EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - With energy and climate change set to dominate the EU agenda in the coming years, the European Commission is to create a new energy directorate-general from 1 November 2009 at the latest. The decision - an initiative by commission president Jose Manuel Barroso - will see senior EU official Claude Chene chair a "task force" to make detailed proposals for the scope and structure of the new "DG" by 1 May 2009. The new directorate is expected to be around 400 to 500-man strong and have its own communication, external relations and personnel units. Energy is currently handled in the hybrid "energy and transport" directorate-general, which serves both energy commissioner Andris Piebalgs and transport commissioner Antonio Tajani, despite the pair's priorities drifting apart. The European Commission has 41 DGs, some of which serve individual commissioners, while others handle internal business such as publications or IT. The powerful administrative units have a big influence on commission policy, with industry commissioner Gunther Verheugen and internal market commissioner Charlie McCreevy in the past complaining their own officials were working against them. No special structure is foreseen for "climate change" however, commission spokesman Johannes Laitenberger said, while unveiling the energy move on Wednesday (4 December).
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - With energy and climate change set to dominate the EU agenda in the coming years, the European Commission is to create a new energy directorate-general from 1 November 2009 at the latest.
The decision - an initiative by commission president Jose Manuel Barroso - will see senior EU official Claude Chene chair a "task force" to make detailed proposals for the scope and structure of the new "DG" by 1 May 2009.
The new directorate is expected to be around 400 to 500-man strong and have its own communication, external relations and personnel units.
Energy is currently handled in the hybrid "energy and transport" directorate-general, which serves both energy commissioner Andris Piebalgs and transport commissioner Antonio Tajani, despite the pair's priorities drifting apart.
The European Commission has 41 DGs, some of which serve individual commissioners, while others handle internal business such as publications or IT.
The powerful administrative units have a big influence on commission policy, with industry commissioner Gunther Verheugen and internal market commissioner Charlie McCreevy in the past complaining their own officials were working against them.
No special structure is foreseen for "climate change" however, commission spokesman Johannes Laitenberger said, while unveiling the energy move on Wednesday (4 December).
Lord Mandelson has denied telling the head of the European Commission the UK was ready to join the euro. Jose Manuel Barroso sparked feverish speculation after saying he had spoken to UK politicians about the idea. But Lord Mandelson who worked with Mr Barroso for four years rejected claims the EC President was referring to him. The business secretary said he still favoured eventual UK entry but could not remember speaking to Mr Barroso about it recently. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I haven't had a discussion in my memory, with Mr Barroso about this. "I think I might have exchanged words when I first went to the Commission in 2004 but not since, no. "My view is that the government is right to maintain a long-term policy objective of taking Britain into the euro, but it's not for now."
Lord Mandelson has denied telling the head of the European Commission the UK was ready to join the euro.
Jose Manuel Barroso sparked feverish speculation after saying he had spoken to UK politicians about the idea.
But Lord Mandelson who worked with Mr Barroso for four years rejected claims the EC President was referring to him.
The business secretary said he still favoured eventual UK entry but could not remember speaking to Mr Barroso about it recently.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I haven't had a discussion in my memory, with Mr Barroso about this.
"I think I might have exchanged words when I first went to the Commission in 2004 but not since, no.
"My view is that the government is right to maintain a long-term policy objective of taking Britain into the euro, but it's not for now."
Croatia's prime minister has ordered an inquiry following arrests of several opposition activists who made plans via the social networking website Facebook. "This is not about this or that government or party, but about freedom," Croatian PM Ivo Sanader said. Police in Zagreb questioned a Facebook activist who had put up posters ahead of an anti-government protest planned for Friday, Croatian TV reported. Last week a man who had set up an anti-Sanader forum was held in Dubrovnik.
Croatia's prime minister has ordered an inquiry following arrests of several opposition activists who made plans via the social networking website Facebook.
"This is not about this or that government or party, but about freedom," Croatian PM Ivo Sanader said.
Police in Zagreb questioned a Facebook activist who had put up posters ahead of an anti-government protest planned for Friday, Croatian TV reported.
Last week a man who had set up an anti-Sanader forum was held in Dubrovnik.
{faint sound of approaching sirens....} keep to the Fen Causeway
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - EU countries should take better care of people who arrive seeking asylum, the European Commission said on Wednesday (3 December), unveiling a series of proposals aiming at making the current EU asylum rules better. In order to put asylum seekers "at the heart of a humane and fair procedure," the EU needs to ensure "higher standards of protection," EU justice commissioner Jacques Barrot said when presenting the package. The plan includes amendments to European legislation that sets minimal standards at the point of arrival of asylum seekers on EU soil. It also seeks to change rules defining which member state should deal with an asylum seeker's demands, and an alteration of a regulation covering the transfer of data about asylum seekers. Brussels plans aim to make sure that detention of asylum seekers is used "only in exceptional cases" and to avoid arbitrary detention; to improve conditions for vulnerable persons - such as victims of torture, the aged or disabled people; and to make access to member states' labour markets easier for asylum seekers.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - EU countries should take better care of people who arrive seeking asylum, the European Commission said on Wednesday (3 December), unveiling a series of proposals aiming at making the current EU asylum rules better.
In order to put asylum seekers "at the heart of a humane and fair procedure," the EU needs to ensure "higher standards of protection," EU justice commissioner Jacques Barrot said when presenting the package.
The plan includes amendments to European legislation that sets minimal standards at the point of arrival of asylum seekers on EU soil. It also seeks to change rules defining which member state should deal with an asylum seeker's demands, and an alteration of a regulation covering the transfer of data about asylum seekers.
Brussels plans aim to make sure that detention of asylum seekers is used "only in exceptional cases" and to avoid arbitrary detention; to improve conditions for vulnerable persons - such as victims of torture, the aged or disabled people; and to make access to member states' labour markets easier for asylum seekers.
"Personally, this is certainly the most important week of my life after the war in Georgia", says Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb (Nat. Coalition Party) in his office at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Nevertheless, Stubb appears quite calm, even though, in his capacity as foreign minister of the country that holds the Chairmanship of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, he has the responsibility of hosting the meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council which begins at the Helsinki Fair Centre on Thursday. The main goal for Stubb and for Finland is to iron out a political declaration at the conclusion of the meeting. However, he admits that he is somewhat doubtful about the possible success of such a move; to pass, such a declaration would require consensus among all of the countries. "It is enough for one of the 56 member states of the OSCE to demand something that another country cannot accept. That is why this is something of a game of chance", Stubb told Helsingin Sanomat on Tuesday. Reaching unanimity is tricky, considering the complexity of the main themes of the meeting: the crisis in the Caucasus and the future of European security arrangements.
Europe's biggest onshore wind farm plugged itself into the grid today to provide enough electricity for up to a million people in northern Portugal. A total of 120 windmills are dotted across the highlands of the Upper Minho region of Portugal as one of western Europe's poorer nations continues to forge its reputation as a renewables champion. "Europe's largest onshore wind farm is now fully operational," a spokeswoman for France's EDF Energies Nouvelles, which co-owns the farm, announced this morning. The two megawatt turbines on each windmill deliver electricity to a single connection point with the electricity grid and should supply around 1% of Portugal's total energy needs.
A total of 120 windmills are dotted across the highlands of the Upper Minho region of Portugal as one of western Europe's poorer nations continues to forge its reputation as a renewables champion.
"Europe's largest onshore wind farm is now fully operational," a spokeswoman for France's EDF Energies Nouvelles, which co-owns the farm, announced this morning.
The two megawatt turbines on each windmill deliver electricity to a single connection point with the electricity grid and should supply around 1% of Portugal's total energy needs.
How should NATO approach Russia? Contrary to Germany, the Baltic countries and Poland want to enlarge the alliance to include Georgia and Ukraine. With NATO foreign ministers meeting this week, the alliance has hardly ever been so at odds... At the NATO summit in Bucharest eight months ago, the "old" and "new" Europe clashed loudly over the question as to whether NATO should make a binding commitment to membership for Georgia and Ukraine, and over the alliance's relationship with Russia. Germany, among others, was harshly criticized for the role it played in Bucharest. Berlin was accused of being "naïve," and "overly trusting," when it came to Russia, and of placating the Russians by rejecting the bids of Ukraine and Georgia to become part of NATO... Now, four months later, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier speaks of a foreign policy marked by "less partisanship," as he sips grapefruit juice and munches cookies in front of a bust of former German Chancellor Willy Brandt. In Bucharest, says Steinmeier, there were some "rude objections," noting that it would be absurd to imply that he or the German government are "naïve or ignorant" in their interactions with Russia. "I am and remain firmly convinced that it would be wrong to isolate Russia," he says... An "unnecessary domestic European conflict" was created, says Steinmeier, noting that newer NATO and European Union member states have contributed to this conflict by prematurely assigning all of the blame for the Georgia conflict to Russia.
At the NATO summit in Bucharest eight months ago, the "old" and "new" Europe clashed loudly over the question as to whether NATO should make a binding commitment to membership for Georgia and Ukraine, and over the alliance's relationship with Russia.
Germany, among others, was harshly criticized for the role it played in Bucharest. Berlin was accused of being "naïve," and "overly trusting," when it came to Russia, and of placating the Russians by rejecting the bids of Ukraine and Georgia to become part of NATO...
Now, four months later, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier speaks of a foreign policy marked by "less partisanship," as he sips grapefruit juice and munches cookies in front of a bust of former German Chancellor Willy Brandt. In Bucharest, says Steinmeier, there were some "rude objections," noting that it would be absurd to imply that he or the German government are "naïve or ignorant" in their interactions with Russia. "I am and remain firmly convinced that it would be wrong to isolate Russia," he says...
An "unnecessary domestic European conflict" was created, says Steinmeier, noting that newer NATO and European Union member states have contributed to this conflict by prematurely assigning all of the blame for the Georgia conflict to Russia.
<runs for cover>
- Jake If you only spend 20 minutes of the rest of your life on economics, go spend them here.
European Union leaders meet this week in Poland to discuss fighting climate change. But as the EU seeks to slash greenhouse gas emissions, Polish coal miners are worried -- and defiant. Coal provides 94 percent of Poland's energy and some 117,000 jobs, a fact that's come into focus as the country prepares to host global talks on a new climate-saving pact. "Everyone wants to live in healthy air," said Waclaw Czerkawski, deputy head of Poland's Trade Union of Miners. "But you have to find some kind of balance, and you can't do that at the expense of the economy, industry and jobs." Poland's government agrees. Together with other ex-communist EU nations and Italy, it has threatened to block plans to cut the bloc's carbon dioxide pollution to 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020. French President Nicolas Sarkozy's initial proposal would boost domestic electricity prices by up to 90 percent, the Poles complain.
Coal provides 94 percent of Poland's energy and some 117,000 jobs, a fact that's come into focus as the country prepares to host global talks on a new climate-saving pact.
"Everyone wants to live in healthy air," said Waclaw Czerkawski, deputy head of Poland's Trade Union of Miners. "But you have to find some kind of balance, and you can't do that at the expense of the economy, industry and jobs."
Poland's government agrees. Together with other ex-communist EU nations and Italy, it has threatened to block plans to cut the bloc's carbon dioxide pollution to 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy's initial proposal would boost domestic electricity prices by up to 90 percent, the Poles complain.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Worried they are to lose thousands of jobs in the steel sector, a mass protest of metalworkers from across Europe descended on Brussels on Tuesday (2 December) afternoon to demonstrate against the EU's moves to limit climate change. Lining up with steel industry to make the same demands as their employers, the trade unionists - the bulk from steel processing and industry-heavy Germany - demanded that the sector be protected from the danger of companies decamping to countries where the rules on carbon emissions are less strict. Steelworkers on the march in Brussels "We are for, not against a clean environment, but we are also for a good work environment," said Erich Foglar, the head of the Austrian steelworkers' union, the OGB, as some 11,000 demonstrators, according to organisers from the European Metalworkers' Federation, snaked their way through the heart of Brussels' European quarter. "The EU steel industry must not be at a disadvantage when competing against steel makers from other parts of the world."
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Worried they are to lose thousands of jobs in the steel sector, a mass protest of metalworkers from across Europe descended on Brussels on Tuesday (2 December) afternoon to demonstrate against the EU's moves to limit climate change.
Lining up with steel industry to make the same demands as their employers, the trade unionists - the bulk from steel processing and industry-heavy Germany - demanded that the sector be protected from the danger of companies decamping to countries where the rules on carbon emissions are less strict.
Steelworkers on the march in Brussels
"We are for, not against a clean environment, but we are also for a good work environment," said Erich Foglar, the head of the Austrian steelworkers' union, the OGB, as some 11,000 demonstrators, according to organisers from the European Metalworkers' Federation, snaked their way through the heart of Brussels' European quarter.
"The EU steel industry must not be at a disadvantage when competing against steel makers from other parts of the world."
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The European Commission on Wednesday (3 December) underlined that the "Eastern Partnership" policy is not a prelude to further enlargement, while warning Russia to respect its "soft power" ambitions in the east. "At this stage, we are not in a position to offer prospects of accession," commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said. "We can take the process a long way, up to the status of association, an association relationship is the furthest we can go without starting a process leading to accession." The EU's "soft power" is transforming post-Soviet countries, Mr Barroso said The Eastern Partnership initiative aims to sign "Association Agreements" with Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia in the coming years, pulling the six countries closer to the EU via free trade and visa free deals, as well as regular meetings at foreign minister level. The upcoming Czech EU presidency is to launch the policy at a "27+6" summit next spring, with the EU executive creating a new Eastern Partnership unit in its external relations department, to be led by veteran commission official Janos Herman.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The European Commission on Wednesday (3 December) underlined that the "Eastern Partnership" policy is not a prelude to further enlargement, while warning Russia to respect its "soft power" ambitions in the east.
"At this stage, we are not in a position to offer prospects of accession," commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said. "We can take the process a long way, up to the status of association, an association relationship is the furthest we can go without starting a process leading to accession."
The EU's "soft power" is transforming post-Soviet countries, Mr Barroso said
The Eastern Partnership initiative aims to sign "Association Agreements" with Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia in the coming years, pulling the six countries closer to the EU via free trade and visa free deals, as well as regular meetings at foreign minister level.
The upcoming Czech EU presidency is to launch the policy at a "27+6" summit next spring, with the EU executive creating a new Eastern Partnership unit in its external relations department, to be led by veteran commission official Janos Herman.
Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg is to be stripped of his executive power to veto laws passed by parliament after threatening to block a Bill to allow euthanasia in the tiny state. The hereditary sovereign, 53, who is the last Grand Duke in the world, caused a constitutional crisis when he gave notice that he objected to Luxembourg following its neighbours Belgium and the Netherlands in permitting euthanasia before a second-reading vote in the Chamber of Deputies next week. Jean-Claude Juncker, the Prime Minister, also opposed the Bill but decided that the Grand Duke had overstepped the mark in threatening to deny the will of parliament. Mr Juncker will propose a change to the constitution to downgrade the role of the Grand Duke to promulgating laws with his signature rather than approving them, giving him a purely ceremonial duty in line with the other European constitutional monarchies.
Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg is to be stripped of his executive power to veto laws passed by parliament after threatening to block a Bill to allow euthanasia in the tiny state.
The hereditary sovereign, 53, who is the last Grand Duke in the world, caused a constitutional crisis when he gave notice that he objected to Luxembourg following its neighbours Belgium and the Netherlands in permitting euthanasia before a second-reading vote in the Chamber of Deputies next week.
Jean-Claude Juncker, the Prime Minister, also opposed the Bill but decided that the Grand Duke had overstepped the mark in threatening to deny the will of parliament.
Mr Juncker will propose a change to the constitution to downgrade the role of the Grand Duke to promulgating laws with his signature rather than approving them, giving him a purely ceremonial duty in line with the other European constitutional monarchies.
Well the veil has been lifted yesterday: the organization at the source of this buzz campaign published the sequel, this time on regular paid=for 4x3 billboards" Reduce the greenhouse gases emissions in Europe by 30%? Yes, you must!
Greenpeace declared, as reported on Rue89: Sarkobama s'appelait en fait... Greenpeace | Rue89
"This buzz campaign was aimed at attracting the public's attention and make as much noise as possible about an essential event: the imminent adoption by the EU of a "Climate/Energy" package, while the UN conference on climate change is in full swing in Poznan (Poland)."
Sense of crisis keeps life sweet for Sarkozy By Dominique Moisi For political as well as business leaders the worst of times can also be the best of times. This has been particularly true lately for Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president. It should come as no surprise given his unique combination of energy and pragmatism. (...) A view frequently heard in relation to Mr Sarkozy is: "I may not like him personally but I am glad he is there as my president and as president of Europe. If Ségolène Royal were in his place in France and Czech president Vaclav Klaus in Europe (which will be the case as of January) we would have been in an even bigger mess. At least there is a pilot in the plane." (...) The fact that the French European Union presidency coincided with the crisis in Georgia and "Black September" in the financial world provided Mr Sarkozy with a golden opportunity. He was everywhere, impressing his fellow citizens with his energy and pragmatism, transforming himself in the process from a remarkable politician into a respectable statesman. He was the good lawyer acting as the fixer with Russia in the Caucasus; the pragmatic leader quick to grasp the gravity of the financial crisis and to seize on the urgent measures devised by Mr Brown, the UK prime minister; the creative thinker pushing for a rejuvenated international system that would integrate the new leaders of the world in the Group of 20 summit in Washington. The French, be they for or against their president, can give only a positive assessment of this new Sarkozy; someone is in charge whom they trust more than anyone else
For political as well as business leaders the worst of times can also be the best of times. This has been particularly true lately for Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president. It should come as no surprise given his unique combination of energy and pragmatism.
(...)
A view frequently heard in relation to Mr Sarkozy is: "I may not like him personally but I am glad he is there as my president and as president of Europe. If Ségolène Royal were in his place in France and Czech president Vaclav Klaus in Europe (which will be the case as of January) we would have been in an even bigger mess. At least there is a pilot in the plane."
The fact that the French European Union presidency coincided with the crisis in Georgia and "Black September" in the financial world provided Mr Sarkozy with a golden opportunity.
He was everywhere, impressing his fellow citizens with his energy and pragmatism, transforming himself in the process from a remarkable politician into a respectable statesman. He was the good lawyer acting as the fixer with Russia in the Caucasus; the pragmatic leader quick to grasp the gravity of the financial crisis and to seize on the urgent measures devised by Mr Brown, the UK prime minister; the creative thinker pushing for a rejuvenated international system that would integrate the new leaders of the world in the Group of 20 summit in Washington.
The French, be they for or against their president, can give only a positive assessment of this new Sarkozy; someone is in charge whom they trust more than anyone else
Gah. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Surely it should be less than anyone else. "Few can believe that suffering, especially by others, is in vain. - Galbraith"
Where have I heard that before?
Oh yes! - all those people who where so relieved that there was a republican in the Whitehouse after Sept. 11. That sure worked out well.
