newsitems

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/16-17 April 2013/Angelo Marcopolo/- New Cyprus' Presidenty Nicos Anastassiades' proposal to establish similar Banks' monitoring to that recently imposed on Cyprus, also to all other EU Countries, in order to avoid misundestandings and/or eventual unfair competition, etc., wasn't excluded at all, and even appeared rather accepted, even welcome (at least partly), by EU Commissioner Michel Barnier, for whom this seems to come Timely, particularly considering his current efforts to complete the Banking Union, which is crucial for EU Solidarity and stimulation of Growth.

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"EuroFora" made it clear that this point was raised  as a matter of general principle, and for the future, (included also vis a vis the much needed completion of €uroZone's Banking Union), after Cyprus' President Nicos Anastassiades' reported wish to call for similar Checks, as those recently imposed by €uroGroup's new Chair, Socialist Dutch Minister of Finances, Dijsselbloem, on Banks in Cyprus, to be applied also to all €uroArea's Banks, in all Member Countries, so that there will be no risk for Discrimination, thanks to a unique regime in all relevant situations.

- Indeed, we (EU Commission) are working for the Future", stressed from the outset Barnier, in reply to "EuroFora"s question, referring for the management of currently evolving affairs to his collegue, EU Commissioner Oli Rehn.

- But this will be done also "in order for everything to be crystal-Clear, and well known in Advance", the experienced, twice EU Commissioner, and former Foreignj Minister underlined,  replying to "EuroFora"s relevant question.

- Naturally, such moves "should concern all the [€uroArea) Banks". "In the case of Cyrus, it was different : We (EU) reacted to an urgency". "But in future, everything will be clear for the Banks in advance", he promissed.

+ "In all these Crisis, that of Cyprus, as well as in the cases of other EU Countries, there are 2 Times", Barnier added, later-on, Timely taking the initiative, in a last-minute move, for an unscheduled appearance during EU Parliament's Plenary Debate on Cyprus, where he usefuly completed His collegue, EU Commissioner on Financial/Monetary issues, Oli Rehn, (strongly Criticized by most MEPs for the substance and/or the way that controversial Socialist Dutch Minister of Finances, Dijjselboem, new €uroGroup's chair, reacted in the case of Cyprus, suddenly affecting seriously many People and putting at stake EU's own credibility vis a vis Foreign Investors) :

- "1st the time for acting in Urgency, as in a kind of Medical Operation. And we all know the Efforts required by the European People", Barnier reminded..

- "Afterwards, there is another Time, that of Prevention, and of the Lessons that we must learn. And it's in these cases that the proposals I make and EU Parliament's action is situated".

- "Cyprus is certainly not a model. But there are Lessons to be learned in Cyprus, as also in all other such cases, and we (EU) are learning them, case by case, week after week, since 3 years, together :

Thus, f.ex., against "Bad Monitoring, we (EU Commission) have presented a draft the creation of EU (Bank) Monitoring Authorities, and it will be ready to operate Next Year (2014) at Spring a European Force of Supervision, integrated inside €uroZone with the CEB".

"Bad Capitalisation of Banks. Unjustifiable and excessive Bonus, which encourages Risk-taking : (EU Parliament) has just replied, on the basis of (Austrian ChristianDemocrat MEP) Otmar Karas, voted by 608 MEPs Yesterday. It's a text of Fundamental importance, for Banks' resilience", Barnier pointed out.

"Last but not least, as many  (MEPs) have just said : (EU) Tools, clearly anounced in Advance, for the Resolution of Crisis, for the Bail-In, etc., a complete Toolkit. I've presented a Draft proposal last year, which is currently under Discussion, and on June (2013) I will present a proposal for the creation of an EU Authority for Resolution, in the framework of the current (EU) Treaty", he anounced.

- "It's true that we (EU) can and must act Faster, and, most of all, that we (EU) must advance until full completion of  these Reforms, and the fastest possible", Barnier concluded.
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(NDLR : "DraftNews", as already sent earlier to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors. A more accurate, full Final Version might be Published asap).

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*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- New French Minister for EU affairs, Thierry Repentin, replying to "EuroFora"s questions during his 1st visit in EU Parliament, launched a vibrant call to Timely kick-start the forthcoming EU Electoral campaign for the May 2014 Vote, by debating with EU Citizens on the spot, in a way which reveals the links between EU Decisions and People's Everyday Lives, in concrete terms, i.e.  practically endorsing "EuroFora"s main idea in the preparation of the crucial 2014 EU Elections.

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"We must speak about Europe in concrete terms, because many Citizens have a Bureaucratic, abstract image of the EU", he stressed earlier.

- "Europe mustn't be present in the People's eyes only in times of Crisis, as, f.ex., recently, with the solution that €uoGroup had to find in the case of Cyprus, while it's never cited concerning everyday life", he criticized.

- "During the forthcoming Year (i.e. in the run-up to May 2014 EU Elections), I have also a Mission to make concrete (handy) what was for years almost impossible to handle", Repentin characteristically pointed out.
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 - "EuroFora" asked the new French EU Minister if he found that debating with EU Citizens in concrete terms before forthcoming important EU Decisions which affect their Lives, would help incite them to be more active in EU decision-making processes, including, naturally, by participating in 2014 EU Elections.

    - "During the 1st exchanges of views that I had with various among those Responsible for the European ideal, be it Ministers, Ambassadors, etc. of this or that Country, I systematically speak with them on the Rendez-vous of May 2014", Minister Repentin revealed, in reply to "EuroFora"s question.

    - "Why ? Because I have the impression that they are most of the time focused on Guiding the (EU) car, these Responsible People try to find Solutions to problems affecting everyday life,  which are raised to them.
    - "But, by being focused on the Driving wheel, they forget to look for a Perspective at the Horizon", Repentin criticized....

    - "And, I think that we (EU) should experience a kind of collective conscientisation (acknowledgment), all together, independently of the Poltical commitments of one or another, so that, we can tell our Citizens, through some Concrete Examples, how the EU benefits them", the New French Minister suggested.  

    - "Also, to be careful : Sometimes, certain Decisions with only a Marginal (EU) Budgetary impact, have an enormous impact in our (EU) Citizens' Lives " :

    - "F.ex., the (EU) Help to Poor People : It's only marginal inside EU Budget. But it has an Extraordinary Impact in the Public Opinion !", he pointed out.

    - "The simple fact that, thanks also to France and others' action, we succeeded to reverse a controversial initial Decision, which had put a Break, even a full Stop to the (EU) Food Help for extremely Poor People, should have been perceived as very Positive. But we (EU) didn't manage to find, collectively, a way to valorize it" in People's minds.  "It's a fact that some (other) (EU) Countries were not very enthousiast about that, and, may be, it's because of this, that we (EU) didn't publicize it as something positive", he observed.

     - "We :  (EU Member) States, Countries, must engage effectively in activities of Communication on May 2014", Minister Repentin proposed.

     -"Why ? Because, otherwise, all this Year it (EU Elections of 2014) risks to pass without even being noticed !", he  warned.

    - "Since all our (EU) Countries have  scheduled RDV with National or Regional Elections, which are the most Important in the eyes of our (EU) Citizens", he revealed.

    - F.ex., in France we have the Local Elections on March 2014, and if they (EU) Elections were held almost the Same Day, then, most People would probably talk only about their Municipalities", he warned...

    - But, "the fact that there is a Difference between the Dates of each Election, (f.ex. in the French case : From March to May 2014), this gives us a Hope and a Chance to act Beforehand -and that's also my role as animator of these Debates, to go on the spot,

    - "Before the (March 2014 EU) Elections it's my role to go on the spot, to visit together with Elected MEPs : I hope that they can visit with me, in order to become well known to the People", the New French EU Minister anounced.

    - "So that, during the Next 8 Months, (April - December 2013), before Next Winter, we can visit, in order to incarnate what Europe means in the environment of Everyday Life".

    - "Afterwards, there will be a(n Electoral) Campaign of just 1 Month, after the Local Elections (of March 2014), for the Campaign on the European Elections" of May 2014, he noted.

    - Meanwhile, "the Electoral System will remain at a Regional basis, as it is now, without any change, hoping that this will help to better Identify the actors, if th Men and Women who embody the European Idea, are visible at a certain Region, instead of a purely National area, which would risk to be seen as even more Distant than currently the EU", Repentin explained.

    In this regard, the new EU Minister expressed his satisfaction for the fact that the Foreign Minister, Laurent "Fabius, is the No 2 after the Prime Minister", as well as that, "in this atypical Ministry" for EU affairs, "one plays, in fact, an Inter-Ministerial role, and sees, almost Each Day, or two, the President of the Republic, (Francois Hollande) at the Elysee" palace, as he was glad to say, also observing that "he thinks and speaks of Europe,  almost at the occasion of most among many various issues", often as a possible "Solution for Employment and Growth".

    + Moreover, the fact that "the current President of the European Investment Bank", (EIB : often cited as a main Tool for stimulating Growth in the foreseeable Future), is a former Minister of EU Affairs in Germany, Werner Hoyer, (Comp. Hoyer's statements to "EuroFora", on EU Integration, already as early as since December  2010, before his recent venues at EU Parliament on July 2012 and January 2013, etc), was seen by Repentin, as something which "speaks in favor of all former EU affairs Ministers", as he said in reaction to "EuroFora"s observation of this timely coincidence...
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 - "When we speak about stimulating Growth, or regarding Social protection, the Regional Funds, etc., there, the European Ideal is really incarnated  (embodied) in concrete things", he noted earlier.

"F.ex., in my previous responsibilities, when we proposed to extend Erasmus to apprenteeships in order to be trained also in other Countries, when we spoke about an EU Status for apprenteeship, or when (Social affairs Minister) Michael Sapin was (together with his German counterpart, Minister Ursula Von Leyen), established at nearby Kehl an Office for the Employment of both French and German People in one and same location, etc., that's something concrete".

"Many speak too often about Europe by abusing of some incomprehensible terms, .. instead of speaking about a Better Control of Funds' Destination, or about the will to Moralize a practical activity, etc., then, People start to be interested".

Repentin, after working initially together with former MEP and Minister Jean-Pierre Cot, in addition to EU Commission in Brussels, worked as a Politician close to local/Regional grassroots matters, dealing with "Concrete" issues, such as f.ex. the Presidency of France's Social Housing (former "HLM"), during which he organized also a Congress in Strasbourg a few years ago, "pleading for Social Housing to be recognized (by the EU) as a General Interest Service, together with several other European allies, while, on the contrary, he didn't hesitate to lodge applications to the EU Court of Justice at Luxembourg, if  he "found that the (EU) Treaty of Rome"'s principles were betrayed, f.ex. when someone inside EU Commission had attempted to banalize the "Livret A" : basic popular savings deposited in Banks ; or when we fought, together with various EU allies, for a Budgetary line destinated to Young People who faced Unemployment for a too Long period, somehting which is now a proposal inserted inside the 2014-2020 EU MultiAnnual Financial Perspectives currently under discussion ; as we did also for those Workers who are going to return to their country of origin, etc.

In fact, Europe is Present at People's Lives in concrete terms :

F.ex. as a locally elected politician in a sensitive Urban Area,  I know that I couldn't help my compatriots if I didn't have the European Social Fund on my side, for (economic) insertion via Economy, in order to help Associations working on everyday Education of Young People who need a supplementary boost, while Public Services couldn't emerge without FEDER, (EU Regional Funds), and, being at a Borderline Region, I know what INTEREG procedures mean,  as well as FEADER, which helps the Agricultural world ,...touching, at the same time, upon Economic Development, Social support, Spatial Planning, etc.

- "In my new role, during the forthcoming Year, (i.e. in the run up to May 2014 EU Elections), I also have the Responsibility to make Handy what was, until now, impossible to handle".

- "F.ex. I was recently at a Small-Medium Enterprise which had just been helped by the EIB allowing it to lodge an application for Pattern, according to the new, Simplified procedure : That's also a kind of Stimulation for Growth", he observed.

 - At any case, "We are living inside an EU which has 27 Countries, and the role of an EU Affairs Minister is also to try to convince Countries which are not yet oriented towards Economic Growth, etc. Repentin noted, after having already visited earlier his counterparts in Berlin and Helsinki, etc.

(../..)

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- CO2 might, eventually, become in Future a Potential Energy Source, if some pioneer Scientists' idea proves to be true, admitted EU Parliament's co-Rappoteur on the "Green House" Emissions Trading System, German Socialist MEP Matthias Groote, in reply to an "EuroFora" question, after a controversial and thin Majority in EU Parliament sent his Report of Backloading back to the Environment Committee, while the EU is currently engaged in various crucial Negotiations for related International Agreements possibly including also the USA and other Major Global Partners, (comp. Infra and other relevant NewsReports). 

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 "EuroFora" had raised a relevant "question on the sidelines of the ETS issue" :

- "Some Scientists, who presented their work 1 or 2 years ago at EU Parliament in Brussels and elsewhere, claimed that CO2 could become in the Future a kind of New source for Energy, with certain Technical Innovations". (See, f.ex. http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/co2futurefuel.html +  http://co2futurefuel.org/ ).

- "Do you think that if it becomes a Reality in the foreseeable Future, this might affect the prices or anything else in the (current) ETS", as it stands today ?, "EuroFora" asked.
 

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 - I don't think that "this means" that we "should", or "ought to" do this or that, vis a vis the ETS, since it can't be said that"we (MEPs) are .. an instrument" of RST, "and that's it", reacted, as a matter of principle, Groote.

 - "It (Scientists' idea that CO2 can be transformed to "Fuel" in the Future) may become true, in 1 Year or 2, who knows ?", EU Parliament's ETS Co-Rapporteur acknowledged, as far as "EuroFora"s Question is concerned.

- "But, for the moment, what we know is that CO2 is a very Dangerous Green House Gas, and it's causing us Problems, that we are trying to solve", he reminded.

- So, "I don't think that it's useful to Speculate about whether COS might become a source of Energy", or not, as things stand today, EU's co-Rapporteur on ETS said, not excluding such a possibility at all...

=> - "Scientists can work on that, (i.e. on the C02 - Future Fuel hypothesis). "It's not my role to work out potential Energy sources, and eventually identify the Carbon Storage, f.ex., as something that we can Develop further", the German MEP suggested.

 - "But, at any case, we need to have ETS Prices, Thresholds, we need to have Financial Resources, etc., and we are actually Damaging the perspective to have the appropriate Investment and EU Trade policy", since "Co2 is damaging, and I don't want to speculate at all" on the need to tackle that problem, he insisted.

 - "Else, I have to say that it's very Unfortunate what happened", earlier today, (i.e. by voting to send back to Committee the Draft Report on ETS Backloading, since EU Commission's proposal was rejected by a thin majority of MEPs). "As Peter Liese said, a lot of EPP Members supported him and me, so that the EPP is not at all a "Polluters' Party", on the contrary it's with us. I welcome and accept that, I'm very Grateful". On the contrary, "those (MEPs : mainly Brittish Conservatives, a.o.) who voted in that damaging way, are going to face their Responsibilities, and we must make them understand for the years to come", Groote warned the recalcitrants vis a vis ETS, as things stand today.

Groote said that after a proposal lodged by some 40 to 50 MEPs managed, with a Thin Majority of only 334 against 315 votes, and 63 Abstentions, to send his Report on the "Timing of Auctions of Greenhouse Gas allowances", back to the Environment Committee.

Christian-Democrat MEP Peter Liese also expressed his "Regrets" for that Negative vote on the Backloading Report, warning that it might "Drop Further" the ETS' "Prices".
But Liese also observed that "to refer the Report back to Committee will give" to MEPs an "Opportunity to Re-Consider their Position", in one way or another.  

Apparently, this might include also a possibility to have a better view on eventual developments concerning the above-mentioned C02-Future Fuel hypothesis (Comp. Supra).

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+ Meanwhile, focusing on the adoption, of his own Report on the "Scheme for Greenhouse Gas Emmission Allowances Trade" by 577 votes against 114, and 21 abstentions, Dr. Liese launched a Call to New USA State Secretary, John Kerry, to find either an Agreement or an "Alternative" vis a vis Europe's ETS system, as he had personaly supported as a Senator in the Past, and as US President Obama reportedly seems to accept in principle, despite an initial refusal by the American Senate, (which is, however, still controlled by Obama's Democratic Party).

For the Time being, EU Parliament accepted "for 1 Year" to exclude International Aviation from EU's ETS obligations, mainly in order to give a chance to EU Commission to conclude "a Global Agreement" inside ICAO, "may be in a slightly Modified" version of the current European system, which would hopefuly include the USA, but also Russia and possibly China, etc, Liese observed, pointing, indirectly but surely, also again at the importance of making good use of the Right Timing for a well informed choice of what is really best to do and when...

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/-It's between July and October 2013 that EU Parliament should negotiate with EU Council in order to forge Final EU Decisions on the creation of European Political Parties well before the forthcoming EU Elections, which are due to be re-scheduled earlier than usual, on May 2014, said to "EuroFora" the President of EU Parliament's Constitutional Committee, Italian ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Carlo Casini.

Chairman Casini spoke to "EuroFora" just after his Committee adopted this Evening a landmark Report drafted by experienced  MEP Marietta Giannakou, Head of the Delegation from Greece, (the EU Member Country due to take over the rotating EU Council's Presidency for the period of January - June 2014, during which will take place the crucial next EU Elections), on the "Statute and Funding of European Political Parties" and "Foundations".

EU Rapporteur Giannakou, whose Draft text was adopted by EU Parliament's Constitutional Committee with a clear Majority of 14 Votes in favor, against 8, and 1 abstention, speaking afterwards to "EuroFora", stressed the fact that "in the Future, European Political Parties will have a fully-fledged Legal Personality and adequate means at EU level, instead of being merely NGOs according to a National Legislation in a Member State, as it was the case until now.

Among the various Amendments adopted Tonight is also the Possibility for Natural Persons to belong "Directly" to a European Political Party, (i.e. even without the intermediation of any other, relevant National Party, etc), as "Individual Members", "when the Statutes" of that European PP permit this.

Adopted Compromise Amendments, proposed by the Rapporteur, ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Giannakou, explicitly enlarged also the possibilities for EU Funding to European Political Parties well beyond EU Electoral Campaigns, pointing also to Referenda on EU issues, on the "Dissemination of Information to the Public in order to raise awareness of significant European Policy matters", etc. 

There were several Disagreements of the Majority of MEPs with a strong Minority of various opposed MEPs (mainly from the Rightists, "Greens", Leftists, etc), particularly on the way in which EU Parliament may admit to register, or not, an organisation as a fully fledged "European, Political Party", as well as Monitor its activity through possible Fines, Radiation, etc., specially for alleged serious breaches of EU's Values on Human Rights and/or Minorities.   

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Previously, the Committee adopted also a proposal by its Chairman, Italian ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Carlo Casini, to mainly accept an exceptional Deal with EU Council on the Advancement of the Date due to be fixed for the next EU Parliament Elections, instead of the initially scheduled week of June 2014, on the Earlier dates of May 22-25, as MEPs had reportedly wished from the start, in order to have enough Time before the Summer break for the Crucial Political Choices on EU Parliament's new Leadership and probably even on EU Commission's new President, (who will be notoriously chosen this time, according to the Political Choices due to be made by EU Citizens while voting for their MEPs, as it was agreed  to start doing for the 1st time in History).

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The Constitutional Committee also adopted an official Decision on the "Opening of Inter-Institutional Negotiations" with EU Council on the European Political  Parties and Foundations, giving also Formal Mandate to a List of 12 MEPs from various Political Groups, Members of EU Parliaments' "Negotiating Team", and 2 Observers,
It was officially given a "Mandate for the Negotiations" with EU Council, based on "the Report by Marieta Giannakou", according to the Decision adopted by a Narrow Majority of 13 Votes in favour, 10 against, and 0 Abstention, (i.e. just the required "Qualified" proportion)....

- "It seems that some MEPs saw their Amendments rejected by the (EU Parliament's) Constitutional Committee, and, so, they express now their dissidence", noted EU Rapporteur Gianakou when asked by "EuroFora" to comment on the Strange Fact that, while her Report was adopted by a Wide Majority (Comp. Supra), nevertheless, this wasn't the case also for the Negotiating Team, after a very Long Voting Time during which MEPs engaged a Hard Fight around some ... 500 tabled Amendments, probably warning of a particularly "Hot" 2014 Election debate !