The news that matter in Europe
The news that matter in Europe
European Commission Speech Brussels, 22 Feb 2021 Grazie Presidente.
President Ferro Rodrigues,
Honourable Members of the European Parliament and of the national parliaments,
Your presence today testifies a ver…
European Commission Brussels, 25 Feb 2021 Vice-President Schinas participates via videoconference to a political debate on migration & integration with the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR)
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In testimony to the European Parliament about efforts to end the war in Afghanistan, Crisis Group expert Andrew Watkins describes the current scale of fighting, Taliban policies and how outside actors can support the peace process.
Crisis Group’s Senior Analyst for Afghanistan, Andrew Watkins, testified to the European Parliament’s Delegation for relations with Afghanistan on 12 February 2021 about how to judge the current state of the conflict, what he sees as the Taliban’s perspectives on peace efforts and how this should inform how the international community can best support the process.
Watkins notes that Afghanistan’s war has seen measurable changes in the intensity of the conflict, which have led to some drop in casualties, but it remains one of the most violent in the world. Taliban use of suicide vehicle bombings halted for a time, but was gradually resumed, and the group’s traditional assaults on provincial centres were replaced by a campaign of targeted individual killings. He explains dynamics among the Taliban that shape their views on reducing violence and ending the war, a far cry from the ceasefire that the world expected after the 2020 deal between the U.S. and the Taliban. He says that the group are the aggressors in the conflict today, and that current levels of violence are no foundation for a lasting peace process.
Brussels has given an initial green light for personal data to continue to flow between the UK and the EU in the post-Brexit era.
The European Commission published a draft decision on Friday concluding that the UK’s data protection regime complies with the GDPR, the EU’s flagship data protection law.
The GDPR, which stands for General Data Protection Regulation, has become one of the most recognisable pieces of EU legislation.
Brussels is particularly keen on promoting and defending its implementation, both in and outside the bloc.
The law, which also applies in Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, has inspired numerous data protection laws around the world.
Article 45 of the GDPR grants the European Commission the power to assess whether non-EU countries ensure a level of data protection that is “essentially equivalent” to what GDPR offers to EU citizens
If the European Commission considers that the protection is “adequate”, transfers of personal data between the EU and that third country can take place without being subject to any extra conditions.
This is what Brussels recommends in the case of the United Kingdom.
The decision of the European Commission is not yet final: it now requires an opinion from the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) and the green light from a committee composed of national representatives.
In the meantime, data flows between the two continue to operate through an interim regime included in the EU-UK free trade deal signed last year. This regime expires on June 30.
“Ensuring [the] free and safe flow of personal data is crucial for businesses and citizens on both sides of the Channel,” said Věra Jourová, vice-President of the European Commission. “The UK has left the EU, but not the European privacy family.”
Following Brexit, the UK is no longer bound by EU law. Before the country left the bloc, the British government hand-picked the European laws that it wanted to preserve – and those that it wished to do away with.
The GDPR was retained in UK’s domestic law via transposition, in what is now referred to as the “UK GDPR”. The provisions are virtually the same but, after Brexit, Westminster has the power to review them and change them.
With this possibility in mind, the draft decision of the European Commission introduces mechanisms to monitor and evaluate whether the UK regime remains equivalent to the EU’s.
“Such monitoring is particularly important in this case, as the United Kingdom will administer, apply and enforce a new data protection regime no longer subject to European Union law and which may be liable to evolve,” the text reads.
The first evaluation will come four years after the decision enters into force.
If the Commission considers that the UK’s data protection has worsened or deviated in comparison to the EU, it could subject EU-UK data flows to additional conditions or limit the scope of the transfers.
In a more extreme scenario, Brussels could suspend or repeal the equivalence decision altogether, although this seems highly unlikely given the similarities between both GDPRs and the broad support for data protection on both sides of the English Channel.
India and the European Union (EU) on Friday expressed hope to forge a host of bilateral cooperation arrangements with a view to boost bilateral trade. At a bilateral meeting with the EU, India shared structural reforms priorities of the country and various steps taken to revive economy hit by COVID-19 crisis. During the 11th India-EU Macroeconomic dialogue held virtually, the EU informed about the economic challenges and outlook of their economy due to the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and their recovery plan.
“The dialogue concluded with the hope that both sides would be able to build stronger and deeper relations by entering into various bilateral cooperation arrangements which are of mutual interest to both sides,” an official statement said. Both sides have been negotiating on the Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) for many years but still not reached a consensus. The European Union is seeking greater market access for its automobiles, wines and spirits, and have raised concerns over high duties by India.
The Indian side, led by Economic Affairs Secretary Tarun Bajaj, shared fiscal policy response and medium-term fiscal strategy including financial/structural reforms priorities. “India shared its policy response to COVID-19 crisis and steps taken to revive the economy from COVID-19 impact including well calibrated stimulus packages announced by the Government of India as also the vaccination-related efforts,” an official statement said.
The delegation from the EU was led by Maarten Verwey, director general (economic and financial affairs) of European Commission, who informed about the economic challenges and outlook of their economy due to the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the recovery plan. “India-EU relationship has evolved into a multifaceted partnership. Today, it covers all dimensions – political, economic, security, trade and investment, environment, research and innovation,” it said.
The 27-member EU is one of our largest trading partners, one of the largest investors in India and an important source for technology, innovation and best practices. The dialogue also covered sharing of their experiences to enable both sides on various aspects such as collaboration in the G20 on finance track matters, including through G20 Framework Working Group deliverables, and international taxation of digital economy, it said.
The sudden outbreak of European Union bashing among Irish politicians following the European Commission blunder on the Northern Ireland protocol is a serious overreaction that threatens damaging consequences for the country’s credibility in the years ahead.
<p class="no_name paywall">It has been noted widely in Brussels and across the EU that Ireland appears oblivious to the extraordinary solidarity shown to us over the Border issue during Brexit negotiations. On a more parochial level the tone of the response will undoubtedly encourage the anti-EU forces in this country to rear their heads again.</p>
The EU should do more to deter cyber-attacks from malicious actors targeting the bloc’s critical infrastructure and essential services, according to a draft EU Council response to the European Commission’s new cybersecurity strategy.
The document, obtained by EURACTIV, is currently being debated by representatives from EU member states in the EU Council, after having been drawn up by the Portuguese Presidency of the EU at the start of the year.
Honing in on the efficacy of the bloc’s 2017 cyber diplomacy toolbox, which broadly outlines how EU nations should respond when facing cyber attacks, the EU council document states that further discussions should be held on the scope of the measures, with a view to further “preventing and countering cyberattacks with systemic effects that might affect our supply chains, critical infrastructure and essential services.”
Earlier this year, the EU had executed provisions outlined in its cyber diplomacy toolbox, imposing restrictive measures against six individuals and three entities responsible for the ‘WannaCry’, ‘NotPetya’, and ‘Operation Cloud Hopper’ attacks.
As a potential extension to such punitive measures, the text also notes how future reflection should be made to the “interactions” between the cyber diplomacy toolbox and the possible use of various EU treaty articles.
This includes Article 42.7 of the Lisbon Treaty – the mutual defence clause –, and Article 222 – the solidarity clause –, which allow EU nations to offer assistance to other countries on the bloc when they are faced with attacks, terrorist threats and require assistance.
France was the first EU nation to formally invoke Article 42.7 of the treaty in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris in 2015, in a bid to contract support from EU partners for ongoing operations against the Islamic State in Syria.
From the EU Council drafts seen by EURACTIV, it appears now that EU nations are beginning to consider cyberattacks under the same terms as general terrorist activity, with regards to calls for joint support from partners on the bloc.
Commission’s cyber strategy
The Council document comes in response to the Commission’s Cybersecurity Strategy for the Digital Decade, presented in mid-December. It is dated February 16, and was recently sent to EU delegations after being debated over in the Council Horizontal Working Party on cyber issues.
EU member states appear to be largely in support of the Commission’s plans, calling for greater deterrent to block harmful cyberattacks against critical infrastructure.
The Commission’s strategy had proposed a revision of the Security of Network and Information Systems Directive (NIS 2), adding new sectors to the scope of minimum cybersecurity requirements as well as attempting to further harmonise sanctions regimes for cyber attacks across EU member states.
As part of these plans, certain “essential and important entities” across critical public and private sectors such as hospitals, energy grids, railways, data centres, public administrations, research labs, and manufacturing of critical medical devices and medicines, will be obliged to adopt appropriate cybersecurity risk management measures as well as new reporting obligations.
Related to this are plans for the Commission to expand the scope of the 2008 European Critical Infrastructure directive, with the introduction of a Critical Entities Resilience (CER) Directive, which now would earmark ten sectors as “critical,” including energy, transport, banking, financial market infrastructures, health, drinking water, wastewater, digital infrastructure, public administration and space.
Threat landscape amid coronavirus
As the EU continues to reel from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, attention has increasingly focused on the vulnerability of certain “essential services,” highlighted in the Council documents.
Last year, members of the NATO alliance released a statement condemning “destabilising and malicious cyber activities directed against those whose work is critical to the response against the pandemic, including healthcare services, hospitals, and research institutes.”
NATO’s comments came after an April statement from the Commission’s foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell, who said “malicious cyber activities” had been recorded across Europe’s healthcare sector, including phishing and malware distribution campaigns, scanning activities and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.
A week before, authorities in the Czech Republic reported attacks on critical national infrastructures, with the National Cyber and Information Security Authority (NÚKIB) issuing a cybersecurity warning.
This week, two French hospital groups have been infected with the crypto-virus RYUK ransomware, resulting in the transfer of a number of patients to other sites.
[Edited by Frédéric Simon]
Portugal’s defence minister wants to strengthen political dialogue between the European Union and African decision-makers, which he believes is insufficient despite the fact that most European military missions are in Africa, he told EURACTIV’s partner Lusa in an interview.
João Gomes Cravinho also announced that an informal summit of EU defence ministers, initially scheduled for 2 and 3 March, has been postponed to “the end of May” so that it can take place face-to-face in Lisbon.
“I have planned for the informal summit to invite a set of African ministers and counterparts to dialogue with European Defence ministers. Because the European missions are almost all in Africa and yet the political dialogue with African decision-makers is insufficient, we need to build this bridge, to improve this bridge,” he told Lusa.
According to Gomes Cravinho, several defence ministers from African countries and leaders of regional organisations, such as the president of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the seven east African countries in the regional organisation for the Horn of Africa, have already accepted the invitation to the informal defence meeting.
A second aspect the Portuguese minister wants to introduce in the “construction of the European Defence identity”, is giving greater importance to the maritime component.
“With the new central role of the Atlantic and the importance that the seas have for our trade and with the resurgence of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea”, it is necessary to have in the “European defence identity a maritime dimension that has been undervalued”.
He stressed that the European Defence Fund will become operational during the Portuguese presidency of the Council of the EU. EDF is an instrument that will allow the financing of investment projects in the military and defence area with a return for the European economy, he said.
Gomes Cravinho also highlighted the so-called Strategic Compass’,’ a guiding document which aims “to be the script for the European Defence identity” that translates the priorities of the European Union’s Global Strategy and the consequent missions.
Presented by EU defence ministers in June 2020, the Strategic Compass covers three phases: an analysis of threats to the EU, the establishment of strategic objectives to strengthen the EU as a security and defence actor, and the creation of political guidelines for military planning procedures.
[Edited by Benjamin Fox]
The European Union is set to impose travel bans and asset freezes on allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin in March, possibly in the run-up to an EU summit, after a meeting of envoys gave approval for punitive measures, diplomats said.
The sanctions, in response to the jailing of Putin’s main domestic critic Alexei Navalny, could be the first to be imposed under a new EU framework that was enacted in December and allows the bloc to take measures against human rights violators worldwide.
“I expect additional sanctions to be in place before the EU summit in March,” said a senior EU diplomat, referring to the 25-26 March gathering of the bloc’s 27 leaders in Brussels. EU foreign ministers meet on 22 March.
A meeting of EU ambassadors on Wednesday showed broad support for sanctions, with countries including Sweden, Germany, France, Poland and Baltic countries all calling for the travel bans and asset freezes.
There was no discussion of halting the huge Nord Stream II gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, however, despite calls from some EU members for it to be targeted with sanctions. It was not immediately clear if powerful business elites, known as oligarchs, would be targeted, as Navalny’s supporters want.
Pressure for sanctions has grown since Moscow infuriated European countries on 5 February by expelling German, Polish and Swedish diplomats without telling the EU’s foreign policy chief, who was in Moscow for a visit. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the EU an “unreliable partner” during a news conference, which EU lawmakers say aimed to humiliate Brussels.
“Sanctions need to be soon, otherwise their impact is weakened,” a second senior EU diplomat said.
Some countries have put forward names of those they think should be subject to sanctions, but declined to give details out of concern potential targets could move assets out of European banks.
The EU already imposed economic sanctions on Russia over its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Last year it imposed travel bans and asset freezes on six Russian officials close to Putin over Navalny’s poisoning in August. Moscow has denied blame for Navalny’s illness and says it has seen no proof he was poisoned.
Navalny was detained after returning to Russia from Germany last month and jailed on 2 February for violating the parole terms on what he says was a politically motivated charge.
The EU’s energy commissioner, Kadri Simson, has revealed details of upcoming fuel legislation, saying a certification scheme for renewable and low-carbon fuels and gases is on the horizon.
The new scheme will be part of the revision of the renewable energy directive – the so-called ‘RED II’ – Simson announced at a Brussels event on Thursday (18 February).
“This will include a comprehensive certification for renewable and low-carbon fuels and gases. And it will come with an updated set of incentives to promote the use of these fuels in various sectors,” she said.
Those criteria are expected to be based on full life cycle greenhouse gas emission savings.
The EU’s energy taxation directive will also be revised in line with the EU’s updated climate goals for 2030, as part of a package of EU laws to be tabled in June, Simson said. That “will be relevant for various fuels” as well, she added, “as it directly affects consumers’ choices”.
The commissioner made the comments at the Tenth High level EU Refining Forum, a gathering of representatives from the oil refining industry, members of the European Parliament, European Commission staff, and others in the field.
Oil refiners called for the EU to recognise liquid fuels as a necessary part of achieving decarbonisation, saying that from a chemistry standpoint “liquid fuels are still simply the best form of energy storage”.
“Many parts of the transport system would benefit from retaining the liquid fuel but of course in a low-carbon form,” said Béla Kelemen, president of FuelsEurope, the European oil refining industry association. FuelsEurope members include major oil companies such as Shell, BP, ExxonMobil and Total.
Kelemen compared the industry’s decarbonisation drive to a “transformation where we want to be a butterfly from a caterpillar”.
Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou, a Greek MEP from the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) called low-carbon liquid fuels “instrumental to the EU’s transition in energy by 2050” and criticised the European Commission for putting them on the taxonomy ‘brown list’ – fuels considered to have a negative impact on the environment
“We need to consider transitional energy like natural gas and potential breakthrough technologies like low-carbon liquid fuels as part of climate solutions and not treat them as a lingering problem,” said Asimakopoulou.
“The Commission brushes off the right of member states to decide their own energy mix and to choose the most appropriate technologies to collectively achieve the 2030 climate target. This clearly limits solutions available to reduce the CO2 emissions in, for instance, the transport sector, where electric is not always technologically possible,” she added.
The European Commission and industry acknowledge that liquid fuels will primarily play a role in hard-to-decarbonise transport modes such as aviation and maritime. The EU executive aims to have the majority of light duty vehicles on European roads powered by electricity and biofuels by 2050.
John Cooper, the director general of FuelsEurope, said the industry will move towards a new business model aimed at supplying some of Europe’s transport energy needs, one that is “entirely complementary to the electrification and hydrogen strategies”.
“We still need to operate petroleum refining for some years, well beyond a decade or two, because the demand is there. 90% of new cars and trucks sold last year need liquid fuels and while we would like to scale up the renewables massively overnight, this is unrealistic,” he warned.
Cooper went on to call for “equivalent recognition for renewables in transport, with fair competition between renewable electricity, gases and liquids as energy sources”.
“When technology competes fairly, customers will decide,” he added.
Over half of all power will be provided by electricity by 2050 according to EU estimates, predicating a significant drop in the use of liquid fuels, particularly petrochemicals. The EU is targeting a rise in clean energy production to meet the demand.
Scania, the Swedish manufacturer of heavy trucks and buses, announced during the forum that they will only sell fossil-fuel free vehicles by 2040, ensuring that the majority of Scania trucks on the road are clean vehicles by 2050.
Cutting emissions by 2030
The ‘fit for 55’ package, which is due to be published in June, will include a possible extension of the EU’s carbon market to include the transport and building sectors and tighter CO2 emission standards for new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles.
Representatives of the oil refining industry sought to defend the sector’s role in transitioning Europe to carbon neutrality.
“The EU refining sector is of crucial importance to decarbonise our transport systems by delivering low and zero carbon solutions for the future, allowing affordable and sustainable mobility for all,” said Judith Kirton-Darling, IndustriAll deputy general secretary, a trade union federation.
Kirton-Darling called on the EU to deliver a “just transition for industrial workers”, expressing concern that the regulations driving changes to the industry would harm their livelihood.
“Blacklisting entire sectors within the EU taxonomy rules which were originally meant to be a non-binding instrument to steer investment, will undermine the rolling out of low-carbon technologies and processes that we urgently need,” she added.
Kirton-Darling also criticised an overreliance on the Emissions Trading Scheme, saying one size fits all policies will “inevitably increase regional inequalities within and between countries”.
[Edited by Frédéric Simon]
The Iranian foreign minister has called on the European countries to demand an end to the economic sanctions imposed on Iran by former US President Donald Trump.
“Instead of philosophizing and shifting the responsibility onto Iran, the European Troika/the European Union should make good on their obligations and demand the legacy of Trump’s economic terrorism against Iran end,” said Mohammad Javad Zarif said.
He also touched upon Tehran scaling down its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in response to Washington’s unilateral and illegal withdrawal from the agreement, and urged them to correct their approach if they are anxious about the action that Iran has taken.
“Our measures are remedial ones adopted in response to violations by the US and the European Troika. If you fear the effect, eliminate the cause,” he added.
(MENAFN – Kuwait News Agency (KUNA))
BRUSSELS, Feb 18 (KUNA) — The European Union’s trade chief Thursday said the EU is ready to engage with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to develop trade relations between the two blocs.
“We are open for engagement and open to seek ways for future cooperation,” EU Commissioner for Trade, Valdis Dombrovskis, told an online press conference in Brussels.
He made the comment while presenting a report on EU trade strategy for the coming years, in reply to a question by KUNA on EU-GCC trade relations.
He said the EU intends to intensify its engagement with Africa and its neighbouring countries, and to consolidate its partnerships with key growth regions, notably in Latin America and Asia-Pacific.
Dombrovskis explained that today’s report did not specifically “outline our future cooperation with the GCC as we cannot outline and specify our future relations with many different countries in the world.”
“But this does not mean that we would not engage with other countries and other partners in the world and that definitely concerns our cooperation with the GCC,” he stressed.
“The challenges we face require a new strategy for EU trade policy. We need open, rules-based trade to help restore growth and job creation post-COVID-19,” he said.
The report says that the EU has a strong network of trade agreements: 46 deals with 78 partners. Across the EU, 35 million jobs depend on trade.
“There is the potential to build on this strong foundation but to do so we have to look beyond our borders, given that 85 percent of global growth will take place outside Europe in the next decade,” he said.
The best way to ensure the EU’s prosperity is to keep trading with our global partners, rather than turning inwards, he added.
The six-member GCC includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. (end)
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BRUSSELS, Feb 19 (KUNA) — The European Union has invited US secretary of state Anthony Blinken to join the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) by videoconference when it meets in Brussels on Monday.
The first meeting between the top US diplomat and the EU foreign ministers will last 2 hours, a senior EU official told an online press briefing on Friday ahead of the FAC.
“It is clear in our minds that the message that the new US administration wants to give is that they want to engage with the EU to work on different issues of common interests,” he said speaking on condition of anonymity.
Apart from Iran, the situation of the perspective of the Middle East Peace Process will be discussed because the Biden administration is starting anew approach to this question, said the EU official.
The situation in Syria, Iraq and Yemen are also expected to be discussed at the meeting besides Russia, Turkey and China. (end)
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European Commission News Brussels, 19 Feb 2021 Speaking at 2021 Special edition of the Munich Security Conference on 19 February, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen focused on climate change and digital transformation as two major topics that could be driving the EU-US new global
Fortnite creator Epic Games has taken its fight against Apple to European Union antitrust regulators, escalating its dispute with the iPhone maker over its App Store payment system and control over app downloads.
The two companies have been locked in a legal dispute since August, when the game maker tried to avoid Apple’s 30% fee on some in-app purchases on the App Store by launching its own in-app payment system.
That prompted Apple to kick Epic’s Fortnite game off the App Store and threaten to terminate an affiliated account that would have effectively blocked distribution of Unreal Engine, a software tool used by hundreds of app makers to create games.
Epic Games founder and Chief Executive Tim Sweeney said Apple’s control of its platform had tilted the level playing field.
“The 30% they charge as their app tax, they can make it 50% or 90% or 100%. Under their theory of how these markets are structured, they have every right to do that,” he told reporters.
“Epic is not asking any court or regulator to change this 30% to some other number, only to restore competition on IOS,” he said, referring to Apple’s mobile operating system.
The company also accused Apple of barring rivals from launching their own gaming subscription service on its platform by preventing them from bundling several games together, even though its own Apple Arcade service does that.
Apple said its rules applied equally to all developers and that Epic had violated them.
“In ways a judge has described as deceptive and clandestine, Epic enabled a feature in its app, which was not reviewed or approved by Apple, and they did so with the express intent of violating the App Store guidelines that apply equally to every developer and protect customers,” the company said in a statement.
“Their reckless behaviour made pawns of customers, and we look forward to making this clear to the European Commission,” it said.
Epic Games’ EU complaint got the thumbs up from lawmaker Rasmus Andresen at the European Parliament, which will in coming months seek to reinforce EU tech rules proposed by the Commission to rein in U.S. tech giants.
“We as legislators need to ensure that these platforms who act as gatekeepers in the digital market have to respect a predefined set of rules in order to guarantee fair competition and balanced market powers,” he said in a statement.
Apple has been taking small steps in recent months towards changing its practices, including lower fees for some developers and giving them a way to challenge its rulings, both of which have not satisfied the company’s critics.
Fortnite is slated to come back to the iPhone at some point in the mobile Safari browser. Epic and Apple in recent weeks have been trading documents and conducting depositions ahead of a scheduled May trial in the Epic lawsuit filed last year.
The Commission, which is investigating Apple’s mobile payment system Apple Pay and the App Store, confirmed receipt of the complaint.
“We will assess it based on our standard procedures,” a Commission spokeswoman said.
Epic Games has also complained to the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal and to the Australian watchdog.
Big companies such as Microsoft Corp, Spotify and Match Group Inc have also criticised Apple’s App Store fees and rules.
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Digital Editor
First, I want to thank you, Ambassador Ischinger. It’s a great initiative to bring together again, transatlantic partners to discuss the great challenges ahead.
In the last seventy-five years, the relationship between Europe and the United States has been the backbone of the rules-based international order. This partnership is underpinned by multiple pillars: our security and defense alliance through NATO; our strong economic cooperation; and, of course, the rich relationship between our peoples.
This is a critical time for Europe, for the United States, and for the world. And we are confronted by massive challenges. This makes our alliance with the US both vibrant and vital. And again, it’s more necessary than ever. This is why the European Council — all 27 EU leaders together — have reaffirmed its strategic importance. I believe both sides now want to rejuvenate and solidify our bond. I call it — a “New Founding Pact”.
It’s worth reflecting on what the fundamentals of this pact should be. I sum it up in three words: values, prosperity and influence.
First, our values. Together, our values are those of the free world: human dignity, democracy, freedom and the rule of law. These values represent the cornerstone of our relationship.
If our relationship went through four bumpy years, it was not because of differences of views or interests. These are normal. Rather, it was because respecting rules, and respecting agreements, were no longer a “given”. That’s why we appreciate the commitment expressed by President Biden: “We will lead not merely by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.”
It’s precisely when we respect our common values, when we respect each other as equal partners, that we can resolve our differences.
It’s precisely when those values are challenged by others, that we must lead by example, to defend them and promote them, at home and abroad.
Today, recovering from COVID-19 is our first priority. More than ever, we must show our peoples that our system of free societies, and open economies, works. And that it works for all.
We — the EU and US — need to join forces to make trade, digital development, green transition and fair taxation contribute to greater prosperity and well-being for our citizens. We want to build back a better, fairer and greener world. For all. This is our European ambition. And we think international cooperation is the only way to succeed.
Now that America, under the Biden-Harris administration, re-joins this common endeavour, our alliance — along with our like-minded partners — constitutes a formidable and influential power.
When we are on the same page, we have greater influence to promote democracy and drive forward our economies. Together, we are stronger to defend the rules-based international order from the attacks of autocratic regimes, whether from Russia, China or Iran. And we are stronger to ensure peace and security.
When we share the same view of prosperity and well-being, we have greater capacity to deal with major economic actors, to bring them to more fairness and reciprocity while avoiding detrimental competition between ourselves.
A strong partnership needs strong partners. That’s why we, in Europe, are growing stronger, to increase our strategic ability to act. For our common values, for more prosperity and for more security. We want to be a strong and reliable partner. Let’s make our partnership a powerhouse for a better world. Welcome back America.
The European Commission has announced today €3 million in humanitarian aid to assist those affected by the recent large scale hostilities in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, including a significant number of displaced people. Since the beginning of the hostilities in September 2020, the EU has mobilised a total of €6.9 million in humanitarian assistance.
Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, said: “Following the cessation of hostilities, the humanitarian crisis in the region remains dire and is currently exacerbated by the harsh winter and the coronavirus pandemic. The EU is stepping up its support for the conflict-affected population in and around Nagorno-Karabakh. It will help provide emergency supplies to those most in need.”
The newly announced emergency support will help EU humanitarian partners to deliver food, shelter, winter items and other basic needs, as well as essential health services and psychosocial support to the affected population. All EU humanitarian funding is provided in line with the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.
The recent military confrontation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which raged unabated for 6 weeks, has caused casualties, damages and displacement. The fighting pushed hundreds of thousands to flee their homes for safety. Houses and public infrastructure such as schools, health system, roads, utilities and communication networks, were badly damaged. Alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law include the targeting of civilian infrastructure and use of banned cluster munitions.
Despite the ceasefire agreement struck between Armenia and Azerbaijan on 9 November 2020, the humanitarian situation remains of concern. The coronavirus pandemic and cold temperature further worsen the situation. The EU is in close contact with humanitarian partners and other stakeholders on the ground to support the coordination of the humanitarian response.
The report, compiled by ECDC and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) proposes options for monitoring strategies that will help to prevent and control spread of the disease.
It concludes that all mink farms should be considered at risk from SARS-CoV-2 and that monitoring should include active measures such as testing of animals and staff in addition to passive surveillance by farmers and veterinarians.
The report was requested by the European Commission following outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 in mink farms across Europe in 2020.
As of January 2021, the virus has been detected at 400 mink farms in eight countries in the EU/EEA – 290 in Denmark, 69 in the Netherlands, 21 in Greece, 13 in Sweden, three in Spain, two in Lithuania and one each in France and Italy.