newsitems

Particularly nowadays, when Public Debates on "Europe's Future" are growing, Both inside EU Pariiament, (with 3 Political Reports during this Plenary Session) and outside, also in view of the forthcoming, Exceptional EU Heads of State/Government Summit at Rome, for the 60th Anniversary of the EU Treaties, due to Highlight some New Horizons, at Rome (Italy), on March 2017.

However, Dreaming on 2016-2017 about the imminent Creation of European Digital "Clouds" didn't start on the Sky, but down on Earth, at Strasbourg's Political, EU Experts and Civil Society Meetings' level, already from 2012-2013, as "Eurofora"s personal Experience attests :

- An Early Proposal around a Digital EU "Cloud", initialy focusing on Legal Rules' framework only, has been made since 2013, during an Annual Cyber-Security Legal, Economic, ICT Experts and Politicians' Conference of Franco-German-Swiss "Superior Rhine" Euro-Region in Strasbourg, to which "Eurofora" had been Invited and actively participated : In particular, this was a main idea of a Key Expert, Senior Official of the French National Security Agency for Information Systems (ANSSI), Philippe Wolf, advanced in an Interview with "Eurofora" : See, f.ex., also : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/cyberattaksandeurules.html ).

But it was, Initialy, already at the Beginning of 2012, that an Experienced MEP, former Chairman of EU Parliament's "STOA" Committee on Scientific/Technological Options' Assessment, Paul Rübig from Austria, (ChristianDemocrat/EPP), in cooperation with his successor, Portuguese former Minister Antionio de Campors (SocialDemocrat), Replied to "Eurofora" Questions in a Press Conference in Strasbourg, about foreseable Future Projects "in the Coming Years", by pointing, at the 1st Place, to "Cloud Computing", (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/euscienceoptionsandcitizens.html ).

Moreover, an interesting PanEuropean/International Conference on "Clouds" data in relation with the Global Fight against Cyber-Crime was organized by CoE's "Budapest" Convention Experts' body on 2015 in Strasbourg, where CoE's Anti-CyberCrime Director, Alexander Seger, spoke to "Eurofora" about the Need for relevant Capacity-Building and potential Victims' Protection, (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/coecybercrimedirectoroncapacitybuilding.html ).

=> That Rübig's and Wolf's moves proved to be Premonitory :

 

- On February 2017, such Pioneer but sketchy Ideas, have become now a seriously documented and Fully-Fledged Official EU Parliament's Report, drafted by ITRE's experienced Chairman, President Buzek, Debated (on Wednesday) and Voted (on Thursday) by MEPs this Week in Strasbourg, on a 2016 initiative launched by EU Commission, which was presented here by EU Commissioner in charge of Scientific Research and Technology Development, Carlos Moedas, (for Other EU Commissioner Moedas' Statements to "Eurofora", see, f.ex., also : ....).

- "We can say that, in the case of Cloud Computing, the most Crucial Issues are about Using that, very Widely, in Science" matters mainly, President Buzek observed from the outset, in Reply to an "Eurofora" Question, Earlier this week.

- "Because we (Europeans) haven't done that yet, until now", and "this is Incredible !", he regretted, (given also the rapidly growing Globbal Competition in this key ICT crossroads area).

- But "Cloud Computing for Research, for Sciences, is of Crucial Importance" nowadays, ITRE's Experienced Chairman (who is also a former University Professor in Physics), underlined.

- "And, ... we, in Europe, could be in the Best role in the World ! ", President Buzek, (who has a large Experience also as former EU Parliament's Rapporteur on the Science and Technology Funding, Mutli-Annual Program "Horizon"), optimisticaly Highlighted.  

- "Because, as you know, we (EU) have more than 550 Millions Citizens, and a Lot of Universities, while Science and Research is advancing forward", he noted.

- Success depends also on "whether we (EU) Start Immediately with Cloud Computing, to go through all the Technicaclities, as soon as possible", EU Parliament's competent Rapporteur urged.

+ When "Eurofora" observed that f.ex. our Natural Science's Advisor, Dr. Constantin Marcopoulos, who is currently working as Professor mainly on Physics and Chemistry etc. in China, during a recent visit to France and Germany (2017) said that he Needs an Efficient and Safe "Cloud" for his Original Documents, and Asked Buzek if it is Possible for the EU to Develop such Computer Clouds which would be physically accessible to Users all over the World, ITRE's Chairman replied very Positively : -  "I think so. Yes, Absolutely ! This is (part of) our (EU's) Task".

-------------------------------

- Speaking, Later-on, in an EU Parliament's Plenary Debate with MEPs on Buzek's Report, EU Commissioner for Science and Innovation Carlos Moedas (Comp. Supra), stressed from the outset EU's "Ambition  of ensuring that science, businesses, public services could reap all the benefits of the so-called ‘Big Data revolution’. Today we produce 2.5 billion – billion – bytes of Data per day. That is, as someone once put it, 4 Eiffel Towers of Blu-ray Discs per Day, so the fundamental Question for us tonight is really How we should deal with it, and the Cloud Initiative is part of the answer".

 - EU Commission "proposed the creation of an inclusive, European, open science cloud, deploying an efficient European data Infrastructure to address such enormous data flows and Opening up the User base to the Public sector and Industry", he resumed in this regard.

- For this purpose, on 2017, "We (EU Commission) are now Discussing sustainable funding and implementation instruments with the Member States, research infrastructures, scientific communities and other key players". "First, on the European Open Science Cloud the Commission is preparing a roadmap for Governance and Financing to be presented to, and discussed with, the Member States in the course of 2017. ...We want our 1.7 Million European Scientists to have the best services for text and data Mining, the best data Management plans, and the best Training programmes. We made Open data the default in "Horizon 2020" (EU Research Funding Program), starting in 2017. In other words, we kind of transformed an exception into a rule", Moedas said.

+ And "We (EU) will Fund a Pilot Project ...to ensure that the Governance in the European Open Science Cloud is truly representative of European Science" and "creates Synergies". "Over the Year, ...we will define a Governance board before the end of 2017 and we will work on making all our research Data fair; Findable, so scientists can identify each piece of data in a unique way; Accessible, so it can always be obtained freely; Interoperable, because science is today at the intersection of disciplines; and ReUsable, because you cannot lose important data after you have used it, you have to be able to use it in different disciplines at different times", he promised.

 - Concerning "the European Data InfraStructure", "a European high performance Computing Strategy (is) under development with Member States and European Industry", which "includes a Pooling of the necessary Investments at all levels to create a World-class ...computing and big data ecosystem by 2023", due "to be built on 2 Exascale Computers. That means a billion operations per second, which is basically 1.000 times Faster than today’s supercomputers", the competent EU Commissioner Highlighted.

 - This "requires seamless user-friendly Access, with appropriate levels of data Protection, Security and services, to ensure Trust and Confidence", he admitted. "So,...on 10 January last, the Commission adopted the Communication on Building a European Data Economy", "dealing with additional big data issues : It advocates reducing barriers to the Free Flow of data. It looks into questions of Ownership, Access to data, Liability", and  "puts emphasis on ...Open and Competitive economy, without unjustified lock-in effects.

+ Citting "a recent Visit" f.ex. to a "Bio-Informatics Institute" at Nearby "Heidelberg", Moedas observed that it had "made" a "Choice" for "Scientific Information Freely Available to the Global Science Community", and pointed out that "This is the Way we (EU Commission) are Going".

- Meanwhile, however, he also said to be "deeply committed to Engaging with All relevant Stakeholders", as well as to "Consider several Proposals, on the Supply and Demand side, and on the Extension to SMEs", as he promised.

-------------------------------------

However, during the EU Parliament's debate, despite an overall Positive, in principle, Welcome by most MEPs, among some Criticism was also f.ex., on behalf of the Conservative/Reformist Group, (mainly UK-driven), MEP Krasnodebski's call to Better Focus on the "Industry sector" and "the realities of the Market", instead of a "Centralized" EU "Commission"'s "Intereference", as he said, expressing also a Reserve about EU's estimation of an "Additional Public-private Investment of 4,7 Billions €" "within 5 Years".

He didn't, however, go as far as the Euro-Sceptic British MEP Diane James, who lated spoke on behalf of "Independent" MEPs, Criticizing a "forecast" to "Cost 6,7 Billions €, including a 4,7 financial Shortfall", which would "mean that no one knows Where almost 5 Billions € ... will be Found", so that, Other, "Existing Global, and fully International Alternatives", might be, perhaps, preferable, according to her opinion.

On the Contrary, "EuroLeft" Group's representative, MEP Marisa Matias from Portugal, found "Necessary ... that the (EU) system is maintained in the Public domain, guaranteeing the use and access to the entire community, from researchers to SMEs, ...secondly, to ensure the portability and interoperability of the data; in the third place, to Protect the personal data", as she stressed.

- On behalf of the "Green" Group, MEP Judith Sargentini, denouced the Fact that, until now, "we do store very often data Outside the EU, and that is Not Good, because outside our jurisdiction, we can Not Protect Governments, Businesses, Scientists and Citizens", while f.ex. "US Companies and NSA watch", as well as some "Russian companies", etc., while, nowadays, "Personal Infrmation is extremely Important" to safeguard. Therefore, EU's "Cloud Initiative" could be also "Good for our Wallets and for our Privacy", particularly if EU Ciommission "Stop Listening to (some) American Companies that would like to have a Monopoly on the Cloud", such as, f.ex. "Hewlett-Packard and Amazon", etc.. "By EnForcing Open Standards" for All, "we (EU) could Reduce that Risk", awhile "also, our (EU's) Data Protection Laws, by keeping the (EU) Cloud very Safe, can Offer even to Foreign Companies, (and/or) Out of the EU, some very Good Opportunities", she observed.

- French MEP Jean-Luc Schaffhauser, (who had been, initialy, the Rapporteur for that Issue"), speaking on behalf of the "Nations and Freedoms" Group (Rightists), stressed from the outset that his main "Concern was to Keep, ... Both the Software and the Harware, for really European Businesses, i.e. Headquartered in the EU, Producing in Europe, and having European Capital". But also "to Monitor Security" and "the concept of Openess, ... so that it doesn't serve only some Foreign Powers", as he Warned, in addition to "Protecting the Data, according the Principle hat they Belong to those who Produce them", as he said.

But, together with "a Team of 25 Experts and 5 Coordinators (MEPs), specialized in this field, we Found ... that even some among the Leading European Companies had Not been Consulted", as he claimed, while, moreover, EU Commission had chosen to "Put Huge (Financial) Means on Super-Computers, but Abandoned the Quantic (Tech) or Other Sectors, as, f.ex. the Micro-Processors, which represent 2O Times more than the Market of SuperComputers", so that this all risked to Benefit "mainly the Foreign Lobbies", in his view.

-----------------

 - Experienced, mainstream ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Paul Rübig from Austria, one of EU's Pioneers in the domain of "Cloud Computing" (Comp. Supra), Welcomed EU Commission's initiative, as a means to "Strengthen Europe", and Advised to Better use the potential "Bonuses" of the "Protection of Personal Data, in a Trusted European Cloud".

- F.ex., a "Cloud Select Industry Group has sought a Code of Conduct, ...set for European Standards", "so that the European Cloud Industry gets in this area a Strong Role", also at "a Global" level, Rübig stressed, while also Saluting the presence of "ENISA and ETSI's Key players" at EU Parliament, Hoping that EU's Initiative "would Really Bring a sustainable Success for European SMEs".

=> For that purpose, "We (EU) also Need a Cloud Computing Compliance-Monitoring Catalog System, to set Standards, (and) enable us to Avoid Distrust and Crisis of Confidence, in this area". In Fact, "we (EU) Need a European Cloud "Quality Seal", for the "Data Storage to European Cloud Providers, in European Data Centers", with "the full Source Code Available in Europe", as well as, "we Need the European Law, and the European (EU and/or CoE) Rules on Data Protection, to apply to the (EU) Cloud a Quality Seal", Rübig urged.

 - When this will be achieved, "then, EU Taxes ... and IT Services will be Able to Contribute (to Fund and Support) our InfraStructure", the experienced Top MEP concluded.

------------------------------------

+ Spanish MEP Jose Blanco Lopez, added a Wish "to make it possible for All Regions of the EU to participate, withOut New Gaps".

Dutch MEP Lumbert van Nistelrooij, observed that in several EU Countries, already, "New Academies Combining Big Data, Science, Ethics, and Entrepreneurship", were "Starting", Hoping that EU would "Not Repeat what had happened during the Last Years, when we Lost Time (f.ex.) vis a vis the USA", as he found.

Greek Conservative MEP Notis Marias, observed that "Revenues from EU's Cloud Computing could reach 80 Billions € until 2020". But he also reminded that "Protection of Personal and other Sensitive Data should have a Priority on the Free Flow of data", while also, "any European Policy" on this field, "should respond to the Needs and Benefit SMEs, and particularly Consumers, both at an EU, National, Regional and Local level", as he said.

-------------------

- In Reply, EU Commissioner Moedas, from Portugal, anew Stressed that "Open Data is the Future, and Locking up is the Past", urging  "Not o Miss this Boat of  Open Access, Open Data, Open Science, and Openness to the World", as "this (EU) Cloud is about being Able to Mine text and Data, Better than others, and about having Access to Information that can create Ideas" and "Jobs", as he said.

+ However, at the same time, he also Promised to "Speed Implementation, Invest in a World-leading Capacity, set up a Governance structure ...truly Representative of European Science", and "Protect People's Data and Privacy", as well as "Ensure that European Industry and Public Sector Benefit from that".

------------------------------------------------

>>> President Buzek's Draft Report supports such an "European Open Science Cloud" (EOSC), particularly after observing the fact that "Countries like USA, China Japan and Russia are seriously Investing in such Systems", while also stressing that it "should be Developed with due regard for the Fundamental Rights enshrined in (EU's) Charter ..., in particular the Rights of Data Protection, Privacy, Liberty and Security", as well as to Benefit also SMEs, be associated with a Wider Access to Broadband Internet for the People, throughout Regions, and by engaging with Civil Society Together with all other relevant European stakeholders.

-----------------------------------------------

An Alternative Draft Resolution, presented in the form of an Amendment by the "Nations and Freedoms" Group of Rightist MEPs, warned, inter alia, also about "US Intelligence Services" allegedly "advocating Maximum Openness", observed that f.ex. "China requires every Cloud Operator to have a Minimum of 50% of Chinese Capital", Regretted that EU "Commission (allegedly) Failed to Consult the only European Producer of MicroProcessors, ... or Europe's largest Cloud Computing Company, although it did Consult their Non-European Rivals", Urges to use "Free (EU) Linux Software" in order to "Save... Tens of Billions €" and "allow the European Digital Sector to play a Leading role", Calls to consider a Company as "European" "only if its Office and ..Decision making centers, Manufacturing Sites, are on European Territory, and if it's Controlled by European Capital, and subject to consolidated Tax" here, (instead of merely having "a European Subsidiary", as EU Commission allegedly would estimate), Denounces "Storing or Processing Data Outside of Europe", as "tantamount to Killing off EU's Digital Economy", asks for "Governance" to be "under European Jurisdiction", asks to "encourage and Fund the writing of Secure Free Software" in Europe, particularly "with Linux", and to "massively Invest in (EU's) SemiConductor Industry", as well as "to adopt High Encryption standards", (a point also made in Buzek's Draft), and Concluded by calling to ensure that "anyone Using .. Data should Remunerate the Data Provider", with "Dissuassive Fines on Companies illegaly using Data", so that "Europe" could become "a Safe Haven for Data Storage in the World", as it claimed.

------------------------------------------------

As a whole, that Text was, however, Rejected by a strong EU Parliament's Majority of at least 535 MEPs, against only about 40 and 5 Abstentions.

While, on the Contrary, President Buzek's Draft Resolution, (which Included some Responses to several among those Concerns : Comp. partly Supra), was clearly Adopted by EU Parliament, with a Crystal-clear absolute Majority of 444 Votes in Favour, and Only almost 144 Dissident Votes, (Against or Abstentions), i.e. supported by More than 3/4 of MEPs.

-----------------------------------

 

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- Even if we have yet to see how things will go exactly between the New US President Don Trump and the EU, nevertheless, Europe is Ready for a real Fight against ISIS a.o. Islamist Terrorism, replied to "Eurofora"s Questions the Experienced, mainstream German ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP, Elmar Brok, a former Long-Time President of EU Parliament's Foreign affairs Committee, and currently Rapporteur for EU's Future on the basis of the latest Lisbon Treaty's potential, (Debated and Voted this Week in Strasbourg), in view of the forthcoming EU Heads of State/Government Summit, scheduled for March 2017 in Rome, for the Anniversary of the Historic Treaties which had Created the EU, (Comp. relevant "Eurofora"'s NewsReports from the landmark EU-27 Summit in Bratislava, which designed a Roadmap for the foreseable Future, among others also at : ...).

Significantly, Brok (who has also served, Recently, as EU Parliament's Rapporteur on the implementation of EU's Common Foreign and Security policy at the End of 2016), mentioned the Fact that, for the 1st Time, an Official Representative of Trump's Admistration is due to make several Meetings "in Brussels" nowadays, speaking of the New US Defence Secretary, James Mattis, who is also expected to attend, shortly Afterwards, the Annual International Conference on Security, at Munchen (Germany), together with US vice-President Mike Pence and German Chancelor Angie Merkel, where Brok will also participate, before President Trump's hoped venue in Europe, later-on this year, both for the NATO Summit of May, and for the G20 Summit in Hamburg (Germany) on July 2017.

Meanwhile, it's also the New USA State Secretary, Rex Tillerson, who has just confirmed officialy his expected travel to Nearby Bonn (Germany) for the "G20" Global meeting of Foreign Ministers, (since Berlin's Government currently chairs the Annual Global Summit's preparations and conclusion this year of 2017, just after China back on 2016).

Brok spoke to "Eurofora" while he was exceptionaly overloaded with Many Newspapers from Deutschland, where the National Press was -and still is- Full of various manifold Articles about the Justice Minister's and other Officials' denonciations of the Fact that even several Turkish Muslim "Imams" were reportedly Spying a lot of People in Germany, of Various Political tendencies, under Instructions comming from Abroad : i.e. from the Government of Ankara. Both in Germany and other European Countries it's a Crime to Spy People inside Europe for the sake of a Foreign Government. Turkish  Imams are the Only to be exclusively Depending from a Foreign, Non-European Government (that of Ankara), which Selects them, Trains them, Pays them, and Sends them abroad in various Other Countries to operate, as if they were its own, Turkish State's Agents, instead of being Independent Religious persons represeenting just their Local Community residing in Europe, as is, on the Contrary, the case with almost all Other Religious Communities whatever.   

                                                                                                             

(../..)

***

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- Ankara Government's recent provocative Demand for 80 Millions of Turks to get an identical Status to EU Citizens in Cyprus, as a Condition for the ReUnification of the Island, which is an EU Member Country, was clearly Rejected as Unacceptable by Experienced German MEP, Long-Time former President of EU Parliament's Foreign affairs Committee, and currently Rapporteur for EU's Future on the basis of Lisbon Treaty's potential, Elmar Brok, a mainstream Member of the Biggest Group of MEPs : that of ChristianDemocrats/EPP, and of the Governing in Berlin CDU/CSU Chancelor Angie Merkel's Party, in Reply to a relevant Topical Question raised by "Eurofora" Today.

 

After then Postponement, last Month, of the continuation of a Multilateral Political Conference in Geneva (Switzerland) under UNO auspices for the Solution of Cyprus' issue, where Turkey had participated for the 1st Time, together with Greece and the UK, as well as Cyprus' President Anastassiades and the Leader of the Turkish Cypriot Community Akinci, despîte some Progres that the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot representatives had reportedly managed to make beforehand at least in certain notable particular points of Convergence, Ankara apparently insisted to keep for ever a right to Intervene in Cyprus under the disguise of an Unilateral "Guarantee", as well as a significant Military presence inside the island, where Turkish Troops persist to illegaly Occupy its Northern Part since the 1974 Deadly Military Invasion from mainland Anatolia, and even Asked, for the 1st Time, for all of its own, Turkish Citizens to get an Identical Status and Rights as if they were EU Citizens, all over Cyprus.

President Anastassiades has reportedly written, a few Days ago, an Official Letter to his 27 Counterparts among all EU Member Countries' Heads of State/Government, just after the latest EU Summit in Malta, presenting particularly those New Demands made by Turkey, mainly as far as it concerns the 4 Freedoms of EU Citizens inside the European Union Member States, (i.e. of Free Movement of Workers, Establishment, Flow of Capital and Merchandises, etc), for 80 Millions of Turks, which obviously push to Upgrade Ankara's status from a problematic (notoriously Controversial and UnPopular) Candidate into something assimilated to a Full EU Member, and risks to have manifold Repercussions also for All Other EU States, asking to Forge a Collective European Position vis a vis a move which looks as if Turkey searched to Enter inside the EU from a BackDoor...

Elmar Brok's reply to "Eurofora"s Question on this point (comp. supra) was Crystal-Clear :

 

- As far as it concerns "Freedom of Movement" etc., "it's Not for Turkey !", the experienced, mainstream German MEP strongly stressed from the outset, after Thinking Carefuly on this Topical and "Hot" Issue.

- "This is Only for Cypriots", Brok substantiated, Explaining that he meant for Both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, once an overall Political Agreement for the ReUnification of the Island would have been Reached, sooner or later, thanks to the still on-going Efforts for a Peaceful Solutiion under UNO's auspices.

A Fortiori when a Wide EU Parliament's Majority has, by the way, Rejected recently in Strasbourg (on Summer 2016) Ankara's Claim to get for all its 80 Millions of Turkish Nationals a "Free Visa" status, allowing them to Enter and Stay in Europe for at least 6 Months Each Year, whenever they like, and withOut any prior demand, Neither the slightes legal procedure or check. Later-on, that same year (on Winter 2016), EU Parliament quasi-Unanimously went also as far as to Officialy Ask, for the 1st Time, with another Resolution Voted in Strasbourg, to "Freeze" any EU - Turkey Negotiations on the Controversial and UnPopular Ankara's EU bid, (while an Important Number of various MEPs, mainly from the Right, but also from the Center and even from the Left side of the Political Spectrum, Advanced Further, leaning towards putting a full "Stop" to that problematic process).

By another Coincidence, Elmar Brok (who served also recently as EU Rapporteur on the Implementation of EU's Foreign and Security Policy, at the End of 2016), spoke to "Eurofora", earlier this Afternoon in EU Parliament being exceptionaly Overloaded with Many German Newspapers, while the Press was -and still is- Full of various manifold Articles about the Justice Minister's and other Officials' denonciations of the Fact that even several Turkish Muslim "Imams", as well as Turkish Consuls, etc., were reportedly Spying a lot of People in Germany, of Various Political tendencies, under Instructions comming from Abroad : i.e. from the Government of Ankara.

Both in Germany and other EU Countries it's a Crime to Intrude and Spy on other People's Lives inside Europe, engaging in activities similar to State Intelligence Agents, while being at the Orders of a Foreign Government.

Turkish  Imams are the Only to be exclusively Depending from a Foreign, Non-European Government (that of Ankara), which Selects them, Trains them, Pays them, and Sends them abroad in various Other Countries to operate, as if they were its own, Turkish State's Agents, instead of being Independent Religious persons representing just their Local Community residing in Europe, as is, on the Contrary, the case with almost all Other Religious Communities whatever.  

 

Germany is currently Preparing for Crucial National Elections on September 2017, where More Political Parties than in the Past are currently expected to enter or return into the Bundestag, making various Coalitions possible. 

 

 

 

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- An exceptional and Topical MEPs' Debate in EU Parliament Today pointed mainly at Judges' integrity, away from Political influences, and Committed to the Rule of Law, as a much Needed Institutional Tool also for the eradication of still endemic Corruption in Ukraine, for which EU has earmarked a lot of Grants and favorable Loans (See Infra), but without yet obtaining the desirable results, as representatives of 3 EU Institutions agreed after examining independently the developments of the relevant situation on the spot recently.

Significantly, they spoke Near the Headquarters of the PanEuropean Organisation for the Rule of Law, Human Rights and Democracy : the CoE, in Strasbourg, whose own Parliamentary Assembly (composed by MPs send from the National Parliaments of 47 CoE Member States, including Ukraine) is still in the process of "Monitoring" Kiev Authorities' relevant commitments, especialy on Legal Principles.

- "Judicial Review is a Key" Issue, particularly for the Fight against "Corruption", stressed EU Commission's representative Herr Wagner, speaking at an Exceptional Meeting of the competent EU Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control (COCOBU), in Strasbourg this Evening.

+ In fact, EU "Money is Available", he optimisticaly observed, but it's "Not yet Explicitly" made conditional to effective implementation of authorized EU Programs, (See also Infra), he regretted, while also Pointing at the Need for "Public Administration Reforms" and a better role for "Civil Society", etc., as relevant Factors and PreConditions for a Healthy Economic Development.

- From the Other Side, even if a recent decision to bring Gas closer to real Market Prices has brought a Burden to the Population, nevertheless, it has also managed to absorb a quasi-chronic Debt of Ukranian Gas Company in the Past, which has now become "slightly Profitable", Wagner observed.

----------------------------

But EU Court of Auditors' member, Scabolcs Fazakas, from Hungary, who led the collective Audit on Ukraine, acknowledged the Fact that "Corruption is Very Real" Today, with the main Problem being "Political Influence".

Relevant "Reforms are Not Implemented", while "a Lot of Bodies were set up, But, Unfortunately, we (EU) are Still Waiting for the Outcome" of their activities, he criticized.
He pointed at an almost 100 Pages-Long Official Report established by the ECA, focusing now on the 2007-2015 Period, but also in View of the 2014-2020 "EU Response" due to Total a "Package of 11,2 Billions € in the foreseable Future.

--------------------------------------

 - Indeed, "Results ....remain to be seen" concerning the "Fight against Corruption", says EU Parliament's Draft Report on EU Assistance to Ukraine, drafted by German MEP Joachim Zeller, from the Governing, ChristianDemocrat/EPP Party, who expressed "Regrets that Old Structures, ... Reluctant to Reforms, Modernisation and Democratisation prersist, while Forces Willing to Reform face Severe Difficulties".

=> In Consequence, EU must "Strengthen Monitoring" of the way that its Financial "Assistance is Implemented", he urges, including "by Suspending Payments", "where duly Justified by Lack of Satisfactory Progress in Reforms", and "make Further EU Assistance Conditional on effective Implementation of key ... Reforms", while "DisBursement conditions should be Strictly Assessed", according to his Report.

>>> In particular, a Draft Resolution "calls for a ReConstruction of the Judiciary power in the country, towards an Independent instrument Committed to the Rule of Law", mainly as part of a much Needed "Efficient Fight against the Still Widespread Corruption".

+ In Addition, "EU Assistance to Ukraine .. should be Tied with tagible efforts of the Ukranian Government ... namely top Improve the Own Resources ... through a ... Tax Scheme which does Not Only account for the Income of the Citizens, but Also the Assets of the Oligarchs".

--------------------------------

The latest "Fact Finding Mission" which visited Ukraine on 2016, presented a Report Drafted by the President of EU Parliament's Budget Control Committtee, another German MEP of the Governing ChristianDemocrat Party, Mrs Ingebopre Graessle, from Nearby Baden-Wurtemberg, to which refered several Speakers during Today's Debate :

The "very Substantial Financial Assistance" of almost 5 Billions € earmarked by the EU for Ukraine since the 2014 Events, (composed by 3.400 Millions for MacroFinancial Assistance, 1.400 Millions € for Development and Regions, as well as 110 Millions € for Peace and Humanitarian actions), "is Not Evaluated systematically", observes Grassle, "agreeing" on this point with EU's Court of Auditors' criticism.

 

 

 

Particularly, on "Corruption", despite some "significant Steps", nevertheless,  "Tangibe Results" are still "Needed", she underlined.

F.ex., "2 Years After the Creation" of "3 Bodies aimed at Combating Corruption", some of them "are Still More Occupied with Staffing and Office Equipment, than ... with Fulfilling their .. Duties", COCOBU President Graessle found on the spot.

"Independence and Integrity of specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office" "Need further Improvement", while "the Ukranian Authorities have Not yet produced a Convincing Track Record of Investigations and Sanctions for High-Level Corruption Cases", her Report's main Conclusions denounce.