biden will join a session of the EU leaders’ scheduled summit meeting.
He will engage with European Union leaders about his desire to revitalize U.S.-EU relations, work together to combat the pandemic and address climate change, and deepen the world’s largest trade and investment relationship. He will also discuss shared foreign policy interests, including China and Russia.
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<h2>Janan Ganesh</h2>
Janan Ganesh is political columnist with the Financial Times
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European Parliament to ratify UK trade deal in late April, president says
The European Parliament will finally grant its consent to the EU-U.K. post-Brexit trade deal at a plenary session starting April 26, Parliament President David Sassoli said Tuesday.
“We will have our plenary April 26, so this is the last date” for ratification, Sassoli said in an interview with POLITICO, adding that “there will be no extension” to this date.
EU national governments and the British parliament have already approved the deal, which was clinched in late December, and the European Parliament’s ratification is the final step before the agreement legally comes into full force. The deal has been implemented since January 1 under provisional application, to avoid the potentially catastrophic consequences of a no-deal, cliff-edge scenario.
U.K. and EU negotiators pushed their talks close to the December 31 deadline despite the European Parliament’s warnings that at least three months would be needed for proper scrutiny and ratification.
In March, political group leaders in the Parliament decided to postpone their ratification vote after the U.K. unveiled plans to unilaterally extend grace periods on post-Brexit customs checks at Northern Ireland’s ports for at least six months. The Commission said in a statement at the time that such a move marked the “second time” the U.K. government had been “set to breach international law” after a heated row over the border erupted in 2020.
In the interview on Tuesday, Sassoli made clear on that the ratification of the deal must move forward, regardless of the U.K.’s actions, and he insisted that there would be no further delay. “I’ll tell you honestly that many times, even we struggle to understand some of the behavior on the other side of the Channel,” he said, adding: “What we want is a serene development of the agreements that have been sealed.”
“We have always been very patient, but we are at a critical point now,” Sassoli said.
Officials said that a majority of MEPs appear ready to give their consent. The text must first go through the Parliament’s foreign affairs and trade committees before the April plenary session.
Fact File
§§cs§§
European Union ag proposal has global significance, USDA report says
A few measures of the potential impact: The proposal could lead to a 12% reduction in EU ag production, a 5% increase in U.S. food prices, a 9% increase in world food prices and a 17% rise in EU food prices, according to the report written by Jayson Beckman, Maros Ivanic, Jeremy Jelliffe, Felix Baquedano and Sara Scott of the ERS.
<p>A little background on the proposal, which is beginning to garner more attention in U.S. ag circles:</p> <p>It's a EU "Green Deal" that aims to promote sustainability in ag. It calls for a 20% reduction in the use of fertilizer and 50% reductions in the use of pesticides and antimicrobials. It also calls for 10% percent of existing farmland to be removed from ag use, all by 2030. The proposed reductions would be from 2020 levels.</p> <p>The initiative, sometimes known as "Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategies," is proposed by the European Commission, the executive body of the European Union <span>— </span>the political and economic union of 27 primarily European countries with a combined population of about 450 million. Among its most prominent members are Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain.</p>
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</div> <p><a href="https://ec.europa.eu/food/farm2fork_en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Farm to Fork Strategy</a> "is at the heart of the European Green Deal aiming to make food systems fair, healthy and environmentally friendly," according to the European Commission web site. "The European Green Deal is our plan to make the EU's economy sustainable.<b> </b>We can do this by turning climate and environmental challenges into opportunities, and making the transition just and inclusive for all."</p> <p>There will be inevitable consequences if the proposal is adopted, said Frayne Olson, North Dakota State University Extension crop economist/marketing specialist. He was asked by Agweek to comment on the report.</p> <p>"If you drop a pebble in pond, there are ripples," he said.</p> <p>The United States and the European Union compete for global sales in some crops, so reduced EU production of those crops could benefit U.S. exports. On the other hand, the proposed EU Green Deal could limit America's ability to export some crops to what currently are good markets in Europe, Olson said.</p> <h2>More potential results</h2>
<p>The ERS report identifies three key potential results of the proposed input cuts:</p> <ul><li>Production costs could increase as farmers substitute labor for other inputs.<br/></li><li>Ag output could decrease as fewer input are used.<br/></li><li>Prices on the international market could increase because of the tightening of available supplies and inelastic food demand. (Elasticity, in lay terms, is the extent to which a change in price, up or down, for a product affects demand for it.)</li></ul> <p>The report also finds that an additional 22 million people worldwide, primarily in low- and medium-income countries, could become "food insecure" by 2030 if the proposal is adopted by the EU.</p> <p>Balancing environmental and food-security considerations is difficult, with no easy answers, Olson said.</p> <p>The EU proposal would take on even greater significance if it's adopted worldwide, the report concluded. Among its most striking conclusions: worldwide food and agricultural production volumes could fall as much as 11%, the United States could witness a decrease in food and agricultural output of 9% and the number of food-insecure people worldwide could rise by 185 million.</p>
<p>The ERS report is based on several important assumptions, Olson said.</p> <p> One is that the proposed input reductions are applied on a per-acre basis, rather than a per-bushel basis. The other involves the extent to which genetically engineered crops are used in EU ag. Olson said the report's authors did the best they could in making those assumptions, but there's no guarantee they're accurate.</p>
May China’s aggressive sanctions counter-punch over Xinjiang threat alienating the European Union?
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Could China’s aggressive Xinjiang sanctions counter-punch risk alienating the European Union?
China, at least, will be able to boast of hitting back: following new sanctions announced by the European Union on Monday, Beijing introduced countermeasures against multiple European lawmakers and academics.
From China’s perspective, such sanctions are only fair, a tit-for-tat response that sends a message to the domestic audience that Beijing will not take such challenges laying down. But they’re also a gamble that European policymakers will see the punitive measures as a piece of theater, not aggression, and will be willing to look past the designation of some of their colleagues, in continuing to build economic ties with Beijing.
The potential cost for China in overplaying their hand here is relatively high: not only could a misstep jeopardize a forthcoming investment agreement with the EU, currently in its final stages, but it may also push the bloc closer to Washington, following the alienation of the Donald Trump era that so benefited Beijing.
Soon after the Chinese sanctions were announced, the Socialists and Democrats — the second-largest grouping of lawmakers in the European Parliament — said they would not engage in any talks on the agreement until the measures are lifted.
Seven years in the making, the wide-ranging agreement, known formally as the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment with China, is designed to rebalance trade with the world’s second largest economy and improve market access for EU businesses.
“Europe needs to trade with China, but our values and standards go first,” said Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero, a Spanish lawmaker and S&D member. “We stand by our principles and we will defend our principles.”
Some in China (and elsewhere) will no doubt see hypocrisy in such reactions, a sign of how the Europeans can dish it out but can’t take it. But many in Europe will likely see a difference between sanctions targeting regional Chinese officials and entities accused of “serious human rights abuses,” and measures going after individual European lawmakers let alone academics and think tanks.
Aggressive response
Those targeted by the European sanctions include Chinese officials responsible for Xinjiang. The US State Department accuses Beijing of detaining up to 2 million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in camps in the far western region, and subjecting them to forced labor and other abuses. Also sanctioned was the state-run Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, which has been accused of being a major recipient of forced labor.
China has consistently denied allegations of human rights abuses, arguing the camps are necessary to prevent religious extremism and terrorism.
The EU was joined by the United Kingdom, US and Canada, and the countries said in a joint statement the “coordinated action” was intended to send a clear message to China “to end its repressive practices.” They stopped short of targeting any senior officials, however, arguably not going as far even as previous US sanctions over Hong Kong and Xinjiang.
For its part, China imposed sanctions against 10 European politicians and four bodies it accused of “maliciously spreading lies and disinformation” and “grossly interfering in China’s internal affairs” by doing so.
They will be banned — along with their families — from entering China, Hong Kong and Macao, and any related companies or institutions restricted from doing business in China.
“The Chinese side urges the EU side to reflect on itself, face squarely the severity of its mistake and redress it. It must stop lecturing others on human rights and interfering in their internal affairs,” Beijing said in a statement.
Among those sanctioned are two think tanks, the conservative, pro free market Alliance of Democracies Foundation, and the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS), one of the continent’s leading China-focused institutions and not somewhere known for being particularly hawkish towards Beijing.
In a statement, MERICS said it “very much regrets this decision and rejects the allegation.”
“As an independent research institute, we are dedicated to foster a better and more differentiated understanding of China,” the statement added. “We will continue to pursue this mission by presenting fact-based analysis, also with the aim of creating opportunities for exchanges and dialogue — even in difficult times.”
Also sanctioned was the German academic Adrian Zenz, one of the earliest researchers to raise the alarm over the situation in Xinjiang, who has previously been hit by lawsuits in China and subjected to a barrage of negative press over his work.
Tit-for-tat
Speaking Monday, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said “for a long period, the US and the West wantonly interfered in other countries’ domestic affairs by using democracy and human rights as an excuse.”
Hua hailed the China-Russia relationship as a “pillar for world peace and stability” for the way the two countries have stood “together in close cooperation, firmly reject(ing) hegemony and bullying practice.”
That relationship was built partly on the back of sanctions introduced following Moscow’s annexation of Crimea, a move which outraged the international community and pushed Russia closer to China.
But Russia’s alienation from much of Europe could also be a lesson for China, that repairing relations on the continent can be hard work. This was a lesson US President Joe Biden learned to his chagrin, after Washington’s overtures to Brussels following his victory over Donald Trump were not welcomed as gladly as some in the US had expected.
China was the major beneficiary of Trump’s so-called America first foreign policy, with the EU increasingly plotting a separate tack to that followed by Washington. While the sanctions this week might appear like Brussels is following the lead of the US, that they were not as strong as American measures suggests there is still a great desire among many EU policymakers to continue to engage with China.
Sanctions are an act of aggression and Beijing is of course entitled to respond to the EU measures how it sees fit — it may even feel obliged to counter for a domestic audience. But by targeting widely respected think tanks and individual lawmakers, China may have risked hardening Europe’s resolve.
“China’s sanctions on MEPs [Members of the European Parliament], the Human Rights Subcommittee and EU bodies are unacceptable and will have consequences,” David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament, said following Beijing’s announcement. Meanwhile, Manfred Weber, leader of the European People’s Party, the largest grouping in the legislature, said the moves “shows us the contempt Beijing has for democracy.”
And while the very human rights abuses the EU is now targeting with sanctions were not enough to dissuade it from seeking increased trade with China, the targeting of its own lawmakers could tip the balance.
“China just killed the EU-China Investment Agreement by sanctioning the people criticising the slave labour/genocide in Xinjang,” said Guy Verhofstadt MEP, the chair of the conference on the future of Europe.
But while all eyes will now be on the agreement, there are also other ways lawmakers on the continent could respond that would anger China. Reacting to the news he would not be allowed to visit China, Macao or Hong Kong, sanctioned MEP Reinhard Bütikofer tweeted “But then there is Taiwan. :-)”
Press Statement by Commissioner Sinkevičius following the AGRIFISH Council on 23 March 2021
European Commission Speech Brussels, 23 Mar 2021 Good morning everybody,
Recently we have become used to talking about plans A and plans B, whereby plan B is developed just in case, if things are not going as …
Bosnia and Herzegovina: EIB provides €40 million for improving the urban transport network in the Canton of Sarajevo
- The first EIB financing for sustainable mobility in the Western Balkans
- €40 million for more efficient, cleaner and safer transportation in Sarajevo
- The EIB has provided financing of €1.6 billion to build better roads in Bosnia and Herzegovina
To support the transition to more sustainable transport modes, the European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing €40 million for the reconstruction of the urban transport network in the Canton of Sarajevo. The financing, provided on the most favourable terms, will enable modernisation and extension of the tram and trolley bus networks by replacing existing vehicles and building new tramlines and tracks. These improvements will significantly increase safety and reduce traffic congestion and air pollution in the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the surrounding municipalities.
The establishment of a more efficient and reliable public transit system is expected to enable a shift of passengers from private to public transport modes. As a result, it will help to reduce commute times, greenhouse gas emissions, noise levels and the number of traffic accidents in the Canton of Sarajevo. The project will contribute to the fulfilment of the EU Strategy for the Western Balkans and the EIB’s climate action goals for the region relating to sustainable transport.
The EIB Vice-President responsible for the Western Balkans, Lilyana Pavlova, said: “The COVID-19 crisis imposed a new priority for us as the EU bank – to ensure that the recovery for the pandemic is green. Sustainable mobility is a key step in that direction and we are glad that we have signed the financing for this important investment for the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The project will contribute to the fulfilment of the EU Strategy for the Western Balkans and to the development of cleaner, modern and efficient transportation infrastructure across the region, for the benefit of its people and the environment alike.”
The Minister of Finance and Treasury of BiH, Vjekoslav Bevanda, stated that yet another important contract has been signed for the project aimed at improving the quality of life for citizens in the Canton of Sarajevo and contributing to environmental protection. “It is very well known that Sarajevo suffers from many problems with urban transport and traffic jams, but also with air pollution, which is the result of all these issues. This is one among very few projects that will help in overcoming these difficulties. Therefore, we are grateful to the representatives of the EIB for supporting such a high-quality and important project for the people of Sarajevo, but also for all those who come to visit the city”, said Minister Bevanda.
The Head of the EU Delegation and EU Special Representative in BiH, Ambassador Johann Sattler, said: “Urban mobility and sustainable, green public transportation are high on the agenda of the European Union. This project will support a shift to more environmentally-friendly public transportation and provide citizens with more affordable, accessible, healthier and cleaner alternatives in Sarajevo. As such, it is also contributing to the collective effort to reduce air pollution, a major threat to climate and citizens’ health.”
To date, the EIB has invested €1.6 billion in the modernisation of transport infrastructure in Bosnia and Herzegovina, contributing to better connectivity of the country with the region and the European Union. The majority of these funds were allocated to Corridor Vc, which is one of the most important regional investments for the EIB.
France: Investment Plan – EIB co-finances the construction of an offshore wind farm in Calvados for €350 million
- EIB acts as major partner in French renewable energy project implemented and operated by the EDF Renouvelables, Enbridge and wpd consortium.
- Comprising 64 wind turbines located 10 to 16 km off the coast of Calvados, the wind farm will have a capacity of 450 MW.
- Investment guaranteed by the European Fund for Strategic Investments, the central pillar of the Investment Plan for Europe.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has granted a €350 million credit line to a consortium made up of EDF Renouvelables, Enbridge and wpd to co-finance the construction of a wind farm off the coast of Courseulles-sur-Mer in France. This financing will be guaranteed by the European Fund for Strategic Investments, the central pillar of the Investment Plan for Europe.
Totalling an estimated €2 billion, the project involves the construction of 64 wind turbines located over 10 km off the French coast. With a capacity of 450 MW, it will produce the equivalent of the annual electricity use of 630 000 people, i.e. over 90% of the population of Calvados. It is expected to enter service in 2024.
Construction is expected to last three and a half years and will create over 1 000 direct jobs in Normandy, particularly in Le Havre where the wind turbines will be manufactured and assembled in a Siemens Gemesa factory currently being built. During the life of the wind farm, the project will enable the creation of around 100 long-term jobs at the port of Caen-Ouistreham for maintenance operations.
The EU bank has recognised expertise in financing offshore wind farms. In 2020, the EIB co-financed France’s largest offshore wind farm project off the coast of Fécamp (also in Normandy) in a consortium of the same organisations. This financing is also guaranteed by the European Fund for Strategic Investments.
The European Commissioner for the Economy, Paolo Gentiloni, said: “The Investment Plan for Europe is backing the construction of a new wind park in the west of France. The project will provide clean energy to some 630 000 people and create over 1 000 jobs in the process. This is another step towards achieving our goal of climate neutrality by 2050 and showcases the economic potential of going green.”
“This second financing of an offshore wind farm in Normandy, France confirms that our transformation into the EU climate bank is picking up speed,” said EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle. “This operation consolidates our expertise in fixed and floating offshore wind turbines, like other innovative projects that we are financing elsewhere in Europe.”
Germany: EIB provides €50 million in risk financing to Wachstumsfonds Bayern 2
- Transaction is strong signal for the German venture capital market
- The EU bank is providing risk financing under the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), the main pillar of the Investment Plan for Europe
The European Investment Bank (EIB) will provide up to €50 million in risk financing to Wachstumsfonds Bayern 2 (WBF2), a venture capital fund set up on the initiative of the Free State of Bavaria. WBF2 is run by fund manager Bayern Kapital GmbH. Its target size is €165 million, with LfA Förderbank Bayern (“LfA”) having already committed to an investment of up to €115 million. The transaction is the first EFSI-backed project in Germany with a regional promotional bank and will provide another strong signal to the German venture capital market as Germany’s VC investments are still below the EU average.
The EU bank is providing this EFSI-backed risk financing as part of the Investment Plan for Europe. EFSI is the central pillar of the Investment Plan under which the EIB and the European Commission are working closely as strategic partners to boost investment and create jobs and growth by making smarter use of new and existing financial resources. The EIB financing, supported by EFSI, will have a significant impact as it provides financial support and flexibility to Bavaria’s innovative start-ups in, for example, robotics, digitisation, industrial manufacturing processes, artificial intelligence or life science, enabling them to maintain their early-mover advantage, scale up their business and continue their expansion.
EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle, in charge of the EU bank’s activities in Germany, emphasised: “I very much welcome the cooperation with LfA Förderbank Bayern to set up WBF2. Highly innovative start-ups are recognised as key sources of employment, productivity growth and sustainable jobs. For the EIB, with the backing of the Investment Plan for Europe, supporting investment that is aimed towards greater competitiveness is a top priority. This counts even more in the current difficult economic environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Hubert Aiwanger, Bavarian State Minister for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, welcomes the EIB’s entry into WFB2: “The €50 million from the EIB will make WFB2 even more effective. This means that even more Bavarian start-ups will receive reliable support for large-volume financing rounds and will be able to press ahead with their internationalisation strategies, the opening up of new markets, as well as approval studies and the further development or diversification of their own product ranges. Expansion financing for high-tech companies ultimately benefits the entire European business space. Many innovative business models are created in various industries of the future, thus also generating a large number of new, future-proof jobs.”
Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Valdis Dombrovskis, said: “I am glad to see the support from the European Fund for Strategic Investments for Bavaria’s Wachstumsfonds Bayern 2, a venture capital fund that will help finance innovative German start-ups in fields like robotics, digitisation, industrial manufacturing, artificial intelligence or life sciences to grow their operations and maintain their competitive edge. Start-ups and innovations remain central to Europe’s future prosperity and a key source of new jobs.”
Technology-focused start-ups located across Bavaria work on innovative business models day in, day out,” said Dr Otto Beierl, the Chairman of the Management Board at LfA Förderbank Bayern. “One of the biggest hurdles such companies face is the capital-intensive financing that is needed during the growth phase, the period when companies work to increase the market penetration of their products and expand their market position. Wachstumsfonds Bayern 2, a fund that always acts as a co-investment partner, plays a key role in lining up private investors alongside public sector capital in the financing of start-ups. For this reason, we are really pleased about the European Investment Bank’s decision to mobilise additional capital for innovations ‘made in Bavaria’ by offering this important pillar of financing.”
Background information
About LfA
LfA Förderbank Bayern, founded in 1951, is the specialist promotional bank of the Free State of Bavaria. Its mandate is to use the instruments of a bank to provide financial support for the projects of commercial companies and professions in almost all branches of industry and for other measures designed to improve Bavaria’s economic, transport, energy and environmental structure.
About Bayern Kapital GmbH
Bayern Kapital GmbH, based in Landshut, was founded on the initiative of the Bavarian government in 1995. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Bavarian LfA Förderbank . As the venture capital organisation of Bavaria, Bayern Kapital provides equity capital financing for the founders of young innovative technology companies in Bavaria. Presently Bayern Kapital manages 12 investment funds with a total volume of around €500 million. So far, it has invested roughly €350 million in about 290 innovative companies in various technology sectors including life science, software & IT, medical technology, materials and new materials, nanotechnology and environmental technology. As a result, more than 8 000 long-term jobs in sustainable companies have been created in Bavaria.
European Council President Tells Putin EU-Russian Relations At ‘Low Point’
With a view to the European Council meeting of 25 and 26 March a phone call between the President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin took place on Monday 22 March 2021.
The Presidents discussed relations between the EU and Russia.
President Michel expressed the view that EU-Russia ties are at a low point and confirmed the EU’s approach of the five guiding principles, based on the EU’s core values.
There is currently disagreement in many areas.
From the EU perspective, the relationship with Russia can only take a different direction if there is sustained progress on issues like the implementation of the Minsk agreements, stopping hybrid and cyber-attacks on Member States and respect for human rights. In this context Alexey Navalny’s case was raised. Charles Michel reiterated the EU’s call on the Russian authorities to release Mr Navalny and proceed with a transparent investigation into the assassination attempt on him.
The leaders also exchanged views on the Covid pandemic, on vaccines and on regional and global issues.
U.S. And European Union Hit China With Sanctions Over Treatment Of Uyghurs
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EPP insists on European Parliament debate about Caruana Galizia revelations
The European People’s Party has submitted a fresh request for a plenary debate on the latest revelations in Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder case, after the discussion was blocked by the Socialists and Democrats Group last week.
The call for a debate was initially made by the biggest bloc in the European Parliament on the 41st month since Caruana Galizia was killed by a car bomb.
The party had referred to the shocking testimony by self-confessed hitman Vince Muscat, who in court indicated that former minister Chris Cardona and former chief of staff Keith Schembri may have known of the murder plot. Both have denied the claims.
The EPP believes that following the alleged involvement of key officials and politicians, the Maltese government faces a profound crisis of credibility in the EU.
But in a tweet on Thursday afternoon, the EPP said “@TheProgressives continue to stick their head in the sand about serious allegations of involvement by Malta’s highest levels of government in the murder case and have now blocked a request for a plenary debate next week.”
EPP group chairman Manfred Weber had promised to file the request again.
Since then, Schembri has been accused in court of money laundering, criminal conspiracy, fraud and forgery, and was remanded in custody.
On Monday the EPP confirmed that despite the veto on the discussion, it had reintroduced its request for a debate and resolution.
The European Parliament “should insist the EC maintains pressure on Maltese authorities to end impunity,” the party tweeted.
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Ending tuberculosis is a race against time and drug resistance
Regional TB mortality has gone down, declining by 9.4% between 2018 and 2019. This is notably higher than the average global decline in TB mortality (3.7%) and enough to have reached the End TB Strategy milestone of a 35% reduction by 2020 compared to 2015.
However, TB is second only to COVID-19 as an infectious disease that kills, and drug resistance is a major concern. There are also worrying indications that the COVID-19 pandemic may stall progress or cause significant setbacks in the fight against TB.
The uneven burden of TB
In 2019, there were an estimated 20 000 TB deaths in the WHO European Region – equivalent to 2.2 deaths per 100 000 people, and some 3560 TB deaths occurred in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA), equal to 0.7 deaths per 100 000. For 2019, in the European Region as a whole, there were some 216 000 new TB diagnoses, corresponding to 23.2 cases per 100 000. Twenty-nine countries in the EU/EEA reported a total of 47 504 TB cases, which equates to a rate of 9.2 cases per 100 000. Across the EU/EEA, most country-specific rates continue to decline; however, the EU/EEA as a whole is currently not on track to reach the goal of ending TB by 2030.
TB is far from being evenly distributed in the European Region. Around 83% of estimated cases occur in 18 countries, where incidence is five times higher than the EU/EEA average. Five of the 18 high priority countries are within the EU/EEA, and 13 are in eastern Europe and central Asia.
COVID-19’s impact on TB
The decrease in TB burden put the Region on course to reach the End TB Strategy milestone for 2020 and the regional action plan target for reduction of the TB incidence rate. However, there are grave concerns that the COVID-19 pandemic may jeopardise recent progress.
Negative impacts have already been observed in TB service delivery and notifications in high-burden countries, this is believed to indicate that fewer people have been tested, meaning that people with undiagnosed TB are not getting the treatment they need and run the risk of infecting others.
The findings of an ongoing assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on TB services and spread in the European Region, will be ready in Spring 2021.
Treatment outcomes remain suboptimal
Despite universal access to quality-assured anti-TB drugs, treatment outcomes in the Region remain suboptimal. Only 77% of patients successfully completed treatment in 2019, well below the global rate of 85%. Treatment success in the EU/EEA was lower still, with only 64% of all TB cases notified in 2018 being reported as having completed their treatment successfully.
Strains of TB that do not respond to commonly used treatment regimens are known as either multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) or extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB). Just 59% of MDR-TB cases notified in the Region in 2017 were successfully treated, far short of the 75% target. As for XDR-TB cases in 2016, treatment success was only 43%.
Across the Region, treatment outcomes for MDR-TB remain suboptimal. Unsuccessful treatment is one of the factors that drives resistance, often due to lack of effective TB medicines in treatment regimens for drug-resistant TB, and low adherence to therapy.
Overall, in the Region, every third pulmonary TB patient has a drug-resistant form of the disease. Across the Region, a quarter of drug-resistant TB patients have XDR-TB, and 70% of the world’s XDR-TB patients live in the European Region.
The percentage of newly notified TB patients tested using WHO-recommended rapid diagnostic tests increased from 45% in 2015 to 69% in 2019, but nonetheless remains below the global End TB Strategy target of 90%. Rapid diagnostic tests allow quicker diagnosis, resulting in minimisation of suffering, onward transmission and death.
People living with HIV are particularly susceptible to TB, and coinfection is common. In the European Region, only 52% of coinfected patients complete TB treatment successfully, far below the global rate of 76%. This means that in the European Region there is a lower probability of people with a coinfection being successfully treated and making a full recovery.
TB at centre of health agendas
Stella Kyriakides, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety stated: “The decline of tuberculosis in recent years is positive news. But TB continues to be a threat to some regions in the EU and continues to affect the most vulnerable in our society. We know that there is still more work to do. Together with our agencies, the Commission is committed to playing its part to eliminate TB through, in part, funding, research and the fight against antimicrobial resistance. Prevention, early diagnosis and access to treatment and care will also play key roles in this regard”.
ECDC Director Dr Andrea Ammon commented:
“In the EU/EEA, the overall TB notification rate continued to fall in 2019, highlighting some progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, despite this progress, the EU/EEA is not currently on track to reach the goal of ending the TB epidemic by 2030. Further to this, across all cohorts, treatment success in the EU/EEA remains well below the WHO targets. The wide-scale disruption to TB services due to the COVID-19 pandemic will make it even more difficult for Member States to reach the SDGs and treatment targets, but now is the time for countries to accelerate their progress towards eliminating TB”.
“How COVID-19 has drawn attention and resources away from TB services is of huge concern. I have no doubt that we’ll get COVID-19 under control. But the price of that can never be losing hard won progress with other health threats, like TB. Today, the risk of drug-resistant TB becoming even more resistant is real, and it’s not a risk we want to take. People need to realise this and understand the urgency of the action required and also know that we already have new opportunities and tools. Working towards ending TB is a crucial part of WHO’s European Programme of Work and, having treated TB patients myself as a doctor, it is something that’s very close to my heart. Great progress has been made in recent years, but challenges remain nonetheless. I therefore applaud the huge efforts made by countries in our region to overcome TB, a terrible and yet curable disease that causes great suffering,” said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.
We’re in a difficult place in Northern Ireland, says EU commissioner
LONDON (Reuters) – Northern Ireland is in a difficult situation as it deals with the consequences of Brexit, and Britain and the European Union need to reduce tensions and find solutions as equal partners, EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness said on Sunday.
Political tensions have risen in Northern Ireland, with the pro-British unionist community unhappy about new barriers to trade with the rest of the United Kingdom that have arisen since Brexit fully took effect on Jan. 1.
“We’re in a difficult place but we are equal partners and we will have to sit down, hopefully, as you suggest, reduce the temperature and find solutions because business knows no borders, the business people in Northern Ireland want a solution,” McGuinness said in an interview on the BBC.
Reporting by Estelle Shirbon; Editing by Catherine Evans