The Newsletter n°692 — 16 nov. 2015
La Lettre
—
16 November 2015
European airlines are facing an offensive strategy on the part of their State competitors in the countries of the Gulf, which is leading to their demise. The European Union has in its possession regulatory tools that it must use to the full but which in all likelihood require completion so that they can rise to the new situation. It must also draw up a global strategy which brings fair competition to the heart of the airline industry of all players who want to enjoy the benefits of the Single European Sky. The European Parliament has turned its attention to the issue by adopting two resolutions on transport and the Aviation Package, which both move in this direction. The European Commission use this work to finalise the "Aviation Package" that it is due to present at the end of 2015.
Foundation
Conference on European aviation at the European Parliament
15 November 2015
On 17th November in Brussels at the European Parliament Franck Proust (EPP, FR) and the Robert Schuman Foundation are organising a conference entitled "European aviation, hitting turbulence?" Debate will focus on emergency measures to restore the competitiveness of European aviation.
Mourning and Hope
16 November 2015
Following the attacks in Paris on 13th November Jean-Dominique Giuliani, Chairman of the Robert Schuman Foundation recalls the wave of emotion caused by these crimes and Europe's response, along with that of the world to this barbarous act.
Migration
Slovenia builds a border fence
15 November 2015
On 10th November Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar declared at a press conference that Slovenia was to build a fence on its border with Croatia.
Sweden re-introduces temporary border controls
15 November 2015
The Swedish government decided on 12th November to re-introduce temporary border controls in order to be able to cope with the influx of tens of thousands of refugees who are a threat to "public order."
According to FRONTEX 540,000 migrants arrived in Greece over the last ten months
15 November 2015
According to FRONTEX, the European Agency for Monitoring the EU's external borders, more than 150,000 left Turkey for Greece in October and more than 540,000 have done the same since the beginning of the year, ie 13 times more than the number over the same period in 2014.
Euro-African Summit in La Valetta
15 November 2015
On 12th November in La Valetta, the Europeans launched a trust fund totalling 1.8 billion € in a bid to convince the countries of Africa to help in stemming the flow of migrants. The EU hopes to foster the return of illegal migrants to their countries of origin, whilst participating in local projects to enable their re-integration.
Financial Crisis
Eurogroup Meeting
16 November 2015
Jeroen Dijsselbloem said he was pleased on 15th November with the "good progress" made between Greece and its creditors, saying that they had come to agreement on "many issues". The agreement between Greece and its euro zone creditors targeted many points in the reform programme that Athens has to implement in exchange for further loans .
Lower GDP growth in the euro zone in 3rd quarter
15 November 2015
According to Eurostat data published on 13th November the euro zone's GDP rose by 0.3% in the third quarter of 2015 (-0.1% in comparison with the second quarter) and by 0.4% in the EU (=).
Audition of Mario Draghi at the European Parliament
16 November 2015
The European economy is resisting external challenges but the ECB is prepared to step up its action if the outlook in terms of inflation takes a turn for the worse admitted the President of the ECB, Mario Draghi, to MEPs on 12th November.
European Council
Informal Summit of European heads of State and government
16 November 2015
The 28 European heads of State and government met on 12th November to discuss the migrant and refugee situation.
Commission
Reports by the Commission on the Balkan countries and on Turkey
15 November 2015
In its annual reports adopted on 10th November the European Commission assessed progress made by the Western Balkan countries (Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia (FYRM) and Kosovo). Regarding Turkey there is a "negative trend" in terms of the rule of law and "serious regression" concerning the freedom of speech.
Improvement in the protection of victim of crimes in the EU
16 November 2015
The EU's new rules on victims' rights that entered into force on 16th November will greatly change the way victims of crime are treated in Europe.
Parliament
MEPs want to strengthen the European aviation sector
16 November 2015
To stimulate the European aviation sector MEPs approved a resolution on 11th November 428 votes in support, 149 against and 53 abstentions, to guarantee fair competition conditions.
MEPs approve a reform of the European electoral act
16 November 2015
On 11th November MEPs approved the reform of the 1976 European electoral act hoping that the European elections will no longer be as dependent on national frameworks.
Tax evasion : the representatives of eleven multinationals at the European Parliament
16 November 2015
Following the LuxLeaks scandal on practices undertaken in some countries that have enabled multinationals to pay less tax, the representatives of eleven large companies attended a hearing before the special committee on tax rulings on 16th November. The companies maintained that their practices in terms of taxation are legal but that the groups' coordinators might ask for a 6 month extension to the investigation ...
Council
Conclusions of the "Economy/Financial" Council
15 November 2015
The 28 Economy-Financial Ministers came to a political agreement on 10th November to establish bridge finance under the Single Resolution Mechanism.
Agreement on the Budget
16 November 2015
The European Parliament and the Council came to an agreement on 14th November on the 2016 budget, which is due to total 155 billion €.
Diplomacy
G20 Summit
16 November 2015
The leaders of the world's richest countries who met in Turkey on 16th November said that they were determined to counter Islamic State, in spite of their divergence regarding Syria after the terrorist attacks in France.
Euro-American Meeting of Justice and Internal Affairs Ministers
16 November 2015
On 13th November Dimitris Avramopoulos, European Commissioner for Immigration and Jeh Johnson, the representative for the Department of Homeland Security, discussed, amongst other matters, police and judicial cooperation between the EU and the USA.
Meeting of European Foreign Affairs Ministers
16 November 2015
On 16th November during a meeting of the 28 Foreign Affairs Ministers in Brussels, the countries of Europe called for "unity" in countering terrorism after the deadly attacks in Paris. They also expressed their concern about the worrying situation in Burundi.
Court of Auditors
Court of Auditors' on the EU Budget
15 November 2015
The European Court of Auditors validated the EU's account on 10th November for the eighth year running. Both revenues and administrative spending are without any significant error. The overall error level in payments declined for the second year running to lie at 4.4% in 2014.
European Agencies
Ariane 5 sets two communication satellites in orbit
15 November 2015
Ariane 5 orbited two telecommunications satellites on 10th November, Arabsa-6B for the Saudi operator Arabsat and Gsat-15 for the Indian space agency ISRO, from the Guianese Space Centre in Kourou.
Rosetta homes in on Philae
15 November 2015
A year after landing on the comet Chury contact might be re-established with the robot Philae, whilst the probe Rosetta has come within 200 km of it.
Germany
Former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt has passed away
15 November 2015
Former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt passed away on 10th December. Chancellor from 1974 to 1982 he was a mainstay of Franco-German friendship, which he embodied with French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing.
Annual report by German Expert Panel
15 November 2015
The German Economic Panel of Experts delivered its annual report to Chancellor Angela Merkel on 11th November regarding Germany's economy. In its opinion the country is able to overcome the challenges set by the refugee crisis and even stands to benefit from immigration from an economic point of view.
Poland
New Polish Government
16 November 2015
On 13th November Beata Szydlo (Law and Justice PiS) winner in the general elections on 25th October in Poland was appointed Prime Minister by President Andrzej Duda. The new government comprises 18 ministers of whom three are women.
Portugal
Motion of no-confidence against the government
16 November 2015
The Portuguese government led by Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho elected in 2011 and who won the general elections on 4th October last, was forced to resign on 10th November after a no-confidence vote by an alliance on the left (socialists, communists and left bloc).
Romania
New Romanian government
16 November 2015
On 10th November Romanian President Klaus Iohannis appointed Dacian Ciolos, former European Commissioner for Agriculture to the post of Prime Minister - the latter announced his new government on 15th November. He will be auditioned by parliament on 17th November.
UK
EU Referendum: David Cameron presents his four renegotiation goals
15 November 2015
British Prime Minister David Cameron presented his four goals in the renegotiation process with the other EU Member States on 10th November. He asked for reform in terms of economic governance, competitiveness, national sovereignty and immigration.
Indian Prime Minister visits the UK
16 November 2015
On 13th November David Cameron hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Deeming that both countries "had not used all of their potential" the British Prime Minister aimed for India and the UK to establish renewed relations.
Kosovo
Kosovo suspends the implementation of a vital agreement with Serbia
16 November 2015
On 10th November Kosovo suspended the implementation of the "historic" agreement that was designed to normalise its relations with Serbia. The agreement, concluded under the aegis of the EU. This action has come in the wake of the country being rejected as a candidate for UNESCO under pressure from Belgrade.
Macedonia
Macedonia (FYRM) reshuffles it government to organise early elections
16 November 2015
The Macedonian opposition entered the government on 11th November following a reshuffle as part of a plan to bring the country out of a long political crisis, the aim of which is to organise early elections in April 2016.
IMF
IMF Report on Eastern Europe
15 November 2015
On 13th November the International Monetary Fund published a report on the economic situation of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe .
Eurostat
20.5 billion € trade surplus for the euro zone
15 November 2015
The export of goods from the euro zone to the rest of the world increased by 1% totalling 173.4 billion €, whilst imports decreased by 1% to lie at around 152.8 billion €.
Euro zone: inflation revised up in October at +0.1%
16 November 2015
Inflation was revised slightly upwards in October in the euro zone at +0.1% over one year according to figures published on 16th October by Eurostat.
Culture
Pablo Picasso Exhibition - Jean Cocteau in Athens
16 November 2015
The B&M Theocharakis Foundation in Athens is running an exhibition devoted to Pablo Picasso and Jean Cocteau until 28th February 2016.
Aesthetics of Love
16 November 2015
Until 17th January 2016 the museum "Quai Branly" in Paris is providing visitors with a glimpse of far eastern Siberian decorative art from the 19th to the beginning of the 20th century.
Agenda
16th and 17th November
"Foreign Affairs" Council (Brussels)
16th November
"Agriculture and Fisheries" Council (Brussels)
17th and 18th November
"General Affairs" Council (Brussels)
20th November
Meeting of 28 Home Affairs Ministers (Brussels)
23rd to 26th November
Plenary Session of the European Parliament (Strasbourg)
23rd November
Eurogroup Meeting (Brussels)
23rd and 24th November
"Education, Youth, Culture and Sports" Council (Brussels)
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The Editors of the Newsletter :
Charles de Marcilly, Helen Levy ,Nelson Pajot, Joséphine Staron, Frédéric Strack,Hyung Jun Yoon, Maximilian Zielke
N°ISSN : 2729-6482
Editor-in-Chief :
Eric Maurice
Director of Publication :
Pascale Joannin
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