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BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Hungary plans to veto the European Union’s 2021-27 budget and its post-COVID recovery scheme over a proposal to make funding conditional on member states’ adherence to the rule of law, its government spokesman said on Monday.
The permanent representatives of EU member states will convene in Brussels on Monday afternoon to discuss the issue. Hungarian news outlet Portfolio reported earlier that the German EU presidency will ask governments to express their political stance on the funding conditionality.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had already sent a letter to EU institutions threatening to veto the budget and Hungary’s lawmakers in July said the government should not accept such conditions in the talks.
Spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said Hungary was attending that meeting with a clear mandate from its parliament.
Asked whether that meant Hungary would veto the budget and the Own Resources Decision unless the rule of law conditions are reconsidered, Kovacs said:
“Your deduction is correct.”
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s nationalist government has been at odds with European partners for years over a perceived erosion of democratic standards, which has sidelined Orban and his Polish allies in the bloc.
The EU’s top forum decided over the summer that it would tie any future fund disbursement to respecting the democratic standards incorporated in the EU’s founding treaty, such as the freedom of courts, the media and education, all of which have come under attack by Orban in recent years.
Orban’s Fidesz party has been suspended by the European People’s Party, the bloc’s conservative umbrella group for right-wing politicians, and the European Parliament has started a procedure to suspend Hungary’s voting rights in the bloc in response to its democratic shortcomings.
The Hungarian leader, who is building a self-styled “illiberal democracy”, has rejected those accusations and accused Brussels of double standards of allowing other countries to do things Hungary is punished for..
Reporting by Marton Dunai and Anita Komuves; Editing by Toby Chopra
European Commission – Oct 27“Cybercrime will never happen to me.”
We all think this way until it does happen. As more of our life moves online, we need to be aware of how to stay safe.
Did you know that hackers attack an average of 2,244 times a day globally, causing damage to the economy and hurting businesses? They can even have an impact on our personal lives!
Phishing, hacking, data leaks and other cyber threats are among the biggest global risks of the decade after climate change (WEF). This is why one of the top priorities of the EU is to make the internet a safer place for everyone. That means protecting your personal data while you browse, but also safeguarding key infrastructure from cyberattacks, and ensuring we think through the risks of new technologies.
From raising awareness to fighting cybercriminals, here are seven ways the EU works to keep you safe online.
October is not only about pumpkins and Halloween: it is also Cybersecurity Month. This year, the European Cybersecurity Month is raising awareness of risks online and encouraging everyone to ‘ThinkB4UClick’.
Being safe online is about getting the basics right. Think before you click, install anti-virus software, choose your passwords smartly, and keep your devices locked when you are away.
These are simple tips and tricks you can follow to protect yourself online.
Today, young Europeans are growing up with YouTube and Instagram. The internet opens doors to many new experiences, stimulating learning and creativity. However, children can also be exposed to online bullying and sexual harassment. This is why the EU has put in place several measures to protect them, foster digital literacy and fight against online child sexual abuse.
For instance, the EU provides a support network to every European country with a Safer Internet Centre, which you can call free of charge to seek help from experts on consent, data protection, online privacy and more.
When you access the web, you often entrust personal information, such as your name, address, and credit card number, to your Internet Service Provider or to the website you are using. Most commonly, you give your personal data in exchange for a service or information.
EU rules such as the ePrivacy Directive and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) ensure that this data is treated carefully, does not fall into wrong hands and that you have more control over how it is used. The EU is proud to have the strongest and most modern Data Protection rules in the world, rules which are becoming a global standard.
The EU has taken the lead on cryptography know-how and cybersecurity. However, as in any fast-paced field, keeping pace with the needs of the cybersecurity industry and investing in new digital skills is crucial.
The EU has taken many steps to encourage the development of digital skills by modernising education. The EU provides grants for master’s, PhD and post-graduate research and promotes upskilling and reskilling opportunities, with a particular emphasis on digital skills.
With more trained IT and cybersecurity professionals and a more digitally-skilled public, we are all safer online.
Increased cyber attacks during the coronavirus crisis have shown how important it is to protect our hospitals, research centres and other infrastructure. Cybersecurity is one of the Commission’s priorities and the Recovery Plan for Europe includes additional investments in cybersecurity. We are also taking strong action to strengthen cybersecurity capacities: we will soon update legislation in the area of cybersecurity, with a new Cybersecurity Strategy coming up by the end of 2020, and will invest in cybersecurity research and capacity building.
Whether you are buying products in online shops, making bank transactions or searching for a job, a lot of your personal data is shared online. Cybercriminals aim to intercept online banking transactions, steal identities and harass people. This is why the Commission monitors and updates EU law on cybercrime and supports law enforcement capacity across EU countries. We are also working with the European Cybercrime Centre in Europol, the central hub for criminal information and intelligence. It offers operational and analytical support to investigations in all EU countries.
On top of that, the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity, ENISA has a very wide ambit and works on various topics including protecting smart grid electricity networks, eHealth systems, big data and much more. It provides support to all EU countries and ensures cybersecurity is embedded across all domains of EU policy.
In a hyperconnected world, ENISA aims to prepare Europe for the cyber challenges of tomorrow.
A revolution in how we stay connected is just around the corner. 5G is the 5th generation of mobile networks designed to meet society’s increased data and connectivity demands at greater speeds.
5G will have an impact on every aspect of our lives — from smart medicine and remote-controlled machinery to more efficient energy grids and connected cars.
To protect these future networks, we have had to change the way we think about security, which is not only a national issue but also a common challenge. The EU is working to provide guidance and measures to mitigate the new risks that come with 5G.
Nope, the Earth is not flat and no, 5G does not cause COVID-19. Seems straightforward, and yet we find disinformation everywhere online, also amplified by social media.
Online disinformation can have far-reaching consequences. It is a threat to democratic debate, and puts our health, security and environment at risk. The EU is therefore working to implement a clear, comprehensive and broad set of actions to tackle the spread of online disinformation in Europe.
On top of that, the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity, ENISA has a very wide ambit and works on various topics including protecting smart grid electricity networks, eHealth systems, big data and much more. It provides support to all EU countries and ensures cybersecurity is embedded across all domains of EU policy.
In a hyperconnected world, ENISA aims to prepare Europe for the cyber challenges of tomorrow.
A revolution in how we stay connected is just around the corner. 5G is the 5th generation of mobile networks designed to meet society’s increased data and connectivity demands at greater speeds.
5G will have an impact on every aspect of our lives — from smart medicine and remote-controlled machinery to more efficient energy grids and connected cars.
To protect these future networks, we have had to change the way we think about security, which is not only a national issue but also a common challenge. The EU is working to provide guidance and measures to mitigate the new risks that come with 5G.
Nope, the Earth is not flat and no, 5G does not cause COVID-19. Seems straightforward, and yet we find disinformation everywhere online, also amplified by social media.
Online disinformation can have far-reaching consequences. It is a threat to democratic debate, and puts our health, security and environment at risk. The EU is therefore working to implement a clear, comprehensive and broad set of actions to tackle the spread of online disinformation in Europe.
We aim to be a leader in the fight against online disinformation and the threat it poses to our shared values and democratic systems.
WARSAW, Nov 16 (Reuters) – Poland should veto the European Union budget over an EU attempt to tie rule of law to EU funding, Poland’s Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro said on Monday.
“Now is the decisive moment for what will happen in Europe …when Poland can declare a veto… as a useful tool designed to block this political project designed to limit Poland’s sovereignty,” Ziobro told a news conference.
“I am convinced that, similarly to (Hungarian) Prime Minister Orban, Prime Minister Morawiecki will use this right.” (Reporting by Joanna Plucinska; Editing by Toby Chopra)
, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20201113IPR91595/
In the wake of several terror attacks in Europe, MEPs will discuss ways to step up security cooperation and improve information exchange between police forces.
The Civil Liberties Committee will assess the state of play in counter-terrorism and the security strategy with Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson and the German Presidency of the Council. Future developments regarding the so-called Prüm decisions and automated exchanges of information from DNA databases, fingerprints and car registration data, and the 2004 Advance Passenger Information (API) directive, which obliges carriers to collect passenger information, will play a central part in the debate.
Strengthening Europol’s mandate, the future action plan on integration and exclusion and current negotiations to ensure terrorist content is removed from the internet swiftly and efficiently are also likely to be raised.
When: Monday, 16 November, from 16.50 to 18.05.
Where: European Parliament in Brussels, József Antall (4Q2), and remotely.
Check the full agenda of the committee meeting. You can follow the discussion live.
Last week, MEPs held a plenary debate with Commissioner Johansson on the latest terror attacks and the need to further develop the counter-terrorism strategy, in parallel with additional efforts to promote fundamental freedoms and integration.
In today’s Big Story podcast, almost two weeks after the American election, leading social media platforms are inundated with false claims about the results. Claims that are supported and amplified by Donald Trump and key members of his administration. After talking tough regarding disinformation in the months leading up to the election, and even slapping warnings on the president’s posts, have Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok lived up to their promises?
And the big question: Will Twitter ever ban Donald Trump? Where would their business be without him?
GUEST: Jesse Hirsh, researcher and futurist, metaviews.ca
You can subscribe to The Big Story podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google and Spotify
You can also find it at thebigstorypodcast.ca.
BRUSSELS, Nov 16 (Reuters) – Britain “has choices to make” if it wants a new trade deal with the European Union, three diplomatic sources with the bloc said on Monday, adding Brexit negotiators have yet to come up with mutually acceptable solutions for the three most contentious issues.
Ireland, the EU member states most exposed to Brexit, said on Monday London and the bloc had up to 10 days to unlock trade talks to avoid tariffs and quotas kicking in from 2021 and damaging an estimated trillion dollars worth of annual commerce.
“They haven’t quite reached where they had hoped to be,” one of the EU diplomats following Brexit said on Monday as talks between the bloc’s negotiator Michel Barnier and his UK counterpart, David Frost, resumed in Brussels.
A senior EU diplomat added: “Britain has choices to make.”
Both sources were speaking under condition of anonymity. (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Toby Chopra)
Britain and the European Union have made some progress in their negotiations for a post-Brexit trade deal but might not succeed in getting an agreement, Britain’s top Brexit negotiator said as he headed into further talks on Sunday.
“There has been some progress in a positive direction in recent days,” David Frost said on Twitter.
“We also now largely have common draft treaty texts, though significant elements are of course not yet agreed. We will work to build on these and get an overall agreement if we can. But we may not succeed.”
3/4 There has been some progress in a positive direction in recent days. We also now largely have common draft treaty texts, though significant elements are of course not yet agreed. We will work to build on these and get an overall agreement if we can.
— David Frost (@DavidGHFrost) November 15, 2020
By Vatican News staff writer
Global efforts to promote divestment from fossil fuels expanded further as 47 faith institutions announced their divestment from fossil fuels on Monday, in the largest-ever announcement of its kind among religious leaders.
The Global Catholic Climate Movement in a statement said that 42 Catholic institutions and five other additional protestant and Jewish institutions have severed ties with the fossil fuel industry in a bid to help tackle the climate crisis. They join with nearly 400 other faith institutions that have divested from fossil fuels.
This announcement comes after the Vatican’s first-ever operational guidance on the environment was issued as part of the celebration of the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ 2015 Encyclical Laudato sí. The guidelines, signed by all of the Vatican’s dicasteries, encouraged Catholics to avoid investing in companies “that harm human or social ecology (for example, through abortion or the arms trade), or environmental ecology (for example, through the use of fossil fuels).”
The Church’s commitment to clean energy finds its roots in its tradition of Catholic Social Teaching.
On 16 November 1970, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), Pope Paul VI reminded all that “everything is bound up together” in the “living design of the creator” and warned that we risked “provoking a veritable ecological catastrophe.”
Similarly, Pope Francis, in Laudato sí, reiterated that “everything is connected” in “one complex crisis which is both social and environment.” The Pope also pointed out that “we still lack the culture need to confront this crisis.”
Pope Francis has also convened an “Economy of Francesco” conference, scheduled to begin on 19 November 2020 to examine innovative ways Catholics are developing a sustainable economy, propelled by leadership from young people.
Fr. Manuel Barrios Prieto, Secretary-General of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (COMECE) said that the European Bishops joins the movement to divest from fossil fuels and encouraged others to also take concrete steps to solve the climate crisis.
He added that commitments to the Paris agreement is important, and the European Green Deal is a way of doing so, as “solving the climate crisis protects the human family from the dangers of a warming world, and decisive action is needed now more than ever.”
In the same vein, Inger Andersen, under-secretary-general of the UN and executive director of the UN Environmental Programme highlighted that “the economic power of faiths, turned to responsible investments and the green economy, can be a major driver of positive change, and an inspiration to others, as we rebuild better.”
, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/eu-affairs/20201112STO91447/
BRUSSELS, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) — The China Chamber of Commerce to the European Union (CCCEU) on Sunday hailed the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement as “uplifting” amid global recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the presence of leaders of China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and ten member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the RCEP agreement was officially signed on Sunday, forging the largest free trade bloc in the world.
“The conclusion of this agreement offers an uplifting example of international economic cooperation, which has been affected by protectionism and unilateralism; and it has also injected confidence to boost global economic recovery hit by the recession,” said Zhou Lihong, chairwoman of the CCCEU.
“Right now, China and the EU are racing towards ending negotiation of the bilateral investment treaty (BIT) by the end of this year. We are looking forward to the conclusion of this long-awaited agreement,” said Zhou, who is former chair of Bank of China Luxembourg.
“We are also expecting to put bilateral free trade talks on the official agenda as soon as possible, which could then offer a solid framework of trade and investment liberalization and facilitation in the two major markets consisting of 1.9 billion consumers,” she added.
Based in Brussels, the CCCEU was founded in 2018 by a group of Chinese enterprises operating in the European Union (EU). It represents some 1,000 Chinese companies in numerous industries, such as finance, energy, transportation, manufacturing, ICT and artificial intelligence.
European leaders must not let up on efforts to construct an autonomous bloc that is capable of resisting the duopoly of China and the US, Emmanuel Macron has said in his first extended response to the US presidential election.
The French president said the US would only respect Europe if it was sovereign with respect to its own defence, technology and currency. Warning that US values and interests were not quite the same as Europe’s, he said: “It is not tenable that our international policies should be dependent on it or to be trailing behind it.” The same need for independence applied even more to China, he added.
His analysis came in a marathon interview in the journal Le Grand Continent, conducted last Thursday, in which he called for a redoubling of the protection of the values of the European enlightenment against “barbarity and obscurantism”. Le Grand Continent is the review attached to the leading French thinktank Groupe d’Études Géopolitiques.
Macron suggested 2020 may prove to be a landmark year similar to 1945, 1968 and 2007. Much of the interview considered the extent to which the forces that led to Donald Trump’s election in 2016, and the UK’s Brexit vote, could be contained, and reversed.
“The changeover of the administration in America is an opportunity to to pursue in a truly peaceful and calm manner what allies need to understand among themselves – which is that we need to continue to build our independence for ourselves, as the US does for itself and as China does for itself.”
He explicitly claimed that the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, was resisting German politicians who have described the search for European autonomy as an illusion, saying such a view is a “historical misinterpretation”.
“It is vital that our Europe finds the ways and the means to decide for itself to rely on itself, not to depend on others in every area, technological, health, geopolitics, and to be able to cooperate with whomever it chooses,” he said.
Macron added that although the US was Europe’s historical ally, cherishing similar principles, “our values are not quite the same. We have an attachment to social democracy, to more equality. Our reactions are not quite the same”.
Macron, who previously criticised Nato as being “brain-dead”, said: “Europe has a lot of thoughts unthought. On a geostrategic level we had forgotten to think because we thought our geopolitical relations through Nato.”
Calling for a reinvention of international cooperation, he said the current multilateral frameworks were blocked. “The UN security council no longer produces useful solutions today. We all have some responsibility to bear when some [institutions] such as the World Health Organization find themselves hostages to the crises of multilateralism.”
He said the deep crisis of cooperation was a crisis born of conflicting values, including the rise of neoconservatism and a breakdown in the universal principle of inviolable human rights. This rupture, he said, “is the fruit of ideological choices fully endorsed by powers that see in it the means to rise, and a form of fatigue, of breakdown”.
Without mentioning Turkey directly, he said: “Authoritarian regional powers are re-emerging, theocracies are re-emerging. It is an extraordinary acceleration of a return of religion on the political scene in a number of these countries.”
Europe, Macron suggested, was fighting against “a colossal step backward in history”, led by those who use radical Islamism to challenge freedom of expression. Insisting he respected cultures and civilisations, he said “nevertheless I am not going to change our laws because they shock elsewhere”.
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The French president, Charles de Gaulle, vetoes Britain’s entry to EEC, accusing the UK of a “deep-seated hostility” towards the European project.
With Sir Edward Heath having signed the accession treaty the previous year, the UK enters the EEC in an official ceremony complete with a torch-lit rally, dickie-bowed officials and a procession of political leaders, including former prime ministers Harold Macmillan and Alec Douglas-Home.
The UK decides to stay in the common market after 67% voted “yes”. Margaret Thatcher, later to be leader of the Conservative party, campaigned to remain.
Margaret Thatcher negotiated what became known as the UK rebate with other EU members after the “iron lady” marched into the former French royal palace at Fontainebleau to demand “our own money back” claiming for every £2 contributed we get only £1 back” despite being one of the “three poorer” members of the community.
It was a move that sowed the seeds of Tory Euroscepticism that was to later cause the Brexit schism in the party.
Thatcher served notice on the EU community in a defining moment in EU politics in which she questioned the expansionist plans of Jacques Delors, who had remarked that 80% of all decisions on economic and social policy would be made by the European Community within 10 years with a European government in “embryo”. That was a bridge too far for Thatcher.
Collapse of Berlin wall and fall of communism in eastern Europe, which would later lead to expansion of EU.
Divisions between the UK and the EU deepened with Thatcher telling the Commons in an infamous speech it was ‘no, no, no’ to what she saw as Delors’ continued power grab. Rupert Murdoch’s Sun newspaper ratchets up its opposition to Europe with a two-fingered “Up yours Delors” front page.
A collapse in the pound forced prime minister John Major and the then chancellor Norman Lamont to pull the UK out of the Exchange Rate Mechanism.
On 1 January, customs checks and duties were removed across the bloc. Thatcher hailed the vision of “a single market without barriers – visible or invisible – giving you direct and unhindered access to the purchasing power of over 300 million of the world’s wealthiest and most prosperous people”.
Tory rebels vote against the treaty that paved the way for the creation of the European Union. John Major won the vote the following day in a pyrrhic victory.
Tony Blair patches up the relationship. Signs up to social charter and workers’ rights.
Nigel Farage elected an MEP and immediately goes on the offensive in Brussels. “Our interests are best served by not being a member of this club,” he said in his maiden speech. “The level playing field is about as level as the decks of the Titanic after it hit an iceberg.”
Chancellor Gordon Brown decides the UK will not join the euro.
EU enlarges to to include eight countries of the former eastern bloc including Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
EU expands again, allowing Romania and Bulgaria into the club.
Anti-immigration hysteria seems to take hold with references to “cockroches” by Katie Hopkins in the Sun and tabloid headlines such as “How many more can we take?” and “Calais crisis: send in the dogs”.
David Cameron returns from Brussels with an EU reform package – but it isn’t enough to appease the Eurosceptic wing of his own party
The UK votes to leave the European Union, triggering David Cameron’s resignation and paving the way for Theresa May to become prime minister
After years of parliamentary impasse during Theresa May’s attempt to get a deal agreed, the UK leaves the EU.
He attributed some of the rise of populism to the effect of a breakpoint in the previous Washington consensus about the virtues of globalisation. “When the middle classes no longer have the means to progress and see their situation sliding year after year, a doubt about democracy sets in. That is what we are seeing precisely everywhere, from the US of Donald Trump, to Brexit and the warning shots in our country,” he said.
Macron warned that social media had become an instrument for the rejection of all expertise, be it political, academic or scientific. “We have not organised a public order for this space. The virtual space over determines our choices today, and at the same time it transforms our political life. And therefore it disrupts democracies and our lives.”
He said he was pursuing the concept of a golden hour, the idea that social media firms have 60 minutes to identify and take down posts that glorify and incite terrorism and hate.
Pro-European challenger Maia Sandu has won the second round of Moldova’s presidential election and is well ahead of the pro-Russian incumbent with almost all ballots counted, according to the central election commission.
The former prime minister was leading Sunday night (15 November) with 57% of the votes over Igor Dodon’s 44%, with the full results expected Monday.
With 99% of the votes tallied by late Sunday, according to the Moldovan Central Election Commission website, Sandu’s expected victory may be ill-received in Moscow.
The tiny ex-Soviet nation is under the watchful eye of Russia, which wants polarised Moldova to remain in its sphere of influence at a time when several Kremlin-aligned governments are rocked by political unrest.
Celebrations broke out overnight in front of opposition headquarters in the centre of the capital Chisinau, with supporters chanting: “President Maia Sandu” and “a country for young people”.
In the first round vote earlier this month, the 48-year-old centre-right politician won a surprise victory against Dodon.
Earlier on Sunday, as polling stations closed, she said she was “confident that the voice of the nation will be heard”.
She added that “today, you have the power to punish those who robbed you, who reduced you to misery and forced you to leave your home”, a clear allusion to her rival who has been targeted with accusations of corruption.
The appeal has resonance in one of Europe’s poorest countries where as many as 40 percent of citizens are estimated to have travelled abroad to work.
Political crises
Sandu, who worked for the World Bank and briefly served as prime minister, also called for “maximum vigilance” against possible fraud.
Dodon, meanwhile, said he “voted for peace”, “social justice” and “Christian values”.
“We must maintain good relations with the European Union and with Russia,” he said.
Caught off guard by the electoral setback in the first round, Dodon urged his supporters at a rally on Friday to vote and take to the streets after Sunday’s ballot to “protect our victory”.
The Kremlin-backed candidate, reportedly aided by Russian advisers, had stepped up rhetoric against Sandu.
“If we show weakness, we will lose our country,” Dodon said at the rally.
Sandu, who heads the Party of Action and Solidarity, has promised to wage a fight against endemic corruption in the country of about 3.5 million wedged between Ukraine and EU member Romania.
Moldova has been rocked by multiple political crises and a $1-billion bank fraud scheme equivalent to nearly 15% of annual economic output.
Diaspora turns out
Polls published in the run-up to Sunday’s vote showed the two candidates in a tight race that could be decided by the diaspora, which local media reported had turned up in large numbers.
More than 200,000 Moldovans living overseas had voted by the early evening, compared to a total of 150,000 in the first round.
In the village of Varnita, police clashed with pro-Sandu protesters who had tried to block a road to prevent voters travelling from the nearby breakaway Moscow-backed region of Transnistria.
“Let it not get even worse,” said Vladimir Andriouchko, a 70-year-old who travelled from Transnistria, where Russian troops support separatists.
“One is doing their best for Russia, the other for NATO, so there is a bloodbath here,” he told AFP while in a long line to vote in Varnita.
While those from Transnistria were expected to largely vote for Dodon, five of the six voters AFP spoke to in Chisinau said they cast their ballot for Sandu.
“Igor Dodon’s campaign focused on stability. I have the impression that Mr Dodon wants stability when it comes to corruption,” quipped 47-year-old computer specialist Aleksandr.
‘There will be protests’
Moldova has close historical ties with neighbouring Romania and they share a common language. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said he was “happy” with Sandu’s first-round victory.
Russia, faced with multiple protest movements this year targeting allies in Belarus and Kyrgyzstan, will be watching Sunday’s vote closely.
Last month Russian President Vladimir Putin called on Moldovans to cast their votes for Dodon, and there were long lines at polling booths in Moscow on Sunday.
A victory for Dodon could trigger protests from Sandu’s supporters, especially if the result is close.
“Whether Sandu or Dodon wins, there will be protests,” said Sandra, a 56-year-old saleswoman in Chisinau, adding she would cast her vote for the incumbent.
Joe Biden’s election as US President heralds a new beginning, or at least a return to normalcy. His Presidency will be vital to the EU’s role in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, argue Bernard Nikaj and Labinot Hoxha
Dr Bernard Nikaj is a former Ambassador of Kosovo in Brussels; Labinot Hoxha served as a diplomat in Brussels.
We have a President-elect in the United States. Finally. Four long days after election day it became clear that former Vice President Joseph Biden would take Pennsylvania and with that have enough electoral college seats to win the presidency.
A lot of us watched live on CNN the emotional and powerful reaction of news commentator Van Jones saying in tears that it’ll be easier now to tell his kids that the truth matters. Well, Mr Jones, in other parts of the world we are also breathing a sigh of relief.
The Trump administration largely maintained US support for Kosovo and its independence throughout their four years. However, as its term was coming to an end, it became apparent that Kosovo was being used for photo opportunities and quick wins for the president’s domestic political purposes.
His involvement in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia was superficial, equal parts undermining the crucial rule of the EU and ignoring the basic points of disagreement between the two countries.
In keeping with his character, truth didn’t seem to matter to Trump as he claimed in several speeches that he managed to stop Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo from killing each other, as if the 1998-1999 war was still ongoing.
Kosovo was also presented as a Muslim and even Arab state, located in the Middle East with historical contentions with Israel, none of which is true. While Kosovo is Muslim-majority, Kosovars come from all religions and the country is constitutionally a secular state.
Kosovo has never contested Israeli statehood and has actively tried to gain Israel’s recognition since independence in 2008.
Joe Biden heralds a new beginning, or shall we say a return to normalcy. Where truth matters and where issues are tackled at adequate depth. Trump’s notion that every problem between the two countries would diminish if they start to cooperate more economically ignores the core political problem. It is clear that more is required.
The reality is that Serbia will have to recognise the independence of Kosovo at the end of the dialogue, or there will be no deal. Another reality is that both Kosovo and Serbia are in this for the greater promise of EU Integration. Without this incentive, not much is achievable in this process.
Only the European Union can provide a carrot big enough. This is a simple truth that all involved actors need to internalise if the dialogue is to go anywhere.
All EU member states – these days the most powerful of the EU institutions (as Kosovo has experienced in the visa liberalisation dialogue) – must realise that if they want a solution for Kosovo and Serbia, a credible EU accession perspective has to be there.
And the US, the most powerful political influence Kosovo and at least among the strongest in Serbia –– has to internalise this as well. US financial incentives will never be enough.
At the same time, politically the US plays an unrivalled and central role in the Western Balkans. An EU-facilitated solution is difficult to see without absolute and watertight US support.
There can be no room for doubt that the solution offered by the EU and the US is the only one available for both Kosovo and Serbia and that if they don’t take it they will start to fall faster into the abyss of either Russian and Chinese influence in the case of Serbia or near-complete global isolation in the case of Kosovo.
If the enthusiasm of the EU leadership with which the news of Joe Biden’s winning the election was met is anything to go by, we can expect a far closer relationship between the US and the EU starting January 2021.
More importantly, the EU is going to have an administration in place in Washington DC with a favourable attitude towards multilateralism. Joe Biden made it clear that he is far more willing to work with partner countries to tackle critical issues in the world.
Furthermore, Biden’s campaign issued a vision paper on Kosovo and Albania, where it underlined that their candidate intends to work with the EU on the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.
This opportunity for US support of an EU-led resolution to the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue will not last forever.
Ultimately – and quickly – the EU needs to step up to the plate and deliver what is needed: a unified approach of its 27 member states and their willingness to offer an accession-related incentive strong enough for Serbia to finally accept the reality of the indisputable statehood of the Republic of Kosovo.
It is important to remember that the perfect moment of congruent interests will never arrive. Kosovo is facing political instability since a couple of years with frequent government changes, compounded by the on-going pandemic and the recent high-level indictments by the Specialist Chambers in The Hague for former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army.
Elsewhere in Europe, upcoming elections in France and Germany may be seen as reasons to delay.
However, there will never be a moment when national elections are not nearing in either EU member states, Kosovo or Serbia. If anything, the continued impasse in the dialogue is at least partly responsible for the continued political instability in Kosovo.
Biden’s election should therefore be used to bring EU member states together to present a clear choice for both Kosovo and Serbia: a prosperous and joint future within the EU or a continuation of resentment and hostility.
Brussels, 15/11/2020
The High Representative of the European Union Josep Borrell said in a statement that settlement expansion in Givat Hamatos is illegal under international law.
Borrell added: “I am deeply worried by the Israeli authorities’ decision to open the bidding process for the construction of housing units for an entirely new settlement at Givat Hamatos”.
This is a key location between Jerusalem and Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. Any settlement construction will cause serious damage to the prospects for a viable and contiguous Palestinian state and, more broadly, to the possibility of a negotiated two-state solution in line with the internationally agreed parameters and with Jerusalem as the future capital of two states, Borrell said.
The EU has repeatedly called on Israel to end all settlement activity and to dismantle outposts erected since March 2001. It remains the EU’s firm position that settlements are illegal under international law.
The announced settlement activity will lead to the continuing weakening of efforts to rebuild trust and confidence between the parties which is necessary for an eventual resumption of meaningful negotiations.
The Government of Israel should instead show vision and responsibility and reverse these negative decisions at this critical and sensitive time Borrell end his settlement.
European Union Heads of Mission and like-minded countries visit Giva’t Hamatos in East Jerusalem
Also, the European Union Heads of mission, together with like-minded countries, are visiting Givat Hamatos in East Jerusalem. Yesterday morning, the Israeli Ministry of Housing and Israel Land Authority opened the tender (bidding process) for 1,257 housing units to be built in Givat Hamatos in East Jerusalem
The construction in Givat Hamatos will block the possibility of territorial contiguity between East Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
[Bridgetown, Barbados] – A growing taste for Caribbean food in Europe could be lucrative for regional manufacturers, according to research from The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export).
The trend for exotic food sauces and condiments and natural, plant-based ingredients is highlighted in a new report commissioned ahead of Caribbean Export’s Absolutely Caribbean virtual expo on 17 and 18 November.
“We are seeing great potential for Caribbean food products across Europe at the moment”, says Dr. Damie Sinanan, Manager of Competitiveness and Export Promotion at Caribbean Export.
“It seems that consumers are looking for different flavours and playing more with spices but there is much promise amongst natural foods such a chocolate, teas and gluten–free flours. We are really excited about the range of quality, artisanal producers that we have at our expo this year which will help to support trade between the Caribbean and Europe.”
In the UK, the Caribbean food market is now worth almost £100m and foodservice wholesale giant Bidfood singled out Caribbean food as a Top 10 cuisine trend. In 2019, UK retailer Tesco also highlighted Caribbean fare as an ‘emerging trend’. Sauces and condiments in particular are worth £1.12bn and grew by 16.8% in the last year.
Craig & Shaun McAnuff at Caribbean food & lifestyle platform ‘Original Flava’, state: “We’ve seen a huge rise in the popularity of Caribbean foods in the UK in recent years which is really exciting. The likes of Ainsley Harriott and Levi Roots paving the way for Caribbean food; seeing staple Caribbean ingredients more widely available; but also seeing our cookbook as a bestseller on numerous charts and receiving TV & media recognition nationally. There is such a variety and so many flavours in Caribbean cooking which the British public are loving.”
In Spain, the ‘foods from other countries’ category has grown by 105.9% since 2012. Spicy tastes have seen strong growth with Caribbean flavours named as an emerging trend in sauces and spices, increasing around 55% to three million kilograms and over 29% in value to nearly €19m.
Almost a third (32%) of German consumers have said they like Caribbean food (1) which has led to an increase in heat and spice on the table during family dinners (2).
People in the Netherlands are also increasingly open to incorporating greater variation into their cooking, including flavour combinations and the use of fresh and natural ingredients, with the value of chilli sauces climbing 125% in value since 2016.
Europe’s love for wholesome plant-based ingredients, combined with the region’s efforts to promote sustainability, have also led to an increased interest in natural and organic products such as chocolate, tea and gluten–free flour.
In the UK, chocolate is a £4.3bn category and according to Kantar, plain and dark chocolate is growing by 14.5% year-on-year. In Spain, it is worth €1.5bn, and increased by 3.6% in 2019. Meanwhile, the Netherlands was the largest importer of cocoa beans in 2018 and is home to the largest cocoa grinding industry in the world.
The tea category in the UK is worth £561.3m which is not surprising given the nation’s love of the hot beverage. In Germany, 129 million cups of tea are consumed every day and in the Netherlands 71% of consumers drink tea at least once a week.
The UK’s gluten–free flour food category grew by 19.9% in 2019 compared to the year before and in Germany the market is worth £174m.
Caribbean food suppliers will be given the chance to showcase their unique food products to European buyers at Caribbean Export’s first virtual expo event: Absolutely Caribbean – unlocking the profit potential of the Caribbean on 17 and 18 November.
For more information about the event and to register, please visit –Click here
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BRUSSELS: The UK’s chief Brexit negotiator has said that a trade deal with the EU may not succeed but he is still hopeful of a resolution as the talks go down to the wire this week.
Ahead of renewed negotiations as the clock ticks down to Britain exiting the EU withdrawal transition period at the end of December, Lord David Frost said his team was working hard to get an agreement.
He tweeted: “Arriving once again in Brussels shortly for another round of negotiations with EU and @MichelBarnier this afternoon. I and our British team have been in talks almost every day since 22 October.
“We are working to get a deal, but the only one that’s possible is one that is compatible with our sovereignty and takes back control of our laws, our trade, and our waters. That has been our consistent position from the start and I will not be changing it.
“There has been some progress in a positive direction in recent days. We also now largely have common draft treaty texts, though significant elements are of course not yet agreed. We will work to build on these and get an overall agreement if we can.
“But we may not succeed. Either way, as the Prime Minister @BorisJohnson made clear on 16 October, people and businesses must prepare for the change that is coming on 31 December, most of which happens whether there is a deal or not.”
The comments came after Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney warned there will be no EU-UK trade agreement if Boris Johnson pushes ahead with legislation that would allow Britain to break international law. Coveney again expressed concern at the Internal Market Bill being championed by the Prime Minister in Parliament.
Downing Street has insisted it will press on in the Commons with elements of the proposed legislation that would allow the government to break international law despite the House of Lords voting against them in recent days. The move comes as London and Brussels are set to continue talks this week.
Coveney, who said things need to “move” this week, told Sky News: “Even if we do get a new trade deal negotiated by both sides, if the British government is determined to continue with their Internal Market Bill – to reintroduce parts of that Bill that were removed by the House of Lords this week – then, I think this is a deal that won’t be ratified by the EU.
“Because there is no way the EU will agree to ratify a new agreement if the British government is breaking the existing agreement that is not even 12 months old, and breaking international law by doing that.”
Coveney also called for a cooling of rhetoric in trade talks, especially in the contentious area of fishing rights. “We really have to try and find a way of coming up with a compromise on fish that both sides can live with,” he said.“And we need to try and dial down the language on this because it is very easy to become emotive.”
Coveney insisted a deal was “doable”. “I think I would sum it up by saying this is very difficult, but, it’s also very doable. And I think the consequences of not getting a trade deal and a future relationship deal… before the end of the year, I think is very significant.”
Environment Secretary George Eustice said next week is “a week when things need to move” for the UK and EU to agree to a trade deal. “Both sides recognise that time is very, very short. It’s not long ago we were saying we needed to get some kind of conclusion by the middle of October,” he said.
“People have persevered with these talks. There does come a point frankly where businesses need to know what they are preparing for.“You can always squeeze out extra time if you need to, if you’re nearly there.
“But, I agree with Simon Coveney, perhaps we can agree on this much… this needs to be a week when things move, when we break through some of these difficult issues and get resolution and at least have some sort of headlines – if you like – of an agreement. Otherwise, it gets quite difficult and we do start to run out of time to implement it.”
Moldova’s incumbent pro-Russia President Igor Dodon, who was given the explicit backing of the Kremlin ahead of the poll, won just 43% of the votes after 99% of the ballots were counted, according to the initial results.
Sandu, who leads the Party of Action and Solidarity, has promised to lead a fight against endemic corruption in the country, which is wedged between Ukraine and EU member Romania.
The country has been hit by multiple political crises and a $1 billion (€840 million) bank fraud scheme that equates to almost 15% of its annual economic output.
Dodon, who sought a new four-year mandate, says Moldova is tired of upheaval and now needs stability.
Following the first round of votingtwo weeks ago, the national electoral authority said Sandu received 36.1% of votes, while Dodon garnered 32.6%.
Police in the village of Varnita were on Sunday reported to have clashed with pro-Sandu protesters who tried to block a road to stop voters traveling from the breakaway pro-Russia region of Transnistria.
Moldova is closely linked with Romania, with the two sharing a common language. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said he was happy with Sandu’s first-round victory earlier this month.
Read more: Transnistria: School choice divides families, holds kids hostage
Sandu — who worked for the World Bank and was briefly Moldova’s prime minister — has received messages of support from German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and the former European Council President Donald Tusk.
Such support was denounced by Dodon’s supporters as an attempt to destabilize Moldova. Russian President Vladimir Putin last month called for Moldovans to cast their ballots for Dodon.
Moldova is under the watchful eye of Russia, which wants the ex-Soviet nation to remain in its sphere of influence at a time when several Kremlin-aligned governments are rocked by political unrest.
rc/dj (Reuters, dpa, AFP, EFE)
This is an updated version of an earlier article.
Most schools are not complying with legal requirements which require them to detail arrangements for students who do not wish to attend religious instruction, according to a new survey.
Children have a constitutional right not to attend religious instruction and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 obliges schools to detail how they will facilitate this in their admissions policies.
However, a survey of a sample of 100 school admission policies by the campaign group Atheist Ireland shows most schools are failing to comply with these legal obligations.
For example, out of 40 Catholic primary schools surveyed, it found that 30 said parents must seek a meeting with the principal to discuss the request to opt out.
Some of these schools asked parents to give reasons for wanting their children to not attend religion classes, while others said written requests by parents “will be considered on a case-by-case basis”.
Similarly, 23 out of 25 Catholic secondary schools surveyed had similar requirements.
About 90 per cent of primary schools are under Catholic ownership and spend up to 2½ hours teaching religion – or faith formation – each week.
A recent OECD report shows that Irish primary schools are second only to Israel in the amount of time spent on compulsory religious instruction.
Speaking during the enactment of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, the then minister for education Richard Bruton said the new law was aimed at “strengthening the provision to meet the constitutional right of every child not to have to attend religious instruction.
“This will be enforced by requiring it to be explicitly stated in the admissions policy of religious schools as to how they propose to honour that,” he said.
Among State or Education and Training Board schools, the survey found most drew a distinction between “religious instruction” – which they said amounted to faith formation – and “religious education” which they said was education about religion and beliefs generally.
On foot of this, many ETB schools said the legal requirement to “advise of the option to opt out of religious instruction does not arise.”
This, however, is disputed by Atheist Ireland which says its legal opinion is that this is a “spurious distinction” with no legal basis.
The Atheist Ireland report states that the purpose of new legislation was to provide transparency from the outset so parents know these details before they choose a school for their children. “However, it has failed to do this,” it states.
In response to a request for comment, the Department of Education said the manner in which any school ensures that the right to opt out of religion classes is upheld “is a matter for the school concerned”.
A spokesman said each individual school must determine arrangements which are most appropriate in its individual circumstances, having regard to local issues such as available space, supervision requirements and how the school organises classes.
“The right of parents to have their child opt out of religious instruction and worship applies in all schools regardless of the denomination or ethos of the school concerned,” he added.
The department did not comment on whether it would monitor school admission policies to ensure they comply with its legislation, or if it had any plans to do so.