"Historic" is a word often over-used. Yet, Dec. 1, 2009, will go down in the history of the European Union as the day the Lisbon Treaty enters into force, ending nearly a decade of internal discussions. The treaty represents an era of increased democracy in the European Union and gives a huge boost to the powers of the European Parliament. There is almost a doubling of the legislative and budgetary powers of the parliament. The European Parliament will also jointly decide with national ministers in the important spheres of justice and home affairs, such as immigration and asylum including conditions for the reception of applicants, and international trade policy. One key area of increased power is the common agricultural policy. Here Members of the European Parliament (MEP) will for the first time co-decide with national ministers on agricultural law and spending, the latter accounting for almost 40 percent of the EU budget. The same applies to the EU fisheries policy. MEPs will also get an equal say with state ministers on the how the EU's structural funds are spent.
The treaty represents an era of increased democracy in the European Union and gives a huge boost to the powers of the European Parliament. There is almost a doubling of the legislative and budgetary powers of the parliament. The European Parliament will also jointly decide with national ministers in the important spheres of justice and home affairs, such as immigration and asylum including conditions for the reception of applicants, and international trade policy.
One key area of increased power is the common agricultural policy. Here Members of the European Parliament (MEP) will for the first time co-decide with national ministers on agricultural law and spending, the latter accounting for almost 40 percent of the EU budget. The same applies to the EU fisheries policy. MEPs will also get an equal say with state ministers on the how the EU's structural funds are spent.
French president Nicolas Sarkozy has let it be known he believes Paris outmanoeuvred London in the negotiations on EU jobs in recent weeks, with the appointment of a Frenchman to take charge of the internal market in the face of strong British opposition seen as the biggest political coup. In unusually blunt comments, likely to fuel the simmering feud between France and Britain over the merits of Anglo-Saxon capitalism, Le Monde over the weekend reported Mr Sarkozy as saying: "It's the first time in 50 years that France has had this role. The English are the big losers in this business." The president made the comments after it emerged that Michel Barnier, a former French foreign minister, will take on the internal market portfolio, including financial services, when the European Commission starts its next mandate early next year.
In unusually blunt comments, likely to fuel the simmering feud between France and Britain over the merits of Anglo-Saxon capitalism, Le Monde over the weekend reported Mr Sarkozy as saying: "It's the first time in 50 years that France has had this role. The English are the big losers in this business."
The president made the comments after it emerged that Michel Barnier, a former French foreign minister, will take on the internal market portfolio, including financial services, when the European Commission starts its next mandate early next year.
Michel Barnier, the EU's new commissioner-designate in charge of regulating the internal market and financial services industry, said he wants to reconcile French citizens with free-market policies by putting them at the service of citizens and jobs. EurActiv France reports. "A commissioner is a political man or woman," Barnier told journalists in Paris on Friday (27 November) after his appointment as the EU's new internal market commissioner had been announced. Barnier gave few details of his intentions for his new role, saying he will save such comments for his approval hearing before the European Parliament on 11-19 January.
"A commissioner is a political man or woman," Barnier told journalists in Paris on Friday (27 November) after his appointment as the EU's new internal market commissioner had been announced.
Barnier gave few details of his intentions for his new role, saying he will save such comments for his approval hearing before the European Parliament on 11-19 January.
EU foreign relations chief Javier Solana, who retires this week, will be remembered as a master of quiet, behind-the-scenes diplomacy. But campaigners say he should have done more to put human rights at the forefront of his work. The Spanish politician will on Tuesday (1 December) step aside to make way for the union's first "foreign minister" as the Lisbon Treaty enters into force. The British official to take up the new post, Catherine Ashton, will have a tough act to follow. In his 10 years in the job Mr Solana has transformed the EU's common foreign and security policy from words on paper into a Brussels-based body of some 800 military experts and diplomats who co-ordinate the work of 23 crisis relief missions in hotspots such as the Gulf of Aden and Kosovo.
The Spanish politician will on Tuesday (1 December) step aside to make way for the union's first "foreign minister" as the Lisbon Treaty enters into force. The British official to take up the new post, Catherine Ashton, will have a tough act to follow.
In his 10 years in the job Mr Solana has transformed the EU's common foreign and security policy from words on paper into a Brussels-based body of some 800 military experts and diplomats who co-ordinate the work of 23 crisis relief missions in hotspots such as the Gulf of Aden and Kosovo.
EU interior ministers have struck an interim deal to give the US access to banking data handled by SWIFT, a bank-owned network that processes international communications among banks. During their meeting in Brussels today, ministers agreed an interim deal for nine months. Germany and Austria had reservations about the level of data protection but abstained in the meeting. The EU needs unanimity to agree international treaties, such as the SWIFT agreement, but abstentions do not count as votes against. The EU needed to strike a new deal with the US because SWIFT is transferring much of its data business to servers located in the Netherlands and Switzerland. Without an agreement, the US would no longer be able to consult the data. Supporters of the deal say that the data examined by US law enforcement agencies has been used to prevent terrorist attacks in the EU.
During their meeting in Brussels today, ministers agreed an interim deal for nine months. Germany and Austria had reservations about the level of data protection but abstained in the meeting. The EU needs unanimity to agree international treaties, such as the SWIFT agreement, but abstentions do not count as votes against.
The EU needed to strike a new deal with the US because SWIFT is transferring much of its data business to servers located in the Netherlands and Switzerland. Without an agreement, the US would no longer be able to consult the data. Supporters of the deal say that the data examined by US law enforcement agencies has been used to prevent terrorist attacks in the EU.
Europe's SWIFT Bow The long SWIFT arm of the US IRS
Supporters of the deal say that the data examined by US law enforcement agencies has been used to prevent terrorist attacks in the EU.
always with the terrorism. Fear, fear. Have they any other songs ? keep to the Fen Causeway
Fear, fear. Have they any other songs ?
I can understand the masses being conned by religious shysters a thousand years ago before the advances in scientific knowledge but today, it's only the programmed fear of death that still gives religion an attractiveness. Humans ... gutless cowards by and large, and the people in power KNOW that!.
I'm watching Washington Journal and I'm in one of my MOODS. Now where's the fun in that! - Megatron
Citizens of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia will be able to travel throughout the Schengen zone without visas from 19 December, EU interior ministers decided today. The visa waiver, which frees the way for travel across the vast majority of the EU, will apply to holders of biometric passports. Tobias Billström, Sweden's migration minister who was chairing the meeting in Brussels, said that the decision would allow people from the countries to visit their relatives in the Schengen zone for Christmas.
The visa waiver, which frees the way for travel across the vast majority of the EU, will apply to holders of biometric passports.
Tobias Billström, Sweden's migration minister who was chairing the meeting in Brussels, said that the decision would allow people from the countries to visit their relatives in the Schengen zone for Christmas.
John Demjanjuk, a retired American autoworker, went on trial here Monday, accused of helping to force 27,900 Jews to their deaths during the Holocaust. Prosecutors charge that Mr. Demjanjuk, 89, listed by the Simon Wiesenthal Center as its most wanted Nazi war criminal, worked as a guard at the Sobibor death camp in Nazi-occupied Poland in 1943. It was the second time Mr. Demjanjuk has been prosecuted, after he was sentenced to death in Israel in 1988 only to have his conviction overturned five years later as a case of mistaken identity.
Prosecutors charge that Mr. Demjanjuk, 89, listed by the Simon Wiesenthal Center as its most wanted Nazi war criminal, worked as a guard at the Sobibor death camp in Nazi-occupied Poland in 1943. It was the second time Mr. Demjanjuk has been prosecuted, after he was sentenced to death in Israel in 1988 only to have his conviction overturned five years later as a case of mistaken identity.
Religious leaders across the world have criticised Switzerland's referendum vote to ban the building of minarets. The Vatican joined Muslim figureheads from Indonesia and Egypt, as well as Switzerland, in denouncing the vote as a blow to religious freedom. France's FM Bernard Kouchner expressed shock at the ban which, he said, showed "intolerance" and should be reversed.
The Vatican joined Muslim figureheads from Indonesia and Egypt, as well as Switzerland, in denouncing the vote as a blow to religious freedom.
France's FM Bernard Kouchner expressed shock at the ban which, he said, showed "intolerance" and should be reversed.
A Swiss vote to ban new minarets could irk some Muslim investors at a time when Swiss private banks are hoping to replace dwindling growth in European and U.S. assets with fresh funds from emerging markets. Switzerland has traditionally attracted wealth from the Middle East due to its political stability and proximity to the region. French-speaking Geneva has been the main Swiss hub for Arab clients, bankers say, although no there are no official figures available due to Swiss bank secrecy law.
Switzerland has traditionally attracted wealth from the Middle East due to its political stability and proximity to the region. French-speaking Geneva has been the main Swiss hub for Arab clients, bankers say, although no there are no official figures available due to Swiss bank secrecy law.
Tony Blair signalled that he would be willing to back "regime change" in Iraq when he met George Bush in Texas in 2002, the Iraq inquiry has been told.But his ex-adviser Sir David Manning said he stressed the UK could only back action against Iraq if the issue went to the United Nations first. Mr Blair asked for UK military options two months later, Sir David said. In Texas Mr Bush told him there was "no war plan" for Iraq but a small cell had been set up to consider "options".
Tony Blair signalled that he would be willing to back "regime change" in Iraq when he met George Bush in Texas in 2002, the Iraq inquiry has been told.
But his ex-adviser Sir David Manning said he stressed the UK could only back action against Iraq if the issue went to the United Nations first.
Mr Blair asked for UK military options two months later, Sir David said.
In Texas Mr Bush told him there was "no war plan" for Iraq but a small cell had been set up to consider "options".
This week in London David Cameron and the Tories launched an attack on Hizb ut-Tahrir and the Labour council who fund the Schools they are closely associated with. But in Yorkshire not only has a Tory MP shared a debating platform with Hizb ut-Tahrir but a Tory council funds one of Hizb ut Tahrir's favorite schools.
This week in London David Cameron and the Tories launched an attack on Hizb ut-Tahrir and the Labour council who fund the Schools they are closely associated with.
But in Yorkshire not only has a Tory MP shared a debating platform with Hizb ut-Tahrir but a Tory council funds one of Hizb ut Tahrir's favorite schools.
One of the UK's biggest newspaper firms is starting to limit access to online content from six of its titles.The Johnston Press websites will either ask users to pay £5 for a three-month subscription to read the full articles or direct them to buy the newspapers. English sites in the pilot scheme are those of the Worksop Guardian, the Ripley & Heanor News, the Whitby Gazette and Northumberland Gazette.
One of the UK's biggest newspaper firms is starting to limit access to online content from six of its titles.
The Johnston Press websites will either ask users to pay £5 for a three-month subscription to read the full articles or direct them to buy the newspapers.
English sites in the pilot scheme are those of the Worksop Guardian, the Ripley & Heanor News, the Whitby Gazette and Northumberland Gazette.
The Whitby Gazette? Whitby has a population of six and a half people, and two of them are undead.
On the web - I doubt that you can put a newspaper online and make it interesting enough to pay for, when there are so many other things that people can read.
You could do something else with it, and make it not-a-newspaper. But I suspect that's not the plan here.
