The Newsletter n°720 — 13 juin 2016
La Lettre
Charles de Marcilly, Angéline Garde
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13 June 2016
Between January and November 2015, the agency Frontex noted 1.2 million illegal crossings of the EU's external border, i.e. four times that of the entire year 2014. In October 2015 given the inability of the Member States to respond to the challenge of managing these migratory flows, Germany, with the support of the European Commission, encouraged cooperation with Turkey. This paper covers the different stages of this and the content of the agreement between the EU and Turkey.
Foundation
"Schuman Report on Europe, the State of the Union 2016"
13 June 2016
The 10th edition of the "Schuman Report on Europe, State of the Union 2016" has been published and is available in bookshops, on the Foundation's site and in digital format. Order your copy now!
Financial Crisis
Estimations by the Bank of Spain on the government deficit
13 June 2016
On 7th June the bank of Spain estimated that the country will not succeed in reducing its government deficit below the 3% mark of the GDP before 2018.
Economic Outlook 2016-2017
13 June 2016
The French Economic Outlook Observatory (OFCE) has published its economic outlook for 2016-2017.
OECD Study on the EU and the euro zone
13 June 2016
According to two new OECD studies published on 10th June the European economy is slowly recovering but the after effects of the world economic crisis are still weighing heavily on growth.
Migration
New migratory proposals
13 June 2016
On 7th June the European Commission unveiled a new plan based on partnerships with third countries to stem illegal migratory flows. At the same time it put forward a modernisation of the European blue card system to foster highly skilled economic migration.
The European Court recalls its opposition to the imprisonment of illegal immigrants
13 June 2016
A foreigner who enters the EU illegally cannot be put in prison just because he is without documentation, if he has not been through a procedure of return maintained the European Court of Justice on 7th June.
Western Balkans: explosion in illegal border crossings in 2015
12 June 2016
Frontex published its risk analysis 2016 on 10th June, both devoted to the Western Balkans. In 2015 this region recorded more than 2 million illegal border crossing, i.e. 30 times the 2014 number and 19 times that of the total reported over the last six years.
Commission
Closer cooperation in the energy area
13 June 2016
On 6th June the countries in the north of Europe (Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Netherlands and Sweden) agreed to step up their cooperation in the area of energy.
Transparency of card payments
12 June 2016
On 9th June new rules entered into force that aim to make the cost of debit or credit card payments more transparent for retailers and consumers, and to enable the latter to make more effective choices.
Economic partnership agreement between the EU and six countries in Southern Africa
12 June 2016
On 10th June the European Commission signed an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with six countries of the South African Development Community (SADF).
New skills strategy in Europe
12 June 2016
On 10th June the Commission adopted a strategy based on 10 actions to enable the strengthening of personal skills in view of fostering employability, competitiveness and growth in Europe.
Parliament
Review of European Parliament's plenary session
12 June 2016
From 6th to 9th June MEPs debated further measures to address the in-depth causes of immigration. They approved the creation of an investigative committee into the Panama Papers and assessed the mid-term results of the Investment Plan. The Bulgarian President also spoke in support of European integration.
Council
Conclusion of the Transport and Energy Council
13 June 2016
On 6th and 7th June ministers set out the main guidelines in the energy area and adopted four mandates for external aviation agreements.
Conclusions of the Justice/Home Affairs Council
12 June 2016
On 9th and 10th June the Justice and Home Affairs Ministers agreed on the control of the acquisition and possession of arms, and agreed on the property regime for international couples. They adopted conclusions regarding the fight to counter criminal activities in cyberspace and exchanged views on the migratory situation.
Diplomacy
Culture at the heart of international relations
13 June 2016
On 8th June the Commission adopted a new strategy designed to place culture at the heart of international relations.
ECB
Mario Draghi's speech on the state of the European economy
12 June 2016
On 9th June the ECB's President Mario Draghi called for an in-depth reform of both the governance of the euro zone and also the national economies that make it up, thereby placing a bit more pressure on the Member States.
European Agencies
eLISA, the future European observatory
12 June 2016
On 7th June the European Space Agency (ESA) said that Europe will be able to start building its future space observatory eLISA and start the quest for gravitational waves in deep space after the success of the satellite mission text Lisa Pathfinder.
European Inventor Award 2016
12 June 2016
On 9th June in Lisbon the European Patent Office awarded prizes to six inventors and their teams for their remarkable achievements in the areas of automotive safety, medical imagery, biochemistry, medicine, neurology and environmental technology.
Germany
Angela Merkel calls for a solution in the Nagorno Karabakh
13 June 2016
German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for a peaceful settlement to the conflict in the Nagorno Karabakh on 7th June as she spoke as part of the German presidency of the OSCE in 2016.
Further tension between Berlin and Ankara
13 June 2016
On 10th June following the vote by German MPs over the Armenian genocide in 1915 and the virulent response on the part of Ankara, Chancellor Angela Merkel and the leader of the Bundestag Norbert Lammert qualified the comments made by the Turkish President about German MPs as "outrageous" and as being "hateful threats."
Cyprus
Stepping up negotiations for reunification
12 June 2016
The Cypriot Turkish and Greek leaders officially re-launched the negotiations over the reunification of the island during a meeting on 8th June by organising two meetings per week as of 17th June.
France
European "Civicism, Security and Defence" Prize
13 June 2016
The CiDAN Association (Civisme Défense Armée Nation) launched an appeal for the European Prize 2016. The deadline is set for 30th September.
Flight of the European nEUROn drone
13 June 2016
The nEUROn drone designed by Dassault Aviation and the result of cooperation between six European countries involved in this programme made its first public flight on 4th June.
Luxembourg
Luxembourg MPs demand changes to the EU-Canada Agreement
13 June 2016
On 7th June the Luxembourg Parliament approved a motion in which they invite the government not to support the CETA (between the EU and Canada) in the shape of a non-mixed agreement and are asking for clarification regarding the most controversial legal measures.
The Netherlands
The Netherlands' economy would be badly affected by an exit of the UK from the EU
12 June 2016
The CPB, the Dutch Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis published a report on 9th June indicating that if the UK did decide to leave the EU on 23rd June the impact would be particularly bad for the Dutch economy.
Poland
Poland and NATO launch a major military exercise
13 June 2016
On 6th June Poland launched one of the biggest military exercises since the collapse of the Soviet Bloc in 1989, with the participation of several NATO countries in a tense atmosphere with Russia.
Czech Republic
Economic study by the OECD on the Czech Republic
13 June 2016
On 6th June the OECD published an economic study of the Czech Republic stressing the progress achieved over the last two decades by the country but recalling however that further reforms are necessary.
Visegrad Summit in Prague
13 June 2016
The four Prime Ministers of the Visegrad group of countries (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland) adopted a joint declaration on 8th June calling on the UK to remain in Europe and addressed a letter to the Commission regarding the situation of the Ukrainian refugees.
UK
David Cameron warns of the effects of an exit from the EU on retirement pensions and the NHS
13 June 2016
British Prime Minister David Cameron declared on the BBC on 12th June that retirement pensions and the public health system (NHS) would be the first services to be severely affected in the event of a Brexit.
Ukraine
Energy reform in Ukraine
13 June 2016
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko chaired the National Council for Energy Efficiency on 7th June and presented a reform to reduce gas imports by over 1 billion cubic meters over five years.
Council of Europe
Surveillance powers too broad in Poland
13 June 2016
The Venice Commission at the Council of Europe adopted an opinion on 10th June encouraging Poland to introduce additional checks on the powers of surveillance given to the police.
The Venice Commission asks for a modification to the Russian law on NGOs
12 June 2016
The Council of Europe's Venice Commission declared on 10th June that it supported a modification of the Russian law on undesirable activities by foreign and international NGOs.
Eurostat
International Trade of Services
13 June 2016
The international trade of the EU's services has increased constantly over the last six years. However with a slightly slower increase in imports, the trade surplus in the services sector decreased in 2015 for the second year running.
Increase in GDP in the Union and the euro zone in the first quarter of 2016
13 June 2016
According to Eurostat on 7th June the EU's GDP rose by 0.5% and that of the euro zone by 0.6% in the first quarter of 2016 (i.e. an increase of 1.8% and 1.7% in comparison with the first quarter of 2015).
Studies/Reports
London will have to pay billions in excise duties in the event of a Brexit
13 June 2016
On 7th June the Managing Director of the WTO warned that British export companies may have to pay £5.6 billion (7.2 billion €) per year in additional excise duties if the UK quits the EU.
Commission: review of progress made by Member States towards the adoption of the euro
13 June 2016
On 7th June the European Commission published the Convergence Report 2016 which analyses the progress made by the Member States which are legally committed to adopting the euro, ie Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Sweden.
Ireland and Luxembourg the most threatened by a possible Brexit
12 June 2016
Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta and Cyprus are the European countries which would be most affected by the UK's exit from the EU suggested an analysis published on 9th June by the financial evaluation agency S&P Global Ratings.
The euro's international role
12 June 2016
On 8th June the ECB published a study on the international role of the euro and notably on its use as a reserve, investment and payment currency.
Culture
International Film Festival Edinburgh
13 June 2016
From 15th to 26th June the city of Edinburgh will be hosting the 69th International Film Festival (EIFF).
International Film Festival Brussels
13 June 2016
From 17th to 24th June the International Film Festival of Brussels devoted to European cinema will be taking place with over 100 short and full length feature films on the agenda.
Sea and Music Festival Inkoo
13 June 2016
From 17th to 19th June the town of Inkoo (Finland) is hosting a medieval event with visitors coming from afar for a succession of chamber music concerts.
Basel Art Fair
13 June 2016
The Basel Art fair (Art Basel), one of the most prestigious and eminent modern art exhibitions will be taking place from 16th to 19th June.
Biennale of Contemporary Art in Zurich
13 June 2016
Zurich is hosting the 11th edition of the European biennale of contemporary art "Manifesta" until 18th September with the participation of 130 artists and 250 works of art.
Olafur Eliasson Exhibition at the Château de Versailles
13 June 2016
An exhibition by the Danish artist Olafur Eliasson is taking place in the palace and gardens of the Château de Versailles until 30th October.
Night at the "Invalides"
13 June 2016
From 14th June to 27th August the "Night at the Invalides" is taking place - a trip through time and history with sound, light and 3D images at the Invalides in Paris.
Agenda
les 16th-17th June
"Employment, Social Policy, Healthcare and Consumer" Council (Luxembourg)
16th June
Eurogroup Meeting (Luxembourg)
17th June
"Economic and Financial Affairs" Council (Luxembourg)
20th June
"Foreign Affairs" Council (Luxembourg)
20th June
"Environment" Council (Luxembourg)
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European support to the defence industry - Mid-term review of the European Defence Fund
Greenland:a geostrategic challenge for the European Union in the age of Trump 2.0
Polish Presidency of the Council - A paradigm shift in Poland's European policy
The Editors of the Newsletter :
Charles de Marcilly, Helen Levy ,Rodolphe Baron, Angéline Garde, Patricia Gautier, Emma Giraud,Guillaume Gorge, Morgane Mounier, Laura Zani
N°ISSN : 2729-6482
Editor-in-Chief :
Eric Maurice
Director of Publication :
Pascale Joannin
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