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French Economy Minister Le Maire at Sudden Agricultural Talks, as UK eyes BREXIT via Macron +Agri !
French Economy Minister Le Maire at Sudden Agricultural Talks, as UK eyes BREXIT via Macron +Agri !

*Strasbourg/EuroFair/Angelo Marcopolo/- Un UnExpected Long Meeting of Key French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire on Agricultural Issues, curiously durating much Longer than his Planned Inauguration of Strasbourg's 2019 Euro-Fair, whose Schedule was seriously Disrupted,
Surprisingly occured at the Same Moment that, in the UK, Topical BREXIT News, (After a Political Deadlock at Westminster's Parliament), are Exceptionally, Focused on France's position, in a way Including mainly a possible Agri-Food and Plants' Deal with the EU !
(BREXIT's No 1 Top News on France's position, when BLMaire Visits Strasbourg on 6/9/2019)
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Just After embattled UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson (an atypical Conservative, who has notoriosuly Vowed to realize BREXIT inside the Time Deadline fixed by an EU Summit for the End of October 2019, and, Meanwhile, Suspended a recalcitrant Parliament's work for 1 Month, seeking to Facilitate that), vowed to Persist Struggling until the UK Leaves the EU, with an Agreed Deal or Even Not, but WithOut Any Delay, Despite House of Commons' Opposition Votes, Recently Excluding any Non-Deal BREXIT, and Asking another Delay, until January Next Year (2020 !), while even Excluding any Democratic Election meanwhile, suddenly, the Focus turned towards France :
- Indeed, as Boris Johnson Excluded to Obey to those Controversial Conditions imposed by the Opposition and a Few Turn-Coat MPs that he's just Thrown Out from his own (Conservative) Party, Even if he reportedly Risked to go to Prison for doing that, the Number 1 Hope for a Majority of BREXITERS among UK People (according to Polls), became the alleged Refusal of French President, Emmanuel Macron, to accept anOther Delay, even without any serious perspective for an imminent UK-EU Deal, Hoping that this would result into the EU "Kicking Out" the UK, quasi-Automatically, After the 31th of October (Comp. Supra)...
=> In real Practice, according to the Latest Infos, this Mainly boiled down into Urgent UK-EU Talks, including Ireland, around Modifying that Controversal "BackStop" Clause in the Current Draft Deal for BREXIT, (which Excludes "Hard Borders" between Northern Ireland's area and the EU), by Agreeing, Instead, on certain Sanitary Controls on Agri-Food and Plants' Trade there, (which, Obviously, interest Particularly France, as the Nearest and Biggest Agricultural EU Country)...
>>> Bruno Le Maire is personaly a Key for such Matters, since he has a valuable Relevant Experience, as Former Minister of Agriculture, as well as for EU Affairs, in Addition to his Current Status as Minisister of Economy, and Often Accompagnies Macron at International Summits, (as, f.ex., at the Latest "G20" Summit in Hamburg, Germany, on 2017, where "Eurofora" met him aside the French President : Comp. http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/macrontoprotectcyprusisraelenergyforeurope.html, etc).
+ Meanwhile, "Eurofora" had just Agreed, Today in Strasbourg, with Le Maire's Press Attaché, (an Experienced Officer, formerly working at the Elysée Presidential Palace in Paris, during a Long Period of Time), about a Direct "Press Point" with the French Minister, shortly after his Speech on the Inauguration of Strasbourg's 2019 "Euro-Fair", and Before he mades the Traditional Visit of its main Stands, between the Hilton hotel and EU Parliament's building.
- It's also Today that "Eurofora" said to that Le Maire's Press Attaché, that the "Most Topical" of the Questions that we'd like to Raise was, precisely, the Fact that, UnExpectedly, France had Just Become the Focus of Public Attention in the Latest BREXIT-related Developments (Comp. Supra), anOther possible Question concerning Digital Innovations, (that the French Minister had evoked in his Speech).
- It may be Better to "Let them Do what They Wish !", immediately Reacted Le Maire's experienced Press Spokesman, to "Eurofora"s above-mentioned Point, obviously referring to the Majority of Brittish People wish for BREXIT, Despite the "Sadness", that the French Minister had just, repeatedly, Expressed anew, at his earlier Speech Today, (withOut, however, Adding Anything More in Public on that issue, at least for the moment)...
- But, UnExpectedly, Bruno Le Maire himself, After Kindly Saluting "Eurofora" when he Arrived for the Scheduled "Press Point", and Despite the Fact that he is well Used to give Immediate Replies to various "Eurofora"s Questions on Topical Issues throughout his Career, (See, among others, also, f.ex. : Already since 2009 http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/shipgas.html, as, among others, http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/frenchministerlemaireonagriculturalpotential.html 2012, http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/internationalpressdebateongermanelection.html Paris, 2013, etc, and Statements, also http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/irish/sarkobigprojects.html (2008), http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/irish/2009_2010.html 1/2009, http://www.eurofora.net/brief/brief/blablablablabla.html 4/2009, including at meetings of "Eurofora" with President Macron at "G20" Summit in Hamburg, Germany 2017, Comp: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/macrontoprotectcyprusisraelenergyforeurope.html, and during his EU Parliament visite, followed by EU Commission's vice-Presiden Vestager in Strasbourg's City Hall, on 10/2018 http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/taxgafaandbuildeudigitaltech.html), etc), nevertheless, this time, he exceptionaly Asked "Eurofora" to Postpone that matter for "Later-On" Today, (i.e. before, during, or after his Scheduled Visit of Strasbourg's 2019 "EuroFair" Stands : See Infra), and Suddenly Looked, almost Anxiously, Behind us, Towards an adjacent Room, where a Not Previously Announced Delegation, just Arrived, was apparently Waiting for him !
- "Eurofora" was immediately told that this was a "Special" Meeting with "Representatives of Agriculture", (from which stems, by a Coincidence, even the current President of the Biggest European Party in the EU : Joseph Daul, former Long-Time MEP of Strasbourg and f. Chairman of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group in EU Parliament, who had Met Le Maire here in the Past, in Our Presence : See, f.ex., ..., etc), as well as that the French Minister had to Leave, Afterwards, Not with the High-Speed Train, as usual, But, Exceptionally, this time, "with an Airplane-Jet", in order to Rapidly "Meet with President Macron", elsewhere, (See Infra).
>>> However, such a Meeting with Agriculture's representatives, (in a Room of Strasbourg's "Palace of Music and Congresses", Before he Visits the EuroFair's Stands, nearby), had NOT been Included at all in the Official "PROGRAM" of Le Maire, that the Press Service of the Economy Ministry and of Strasbourg's Prefecture had Send to "Medias' Editors", including "Eurofora", just Yesterday (5/9/2019) Noon !
Indeed, it Only Mentioned, vaguely, the usual, various brief "Meetings with Professional Organisations" in general, exclusively During his Subsequent, OutDoors "Visit of the Exhibition's Parc", and "Visit of Stands", After "Crossing Halls 2 and 3", (i.e., practically, as he would approach Strasbourg Area's "Alsace's Chamber of Crafts", etc., as usual in these Annual events), which, Obviously, is a Totally Different thing, (See relevant PhotoCopy of that Official Document, herewith)...
=> A +2 HOURS UNEXPECTED DELAY !
+ Moreover, at the great Surprise of All Other Officials, Politicians, Diplomats, MEPs or Journalists also Waiting to Accompagny the French Minister, as usual, to his Subseqent Visit, Initially Due to Start in a Few Minutes, on the Contrary, ...Took an UnExpected, awfull lot of Time, Delaying, Far Beyond any Expectation, his Scheduled Next Moves, to the Point that Several Important Officials and/or Top Politicians were Obliged, Meanwhile, to Leave, Unable to Wait still Longer, while, Even his own Agenda had to be, After that, Modified, at the Last Minute, sharply Shortening or even Cutting various initially Scheduled Moves...
- Indeed, while Le Maire's Official Program (send to the Medias, including Eurofora) indicated that, Immediately After a Speech, in Strasbourg's "Palace for Music and Congresses", at "10.15", he would Go Straight Outdoors, to the "Exhibitions' Parc", at "11" h. in "the MORNING", on the Contrary, after Brief Statements to Journalists (including "Eurofora": See ..., etc) for a Few Minutes, the French Minister, following his Unexpected, Subsequent Meeting, in a PMC's Room, with some unnamed "Agriculture's Representatives", nevertheless, he was, Finally, Delayed more than ...2 whole Hours (sic !), Compared to his Initially Scheduled Program, thus Obliged to reach the "Exhibition Parc"'s Middle area Only as Late as ...13h.45+, i.e., practically, in the AFTERNOON, (while his Schedule had foreseen, on the Contrary, to catch up his ...Airplane at "13h.35"), as "Eurofora" witnessed on the spot !
- To the point that "Eurofora"' co-Founder, (having, these Last Years, become slightly Handicaped and Obliged to Walk Slower than usual, with Crunches, particularly through Long Trajectories), narrowly Missed the Next RDV, inside Strasbourg's 2019 "EuroFair", (this time, Exceptionaly surrounding the Hilton hotel), Even if Bruno Le Maire, Smiling, came, unexpectedly, to anew Salute us, Right in Front of the only Stand where We had radomly Chosen to Wait for his arrival, (by anOther Coincidence : of Agricultural Products - Fruits/Vegetables' Natural Juices...), nevertheless, he was immediately Surounded by intrusive "Paparatzi" and other various bystanders, practically Hindered to make a Free Exchange on Serious Political Issues, and, therefore, it became impossible, in such exceptional cirunstances, to have more than an Original Photo of him Approaching "Eurofora" with a Smile, while being rushed by Local Officials, to Urgently Run Fast to catch-up with a Last Brief Stand-Meeting, before reaching a Series of Official Cars ad motorcyclistes, Nearby, which had Already Left Before in order to Wait on the spot to take him the Soonest possible, directly at the Airport, (as "Eurofora" had been Warned)...
=> The very Sequence, as well as Context, of such a Long Series of Exceptional, mostly UnExpected, but Coherent, UnPrecedented Events, largely Out of Schedule, clearly Offers itself for a Coherent Interpretation, more or less Linked with the above-mentioned Sudden "U-Turn" that BREXIT's Latest Developments have Surprisingly taken in the UK, concerning the EU and particularly France, reportedly Narrowing down around Agricultural Matters linked to Top Politics, (Comp. many Facts cited Supra).
+ Significantly, Moreover, Le Maire's meeting with President Macron, Immediately after Strasbourg, at Evian, was Also around Economy and European Politics, including many Business Representatives from France and Germany, etc., Together with Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Europe.
>>> Last, but not least, the above-mentioned Concrete Details about BREXIT's "BackStop"-related Matters to Urgently Settle in view of a Possible Alternative Solution from the Current Political Deadlock in the UK (Comp. Facts cited Supra), eeem to be, reportedly, around Sanitary (Health) Controls on Agricultural Foods and Plants' Trade at the possibly Future "Borders" between the EU and the Northern Ireland region of the UK, which Traditionally is a quite Well-Known Technico-Economic Issue of potentially Big Political Importance in International Relations :
- Indeed, it's, Paradoxically, around some, so-called, ..."Phyto-Sanitary Certificates" (sic !), that a Huge Political Battle had been Earlier Fought, soon after 2000, (Both at Legal level, in front of EU's Court of Justice, at nearby Luxembourg, as well as inside EU Commission, Parliament and Council, added to relevant UN Top Political Instances), on anOther, and very Different, Occasion related to illegal Attempts for Trade with the EU accross the UN Peace-Keeping demarcation Line surounding the Occupied Territories illegaly controlled by Turkey's Foreign Invasion and Occupation Army since 1974, in Nowadays (from 2004) EU Member State Cyprus !
Such UnExpected "Coincidences", obviously contribute, together with a lot of various Other Converging Facts, (Comp. Supra), to underline the potentially very Important Political Significance that, as several UK Medias Nowadays observed, a possible simple Move by France might, potentially, have for an eventual Solution of the BREXIT issue, Out of the Current Deadlock (Comp. Supra) :
- IF French President Macron helped Settle, with such a Punctual, Simple and Unique Modification, that Controversial "BackStop" Issue, which had Notoriously Blocked the Current Version of the Draft EU-UK Agreement, Earlier Negiotiated with former UK Prime Minister May, (Comp., among others, also, f.ex. : ..., etc),
=> then, New UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, could Immediately Bypass the Obstacles recently set up by some even More Controversial Attempts, by a Currently ImPopular in the UK House of Commons, to OutLaw a "Clean", "No-Deal BREXIT", while, at the Same Time, Imposing a Further Delay until Next Year (2020) at any case, and Even UnDemocratically Prolonging its own existence, meanwhile, by Refusing any Election which could Allow, for the Brittish People, to freely and Democratically express, Directly by their Votes, Their prefered Choice for their own Country's forseable Future, (Comp. Supra)...
>>> Indeed, such a possible Move, could Simply be presented as 1 Simple UK-EU draft Agreement's Modification, Allowing to Respect Both the Brittish People's verdict at the Popular Referendum for BREXIT since 2016, (Comp., f.ex.: ..., etc), and Even the Latest, Controversial 2019 Resolutions of UK's Parliament, (Comp. Supra) while Also, eventually Opening a Way for possible Fresh, Democratic Elections, (If, perhaps, still Necessary), ipso facto.
(../..)
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An "Eugenic" loophole Amendment, which might expose to Dangers reminiscent of "3rd Reich's" notorious Genetic Abuses, hidden at the last minute inside an otherwise Good, larger Health policy Package scheduled to be voted on Thursday, was strongly denounced by a coalition of MEPs from various Political Groups and Countries, in a Press Conference held this afternoon at EU Parliament in Strasbourg.
Mainly calling to "Select Human Embryos", via "Genetic Counselling" and "pre-implantation" Techniques including "Genetic Tests", in order to "Eradicate Hereditary rare Diseases", it might open ways to Dangerous Practices in Future, they denounced in substance.
But they also made it clear that a much larger Report inside which this Controversial Amendment "No 15" was added in dubious circumstances, officialy destinated to struggle against "Rare Diseases", and drafted by Professor Antonios Trakatellis, was otherwise "an Excellent Report", aiming at a "completely Uncontroversial target" of Health policy on which "all MEPs and Experts are united, believing that Europe should act" to protect People's Health (See "EuroFora"'s earlier News).
The controversy came at a particularly delicate moment for the EU in relation to Citizens, at the eve of June 2009 EU Elections, and shortly before Ireland re-votes for "Lisbon Treaty"..
- Denouncing risks of "an Eugenic demand, very similar to what we had during the 3rd Reich in Germany, but now coming from some Scientisists themselves", German ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Dr. Peter Liese stressed that critical MEPs were against "Eugenic" engineering with "Selection of Human Embryos", and anything which might ultimately lead up to to a "Selection of Human Race". It doesn't help to "eradicate" Human Lives, he added.
Several Experts and NGOs expressed "Deep Concern", as f;ex. DR M.C. Cornel of the "European Society of Human Genetics", which stressed, on this occasion, that "the importance of Non-Directiveness in Reproductive issues is a Central characteristic of Human Genetics, after the Atrocities committed in the name of Genetics in the first half or the 20th Century".
- "This is completely Unacceptable", stressed Italian Liberal MEP Vittorio Prodi, on the Controversial Amendment, also because pushes to "eliminate early Human Life", as he noted.
- "This opens a Dangerous Road, rather a Motorway", denounced Danish MEP Mrs Margrette Auken, from the "Greens", observing that various similar attempts were made in the Past "not only in Germany, but also in several other Countries, "even at the 1970ies", "f.ex. on forced Sterilisation of Roma" People, and other criticisable situations f.ex. in the UK, in Sweden, etc. as she said.
+ Other NGOs, as f.ex. "LebenHilfe" from Berlin, added that, among various other Risks, could also be that, by exploiting the pre-implantation Genetic Diagnostics and the Selection of "healthy" Embryos, some may "propagate" several "Eugenic" aims, starting f.ex. by pushing to eradicate Human Livies which might "Cost too much" to preserve, ultimately exposing to dangers reminiscent of the "3rd Reich"'s atrocious abuses.
In consequence, ChristianDemocrats/EPP and "Green" MEPs "decided by Majority to vote against" this Controversial Amendment, anounced to Journalists the 5 MEPs who participated in the Press Conference, representing a wide spectrum, from Liberals to "Greens" and ChristianDemocrats, and from Hungary, Italy, Germany and Danemark up to Ireland (Gay Mitchell), etc.
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Hungarian ChristianDemocrat MEP Laszlo Surjan said "that it was "Suddenly, at the End of the Procedure" in Committee, that "appeared this (Controversial) Amendment, which has nothing to do" with the main purpose of the Report, on which all agreed.
He denounced an "Unhonest" move, and called to "avoid this kind of unacceptable situations". Nobody should "Select People", Surjan stressed.
- "We (MEPs) had No Chance to Discuss" this last-minute Amendment earlier added at a Committee's level, said German MEP Peter Liese
Speaking to "EuroFora", Dr. Liese, the Spokesman of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group in EU Parliament, said that MEPs didn't oppose other references of the Report f.ex. on "Genetic Tests", because they were "no proposals" to impose them, while, on the contrary, there was "a Problem" if anyone attempted to "impose" f.ex. this or that Genetic Technique and "Genetic Counselling", etc. to the People on human reproduction.
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The precise Text :
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Controversial parts of Amendment No 15 ask mainly "to lead finally to the Eradication" of "Hereditary" "rare diseases", "through Genetic Counselling .., and ..pre-Implantation Selection of healthy Embryos".
But EU Rapporteur Professor Trakatellis, said to "EuroFora" that fears should be alleviated by Guarantees that all this should be done only "where appropriate", when it's "not contrary to existing National Law", and "always on a Voluntary basis", according to other Parts of the Amendment.
He stressed that the main aim was to allow "a free and informed choice of persons involved", without imposing them anything : - "It's not an obligatory, but advisary" text, he said.
To make that point clear, he was ready, in agreement with many MEPs, to eventually drop at least that part of the controversial Amendment which initially called for "efforts to ..lead finally to the Eradication of those rare diseases" "which are Hereditary".
But, until late Wednesday evening, reportedly together with many other MEPs, he stood by all the rest of the controversial Amendment, (fex. on the "Genetic Counselling" and the "pre-implantation Selection of healthy Embryos"), so that critical MEPs, going from ChristianDemocrats as Dr. Liese, to "Greens" or "Ind/Dem", observed to "EuroFora" that "this was not enough" to close the dangerous loophole.
Particularly since, as Professor Trakatellis noted himself, "this is already allowed to the U.K.", and "other National Legislations would probably follow, sooner or later" in a similar direction. As for a general call to "Eradicate Hereditary rare Diseases", this "should happen, at any case, in practice, de facto", to protect public Health.
On the contrary, "our goal should be to help patients suffering from rare diseases, not to eradicate the patients. In case of genetic disease risk, the decision should not be guided by scenarios" made by politicians. "Perents who may decide to accept a child, even if handicapped or with genetic disease, must be respected and supported with solidarity", critical MEPs stated.
- "Any Pressure" to "a patient or couple (who "should be able to make an informed choice consistent with their own values"),"from health Professionals, Public Health Policies or Governemental Institutions, or Society at large, should be avoided", stresses the "European Society for Human Genetics".
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Each MEP's vote will be registered !
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The Socialist Group requested a "Split vote" on the Amendment 15, first without, and afterwards with the words "lead finally to the Eradication" etc.
But the first "split vote" leaves intact all the other parts of the Controversial Amendment, (i.e. "Genetic Counselling", "Selection of healthy Embryos", etc).
That's why, 3 Groups of MEPs : ChristianDemocrats/EPP, "Greens/EFA", and "Ind/Dem", have asked for "Roll Call Votes", on everything regarding the Controversial Amendment No 15, and on the final outcome of the resulting Report as amended, which will register all the individual positions to be taken by each MEP.
Something which will obviously make each MEP think twice before voting for one or another choice, to be sure that he/she will make the right choice in front of EU Citizens, particularly at these pre-Election times...
Crucial Votes were scheduled between 12 Noon and 1 p.m. local Strasbourg time, in the middle of a long series of various other Reports, and after a long Public Debate on the larger Health policy package, from 9 to 11.50 am.
The specific Report inside which was hidden the controversial Amendment is due to be debated between 11 and 12 am.
So that more last-minute Surprises may not be excluded a priori...
Particularly at the present Historic moment, when even the Institutional Future of the EU depends on the result of a second Referendum on "Lisbon Treaty", later this year, in ...Ireland, a mainly Catholic country, where People are particularly sensitive in such kind of socio-cultural and values issues...

















