Portugal’s government will foster “political and legislative steps” to combat hate speech, incitement to violence and the processes of radicalisation on social networks during its presidency of the Council of the European Union, the minister for foreign affairs said on Monday (11 January).
“There is a very important element linking the issue of democracy with the issue of digital transition which is precisely the need to combat hate speech, incitement to violence, the processes of radicalisation which take place through social networks,” said the minister, Augusto Santos Silva, who is also a minister of state, number two to the prime minister. “There are several political and legislative steps that can be taken and we will stimulate these steps.”
Santos Silva, who was speaking at an online conference of presidents of COSAC (Conference of Specialised Bodies on European Union Parliamentary Affairs) organised from Portugal’s parliament, mentioned in particular “the beginning of the discussion of the Digital Services Act, which has a very important digital media regulation component.
“I am talking about the Digital Assembly that will take place in Lisbon and that we hope it will approve the Lisbon declaration on digital democracy with a purpose,” he said answer to representatives of the parliaments of the EU’s 27 member states, who attended the meeting by videoconference. “I speak of the line that is being well taken in the Justice and Home Affairs Council, namely against hate speech, and I speak …of the need for the EU to advance its digital strategy in the way that it knows how to …and which sets it so well apart from other blocs or countries, notably China.”
The minister stressed that the EU’s way of “going digital” in the economy, but also in public administration and public services, is “always mindful of the scrupulous respect for citizens’ rights [and] the need for digital transformation to take place within the framework of liberal democracies [such as in the EU] and “not to serve as an instrument for abuses of power by public authorities against citizens’ rights.”
Portugal began its fourth presidency of the Council of the EU on 1 January, which is to run through the first half of 2021 to 30 June, with the motto ‘Time to act: for a fair, green and digital recovery’. It took over from Germany and will hand over to Slovenia.
HRWF/ Bitter Winter (11.01.2021) – While the bill Consolidating Respect for the Principles of the Republic (former bill on separatism) is currently being examined by a special committee of the French National Assembly, three renowned experts have just published a white paper entitled Laïcité, How to Preserve it.
To do this, the authors undertook a meticulous research in the history of secularism, examined the parliamentary debates of 1905, case law and doctrine, while contextualizing everything in order to fully understand what this law had first of all changed after almost a centenary of the Napoleonic Concordat, and how “case law on the subject has struggled to evolve while the French religious landscape has changed considerably since the promulgation of the law of 1905.”
For the authors, “The government, by wishing to strongly encourage associations of law 1901 (mainly Muslim, but not only) to join the regime of religious associations of law 1905, crosses an additional level in the state control of religions (…) Unfortunately , it’s a safe bet that this harmonization of constraints, whatever the mode of exercise freely chosen, will not be enough to cause a real change of paradigm and to encourage associations under the 1901 law to join the regime of the 1905 law.” They join in this the fears of representatives of religions heard on January 4 by the special committee responsible for examining the bill.
The authors, the jurist Frédéric Jérôme Pansier, author of more than 50 reference works in the field of law, the sociologist of religions Massimo Introvigne, author of more than 70 books and Willy Fautre, President of the NGO Human Rights Without Frontiers International, advocate in this forty-page document an approach that preserves the spirit of the 1905 law, while modernizing it to adapt it to the current religious reality in France.
The document ends with a final conclusion: “in order for the reform to achieve its goals, it is necessary to ensure that the spirit of freedom of the law of 1905 is preserved, and that the great majority of religions which do not represent a terrorist threat, do not provoke hatred or violence, can not only have access to the advantages of the status of religious association, but also that this access is facilitated, encouraged and attractive.”
Players in Sydney’s west say teams in their area cater mainly to high grade players
The number of community cricket players has risen significantly, up 12.3 per cent this season
The NSW Government says it is building training and playing facilities across Sydney
The 36-year-old, who migrated to Australia from India four years ago, says while cricket has always been a big part of his life, it’s harder than ever to find space to play in Sydney’s west.
This summer, Mr Gowda says space is so tight, he has been forced to travel over an hour from his home in Kellyville in Sydney’s north west to fields in the city’s south for a weekend match.
The opening batsman says the long commute to Carss Park Flats was his only option given there are no closer grounds available.
“I did look for cricket fields from Kellyville to Marsden Park, which is a good 15 kilometres away, but neither had any grounds,” he said.
“And I looked around Blacktown, I hardly found anything over there either.”
Mr Gowda’s teammate Mannatjot Singh also drives an hour each way, from his home in Baulkham Hills to Carss Park, to play as part of the South Hurstville Carss Park cricket team.
Mannatjot Singh says he looks forward to his Saturday cricket match despite the commute. (ABC News: Jack Fisher)
The fast bowler says the few clubs located closer to his home in Western Sydney only cater for high-grade cricketers — not social players like himself — forcing him to make the lengthy journey.
“It can be quite stressful to drive such a long way just to play one game of cricket,” says the 20-year-old IT student, who arrived in Sydney from New Delhi a year ago.
“It is quite difficult to find a place to play. A lot of people have this problem.”
While the pair lament the lack of space for community cricket in Sydney’s west, the number of participants playing community cricket is on the rise.
According to the latest NSW Cricket statistics, participation rose 12.3 per cent to 493,121 over the 2019-2020 season, up from 439,306 the previous season.
The number of young people registered surged 34 per cent last season to 16,001.
Suburbs ‘purely built for housing’
The men cheer on members of the South Hurstville Carss Park cricket team. (ABC News: Jack Fisher)
Mr Gowda isn’t surprised at cricket’s increasing popularity, pointing to the passion for the game among Western Sydney’s growing Indian community.
“Cricket is a big deal in the Indian community. You can call it a religion,” he said.
Mr Gowda hopes new residential developments in the region will include designated cricket grounds so more people aren’t forced to scramble for places to play.
He would also like to see recently-completed developments in areas such as Schofields, the Ponds and Riverstone, make more space for cricket.
“What I see around my house are streets and streets of concrete replacing the horse farms, but I hardly see a place where people can come with their kids to play cricket,” he said.
“When I look at the inner-west suburbs, they have a pretty big, well-developed space for quite a lot of sports, they even have cricket grounds.
“But the suburbs [near my place in Kellyville] are purely built for housing, that’s it, nothing more.”
The cricket team train at Carss Park Flats. (ABC News: Jack Fisher)
The NSW Government said it was helping to build training and playing facilities for more than 35,000 club and community cricketers across Sydney.
It is contributing $30 million to the Cricket NSW Cricket Centre of Excellence at Wilson Park near Silverwater, due to be opened in 2022.
It has recently supported multi-sports fields in the Hills Shire, the first stage of the Fergusons Land Premier Cricket Facility in Camden.
Planning and design for three full-size cricket ovals as part of the Nepean River Trail West masterplan is underway, a spokesperson for the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment said in a statement.
For Mannatjot Singh, even though it’s a long drive to get on the field each Saturday, it’s still worth the effort.
“It’s the day I look forward to the most.”
Mr Singh and Mr Gowda say clubs closer to their homes cater for high-grade players.(ABC News: Jack Fisher)
MSNBC host Joe Scarborough claimed Monday that President Donald Trump’s supporters had “put down their Bibles” and embraced a new religion rooted in conspiracy theories.
Scarborough lashed out at the media outlets and social media platforms that had amplified Trump’s voice, arguing that they shared in the responsibility for allowing “these conspiracy theories to spread, to spread like weeds.” (RELATED: ‘Why Do You Want To Spread Violence?’: Joe Scarborough Lashes Out At Rand Paul In Angry Rant)
WATCH:
<p>“He has been been begging supporters to engage in violence against the media. And here we see them engaging in violence against the media,” Scarborough said as he showed a clip of rioters attacking members of the media at the Capitol. “Like Donald Trump has been asking them to do for five years. Engaging in violence against his political opponents.”</p> <p>Scarborough went on to argue that the people in charge of media companies and social media platforms should have seen it coming and done something to prevent Trump’s rise or curtail his influence.</p> <p>“This is what every tech company, this is what Facebook should have known was going to happen. This is on them. This is what Twitter should have known was going to happen. This is on them. This is on every media company that has promoted his hate speech. Every media company, new media company that has pushed every tweet out to 60 million people,” <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2020/10/02/joe-scarborough-rips-kayleigh-mcenany-press-briefing-hope-hicks-coronavirus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Scarborough</a> continued, acknowledging his own role as a part of the media. “It’s on all of us. It’s on all of us. But it’s especially on Facebook, Twitter, now Parler and all of those companies that allowed these conspiracy theories to spread, to spread like weeds.”</p> <p>“Like a vicious cancer,” <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2020/11/25/mika-brzezinski-wants-investigations-post-mortem-trump-presidency-the-view/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mika Brzezinski</a> added, and Scarborough agreed.</p> <p>Scarborough then argued that the major problem was the number of people who were getting all of their news from social media platforms and cable news channels that were “spreading the lies.”</p> <p>“That is their reality. They’ve put down their Bibles, right? They don’t read their Bibles anymore. They now read Facebook. They don’t worship Jesus Christ anymore. You can tell by their actions. Jesus said judge a tree by its fruits,” Scarborough said. “They worship Donald Trump. And their Bible is now what they read in the conspiracy theories on Facebook and on Twitter.”</p> <p>Scarborough concluded by once again turning his ire toward social media platforms, saying that people had “begged” them to put a muzzle on Trump and they had failed to do so.</p> <p>“This is what happened. This is what happened, Mark Zuckerberg. This is what happened, Sheryl Sandberg. I hope it was worth it. I hope your billions were worth it,” he said. “Jack, I hope wherever you’re, like, crossing your legs and doing yoga and taking an ice bath or a mud bath, I hope it was worth it.”</p>
President Hoyer reaffirms EIB commitment to Sahel and climate-vulnerable regions in Africa as part of Team Europe
EIB to strengthen financial and technical support for sustainable agriculture, clean energy, water, infrastructure and microfinance to create jobs and resilience
Biodiversity investment in Africa to benefit from pioneering EIB Sustainable Awareness Bonds
The European Investment Bank today announced that it aims to provide new financial and technical support to back sustainable agriculture, clean energy, water, infrastructure and private sector financing in 11 Sahel countries most vulnerable to a changing climate by 2025.
The EIB financing and technical support will enhance the impact of the Great Green Wall initiative to improve biodiversity in the Sahel and better tackle climate and environmental challenges facing the region. Targeted high-impact investment will enable more inclusive economic growth and strengthen resilience in the region to foster peace and stability.
EIB President Werner Hoyer outlined the expected strengthened engagement to back high-impact investment essential to create jobs, improve economic opportunities and increase access to clean energy and water during the One Planet Summit for Biodiversity hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris earlier today.
“Communities across the Sahel are threatened by climate change, increasingly frequent droughts and floods, and unreliable and limited access to energy, water and food. The European Investment Bank, as part of Team Europe and member of the Sahel Alliance, recognises the need to scale up investment that tackles these challenges, delivers sustainable development and improves stability in the region. The EU Bank is pleased to join African and international partners in ensuring that the Great Green Wall biodiversity initiative improves lives and opportunities across the Sahel. Looking ahead, the EIB expects to back transformational public and private sector investment in 11 Sahel states most vulnerable to climate change as part of our commitment to accelerate high-impact investment across Africa. This will complement our broader strategic engagement across Africa and 58 year track record of backing transformational investment on the continent.“ said Werner Hoyer, European Investment Bank President.
President Hoyer addressed the One Planet Summit for Biodiversity alongside the Prince of Wales, President of the African Union Commission and heads of the French Development Agency, African Development Bank, UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
Working with African partners to unlock high-impact investment across the Sahel
During his address to the One Planet Summit for Biodiversity President Hoyer highlighted the impact of recent EIB support for water investment in Mali and Niger, clean energy across West Africa and private sector support with local microfinance and banking partners.
The EIB is currently supporting projects to address land degradation and enhance access to finance by rural communities and small holders in Mali and Ethiopia, and to redress and prevent soil erosion in Nigeria, all initiatives that provide a model for successful biodiversity investment elsewhere in Africa.
EIB harnessing global capital markets to support biodiversity investment
Future EIB investment for sustainable agriculture and environmental projects across Africa will benefit from the EIB being the first international financial institution to issue bonds to support biodiversity investment.
This week the EIB, the world’s largest supranational bond issuer and pioneering of green bonds, will include biodiversity in the eligibility of the established EIB Sustainable Awareness Bonds.
Supporting the Great Green Wall initiative to improve lives and opportunities in the Sahel
The Great Green Wall initiative aims to restore Africa’s degraded landscapes and transform the lives of people living in the Sahel. The 11 countries selected as intervention zoned for the Great Green Wall are Burkina Faso, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Sudan
The European Investment Bank is the world’s largest international public bank and owned directly by the 27 European Union member states.
The EIB Group has recently adopted its Climate Bank Roadmap to deliver on its ambitious agenda to support €1 trillion of climate action and environmental sustainability investments in the decade to 2030 and to deliver more than 50% of EIB finance for climate action and environmental sustainability by 2025. As part of the Roadmap, all new EIB Group operations will also be aligned with the goals and principles of the Paris Agreement from the start of 2021.
Most palm oil products in Thailand and Asean nations come from small and medium-sized oil palm growers. Supplied/GIZ
Palm oil has long been a major economic backbone of Southeast Asian economies, notably Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. But the undeniable environmental impact of extensive deforestation, haze and forest fires caused by oil palm plantations has given the industry a bad reputation that has been hard to shake.
To pave the way for greener practices and greater economic benefit from the palm oil sector, policymakers, businesses and consumers have key roles to play in supporting sustainable palm oil by demanding it, experts say.
Part of the solution is to help small-scale farmers adopt more responsible practices, which will make it possible for them to obtain global certification standards and gain improved access to international markets.
“Mobilising investments in knowledge and microfinance capacity for oil palm smallholders to shift toward sustainable palm oil production is essential for improving local livelihoods and the global food supply while reducing the climate and environmental impact,” said Matthias Bickel, director of the Agriculture and Food Cluster at Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
The Thai unit of the German international development agency works with the Department of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Extension and private partners to promote sustainable palm oil production in Thailand, in line with globally recognised standards set by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).
Investments in knowledge and microfinance capacity for oil palm smallholders is essential for improving local livelihoods while reducing environmental impact. Supplied/RSPO
The alliance has organised a series of ongoing training sessions to enhance smallholders’ capacity for sustainable practices to achieve RSPO certification.
GIZ recently co-hosted a business forum, “Road to Transforming the Sustainable Palm Oil Market in Thailand”, in Bangkok together with the RSPO under their Sustainable and Climate-friendly Palm Oil Production Project (SCPOPP).
“Through the SCPOPP, we aim to train over 3,000 oil palm smallholders in sustainable practices, as well as reduce 9,600 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from oil palm cultivation and cut production costs by 20%, within 2022,” Dr Bickel said.
According to participants at the forum, many palm oil producers are sensitive to the criticism the industry receives, and some question why other large-scale agricultural ventures in the region do not receive similar scrutiny.
For example, they say, corn planting in northern Thailand has also caused massive deforestation. As well, sugarcane plantations in Thailand and Cambodia have contributed to environmental devastation from fires set during the harvest season.
PEATLAND UNDER THREAT
They said the biggest environmental concern of the palm oil industry is the expansion of cultivation to rainforests and peatland, known not only as a source of biodiversity but also a major storage point for carbon emissions. Wetlands International, the Netherlands-based conservation group, says that 20% of oil palm planting, especially in Indonesia, takes place on peat soil, which used to be covered by peat swamp forests.
The drainage of these carbon-rich organic soils for plantations leads to massive carbon dioxide emissions, soil subsidence, and ecological and social problems. Carbon emissions from unsustainable cultivation are massive.
Key players in the palm oil industry have heeded the criticism and have been making steady progress in improving practices. Their most high-profile initiative is the RSPO, which was established in 2004.
“Ensuring greater inclusion of smallholders in sustainable solutions that positively impact their livelihoods has long been a goal of the RSPO secretariat and our members,” said Beverley Postma, the chief executive officer-designate of the RSPO.
“We recognise the important role smallholders play in market transformation and we see this as a shared responsibility that all players in the palm oil supply chain must commit to supporting.”
The use of new technology such as drones for aerial photography will make traceability of the palm oil supply chain more affordable. Supplied/RSPO
Thailand, for example, has the capacity to produce up to 3.7 million tonnes of palm oil per year. A majority of palm oil products come from small and medium-scale companies. Yet they lack supportive policies such as cheap loans, capacity training and access to modern technology, she pointed out.
“Last year, our membership adopted the RSPO Independent Smallholder (ISH) Standard, which aims to help more smallholders achieve certification through a stepwise mechanism, while adhering to the key sustainability requirements,” said Ms Postma.
“Although 2020 has been a challenging year for all with the global pandemic, we are seeing positive progress toward ISH certification and we hope to see Thai smallholders attain this in the near future.”
At present, RSPO-certified palm oil represents 19% (17.11 million tonnes) of the total global supply. In Thailand, just 2.8% of the country’s total supply is certified.
Prakarn Verakul, an adviser to the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards, said adoption of RSPO guidelines will enable oil palm smallholders to effectively manage their plantations and improve the overall sustainability of the supply chain.
Pornsiri Raknukul is a model sustainable oil palm grower in the southern Thai province of Krabi, under a programme supported by GIZ of Germany. Supplied/GIZ
The majority of palm oil production in Thailand is for domestic consumption and the country has not faced as much criticism related to environmental, labour and human rights issues as Indonesia and Malaysia, which together account for 86% of global supply.
However, RSPO certification is still essential for Thailand as long as the country exports consumer products such as frozen chicken, instant noodles, and soaps which use palm oil in the manufacturing process.
“International markets are moving toward environmentally friendly products, and commitments to transparency and best farming practices,” said Mr Prakarn, a former chairman of the RSPO National Interpretation Working Group.
“If consumer product makers switch to use palm oil that is manufactured based on RSPO principles, we can certainly increase the productivity and competitiveness of the entire value chain, and eventually oil palm smallholders’ production costs will be reduced,” he added.
“Moreover, smallholders could earn additional income from RSPO certification. One smallholder group in Krabi has already earned approximately 700,000 baht from selling RSPO credits.”
The Sustainable and Climate-friendly Palm Oil Production Project aims to train over 3,000 smallholders to adopt sustainable practices in Thailand, says Matthias Bickel, director of the Agriculture and Food Cluster at GIZ GmbH. SUPPLIED
GREENING PRODUCTION
Sanin Triyanon, managing director of Pathum Vegetable Oil Company Ltd, agreed that unlike its neighbouring producing countries, Thailand’s palm oil industry does not face the same international pressure related to environmental concerns.
“There is room for the sustainable palm oil market to grow in Thailand and more consumers in major consuming countries are demanding sustainable palm oil products that support communities and safeguard the environment,” said Mr Sanin, who is also the chairman of the Thai Biodiesel Producers Association.
However, it is still vital that palm oil businesses work with oil palm smallholders in the supply chain to enhance their productivity and improve livelihoods. Besides, raising public awareness about sustainable palm oil consumption is essential for market competitiveness at both the domestic and international levels.
“Collaboration with not only policymakers in setting direction and implementation guidelines, but also the private sector in working directly with small-scale oil palm growers and consumers are key steps to transforming Thailand’s palm oil production to meeting the international standard,” he said.
Pathum Vegetable Oil was the first Thai company certified by the RSPO for responsible oil palm plantation management in 2012. The certification asserts that the company’s business has complied with global demand for sustainable palm oil production.
One of the big challenges facing corporations is tracing palm oil through a massive and complicated supply chain. The use of new technology such as drones is helping, but more is needed.
Easier access to loans is required to help small and medium-sized producers acquire the technology that will make traceability of the palm oil supply chain more reliable and affordable.
Salinla Seehaphan, corporate affairs director of the retail giant Tesco Lotus, said the company has been part of the Thai economy for 20 years. It is promoting Thai exports in growing markets such as Malaysia, after the success in exporting Thai products through more than 6,500 Tesco stores in Britain, Central Europe and Asia.
“Apart from exporting fresh food, Tesco Lotus is working closely with Thai manufacturers to develop high-quality products for export. As one of the world’s leading retailers, we hope to use our expertise to help Thai businesses successfully enter the global market,” she said.
Tesco Lotus is pioneering in using 100% certified sustainable palm oil in its own-brand cooking oil in Thailand. “With this attempt, we wish to deliver good quality products to consumers while safeguarding the environment,” she added.
“Innovation can help oil palm smallholders, millers and refineries improve operational efficacy as consumer behaviour is changing rapidly, and support the lifestyle needs and demands of customers in the digital era.”
Smallholders can earn additional income from RSPO certification by selling RSPO credits, says Prakarn Verakul, adviser to the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards. SUPPLIED
SHARED RESPONSIBILITY
Khor Yu Leng, a political economist and agribusiness analyst at the London School of Economics, who has been tracking sustainability of certification practices, said palm oil players could move toward having more than one type of certification to meet different market needs.
Malaysia, for instance, has set up its own certification body, the Malaysia Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO), which is a mandatory national standard. It is aimed at improving the accountability of local palm oil products as well as promoting domestic consumption of sustainable palm oil.
Nowadays, more and more buyer brands in Asian countries such as Japan, India and China are aware of sustainable palm oil and are demanding it. But production of sustainable palm oil in Thailand is relatively low and thus the country is not well-placed to meet this growing demand.
However, she believes producers in Thailand will still take the principal RSPO standards into account. Achieving RSPO certification requires high investment cost and can be time-consuming for smaller-scale producers.
Buyers and other stakeholders including retailers and consumers need to share the costs, commitment and responsibility for the sustainable palm oil journey if sustainability is the ultimate goal.
Tesco Lotus is using 100% certified sustainable palm oil in own-brand cooking oil in Thailand, says Salinla Seehaphan, corporate affairs director. SUPPLIED
Melbourne, Australia: Neuren Pharmaceuticals (ASX: NEU) has received notice from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) of positive opinions for all three Orphan designation applications that were submitted for NNZ-2591 in Phelan-McDermid syndrome, Angelman syndrome and Pitt Hopkins syndrome.
Under the Orphan procedure timetable, the European Commission is scheduled to issue the decisions in January. Orphan designation in the EU enables sponsors to benefit from incentives including free protocol assistance, fee reductions and 10 years of market exclusivity plus two additional years if approved for paediatric use. During that exclusivity period, the EMA and the EU Member States shall not accept another marketing authorisation application for a similar medicinal product in the same therapeutic indication.
Neuren plans to commence Phase 2 trials in patients with each of Phelan-McDermid syndrome, Angelman syndrome and Pitt Hopkins syndrome in 2021 to confirm the potential of NNZ-2591 to address the urgent unmet need in these three serious childhood disorders. Neuren CEO Jon Pilcher commented:
“We are pleased to have received no questions following the EMA review of our compelling pre-clinical results and the rationale for treatment with NNZ2591. We move forward to Phase 2 trials with increased confidence now that we have Orphan designation for all three indications in the two largest markets. We look forward to engaging with both the FDA and the EMA as we strive to develop an effective treatment for patients and families living with these debilitating conditions.”
The Government has denied reports it rejected an offer of visa-free tours by musicians in the European Union, saying it pushed for a ‘more ambitious agreement’ during negotiations.
The UK’s post-Brexit travel rules, which came into force on January 1, do not guarantee visa-free travel for artists and other creatives throughout the EU’s 27 member states.
Industry bodies, including trade group UK Music, have warned that performers who have to secure individual visas for each country they visit may face extra costs.
Citing an EU source close to negotiations, the Independent reported that a ‘standard’ proposal to exempt performers for 90 days was turned down by the UK, prompting anger from some musicians.
The unnamed EU source close to negotiations told the Independent: ‘It is usually in our agreements with third countries, that [work] visas are not required for musicians. We tried to include it, but the UK said no.
Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke is among musicians who have hit out at the Government over claims they rejected arrangements for visa-free travel for touring musicians on the continent
The source went on to say that the UK refused to agree because ‘they said they were ending free moment’, adding that it was ‘untrue’ to say they asked for something more ambitious.
Without a bloc-wide agreement for visa-free travel, it will be up to each member state to decide the entry requirements for musicians travelling in their country, an arrangement which campaigners say will lead to added costs and bureaucracy.
A Government spokesperson described the reports as ‘misleading speculation’.
They said: ‘The UK pushed for a more ambitious agreement with the EU on the temporary movement of business travellers, which would have covered musicians and others, but our proposals were rejected by the EU.’
Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke, composer Nitin Sawhney and Charlatans singer Tim Burgess were among those who voiced criticism.
Burgess described the reports as ‘the great rock n roll swindle’ in a tweet, adding: ‘We need to get answers to this and not let them sweep it under the carpet – they shouldn’t be let off the hook for treating artists with such contempt.’
Dua Lipa is among high-profile musicians who have supported a call for visa-free travel for musicians who are touring in the EU
A petition calling on the Government to negotiate a ‘free cultural work permit’ to ensure ease of travel throughout the EU has received more than 235,000 signatures.
Stars including One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson, former Boyzone member Ronan Keating and singer-songwriter Laura Marling have encouraged their fans to support the campaign.
The Liberal Democrats called on the Government to disclose what was offered by the EU during negotiations.
A spokesperson said: ‘These new restrictions are a blow to the music industry, which has already suffered so much during the pandemic, and will disadvantage young aspiring musicians the most and may make touring financially impossible for some.’
Horace Trubridge, general secretary of the Musicians’ Union (MU), said: ‘With the British music business having been devastated by Covid-19 and with no end in sight to the black hole of cancelled concerts, tours, festivals and regular gigs that is the very bedrock of our world-class industry, the news, if true, that our own elected representatives chose to turn down such an offer is nigh-on unbelievable.
‘Ever since the result of the referendum in 2016, the MU has campaigned and lobbied for a Musicians’ Passport that would allow our members and their support crew to make a successful living across Europe.’
Earlier this week, Cabinet Office minister Lord True said talks with Brussels over visa-free travel for artists were ‘unlikely’ to restart in the near future.
It comes as Cabinet Minister Michael Gove has been warned that confusing post-Brexit rules threatened to cause export chaos.
According to the Guardian, British manufacturing and trade organisations met with Gove in an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss problems with the deal struck by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in December.
Empty shelves at a Marks & Spencer’s store on the Lisburn Road in Belfast, with retailers ‘experiencing some disruption after Brexit’ and Marks and Spencer has temporarily withdrawn a small proportion of product lines to ensure its delivery lorries are not turned away at ports
A source told the newspaper that one leading figure involved in the meeting described the new rules as ‘a complete s***show’ while another said Gove seemed ‘very concerned’.
The source added: ‘He [Gove] seemed to realise the full gravity of the situation that is unfolding and about to get worse.’
On Friday, Gove admitted there would be ‘significant additional disruption’ at the UK border as a result of Brexit customs changes in the coming weeks.
He said efforts to assist would be ‘redoubled’ as traders were urged to ensure their paperwork was in order, with cargo traffic at Dover expected to reach pre-Christmas levels again next week.
It comes as major parcel courier DPD paused some delivery services into Europe – including Ireland – because of pressure caused by new post-Brexit red tape.
Marks & Spencer also revealed that its popular Percy Pigs sweets were struggling to find their way across the Irish Sea to supermarket shelves in Ireland.
Empty fresh fruit shelves at a Marks & Spencer’s store on the Lisburn Road in Belfast, with retailers ‘experiencing some disruption after Brexit’
The retailer said the new rules and regulations are set to ‘significantly impact’ its overseas ventures in Ireland, the Czech Republic and France.
Mr Gove told broadcasters on Friday: ‘So far disruption at the border hasn’t been too profound but it is the case that in the weeks ahead we expect that there will be significant additional disruption, particularly on the Dover-Calais route.
‘It is our responsibility in Government to make sure that business is as ready as possible, and hauliers and traders have already done a lot but we have to redouble our efforts to communicate the precise paperwork that is required in order to make sure that trade can flow freely.
‘So over the course of the next few days, Government will be stepping up that communications effort to make sure that business knows what is required.’
The latest Government figures show that around 700 lorries have been turned away from the border since new rules came in to force after the end of the transition period with the European Union on January 1.
About 150 fines have been handed out for non-compliance with new rules designed to reduce truck queues in Kent.
But officials said those numbers could increase as the flow of lorries heading through Kent increases, with traffic drastically reduced at present.
Leading figures in British manufacturers and trade experts met with Michael Gove (pictured) on Thursday to warn that confusion over post-Brexit rules could cause export chaos
Over the past week, there has been an average of 1,584 lorries per day attempting border crossings, which is only around 40% of historical norms, according to the Cabinet Office.
As well as requiring the correct paperwork, including export declarations and the extra certificates needed for products such as plant and animal products, hauliers must secure a negative Covid-19 test and a Kent Access Permit before embarking on their travels onwards to Europe.
The increased push by Government to ready businesses comes as a host of sectors complained about the added complexity that they were having to wade through to trade with Europe.
A Government spokesman said: ‘Although many businesses have moved goods successfully since January 1, we are aware of some issues, and are providing guidance and support.’
Its Director General Habibullah Shirajee told bdnews24.com about the cultural affairs ministry’s decision on Sunday night that the fair cannot be held in the month of the Language Movement despite the publishers’ push.
A new schedule will be fixed when the situation improves, he added.
Gyan O Srijanshil Prokashok Samiti or the Academic and Creative Publishers Association of Bangladesh, one of the organisers of the fair, had asked during a meeting on Jan 5 that the fair be organised within March, if not from the beginning of February.
Asked about their demand, Shirajee said, “We have postponed the book fair for now. Decisions will be made in light of the situation after talks with the publishers.”
The academy last month appealed to the cultural affairs ministry to suspend the book fair this time considering the pandemic situation.
But the publishers’ association rejected the proposal, saying that they wanted to arrange the fair in the same way as every year under the open sky.
Earlier, the cultural affairs ministry and the health ministry exchanged letters on the issue. The health ministry recommended organising the fair virtually, an official said. But the publishers dismissed the idea out of hand.
“We haven’t decided whether the book fair will be held on a virtual platform. We will disclose our plans soon on how the discussions and other events can be conducted,” said Shirajee.
State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid did not respond to bdnews24.com request for comments.
“We know nothing about it,” said Farid Ahmed, the president of the publishers’ association, when reacting to the latest development.
“We wanted the fair to begin in mid-February and end in March. We sent our proposal to the cultural affairs ministry as well. We don’t know if the ministry has decided not to hold the fair as per the previous schedule,” Farid added.
The fair has its roots back to the days when Chittaranjan Saha, the owner of Muktodhara Prokashoni, began selling books by setting up a shop on a piece of cloth at the gate of the academy during the Feb 21 Language Martyrs Day event in 1972. Many others joined him in 1977.
Ashraf Siddiqui, the then DG of the academy, involved it with the fair the following year. After another year, Bangladesh Book Sellers and Publishers Association joined the fair.
In 1983, during the term of DG Quazi Muhammad Manjoor-E-Mawla, the academy took the initiative to organise the Amar Ekushey Grantha Mela, but did not go ahead with the plan. Finally, the Amar Ekushey Boi Mela began at the academy premises in 1984.
Now, the month-long fair has become an integral part of Bengali culture.
This year, the fair was delayed by a day due to the city corporation elections in Dhaka.
The fair ended without any hindrance as Bangladesh did not report any confirmed coronavirus cases at the time after the pandemic began in China in late 2019.
<a title="Turkey" href="/search/Turkey">Turkey</a>’s President Recep Tayyip <a title="Erdoğan" href="/search/Erdoğan" rel="nofollow">Erdoğan</a> and European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen on Jan. 9 discussed the steps aimed at enhancing the relations between Turkey and the European Union, the Turkish authorities have said.
In a video conference, Erdoğan and the EU official discussed the ways to develop relations between Turkey and the EU and addressed regional developments, Turkey’s Communications Directorate said in a statement.
The EU is on the priority of Turkey’s agenda, Erdoğan told von der Leyen, reiterating that Turkey sees its future in Europe.
He also pointed out the importance of resuming regular Turkey-EU summits and high-level dialogue meetings.
Turkey wants to open a new page in relations with the EU in the new year, Erdoğan said, adding that the year 2020 could not be made enough use of due to the whims and artificial problems that some EU members produced, according to the statement.
He added that this situation was not sustainable not only in terms of maintaining future relations but also in terms of the broad common geography. Erdoğan also said that updating the 2016 refugee deal would be the first step for a positive agenda on Turkey-EU relations.
Turkey and the EU signed a refugee deal in 2016, which aimed to discourage irregular migration through the Aegean Sea by taking stricter measures against human traffickers and improving the conditions of nearly four million Syrian refugees in Turkey. Erdoğan pointed out that the year 2021 offers a productive environment for new cooperation to be initiated in the field of migration.
The Customs Union agreement between Turkey and EU should be updated, Erdoğan stated, adding that Turkish nationals should be allowed visa-free travel within the Schengen area and steps should be taken in talks on Turkey’s EU accession.
He also mentioned reestablishing mutual trust and rerunning the consultation mechanism. Erdoğan underlined the need for an end to “exclusionary and discriminatory rhetoric” against Turkey.
Von der Leyen, for her part, said on Twitter: “Good exchange with Turkish President @RTErdoğan. We exchanged on the #COVID19 situation, the economic recovery, and the implementation of tasking of the European Council of December 2020.”
Turkey is working to turn new chapters in its relations with the EU, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Jan. 7, noting that European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen were expected to pay a visit to Turkey.
The top Turkish diplomat is expected to visit Brussels to hold talks with the EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, on Jan. 21.
Following months of strain due to Turkey’s search for hydrocarbon resources in the eastern Mediterranean, Ankara and Brussels stepped up for better dialogue last month.
Last month, at the EU leaders’ meeting in Brussels, it was decided to draw up a list of Turkish targets for sanctions over Ankara’s “unilateral actions and provocations” in the eastern Mediterranean, believed to be rich in energy resources. But they postponed their further decisions such as on trade tariffs or an arms embargo until they have consulted with the upcoming U.S. administration.
Turkey, which has the longest continental coastline in the eastern Mediterranean, has rejected maritime boundary claims of Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration and stressed that these excessive claims violate the sovereign rights of both Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots.
