Tag: EU

Categories
-Top News EU News UK News

EU Parliament set to vote on stricter limits for air pollutants

Lawmakers backed the Ambient Air Quality Directive (AAQD), proposed in 2022 by the European Commission, with 381 votes in favour and 225 against, during the last plenary session of this EU mandate…reports Asian Lite News

Law under negotiation between the co-legislators since 2022 hopes to deliver cleaner air across EU cities but still needs to be approved by the EU Council.

EU residents are set to benefit from cleaner air in the years to come after lawmakers in the European Parliament voted today (April 24) to introduce stricter standards to measure air pollutants and improved monitoring, revising the bloc’s clean air standards of 2008.

Lawmakers backed the Ambient Air Quality Directive (AAQD), proposed in 2022 by the European Commission, with 381 votes in favour and 225 against, during the last plenary session of this EU mandate.

The new rules introduce a zero-pollution goal for 2050 and air quality standards for 2030 that are closer – but not in line with – World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. With the new law, the EU executive will be tasked to conduct a review every five years in order to fully align it with WHO standards.

Once adopted by the EU Council, the rules will set stricter 2030 limits and target values for pollutants with a severe impact on human health, including particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide. EU countries can request a postponement to the 2030 deadline by up to ten years, if specific conditions are met — a condition introduced by the EU Council during the inter-institutional negotiations.

“These flexibilities can only be used with safeguards together with local authorities,” lawmaker Javi López (Spain/S&D), leading the file in Parliament, told reporters.

In case of non-compliance by EU countries, those affected by air pollution will be able to take legal action, and citizens may receive compensation if their health has been damaged, according to the law, which acknowledges air pollution currently impacts 300,000 premature deaths in Europe.

“We introduced standards and improved monitoring. We have a law about the enforcement but every member state and local or regional authority can decide the kind of policy mix they do to move on this direction,” said López.

López explained the law introduces a list of policies aligned with the goals of achieving cleaner air, including the electrification of vehicles, the expansion of bike lanes and low emission zones.

Anne Stauffer, deputy director at the NGO Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) welcomed MEPs’ commitment to cleaning up air for hundreds of millions of people across the EU.

“Now the confirmation of the AAQD package by member states should follow swiftly, so that we can all start profiting from the numerous health benefits the new law will bring, and to prevent further harm to health,” Stauffer said.

Xavier Brenez, CEO of the Belgian Independent Health Insurance Funds said reaching the WHO standards for particle pollution would save €43m in healthcare costs annually from saved general practitioners visits alone.

The law backed in the Parliament today still needs to be formally adopted by the EU Council before entering into force.

ALSO READ-Council of Europe slams UK asylum pact with Rwanda

Categories
-Top News Arab News Europe

Iran condemns planned EU sanctions as unlawful

These should make it possible to impose further trade restrictions on Iran in order to make it more difficult for the country to build and develop drones and missiles…reports Asian Lite News

Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amirabdollahian has condemned “planned” sanctions against his country over the major drone and missile attack on Israel earlier this month as “unlawful” and “regrettable.”

Iran had exercised its right to self-defence with the attack, Amirabdollahian wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday. He called for sanctions to be imposed against Israel.

At a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday, the foreign ministers of the 27 EU member states instructed EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell to submit concrete proposals for sanctions.

These should make it possible to impose further trade restrictions on Iran in order to make it more difficult for the country to build and develop drones and missiles.

There are also plans to impose sanctions on individuals, organisations and companies involved in the production of drones and missiles and their delivery to Iran’s allies in the Middle East.

The moves are in response to Iran’s unprecedented direct missile attack on Israel 10 days ago. It followed a suspected Israeli attack on the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital Damascus at the beginning of the month.

In the latter incident, two generals and five other members of the powerful Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) were among those killed.

Israel carried out a retaliatory strike in the province of Isfahan on Friday, reportedly hitting an air base.

Meanwhile, Kanaani warned that his country will make a “harsher and more decisive” response should Israel make another mistake.

He made the remarks at a weekly press conference in the capital Tehran while commenting on Iran’s recent massive retaliatory military operation against Israel, which was carried out in response to a deadly Israeli strike on April 1 against the Iranian consulate in Syria, Xinhua news agency reported.

Kanaani said the Israeli attack on Iran’s diplomatic premises constituted an aggressive violation of international laws and regulations.

He stressed that Tehran deemed its retaliatory operation concluded and its objectives achieved, but “if Israel makes another mistake, Iran’s response will be harsher and more decisive”.

Turning to the explosions heard early Friday near the Iranian city of Isfahan in an apparent Israeli strike, Kanaani denounced the attack as “vexatious and malicious,” adding no party has yet claimed responsibility for it.

He noted that Iran’s air defence had carried out its duty and foiled the attack conducted by “a small flying object and micro air vehicle,” stressing the perpetrators did not achieve anything.

Commenting on Iran’s potential countermeasures in response to the incident, Kanaani said necessary actions had been taken and the incident did not warrant any follow-up.

ALSO READ-EU ministers discuss Ukraine support and Iran sanctions

Categories
-Top News EU News Europe

EU ministers discuss Ukraine support and Iran sanctions

A new package of sanctions on Russia for attacking Ukraine are also to be discussed…reports Asian Lite News

EU foreign and defence ministers are in Luxembourg on Monday to discuss support for Ukraine – following US lawmakers’ approval of a nearly $61 billion aid package – as well as sanctions against Iran for its attack on Israel and its arming of Russia.

Latvia’s new foreign minister, Baiba Braze, said it was important that EU countries don’t become complacent now that the US has passed its long-delayed aid package.

“We have to step up. It’s a crucial time,” she said. “If Europe has the ambition to manage conflict on its continent, this is the time to show them.”

Ukraine has been pleading with allies to send more ammunition and weaponry, especially air defence systems, with the front-line under heavy Russian military pressure.

“We dodged a historic bullet,” said Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, referring to the US aid package. “But unfortunately, many more bullets are on the way,” he said. “There can be no calming down, no stopping of assistance, and we have to continue to speak how we’re going to assist Ukraine further still.”

A new package of sanctions on Russia for attacking Ukraine are also to be discussed.

The other main item on the agenda is new punitive measures on Iran for attacking Israel. Iran has helped to arm Russia’s war, Landsbergis noted.

The sanctions are linked to a regime set up for targeting supporters of the Russian invasion. Iran has supplied Russia with drones. Monday’s sanctions discussion is “mostly about spare parts for drones that are still not under sanction, and ballistic missiles,” Landsbergis said.

EU ministers will also discuss listing Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist group. Designating the branch of the Iranian armed forces as a terrorist organization is challenging.

The IRGC would first have to be prosecuted by a national authority for terrorist activities under EU law to prompt this sanction.

A recent court ruling in Dusseldorf, Germany, concerning the activities of the IRGC, is being examined by EU officials. This could open the way to a terrorist designation for the IRGC.

“How many fronts does Iran need to open for us to get serious about sanctioning them?” Landsbergis asked, noting the Islamist regime’s involvement in Ukraine and its attack on Israel.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he has discussed the allocation of a new aid package for Ukraine in a phone conversation with US President Joe Biden.

Zelensky added on Monday on Telegram that Biden assured him that he would sign the bill envisaging allocating military aid to Ukraine as soon as it is approved by the US Senate.

The defence package is expected to strengthen Ukraine’s air defence as well as long-range and artillery capabilities, the Ukrainian President said.

Zelensky added that he also discussed with Biden the work on a bilateral security agreement and the preparations for the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland slated for mid-June.

On Saturday, the US House of Representatives approved the new aid package for Kiev worth about $61 billion.

According to Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, the package includes $49.9 billion for military assistance. To come into force, the bill on embarking the aid for Ukraine has to be approved by the US Senate and signed by Biden.

ALSO READ-Ministers urge EU to ‘deepen’ ties to tackle migration roots

Categories
-Top News Arab News EU News

‘EU-GCC Green Transition Project’ launched at WFES

Ambassador Lucie Berger emphasised the project’s significance in the collective fight against climate change, highlighting the essential role of businesses from both the EU and the GCC countries…reports Asian Lite News

In a significant step forward for clean energy and climate action, the European Union (EU) launched the EU-GCC Cooperation on Green Transition project. The event took place at the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) pavilion during the prestigious World Future Energy Summit (WFES) in Abu Dhabi.

The project aims to create a joint platform to exchange best practices and expertise between the EU and the GCC stakeholders, promoting and adopting policies and technologies that support the GCC’s green transition, and fostering a collaborative business environment between EU green tech companies and their counterparts in the Gulf region.

The launch of the project signifies a turning point in the global transition towards a clean energy future, marking a critical commitment to collaboration sets a powerful example for the international community, paving the way for a more sustainable and prosperous future for all.

Collaboration for a Sustainable Future

The launch event featured keynote addresses from distinguished speakers, including Lucie Berger, Ambassador of the European Union to the United Arab Emirates, Lukasz Kolinski, Head of Unit Renewables and Energy System Integration at the European Commission, and Tarig Ahmed, Regional Programme Officer – MENA Region at IRENA. The speakers underscored the significance of international collaboration in addressing global sustainability challenges and highlighted the transformative potential of the EU-GCC Cooperation on the Green Transition Project.

In her opening speech, Ambassador Lucie Berger emphasised the project’s significance in the collective fight against climate change, highlighting the essential role of businesses from both the EU and the GCC countries in implementing the global targets of tripling renewable energy and doubling energy efficiency. Enhancing the business environment, through this project can play a pivotal role in reaching those targets.

Lukasz Kolinski said, “Collaboration between the EU and GCC on green transition is essential for achieving our climate goals. This initiative will drive innovation, create new opportunities, and contribute to a more sustainable future.”

Tarig Ahmed stated, “I strongly believe that the EU-GCC Cooperation on Green Transition Project is timely and acts as a pivotal initiative to enable renewable energy solutions and encourage regional collaboration. This project is an essential milestone towards achieving a sustainable future for the GCC region and ultimately to our planet.”

A Catalyst for Change

A key event highlight, echoing this year’s theme of the IRENA General Assembly, was the roundtable discussion titled “Outcome of COP28: Infrastructure, Policies and Skills for Tripling Renewables and Accelerating the Energy Transition.” The discussion focused on how the EU and GCC can work together to develop robust infrastructure for significantly increasing renewable energy in the region, implement effective clean energy policies and equip their workforce with the necessary skills for the evolving energy landscape.

Additionally, the discussion explored avenues for knowledge sharing, technology transfer, and joint project development, paving the way for a more sustainable future.

The EU-GCC Cooperation on Green Transition Project is poised to catalyse change. By fostering deeper collaboration, the project aims to increase the deployment of renewable energy sources significantly, stimulate environmental protection efforts, enhance economic growth and diversification, and strengthen resilience in the face of climate change impacts.

ALSO READ:

Categories
-Top News Europe UK News

EU to slap new sanctions on Iran

The European Union agreed to take further restrictive measures against Iran, notably in relation to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missiles…reports Asian Lite News

European Union leaders agreed late on Wednesday on new sanctions targeting Iran for the direct attack on Israel.

The EU has decided “to put in place sanctions against Iran”, European Council President Charles Michel told reporters in the early hours of Thursday morning after the first day of a two-day summit.

“The idea is to target the companies that are needed for the drones, for the missiles,” he said. Further details are to be finalized, he added.

“The European Union will take further restrictive measures against Iran, notably in relation to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missiles,” the EU leaders’ statement said.

The EU summit on Wednesday and Thursday was originally meant to focus on the bloc’s economy and its competitiveness. But rising tensions in the Middle East pushed the economic discussion into the second day’s agenda.

EU leaders appealed for calm as Israel weighed a response to the drone and missile attack from Iran on Saturday.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged Israel not to retaliate against Iran with a “massive attack of its own” on his arrival.

Scholz called on Israel to now use the successful defence against Iran’s missile and drone attack “to strengthen its own position in the entire region.” On this basis, “a corresponding military response would certainly not be appropriate,” he said.

Iran said the drone and missile attacks were retaliation for the killing of high-ranking Iranian officers in a missile strike on Iran’s embassy in Syria at the start of the month.

Sanctions may be imposed through a regime set up after Iran began supporting the Russian war on Ukraine by supplying Moscow with drones.

These sanctions banned the export of components used for the construction and production of unmanned aerial vehicles to Iran, and may be expanded to make it harder for Iran to produce missiles.

Calls from Israel to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the elite unit of the Iranian armed forces, as a terrorist organization are more difficult to meet.

The IRGC would first have to be prosecuted by a national authority for terrorist activities under EU law to prompt this sanction. Scholz said however a recent court ruling in the EU, concerning the activities of the IRGC, is being examined by EU officials.

This could open the way to a terrorist designation for the IRGC, Scholz said. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said his country would support sanctions on the IRGC.

As well as the Middle East, EU leaders also discussed Ukraine’s need for air defence weapons with the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who joined the meeting by video call.

In his address to EU leaders, Zelensky called for greater support against Russian air assaults.

He drew a comparison between the support Israel received where US, French, and British jets helped shoot down Iranian drones and missiles and the help, or lack thereof, that Ukraine receives against Russian bombardment.

“Here in Ukraine, in our part of Europe, unfortunately, we do not have the level of defence that we all saw in the Middle East a few days ago,” he said. “Our Ukrainian sky and the sky of our neighbours deserve the same security,” he added.

The EU leaders’ statement “underlines the need to urgently provide air defence to Ukraine and to speed up and intensify the delivery of all the necessary military assistance, including artillery ammunition and missiles”.

Germany has already delivered two Patriot surface-to-air missile systems to Ukraine and will deliver one more, Scholz said.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the Netherlands and Denmark are working together to provide F16 fighter jets.

“We know that we have to do more than we have been doing so far to support Ukraine now. This applies in particular to all the air defence capabilities that are required,” Scholz said.

ALSO READ-EU Rattles Iran

Categories
-Top News EU News UK News

EU parliament adopts stricter migration rules

In a series of 10 votes, European lawmakers endorsed the regulations and policies that make up the Pact on Migration and Asylum…reports Asian Lite News

The European Parliament on Wednesday approved a landmark overhaul of the European Union’s asylum and migration rules. The parliament’s main political groups overcame opposition from far-right and far-left parties to pass the new migration and asylum pact, a sweeping reform nearly a decade in the making.

In a series of 10 votes, European lawmakers endorsed the regulations and policies that make up the Pact on Migration and Asylum.

The reforms address the questions of who should take responsibility for migrants and asylum seekers when they arrive and whether other EU countries should be obliged to help.

“History made”, posted parliament president Roberta Metsola from X handle on Wednesday following the passage of the migration and asylum pact.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the new rules a “historic, indispensable step” for the EU.

EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said the bloc “will be able to better protect our external borders, the vulnerable and refugees, swiftly return those not eligible to stay” and introduce “mandatory solidarity” between member states.

However, outside the Brussels Parliament building, dozens of demonstrators protested against the vote, echoing criticism from more than 160 migrant charities and non-governmental organisations.

In a sign of the fierce opposition, the start of voting was interrupted by protesters in the public gallery yelling, “This pact kills – vote no!” until the chamber was brought to order. The legislation requires all EU member states to take some form of responsibility for managing asylum applications.

If an EU country does not want to accept people applying for asylum, then that member state must give alternative assistance, like financial contributions to a support fund.

Also, EU member states experiencing significant spikes in applications for asylum may call for the applicants to be distributed to other EU countries.

The most controversial part of the package involves establishing border facilities in the EU to host asylum seekers and screen and quickly send back applicants found not to be ineligible. Swedish parliamentarian Malin Bjork said the pact does not respond to “any of the questions it was set to solve”.

She said the reform package “undermines the individual right to seek asylum” in Europe because it would build on plans that some EU countries already have to process migrants abroad. Italy has concluded one such deal with Albania. Bjork’s Left group voted against the pact.

Far-right lawmakers complained the overhaul did not go far enough to block access to irregular migrants.

The mainstream centrist right and left in parliament had called for the pact to be passed as an improvement over the current situation.

They warned that failure to pass the reforms would boost the far-right, predicted to become a bigger force in the European Parliament following June elections.

Sophie In ‘T Veld, a key figure pushing the package through, acknowledged “problematic elements, risks and weaknesses”, but said that overall it marked a step forward.

The pact’s measures are to come into force in 2026, after the European Commission sets out in coming months how it would be implemented.

The new border centres would hold irregular migrants while their asylum requests are vetted, and speed up deportations of those deemed inadmissable.

It would also require EU countries to take in thousands of asylum-seekers from “frontline” states such as Italy and Greece. Alternatively, they could provide money or other resources to the under-pressure nations.

The German chancellor, commenting on X, the former Twitter, said the accord stands for “solidarity among European states” and would “finally relieve the burden on those countries that are particularly hard hit”.

A controversial measure is the sending of asylum-seekers to countries outside the EU that are deemed “safe”, if the migrant has sufficient ties to that country.

The pact has wended through years of thorny talks and compromises ever since the bloc was confronted with large numbers of irregular migrants who arrived in 2015, many from war-torn Syria.

Under current EU rules, the arrival country bears responsibility for hosting and vetting asylum-seekers, and returning those deemed inadmissable. That has put southern states under pressure and fuelled far-right sentiment.

Soon after the vote passed, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that his government would “protect” Poland from the migrant relocation mechanism.

“We will find ways so that even if the migration pact comes into force in roughly unchanged form, we will protect Poland against the relocation mechanism,” Tusk told reporters.

“I have certain possibilities to build alliances and the mechanism of relocation or paying for not taking in [migrants] … will certainly not apply to Poland,” said Tusk, a former European Council chief.

Although Tusk’s governing alliance is largely pro-EU, it maintains criticism of the EU’s migration reform. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban wrote on X formerly Twitter, that the pact was a “nail in the coffin” for the EU. “Secure borders are no more, Hungary will never give in to the mass migration frenzy,” Orban wrote.

ALSO READ-European Commission announces Jordan aid package

Categories
-Top News EU News Europe

EU to probe Apple, Meta, Alphabet under new digital law

The Commission said it intends to conclude the proceedings opened within 12 months…reports Asian Lite News

The European Commission has opened its first “non-compliance” investigations against Alphabet, Apple and Meta under the Digital Markets Act, a law that is designed to stop Big Tech companies from cornering digital markets.

In a statement on March 25, the commission, which is executive of the 27-nation European Union bloc said that it was investigating Alphabet’s rules on steering in Google Play and self-preferencing on Google Search, Apple’s rules on steering in the App Store and the choice screen for Safari and Meta’s “pay or consent model”.

In addition, the Commission has launched investigatory steps relating to Apple’s new fee structure for alternative app stores and Amazon’s ranking practices on its marketplace.

According to the European Commission, some large online platforms act as “gatekeepers” in digital markets and the Digital Markets Act aims to ensure that these platforms behave in a fair way online.

Together with the Digital Services Act, the Digital Markets Act is one of the centrepieces of the European digital strategy.

The European Union regulator had in September 2023 designated as gatekeepers six companies – Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta and Microsoft, covering 22 core platform services.

The law requires the gatekeepers – which provide services such as search engines, social networks and chat apps used by other businesses – to comply with guidance to ensure a level playing field for their rivals and to give users more choices.

In its statement, the commission said that it “suspects that the measures put in place by these gatekeepers fall short of effective compliance of their obligations under the DMA”.

The DMA act took effect on March 7.

The Commission said it intends to conclude the proceedings opened within 12 months.

In case of an infringement of rules, the Commission can impose fines up to 10 per cent of the company’s total worldwide turnover. Such fines can go up to 20 per cent in case of repeated infringement.

“The Digital Markets Act became applicable on March 7. We have been in discussions with gatekeepers for months to help them adapt, and we can already see changes happening on the market. But we are not convinced that the solutions by Alphabet, Apple and Meta respect their obligations for a fairer and more open digital space for European citizens and businesses. Should our investigation conclude that there is lack of full compliance with the DMA, gatekeepers could face heavy fines,” Thierry Breton, Commissioner for Internal Market said. (ANI)

ALSO READ-Ombudsman raises concern over EU migration deal with Egypt

Categories
-Top News EU News

Ombudsman raises concern over EU migration deal with Egypt

EU flags are seen outside the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium, Jan. 6, 2023.(Xinhua/Zheng Huansong/IANS)

The European Commission did not immediately respond on Tuesday to a request for comment…reports Asian Lite News

The European Union’s rights watchdog raised concern on Tuesday about the bloc’s new 7.4 billion euro ($8.03 billion) agreement with Egypt that includes provisions to curb migration, saying it falls short on human rights safeguards.

The 27-nation EU has sealed similar pacts with Mauritania, Tunisia, Turkey and other countries since 2016 as it seeks to reduce irregular arrivals. Rights groups have sharply criticized those pacts as ignoring humanitarian law.

Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly said the issue of human rights should be taken into account before finalizing any such cooperation, including outlining redress in case of violations.

“In relation to the fundamental rights issues regarding the various deals that are being done, well, tell us concretely what you’re doing,” she told a news conference, addressing the EU’s executive Commission, which handles such agreements.

“Because otherwise it looks as if the money is being given, but everything that happens next is slightly more opaque.”

The European Commission did not immediately respond on Tuesday to a request for comment.

O’Reilly said she was not taking concrete action on the Egypt agreement since her office has yet to receive any formal complaints. But she said she was considering launching a probe into a similar EU deal with Tunisia sealed last year.

UN data shows about 34,000 people have entered the EU — a wealthy bloc of some 450 million people — so far this year outside of regular entries, mostly across the Mediterranean on unsafe smugglers’ dinghies. Nearly 250 perished along the way.

That compares to a 2015 high of more than one million arrivals, mostly of refugees fleeing the war in Syria, which caught European governments by surprise. The ensuing chaos triggered a rise in anti-immigration rhetoric across the EU.

The EU is expected to continue its efforts to stem irregular immigration from the Middle East and Africa, especially as migration is a key concern for voters in the run-up to European Parliament elections in June.

ALSO READ-

Categories
-Top News UAE News

GCC, EU Discuss Schengen Visa Waiver For GCC Citizens

Al-Budaiwi also met with Beate Gemender, Acting Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate for Migration and Home Affairs…reports Asian Lite News

Jasem Mohamed Al Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), and Enrique Mora, Deputy Secretary-General of the European Union’s (EU) External Action Service, discussed GCC-European bilateral relations in light of the strategic partnership between the GCC and the EU, including discussions on the visa waiver process for GCC citizens in the Schengen area.

According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the meeting held in Brussels on Monday discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the GCC and the EU and emphasised the importance of collective action between the two sides to address current challenges.

Meanwhile, Al-Budaiwi also met with Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for promoting the European way of life in the European Commission in the Belgian capital, Brussels.

During the meeting, Al-Budaiwi emphasised the importance of unifying all efforts that contribute to promoting the concepts of human life, especially in light of the conflicts and crises that have claimed the lives of innocent people worldwide.

During the meeting, the two sides stressed the need to enhance coordination and consultation between the two sides to achieve the concepts of security and stability, deepen mutual trust, and cooperate in all areas of “common interest” in order to achieve common interests, including respect for all viewpoints, principles and concepts.

Several topics were also discussed, most notably a review of the strategic and close relations between the Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Union, in addition to discussing the latest developments related to the process of exempting citizens of the GCC countries from the Schengen visa, and exchanging views on the latest developments in the issues raised on the regional and international arenas.

Al-Budaiwi also met with Beate Gemender, Acting Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate for Migration and Home Affairs.

During the meeting, several topics were discussed, most notably the Schengen visa exemption process for citizens of the GCC countries, the cooperation mechanism between the GCC and the European Union in the field of migration and development, and a review of the efforts of the two sides in this field and ways to develop and enhance them in a way that serves common goals.

Beate Geminder also praised the efforts of the GCC countries towards strengthening cooperation with the European Union, in many fields, especially mentioning cooperation in the field of combating terrorism, and the constant keenness of the GCC countries to communicate with the European side, and to hold joint workshops in this field. In a 

ALSO READ-ATM 2024 highlights preferences of GCC outbound travellers

Categories
-Top News EU News

EU, Philippines resume stalled trade negotiations

The EU has targeted agreements with southeast Asian countries and has accords with Singapore and Vietnam and is in negotiations with Indonesia and Thailand…reports Asian Lite News

The European Union and the Philippines said on Monday they would resume negotiations on a free trade agreement as the EU seeks to tap into Asia’s faster economic growth and gain access to critical raw materials.

Free trade negotiations stalled in 2017 over EU concerns about the human rights record of then Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte, who was succeeded in June 2022 by Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

EU trade chief Valdis Dombrovskis said the bloc welcomed the “positive change of direction” taken by the Philippines’ new administration, while encouraging further progress on human and labor rights.

The European Union is the Philippines’ fourth largest trade partner. Trade in goods was worth 18.4 billion euros ($20 billion) in 2022 and 4.7 billion euros ($5.1 billion) in services in 2021. A trade deal could increase trade by 6 billion euros, Dombrovskis said.

The EU has targeted agreements with southeast Asian countries and has accords with Singapore and Vietnam and is in negotiations with Indonesia and Thailand.

The EU is eying Filipino raw materials such as nickel, copper and chromite that it needs for its green transition and for which it is currently heavily reliant on China.

Philippine Commissioner for Trade Alfredo Pascual said his country wanted to secure capital and know-how from EU companies to engage in more domestic processing. His country already benefits from the EU’s tariff-free GSP+ system for developing countries, but aims to rise to upper middle class income status, when GSP+ would no longer apply.

“We want to be able to lock in the benefits of GSP+, plus more,” Pascual said.

The Philippines currently benefits from tariff-free access to the EU for about two-thirds of products, including coconut oil, vacuum cleaners, tuna and pineapples. A free trade deal could allow exports of seaweeds, tobacco, wood and ornamental plants, Pascual said.

ALSO READ-Ukraine welcomes fresh military aid from EU