, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20201217IPR94213/
MEPs express support for the priorities of the EU Security Union Strategy | News | European Parliament
, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20201211IPR93638/
Climate change adaptation: MEPs want the EU to be better prepared | News | European Parliament
, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20201211IPR93634/
European Parliament approves temporary rules to keep Eurotunnel working
MEPs adopted temporary measures to keep the tunnel railway connection between continental Europe and the UK running after the end of the transition period.
The Parliament approved the temporary rules under urgent procedure with 684 votes in favour (3 against, 2 abstentions).
Parliament voted in October on legislation allowing France to negotiate a new international agreement with the UK regarding the governance of the Channel Tunnel Fixed Link. The Intergovernmental Commission would remain the main safety authority for the tunnel. That agreement has not yet been reached.
To avoid rail traffic being interrupted in the Channel Tunnel Fixed Link as of 1 January 2021, the Parliament agreed to temporarily extend safety licences and certificates to allow France and the UK sufficient time to conclude a bilateral agreement. The licence for the current tunnel infrastructure manager would remain valid for two months after the end of the transition period. The safety certificates and licences issued under EU law to UK companies would be extended for nine months.
Other contingency measures will be put to the vote on Friday, 18 December to provisionally maintain cross-border connectivity between the UK and the EU on roads and by air as of 1 January 2021.
Next steps
The temporary rules have to be adopted also by the Council. They will enter into force when published on EU Official Journal and cease to apply on 1 October 2021 at the latest.
Bank backs eco-friendly farming
Ibis Rice Conservation Co Ltd (IBIS Rice) has signed a financing agreement with South Korean-owned Phnom Penh Commercial Bank Plc (PPCBank) to support 1,500 smallholder farmers to grow organic wildlife-friendly jasmine rice, which will help protect endangered species while also earning a premium price for the farmers.
IBIS Rice CEO Nick Spencer said on December 16 that his firm currently works with the 1,500 farmers and pays them a premium of 50 per cent above market price for organic jasmine rice to encourage their use of wildlife-friendly practices. He did not specify how much of that money would go to support the 1,500 smallholder famers living in seven wildlife conservation areas of Stung Treng and Mondulkiri provinces.
In order to participate in the project, farmers have to commit to not allowing any logging or hunting on their land and to prohibit the use of chemicals, thereby protecting the environment and wildlife.
IBIS Rice was founded by the US-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and is named after the Giant Ibis, Cambodia’s national bird.
“We have recruited and trained more farmers, so we need additional capital financing to buy more rice from those farmers. We make very strong commitments to our farmers by buying all of the [rice] they can produce that meets our compliance standards,” Spencer said.
According to Spencer, the rice is certified wildlife-friendly and organic, meeting the standards set by the EU and US Department of Agriculture (USDA). This allows it to be sold globally in high-end markets, including Europe and Canada. The project has significantly improved the farmer’s livelihoods while reducing deforestation by 75 per cent in the areas where these farmers live and cultivate rice.
In a joint press release on December 16, PPCBank senior vice-president Nhak Kimsroy said the bank appreciated the benefits that the IBIS Rice project provided to both smallholder farmers and wildlife conservation efforts in Cambodia in addition to it being worthy of financing as a sound business opportunity.
“We could see from the certifications that IBIS Rice holds, and the strong commitments its international buyers make, that this was a strong proposal. This agreement marks the beginning of long partnership, and we look forward to the company’s growth,” he said.
Robb Menzi, chief operating officer of WCS Cambodia and chairman of IBIS Rice, said in the joint press release that WCS Cambodia originally developed the IBIS Rice project as a conservation tool with the support of Cambodian government in 2009.
The objective was to incentivise local communities to engage in conservation through the purchase of organic jasmine rice at a premium from farmers who commit to protect the forest and stop hunting.
The project has improved local livelihoods while addressing the threat to some of Cambodia’s critically endangered species, including Giant Ibis.
“WCS has supported IBIS Rice through its development and start-up phase – it is a shining example of how an enterprise model can create great products for consumers and deliver real conservation and human wellbeing outcomes,” he said.
In a press release, Christy Owen, head of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Green Invest Asia, said the IBIS Rice partnership with PPCBank was a great example of the work that USAID Green Invest Asia accomplished, linking up commercial financing with projects that produce proven carbon savings and positive social impact.
“We congratulate the two sides for this meaningful partnership that will benefit an entire supply chain while helping to preserve the habitat of some of the rarest species in Cambodia,” she said.
EU – UK announce BREXIT agreement in principle reached on ‘all issues’
Press statement by Vice-President Šefčovič following the fifth ordinary meeting of the EU-UK Joint Committee
European Commission Statement Brussels, 17 Dec 2020
We have just concluded our fifth ordinary EU-UK Joint Committee meeting on the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement – co-chaired with Chancellor Michael Gove, by means of videoconference. Today marks an important milestone. We have endorsed formal decisions and other practical solutions, ensuring that the Withdrawal Agreement is operational in time, as of 1 January 2021. This means that we have delivered on our overarching objective – to protect the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement, avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, and maintain peace, stability and prosperity there. This was essential, given the limited time left until the transition period ends at the end of this year. Therefore, I want to thank Chancellor Gove for his personal dedication and solution-driven approach that helped us to reach this important milestone. At the same time, I appreciate the swift approval of the decisions by our Member States. This is also a testament to our shared commitment to the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement.
Throughout this year, we have indeed worked tirelessly to ensure that both the letter and the spirit of the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, are respected and translated into viable solutions. These now provide businesses and people in Northern Ireland with necessary clarity and stability, while we uphold the integrity of our Single Market. Let me highlight the EU’s two main priorities: First, robust working arrangements for the EU’s presence in Northern Ireland so that our representatives can effectively carry out their tasks on the ground. In particular, I welcome that the UK has agreed to provide adequate equipment and facilities, as well as continuous, real-time access to their relevant IT systems and databases, both on the ground and remotely. The second priority, which I strongly welcome, is that the UK has committed to withdraw all contentious parts of its Internal Market Bill, and refrain from introducing any similar parts in its Taxation Bill. Given these reassurances, we were able to find workable solutions for a number of areas, such as the supply of medicines. These solutions will be of a temporary nature and with strict conditions attached.
We are also making sure that the rights of our citizens and UK nationals are protected. Going in detail, we have today endorsed the second Joint Report on Residence Rights and agreed on its publication. In a transparent manner, it provides an update on national residence schemes in the EU and the UK. And it also outlines outreach and assistance measures to support EU citizens and UK nationals, including vulnerable groups, and to inform important stakeholders, such as employers. I want to stress that we take legal certainty for all people concerned very seriously. To demonstrate, just one figure – more than 90% of UK nationals residing in the EU can already apply for a new residence status in our Member States. The UK has also provided reassurances as to its settlement system for EU citizens. We will continue to work with the Member States and monitor this issue closely.
Let me conclude by underlining that I am committed to continue paying full attention to the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement in 2021, with a focus on how our mutually agreed solutions work on the ground. To that effect, with Chancellor Gove, we have agreed today that the Joint Committee will continue to meet at least quarterly during the upcoming year.
Brexit: European Parliament issues Sunday ultimatum in trade talks
The European Parliament has issued an ultimatum to EU and UK negotiators, saying it will not ratify a deal by the end of the year if it is reached any later than this Sunday.
<p class="no_name">MEPs and chief EU negotiator <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_person=Michel+Barnier" rel="nofollow">Michel Barnier</a> have warned that this would mean a short period of “no-deal” terms in which legally tariffs would have to be levied on trade between the EU and UK.</p>
<p class="no_name">There has been some progress in the talks but the issue of fish is very much unresolved, Mr Barnier told MEPs, The Irish Times understands, warning that there needed to be a deal within days or there would be a period of no-deal.</p>
<p class="no_name">“We give until Sunday to <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_person=Boris+Johnson" rel="nofollow">Boris Johnson</a> to make a decision. The uncertainty hanging over citizens and businesses as a result of UK choices becomes intolerable,” said <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_person=Dacian+Ciolos" rel="nofollow">Dacian Ciolos</a>, the president of Renew Europe, the group in which <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_organisation=Fianna+F%C3%A1il" rel="nofollow">Fianna Fáil</a> sits.</p>
<p class="no_name">“Michel Barnier and his team has our full support as we head to the <a href="/news/world/brexit">Brexit</a> moment of truth.”</p>
<aside class="related-articles--instream has-3">
</aside>
<p class="no_name">In a joint statement, the heads of the parliament’s political groups said the parliament “stands ready to organise an extraordinary plenary session towards the end of December” to ratify a deal.</p>
<p class="no_name">However, it would not do so if a deal came any later than Sunday, it warned, insisting that the parliament must have a copy of a provisional text “as soon as possible” to begin scrutinising it.</p>
<p class="no_name"><a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_person=Manfred+Weber" rel="nofollow">Manfred Weber</a>, the head of the powerful European People’s Party of <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_organisation=Fine+Gael" rel="nofollow">Fine Gael</a>, reiterated that a deal would only be ratified if it arrived by Sunday.</p>
<p class="no_name">“After that we cannot reasonably scrutinise the deal before the end of the year. The agreement is too important to rush through parliament,” Mr Weber said.</p>
<p class="no_name">National governments technically have the power to provisionally apply trade agreements until they are ratified, after a proposal by the <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&tag_organisation=European+Commission" rel="nofollow">European Commission</a>. </p>
<p class="no_name">However, the commission has long been warning that the alternative to ratification in December is a temporary period of no deal.</p>
<p class="no_name">Nevertheless there would be significant pressure to do whatever possible to minimise the economic damage of no-deal terms, making for a potentially fraught political fight within the EU’s institutions.</p>
European Parliament sets Sunday deadline for approving Brexit deal this year
The European Parliament will not meet to ratify a Brexit trade deal this year unless one is signed before Sunday, the leaders of its main political groups have said.
The new red line means Britain is expected to face a no-deal exit from the single market if nothing has been agreed by the close of the weekend – causing significant economic disruption.
In a joint statement, the parliament’s conference of presidents said they stood “ready to organise an extraordinary plenary session towards the end of December” but only if “an agreement is reached by midnight on Sunday 21st”.
They made the comments after a meeting with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier in Brussels on Thursday morning, in which he is said to have told them a deal was possible by Friday.
Dacian Cioloș, leader of the parliament’s liberal Renew group and an ally of Emmanuel Macron, said the deadline was necessary because “uncertainty hanging over citizens and businesses as a result of UK choices” was becoming “intolerable”.
Manfred Weber, chair of the parliament’s largest group, the centre-right European People’s Party, said: “After [Sunday] we cannot reasonably scrutinise the deal before the end of the year. The agreement is too important to rush through Parliament.
“We owe it to the people and businesses in our constituencies who will be heavily affected by Brexit, to scrutinise the deal appropriately. After Sunday we don’t believe this would still be possible.”
Iratxe Garcia Perez, leader of the centre-left socialist group, said: “We will not be rushed into a consent vote of the Brexit deal before the end of the year if we don’t have access to the text by Sunday.”
The warning by the Parliament raises the possibility that the UK could be hit by a limited period of trading on no-deal terms from the beginning of January, even if an agreement is signed before the end of the year.
While the European Union and UK both have some powers for “provisional” application of deals without the consent of their parliaments, it is not clear whether these would help prevent a no-deal in this case.
Mr Barnier is understood to have told ambassadors and MEPs in separate private meetings that even the reduced length of the provisional application process means there could well be a short no-deal in January even if it is used.
The European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has also promised the Parliament that she would not use the procedure to bypass MEPs. The joint statement by the parliamentary group leaders recalls this, noting that Ms Von der Leyen said provisional application could take place “only once the European Parliament has given its consent”.
Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU
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The Independent additionally understands that the European Council’s legal service believes that provisional application would not be fast enough to prevent a no-deal on 1 January if the process was set in motion after this week.
Mr Barnier struck an upbeat tone on the possibility of a free trade agreement on Thursday, saying there had been “good progress” but that “stumbling blocks remain”.
He said talks were in their “final stretch”, adding: “We will only sign a deal protecting EU interests and principles.”
The chief negotiator reporters told presidents that a deal was possible by Friday.
But UK sources were significantly less upbeat, stressing that the two sides were still very far apart in key areas. EU member state diplomats believe a deal is possible but warn that the path to one is narrow.
Back in Westminster, Downing Street would not be drawn on the European Parliament’s timetable. The prime minister’s spokesperson said the House of Commons would not be recalled on Christmas Day or the Boxing Day Bank Holiday for its own ratification procedures, but did no rule out weekend sittings to approve the agreement.
Fair transition to digital and green economy: a new social agenda for Europe
- Digital and green transition must include a social dimension
- New European Social Agenda to be adopted under the Portuguese presidency
- European Pillar of Social Rights should be properly implemented
In order to complement the changes that the European economy is currently undergoing, clear objectives should be put in place to ensure social justice in the labour market. In a resolution that was adopted today by 380 votes in favour, 219 against and 97 abstentions, Parliament sets out its priorities for a strong social Europe for Just Transitions.
The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the precarity of some workers – particularly young people and women with low-skilled jobs – and has exposed the urgent need for adequate social protection and an inclusive employment policy.
Setting an ambitious “Porto 2030 Agenda”
In the resolution, MEPs call on member states and the European Commission to adopt an ambitious political agenda with mandatory indicators for social sustainability during the May 2021 EU Social Summit in Portugal. The so-called “Porto 2030 Agenda” should include targets and measures to guarantee decent work and wages, social justice and equal opportunities, robust social welfare systems, and fair labour mobility.
Furthermore, MEPs urge that the Porto Agenda should set concrete goals towards the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights (ESPR), to ensure that social rights receive the same protection as economic freedoms in the single market.
Monitoring the progress of social recovery
To mitigate the social repercussions of COVID-19, member states should make full use of the available flexibility for public finances and fiscal policies. Investments made under NextGenerationEU and the Recovery Fund should support social equality as much as economic and environmental objectives. To this end, member states should submit Social Progress Plans (SPP) alongside the existing National Recovery plans and national Climate and Energy plans, says the resolution.
Quotes
Agnes Jongerius (S&D, NL): “In what what kind of Europe do we want to live in 10 years’ time? I want to live in a Europe where all workers earn a living wage, all families can afford housing, and no child has to grow up in poverty.
Recommendations are simply not enough to get there. EU governments and the Commission must commit to concrete mandatory targets to be reached by 2030, such as halving youth unemployment, equal pay, and more affordable social housing.”
Dennis Radtke (EPP, DE) added: “Climate change change and digitisation will challenge an entire generation. They will inevitably lead structural change, which must be shaped in a socially acceptable and just way. This can only work if we protect and support both our industry and our workers.
Our report proposes clearly defined targets for a socially just transition to a greener and more digital economy. We expect the EU Commission to take our proposals into account in its action plan for the next EU Social Summit in Porto 2021.”
Background
In January 2020, the European Commission published a communication on A strong social Europe for just transitions ahead of the implementation plan for the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR). The EPSR is a list of 20 key principles and rights for fair and effective labour markets and welfare systems in the 21st century, which all EU institutions signed up to in 2017. The communication led to a broad discussion with institutions, social stakeholders, and citizens.
In January 2021, the European Commission will publish an action plan for the implementation of the EPSR.
EU-UK: Statement of the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament
The Conference of Presidents of Parliament’s political groups issued the following statement after meeting EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier on Thursday.
The Conference of Presidents
1. Takes note that negotiations are ongoing with the UK on the future relationship and welcomes efforts being made to avoid a no deal scenario, and the huge negative impact it would have on citizens and businesses; Highlights its wish to avoid the disruptive impacts of a possible no-deal outcome and notes in this context the UK Government’s refusal to even consider extending the transition period; Welcomes the four targeted and time-limited contingency measures to be voted tomorrow in plenary;
2. In this respect, stands ready to organise an extraordinary plenary session towards the end of December, in case an agreement is reached by midnight on Sunday 20th December, for the European Parliament to debate the outcome of negotiations and consider granting its consent;
3. Insists that this is contingent on having access to the text of any agreement in advance of the formal referral being made, and in this respect urge the Commission to provide the Parliament with a provisional text as soon as possible; Recalls that ratification of any agreement is dependent on the full implementation by the UK government of all provisions of the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland; Therefore invites the Commission to provide Parliament with a full report on the implementation of the Protocol, in order to allow it to assess whether or not this condition has been met;
4. Recalls the Political Guidelines for the Next European Commission 2019/2024 which state that “my Commission will always propose that provisional application of trade agreements take place only once the European Parliament has given its consent”;
5. Highlights the exceptional nature of these negotiations and stresses that in no way can this be seen to constitute a precedent for future trade agreements, where the usual format of cooperation and access to information must be fully guaranteed, in line with Article 218 (10) TFEU, including far-reaching sharing of all negotiating texts, regular dialogue, and sufficient time for formal EP scrutiny and debate of agreements;
6. Is grateful for the dedicated and professional work of the EU’s Chief Negotiator, Michel Barnier, and the UK Taskforce, who are working tirelessly for a positive outcome and welcomes their extremely close and regular cooperation with the European Parliament, in particular the UK Coordination Group, which has been fully informed and consulted at every step of the negotiations.
