EUROPEAN NEWS

Remarks by President Herman Van Rompuy following the 12th EU-India summit

2012-02-10T12:33:00.001-08:00

Remarks by President Herman Van Rompuy

following the 12th EU-India summit

I am very happy to be here today for the 12th summit between the EU and India. I have

thanked India and the Prime Minister for the warm and precious hospitality.

This morning, we had a rich and constructive discussion with the Prime Minister. We share

a common determination to move the EU-India relationship forward. We made significant

progress in a number of fields and set the tone for the future. Our common objective is to

turn our growing cooperation into mutual opportunities, and to turn our strategic

partnership into a key element for the global architecture.

Today we discussed the economic situation in Europe and in India. I have explained to the

Prime Minister the comprehensive package of measures the EU has taken to preserve the

stability of the euro zone and to promote jobs-friendly economic growth. I appreciated his

strong expression of interest in a stable euro and euro zone. He also explained to me the

many positive developments of the Indian economy. I expressed EU readiness to

participate to the modernisation of India As we share a personal background of being

economists by training and former ministers of finance, we know how important these

matter are!

With the Prime Minister we reaffirmed that trade is a key component for our economic

relations. The EU remains India's biggest trading partner, and the trend remains positive.

The overall value of our trade reached 84 billion € in 2010. We discussed how to promote

our trade relations further. The negotiations on the FTA (Free Trade Agreement) have

made essential progress.

But economic growth and jobs creation depend also on other key factors beyond trade.

Both the EU and India have long term strategies focusing on innovation, research and

technology, energy. I am very happy that today we are adopting two declarations for

enhancing the cooperation on energy and for launching an innovation partnership.

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We both agreed that growth and stability can only be sustained in an environment of

security and peace.

Since the previous summit in 2010 there has been intensive work on our security

cooperation. Today we can announce that we made good progress on a Security Agenda

for 2012 in all the areas we have identified: counter - terrorism, counter - piracy and cyber

security. I am very satisfied with this progress. The relevant administrations in the EU and

in India will keep working in close co-operation.

We discussed also peace and security in our regional environment and around the world. I

explained to the Prime Minister the comprehensive EU strategy towards our Southern

neighbourhood and the need for the whole international community to help better integrate

this area into the world economy.

We shared our deep concern on the Iranian nuclear programme. I asked Prime Minister

Singh to use India's leverage towards Iran to help bring Tehran back to the negotiating

table. Both the EU and India support the double-track approach aimed at finding a

diplomatic solution. I explained the restrictive measures - including the oil embargo - the

EU adopted in January.

We also discussed the appalling situation in Syria. I stressed our deep disappointment for

the outcome of the vote last Sunday at the Security Council. The Syrian regime should not

be allowed to carry on with its outrageous and unacceptable atrocities committed against

its own people. We agreed on the need for the international community to pressure the

Syrian regime and to support the peace plan of the League of the Arab States.

We also discussed the need to cooperate to help Afghanistan to conclude successfully its

transition; I reaffirmed the EU's long-term commitment to Afghanistan. As two global

players we also addressed some of the global challenges ahead of us.

We discussed, in particular, the state of the world's economy. We agreed on the importance

of realising the G20's objective for strong, sustainable and balanced growth. In this context

I stressed the need to implement the decisions taken last year in Cannes, in particular on

the contribution to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and to ensure a positive

outcome at the next summit in Mexico.

We welcome the results of the Durban conference on climate change and the key role

played by the EU and India in the final negotiations. I expressed EU readiness to cooperate

to ensure full and timely application of the Durban outcome.

Over the lunch we will continue our discussions on some of these issues. Finally, I

expressed to Prime Minister Singh my personal appreciation for his long standing

contribution to a deeper EU India partnership.

India-European Union summit - Joint Statement

2012-02-10T12:31:00.001-08:00

New Delhi, 10 February 2012

1. The 12th India-EU Summit was held in New Delhi on 10 February 2012. The

Republic of India was represented by the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh.

EU was represented by Mr. Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European

Council, and Mr. José Manuel Durão Barroso, President of the European

Commission.

2. The leaders expressed satisfaction at the deepening comprehensive bilateral

relations. India and EU, as long-standing strategic partners, are committed to

working together with a balanced and result-oriented approach, bearing in mind

each sides’ respective development priorities, based on common shared values,

relating to democracy, rule of law, civil liberties, fundamental freedoms and

respect for human rights.

3. Both sides discussed bilateral, regional and multilateral issues of mutual concern

with a view to, inter alia, strengthen their multifaceted bilateral cooperation,

coordinate responses to regional issues, and tackle international challenges

including the current financial crisis.

Bilateral Issues

4. Leaders expressed satisfaction that since the last India-EU Summit in December

2010, negotiations on the India-EU Broad based Trade and Investment Agreement

(BTIA) have intensified with substantial progress achieved across the board on

different areas. Both sides have engaged intensively to find solutions for

outstanding issues which are mutually acceptable. Negotiations on an ambitious

and balanced package are now close to completion which is expected to provide a

new thrust to bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation. This is

especially significant in the context of the current economic climate so as to

provide a new impetus to growth. Commerce, Industry and Textile Minister, Shri

Anand Sharma and European Trade Commissioner, Mr. Karel De Gucht would

monitor the progress of these negotiations for an early conclusion.

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5. Underlining the importance of dialogue and cooperation between their respective

business communities, leaders welcomed the business summit held on the margins

of the summit and agreed to continue working towards an improved business

climate including facilitating the exchange of information on opportunities for

further collaboration.

6. Leaders took note of the India-EU Ministerial Meeting of 16 January 2012 and the

decision to hold Foreign Policy Consultations on an annual basis in order to

strengthen political dialogue.

7. Leaders welcomed the holding of the India-EU Security Dialogue in New Delhi in

May 2011 India and the EU and reiterated their desire to maintain and expand

cooperation in the field of security.

8. Recalling their Joint Declaration on International Terrorism, adopted at the

previous Summit in December 2010, leaders welcomed the holding of the India-

EU Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism in New Delhi in January 2012.

India and the EU condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and

reaffirmed their united stance in combating threats to international peace and

security caused by terrorist acts wherever they may take place. Noting the

progress made on implementing the Joint Declaration, leaders welcomed the

identification, by their experts, of areas of future collaboration in this respect.

9. Both sides recognized the importance of the activities of the UN Counter-

Terrorism Committee [CTC] (of which India is the Chair) and concluding

negotiations on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism

[CCIT], at the earliest; and they agreed to the need of ensuring that the

international financial system is made secure from the threats of money

laundering and financing of terror.

10. Leaders welcomed the discussions held in New Delhi on 16 December 2011

between India and EU at expert level aimed at enhancing cooperation on anti

piracy efforts and their decision to have such exchanges on a regular basis. They

noted in particular that their experts had agreed in principle to cooperate in the

escorting of WFP shipments, to enhance the regulation of privately contracted

armed security guards in the context of the International Maritime Organisation,

and to share piracy related information in a systematic manner with the aim of,

inter alia, improving the situation of hostages and tackling the illegal financial

flows linked to piracy off the coast of Somalia.

11. Leaders also expressed satisfaction with bilateral consultations on Cyber security

and Cybercrime as a result of which some concrete areas for mutual cooperation

were identified. They called for continuation of these consultations stressing the

importance of further dialogue.

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12. Considering the high level of importance that both sides attach to bilateral

cooperation in the sphere of energy, the leaders welcomed their Joint Declaration

on Enhanced Cooperation in Energy. They looked forward to an expeditious

finalisation of the Joint Report on the Results of the India-EU Joint Work

Programme on Energy, Clean Development and Climate Change and reaffirmed

their commitment to strengthening cooperation in these areas.

13. India and EU welcomed the discussion held in November 2011 on ICT and

recognised the importance of further dialogue on cooperation in this sector.

14. Leaders reiterated their respective positions on the inclusion of aviation in the EU

Emissions Trading System and noted the strong divergence of views. Both sides

agreed on the need to urgently resolve the issue.

15. Recognising the mutually beneficial cooperation on science and technology and

the potential of strengthening it, the leaders welcomed the signing of the Joint

Declaration on Research and Innovation Cooperation with the aim of enhancing

the scale, scope and impact of cooperation and building an "Indo-European

research and innovation partnership", with a focus on common societal challenges

and enhanced synergies between India, the EU and its Member States.

16. Leaders acknowledged active cooperation pursued by Space Agencies and

Industries of both sides in various fields of space science, technology and

applications. Both leaders expressed satisfaction on the progress in finalizing

ISROESA Agreement for cooperation on Earth Observation and Climate Change.

They reaffirmed their commitment to finalization of the Agreement on Satellite

Navigation and related Technical Agreement on the use of the frequency

spectrum.

17. Leaders called for progress and finalisation of an agreement between India and the

European Atomic Energy Community for R & D cooperation in the peaceful uses

of nuclear energy.

18. India and EU reiterated the importance they attach to encouraging

people-to-people contacts and human exchanges and reaffirmed their

determination to cooperate closely in the field of migration within the framework

of the India-EU Joint Statement of 10 December 2010 and in the context of the

India-EU High Level Dialogue on Migration.

19. Leaders welcomed the ongoing cooperation in the field of vocational training and

noted the potential for further enhancing cooperation in this area.

20. India and EU called for appropriate steps to enable the entry into force of the

Horizontal Civil Aviation Agreement.

21. EU took note of the difficulties being faced by some Sikh passengers while

travelling through European airports, due to the turbans they wear. Leaders

acknowledged the need for effective aviation security measures and discussed the

ongoing development of new technologies and methods of addressing security

taking into account the dignity of the individuals involved.

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22. Leaders welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Statistics.

Regional Issues

23. Leaders reiterated their commitment to assisting Afghanistan to become a stable,

democratic nation free of terrorism and extremism. As NATO/ISAF prepares to

complete the ongoing transition and Afghan authorities assume full security

responsibility for the country by the end of 2014, leaders welcomed the long-term

commitment of the international community to Afghanistan in the Transformation

Decade from 2015 to 2024 reiterated in the recent conference in Bonn. Both sides

acknowledged that Afghanistan needs time, development assistance, preferential

access to world markets, foreign investment and a clear end-state and strategy to

attain lasting peace and stability. Both sides underlined the need for more

effective regional cooperation for the stabilisation of Afghanistan, including by

preventing terrorists from finding refuge across Afghanistan's borders. Leaders

welcomed the Istanbul process on regional security and cooperation for a secure

and stable Afghanistan.

24. Leaders stressed that a stable and democratic Pakistan is in the interest of the

entire region. They agreed that terrorism and violent extremism represent serious

threats to international peace and security and on the importance of Pakistan's

cooperation with countries in the region to eliminate terrorism and dismantle

terrorist networks.

25. The leaders recalled their view that terrorism cannot be justified on any grounds

and stressed that perpetrators of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks should be

brought to justice expeditiously.

26. Leaders acknowledged the significant progress in the reform process in Myanmar.

They encouraged the process to continue and urged the international community

to step up its engagement with Myanmar.

27. India and EU exchanged views on regional integration. They recognized that

closer cooperation among the countries of South Asia is crucial for the

development of that region, and in this context, agreed to continue consultation

and cooperation between SAARC and the EU.

28. Leaders discussed events in the Arab world, voicing support for the democratic

aspirations of the populations aimed at deepening democratic governance. They

also discussed the Middle East Peace Process and called on the parties to engage

actively in accordance with relevant UNSC resolutions and along the lines of the

Arab Peace Plan and the Quartet Statement adopted in New York on

23 September 2011. Leaders expressed great concern about the situation in Syria

and reiterated their support for the efforts by UNSC and the League of Arab

States.

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Global issues

29. Leaders exchanged views on the state of their respective economies and expressed

their concern on the international economic situation. In this context, both sides

reaffirmed their commitment, as had been agreed to at the Cannes Summit held in

November 2011, to ensure that the IMF continues to have sufficient resources to

play its systemic role to the benefit of its whole membership. Leaders also

recognized the need to ensure effective reform of financial and commodity

markets as agreed at the Cannes Summit and for an appropriate transition towards

an international monetary system which better reflects the increased weight of

emerging market economies.

30. Leaders underlined the importance of international trade to the recovery of the

international economy and reaffirmed their commitment to the Doha Development

Agenda and to combating protectionism.

31. Leaders looked forward to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development

(RIO+20) for a renewed political commitment to Sustainable Development based

on the Rio Principles to advance progress in the implementation of the Rio

Declaration on Environment and Development, Agenda 21, the Programme for

the further Implementation of Agenda 21, the Johannesburg Declaration on

Sustainable Development and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation. They

welcomed the hosting of the Conference by Brazil on 20-22 June 2012 in Rio de

Janeiro and pledged to extend all support to make it a success. Leaders agreed that

green economy should be seen as a means to achieving the overriding priorities of

sustainable development and poverty eradication and emphasized that Sustainable

Development should be approached through a balanced integration of economic,

social and environmental pillars.

32. Leaders reaffirmed that poverty eradication should remain the central focus of the

global development agenda, called for a redoubling of efforts to push for

maximum achievement of MDGs by 2015 and reaffirmed that inclusive and

equitable global growth is fundamental in ensuring the attainment of the MDGs,

particularly poverty reduction, and this would require continued focus on these

goals even beyond 2015.

33. Leaders reaffirmed the importance of the implementation of the Strategic Plan for

Biodiversity 2011-2020 and of strengthening global efforts towards preventing

biopiracy and preserving genetic resources and traditional knowledge associated

with their use. They committed their full support and pledged to cooperate closely

for the success of the 11th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological

Diversity (CBD-COP11) to be held in Hyderabad, India in 2012. In this

connection India and the EU agreed to actively work towards the early entry into

force of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and

Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilisation (ABS).

34. Leaders discussed the outcome of the Climate Change Conference held in Durban,

South Africa in December 2011, and called for continued dialogue between both

sides with a view to enhancing cooperation on bilateral and international issues

relating to Climate Change in accordance with the objectives, principles and

provisions of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

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35. India and EU reaffirmed their commitment to global and non-discriminatory

disarmament and to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and

their delivery systems. They pledged closer cooperation aimed at providing a

robust nuclear non-proliferation regime and supported a prompt commencement

of negotiations on Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty in the Conference on

Disarmament.

36. The parties reaffirmed their commitment to diplomacy to resolve the Iranian

nuclear issue and expressed the need for Iran to take constructive and immediate

steps to meet its obligations to the IAEA and the UN Security Council. Parties

welcomed efforts by the EU High Representative, on behalf of the E3+3, aimed at

engaging Iran into meaningful talks.

2012-02-10T12:28:00.001-08:00

Nex Delhi, 10 February 2012

"The European Union in a changing world"

speech by President of the European Council

Herman Van Rompuy

at the India International Centre

It is a great pleasure to make some opening remarks about Europe and the European

Union’s recent action. Action in the economic and financial and in the political field. I will

of course also say some words about the EU-India relationship.

This morning our EU delegation had a meeting with Prime Minister Singh. A very good

meeting at which we discussed bilateral, regional and global issues. But I should like, first

to give some keys to what the European Union is.

We quite simply first have to know each other a little better! The last summit held in India

(2009) took place just before the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty – the treaty which

created the post of permanent European Council President that I am holding since

December 2009! “The European Union in a changing world” is my title today.

Because we are changing, just like you in India are changing, and just as world as a whole

is changing. And politics, political action, is after all about how a society, how we deal

with change!

Europe: We change

First about Europe. Europe is in some ways like India. A “subcontinent” on the Eurasian

landmass…You have 28 federal states, we have 27 member states – but next year 28, too!

(Croatia will join our union.) We have 23 official languages, you have 22 official

languages – but if we add English, you have 23 too! Just as a sign of the complexity and

diversity.

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There is a fundamental political difference between India and the EU. India, with all its

cultural and linguistic diversity, is one state. The European Union, even with its central

institutions, is more like a club of states, a union of states. Maybe the most "most

sophisticated" club of states that ever existed… We haven’t the ambition to become one

state!

You are fully aware why after the two World Wars, in Europe, there were very strong

motifs to start something new. A deep feeling of: “Never again…” Political leaders

decided to make the relationships between European states more predictable, more

civilised, to partly institutionalise them… That is how the European Union begun. And

even today, you cannot understand what we are and how we function if you underestimate

these underlying experiences and forces, the desire for peace and stability.

However, to reach this political objective, we chose the road of the economy, of achieving

more prosperity for the peoples of Europe. We also chose a step by step approach; many

steps, one direction… slowly, but surely.

Building one market, since the 1950s, was the best trick to tie our states irreversibly

together. Later, in the 1990s, we also established common borders and one currency, the

euro, for many of us. Another big political project.

Why did more than 20 other European states join the six founding states in the course of

the past half century? Partly because they wanted to gain access to the market for their

businesses and consumers, to participate in the prosperity.

This was certainly true for the European state which you probably know best…, the United

Kingdom, which joined in 1973. But all member states who joined our union did so also

for political reasons. To anchor their own young democracy in a wider democratic

environment. For instance after a period of dictatorship, like in Spain or Greece or

Portugal, after an era of communist rule, like in Poland or Hungary, of after a period of

civil wars, as for the countries of former Yugoslavia.

The people of Europe have beaten communism and ended themselves the Cold War. The

world changed dramatically after the fall of the Berlin wall. The world was no longer

divided in east and west. Afterwards Europe became so called less relevant. Yes, because

we were no longer a problem for the world peace.

For these countries and their populations, the European Union was and is a safe haven.

Besides offering economic opportunities, it is valued as a place of democracy and rule of

law. This is still true today for the countries in our immediate neighbourhood. All countries

in the Western Balkans – Former Yugoslavia- are longing for EU-membership. The union

is their only guarantee for a lasting peace. All this is not so bad for a Europe in “decline”.

I insist on the political character of the European Union because these motifs tend to be

underestimated by third countries. And not least, if I may say so here, by those third

countries who, for understandable historical and linguistic reasons, still look at us only

through the prism of a part of the Anglo-Saxon press to be informed about who and what

Europe is! I can tell you, if you would compare the EU as it appears in United Kingdom

and American media, with what you can read in the German, the French, the Spanish or the

Polish press, the picture would really change...!

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It is important to take the different perspectives into account. But never mind, this is where

we are – and I am well aware that in politics, images are part of the facts…Now, coming to

the situation of today, what does the institution do which I represent? And how does

Europe go about since 2 years in the economic and financial crisis and public debt crisis?

First of all, the European Council brings the Union's highest executive leaders around the

table: the 27 Heads of state or government of the member states, the President of the

Commission, and myself as the President of the European Council.

We meet on average 6 times a year. The European Council keeps out of day-to-day

business. The other institutions do it much better, with a central role for the European

Commission, for instance on trade. That is why today the President of the European

Commission, Mr Barroso, and the Commissioner for Trade, Mr De Gucht, are part of the

delegation.

The European Council springs into action to deal with the special cases: agreeing on new

treaties, letting new members into the club, or dealing with a crisis situation in the

Eurozone. We also set the Union's strategic course.

As President of the European Council, I am an active facilitator and bridge builder. My

role is to involve everybody, to find compromises that respect the interests and sensitivities

of each member state, and of the central institutions. It sounds easier than it is!

In the past two years, we have been (and we are) facing a crisis of public debt in the

Eurozone. It started in Greece – two years ago almost to the day – when the government

was close to financial collapse.

Within the currency area, the economies and financial institutions have become so closely

interdependent, that all national leaders were heavily involved. The stakes were and are

still high. The financial stability of the Eurozone needed to be preserved with all possible

means.

Some governments in countries under pressure had to take drastic measures. Budget cuts.

Economic reforms. Three countries (Greece, Ireland and Portugal) had to ask for a

provisional European organised shelter from the market rates to be able to finance their

deficits and debts. Other countries had to be convinced to help their partners.

The European Union did build the tools to face the situation. In particular a system of

rescue funds or so-called “firewalls”, amounting to 500 billion euro or more [= around 650

billion US dollar]. You could compare this to a kind of International Monetary Fund for

the Eurozone, a “European Monetary Fund”. We also strengthened the central surveillance

and enforcement mechanisms for the public debts and deficits, to prevent future trouble.

Institutionally, as the rest of the world has discovered by now…, the Eurozone is an

original structure. One single currency, with one European Central Bank, alongside 17

national governments, who all have their own economic policies, their own budget and

their own national parliaments. It reflects our history of unity and diversity Common

decisions, individual implementations. Centre and states. A dynamic you familiar to you as

well…

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In that respect, Europe will not do what might seem “logical” from the outside, or on

paper, and which would be to centralise everything. We are not at the eve of some kind of

“federal jump”, establishing one country out of the 27, with one Treasury, central taxes,

budget and debt issuance and all the rest.

The nature of our union is different. Yet as a club of states, what we can do and what we

do, is making sure everybody lives by the rules we set together. That has been the essence

of our collective effort since 2 years.

In budget policies, the union level sets the ceiling on debt and deficit together, and

individual member states decide how to raise money and spend it. This division of labour

is subtle, but it works. It is a balance between central institutions and national political

systems. A balance also between individual responsibility of each and solidarity of all with

the union as a whole.

The budget treaty (or “Fiscal Compact”) that was concluded two weeks ago between 25

member states (that is, all 27 except the UK and the Czech Republic) was a further step in

this long process. And we know that we are not yet at the end of the road. However, I am

confident, when we will master the Greek problem, that we will overcome this crisis.

Political leaders are showing real courage, in all member states, to convince their

parliaments and public opinions of what is at stake. Some governments were forced to

resign for taking unpopular decision, but all the new ones are committed to adopt and

implement reforms. Leaders show responsibility; there is no space for populism – as for

instance the new government of Italy shows.

Admittedly, the message we sent out to the rest of the world is not always coherent. We are

27 democratic and independent states. With so many domestic audiences to cater for, the

improvements of the system as a whole sometimes does not get the attention it deserves.

Yet third parties perceive it.

As a set of mature economies, we of course do not have Indian-rate growth levels. Yet the

European Union is growing, even if this year will be a year of mild stagnation. Our peoples

are resilient, thanks to a safety net of a welfare protection. Do not forget some fundamental

facts. The European Union has a population of half a billion men and women whom are

amongst the most educated and trained in the world. Even with only 7 percent of world

population we still generate 20 percent of the world’s income. This is compared to about

19 percent for the US, 14 percent for China and 6 percent for India.

Of course we are not complacent. We need to grow more, to produce more jobs, to keep

our competitive advantages. What once was a competition between European states, has

become a competition with the rest of the world. We do not close our markets. No, we are

adopting reform within each of our member states to make the economies more

competitive.

So not only is Europe’s political project alive and kicking, we also have a global reach.

Together, we are the first commercial power in the world, bigger than the US, China or

Japan. The Euro is the world's second reserve currency and one of the largest trade

currencies.

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But we also project our internal political project onto a wider global scene. In foreign

affairs, European Union member states work very closely together, even more since the

Lisbon Treaty entered into force. When circumstances require it, at the level of the 27

Heads of government, in the European Council. More importantly, on a daily basis, at the

level of the 27 Foreign Ministers, chaired by High Representative Catherine Ashton.

And around the world, the union has its diplomatic network. For instance here in Delhi, the

Ambassadors of the 27 member states and the EU’s head of delegation are in permanent

contact, to coordinate and speak together on behalf of Europe.

Likewise, we bring our ideas to the G20. On financial regulation. On growth and trade, on

climate or development, on all public goods. Because we recognise that today’s world,

economically, is one of unprecedented financial and economic interdependence.

We have learnt, among ourselves, to tackle such challenges together. And we are

convinced that, to some extent, the same is true for the global issues we face. We also work

in our own neighbourhood, for instance in stabilising the Balkans after the wars of the

1990s. By offering the perspective of membership to our union.

We were and remain present in Afghanistan even after 2014, helping to build an Afghan

police. We have a Naval Mission in the Indian Ocean, to fight the piracy off the Somali

coast – to keep open the sea roads between Delhi and Antwerp or between Mumbai and

Hamburg. We are the largest donors of for instance the Palestinian Authority.

Since one year now, we have been supporting the Arab Spring, and for the democratic

reforms and progressive forces to prevail. For us in Europe it was the most fundamental

geopolitical shift in our neighbourhood since the end of the Cold War in 1989.

Democracy is expanding, after Latin America in the 1980s, Eastern Europe in the 1990, it

seems now is the turn for the Arab World. Of course there are different traditions and

sensitivities, and sometimes unexpected outcomes. But that is history. We should not fear

this process, but support it.

As the two world's largest democracies Europe and India should help history to go in the

right direction…We were and are sometimes tempted by the defence of our interest – often

commercial or economical. It is a short term view. Values last longer. We forgot this too

often.

Surely, changes come with risks. Last spring, European countries decided that it was

unacceptable for us that a leader, in Libya, would be shooting at his own people and killing

thousands of men and women. Worse, this imminent bloodbath would take place at the

other side of the Mediterranean Sea, in the city of Benghazi only a few hundred kilometres

away from the European shores… So we felt the “responsibility to protect”, a notion which

also prevailed in the United Nations Security Council, and our countries joined in the

effort.

The world is now confronted with another difficult situation, in Syria, and I am glad that

India favoured the most recent attempts of the Security Council to promote a solution.

Even if the attempt, unfortunately, failed because of the absence of unanimity around the

table…the atrocities are going on.

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We are also collectively putting pressure on Iran, to comply with its international

obligations as far as its nuclear programme is concerned. I know it is a concern that you

share with us

The EU agreed on tough sanctions, even an oil embargo. This was not an easy decision for

some of our member states, but we succeeded. On a lot of issues: Middle East Peace

Process, Syria, Libya, the Arab Spring. We took common decisions. A common foreign

policy at work.

India. You change

With these experiences, from this place in the world the European Union approaches India.

Do not worry, I have spoken long already, and I will not say as much about India as I said

about Europe. For a simple reason also: I am here to learn and to discover your country.

So let me just tell you what people back home see when they look at India, stretching their

gaze all the way from the western end of the Eurasian landmass to this fascinating

subcontinent…

People across Europe see India as rising power, as the world’s largest democracy with 1.2

billion people, as an economic giant in the making. Even if the knowledge not always goes

very deep, the general feeling towards India among Europeans is one of respect and

admiration, respect for your history and culture, awe and admiration for your recent

accomplishments.

They know that your country, too, is changing rapidly. Economically. Demographically.

Modernising at high speed. People in Europe are sometimes a little surprised about how

rapidly this evolution goes.

When they were children, maybe 30 years ago, India was part of the so-called Third

World; at school they were taught to think about India in terms of helping, of solidarity

with the poor. When I was here for the first time as a tourist, as a young man, India was a

poor country. Even if there is still a lot of poverty, nobody calls India poor any more.

Today, they see that Indian companies are investing in European firms that Indians are

excelling in sciences and services.

When I speak to fellow Europeans, I always underline that this is good news. For those

hundreds of millions Indians and others having climbed out of poverty, and for themselves.

Globalisation is a force for the good. But for those European citizens who see more the

challenge than the opportunity, it takes time, mentally, to adapt… This is normal.

Of course India is facing some challenges of its own domestically, and internationally.

Global influence brings global responsibility. In this respect, India's contribution to the

G20 is very much appreciated.

Today, in my first official visit to India, and in my talk with Prime Minister Singh, I was

impressed by the very strong political conviction and determination of the Indian

leadership in working on the people’s prosperity and in bringing this country to its due

place in the world.

EUCO 25/12 7

Europe and India. What can we do together

Please allow me to conclude with a few remarks on what Europe and India can do together.

Let me just mention three points: trade, security and global issues.

First on trade. Despite the recent economic and financial global turmoil, our bilateral trade

in goods grew by 20 % between 2010 and 2011. However we are convinced that major

trade opportunities are still ahead of us. The Free Trade Agreement currently under

negotiation would by many aspects the world's largest ever, encompassing 1.8 billion

people. We are making progress. It is normal that it takes some time. We put substance

before speed. It would be good not only for us but also to resist protectionism in this phase

of the crisis. A trade agreement between India and Europe will send a strong signal to the

rest of the world that the answer to economic uncertainties does not come from increased

protectionism, but also from trade.

Second, security. Europe fully shares India's quest for a stable and secure regional

environment. We have a common interest in defeating global terror and extremism, in

securing our trade lines from the attacks of pirates, in preventing attacks to our information

technology infrastructures, and in successfully facing the challenge of non proliferation.

The EU is fully equipped to tackle these security challenges, and would like to seek a

closer engagement with India in this respect.

The intensive work since the last summit in 2010, the first I chaired on the EU side as the

first permanent President of the European Council, provides us with a solid basis for

further substantial cooperation in the fields of counter-terrorism, cyber-security, counterpiracy

and other aspects of crisis management. In 2012 and the years ahead.

Third, our cooperation in global negotiation will be crucial. Let me just mention climate

change. At last year’s Durban climate meeting, the cooperation between India and the EU

– starting from different position – created unexpectedly the dynamics for a positive

outcome. This is but one example where India and Europe together can show the way, to

the benefit of all.

Of course the world is changing. In the right direction. Never there have been: So many

democracies: it became the dominant political system. So few wars. At this very moment

there are conflicts inside countries but no wars amongst states. So less hunger and poverty

according to historical standards.

No country is dominant anymore on the world stage and will become so in the future. The

world became too interdependent, too global for letting this happen again. The world will

not be divided between Atlantic and Pacific, as it was between East and West. These times

are over. The world will become global. The focus of people is on development and

prosperity, not on war.

Of course we face huge challenges: climate change, energy and raw material shortages.

But I am convinced that we learned that a “zero sum” game is not an option for our people.

All this is not naïve. It is the language of a lucid man who never forgets hoping, if possible.

_________________________

VII Joint Council European Union - Mexico Mexico City, 9 February 2012 JOINT COMMUNIQUE 1

2012-02-10T12:26:00.001-08:00

VII Joint Council European Union - Mexico

Mexico City, 9 February 2012

JOINT COMMUNIQUE 1

1. The seventh meeting of the European Union - Mexico Joint Council established

by the Economic Partnership, Political Co-ordination and Cooperation Agreement

between the European Union and its Member States and Mexico (the Agreement)

was held in Mexico City, on 9 February 2012.

2. The High Representative of the European Union and Vice-President of the

Commission, Ms. Catherine Ashton, led the European Delegation. The Mexican

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Patricia Espinosa Cantellano, headed the

Mexican Delegation.

Strategic Partnership and Joint Executive Plan

3. The Parties confirmed the importance they assign to their Strategic Partnership

and to the fulfilment of the objectives of its Joint Executive Plan (JEP). They

underlined progress in the implementation of the JEP, notably with the

organization of the Dialogue on Public Security and Law Enforcement, held on

15th July 2011. Both Parties exchanged information and explored possibilities of

concrete actions on police cooperation and training and preventing and fighting

organized crime, in particular trafficking in human beings. Furthermore, the

Parties welcomed the strengthening of their cooperation and coordination in

multilateral fora, in order to promote issues of common interest, particularly in the

1 References in this text to the « Parties » shall be deemed to mean, on

the one hand, the European Union or the European Union and its

Member States or the Member States, in accordance with their

respective competences, and Mexico, on the other hand. Nothing in

this text shall be interpreted as calling into question the division of

competences between the European Union and its Member States.

UE-MX 2052/12 2

areas of the fight against transnational organized crime, climate change,

environmental protection and governance, and biological diversity. The efforts to

fulfil the implementation of the JEP will continue with the upcoming launch of the

Dialogue on Macroeconomic Issues in 2012, which will allow the financial

authorities of both sides to exchange views, on a regular basis, on issues of great

importance, such as the reform of the international financial system and the

framework to achieve a sustainable world economic growth.

4. The Parties also recognised the progress made in the consolidation of the bilateral

Dialogues on Social Cohesion, Education, Environment, Climate Change and

Human Rights, the latter in both its bilateral and multilateral segments, as well as

the bilateral contacts to encourage greater cooperation in areas such as Public

Health, Regional Development and Nuclear Safety.

Political Dialogue

Human Rights

5. The meeting confirmed the high level of engagement and co-operation that the

Parties maintain in the field of human rights both at the bilateral level and in the

multilateral fora.

6. The high quality and wide scope of the bilateral dialogue on human rights issues

between the Parties, especially at the occasion of the two high level dialogues on

human rights held so far, was referred to during the meeting. Both Parties look

forward to the third session of this dialogue, which will be organized later this

year. The results of these dialogues will orient future cooperation between the

Parties on human rights.

7. The Parties reiterated further need for sustained efforts to strengthen and improve

the functioning of the Human Rights Council, as well as their mutual support for

the parties’ initiatives on different human rights issues and situations at the

Council and the General Assembly of the United Nations. In this context, the

Parties reaffirmed their commitment towards the elimination of all forms of

discrimination, as well as towards the abolition of death penalty.

Security / Fight against transnational organized crime

8. The Parties expressed their interest to enhance their cooperation, bilateral and

with other countries, in particular with Central American countries in order to

provide them with technical assistance to strengthen their capacities against

transnational organized crime.

9. They will continue to support the works for an Arms Trade Treaty in the UN

context, in particular in view of the 2012 Conference on this Arms Treaty, and the

discussions to revise the UN Programme of Action to prevent, combat and

eradicate the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons, in view of the 2012

Review Conference.

UE-MX 2052/12 3

10. The Parties recognize the importance of strengthening dialogue and cooperation to

tackle the problem of production, trafficking and consumption of illicit drugs.

They welcome the future organization of the Joint Follow-up Group

to reactivate the agreement on the control of precursors and chemical substances

used in the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances.

Climate change

11. The Parties welcome the outcomes of the 17th Conference of the parties (COP 17)

of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 7th

Session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties

(CMP 7) to the Kyoto Protocol in Durban. They stressed that COP 17 has been a

decisive step in the establishment of a new comprehensive and legally binding

climate regime, and provided a clear mandate to raise the level of ambition for

climate action. Durban also made significant progress on the second commitment

period under the Kyoto Protocol. Furthermore, Durban approved the Green

Climate Fund and operationalised the Cancun Agreements, including the adoption

of rules for monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions;

setting up the Adaptation Committee and the Climate Technology Center

Network. They highlighted their commitment to continue to cooperate in order to

contribute achieving a successful implementation of the decisions taken in

Durban.

Sustainable Development

12. The Parties are committed to pursue their close cooperation in the run-up to the

UN "Rio+20" Conference on Sustainable Development that will take place in

June 2012. They reiterated their shared ambition to achieve a successful outcome

of the conference. The Parties share the goal to move towards a green economy in

the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication, as well as to

improve international environmental governance, and they agreed to promote the

concept of green growth in the framework of G20.

Cooperation

Social cohesion

13. The Parties underlined that social cohesion continues to be a priority for both.

Progress in this area is reflected by the preparation of the second phase of the

project "EU-Mexico Social Cohesion Laboratory". The project will target social

cohesion key areas such as human rights, access to justice and security activities

at federal and State level. Furthermore, based on the success of the EU-Mexico

programme on human rights, the Parties will strengthen the cooperation in this

matter within the social cohesion project as a tool to reinforce the bilateral

dialogue.

UE-MX 2052/12 4

Economic cooperation

14. The Parties highlighted the relevance of projects focused on strengthening the

competitiveness of small and medium size enterprises to increase access to the

European market, such as the Competitiveness and Innovation Project Mexico-EU

(PROCEI) in the context of the Country Strategy Document 2007-13. The Parties

also expressed their satisfaction regarding the successful closure in June of the

Trade Facilitation project PROTLCUEM co-financed by the federal government

and the European Commission.

Science and Technology

15. Cooperation between the Parties in science and technology has been developing in

a very positive way. The Parties acknowledged the progress made in the sectoral

Dialogue on Science and Technology and acknowledged the quality results

obtained in the V Meeting of the Steering Committee for Bilateral Cooperation,

held in Mexico in 2011.

16. At this occasion, both sides expressed their willingness to further develop

cooperation, particularly in addressing societal challenges; they agreed the

launching of coordinated calls for proposals in priority areas of common interest

for the next years The Mexico-EU dialogue will also promote reciprocal access to

research programmes and support regional cooperation in science, technology and

innovation.

Education and Culture

17. Both Parties expressed their interest in enhancing the cooperation in the cultural

sector and welcome the agreements of having the First meeting of the sectoral

Dialogue on Culture in Mexico City on April 2012, and the organization of the

Mexico-EU Publishing Seminar in coincidence with the next edition of The

Guadalajara International Book Fair in November 2012. A decision on the

proposed addendum to the project “EU-Mexico Cultural Fund II” (EC

contribution 2.8 M/Mexico contribution 2.8M) is pending by the European

Commission.

18. They also welcomed Mexico's participation in the International Quality Assurance

Conference held in December 2011 and the launch of a joint study on

transparency tools in higher education. Both Parties agreed that the second

meeting of the sectoral Dialogue on Education will be held in 2012.

Environment and Climate change

19. The Parties expressed satisfaction for the discussions during the Third EU-Mexico

High-Level Dialogues on Environment and Climate Change, held in Brussels on

14-15th July 2011.

UE-MX 2052/12 5

20. The Parties were pleased about the start of three new cooperation projects

between them, in particular to support Mexico's low-emission development

strategy; to work on the measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of

greenhouse gas emissions; and to link watershed management projects in several

Mexican states with Mexico's national REDD+ strategy.

Bilateral Trade and Investment

21. Regarding trade issues, the parties noted the positive evolution of trade and

investment flows between the Parties, as well as the highly satisfactory and

smooth functioning of the Mexico-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Issues related to the review clauses of the EU-Mexico FTA

22. The parties noted the state of play of the negotiations in accordance with the

review clauses in the FTA, and reaffirmed their interest to consider all other

options to deepen bilateral trade relations.

WTO-Doha Development Agenda

23. The Parties regretted the current impasse of the WTO Doha Development Round

negotiations. The Parties recognized the progress achieved so far and noted that in

order to further advance the DDA in its core market access dimension, a strong

political commitment will be needed in 2012 from all major WTO members. In

the meantime, the Parties expressed their willingness to work closely together to

deliver concrete results in other areas of the negotiations where progress can be

achieved, in particular in trade facilitation. Likewise, they agreed to give due

priority to address the specific needs of the Least Developed Countries, in line

with the political guidance provided by the 8th Ministerial Conference. The

Parties reiterated their steadfast support for a strong, rule-based multilateral

trading system, which is instrumental to ensure a healthy and fair global trading

system.

EU-Mexico Civil Society Dialogue process: State of play

24. The Parties noted with satisfaction that the Mexican civil society has welcomed

the reply issued jointly by the Parties to the recommendations of the IV EUMexico

Civil Society Dialogue Forum. They reiterated their commitment to

strengthen the civil society dialogue process, notably by promoting the creation of

a consultative mechanism that would host permanent dialogue between Mexican

and EU civil society. They agreed to work together with the representatives of

their civil societies in reviewing the mandate, composition and functioning

procedures of such a mechanism, in order to ensure that it would contribute

constructively to the bilateral relation.

Statement by High Representative Catherine Ashton and Commissioner Stefan Füle on the appointment of the state government in Bosnia and Herzegovina

2012-02-10T12:24:00.001-08:00

Brussels, 10 February 2012

Statement by High Representative Catherine Ashton and

Commissioner Stefan Füle on the appointment of the state

government in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Brussels, 10 February 2012 - The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security

Policy/Vice-President, Catherine Ashton, and the Commissioner for Enlargement and European

Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle congratulated Bosnia and Herzegovina on the appointment of

its Council of Ministers today.

"We wish the new Council of Ministers every success for its endeavours. We believe and expect that it

will deliver on the aspirations of the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We now encourage the new

Council of Ministers, as already indicated by Chairman Bevanda, to concentrate on the pressing

European integration agenda and take the necessary action to ensure concrete steps forward. Once it

enters into force, the Stabilisation and Association Agreement will further strengthen the relations

between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the EU. We welcome the recent adoption of the Law on State

Aid and the Law on the Population Census, which move Bosnia and Herzegovina in the right

direction. In addition, Bosnia and Herzegovina must make credible efforts to bring its Constitution

into full compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights in line with the Sejdic-Finci

ruling.

The lack of a political agreement on the 2012 budget for the state level institutions and the continuing

disagreement on the Global Fiscal Framework 2012-2014 are a cause of serious concern. A sound

economic and fiscal policy is an essential prerequisite for the country's EU integration process.

Bosnia and Herzegovina's EU perspective is clear, with full support from the 27 Member States. The

primary responsibility for progress lies with Bosnia and Herzegovina, its leaders and institutions. The

EU will continue to assist the country, including through its strengthened presence on the ground."

Remarks by High Representative Catherine Ashton following her meeting with the Foreign Minister of Mexico Patricia Espinosa, Mexico City, 9 February 2012

2012-02-10T12:21:00.001-08:00

Brussels, 10 February 2012

Remarks by High Representative Catherine Ashton

following her meeting with the Foreign Minister of Mexico Patricia

Espinosa, Mexico City, 9 February 2012

First of all can I thank you, Minister, for inviting me to Mexico. I've long wanted to come to this

wonderful country and it's a great personal and professional pleasure to be here. I think it's

especially important because I have said that one of my priorities for my term of office is to

strengthen our relations with strategic partners. The partnership that we have with Mexico is unique

amongst our partnerships, because it's based on our Association and Free Trade Agreement as well

as our strong bilateral commitment to tackling some of the global challenges together. I therefore

see this relationship as something very special, something that we need to deepen and strengthen in

the years to come.

I was extremely pleased to have the opportunity to meet with the President this morning and to be

able to pay tribute to the work that he and the government have done in tackling some of the

challenges that you face, especially on organized crime. I was keen to re-commit the support of the

European Union to assist in the work that is going on. By that I mean inviting agencies like Europol

or Frontex, who are able to offer new ways of trying to support catching criminals. But we invite

our partners to tell us what they need. We don't impose what we think they might wish. There are

some difficult challenges to face but I believe you have faced them in a way that will take your

country forward and which will deal with these problems not just in the short term, but for the long

term.

I will be very pleased to be returning to Mexico again in a week's time for the informal meeting of

foreign ministers of the G20 and other guests that you have invited for that occasion. I believe this

is a really interesting initiative, not only will it give us a chance to talk of some of the key issues

that we are currently facing, but also allow us to have an in-depth conversation on a topic that I

know is of enormous importance to Mexico and which I share your commitment to, and that is

sustainable development. Again in the conversation with the President this morning I think we were

able to share some of the issues and ideas that need to be put forward in order to be able to ensure

that we are moving on sustainable development.

And this country's commitment to the issue of climate change plays into that whole agenda - how

do we help countries to develop appropriately in recognition of the challenges that climate change

is presenting to many countries across the world?

We have had the opportunity today as well to talk about some of the issues perhaps at the top of

your agenda and certainly at the top of mine. We have talked about the Middle East Peace Process

and the current efforts of the King of Jordan, to whom I pay tribute, to try and get the negotiations

to move forward. We have talked about the challenges within that process to reach some form of

conclusion at least on some of the major issues at the present time.

We have also discussed the terrible situation in Syria and compared our common view about the

need to stop this tragedy from unfolding further. My disappointment at what happened at the

Security Council, my belief that the international community should stand together and we will see

in the coming hours and days what more can be done. I have been in contact with the Secretary

General of the Arab League in the last few days and I will speak to other ministers in the course of

today and tomorrow. Our common objective is to enable the people of Syria to move forward

peacefully and for President Assad to recognize that he needs to stand aside.

One of our greatest concerns is also to provide humanitarian aid and support for people. We have

already added additional resources, we have a delegation on the ground and we hope that we will be

able to work with the countries in the neighbourhood, particularly the four neighbouring countries,

to work out how we can provide the best possible support. A lot of ideas are being discussed, there

are proposals to get countries together in a group to think through what more we might be able to

do. Our interests are all the same: to stop the killing, to persuade the leadership in Syria to take its

responsibilities seriously, to recognize that there need to be changes, but that that change needs to

be inclusive to bring together the whole of Syrian society in ways that will enable them to have

the future that they wish. And in that context my message to my Russian colleagues is that they too

need to recognize the reality of the situation on the ground and that we cannot go on simply

allowing this to happen and the Security Council especially is a place where these issues need to be

taken forward, and I really do hope that in the course of the next few days the international

community can come together on this.

Statement by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton on Syria

2012-02-10T12:19:00.001-08:00

Brussels, 10 February 2012

Statement by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton on

Syria

Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

and Vice-President of the Commission made today the following statement:

"I am appalled by the reports of the brutal attacks by the Syrian armed forces in Homs. I condemn

in the strongest terms these acts perpetrated by the Syrian regime against its own civilian

population. The international community must speak with one voice, demanding an end to the

bloodshed and urging Assad to step aside and allow a democratic transition.

Regional involvement and Arab League leadership, in particular its plan and resolution of 22

January, are key to addressing this crisis. I am in close contact with Secretary General Al Araby

and I welcome the efforts of the Arab League to find a peaceful solution to the current crisis. Ahead

of the important Arab League meeting on Sunday, I would like to reiterate my support for the Arab

League's efforts to stop the violence and bring a better future to the Syrian people. "

2012-02-10T07:28:00.001-08:00

Αθήνα, 9 Φεβρουαρίου 2012

ANAKOΙNΩΣH TΥΠOΥ

Νέα της Συνόδου - Στρασβούργο, 13 - 16 Φεβρουαρίου 2012

Οι άστεγοι της Ευρώπης και το κύμα ψύχους
Καθώς περισσότεροι από 200 άνθρωποι, οι περισσότεροι εκ των οποίων ήταν άστεγοι, έχουν πεθάνει λόγω του πρόσφατου κύματος ψύχους στην Ευρώπη, οι ευρωβουλευτές θα πιέσουν την Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή να ενεργήσει επί του ψηφίσματος που υιοθέτησε το ΕΚ το Σεπτέμβριο του 2011 για τη δημιουργία μιας ευρωπαϊκής στρατηγικής για τους αστέγους. (Συζήτηση: Δευτέρα)

Προετοιμασία για το επικείμενο Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο
Η οικονομική κατάσταση στην ΕΕ θα βρεθεί για ακόμη μία φορά στο επίκεντρο των συζητήσεων κατά το προσεχές Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο στις 1 και 2 Μαρτίου. Στις 15 Φεβρουαρίου, το ΕΚ θα συζητήσει και θα παρουσιάσει τις προτεραιότητές του ενόψει της συνάντησης κορυφής η οποία αναμένεται να αξιολογήσει την πρώτη φάση του λεγόμενου Ευρωπαϊκού Εξαμήνου, ενός εργαλείου για τον οικονομικό συντονισμό, και την πρόοδο που έχει επιτευχθεί μέχρι σήμερα αναφορικά με τις αποφάσεις για την έξοδο της ΕΕ από την κρίση. (Συζήτηση: Τετάρτη)

Ο Ιταλός πρωθυπουργός Mario Monti στην ολομέλεια του ΕΚ
Ο Ιταλός Πρωθυπουργός, Mario Monti, θα επισκεφθεί το ΕΚ προκειμένου να συμμετάσχει στη συζήτηση που θα λάβει χώρα την Τετάρτη, 15 Φεβρουαρίου. Η συζήτηση θα ξεκινήσει στις 15.00 τοπική ώρα Στρασβούργου και αναμένεται να επικεντρωθεί στην οικονομική κατάσταση που επικρατεί στην Ιταλία και την Ευρώπη. Μετά την ομιλία του κ. Monti το λόγο θα λάβουν οι επικεφαλής των πολιτικών ομάδων του ΕΚ. (Συζήτηση: Τετάρτη)

Η κατάσταση στη Συρία
Την Τετάρτη, 14 Φεβρουαρίου, εκπρόσωπος της προεδρίας της Δανίας θα απευθυνθεί στους ευρωβουλευτές, εκπροσωπώντας την Catherine Ashton, Ύπατη Εκπρόσωπο της ΕΕ για θέματα εξωτερικής πολιτικής, στη συζήτηση για την κατάσταση στη Συρία. Τη συζήτηση θα ακολουθήσει σχετικό ψήφισμα.
(Ψηφοφορία: Πέμπτη)

Ουγγαρία: Ψήφισμα στο ΕΚ σχετικά με τις πρόσφατες πολιτικές εξελίξεις
Μετά την έντονη συζήτηση με τον Ούγγρο πρωθυπουργό Viktor Orban στις 18 Ιανουαρίου στην ολομέλεια του ΕΚ, οι ευρωβουλευτές θα ψηφίσουν την Πέμπτη, 19 Φεβρουαρίου, επί ενός ψηφίσματος σχετικά με τις πρόσφατες πολιτικές εξελίξεις στην Ουγγαρία..

Ψήφισμα του ΕΚ σχετικά με τις εκλογές στη Ρωσία
Οι ευρωβουλευτές θα παρουσιάσουν τις θέσεις τους σχετικά με την κατάσταση στη Ρωσία στο σχέδιο ψηφίσματος που θα θέσουν προς ψήφιση την Πέμπτη, 16 Φεβρουαρίου. Τα κύρια σημεία του εν λόγω ψηφίσματος αφορούν τις βουλευτικές εκλογές του Δεκεμβρίου, τις πρόσφατες διαδηλώσεις και τις επερχόμενες προεδρικές εκλογές του Μαρτίου.

Επισιτιστική βοήθεια για τους άπορους πολίτες της ΕΕ
Το σχέδιο διάσωσης του προγράμματος επισιτιστικής βοήθειας υπέρ των άπορων πολιτών της ΕΕ θα τεθεί σε ψηφοφορία στο ΕΚ την Τετάρτη, 15 Φεβρουαρίου κατόπιν σχετικής συζήτησης την Τρίτη, 14 Φεβρουαρίου. Εφόσον το ΕΚ εγκρίνει την άτυπη συμφωνία που έχει ήδη επιτευχθεί με το Συμβούλιο, το πρόγραμμα θα συνεχίσει να τρέχει έως το τέλος του 2013 με ανώτατο ετήσιο όριο προϋπολογισμού τα 500 εκατομμύρια ευρώ.

Μεγαλύτερες προσπάθειες για τόνωση της ανάπτυξης και της απασχόλησης
Τα κράτη μέλη θα πρέπει να δράσουν αποφασιστικά σε ότι αφορά τις μεταρρυθμίσεις προκειμένου να επιτευχθεί μεγαλύτερος οικονομικός συντονισμός. Αυτό υποστηρίζει το ΕΚ, απαντώντας στην ετήσια επισκόπηση της αναπτυξιακής πορείας της ΕΕ, την οποία παρουσίασε η Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή. Στα ψηφίσματα που θα τεθούν προς ψήφιση την Τετάρτη, πραγματοποιείται έκκληση για μεγαλύτερες προσπάθειες στους τομείς της ανάπτυξης και της απασχόλησης.
(Συζήτηση: Τρίτη, ψηφοφορίες: Τετάρτη)

Κοινοτικά κονδύλια και δημιουργία θέσεων εργασίας για τους νέους
Την Δευτέρα οι ευρωβουλευτές θα θέσουν ερωτήματα στην Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή σχετικά με το σχέδιό της να χρησιμοποιήσει έως και 82 δισεκατομμύρια ευρώ από τα διαρθρωτικά ταμεία της ΕΕ (κονδύλια που δεν έχουν ακόμη διατεθεί σε ειδικά προγράμματα) προκειμένου να βοηθήσει τις μικρές επιχειρήσεις και να καταπολεμήσει την ανεργία των νέων.

Ευρωομόλογα: Τι μέλλει γενέσθαι;
Την Τρίτη οι ευρωβουλευτές θα θέσουν ερωτήματα προς την Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή σχετικά με την πορεία των εργασιών "για τα ομόλογα σταθερότητας που αναφέρονται στην Πράσινη Βίβλο" που εξέδωσε. Τα ευρωομόλογα θα μπορούσαν να αποτελέσουν πηγή σταθερότητας για την ευρωζώνη σε μεσοπρόθεσμο επίπεδο, ωστόσο απαιτούνται και άλλα εργαλεία για την κάλυψη των βραχυπρόθεσμων αναγκών της, αναφέρει το σχέδιο ψηφίσματος το οποίο θα τεθεί προς ψήφιση στην ολομέλεια την Τετάρτη.

Δικαιότερες τιμές για τους γαλακτοπαραγωγούς
Η ενίσχυση της διαπραγματευτικής δύναμης των γαλακτοπαραγωγών προκειμένου να εξασφαλίζουν δίκαιες τιμές για το νωπό γάλα καθώς και η παροχή βοήθειας προς αυτούς προκειμένου να προετοιμαστούν για την κατάργηση των ποσοστώσεων γάλακτος το 2015 είναι τα κύρια σημεία της νέας νομοθετικής πρότασης που θα τεθεί σε ψηφοφορία στο ΕΚ την Τετάρτη, 15 Φεβρουαρίου.
(Συζήτηση: Τρίτη, ψηφοφορία: Τετάρτη)

* Νέα της Συνόδου - Στρασβούργο, 13 - 16 Φεβρουαρίου 2012 *Ακούστε Ζωντανά / www.euro- Vouli.net

2012-02-09T07:51:00.001-08:00

Αθήνα, 9 Φεβρουαρίου 2012

ANAKOΙNΩΣH TΥΠOΥ

Νέα της Συνόδου - Στρασβούργο, 13 - 16 Φεβρουαρίου 2012

Οι άστεγοι της Ευρώπης και το κύμα ψύχους

Καθώς περισσότεροι από 200 άνθρωποι, οι περισσότεροι εκ των οποίων ήταν άστεγοι, έχουν πεθάνει λόγω του πρόσφατου κύματος ψύχους στην Ευρώπη, οι ευρωβουλευτές θα πιέσουν την Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή να ενεργήσει επί του ψηφίσματος που υιοθέτησε το ΕΚ το Σεπτέμβριο του 2011 για τη δημιουργία μιας ευρωπαϊκής στρατηγικής για τους αστέγους. (Συζήτηση: Δευτέρα)

Προετοιμασία για το επικείμενο Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο
Η οικονομική κατάσταση στην ΕΕ θα βρεθεί για ακόμη μία φορά στο επίκεντρο των συζητήσεων κατά το προσεχές Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο στις 1 και 2 Μαρτίου. Στις 15 Φεβρουαρίου, το ΕΚ θα συζητήσει και θα παρουσιάσει τις προτεραιότητές του ενόψει της συνάντησης κορυφής η οποία αναμένεται να αξιολογήσει την πρώτη φάση του λεγόμενου Ευρωπαϊκού Εξαμήνου, ενός εργαλείου για τον οικονομικό συντονισμό, και την πρόοδο που έχει επιτευχθεί μέχρι σήμερα αναφορικά με τις αποφάσεις για την έξοδο της ΕΕ από την κρίση. (Συζήτηση: Τετάρτη)

Ο Ιταλός πρωθυπουργός Mario Monti στην ολομέλεια του ΕΚ
Ο Ιταλός Πρωθυπουργός, Mario Monti, θα επισκεφθεί το ΕΚ προκειμένου να συμμετάσχει στη συζήτηση που θα λάβει χώρα την Τετάρτη, 15 Φεβρουαρίου. Η συζήτηση θα ξεκινήσει στις 15.00 τοπική ώρα Στρασβούργου και αναμένεται να επικεντρωθεί στην οικονομική κατάσταση που επικρατεί στην Ιταλία και την Ευρώπη. Μετά την ομιλία του κ. Monti το λόγο θα λάβουν οι επικεφαλής των πολιτικών ομάδων του ΕΚ. (Συζήτηση: Τετάρτη)

Η κατάσταση στη Συρία
Την Τετάρτη, 14 Φεβρουαρίου, εκπρόσωπος της προεδρίας της Δανίας θα απευθυνθεί στους ευρωβουλευτές, εκπροσωπώντας την Catherine Ashton, Ύπατη Εκπρόσωπο της ΕΕ για θέματα εξωτερικής πολιτικής, στη συζήτηση για την κατάσταση στη Συρία. Τη συζήτηση θα ακολουθήσει σχετικό ψήφισμα.
(Ψηφοφορία: Πέμπτη)

Ουγγαρία: Ψήφισμα στο ΕΚ σχετικά με τις πρόσφατες πολιτικές εξελίξεις
Μετά την έντονη συζήτηση με τον Ούγγρο πρωθυπουργό Viktor Orban στις 18 Ιανουαρίου στην ολομέλεια του ΕΚ, οι ευρωβουλευτές θα ψηφίσουν την Πέμπτη, 19 Φεβρουαρίου, επί ενός ψηφίσματος σχετικά με τις πρόσφατες πολιτικές εξελίξεις στην Ουγγαρία..

Ψήφισμα του ΕΚ σχετικά με τις εκλογές στη Ρωσία
Οι ευρωβουλευτές θα παρουσιάσουν τις θέσεις τους σχετικά με την κατάσταση στη Ρωσία στο σχέδιο ψηφίσματος που θα θέσουν προς ψήφιση την Πέμπτη, 16 Φεβρουαρίου. Τα κύρια σημεία του εν λόγω ψηφίσματος αφορούν τις βουλευτικές εκλογές του Δεκεμβρίου, τις πρόσφατες διαδηλώσεις και τις επερχόμενες προεδρικές εκλογές του Μαρτίου.

Επισιτιστική βοήθεια για τους άπορους πολίτες της ΕΕ
Το σχέδιο διάσωσης του προγράμματος επισιτιστικής βοήθειας υπέρ των άπορων πολιτών της ΕΕ θα τεθεί σε ψηφοφορία στο ΕΚ την Τετάρτη, 15 Φεβρουαρίου κατόπιν σχετικής συζήτησης την Τρίτη, 14 Φεβρουαρίου. Εφόσον το ΕΚ εγκρίνει την άτυπη συμφωνία που έχει ήδη επιτευχθεί με το Συμβούλιο, το πρόγραμμα θα συνεχίσει να τρέχει έως το τέλος του 2013 με ανώτατο ετήσιο όριο προϋπολογισμού τα 500 εκατομμύρια ευρώ.

Μεγαλύτερες προσπάθειες για τόνωση της ανάπτυξης και της απασχόλησης
Τα κράτη μέλη θα πρέπει να δράσουν αποφασιστικά σε ότι αφορά τις μεταρρυθμίσεις προκειμένου να επιτευχθεί μεγαλύτερος οικονομικός συντονισμός. Αυτό υποστηρίζει το ΕΚ, απαντώντας στην ετήσια επισκόπηση της αναπτυξιακής πορείας της ΕΕ, την οποία παρουσίασε η Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή. Στα ψηφίσματα που θα τεθούν προς ψήφιση την Τετάρτη, πραγματοποιείται έκκληση για μεγαλύτερες προσπάθειες στους τομείς της ανάπτυξης και της απασχόλησης.
(Συζήτηση: Τρίτη, ψηφοφορίες: Τετάρτη)

Κοινοτικά κονδύλια και δημιουργία θέσεων εργασίας για τους νέους
Την Δευτέρα οι ευρωβουλευτές θα θέσουν ερωτήματα στην Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή σχετικά με το σχέδιό της να χρησιμοποιήσει έως και 82 δισεκατομμύρια ευρώ από τα διαρθρωτικά ταμεία της ΕΕ (κονδύλια που δεν έχουν ακόμη διατεθεί σε ειδικά προγράμματα) προκειμένου να βοηθήσει τις μικρές επιχειρήσεις και να καταπολεμήσει την ανεργία των νέων.

Ευρωομόλογα: Τι μέλλει γενέσθαι;
Την Τρίτη οι ευρωβουλευτές θα θέσουν ερωτήματα προς την Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή σχετικά με την πορεία των εργασιών "για τα ομόλογα σταθερότητας που αναφέρονται στην Πράσινη Βίβλο" που εξέδωσε. Τα ευρωομόλογα θα μπορούσαν να αποτελέσουν πηγή σταθερότητας για την ευρωζώνη σε μεσοπρόθεσμο επίπεδο, ωστόσο απαιτούνται και άλλα εργαλεία για την κάλυψη των βραχυπρόθεσμων αναγκών της, αναφέρει το σχέδιο ψηφίσματος το οποίο θα τεθεί προς ψήφιση στην ολομέλεια την Τετάρτη.

Δικαιότερες τιμές για τους γαλακτοπαραγωγούς
Η ενίσχυση της διαπραγματευτικής δύναμης των γαλακτοπαραγωγών προκειμένου να εξασφαλίζουν δίκαιες τιμές για το νωπό γάλα καθώς και η παροχή βοήθειας προς αυτούς προκειμένου να προετοιμαστούν για την κατάργηση των ποσοστώσεων γάλακτος το 2015 είναι τα κύρια σημεία της νέας νομοθετικής πρότασης που θα τεθεί σε ψηφοφορία στο ΕΚ την Τετάρτη, 15 Φεβρουαρίου.

2012-02-08T15:26:00.001-08:00

Brussels, 8 February 2012

Address by HR/VP Catherine Ashton at the seminar "The EU and

Brazil in the world", in the presence of Foreign Minister of Brazil

Antonio Patriota, Diplomatic Academy

I am delighted to address the seminar "The EU and Brazil in the world" at the Diplomatic Academy of

the Instituto Rio-Branco. And I was just saying to the Minister and to colleagues and to Ambassadors

here that the best part of any event for me is the interaction with the audience, the questions and

answers, for two reasons: one is you get to ask what you really want to and second I get to find out

what really interests you, and I'm told that you will be very direct. So I hope you will be, because

that's the best kind of conversation.

Antonio, you've just done a fantastic tour de force on so many issues, so I will for my contribution

focus on European dimension of what we call the post-Lisbon era of Europe and hopefully share

some thoughts with everyone here that will build into the conversation. The Lisbon Treaty is a sort of

watershed for the European Union. If you look back to how these 27 - shortly to be 28 (Croatia will

join very soon formally) - countries got together, it was by-and-large an economic growth, economic

security set of issues that made it happen. The creation of the single market enabled people, goods,

trade, investment to travel much more easily across the borders of the European Union and it was, in

my mind, essentially about trying to get the economic growth and development. But it became very

obvious, quite soon - although it took a long time to complete - that there was also the strength of the

political coming-together. Not that the Union took away from the importance of domestic

sovereignty, but that doing things together - whether it was 12 or 15 or 25, 27 and now almost 28, by

being able to speak with the same message, with all these voices - was actually incredibly

important in terms of foreign policy, in terms of security issues, in terms of the voice that we had in

the world.

So the authors of the Lisbon Treaty - and it took a long time, over 10 years to move from the

constitution to a treaty to where we are now - wanted to see what I call "politics meet economics", and

to join up the way that the outside world looked at Europe, from being a combination of rotating

presidencies and the Commission and different institutions to being Europe. It makes it easier, it

makes it simpler, it makes it joined up. Two very small examples of that.

When Prime Minister Putin was President the first time around, in the course of his eight years, he

met 16 presidents of Europe, beginning and ending with Portugal, and that's because in that period of

time 15 countries rotated in that post. And in the course of those different presidencies, different

priorities emerged, different relationships with Russia were much in evidence. The Prime Ministers or

presidents of the European countries represented Europe well, but nonetheless they approached it

inevitably with the sense of the bilateral relationship, also much in evidence. And for some countries,

who are very small, perhaps they weren't able to make the impact, for some countries who had

difficult relationships with Russia maybe they made a different kind of impact. So it was not a

satisfactory process, it was important, but not optimal.

The other example is on the fight against piracy. When I took over this role, I brought together all of

the people working in Brussels on the issue of Somalia and anti-piracy. The piracy off the coast of

Somalia is an enormous problem for every country that seeks to trade in the world and hugely

difficult for the people of the region. And I brought together the military staff, because we have a

military mission Atalanta that provides ships to protect the World Food Programme, and the

development team, since we have over 30 development projects in Somalia. I brought those involved

in foreign policy working on Somalia and the region - Kenya, Tanzania and others - and I brought

them all in one room. Until then they have never sat down together before. The reason was because

Europe wasn't joined up in its work and that I believe was fundamentally going to mean that we

weren't able to be as dynamic and as able to operate in the world or to find solutions as we would be if

we joined up.

So the post-Lisbon world is about a joined up Europe where you don’t have to guess which bit of the

institutions anybody comes from, because it doesn’t matter; where anyone meeting Europe meets

Europe and we are able to deal with all of these issues in a comprehensive way.

When I became the High Representative I set out three key priorities for my mandate. The first one

was to create a new foreign policy service. The Commission had traditionally delegations across the

world (nearly 140), but they were focused on economic issues particularly trade and investment, some

on climate change. But the political processes weren't being handled by the delegations; they were

done by the rotating presidency or in countries where that particular country didn’t have an embassy

by one of the others. And so I needed to build a service that brings together economics and politics

and creates a new capacity for the European Union to add value to what the Member States do on the

ground. Not take away from them, but add to what they do, and to forge a new direction for European

foreign policy that is based on a large range of issues. It means for example that in some countries our

focus shifts a little bit. Traditionally we are focused, with countries like India, on our economic

relationship. Now we are also focusing much more on security issues which are of enormous interest

to them and where European countries have much to offer: counterterrorism, cyber security, piracy,

which I have mentioned before, to mention just 3. So building a new kind of service that could serve

the people of Europe and could serve our relationships with the rest of the world in a joined up way.

The second priority I set myself was the neighbourhood, long before the events of North Africa

happened. I believe that Europe should be judged by its effectiveness in its own neighbourhood. The

reality of whether we are going to be a successful group of countries, a successful bloc able to tackle

some of the big challenges, would rest in our ability to sort out the difficulties that existed on our

doorstep. When I said that I was thinking much more about Bosnia/Herzegovina, about the relations

between Serbia and Kosovo and our relationships to the East. Those still dominate my agenda; they

don’t get as much publicity as events of North Africa but as you know we are still engaged in trying

to resolve at least in part the issues between Serbia and Kosovo and that dialogue goes on very quietly

in Brussels led by one of my team. Equally we are trying to make sure in Bosnia that the EU is the

solution, that we are taking over the responsibility for helping Bosnia economically and politically to

move forward. So we are on a journey in our neighbourhood to the East of trying to make sure we can

do it.

And of course the events of North Africa, our neighbourhood in another direction, changed the

dynamic in that part of the world and again the interesting aspect in this for me is how does Europe

really respond to the challenges that are raised in Egypt, in Tunisia, in Libya and of course in Syria. I

would again argue that this about "economics meets politics". If I take Tunisia where the new Prime

Minister decided to make his first visit outside his country to Brussels - that was not an accident. That

was because we have been working with the Tunisian government to pull together their needs both

politically and economically; a combination of support for civil society, support for human rights

groups, helping them develop their elections, helping them develop the institutions that they will need

to take forward what I call "deep democracy". That means democracy that is not just about an

election, it's about everything else - it's about the capacity to build the institutions, freedoms and

rights. It's also of course about the economy and using the European Union's ability to leverage

resources, to be able to put together a package which for Tunisia was 4 billions Euros over three years

of grants and loans coming from the European Investment Bank, from the European Commission,

from different parts of the European institutions, but also in addition to that, bringing the private

sector in who will be able to have genuine investment in the country.

It's a good model for me. Economics speaks politics translated into a well-rounded approach that

supports the transition politically against the values that we believe the people of Tunisia want,

together with the economic needs that are going to be so important and need to be delivered as well.

So in our neighbourhood we are trying to develop and design ways in which we can really add value.

We can talk about Syria and Iran, and Libya and so on shortly but let me just leave you with that

particular example and move on to the third priority which is our strategic partners.

I said to the European Council, the meeting of all of the leaders of the European Union, that we

needed to think creatively about what it was that we wanted in our relationships with our strategic

partners and I divided this into two areas. The first is bilateral relationships, the importance of the

relationships between us, with trade and economic issues and strong political relationships. These

relationships are very different with each of our strategic partners. Our relationship with Russia is

very different to our relationships with Brazil or India; our relationship with the United States is very

different to our relationship with China, but these are big strategic relationships that we have to

nurture and that enable us to make important bilateral relationships for the future.

But more importantly or as importantly for me in my role, it's about the relationship that we have in

tackling some of the global issues that we face. The Minister quite rightly raised one of the most

important or two of the most important issues: one is climate change which we were able to make a

common cause between Europe and Brazil and I really do pay tribute to the role of Brazil in this, it's

enormously important. It's more than just a sum of the two coming together, because it also brings in

other countries and it gives a much more dynamic force to the fight against the climate change. I

would also argue on development, Mr. Minister says too, that the critical nature of sustainable

development for all of us needs clever and creative partnerships and to think differently about how we

deliver our development goals. Collaboration means we use our economies of scale, the ability to

deliver for each other in different parts of the world where we are more active, the capacity to think

together about how to make the most difference in the least possible time to support people who are

trying to grapple with some fundamental issues of development. All of that is deeply significant.

But also on issues that I think can become more complex, that in essence are difficult to do, but at

least easy to have a strong and clear vision. Human rights, for me fundamental - the human rights

apply to everyone, you just have to be human and here, that's it. It applies universally. And making

common cause on how we translate that in our work is of enormous interest to me and to the

European Union, because it's quite a challenge. How do we actually make a difference in different

parts of the world, how do we make a vision of human rights become a reality with countries that are

on a journey that is very different to us or are at a different point in the development? And how do

we, if you like, reward the changes that are made and recognize the challenges?

That would be a very interesting element, when we talk about the BRICS, because there are so many

differences between the different countries in this group. It is wrong to try and bundle these countries

together and think they are all the same. There is a phenomenal difference between the approaches of

Brazil or Russia or China on some of the core issues. Therefore I say let's not get countries bundled

together and assume they would take a common view on everything. There are strategic relationships

on strategic issues where the natural gravitational pool is in different directions. We want to make

those relationships strong - particularly on really important and difficult subjects that we have to deal

with and then of course on some of the really hard edge issues that we face, of which I just pick on

one which is Iran.

The purpose of everything that I am doing with Iran is to get them to the negotiating table. I have

inherited the role of negotiator with Iran to persuade them not to pursue a nuclear weapons'

programme. They are signatories to the non-proliferation treaty and if you sign a treaty, you have

obligations under it and if you are a signatory to the treaty, you have obligations to make sure others

who have signed it also stick by what they have said. So although it is a world we would rather not be

in, of trying to put the pressure on Iran, the pressure is for the purpose of the talks. This is what I call a

twin-track approach and I am completely clear about that - there are only two tracks, pressure and the

negotiations. And in all that we do with Iran - and that is true in other cases too - what matters is how

much we stand together in trying to persuade Tehran to do what actually they are obliged to do in any

event. This would be true in the Middle East as we work together on the peace process and - frankly I

don’t care who succeeds in getting the Israelis and the Palestinians to get together, I just hope

somebody can and at the moment it falls on the King of Jordan to whom I am paying enormous

tribute for what he is doing. But trying to work together to deal with these really difficult issues where

we, by the different relationships that we have, the different ability that we have to put the pressure

on, we keep that pressure.

2012-02-08T15:23:00.001-08:00

Brussels, 8 February 2012

Statement by High Representative Catherine Ashton on the

adoption by the Council of the EU-Pakistan 5-year

engagement plan

Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security

Policy and Vice President of the Commission, issued the following statement today:

"I welcome the adoption of the EU-Pakistan 5-year engagement plan by the Council. This plan aims

to build a strong relationship by forging a partnership for peace and development rooted in shared

values, principles and commitments and will contribute to fostering peace and stability in the

region. The 5-year plan is an expression of the EU's determination to support Pakistan's institutions

and civil society. The EU will continue to work closely with Pakistan as it seeks to address its

economic and developmental challenges and provide security for its people. The two sides are

already meeting at senior official level to discuss implementation. During my upcoming visit to

Pakistan, I will inaugurate a strategic dialogue, based on the engagement plan, together with

Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar.

I also want to express my sincere appreciation to members of the WTO for agreeing to the

European Union's request for a waiver on additional autonomous preferences to Pakistan during a

meeting of the Council for Trade in Goods on 1 February. I look forward to the the WTO General

Council confirming this decision during its forthcoming meeting on 14 February. The European

Council called for these measures in September 2010 following devastating floods which destroyed

livelihoods and communities throughout the country. I believe that the decision of the WTO, once

confirmed, will help Pakistan and the affected population in their efforts to overcome this disaster.

The EU remains committed to support Pakistan in providing assistance for recovery and

reconstruction following the floods."

2012-02-08T01:48:00.001-08:00

Brussels, 8 February 2012

Statement by the Spokesperson of High Representative

Catherine Ashton on the Maldives

The spokesperson of Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign

Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission, issued the following statement

today:

“The High Representative is deeply concerned about developments in the Maldives yesterday. She

has noted the reasons stated by President Nasheed for his decision to resign.

The High Representative stresses the importance of respect for the constitution, the rule of law and

human rights, which are central to the process of democratic transition in the Maldives. She calls

on the authorities to guarantee the physical safety and the democratic rights of the people. The

High Representative calls on all parties in the Maldives to act in accordance with these principles

and to engage in an inclusive dialogue. She is willing to support this dialogue in any way that the

Maldivian authorities consider useful, in close cooperation with the international community."

2012-02-07T09:33:00.001-08:00

Brussels, 7 February 2012

Remarks by High Representative Catherine Ashton following her

meeting with Foreign Minister of Brazil Antonio Patriota

Can I first of all say that there is no better place to start a visit to Brazil than in Rio, and this morning I

had the privilege of going to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain and then visiting the Children of Hope

project and to see different sides of the work that is going on in this great country. I congratulate you

on having won the hosting of the World Cup and the Olympics in the next years and wish you well in

preparing for that.

But I'm absolutely sure that you will seize the opportunities as a country to develop even further and

even faster than you currently are. It's very good to see you again, Mr Minister, and I'm delighted that

I've been able to come here. I left a very snowy Europe with many planes being cancelled, but

fortunately not mine, and interestingly when I was waiting to get on the plane there was a programme

on the television commending Brazil for the extraordinary work that you've done in protecting the

Amazon forest. I watched that and remembered how important you have been in developing the

approach - that we've been able to share - on support on the critically important issues of climate

change. I look forward to Rio+20 meeting and I know there will be real collaboration between the

European Union and Brazil in the future.

There are also many bilateral issues that interest us, not least trade and the potential of the Mercosur

trade agreement. As a former Trade Commissioner I have a great interest in seeing that completed and

I know that there are moves now to try and move us forward over the next few months. So I hope by

the time we meet formally at the Summit again we might be in a position where that is if not quite

finished, at least practically done.

When you and I meet we are very conscious of the international arena and events that are unfolding

around us. Not surprisingly in our conversations we've talked about the situation in Syria and our

grave concern for the people of Syria at this present time.

I think we will both comment on the fact that in the last 24 hours we have spoken to Nabil Al Arabi,

the Secretary General of the Arab League. If I might on behalf of both of us say how much we

support him and the Arab League's initiatives and the importance of seeing that leadership able to

support the people of Syria into a future that is free from bloodshed and from hardship we currently

see under the regime of President Assad. For my part I have been very clear that the European Union

believes that he should stand aside - you cannot kill your own people and stay. We need to see a

transitional process that is inclusive of all the people, the minorities within Syria as well as the

majority, to find a way through to peaceful solution. Some people have talked in recent times of

Yemen and the potential for such a solution to be found, but I think that the critical saying is to stand

together to try and support the solution to be found. If that requires having Friends of Syria group - I

don’t think it is so much about the opposition as it is about the people of Syria - and if that is

something that the Arab League supported, then that would be one way to go forward.

When the EU Foreign Ministers meet in a couple of weeks they will be very keen to discuss Syria and

to look again at what more might be done to put on that strong political pressure for the regime to

understand that it must stop killing the people and that President Assad should stand aside in order

that there can be, as I said, an inclusive discussion, an inclusive approach to the future of the country.

I would expect Member States will be putting forward their ideas and we too, within the European

Union, will be looking at what more we can do in order to put on as much pressure as possible, with

that objective in mind.

On Iran we discussed my desire to see Iran return to the negotiating table; I know that you have

worked hard in support of that objective to ensure that we are able to support Iran into a future

without nuclear weapons.

I have been very clear in every statement that I have made that the purpose of our sanctions is to

persuade Iran to come back to the negotiating table. It is a two track approach - there are only two

tracks! - and the purpose of the sanctions is to achieve that outcome and to put the economic pressure

on Iran. Iran has obligations as a signatory to the non proliferation treaty, the international community

has obligations as the guardian of the treaty and that is the purpose behind it. My ambition is that Iran

would be willing to pick up the proposals that I left on the table from our discussions in Istanbul a

year ago or indeed as we invited at the time to put forward their own ideas, to build confidence and to

take us forward. In doing that I am very keen to work with our colleagues of which Brazil is clearly an

important partner in helping us to get the messages across to Iran of what we are seeking to achieve

and to urge them to come to the negotiating table. This is a message I send everywhere in every

possible way, because I believe the future of Iran and the people of Iran and the future of the region is

better off if we are able to achieve that. In terms of the sanctions that we have just taken - these are

never easy decisions to make, but we felt it was important to continue to put that pressure on and we

have worked closely as a 27-member block and also been in discussion to make sure that we

recognize the impact that those sanctions would have not only on Iran, but of course on ourselves.

And the Middle East Peace Process where I spent some time in recent days trying to support the King

of Jordan and I really do commend his efforts in trying to bring together on an informal basis at this

stage the negotiators from the Palestinian Authority and from Israel.

Amongst many other things we've discussed was also regional cooperation - our desire to work

together to recognize that the strong democracy, Brazilian democracy and that of the European Union,

have a history but also a real future.

And so I end as I began by what a treat it is to be here in Brazil today and to be completing my

journey tomorrow in Sao Paulo and the first of what I hope will be at least another visit this year if not

many more in the future. Thank you.

2012-02-07T04:22:00.001-08:00

ANAKOΙNΩΣH TΥΠOΥ

Ενίσχυση του Ευρωπαϊκού Οργανισμού για την Ασφάλεια Δικτύων

και Πληροφοριών (ENISA)

Η επιτροπή Βιομηχανίας, Έρευνας και Ενέργειας ενέκρινε τη Δευτέρα, 6 Φεβρουαρίου, μια νομοθετική πρόταση με στόχο την ενίσχυση του Ευρωπαϊκού Οργανισμού για την Ασφάλεια Δικτύων και Πληροφοριών (ENISA), ο οποίος εδρεύει στο Ηράκλειο της Κρήτης.

Ο οργανισμός ENISA δημιουργήθηκε το 2004 με αρχικώς προβλεπόμενη διάρκεια λειτουργίας τα πέντε έτη (η τρέχουσα εντολή του λήγει το Σεπτέμβριο 2013).

Η νέα πρόταση επεκτείνει και ενισχύει την εντολή του Οργανισμού, ώστε να μπορέσει να βοηθήσει την ΕΕ, τα κράτη μέλη και τους ιδιωτικούς φορείς να αναπτύξουν τις ικανότητές τους και την ετοιμότητα τους για την πρόληψη, ανίχνευση και αντιμετώπιση των προβλημάτων ασφαλείας στα δίκτυα.

Ομάδες Άμεσης Επέμβασης Πληροφορικής (CERT)

Ο οργανισμός ENISA θα υποστηρίξει τη δημιουργία και λειτουργία μιας ευρωπαϊκής Ομάδας Άμεσης Επέμβασης Πληροφορικής (CERT), προκειμένου να αντιμετωπιστούν οι επιθέσεις στον κυβερνοχώρο εναντίον των ευρωπαϊκών θεσμικών οργάνων, οργανισμών και υπηρεσιών. Αυτό υποστηρίζεται στο εγκριθέν ψήφισμα με εισηγητή τον Giles Chichester (ΕΣΜ, Ηνωμένο Βασίλειο) .

Ο οργανισμός θα προωθήσει, επίσης, και θα υποστηρίξει τη συνεργασία μεταξύ των εθνικών και ευρωπαϊκών ομάδων CERT στις περιπτώσεις περιστατικών επιθέσεων ή διαταραχών σε δίκτυα ή υποδομές.

Στις περιπτώσεις σοβαρών απειλών στον κυβερνοχώρο, και κατόπιν αιτήματος ενός κράτους μέλους ή ευρωπαϊκού οργανισμού, ο οργανισμός ENISA θα βοηθάει στην εκτέλεση των επιχειρησιακών καθηκόντων προκειμένου να προστατευθεί το πληγέν δίκτυο ή δεδομένα.

Νέα εντολή για τον οργανισμό

Η νομοθετική πρόταση θα θεσπίσει νέα εντολή για τον ENISA διάρκειας επτά ετών με έναρξη την 13η Σεπτεμβρίου 2013. Η δομή λειτουργίας του ENISA θα ενισχυθεί καθώς θα δοθεί ενισχυμένος εποπτικός ρόλος στο διοικητικό του συμβούλιο.

Ο οργανισμός έχει την έδρα του στο Ηράκλειο. Ωστόσο, σύμφωνα με μια τροπολογία την οποία ενέκρινε η επιτροπή του ΕΚ, το τεχνικό προσωπικό που ασχολείται με την επιχειρησιακή εφαρμογή της εντολής του οργανισμού θα έχει την έδρα του σε ένα τοπικό γραφείο στην Αθήνα.

Η χθεσινή ψηφοφορία ήταν το πρώτο βήμα της νομοθετικής διαδικασίας καθώς δίνει την εντολή στον εισηγητή για την έναρξη διαπραγματεύσεων με το Συμβούλιο.

2012-02-06T11:37:00.001-08:00

Herman Van Rompuy

President of the European Council

Rede an der Humboldt Universität, Walter Hallstein Institute

for European Constitutional Law

"The discovery of co-responsibility: Europe in the debt crisis"

Es ist eine grosse Ehre und Freude hier heute zu Ihnen zu sprechen. Hier in der

altehrwürdigen Humboldt Universität, in Deutschland, in Berlin. Ich bedaure dass ich zu

oft nur als Politiker "einen Koffer in Berlin" habe. "Berlin ist eine Reise wert."

Lassen Sie mich zunächst in English fortfahren.

The speech delivered here by Joschka Fischer in May 2000 triggered a Europe-wide

constitutional debate. As you know it ended seven years later when European leaders

reached an agreement on today’s Lisbon Treaty.

During those seven years, I was as a Belgian former vice-prime-minister, in the

opposition… So I did not take part in negotiating or drafting the Lisbon Treaty.

After another two years, the leaders of 26 European countries asked the then Belgian

Prime-minister to be the first to embody one of the Lisbon Treaty’s most visible

innovations: the full-term and longer-term Presidency of the European Council – and I

accepted.

That is why tonight, I am happy to come to the Humboldt University and say to you:

Vielen Dank for the brilliant idea of inviting Herr Fischer to deliver that speech!

EUCO 21/12 2

Since then, in what has become the Humboldt Series, many distinguished speakers have

spoken here, setting out their vision of Europe’s future. Where is Europe heading? How

will our Union develop? What impulses does it need?

Today this question is taking an even more dramatic turn. The future of the Union as such

is being questioned, or at least that of the euro, the Union’s symbolic heart.

Until recently, when considering this future, it seemed natural to imagine that Europe

would become more centralised. Today we are seeing a stronger presence of the member

states and of national leaders, who have been forced to take centre stage in the euro crisis,

later in my speech, I will try to prove that this is not contradictory. In dealing with the

crisis, the bonds between member states have also been put to the test. At times, moving

forward meant some countries being left behind – by the 17 of the Eurozone, the 23 of the

Euro Plus Pact or the 25 of the Fiscal Compact…. Some see in such signs the return of the

ghosts of the past and worry about a “renationalisation of European politics”.

Tonight I will argue that in fact, we are going through a crucial phase for the future of

Europe. The debt crisis, difficult and painful as it is, brings home the fact that the Union is

us. Right here and now, in everyone's daily life. Europe not a great abstract idea for the

future, no it is Alltagserfahrung!

I will underline two key words tonight: interdependence and co-responsibility. First the

economic and political interdependence of our countries, which was accelerated by the

euro. Second the new awareness of co-responsibility among Europe’s leaders which it has

provoked.

I further believe, and all my work is directed toward this end, that this awareness of coresponsibility

needs to grow further, in order for our Union to live up to its deepest

political vocation: bringing peace and prosperity for the peoples on our continent, acting

strongly on the global stage.

Co-responsibility hit the Union’s 27 Heads of State and Government almost by surprise.

Many of my colleagues would actually have been quite happy to take a less prominent role

in solving this crisis! However, since the start of the Greek crisis – almost two years ago to

the day, and it is not over yet – the events forced such momentous decisions upon us that

Heads of Government had to step in, together. They are particularly well-placed to assume

the responsibility needed to carry these decisions through, to convince parliaments and

voters across our Union of what has to be done when the future of our common currency is

at stake.

I am convinced that this experience will have an impact on the way the Union operates

beyond the crisis, on the way we shape the Europe of tomorrow. Sixty years of integration

has taught us that Europe is not built by dissolving Member States, but by infusing them

ever more deeply. A slow process which sometimes gets a sudden push. As Chancellor

Merkel said in an interview two weeks ago: “In this crisis we have reached a whole new

level of cooperation; we have arrived at a sort of European home affairs. Europa ist

Innenpolitik.”

EUCO 21/12 3

This is precisely why my message to you tonight is this: what we are currently going

through is not a “renational/isation of European politics”, no, it is the “European/isation of

national political life”. And ultimately, with all its limits and its risks, this change will

make the European project stronger.

I want to set out to you tonight why this matters for leaders, why it matters for parliaments,

why it matters for Germany. We are facing a long crisis. It affects the very idea of Europe.

Of course, one could say that all political institutions in Western societies have to adapt to

deep social, cultural and economic processes, to a slow decline of the sense of the public

good. And Europe also suffers from that. But there is more to it.

The mistrust that we witness towards the EU’s actions and decisions, and to the European

idea as such, is first and foremost due to the fact that the crisis is still very much with us.

The results are not there yet.

Legitimacy arises when people see, hear and feel that a political order benefits their

prosperity, their freedom and security, that it safeguards their future. In that respect, it

doesn't help that in the eyes of the public, the word "Europe" these days resonates with

austerity and painful reforms. Even if the decisions are national – and even if a public

deficit of 15 pct and a public debt of 160 pct are unsustainable, EU or no EU –, in the

process the Union loses its shine.

All the more since austerity is often perceived as unfair, and revives the question of

redistribution of income. The financial crisis, extravagant bonuses, growing inequalities in

our societies -- all of this contributes to making it more acute. Among academics, you

would maybe call it: a debate on "redistributive justice". Yet politically and socially it

means: rising social tensions, maybe strikes and protests.

The fact that solving the crisis is taking much time -- more time than expected, let's be

honest -- and that the crisis impacts on peoples' lives, sometimes their place in society,

brings the question of legitimacy to the fore.

I am not one to underestimate the obstacles on our way. Getting to grips with the crisis

takes time because there is real social and political resistance that needs to be overcome, in

all member states. Deep-seated resistance both in countries with weaker economies who

have to reform and reduce their public debt and deficit, and an understandable reluctance

in stronger countries to step in with loans for the others, when these loans by themselves

do not solve the underlying problems. Moreover, both sides worry that the end is not yet in

sight.

In view of these obstacles, what we did manage to achieve in the past two years is actually

quite remarkable. Stronger self-control by the member states (the Schuldenbremse).

Stronger surveillance on budgets, bubbles and banks. Better means to enforce the rules.

Conditional rescue loans to three countries in difficulty. A permanent firewall against

contagion in the making. In fact, two years ago, nothing of all this existed. Building a

lifeboat in the middle of the storm has taken time and energy.

EUCO 21/12 4

It is not my purpose tonight to go into details, let alone to sing the song of major

achievements. What interests me today is that many of the decisions we took over the past

two years were quite simply unthinkable only a few months before.

Why have we been able to achieve these things? How has the Union as a whole tried to

respond to the crisis? For me, the key is the unprecedented economic and political

interdependence between euro countries and between all members of the Union.

Observers often focus on the economic side of this: on capital flows and the like. But there

are also recent examples that highlight the political side of this interdependence. Let me

mention a few of them.

The fact that the Prime Minister of one European country, last autumn, decided to sacrifice

her government in order to be able to honour her personal commitment towards a stronger

firewall to protect the euro from contagion.

The fact that votes in the Bundestag, because of their Europe-wide ramifications, are being

covered by daily newspapers from Portugal to Poland.

The fact that the European six-pack legislation, that was adopted last year by the European

Parliament and the Council of ministers, is already having a direct impact on budgetary

negotiations and relations between political parties in Belgium.

The fact that peer pressure among leaders in the European Council has never been so

strong – so that situations like the one we went through in 2003-2005 when the rules of the

Stability Pact were discarded, not least by Germany and France, will not be repeated.

And also, the fact that announcing a referendum on the euro in one country caused a

collective gasp all over Europe, in newspapers, on websites, in coffee corner talk. It was

like a sudden lightning revealing what it means to be part of one Economic and Monetary

Union. Aus der Schicksalsgemeinschaft wird eine Verantwortungsgemeinschaft!

Interdependence: a new reality developing before our eyes, and more importantly, citizens

are accommodating to it. Grudgingly, half-heartedly, reluctantly, but would you really

expect otherwise, when a stable framework like the euro is suddenly questioned, when

people personally have to face hard facts like higher taxes or a later retirement age?

Yet for governments this interdependence means something else; for them it means the

discovery of co-responsibility. A call of duty. They have to act together. Some would say

dismissively the national leaders have only acted for the European good under the pressure

of events, not out of inner conviction. Well, the pressure of events can be very effective

too. Ideas can guide men; hard facts teach them.

Today we face such a moment of co-responsibility. Each country -- and I am in particular

thinking of Greece -- is not only responsible for itself but also for the monetary union as a

whole. We carry a common project, even if the choices are made nationally. Forgetting this

in our actions undermines the common good.

EUCO 21/12 5

Coming back to the role of national leaders: they have taken this up as an obligation, not

one imposed by the Treaty, but by the course of history. Let us pause a moment at this

concept of responsibility, a deeply political term.

Understandably, it is not a frequent word in official EU language. Lawyers and civil

servants and even parliamentarians are more used to the language of “competences”. “Why

does an institution act?” “Because it has the legal competence.”

Yet a crisis calls for legitimacy of a deeper nature than that granted by competence alone.

A crisis is a moment for responsibility. This is as true in life in general, as in politics.

Responsibility is not easily defined, but it is not arbitrary. For one thing, it is a response to

something (a situation, a social bond, suffering).

Responsibility is also linked to capacity and power. That is why we can say (unlike for

equality before the law) that some people or countries are expected to be more responsible

than others. Importantly, it ultimately is also a free act. Strictly speaking, in the final

analysis, nobody can be obliged to behave responsibly.

When I say the crisis put Europe’s national leaders face to face with co-responsibility, two

reasons spring to mind why it fell upon them, personally.

First of all: there is a lot of money at stake. The public debt crisis, like the banking crisis in

2008, requires taxpayers’ money (albeit also in loans and guarantees). Given that the

central EU budget is relatively small (ca. 1 pct of GDP), the EU institutions as such cannot

act decisively on their own. It is therefore essential for the Member States to step in. And

the amounts are such – around 212 billion euro for Germany in commitments to the rescue

fund EFSF and ESM – that within countries the decision can only be taken at the highest

political level. Many prime ministers would prefer this issue to stay in the hands of their

Finance Minister… The need for national money and therefore the involvement of national

leaders and parliaments is simply a fact.

Secondly: in times of crisis, we reach the limits of institutions built on attributed

competences. When we enter Neuland and new rules have to be set, the European Council,

bringing the 27 country leaders, the President of the Commission and the President of the

European Council around the table, is well placed to play its part. It is one of the reasons

the European Council was founded in the 1970s. A formal institution since the Lisbon

Treaty, the body still combines the force of the Member States with the qualities of the

older institutions.

As President of the European Council, my aim is to involve everybody, to find

compromises that respect the interests and sensitivities of each member state, the

prerogatives of the institutions, and also the interests of the Union as a whole, it sounds

easier than it is!

It is not surprising that this crisis has confirmed the vocation the European Council has

acquired since its foundation. Keeping out of day-to-day business which the other

institutions do much better (in the well-tested framework of the “Community Method”),

yet springing into action to deal with the special cases – changing the treaty, letting new

members in the club, dealing with a crisis. In all these cases it draws upon the collective

legitimacy of its members.

EUCO 21/12 6

Nevertheless, not everybody is satisfied by this situation. Some citizens may criticise that

far-reaching decisions concerning their own lives are being taken by a small group of

leaders. Some political actors feel side-lined in the crisis management. Some say the

traditional "Community method" is abandoned.

I have a more nuanced view. Over the past two years, we have worked to make sure that

Europe’s institutions can deal with this new interdependence. To translate this experience

of co-responsibility into stable institutions.

But even if we had to use the “intergovernmental” road…, I'd like to underline that the

work we have been doing has actually resulted in stronger central institutions. The

Commission has received unprecedented supervisory power. The Court will control the

transposition of the debt brake (the Schuldenbremse). The European Parliament was

decisive in designing the new budgetary and macro-economic surveillance, the so-called

"six-pack", which is the backbone of the whole enterprise.

In the three major recent efforts by the Union to give itself a better economic governance –

the Task Force on economic governance, the Euro Plus Pact, the Fiscal Compact – I

worked hard together with the Commission to bring the results within the normal EU

framework. The EU's history is full of examples which started outside the Treaty and are

now part of it, just think of Schengen for instance.

When it comes to budget policies, the division of labour is subtle. Member States set the

ceiling on debt and deficit together, at the Union level, and they decide individually how to

raise money and spend it.

Within this new division of labour, the national parliaments fully keep their budgetary

Königsrecht (at least as long as national policies do not threaten the financial stability of

the euro itself!). Nevertheless there is some uneasiness among national politicians about

the EU’s new tasks. Even some governments who have always favoured stronger European

institutions and who expect “Brussels” to point fingers at badly performing countries, now

realise that one day the finger may be pointed at them… But you have to be consistent: we

cannot develop European policies only for weak countries, because “Europe”, that is all of

us together! Still, the feeling of co-responsibility isn't felt as strongly in national

parliaments as it could be.

Recent events show that each and every part of national political life can take on a

European dimension! Every national MP should therefore take an interest in talking to

fellow parliamentarians in Strasbourg and in other member states – a member of the

Bundestag can only gain from speaking with, let's say, Italian or Slovenian colleagues --

and vice-versa!

The new Fiscal Treaty introduces meetings of the budget committees of national

parliaments with the European Parliament. Even if this forum does not take decisions, it is

important as a forum of exchange, as an eye-opener.

EUCO 21/12 7

In meetings of the European Council, one feels the presence of all these parliaments. Not

only do we listen to the President of the European Parliament at the beginning of each of

our meetings – a Parliament to which one of our colleagues, the Commission President, is

directly accountable. Many national leaders, in our discussions, refer to the position of

their parliament, to defend specific amendments.

In that respect I sometimes have the impression that I am the only one in the room without

a parliament! As a long-time elected politician, and a former President of a national

parliament, I miss this dearly!

I do have voters of course, but they are not so numerous, only 27. In terms of an earlier

example from the European constitutional tradition, it is more like having 27

“Kurfürsten”…! (I thought here in Berlin with its Ku'damm, you might appreciate the

reference ..)

But unlike those from the past, my 27 electors are all democratically elected themselves! I

could add, if the President of the European Council were to be directly elected in the future

himself, his role would change and it would be the end of the honest broker.

I have set out why, all in all, I do not see a fearsome return of the past, but something else:

a European/isation of national politics. I hope the students and academics among you will

take this perspective up in your analyses. But only we all, politicians and citizens alike, can

make it really come true!

Ich würde eine Chance auslassen, hier in Berlin nicht über die Rolle Deutschlands in der

Finanzkrise zu reden, gerade auch wenn es um die Gesamtverantwortung geht.

Dabei ist es natürlich nicht meine Aufgabe, Mitgliedstaaten über ihre spezifische

Verantwortung zu belehren. Erlauben Sie mir aber die folgenden Bemerkungen.

Wenn es um Wirtschafts- und Währungsfragen geht, ist es normal, dass einem Land, das --

jedenfalls in absoluten Zahlen --den größten Beitrag leistet, eine besondere Rolle

zukommt.

Aber dabei heißt größter Beitrag nicht alleiniger Beitrag. Manchmal habe ich den

Eindruck, dass einige Deutsche das Gefühl haben, allein für die Schuldenkrise

verantwortlich gemacht zu werden. Das stimmt einfach nicht. Ein Viertel aus der

deutschen "Brieftasche" heißt gleichzeitig drei Viertel aus den "Portemonnaies" der

anderen Euroländer!

Die EU ist eine Union mit 27 Mitgliedern, die Eurozone mit 17 Mitgliedern. Im

Europäischen Rat brauchen wir jede Stimme. Unsere Entscheidungen werden

einvernehmlich getroffen. Auch hat glücklicherweise niemand allein das Patent für

Haushaltdisziplin oder Wettbewerbsfähigkeit.

Hinzu kommt, die Union ist nicht nur allein eine Wirtschaftsunion. Sie deckt eine breite

Themenpalette, ab, zu der es unter den 27 unterschiedliche Sensibilitäten und Kapazitäten

gibt. Oft ist es schwer zu sagen, wer die Federführung hat. Denken Sie nur an die

Konstellation in der Europäischen Außenpolitik.

EUCO 21/12 8

Ich lehne es deshalb ab, beim Thema „Deutschland in Europa“, vereinfachende

Karikaturen oder oberflächliche Analysen zu verwenden. Wir müssen gemeinsam die

Krise bewältigen, und das Endresultat kann nur "mehr Europa" heißen.

Je mehr Länder - auch große Länder - sich dafür begeistern, desto besser ist es. Es ist

unsere einzige Zukunft.

Erleben wir gerade, dass die Deutschen ihre eher zögerliche Haltung überwinden und ihr

ganzes Gewicht für "mehr Europa" in die Waagschale werfen? Keine einfache Frage, aber

meine Antwort ist "Ja".

Wenn ich verfolge, wie dieses Land seinen Platz in Europa in beispielhafter

Weise debattiert -- zwischen Parlamentariern, Intellektuellen, aber auch in einer breiten

Öffentlichkeit -- und wenn ich verfolge, wie es dabei zunehmend sein Bekenntnis zur

Europäischen Schicksals- und Verantwortungsgemeinschaft erneuert... - Ja, dann glaube

ich, dass wir gerade das erleben. Und ich glaube auch, dass dies ein Akt der Verantwortung

ist. Ein gemeinsamer und freiwilliger Akt.

Europa braucht nicht nur politisches Handeln, sondern auch positive Stellungnahmen zu

seiner Mission. Vor allem von seinen politischen Repraesentanten. Die Sprache der Chefs

ist das Fundament, auf dem Politik aufbauen kann. Nicht zuletzt deshalb habe ich die

heutige Gelegenheit gerne ergriffen, über Europa zu sprechen, unser Europa, unser aller

Europa.

2012-02-06T09:39:00.001-08:00

Bruxelles, le 6 février 2012

Déclaration du porte-parole de la Haute Représentante, Catherine

Ashton, concernant la situation au Nord Mali

Le porte-parole de Catherine Ashton, Haute Représentante de l'Union européenne pour les Affaires
Etrangères et la Politique de Sécurité, Vice- Présidente de la Commission, a fait ce jour la
déclaration suivante:
"La Haute-Représentante, Catherine Ashton, tient à exprimer sa vive préoccupation devant les
affrontements meurtriers qui ont lieu au Nord Mali depuis le 17 janvier.
La Haute Représentante souligne son attachement à la stabilité et à l'intégrité territoriale du Mali,
ainsi qu’à la paix, à la démocratie, et à la stabilité de la région, conformément aux objectifs de la
Stratégie de l'UE pour la sécurité et le développement au Sahel. La Haute Représentante se déclare
profondément préoccupée par l'impact de ce conflit sur les populations locales et par ses
conséquences humanitaires.
La Haute Représentante salue l'appel à l'unité nationale du président Touré. La Haute
Représentante appelle instamment toutes les parties au conflit à cesser sans délai les hostilités, et à
s'engager dans un dialogue inclusif. Elle se tient prête à soutenir ce dialogue par les moyens
appropriés."

2012-02-04T12:23:00.001-08:00

Brussels, 4 February 2012

Statement by High Representative Catherine Ashton following

the veto of the UNSC Resolution on Syria

Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security

Policy and Vice President of the Commission, issued the following statement today:

'We deeply regret that due to the renewed veto of the Russian Federation and China the Security

Council was unable to support the call of the League of Arab States for an inclusive, Syrian-led

political process conducted in an environment free from violence. The EU continues to support all

efforts of the League of Arab States and calls once more on all members of the UNSC to assume

their responsibilities. The time has come to speak with one voice and demand an end to the

bloodshed and speak out for a democratic future for Syria. We condemn the ongoing

bloodshed and stand by the Syrian people against the repressive regime. We call on President

Assad to end immediately the killing of civilians, withdraw the Syrian army from besieged towns

and cities and step aside in order to make room for a peaceful transition for the sake of his country.'

2012-02-03T03:31:00.001-08:00

Αθήνα, 3 Φεβρουαρίου 2012

ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΗ ΤΥΠΟΥ

Αντιπροσωπεία φιλελεύθερων ευρωβουλευτών στην Αθήνα

Συνέντευξη Τύπου την Τρίτη 7 Φεβρουαρίου, 11:30-12:00, στο Electra Palace ballroom στο πλαίσιο της επίσκεψης στην Αθήνα αντιπροσωπείας 21 φιλελεύθερων ευρωβουλευτών υπό τον Guy Verhofstadt, Πρόεδρο της Ομάδας Φιλελευθέρων και Δημοκρατών του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου.

Tο Γραφείο Τύπου της Συμμαχίας των Φιλελευθέρων και Δημοκρατών για την Ευρώπη εξέδωσε σήμερα την ακόλουθη ανακοίνωση:

"Ελλάδα και ευρώ κρέμονται από μία κλωστή.
Ευρωπαίοι Φιλελεύθεροι ηγέτες θα επισκεφθούν την Αθήνα για συνομιλίες για την αντιμετώπιση της κρίσης χρέους

Δευτέρα 6-Τρίτη 7 Φεβρουαρίου 2012-02-03
Hotel Electra Palace
Νικοδήμου 18-20
Αθήνα

Με πρόσκληση του κόμματος της Δημοκρατικής Συμμαχίας υπό την ηγεσία της Ντόρας Μπακογιάννη, ο Guy Verhofstadt (Πρόεδρος των Φιλελευθέρων και Δημοκρατών στο Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο) επικεφαλής αντιπροσωπείας 21 ευρωβουλευτών της πολιτικής του ομάδας σε διήμερη επίσκεψη στην Αθήνα στην αρχή της επόμενης εβδομάδας.

Η επίσκεψη συμπίπτει με το τελικό στάδιο των διαπραγματεύσεων με ιδιώτες ομολογιούχους ώστε να δεχθούν σημαντικό κούρεμα καθώς και την ολοκλήρωση της νέας δανειακής σύμβασης για την Ελλάδα. Λαμβάνει επίσης χώρα λίγες μόνο ημέρες μετά την εκδήλωση ανησυχιών εκ μέρους της Γερμανίας και άλλων χωρών της ΕΕ ότι τα υποσχεθέντα μέτρα μεταρρύθμισης δεν υλοποιούνται εγκαίρως. Αυτά και άλλα θέματα που επηρεάζουν τους Έλληνες και τη σχέση τους με την ΕΕ θα συζητηθούν με έγκυρους οικονομολόγους και πολιτικούς επιστήμονες.

Συνέντευξη Τύπου θα ακολουθήσει τις συζητήσεις την Τρίτη 7 Φεβρουαρίου στις 11:30-12:00 στο ballroom του Electra Palace

2012-02-02T08:41:00.001-08:00

Statement by

President of the European Council

Herman Van Rompuy

on the signature of the European Stability Mechanism Treaty

I welcome today's signature of the treaty establishing the European Stability Mechanism

(ESM). The objective is that it enters into force in July 2012, one year earlier than initially

planned.

This permanent crisis mechanism will contribute to raising confidence and ensuring

solidarity and financial stability in the euro area. It creates a permanent firewall with a

broad range of tools and a strong financial basis, to safeguard financial stability.

The ESM will be an international financial institution, based in Luxembourg and founded

by euro area member states, with an initial maximum lending volume of €500 billon, to be

achieved by €700 billion of subscribed capital (€80bn in paid-in shares and €620 billion in

callable shares).

As agreed in December by the leaders of the European Union, we will reassess the

adequacy of resources under the European Financial Stability Facility and European

Stability Mechanism on 1 March 2012.

2012-02-02T08:13:00.001-08:00

Αθήνα, 2 Φεβρουαρίου 2012

ANAKOΙNΩΣH TΥΠOΥ

Το ΕΚ υπέρ των νέων κυρώσεων που επιβλήθηκαν στο Ιράν

Το ΕΚ υποστηρίζει τις νέες κυρώσεις που επέβαλε η ΕΕ στο Ιράν προκειμένου να φέρει τη χώρα στο τραπέζι των διαπραγματεύσεων, ενώ ζητά να ελαχιστοποιηθούν οι δυσμενείς επιπτώσεις στον άμαχο πληθυσμό. Με το ψήφισμα του, καλεί ακόμη το Ιράν "να αναστείλει την ανάπτυξη της τεχνολογίας εμπλουτισμού που υπερβαίνει κατά πολύ την κάλυψη αναγκών (...) για μη στρατιωτικούς σκοπούς και δεν λαμβάνει υπόψη τον διεθνή προβληματισμό για κρυφές στρατιωτικές προθέσεις".
Στο ψήφισμα που υιοθέτησε σήμερα, Πέμπτη, 2 Φεβρουαρίου, το ΕΚ καταδικάζει την ιρανική απειλή περί στρατιωτικού κλεισίματος των Στενών του Ορμούζ, καθώς κάτι τέτοιο θα μπορούσε να οδηγήσει σε τοπικές συγκρούσεις και να προκαλέσει τα αντίποινα της διεθνούς κοινότητας.
Επισημαίνει ακόμη ότι οι νέες κυρώσεις, μεταξύ των οποίων το σταδιακό εμπάργκο στις εισαγωγές ιρανικού αργού πετρελαίου στην ΕΕ, μπορούν να συμβάλλουν στο σεβασμό εκ μέρους του Ιράν των αποφάσεων του ΟΗΕ αποφεύγοντας έτσι την περαιτέρω κλιμάκωση. Εν τούτοις, οι ευρωβουλευτές ζητούν να διασφαλισθεί ότι οι εν λόγω κυρώσεις θα έχουν ως στόχο μόνο τις υπόλογες ελίτ και ότι οι απλοί πολίτες, και ειδικότερα ο ευάλωτες ομάδες, δεν θα πληγούν από αυτές. Παράλληλα εκφράζουν την ανησυχία τους για τις συνέπειες που θα έχει το εμπάργκο σε χώρες της ΕΕ και ζητούν από το Συμβούλιο να λάβει μέτρα για την αντιστάθμιση τους.
Υπέρ μιας διπλωματικής επίλυσης
Το ΕΚ υποστηρίζει τη δέσμευση του Συμβουλίου για την εύρεση διπλωματικής λύσης στο πυρηνικό ζήτημα του Ιράν έχοντας πάντα υπόψη τον ενωσιακό στόχο της "επίτευξης μιας συνολικής και μακροπρόθεσμης διευθέτησης" και επαναλαμβάνει ότι "τα εκκρεμή ζητήματα σχετικά με το πυρηνικό πρόγραμμα του Ιράν πρέπει να επιλυθούν ειρηνικά και ότι δεν υπάρχει στρατιωτική λύση στη σύγκρουση". Ο διάλογος και η συνεργασία με την Τουρκία είναι σημαντική για την επίτευξη αυτή της διευθέτησης, αναφέρει το ψήφισμα.
Το ΕΚ αποδοκιμάζει τη διαρκή άρνηση της Κίνας και της Ρωσίας να υποστηρίξουν τις κυρώσεις κατά του Ιράν στο Συμβούλιο Ασφαλείας των Ηνωμένων Εθνών. Επιπλέον καλεί τη Ρωσία "να σταματήσει την παροχή βοήθειας στην ανάπτυξη του πυρηνικού προγράμματος του Ιράν μέχρις ότου το Ιράν συμμορφωθεί πλήρως προς τις υποχρεώσεις που έχει βάσει των σχετικών αποφάσεων του ΟΗΕ".

Περισσότερες πληροφορίες
Οι υπουργοί εξωτερικών της ΕΕ συμφώνησαν στην επιβολή επιπρόσθετων περιοριστικών μέτρων κατά του Ιράν στις 23 Ιανουαρίου, μεταξύ των οποίων και το σταδιακό εμπάργκο στις εισαγωγές ιρανικού αργού πετρελαίου στην ΕΕ από την 1η Ιουλίου. Το 20% των εξαγωγών πετρελαίου του Ιράν καταλήγει στην ΕΕ.
Η Ελλάδα είναι η χώρα που εξαρτάται περισσότερο από το Ιράν, από το οποίο εισάγει περίπου το 1/3 του πετρελαίου της. Η Ιταλία και η Ισπανία εισάγουν λίγο περισσότερο από το 10% του πετρελαίου τους από το Ιράν.

2012-02-02T08:12:00.001-08:00

Αθήνα, 2 Φεβρουαρίου 2012

ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΗ ΤΥΠΟΥ

Μια βελτιωμένη Συνθήκη που δίνει μεγαλύτερη έμφαση στην ανάπτυξη

Η πρόσφατα συμφωνημένη διακυβερνητική συνθήκη ήταν σε μεγάλο βαθμό περιττή, τονίζει το ΕΚ στο ψήφισμα που ενέκρινε σήμερα, Πέμπτη, 2 Φεβρουαρίου, υπογραμμίζοντας ότι η συνθήκη χρειάζεται να συμβαδίσει με το πακέτο των έξι νομοθετημάτων για την οικονομική διακυβέρνηση και να συνοδευτεί από τη λήψη άμεσων μέτρων για την κάλυψη των βραχυπρόθεσμων αναγκών της Ευρωζώνης.

Οι ευρωβουλευτές, ωστόσο, εξέφρασαν την ικανοποίησή τους για το γεγονός ότι η νέα συνθήκη περιλαμβάνει πολλές από τις προτάσεις που διατυπώθηκαν από τους εκπροσώπους τους.

Το υιοθετηθέν ψήφισμα (443 ψήφοι υπέρ, 124 κατά και 75 αποχές) αποσαφηνίζει τις προτεραιότητες του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου. Στη χθεσινή συζήτηση με τον Πρόεδρο του Ευρωπαϊκού Συμβουλίου, Herman Van Rompuy, και τον Πρόεδρο της Επιτροπής, José Manuel Barroso, για τα αποτελέσματα της άτυπης συνόδου κορυφής κυριάρχησαν οι εκκλήσεις από τους εκπροσώπους όλων των πολιτικών ομάδων για αποκατάσταση της ανάπτυξης και μείωση της ανεργίας.

Βελτιωμένη Συνθήκη

Το τελικό κείμενο της συνθήκης που συμφωνήθηκε από τους αρχηγούς των κρατών μελών βελτιώνει σε αρκετά σημεία το αρχικό κείμενο, ενώ έχουν επίσης ενσωματωθεί ορισμένες τροποποιήσεις που προτάθηκαν από το ΕΚ σχετικά με την ανάπτυξη, τη δημοσιονομική πειθαρχία και τη χρήση της κοινοτικής μεθόδου, όποτε αυτό είναι εφικτό. Το ψήφισμα χαιρετίζει το γεγονός ότι η συνθήκη μειώνει τον κίνδυνο δημιουργίας μιας Ευρώπης δύο ταχυτήτων και προβλέπει μεγαλύτερο κοινοβουλευτικό έλεγχο σε σχέση με αυτό που είχε αρχικώς προταθεί.

Παρ 'όλα αυτά, οι ευρωβουλευτές επαναλαμβάνουν την άποψη που εξέφρασαν εξαρχής, ότι δηλαδή θα ήταν προτιμότερο να είχε επιτευχθεί συμφωνία βάσει του δικαίου της ΕΕ (και όχι μέσω της διακυβερνητικής μεθόδου).

Ομόλογα σταθερότητας και φόρος χρηματοπιστωτικών συναλλαγών

Το ψήφισμα τονίζει ότι για να επιτευχθεί η οικονομική ανάκαμψη απαιτείται η λήψη ειδικών μέτρων για την προώθηση της αλληλεγγύης, της απασχόλησης και της ανάπτυξης. Ένα πρώτο μέτρο θα μπορούσε να είναι "η ταχεία δημιουργία ενός ταμείου απόσβεσης με βάση την πρόταση που διατύπωσε το Γερμανικό Οικονομικό Συμβούλιο Εμπειρογνωμόνων". Άλλα πιθανά μέτρα είναι η δημιουργία ομολόγων έργων και η ταχεία προετοιμασία για την εισαγωγή των ομολόγων σταθερότητας και του φόρου χρηματοπιστωτικών συναλλαγών σε ευρωπαϊκό επίπεδο.

Περισσότερες πληροφορίες

Το Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο συμμετείχε πλήρως στη σύνταξη της Συνθήκης μέσω των τεσσάρων εκπροσώπων του: Elmar Brok (ΕΛΚ, Γερμανία), Roberto Gualtieri (Σοσιαλιστές, Ιταλία), Guy Verhofstadt (Φιλελεύθεροι, Βέλγιο) και Daniel Cohn Bendit (Πράσινοι, Γαλλία).

Η ομάδα εργασίας εργάστηκε το Δεκέμβριο και τον Ιανουάριο προκειμένου να παρουσιάσει στους αρχηγούς κρατών το σχέδιο Συνθήκης στη Σύνοδο Κορυφής της 30ης Ιανουαρίου. Το κείμενο που συμφωνήθηκε στη Σύνοδο, θα πρέπει τώρα να επικυρωθεί από τα κράτη μέλη που έχουν ήδη συμφωνήσει με την εισαγωγή της νέας συνθήκης.

2012-02-02T08:10:00.001-08:00

ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΗ ΤΥΠΟΥ

Μηδενική ανοχή σε φαινόμενα χουλιγκανισμού και στημένων παιχνιδιών

Η καταπολέμηση του ντόπινγκ, της βίας στα γήπεδα, των στημένων παιχνιδιών και η υπαγωγή των αθλητικών μάνατζερ σε ρυθμιστικές διατάξεις απαιτεί μια πιο συντονισμένη δράση σε ευρωπαϊκό επίπεδο, αναφέρει το ψήφισμα που υιοθέτησε το ΕΚ σήμερα, Πέμπτη 2 Φεβρουαρίου.

"Η Συνθήκη της Λισαβόνας επέφερε μία σημαντικότατη αλλαγή στον τομέα του αθλητισμού, δημιουργώντας για πρώτη φορά μια νομική βάση για τον τομέα αυτό, το Άρθρο 165", δήλωσε ο εισηγητής του ΕΚ Santiago Fisas Ayxela (ΕΛΚ, Ισπανία).

Μαύρη λίστα για τους χούλιγκαν
Το ΕΚ καλεί τα κράτη μέλη, σε στενή συνεργασία με τις αντίστοιχες ομοσπονδίες, να απαγορεύσουν την πρόσβαση στα γήπεδα σε οπαδούς που επιδεικνύουν βίαιη και ρατσιστική συμπεριφορά, να σχεδιάσουν μια συντονισμένη προσέγγιση στο ζήτημα της διαμόρφωσης και επιβολής κυρώσεων εναντίον των οπαδών αυτών και να θεσπίσουν ευρωπαϊκό μητρώο οπαδών ώστε να ανταλλάσσουν πληροφορίες και να ενισχύσουν την μεταξύ τους συνεργασία μέσω ενός βελτιωμένου συστήματος προειδοποίησης για αγώνες υψηλού κινδύνου που διεξάγονται στα κράτη μέλη.

Ντόπινγκ, παράνομα στοιχήματα και στημένοι αγώνες
Για την καλύτερη προστασία των νέων, οι ευρωβουλευτές προτείνουν να συμπεριληφθεί η πώληση των ουσιών ντόπινγκ στην κατηγορία διακίνησης ναρκωτικών. Για την καταπολέμηση των στημένων παιχνιδιών, του ξεπλύματος μαύρου χρήματος και των παράνομων στοιχημάτων οι ευρωβουλευτές προτείνουν την ποινικοποίηση κάθε παράνομης δραστηριότητας και τη δημιουργία ενός συστήματος χορήγησης αδειών για όλους τους φορείς εκμετάλλευσης στοιχημάτων.

Αθλητικοί μάνατζερ
Το Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο προτείνει τη δημιουργία ενός μη κρατικού ευρωπαϊκού μητρώου για όλους τους επαγγελματίες μάνατζερ στο οποίο θα καταχωρούνται τα ονόματα των παικτών για τους οποίους έχουν εργαστεί. Θεωρεί επίσης ότι η εκπροσώπηση παικτών (μάνατζερ) πρέπει να αποτελέσει νομοθετικά κατοχυρωμένη επαγγελματική δραστηριότητα, η οποία να υπόκειται στην υποχρέωση απόκτησης κατάλληλου επίσημου τίτλου, και ότι οι μάνατζερ πρέπει να έχουν τη φορολογική τους έδρα στο έδαφος της Ένωσης, για λόγους διαφάνειας.

Οι ευρωβουλευτές προτείνουν επίσης τη δημιουργία ενός ευρωπαϊκού συστήματος αδειοδότησης και καταχώρησης που θα συνοδεύεται από έναν κώδικα δεοντολογίας, ενώ θεωρούν ότι η αμοιβή των μάνατζερ για μεταγραφές θα πρέπει να καταβάλλεται σε έναν αριθμό δόσεων καθ' όλη τη διάρκεια του συμβολαίου που υπογράφει ο παίκτης κατά τη μεταγραφή του, ώστε η πλήρης πληρωμή της αμοιβής να εξαρτάται από την πλήρη ή μη εκπλήρωση των όρων του συμβολαίου.

Διευκόλυνση της "διπλής καριέρας" των αθλητών
Το ψήφισμα τονίζει την κρίσιμη σημασία μιας διττής αθλητικής και επαγγελματικής κατάρτισης των νεαρών αθλητών και καλεί, ως εκ τούτου, τα κράτη μέλη, να διασφαλίσουν ότι οι νεαροί αθλητές θα μπορούν, παράλληλα με την αθλητική τους κατάρτιση, να ολοκληρώνουν και μία κανονική σχολική εκπαίδευση και/ή επαγγελματική κατάρτιση, καθώς και να συστήσουν ειδικά σχεδιασμένες σταδιοδρομίες για τους αθλητές υψηλού επιπέδου που επιλέγουν να ακολουθήσουν σπουδές τριτοβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης αναπτύσσοντας εκπαιδευτικά προγράμματα διαρθρωμένα κατά τέτοιο τρόπο ώστε να διευκολύνεται ο συνδυασμός μάθησης και προπόνησης για επαγγελματίες αθλητές.

2012-02-02T08:09:00.001-08:00

Αθήνα, 2 Φεβρουαρίου 2012

ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΗ ΤΥΠΟΥ

Καλύτερη διαχείριση αποβλήτων

Η σωστή διαχείριση αποβλήτων είναι ακριβή αλλά εάν γίνεται αποτελεσματικά μπορεί να προσελκύσει επενδύσεις και να δημιουργήσει θέσεις εργασίας, αναφέρει το ψήφισμα που ενέκρινε το ΕΚ την Πέμπτη, 2 Φεβρουαρίου. Το κείμενο πραγματεύεται ζητήματα που εγείρονται από τους πολίτες στην επιτροπή Αναφορών σχετικά με την επιβολή της ευρωπαϊκής νομοθεσίας για τη διαχείριση των αποβλήτων.

Απαιτούνται σημαντικές επενδύσεις για να δημιουργηθούν κατάλληλες εγκαταστάσεις διαχείρισης αποβλήτων αλλά οι αποτελεσματικότερες στρατηγικές διαχείρισης των αποβλήτων "παρέχουν ευκαιρίες για δημιουργία θέσεων απασχόλησης και ενίσχυση του εισοδήματος, ενώ ταυτόχρονα εξασφαλίζουν τη βιωσιμότητα του περιβάλλοντος μέσω της επαναχρησιμοποίησης, ανακύκλωσης και ανάκτησης ενέργειας από απόβλητα", τονίζει το ψήφισμα, προσθέτοντας ότι η βιομηχανία ανακύκλωσης προσφέρει δυναμικό έως και μισού εκατομμυρίου θέσεων απασχόλησης.

Το ΕΚ καλεί την Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή να προτείνει πιο σαφή και συγκεκριμένα κριτήρια για την τοποθεσία των χώρων ταφής αποβλήτων και την εγγύτητα τους σε κατοικίες, σχολεία και νοσοκομεία ώστε να μειωθούν οι πιθανοί κίνδυνοι για τη δημόσια υγεία και το περιβάλλον.

Το ΕΚ προτείνει επίσης να συμφωνηθεί ένα κοινό κοινοτικό πρότυπο για ένα σύστημα χρωματιστών κωδικών για τις κατηγορίες απορριμμάτων για τη διαλογή και την ανακύκλωσή τους ώστε οι πολίτες να κατανοούν καλύτερα τον κύκλο επεξεργασίας των αποβλήτων και παράλληλα να αυξηθούν τα ποσοστά ανακύκλωσης.

"Το πρόβλημα προκαλείται από την αδυναμία των δημοσίων αρχών ορισμένων κρατών μελών να διαχειριστούν αποτελεσματικά το ζήτημα της διαχείρισης αποβλήτων", δήλωσε ο εισηγητής Carlos Iturgaiz (ΕΛΚ, Ισπανία).

Εφαρμογή της νομοθεσίας

Τα κράτη μέλη πρέπει να εφαρμόσουν το σύνολο της κοινοτικής νομοθεσίας περί διαχείρισης των αποβλήτων χωρίς περαιτέρω καθυστέρηση και ειδικότερα την οδηγία πλαίσιο για τα απόβλητα, η οποία θέτει στόχους ανακύκλωσης, επαναχρησιμοποίησης και ανάκτησης και εισάγει εθνικά σχέδια διαχείρισης και προγράμματα πρόληψης. Η προθεσμία για την ενσωμάτωση της οδηγίας στο εθνικό δίκαιο έληξε το Δεκέμβριο του 2010, ωστόσο μόλις έξι κράτη μέλη έχουν συμμορφωθεί με την οδηγία μέχρι στιγμής.

Η έλλειψη ειδικά εκπαιδευμένου προσωπικού σε τοπικό και περιφερειακό επίπεδο, η αποτυχία εύρεσης επαρκών πόρων και η ανεπάρκεια των ελέγχων σε ευρωπαϊκό επίπεδο είναι τα σημαντικότερα προβλήματα που αντιμετωπίζουν τα κράτη μέλη, σύμφωνα πάντα με το ψήφισμα. Το ΕΚ ζητά την ενίσχυση των επιθεωρήσεων τόσο σε εθνικό όσο και σε κοινοτικό επίπεδο.
Στις περιπτώσεις που παρέχονται δημόσια κονδύλια σε ιδιωτικές επιχειρήσεις για τη διαχείριση της επεξεργασίας των αποβλήτων, θα πρέπει "να θεσπιστεί ουσιαστική παρακολούθηση, εκ μέρους των τοπικών ή κρατικών αρχών" της διαχείρισης αυτών των κονδυλίων, αναφέρει το ψήφισμα.

Περισσότερες πληροφορίες

Κάθε πολίτης ή κάτοικος της ΕΕ μπορεί, είτε ατομικά είτε από κοινού με άλλους, μπορεί να υποβάλει αναφορά στο Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο για ζητήματα σχετικά με τους τομείς δράσης της ΕΕ και τα οποία τον/την επηρεάζουν άμεσα.

Η επιτροπή Αναφορών έλαβε 114 καταγγελίες το διάστημα 2004-2010 σχετικά με παραβάσεις της κοινοτικής νομοθεσίας για την επεξεργασία αποβλήτων. Αυτές οι αναφορές προήλθαν από την Ιταλία, την Ελλάδα, τη Γαλλία, την Ισπανία, την Ιρλανδία (πάνω από 10 αναφορές σε κάθε χώρα), τη Βουλγαρία, το Ηνωμένο Βασίλειο, την Πολωνία, τη Ρουμανία, τη Γερμανία (3-10 αναφορές), την Αυστρία, την Ουγγαρία, τη Λιθουανία, τη Μάλτα, την Πορτογαλία και τη Σλοβακία (1 αναφορά).

Η επιτροπή Αναφορών συνέταξε επίσης πέντε εκθέσεις κατόπιν διερευνητικών αποστολών σχετικά με τις καταγγελίες περί αποβλήτων στην Ιρλανδία, στο Fos-sur-Mer (Γαλλία), στο Path Head landfill (Ηνωμένο Βασίλειο), στην Καμπανία (Ιταλία) και στην Huelva (Ισπανία).

Διαδικασία: Μη νομοθετικό ψήφισμα (εγκρίθηκε με 632 ψήφους υπέρ, 18 κατά και 22 αποχές)

2012-02-02T08:06:00.001-08:00

Δηλώσεις του

Προέδρου του Ευρωπαϊκού Συμβουλίου Herman Van Rompuy

στον Τύπο, μετά την άτυπη σύνοδο

μελών του Ευρωπαϊκού Συμβουλίου

Καλησπέρα σας,

Σήμερα λάβαμε αποφάσεις που αφορούν σε διάφορα μέτωπα, προκειμένου να

αποκατασταθεί περαιτέρω η εμπιστοσύνη στις οικονομίες μας.

Τον περασμένο χρόνο οι ευρωπαίοι ηγέτες χρειάστηκε να αποφασίσουν δύσκολα και

ορισμένες φορές επώδυνα μέτρα για τη σταθεροποίηση της ζώνης του ευρώ, όπως όμως

όλοι γνωρίζετε, αυτό ήταν κάτι αναγκαίο -- και τώρα αρχίζουμε να βλέπουμε ότι άξιζε την

προσπάθεια.

Αναγνωρίζουμε, πάντως, ότι η δημοσιονομική σταθερότητα από μόνη της δεν αρκεί για να

βγούμε από την οικονομική κρίση. Πρέπει να κάνουμε περισσότερα, ιδίως όσον αφορά την

οικονομική μεγέθυνση και την απασχόληση.

Θα δείτε στο κείμενο ότι ονομάσαμε την προσπάθεια αυτή «φιλική προς την ανάπτυξη

δημοσιονομική εξυγίανση και φιλική προς την απασχόληση οικονομική ανάπτυξη».

Τι εννοούμε;

Να μειώσουμε τα ελλείμματα, αλλά όχι και τις επενδύσεις μας στο μέλλον.

Να αυξήσουμε την ανταγωνιστικότητα των επιχειρήσεών μας, δίνοντάς τους παράλληλα

κίνητρα για προσλήψεις.

EUCO 15/12 2

Εστιάσαμε σε τρεις προτεραιότητες:

Κατά πρώτον: δημιουργία θέσεων εργασίας, ιδίως για τους νέους. Να βοηθήσουμε τους νέους,

άνδρες και γυναίκες, σε ολόκληρη την Ευρώπη να βρουν τη θέση τους στην αγορά εργασίας.

Την περασμένη εβδομάδα έλαβα μια επιστολή από το Ευρωπαϊκό Φόρουμ Νεολαίας, όπου

έγραφαν ότι: «Οι νέοι, σε καιρούς κρίσης και οικονομικής λιτότητας, δεν χρειάζονται ωραία

λόγια αλλά ισχυρές επενδύσεις.»

Πράγματι. Και για τον λόγο αυτό συμφωνήσαμε να χρησιμοποιήσουμε ευρωπαϊκή

χρηματοδότηση για τη δημιουργία μηχανισμών μαθητείας και για την παροχή βοήθειας σε

νέους που ανοίγουν επιχειρήσεις.

Η τόνωση της απασχόλησης είναι βασικά ευθύνη των επί μέρους κρατών, ένα μέρος όμως του

έργου αυτού μπορούμε να το επιτελέσουμε από κοινού, ως Ένωση: και αυτό θα κάνουμε.

0εύτερη προτεραιότητα: βοήθεια στις μικρομεσαίες επιχειρήσεις ώστε να έχουν πρόσβαση σε

πιστώσεις, για παράδειγμα με την απελευθέρωση διαθέσιμης ενωσιακής χρηματοδότησης προς

στήριξη εργοδοτών και μείωση της γραφειοκρατίας.

Τρίτη προτεραιότητα: η ενιαία αγορά. Είμαστε αποφασισμένοι να άρουμε και τα τελευταία

εμπόδια στην ολοκλήρωσή της - για παράδειγμα με την οριστικοποίηση της ψηφιακής αγοράς

και της αγοράς ενέργειας. Προτεραιότητα πρέπει να δοθεί στα μέτρα που παρέχουν τη

μεγαλύτερη τόνωση στην ανάπτυξη και την απασχόληση.

Αυτή η σύνοδος του Ευρωπαϊκού Συμβουλίου είναι το εφαλτήριο για το Ευρωπαϊκό Εξάμηνο

προς τις συνόδους του Μαρτίου και του Ιουνίου. Όταν λαμβάνονται από κοινού, οι αποφάσεις

μας μπορούν να έχουν πραγματικά αποτελέσματα. Για τους νέους, τα αποτελέσματα αυτά

μπορεί να σημαίνουν τη διαφορά ανάμεσα στην ανεργία και σε μια πρώτη θέση εργασίας. Για

μια μικρή επιχείρηση, τη διαφορά ανάμεσα στην ανάγκη να απολύσει έναν υπάλληλο και στη

δυνατότητα να προσλάβει ακόμη έναν … Σκοπός είναι να δοθούν προοπτικές, ελπίδα.

Το δεύτερο κύριο θέμα της σημερινής συνόδου ήταν η συνέχεια των εργασιών μας για τη

σταθερότητα της ζώνης του ευρώ. Πραγματοποιήσαμε σημαντική πρόοδο στην στρατηγική

μας για την αντιμετώπιση της κρίσης και για τη στενότερη σύνδεση των οικονομιών μας μέσα

σε ένα ισχυρότερο πλαίσιο.

Θα αναφερθώ σε τέσσερα στοιχεία.

Πρώτον: συμφωνήσαμε και εγκρίναμε το δημοσιονομικό συμβόλαιο, μια Συνθήκη για τη

σταθερότητα, το συντονισμό και τη διακυβέρνηση στην Οικονομική και Νομισματική Ένωση.

Οι 17 ηγέτες της ζώνης του ευρώ θα την υπογράψουν κατά την προσεχή μας σύνοδο, το

Μάρτιο, μαζί με τους ηγέτες κρατών που δεν ανήκουν στη ζώνη του ευρώ αλλά επιθυμούν να

προσχωρήσουν. Αντικείμενο της Συνθήκης είναι η αυξημένη ευθύνη και η βελτιωμένη

εποπτεία. Κάθε χώρα που την υπογράφει δεσμεύεται να θεσπίσει στην εθνική της νομοθεσία

μια διάταξη σε συνταγματικό ή ισότιμο επίπεδο, λεγόμενη «φρένο χρέους» ή «χρυσό κανόνα».

Η συμμόρφωση θα επιβληθεί αποτελεσματικότερα μέσω νέων κανόνων ψηφοφορίας και ενός

αυτόματου διορθωτικού μηχανισμού. Θα συνυπογράψουν 25 κράτη μέλη, δηλαδή όλα εκτός

του Ηνωμένου Βασιλείου και της Τσεχικής 0ημοκρατίας. Η Συνθήκη θα αρχίσει να ισχύει

όταν θα έχει επικυρωθεί από 12 κράτη της ζώνης του ευρώ.

EUCO 15/12 3

0εύτερον: εγκρίναμε τη συμφωνία μεταξύ των 17 όσον αφορά τη Συνθήκη για τη θέσπιση

του Ευρωπαϊκού Μηχανισμού Σταθερότητας. Οι Υπουργοί Οικονομικών καλούνται να την

υπογράψουν κατά την προσεχή σύνοδο της ζώνης του ευρώ, ούτως ώστε να τεθεί σε ισχύ

από τον Ιούλιο του 2012. Με την έγκαιρη έναρξη ισχύος αυτού του μόνιμου μηχανισμού

αντιμετώπισης θα προλαμβάνεται η μετάδοση των κρίσεων στη ζώνη του ευρώ και θα

αποκατασταθεί περισσότερο η εμπιστοσύνη.

Τρίτον: όπως συμφωνήθηκε το 0εκέμβριο, θα επαναξιολογήσουμε τον Μάρτιο την

επάρκεια των πόρων διάσωσης του ΕΤΧΣ και του ΕΜΣ. -- Και δεδομένου ότι η επόμενη

σύνοδος κορυφής θα γίνει την 1η Μαρτίου, αυτό σημαίνει σε λιγότερο από πέντε

εβδομάδες από σήμερα!

Τέταρτο και τελευταίο στοιχείο: σε ό,τι αφορά την Ελλάδα, σημειώνουμε την πρόοδο των

διαπραγματεύσεων με τον ιδιωτικό τομέα. Καλούμε τις ελληνικές αρχές και την τρόικα να

συμφωνήσουν για τα μέτρα που θα επαναφέρουν το τρέχον πρόγραμμα στην τροχιά του.

Παροτρύνουμε τους Υπουργούς Οικονομικών μας να προβούν σε κάθε απαραίτητη

ενέργεια για την εφαρμογή της συμφωνίας σχετικά με τη συμμετοχή του ιδιωτικού τομέα

και για την έγκριση του νέου προγράμματος εντός της εβδομάδος, εγκαίρως για την

έναρξη εφαρμογής του PSI έως τα μέσα Φεβρουαρίου.

Τελικό σημείο. Μολονότι το θέμα δεν ήταν στην επίσημη ημερήσια διάταξη της

σημερινής συνόδου, ασχοληθήκαμε επίσης εν συντομία με τις εξωτερικές σχέσεις.

Επ’αυτού έχω δημοσιεύσει ξεχωριστό ανακοινωθέν Τύπου, οπότε εδώ θα αναφέρω απλώς

τα τρία θέματα που συζητήσαμε. Εγκρίναμε τα περιοριστικά μέτρα κατά του Ιράν, τα

οποία είχαν αποφασίσει οι Υπουργοί Εξωτερικών την περασμένη εβδομάδα. Εκφράσαμε

την αγανάκτησή μας για τις αγριότητες και την καταστολή που διαπράττει το συριακό

καθεστώς, και παροτρύναμε τα μέλη του Συμβουλίου Ασφαλείας των Ηνωμένων Εθνών

να λάβουν τα ήδη από καιρό απαιτούμενα μέτρα προκειμένου να τεθεί τέλος στην

καταστολή.

Και -- επειδή δεν πρέπει να ξεχνούμε ότι υπάρχουν και καλές ειδήσεις -- χαιρετίσαμε και

ενθαρρύναμε την κυβέρνηση της Βριμανίας/Μυανμάρ στην οδό της ειρηνικής

μεταρρύθμισης που επέλεξε.

2012-02-02T07:35:00.001-08:00

EUROPEAN UNION Brussels, 2 February 2012

Speech of High Representative Catherine Ashton

on Iran and its nuclear programme

European Parliament

Brussels, 01 February 2012

"The Iranian nuclear programme is a very serious concern for the EU and the international

community as a whole. As you know EU Foreign Ministers discussed the issue in the context of

agreeing new sanctions on 23 January.

We are committed to maintaining the pressure on Iranian authorities to comply with their

international obligations. This forms a key part of our "twin track" approach along with the E3+3

process which I lead.

We have had several UNSC Resolutions, but in spite of them Iran continues to violate its obligations

by not fully co-operating with the IAEA and by accelerating the expansion of its nuclear programme.

In early January, Iran started operations to enrich uranium to a level of near 20% at the underground

facility near Qom, a site controlled by the Iranian military.

For a number of years serious concerns have been expressed concerning the lack of Iranian cooperation

to resolve outstanding issues, including those pointing to a military dimension to Iran’s

nuclear programme.

The IAEA report of November 2011 presented findings on Iranian activities relating to the

development of military nuclear technology. On this basis, the IAEA Board of Governors adopted, by

overwhelming majority, a resolution expressing increasing concerns on the Iranian nuclear

programme.

I and the EU remain fully committed to efforts aimed at achieving a diplomatic solution to the Iranian

nuclear issue based on the twin-track approach. I have written to Dr Jalili setting out proposals

which would allow Iran to draw benefits in the nuclear, political and economic field. Despite

reminders, so far I have received no response to proposals to enter into a confidence building process

based on reciprocity and a step-by-step approach.

The EU has always expressed its readiness to address, in the framework of a confidence building

process, other issues of concern, which may be of interest for Iran, for instance co-operation in the

area of counter-narcotics.

Be assured that I continue to use every opportunity to reiterate this message to the Iranian side, most

recently in a series of contacts with Iranian Foreign Minister Salehi.

In parallel, I am using my contacts with third countries, particularly Turkey, to pass the message to

Iran that the door remains open for negotiations through a confidence building process, which could

be launched once Iran demonstrates its readiness to do so.

It was against this background that the Council decided to adopt further restrictive measures against

Iran at the last Foreign Affairs Council. This was a very important step which clearly demonstrated

that EU is united and is taking the lead.

The measures are designated to significantly affect Iran’s financial capacity to pursue its nuclear

programme, by curtailing its revenue from crude oil exports.

The sanctions on oil are of particular significance because of their effect on the revenues of the

Iranian government. Oil exports count for approximately 80% of Iran’s exports and 70% of the

government’s revenues. The EU imports amounted to 20% of Iran’s oil exports. So by targeting this

important source of revenue, we are strongly increasing pressure on the Iranian government, whilst

avoiding negative effects as far as possible on the wider Iranian population.

The EU does not stand alone in this effort. UN sanctions continue be in force. On 31 December last

year the United States decided to strengthen further its sanctions against Iran, targeting in particular

the Iranian financial system and its revenues from different sources, including from oil exports.

We now need to convince like minded countries, in particular those which import oil from Iran, to

take similar steps and consider reducing their import of Iranian oil. This will maximise the effect of

the sanctions on Iran.

The prohibition on the import of Iranian oil is done in a phased manner, allowing us to adjust to the

new situation. A review has been built-in for the EU to take stock of the effect of the measure in the

course of the coming months and address any problem that may arise. By doing so, we have ensured

that the EU and all of its Member States will be able to have the time and the means to adjust and

ensure the continuity of energy supplies.

We also continue to harbour grave concerns regarding the human rights situation in Iran. This

relates in particular the ongoing repression of political opposition, but also the increasing and

excessive application of the death penalty.

In reaction to the repression and the dramatic increase in executions, there is since April 2011 also

an EU sanctions regime against Iran that addresses the human rights situation. The sanctions

target those persons complicit in or responsible for these grave human rights violations. Since the

measures were strengthened in October of last year they now include 61 listed persons. A

prohibition on the supply of equipment that can be used for repression is also part of our sanctions

2012-02-01T11:37:00.001-08:00

Brussels, 1 February 2012

Statement by High Representative Catherine Ashton,

on efforts to end the violence in Syria

The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President
of the Commission, made today the following statement:
"I am appalled by the situation in Syria, where the regime continues its ruthless and outrageous
campaign of repression against the Syrian people. Since the beginning of the uprising, I have
consistently repeated the EU's call for an immediate end to violence.
The Arab League has demonstrated important leadership in the Syrian crisis. I have underlined our
strong support to the Arab League's efforts, which are focused on ending the crisis, upholding the
rights of the Syrian people and restoring peace. Yesterday, the Secretary General of the Arab
League and the Prime Minister of Qatar addressed the UN Security Council to seek the support of
the international community for a political solution to this crisis, leading to a peaceful, democratic
transition in Syria.
The EU has been leading international calls for strong UN action. The latest draft resolution tabled
by Morocco on 27 January aims at backing Arab League calls for an inclusive, Syrian-led political
process conducted in an environment free from violence, fear, intimidation and extremism. The time
has come for all members of the UNSC to stand by the Syrian people. As negotiations in New York
continue, I call once again on all members of the Security Council to assume their responsibilities
and act without further delay."

2012-02-01T11:36:00.000-08:00

Remarks by President of the European Council

Herman Van Rompuy

at the European Parliament

Over the last two years, European leaders had to take difficult and sometimes painful

measures to stabilise the eurozone. Although this was necessary -- and we are now starting

to see that it was worth the effort -- we recognise that financial stability is a necessary but

not a sufficient condition for economic recovery. We must do more, in particular on

economic growth and employment - that's why we put in place the EU-2020 strategy, the

Euro-Plus-Pact and the European Semester. Growth and employment were never out of our

minds. The March European Council will focus on structural growth and by the way, the

economies in most of our countries were growing positively in 2010 and 2011.

The focus of Monday's informal European Council was indeed on growth and jobs. The

bulk of our discussions were on this, though we at the same time approved the final text of

the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) Treaty and put the final touches to the Treaty on

Stability Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union.

You will have seen from statement approved by the members of the European Council that

we have called this "growth-friendly" fiscal consolidation and "ob-friendly economic

growth". What do we mean by this?

Slashing deficits, but not by cutting our investments for the future, investments in

education, training, research and development, green infrastructure. Increasing the

competitiveness of our companies, while making it more attractive for them to hire people.

EUCO 17/12 2

A strategy for growth covers many aspects: the short term and the longer term; economic

policy and competitiveness but also specific employment policies; national competencies

and those of the Union. We focused on three priorities:

First: creating jobs, especially for young people. Last week, I received a letter from the

European Youth Forum in which they wrote: "Young people, in times of crisis and

economic austerity, do not need nice words but strong investments." Indeed! That is why

we have agreed to use available European funds to set up apprenticeship schemes and help

young business starters. Stimulating employment is mostly a responsibility for the

individual countries, but most the work we can do together, as a Union, and we will do it.

Each Member state must have a "Job Plan" as a part of the National Reform programme.

Second priority: helping small and medium enterprises to get access to credit, for instance

by freeing up available EU funds to support employers and reducing red tape. The recent

initiatives of the European Central Bank (ECB) are also helpful in avoiding a credit crunch

and a further deepening of the recession.

Third priority: the single market. We are determined to get more out of it - for instance by

finalising the digital market and the energy market. Priority must go to the measures which

do most to stimulate growth and jobs. We decided upon a series of deadlines for opening

markets.

A return of confidence in the eurozone can restore confidence of consumers and companies

quickly, as was the case in 2009 after the financial crisis, and the recent lowering of

exchange rate of the euro can boost exports. All this is helpful in the short term. The aim is

to provide prospects, to give hope by the decisions of this Council and those of March and

June. Results take time but there is no doubt on our resolve and that of the Danish

Presidency.

Now over to the Treaty, as I know it is of particular interest to you, and it closes a chapter

that has caused much debate for almost two years. As I said many times already in this

hemicycle, we badly missed a governance structure since the launching of the euro.

This Treaty must be seen as just one element of the reforms to economic governance that

we have achieved over the last two years, reforms which involve both responsibility and

solidarity, and which include the six-pack, which remains the backbone of our new

governance architecture.

This Treaty is about more responsibility and better surveillance. Every country that signs it

commits to bringing in a "debt brake" into its legislation, preferably at constitutional level.

An automatic correction mechanism will re-enforce compliance.

Enshrining the debt brake in the treaty will enhance its credibility. This is important as a

confidence building measure. It represents a major step forward towards closer and

irrevocable fiscal and economic integration and stronger governance in the euro area. It

will significantly bolster the outlook for fiscal sustainability and euro area sovereign debt

and therefore enhance economic growth.

EUCO 17/12 3

Placing this commitment to self-control in the treaty shows our long-term and irreversible

commitment to avoiding excessive deficits and debts.

The Treaty also changes the majority required to initiate the excessive deficit procedure --

something that could not be done through the six-pack legislation. This is particularly

important for the credibility of that procedure.

This is not a commitment to austerity, but a commitment to financing public expenditure

through revenue rather than debt. There is nothing virtuous about excessive debt -- it

means that more and more of your public expenditure is spent on servicing your debt

instead of on public services and public investments. Excessive public debt is a threat to

our social model.

Like most members of the European Council, and like the European Parliament, I would

have preferred these issues to be addressed by changing the existing treaties rather than

through a separate treaty. As you know, the necessary unanimity for this was not

forthcoming. There was no choice but to go down this route. But in doing so, I was

personally determined to keep the new provisions as close as possible to the EU treaties.

We were not setting up a separate organisation but a means of reinforcing our Union. I had

endeavoured in the same way when setting up the Euro Plus Pact. I hope that our

successors will succeed in integrating this treaty in the EU Treaties.

Let me also emphasize that I was personally engaged in keeping the Union as much as

possible together, while recognizing the specificities of the eurozone. All countries

ratifying this treaty will participate in Euro summits when the architecture and fundamental

rules of the eurozone are at stake or the implementation of the Treaty and the

competitiveness of the contracting parties. I was happy to see that almost all countries will

sign the treaty. It will enter into force as soon as 12 euro countries have ratified.

We were helped in this by the efforts of Parliament's three representatives, Elmar Brok,

Roberto Gualtieri and Guy Verhofstadt, whom I want to thank for their efforts.

Parliament's insistence, along with others, on coherence with the existing treaties was

particularly helpful and contributed to securing a number of key features of the new treaty.

Besides this "Fiscal Compact" treaty, we also endorsed the agreement among the 17 on the

Treaty for the European Stability Mechanism. It will be signed this week so that it can take

effect from July 2012. The early entry into force of this permanent firewall will help

prevent contagion in the euro area and further restore confidence. Its operation will also be

subject to the scrutiny of your Parliament, as I indicated already in my letter of 22 March

of last year to your rapporteurs. As agreed in December, we will reassess the adequacy of

resources under the EFSF and ESM rescue funds at the next European Council meeting --

less than 4 weeks from now!

A final point. Although it was not formally on the agenda, we also briefly touched upon

three urgent foreign policy issues, mainly along the lines of the good and strong

conclusions adopted by the Foreign Affairs Council on 23 January.

EUCO 17/12 4

We endorsed the restrictive measures against Iran, including an oil embargo, as decided by

the Foreign Ministers last week.

We expressed our outrage at the atrocities and repression committed by the Syrian regime,

and urged the members of the UN Security Council to take long overdue steps to bring an

end to the repression.

These are good examples, after our joint actions in Libya, of a Common Foreign Policy.

This concludes my report. Step by step we are making progress in the construction of an

Economic and Monetary Union. Slower than hoped and expected, but reaching each time

broad agreements among our Member States. This was the case also in the European

Council of last Monday.

A positive step on the road of more hope.

2012-02-01T11:33:00.001-08:00

Statement by the Spokesperson of High Representative Catherine

Ashton on the continued crackdown on civil society in Egypt

The spokesperson of Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign
Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission, issued the following statement
today:
"As Egypt moves forward in its democratic transition, it is vital to allow civil society
organizations to play their crucial role as a pillar of a modern, open and democratic society.
The EU urges the Egyptian authorities to ensure that any inspections of civil society
organisations which receive foreign funding be done in line with appropriate legal procedures.
The EU calls on the Egyptian authorities to respect Freedom of Association and to adopt a Law on
Associations and Foundations which will be consistent with international standards."

2012-02-01T03:56:00.001-08:00

Αθήνα, 1 Φεβρουαρίου 2012

ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΗ ΤΥΠΟΥ

Το ΕΚ απαντά στις αποφάσεις της Συνόδου Κορυφής της ΕΕ

Οι ευρωβουλευτές θα συζητήσουν με τον Πρόεδρο της Ευρωπαϊκής Επιτροπής Barroso και τον Πρόεδρο του Συμβουλίου Van Rompuy το ζήτημα της νέας συμφωνίας για δημοσιονομική ένωση και τις άλλες αποφάσεις που ελήφθησαν κατά την άτυπη σύνοδο κορυφής της ΕΕ στις αρχές της εβδομάδας. Η συζήτηση θα ξεκινήσει την Τετάρτη, 1 Φεβρουαρίου στις 15:10 τοπική ώρα Βρυξελλών.

2012-02-01T03:52:00.001-08:00

Αθήνα, 1 Φεβρουαρίου 2012

ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΗ ΤΥΠΟΥ

Φόρουμ πολιτών: "ΑΓΡΟΤΙΚΗ ΚΑΙ ΠΕΡΙΦΕΡΕΙΑΚΗ ΑΝΑΠΤΥΞΗ"

Συνέδριο- διάλογος με τους πολίτες, με θέμα "ΑΓΡΟΤΙΚΗ ΚΑΙ ΠΕΡΙΦΕΡΕΙΑΚΗ ΑΝΑΠΤΥΞΗ" διοργανώνει ο Δήμος Γεωργίου Καραϊσκάκη Άρτας. Την εκδήλωση υποστηρίζουν και συμμετέχουν το Γραφείο Ενημέρωσης του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου και η Αντιπροσωπεία της Ευρωπαϊκής Επιτροπής στην Ελλάδα. Το συνέδριο θα λάβει χώρα στο δημοτικό Διαμέρισμα "Μεσόπυργος" στην "Κοιλάδα του Αχελώου", στις 4 Φεβρουαρίου 2012 και ώρα 14.00 - 15.30.

Η Ημερίδα θα είναι διακαναλιακή και μεταξύ άλλων θα περιλαμβάνει:

• ενημέρωση και ανταλλαγή απόψεων σχετικά με τα κύρια σημεία των προτάσεων της Ευρωπαϊκής Επιτροπής για τους Κανονισμούς που θα διέπουν τα ΕΣΠΑ (Ευρωπαϊκό Ταμείο Περιφερειακής Ανάπτυξης, Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινωνικό Ταμείο και Ταμείο Συνοχής) κατά την προγραμματική περίοδο 2014-2020.
• ενημέρωση και ανταλλαγή απόψεων επί των νομοθετικών προτάσεων της Ευρωπαϊκής Επιτροπής για τη νέα μεταρρύθμιση της Κοινής Γεωργικής Πολιτικής και τις προοπτικές της για την Αγροτική Ανάπτυξη της χώρας
• τις συνέπειες που θα έχει στην Κοινή Γεωργική Πολιτική και στην Περιφερειακή Πολιτική της ΕΕ η ανάγκη αντιμετώπισης της Κλιματικής Αλλαγής και προσαρμογής σε αυτήν.

Έχουν κληθεί και θα συμμετάσχουν ως ομιλητές:

Γιώργος Πεταλωτής, Υφυπουργός Δικαιοσύνης
Σπύρος Δανέλλης, Ευρωβουλευτής ΠΑΣΟΚ/Σ-Δ
Γιώργος Παπαστάμκος, Αντιπρόεδρος Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου, Ευρωβουλευτής ΝΔ/ΕΛΚ
Γιώργος Χατζημαρκάκης, Γερμανός Ευρωβουλευτής με το κόμμα των Φιλελευθέρων
Χαράλαμπος Αγγουράκης, Ευρωβουλευτής ΚΚΕ/ ΕΕΑ
Λεωνίδας Αντωνακόπουλος, Διευθυντής του Γραφείου του ΕΚ στην Ελλάδα
Άρης Περουλάκης, Υπεύθυνος Επικοινωνίας της Αντιπροσωπείας της ΕΕ στην Ελλάδα
Δημήτρης Γαλλίκας, Δήμαρχος του Δήμου Γ. Καραϊσκάκη

Τις εργασίες του συνεδρίου θα συντονίσει ο δημοσιογράφος Κώστας Αργυρός.

Η ημερίδα θα μεταδοθεί ζωντανά από το διαδίκτυο (στην παρακάτω διεύθυνση βρίσκεται ο κώδικας για αναμετάδοση http://www.filothea.com/acheloos εδώ θα μπορούν να την παρακολουθούν ζωντανά και οι κάτοχοι κινητών τηλεφώνων iphone, blackberry, windowsmobile) και από τον Δορυφόρο HELLAS SAT 39° ανατολικά, συχνότητα 10955.250 Vertical, symbol rate 3300, fec ¾ (Για τεχνικές πληροφορίες Μάκης Δανιήλ 6974998902).
Το πρόγραμμα θα διατίθεται ελεύθερα για αναμετάδοση σε όποιο ενδιαφερόμενο τηλεοπτικό κανάλι ή ραδιοφωνικό σταθμό.

Οι πολίτες που επιθυμούν να θέσουν ερωτήματα θα μπορούν μέσω e-mail ή τηλεφωνικά στους αριθμούς που θα εμφανίζονται τηλεοπτικά κατά τη διάρκεια της εκδήλωσης.

2012-02-01T03:51:00.001-08:00

ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΗ ΤΥΠΟΥ

Συζήτηση στο ΕΚ για το πυρηνικό πρόγραμμα του Ιράν

Η επιβολή των κυρώσεων στο Ιράν, καθώς και το πυρηνικό πρόγραμμα της χώρας θα τεθεί στο επίκεντρο της συζήτησης με την Ύπατη Εκπρόσωπο της ΕΕ για θέματα εξωτερικής πολιτικής, Catherine Ashton. Η συζήτηση θα ξεκινήσει την Τετάρτη, 1 Φεβρουαρίου στις 17:00 τοπική ώρα Βρυξελλών.

Για ανανέωση συνδρομών και νέες συνδρομές για απεριόριστη ενημέρωση ,πληροφορίες εδώ: τηλέφωνο 6946347084, e-mail: politikesapopseis@gmail.com

2012-01-31T11:16:00.001-08:00

Μπορεί να μη συμφωνώ ούτε στο ελάχιστο με αυτά που λες,αλλά θα έδινα μέχρι και την τελευταία ρανίδα του αίματός μου για το δικαίωμά σου να συνεχίσεις να τα λες -ΒΟΛΤΑΙΡΟΣ

2012-01-31T11:15:00.003-08:00

Ακούστε Ζωντανά / www.euro- Vouli.net

2012-01-31T11:15:00.001-08:00

Μπορεί να μη συμφωνώ ούτε στο ελάχιστο με αυτά που λες,αλλά θα έδινα μέχρι και την τελευταία ρανίδα του αίματός μου για το δικαίωμά σου να συνεχίσεις να τα λες -ΒΟΛΤΑΙΡΟΣ

2012-01-31T11:13:00.001-08:00