The Letter n°782

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The Letter n°782
The Letter
Tuesday 28th November 2017
issue 782
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European Financial Outlook 2021-2027 Which budget for which Europe?
Author : Jean Arthuis
Jean Arthuis
Singular in every way – that is how we might describe the European budget. Its financing depends on the Member States alone and the European Parliament is kept at bay, its spending lines are maintained in the straitjacket of the seven-year Multiannual Financing Framework (MFF), with most of its appropriations being redistributed to its contributors. Although its weight is but modest, 1% of the European GDP, the budgetary rules and procedures seem to have been governed by an overprotective rationale via supervision. Symptomatic of a Europe that no longer communicates with the Europeans.
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Foundation : Conference on Security in Berlin
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On 28th and 29th November Berlin is hosting the 16th conference on security and defence in Europe. Jean-Dominique Giuliani, Chairman of the Foundation is taking part notably in the debate of the roles and responsibilities of Europe in the new world order... Read more
European Business Day Paris
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The Robert Schuman Foundation is Partner in the European Business Day 2017 that is taking place on 30th November at the University of Paris Dauphine. Pascale Joannin, the Foundation's Managing Director is taking part in the round table on Europe and the threats it faces... Read more

Commission : National budgets: 6 countries under European Commission scrutiny
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As each year, the European Commission has published an assessment of the European budgets. Six countries are Under the Commission's scrutiny - France, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Portugal and Slovenia... Read more
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New European system to counter natural disasters
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Notably echoing the recent forest fires that ravaged Portugal the Commission announced on 23rd November its plan to strengthen European response capabilities to natural disasters. RescEU's resources and assets will palliate national inadequacies with planes to fight fires and water pumps... Read more
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Action plan to eliminate the men-women wage gap
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On 20th November the European Commission launched an action plan for 2018 and 2019 that aims to eliminate the wage gap between men and women... Read more
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International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
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On the occasion of the international day for the elimination of violence against women the European Commission reiterated its intention to bring all violence to an end. According to estimates 35% of women were victims of violence at some time in their life and this figure can rise to 70% in some countries... Read more
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Diplomacy : Conclusions of the Eastern Partnership Summit
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On 24th November Brussels hosted the 5th European Eastern Partnership Summit. Participants remain deeply concerned by the continuous infringements of the principles of international law in many areas of the region. They called for renewed efforts to promote the peaceful settlement of conflict in the region on the basis of principles and standards of international law... Read more
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EU-Asia: ASEAN Foreign Affairs Meeting
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On 20th and 21st November the ASEM Foreign Affairs Ministers from Asia and Europe met as part of the Europe-Asia Dialogue (ASEM). The High Representative Federica Mogherini deemed the progress made by Myanmar "very encouraging" towards "an agreement with Bangladesh" on the return of 600,000 Rohingyas refugees... Read more
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ECB : Mario Draghi speaks to the European Parliament
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The President of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi took advantage of a speech he gave to the European Parliament on 20th November to recall that the monetary accommodation policy undertaken by the ECB is still necessary to help dynamic wage growth and in fine the acceleration of inflation... Read more

European Agencies : Amsterdam will host the Medicines Agency, Paris the Banking Authority
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On 20th November the Council decided to transfer the HQs of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Banking Authority (EBA) to Amsterdam and Paris respectively. These two agencies based in the UK have to be relocated due to the Brexit... Read more
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Germany : First plenary session at the Bundestag
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On 21st November the Bundestag held its first plenary session. The president of the Bundestag Wolfgang Schäuble launched an appeal in view of forming a "Jamaican" coalition: "reviewing one's electoral programme does not mean that you are not yourself or weak.".. Read more

Denmark : New support programme to Ukraine and Georgia
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Danish Foreign Affairs Minister Anders Samuelsen announced on 19th November 2017 the drafting of a new support programme to Ukraine and Georgia. This programme is part of the Eastern Partnership whose most recent summit took place on 24th November and matches aid of 860 million Danish crowns over five years... Read more

Spain : Lists for the elections on 21st December in Catalonia
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Following the Spanish government's decision to convene new regional elections in Catalonia on 21st December, the Electoral Commission published the lists of the candidates who will be running in the election in its official journal... Read more

Greece : Forecasts of primary surplus rising
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Greece is due to surpass its budgetary surplus goals in 2018 for the third consecutive year. In the first draft budget submitted to the Vouli (Parliament) on 21st November the government is forecasting a primary surplus of between 2.4 and 2.5% this year and more than 3.7% in 2018... Read more

Hungary : Central and Eastern Europe-China Summit
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Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang announced on 27th November the grant of nearly 3 billion € to projects in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Czech Republic , Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Serbia) during a summit in Budapest designed to strengthen Beijing's cooperation with this region. The Development Bank of China will notably "provide the equivalent of 2 billion €". Moreover the Chinese leader announced a provision of one billion € for an Investment fund... Read more
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Poland : Meeting between the French President and the Polish Prime Minister
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French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo said on 23rd November that they wanted to "cooperate closely" in spite of the differences of opinion they have had over the last few months, notably regarding posted workers in the EU... Read more
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Romania : The anti-corruption court freezes the assets of Liviu Dragnea
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On 21st November the prosecutors of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) froze the assets of Liviu Dragnea, the leader of the Social Democratic Party and leader of the House of Deputies. Legal proceedings were launched last week for fraud via the building company Tel Drum. Mr Dragnea's assets total 127.5 million Romanian lei, i.e. 27.4 million €... Read more
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UK : New budget presented to Parliament
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On 22nd November the Chancellor of the Exchequer presented the British government's autumn budget to parliament. It notably provides for a 3 billion £ extension in preparation for Brexit over the next two years. Finally 6.3 billion £ will be devoted to financing the National Health Service... Read more
The UK reduces its growth forecasts prior to Brexit
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On 22nd November the UK drastically reduced its growth forecasts until 2021. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is expecting growth between 1.3% and 1.5% of the GDP only this year and the following four, in contrast to figures of 1.5% and even 2.0% previously... Read more
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Theresa May meets representatives of Sinn Fein and the DUP
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On 21st November British Prime Minister Theresa May met the representatives of the two main parties in Northern Ireland to discuss the political situation in Northern Ireland following the collapse of talks to form a coalition government. Having seen that the differences between the two sides are not so great, notably regarding culture and identity she declared that a solution could be found so that Northern Ireland might provide itself with an executive... Read more

Bosnia-Herzgovina : Ratko Mladic given life sentence by the ICTY
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The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia gave its verdict regarding the former Serb military leader of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ratko Mladic on 22nd November sentencing him to life for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Nicknamed the "Balkans Butcher", Mladic was the instigator of the ethnic cleansing in Bosnia during the war (1992-1995) notably in Srebrenica... Read more
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Studies/Reports : Third report on Energy Union
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On 24th November the European Commission published its third report on Energy Union. Hence in spite of the progress achieved the document confirms that there will not be an energy transition if infrastructures are not adapted to the requirements of the future energy system... Read more
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Review of healthcare in Europe
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On 23rd November the European Commission published a review of healthcare in the EU. The report concludes that the promotion of healthcare and prevention open the way to a more effective healthcare system... Read more

Culture : Christmas Markets in Europe
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As winter approaches the Christmas Markets are setting up their stalls in all of the major towns across Europe. This tradition that illustrates many local features brings the countries of the European continent together and unites them in diversity... Read more
Degas through Valéry at the Orsay Museum
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The Orsay Museum is running an exhibition in which it has brought together works by Edgar Degas and Paul Valéry in celebration of the painter's death. Through Paul Valéry's poems - notably his text "Degas Danse Dessin" and Degas' graphic work in the shape of paintings and sculpture. The exhibition will run from 28th November 2017 to 25th February 2018 and explores the lines and movement in the painter's works... Read more
1900-1950: Scottish Modern Art
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From 2nd December 2017 to 10th June 2018 the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh is showing over one hundred works by 50 Scottish artists, who although relatively unknown, answered the call for new European artistic trends in the first half of the 20th century. From Fauvism to Cubism, with also Surrealism and Abstract art, the exhibition covers that cultural period from a Scottish standpoint... Read more
Dialogue France-Mexico
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The Fine Arts Museum of Lyon is running an exhibition from 2nd December 2017 to 5th March 2018 exploring the links between modern artists on both sides of the Atlantic. More than 300 works will be on show, revealing the close links between Mexican and French modern art via artists like Léger, Picasso, Bacon, Rivera, Siqueiros and Orozco... Read more
From Dürer to Grosz
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From 29th November 2017 to 1st April the Kunsthalle of Bremen is presenting all of the recent acquisitions, donations, purchases of works by the museum for the exhibition "Giftwrap: from Dürer to Grosz". It notably focuses on works by Albrecht Dürer, Adrian Zingg, Caspar David Friedrich, Adolph von Menzel as well as many works by 20th century artists including Georg Grosz... Read more
Tollwood Winterfestival Munich
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Until 31st December the Tollwood Festival is taking place in Munich. On the programme: plays, many musical shows and a Christmas market with over 200 stands... Read more

29Nov
29th and 30th November

Abidjan

European Union-African Union Summit

30Nov
30th November - 1st December

Brussels

"Competitiveness" Council

4Dec
4th & 5th December

Brussels

"Télécommunications-Transport" Council

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