Tories “Between a Rock and a Hard Place”

Article published in Cafebabel

How will Cameron react? Thomas Guignard © Flickr

Amid the tension caused by the forthcoming Rochester and Strood by-election on November 20th, and the European Commission bill imposed on the UK, it’s clear that the Tories are in a very vulnerable position. 

According to a ComRes poll regarding the approaching elections, Farage’s party shows a significant percentage advance compared to the Conservatives. In fact, the polls point to an impressive 13 point lead over the Tories. The survey questioned 1500 adults in the constituency, placing UKIP at 43%, Conservatives with 30% and Miliband’s Labour in third with 21%. Both the Greens and Liberal Democrats registered only 3%. 

After the defection of Conservative Douglas Carswell to UKIP, David Cameron has urged the Tories to remain stable in Rochester as he promised to put through a “very, very hard” campaign in the Kent constituency, said the Huffington Post. 

However, a recent development has put Cameron under even more pressure. Actually, there was no worse time than this for the Tories to see the UK being charged an enormous amount of money – €2.1 billion (£1.7 billion) - by the European Union. Patrizio Fiorilli, a spokesman for the EU's budget commissioner, said that the bill reflects how well-off the UK is currently doing. "Just as in Britain, you pay more to the Inland Revenue if your earnings go up," he explained. 

The official announcement of this “financial storm” was made last week at the European Council Summit in Brussels. Afterwards, the UK Prime-Minister stated Britain won’t pay by the 1st December deadline. In regards to this difficult situation for the Conservatives, Cameron said that this is a “lethal weapon” putting UK’s membership in the EU at risk. Furthermore, the leader of the Conservative Party and Government head complained that he had been ambushed by European leaders. "You don't need a Cluedo set to work out who got clubbed with the lead piping in the library," he said. 

Meanwhile, despite the internal political nightmare, Nigel Farage is probably rubbing his hands with glee, taking advantage of the situation to emphasize once again how horrific it is for Britain to remain in the EU. "The EU is like a thirsty vampire feasting on UK taxpayers' blood. We need to protect the innocent victims, who are us," said Farage. "He's in a very weak position. He can do nothing about this,” he added, referring to Cameron. 

Effectively, things are not going well for the Tories as they face difficult times, not only from an internal perspective, but also at the European level. Another poll for the Observer by Opinium about the 2015 General Elections, found 31% of voters would support UKIP if they could win in their electorate, according the Huffington Post. What’s next?

The Other Side of The Coin: The Anti-Summit!

Article published in Cafebabel

The other side of the coin. Cafébabel © Flickr

Brussels is accustomed to meetings of the highest political echelon. Better yet, one could say citizens are already resigned to the roads being blocked and helicopters flying overhead. But there is also the other side of the coin, when the presence of leaders can be taken advantage of to get out to the streets and protest. 

Cinema Villains, A Symbolic Protest 

The European Summit on 23-24 October has mainly concentrated on energy and climate. At the European Council, leaders are in discussions behind closed doors. Meanwhile, only 100 metres from the Council, several NGO’s* have mounted a small theatrical presentation on the bad guys of the coal industry. These organisations have for quite some time been putting on multi-coloured scenarios that give the press great satiric photo ops. Now is the time to interview those responsible at the NGOs, to get their critical opinions based on the themes they are portraying of behind the scenes at the Summit. 

Natalia Alonso, director of the Oxfam office in Brussels, criticises how countries like Poland are opposing the CO2 emissions reduction accord. “I agree that those countries need specific funds. The problem is that they’ve already had these supports in past years, but they have earmarked them to invest more in coal.” According to the Oxfam representative, it is necessary to make investments that, in the medium and long term, create employment, but that also little by little change the type of industry. 

*Oxfam, Friends of the Earth Europe and European Environmental Bureau 

Closing the deal. cafébabel © Flickr 

Even the police are protesting! 

As European leaders gathered in Brussels, Belgium police joined once again to voice a protest against the latest approved measures delaying the age of retirement for police officers for up to eight years.

Two hundred to 250 officers, all wearing unioncolors and flags, throwing bangers and fireworks, protested against pension reforms near the Parc Cinquantenaire. Despite the protest, the ambience was peaceful and people were seen talking amicably in groups. 

Behind this collective manifestation lies the Constitutional Court’s judgement which intends to eliminate the special retirement regime within the integrated police. Back in July, a Belgium Court nullified a measure enabling ex-officers of the former state police to take retirement earlier than their colleagues on active duty, who have to wait until they are 62. 

We are facing an interesting situation allowing us to make the analogy between what police officers actually represent as actors in society. They reflect the image of security, law and order and they are the guard dogs of the state, yet they have just put their own country in jeopardy at a sensitive time for national security. 

It is clear that the date of the strike was planned in advance as this was not their first strike (on the 23th of September police officers did strike, leaving the airport in chaos). An ideological defiance performed by security forces against European leaders, the maximum exponent of European authority; where could this lead if taken to the extreme? 

Unfortunately, though we know that these kinds of social protests normally fail to achieve their initial purpose, what we witnessed should not go unnoticed. The rebellion of the police officers must be seen, everywhere in the world, as an important step towards a more balanced world, where the judiciary can be with "us" and not against "us.”

This article was written in partnership with Susanna Arús.

Brussels, the expat city in the heart of Europe

The view from the roof of a parking garage close to Saint Catherine, half day, half night, Brussels © Marta Pacheco

Having fun in the big wheel at the Christmas Market, Brussels

The French Yann Tiersen performing in Ancienne Belgique, in Brussels

On my way to work in a somewhat grey morning these dudes and horses cheered me up, Rue du Trône, Brussels

The Commissioner Neven Mimica was being inquired at the European Parliament hearings in Brussels, October 2014

Who is Vytenis Andriukaitis?

Article published in Cafebabel

Health and Food Safety Commissioner during  European Parliament hearings. © Flickr

How often do we stop to think about our inner engine that makes us move? How often do we actually think of health as a priority in our lives? In a Europe weakened by the financial crisis and its consequences in the Member States, the new Health and Food Safety Commissioner, Lithuanian Vytenis Andriukaitis, has a demanding agenda for the next five years. 

Andriukaitis will be in charge of modernizing and simplifying the EU food safety policy, whilst maintaining the current high level of safety, as well as ensuring that existing policies have the utmost effect. Also, he has to guarantee that the Commission is prepared to support the EU’s capacity to covenant with crisis situations in food safety or pandemics. 

Health in Europe: a lot of challenges 

Fight against Ebola in Guinea. European Commission DG © Flickr 

If we look at the Ebola virus and the perpetual conflict over the genetically modified organisms (GMOs), we immediately find ourselves confronted with two main threats towards public health. To ensure the smooth course of his responsibilities, the Health Commissioner has to somehow, act as an interest group inside of the Commission itself, in order to review the laws that oblige the Commission to authorize GMOs, even though a preponderance of national governments are against it. Nevertheless, one of the leading topics to take into account by the Commission, is the creation of mechanisms in order to build up knowledge on the performance of national health systems to shape national and EU policies. This is an urgent call and a priority to follow as we witness large disparities within the EU, when it comes to healthcare. 

The Role of Public Authorities 

To tackle this critical situation, Andriukaitis will also help to address the challenge of increased calls on national health services. In fact, pro-active interrelations between the medical community as well as education and public authorities, are the bottom line for an efficient redefinition of health policy measures, to implement and follow as a model.

Scientific research proves that policy-makers can play a remarkable role by sharing of best practices, fostering education campaigns on healthy lifestyles, along with the coordination of cooperation with Member States and different stakeholders. As a matter of fact, a European Parliament intergroup called “Health for Citizens” is now under construction, with French MEP Françoise Grossetête as one of the main figures. This initiate was welcomed by more than 50 MEPs who will support the project. Their manifesto pledges “to keep health on all areas of the political agenda”, according to the European Voice. 

If we look at obesity, for instance, it currently represents 7% of public health spending and the impact on our budgets, pensions, insurances and health systems will be enormous and can undercut our shared European future. Moreover, the healthcare associated infections (HAI), represent a major threat to public health affecting more than 4 million patients, as well as to the public hospitals which are confronted with an enormous financial loss of over €5.4 billion. 

These are only two little drops in a wide sea of diseases that threaten our daily lives. Ultimately, we all know we should not play with our health and take risks, we urge Mr. Vytenis Andriukaitis along with the Commission and all the stakeholders to make the most out of what you have on behalf of all European’s citizen’s public health.

Cameron’s strategy against UKIP

Article published in Cafebabel

Farage vs Cameron. © The Commentator

The circus continues in UK politics as David Cameron fears another UKIP victory in the upcoming parliamentary by-election, triggered by the defection of ex-Conservative Mark Reckless to Farage’s party, in Rochester and Strood, on the 20th of November. 

David Cameron decided to push for change in rules concerning EU migration, causing quite a debate in the UK and European media. Under pressure after two defections to UKIP, the Prime-Minister expressed that restoring control over the UK’s borders would be a priority, alleging to the The Huffington Post that the system “has not been working properly.” 

Liberal Democrat Nick Clegg has claimed David Cameron’s changing immigration narrative is just a panicked reaction to the rise of the rightwing party. “No Conservative has put a proposal to me, they have never breathed a word of this within government. They have got a fundamental problem, they are running after UKIP in a complete panic,” stated Clegg for The Guardian. 

“Lighting a fire” 

Conservative Philip Hammond, UK Foreign Secretary, told The Guardian that the Conservative Party is “lighting a fire” within the European Union by promising to hold an in/out referendum on Britain’s membership by the end of 2017. Hammond considered this plebiscite a “very powerful weapon in our armory,” reacting to the Prime Minister’s pursuit on the renegotiation about the permanence of the UK in the EU. 

Jose Manuel Barroso and David Cameron at Number 10. Number 10 © Flickr 

In the meantime, current European Commission President José Manuel Barroso has warned Cameron that he is about to commit an “historic mistake” by imposing restrictions on the free movement of citizens from EU member states and, naturally, by increasing the chances of Britain leaving the EU. Cameron promptly responded saying that “British voters, not Barroso, are my boss over EU immigration.” The departing President said that European leaders will reject the Tories’ attempt to change free movement as it is a matter of the “fundamental” elements of the Union. 

Meanwhile UKIP’s euphoria slowed down when Eurosceptic MEP group EFDD collapsed, on October 16th, after the defection of Latvian MEP Iveta Grigule, meaning that the Eurogroup no longer had MEPs from enough member states according to European law, which requires a minimum of seven nationalities. Sadly, it was short-lived as UKIP’s leader made a very controversial deal with Poland’s far-right Robert Iwaszkiewicz. The inclusion of right winger Iwaszkiewicz allowed the group to reform and gain access to around 1€ million a year in funds from the European taxpayer, according to New Europe.

Being a MEP's Assistant

Article published in Cafebabel

European Parliament in Strasbourg. © RESULTS the power to end poverty

Being a MEP's Assistant is probably the first dream-job of many young Europeans, but what does this profession really mean? What does it imply? We tried to find out more by interviewing Heather Bailey, Assistant at the European Parliament.

As we all can imagine, being a MEP's Assistant seems to be a very tough job, but if you live in the world of politics - especially European - that's the right way to go. We contacted Assistant Heather Bailey, who, in the middle of a very busy week, was able to give us some responses. Bailey is working for Sylvie Goulard, French MEP from the Liberal group - ALDE. 

When asked which main skills an Assistant should have, Heather promptly answered, "Reactivity, thoroughness, dedication, time management, people skills, flexibility and languages." In fact, it is a job that requires a lot of versatility and also resilience. "You need to know where your boss needs to be and when, and to have the relevant documents with you. If you are someone who likes to decide their own work plan and to work independently all the time, then this is not the profession for you," she added. 

What skills are required? 

One of the most important things in order to perform this job is the capacity to be organised and ready for anything at any time. "It is essential to be able to prioritize tasks. The train ticket may well need to be changed before the amendment needs to be drafted and validated. You have to have a good sense of planning and time management, you will undoubtedly be working on multiple things simultaneously, from booking travel, organizing visitors groups, attending committee meetings, meeting lobbyists, drafting an article. Without my to do list, I am lost!" said Heather. 

If you’re wondering about applying for a job like this but you are unsure because you are not affiliated with any political party, that might not necessarily be a problem. However, it is very important that you are abreast of what's going on regarding European politics and even international politics. "I think it is absolutely possible to be hired as an assistant without a political background, in the sense of not being a member of the political party of the MEP," she declared. In contrast, Heather said it is more difficult to become an MEP's assistant without an interest in politics and policies, "as work experience in the field of European issues is an excellent way of illustrating both the candidate's interest and concrete skill set." 

About the main difficulties she faces at work, she answered definitely "having enough hours in the day to get everything done (...) there is a lot of work to do and one of the challenges I face is being responsible for both legislative and administrative tasks." It is obviously a multi-task job where people have to be multifaceted to be able to accomplish all the goals they propose to achieve, and time, as we can see, is a crucial factor. 

The EP in Strasbourg shrouded in fog. European Parliament © Pietro Naj-Oleari 

Working as an MEP's Assistant is a challenging yet rewarding job. According to Heather, "each day is really different, some much more stressful than others. Strasbourg sessions can be particularly stressful as the diary is normally very full, the days are long and the deadlines are often shorter. For example, it can be stressful getting the delegation voting list ready with not much time, if the voting list is long, and the group position is very different to that of your delegation and you might not get the voting list until quite late," she explained. Things can also sometimes be stressful in Brussels, for example if you are in trilogue discussions and the negotiations are reaching a conclusion and you are nearing a deal (or not)". 

To be selected, Heather sent her CV with a cover letter by e-mail, a regular application procedure, and afterwards she was called by her future boss. They had a small conversation in order to arrange an interview and after that she was hired. Since then, busy is what defines her days, but she assures that it is a very rewarding job. 

According to European law, accredited assistants are paid up to €7,802.39 a month. Assistants’ contracts and salary payments have been supervised by the financial department of the Parliament itself since 2008, as before this date they were the responsibility of the Assistants' Member State. This alteration is aimed to ensure transparency and non-discrimination.

A New European Step Towards Palestine's Recognition

Article published in Cafebabel

Palestinian flag. Robin © Flickr

Sweden is about to be the first Member State of the European Union to recognise Palestine as an independent Nation. The United Kingdom also made this move, but with scant success. 

In the beginning of the month, Sweden positively surprised the international community by recognising the State of Palestine. This initiative sprung up by the recent prime-minister, Stefan Löfven, who assumed his office on October 3rd. Swedish Foreign Minister, Margot Wallström, didn't hide her indifference towards EUA's criticism, saying that the "US won't define our policies." It is not a surprise that Washington doesn't want to see Palestine as a sovereign state. Later, Labour MP Grahame Morris asked British MP's to vote on a motion with the same purpose: Recognition of Palestine. The motion was a reaction to one of the very recent conflicts in Gaza, which killed 2,100 Palestinians and 73 Israelis. 

However, Prime-Minister David Cameron abstained on the UK vote to recognise Palestine. "I've been pretty clear about the government's position and it won't be changing," Cameron's spokesman said. Although this initiative from the Labour Party has a lot of symbolic impact from an international perspective, the Westminster vote won't have any legal acknowledgement in the UK Government and the probability of changing official policies is remote. All the Nations which have recognised Palestine as a State must undergo a bilateral negotiated process with Israel, to define the borders of what would constitute the Arab territory - which won't happen with the UK. 

Over 130 countries currently recognise Palestine, mainly in Africa, Asia and South America, but a lot of EU countries don't. Within the EU, some Nations such as Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, have made the recognition, but they did it before joining the European Union. This makes Sweden the first Member-State to recognise Palestine. 

The Palestinians have fought for decades in order to gain an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza. Of the 193 member states of the United Nations, 134 have recognised the State of Palestine as of 27 September 2013. Recognition has been an incessant ambition of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since Yasser Arafat proclaimed a Declaration of Independence on November 15th,1988, almost 26 years ago. 

In 2012, the United Nations approved the de facto recognition of a Palestinian state. In this official act, 138 countries voted in favour, nine against and 41 abstained. Belgium, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and other European countries voted in favour. The Czech Republic was the only country in Europe joining the United States, Israel, Canada, among others, in voting against the recognition of Palestine. 

The EU countries that abstained were Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the United Kingdom. After research, it is not exactly precise why Hungary, Poland and Slovakia first recognised (before being a member of the EU) and afterwards, during the General Assembly of the United Nations, these three countries abstained for the same cause. 

Despite all the efforts, there's still a long walk to make in order to give the Palestinian people the honour and dignity they deserve. Nevertheless, this small step taken by Sweden was a very important one for the Arab people in Palestine, giving them the most important thing - hope for the future.

China turns to Europe (for the Golden Visa)

Article published in Cafebabel

Making new friends? Palazzo Chigi © Flickr

Little by little, Southern Europe is welcoming more and more Chinese citizens. The European crisis in the Mediterranean countries is giving rise to an Asian investment never seen before. 

First it was Portugal and Spain, followed by Greece and Cyprus, and now, the Chinese giant is making its move towards Italy. The scheme began in 2012 and it's quite simple: invest a big amount of money in the country and in return you receive a Golden Visa offering a residence permit. 

In exchange for investing millions in local businesses, promoting jobs, or acquiring properties, Chinese families were given the opportunity of gaining residency permits to a number of European nations. They have also the benefit of free travel all over the EU within the 26 Schengen countries, and after some years they can apply for citizenship in the host country, although this varies from country to country. In Italy's case, it is after 10 years. In Portugal, it’s after 6 years. 

The Small Print Of The Golden Visa 

In the Portuguese and Spanish case, the minimum investment amount is 500,000 euros in a property or the creation of jobs in the host country. In Greece the purchases must be at least 250,000 and 300,000 in Cyprus. In Portugal, for instance, visa holders must spend a minimum of seven days in the first year and 14 days in the following four years. In fact, the law was changed. In the beginning, investors had to spend at least 30 days in the country, but after the requirements on the duration of stay in Portugal were changed, the scheme has been attracting more and more Chinese. 

The initial visa is valid for one year and can be renewed twice for two year periods. By that time, visa holders should be able to apply for permanent residency as long as they have fulfilled the compulsory residence time provided by law. 

How Is The Economic Impact of Chinese Investment Seen? 

Portuguese entrepreneur Alexandre Soares dos Santos, former president and shareholder of a supermarket chain has said: "I hate Chinese investment because it brings absolutely nothing to our country (...) no know how, no management," he said quoted by Lusa. Also, Portuguese Socialist MEP Ana Gomes has said to the BBC "I think this is indeed a race to the bottom and it's actually something very anti-EU." This concern is based on the vulnerability to which Europe is exposed as it's literally selling access to the EU. 

In 2012, China Three Gorges bought 21.35% of EDP's capital - Portugal’s leading company in the energy sector - paying the gigantic amount of €2,700 million. State Bird, another Chinese state company, bought in the same year 25% of REN's capital, another Portuguese energy company, disbursing €387 million. As for Beijing Enterprises Water, they made the move to purchase Compagnie des Eaux Portugal's capital, paying €95 millions. 

In the middle of October, the 10th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), took place in Milan, Italy, under the theme "Responsible Partnership for Growth and Security". This summit was chaired by President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, who represented the European Union together with European Commission President José Manuel Barroso. The session aims to fortify the dialogue and cooperation between the two continents. Li Keqiang, Chinese PM, noted that China attaches an extreme importance to its relations with the EU, China's largest trade partner. "We are each other's opportunities for development," he said. 

One thing seems to be clear, as the European economy continues to struggle, it is presumable that more countries will join the race and fling visas to people from outside the European Economic Area who are ready to invest in property or businesses. The question remains: cure for its economic woes or threat of Asian dominance?

Political Swirl in the UK

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Cameron mocking Farage and Miliband. © Daily Mail

The political environment in the UK is tense. Either because of the EU in/out referendum that hangs in the air, or because of the internal situation they are facing following the by-elections. 

Liberal Democrat Vince Cable told the Huffington Post that Germany has ‘colonised’ the European Commission. This statement is pretty clear about his feelings towards Europe’s influence in Westminster. Nevertheless, Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister of the UK and leader of the Liberal Democrats since 2007, expressed in The Guardian that he would accept an EU poll (regarding the referendum), but that leaving would be an economic suicide. 

A few days after this declaration, the by-election in Clacton gave Douglas Carswell a seat in the Parliament, UKIP’s first seat. This recent development reinforced both UKIP’s position in the UK political panorama and the idea of Britain out of the EU. After this victory, curiosity gave way to studies which revealed UKIP could win 30 seats in the 2015 elections, according to The Guardian. 

However, from a European point of view, not everything has been a bed of roses for UKIP's leader as last Thursday, October 16th , Farage’s Eurosceptic MEP group – EFDD – collapsed. This was a result of the defection of Latvian MEP Iveta Grigule, meaning that the party no longer has MEPs from enough member states, according to the European law. 

On Labour’s side, Ed Miliband promised they will introduce tougher rules on benefits for new migrants, a political maneuver trying to steal votes from UKIP. 

Later, when asked in an interview on the BBC which one he would prefer to see as a Prime Minister of his country – Cameron or Milliband, Farage claimed, in a satirical tone, that the UK’s Prime Minister was Jean Claude Juncker. However, the bomb was about to explode when UKIP’s leader was invited to take part in the 2015 TV leader’s debates, causing effervescent reactions from the Green Party – whose leader, Natalie Bennett, was not invited to the debates - threatening a legal action. 

Meanwhile, Rochester by-election’s date was announced for the 20th of November, as David Cameron attacked UKIP’s “Media Circus” concerning UKIP’s MP election and subsequent cession of airtime to the Party. 

With all this political agitation, Labour is barely ahead of Tories in polls and Miliband is not feeling very secure, urging MPs to back him or warning that they will lose. Labour leader said the party must be united or will face an election disaster in May. And since politicians can be very incongruent, it should be noted that Farage declared in the Huffington Post that UKIP would prop up a minority Tory Government, and three days later the same political party manifested its desire for Labour to win the next elections, as it fears Cameron could win an EU referendum. Incongruity or political move? 

The last straw was when Conservative Lord Freud suggested disabled people aren’t worth the minimum wage. This inappropriate comment was made during the Conservative Party conference and unleashed a big amount of outraged reactions. As an attempt to defend his Party, David Cameron ordered Lord Freud to apologise for his verbal behaviour. “I would like to offer a full and unreserved apology (…) to be clear, all disabled people should be paid at least the minimum wage, without exception, and I accept it is offensive to suggest anything else”, said the great-grandson of Sigmund Freud. 

Despite Freud’s statement being a plausible reason to turn away possible Conservative voters, the political struggle continues in the UK, with UKIP gaining ground in the political arena, Labour sweating blood in a cry for support, and the Liberal Democrats, the third-largest party in the House of Commons since 2010, trying to keep its position as steady as possible.

Europe's Reaction to the Islamic State

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Air strikes against ISIS. © Stuart Rankin

As the situation in Syria and Iraq gets out of control, the international community has gathered in order to tackle the big threat which the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) represents to Europe and the whole world. 

What began as an atrocious civil war in 2011 in Syria, has degenerated into a deadly repressive system that, along with Northern Iraq, is under the control of radical extremists who created a caliphate – a territory roughly the size of Portugal or Belgium. The actual war being fought is a regional and sectarian one likely to spread across Islam worldwide. The development of an armed and obstinate opposition movement in Syria, along with the discontentment of the Iraqi people under Nouri al-Maliki's leadership, resulted in the actual conflict that is taking place in Syria and Iraq. 

After the beheading of American hostages James Foley and British Steven Sotloff, the United States decided to attack the region occupied by ISIS, not only in retaliation but also as an attempt to exterminate this recent but strong and growing caliphate. The Islamic State has been provoking the Western community with repeated beheadings of Western hostages. The episodes of violence and disrespect for Human Rights are increasing and many European capitals agreed that it is time for action. 

Despite attempts by France’s Foreign minister Laurent Fabius to avoid France’s entrance into this bloodshed, after the announcement of the death of Hervé Gourdel, a French citizen, France has joined the USA in this air war. But the number of volunteers in this combat against ISIS is growing faster. In late September, the UK Parliament voted to join the coalition made up by the USA, France and Arab states. Also, Belgium and Denmark announced their support with military intervention. Likewise, Portuguese National Defence Minister José Pedro Aguiar Branco assured Portugal’s participation in the international coalition against the Islamic State. According to the online platform "Notícias ao Minuto," the minister said that “the collaboration might happen through several ways such as training, intelligence or humanitarian help.” 

The powerful European country known as Germany hasn't expressed so far any kind of support in this mission to overthrow ISIS. However, Interior German Minister Thomas de Maiziere has advised that ISIS is a “threat to public security in Germany,” making the distribution of propaganda material promoting the Islamic State illegal. 

Kurdish protest in Brussels. © Die Linke 

Meanwhile, the European Parliament was the stage for a Kurdish protest, last Tuesday, urging support in defending Kobane, the Syrian town overrun by the Islamic State. Turkey is under pressure to help Kurdish forces and after almost three weeks of fighting, the Islamic State controls about a third of the town, according to activists. "We don't understand why France is acting in Iraq and not in Kurdistan in Syria," said Fidan Unlubayir, member of the Federation of Kurdish Associations of France. The Western community is taking this strategy very cautiously to avoid any kind of complications regarding international justice laws. 

Nevertheless, the US and UK have already warned that air strikes alone won't stop ISIS fighters from overtaking Kobane. This is an important and dangerous move that will allow the rebels from the Islamic State to have control over a strategic wing between the two countries. The international community is apprehensive and awaiting further developments regarding this hideous battle. According to Foreign Policy Magazine, Turkey is currently in discussions with new NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg about a possible action against ISIS. "We are holding talks,” Turkey's Foreign Minister Cavusoglu said. “Once there is a common decision, Turkey will not hold back from playing its part." 

As we see the developments of this international strategy, we can't help but compare it with the first "war against terrorism," yet this time with greater international intervention and larger consequences if not suppressed. But we should ask ourselves... Is History repeating itself?

Mogherini, Ashton's successor

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Federica Mogherini under scrutiny. © European Union 2014 - European Parliament

After a fragile, almost invisible performance by British Catherine Ashton, 41 year old Italian Federica Mogherini will assume the functions of High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy as well as Vice-President of the European Commission. 

Born in Rome, Mogherini graduated in Political Science after writing a thesis about politics and Islam. Although active in national left-wing politics since 1988, only very recently she was nominated Italian foreign minister, in February 2014. Despite being labelled by European partners as having limited diplomatic experience, this rising star in Italian politics said in the questionnaire to the commissioner-designate: “I have been dealing with foreign policy for the last 20 years: first through civil society, by actively participating in various non-governmental organisations and international campaigns, and then on my own in a national and European political party.” 

Mogherini, interviewed by the Committee on foreign affairs. © European Union 2014 - European Parliament 

In her opening statement at the European Parliament hearing, Mogherini stressed the important problems that are a reality these days. “We are living in difficult times,” she said. “My first mission is to shape real common policy. There is no way of dealing with these difficult times if we don’t exercise our duties and our responsibilities together. We need to think big with a far reaching look at the global landscape in order to build a common vision and priorities for a common policy.” 

Secondly, the Italian said she will be happy if five years from now, there will be no “us” and “them,” but only “us” when we speak about EU institutions. Mogherini wants to prioritise a close and deep relationship between the functioning of European institutions. 

Her third top priority is the coordination of all actions and missions that have an external impact, such as energy, trade, migration and environment. According to her point of view, the need to coordinate more internal and external policies is of extreme importance in order to accomplish all aimed goals. “Starting in the Balkans and Turkey, the East – we will need greater EU attention in different forms, full support for Ukraine, support for Moldova and Georgia, work with Albania and Azerbaijan,” important topics on the agenda for the next five years. 

A common action to stop ISIS is one of the most important questions to work on, “not a state, not Islam, but a major global threat to all of us,” Mogherini said. Also, working together with other organisations like NATO, the Council of Europe, the African Union and the Arab States as a policy of cooperation, defence and development. And last but not the least, Human Rights, with a specific concentration on three main themes: media freedom, women and freedom of religion. 

When asked by MEP Richard Howitt, from S&D, about what she was planning on doing differently from Ashton, Mogherini said “I will be present much more often, I want a special partnership with the European Parliament and myself. This is not my duty, it is my pleasure and my interest.” 

Sabine Lösing, from GUE/NGL, speaking about unity of purpose and unity of action, asked how Mogherini intended to improve the analysis and response capabilities of the executive bodies of the European Union. The answer was again linked to the idea of a close collaboration within all institutions. “I think we have the tools and the political potential. We have difficult deciding lines, much of which are possible to change, streamline. This is the key; sometimes we have too many instruments and tools and we have to rationalise them together. If you think of humanitarian aid, development cooperation, we need that coordination at the commissioners’ level.” 

Mogherini has faced negative comments regarding the smooth way she dealt with Russia. In fact, afraid of her good relations with Putin, the Eastern European countries tried to deter her candidacy in July. These concerns were based on the fact that Russia is one of Italy’s biggest energy suppliers. Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, from the EPP group, asked about relations with Russia and the situation in Ukraine. As an answer to this concern, the future commissioner said, “We need to work perhaps on increasing the sanctions or leaving them if things get better.” However, she believes that a better understanding between Russia and the EU is possible. 

The position of High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy was created under the Lisbon Treaty, and the commissioner in function is responsible for the high-quality coordination between the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy. Created in 2011, the European External Action (EEAS) is the result of the juncture between the Commission and Council foreign policy departments, and aims to support the challenging work of the designated commissioner. 

One thing is true, Federica Mogherini showed serenity and determination, and she surely has a defined vision of a very demanding path for the next five years. Nevertheless, this was only the beginning, and we are looking forward to see if the performance of the future commissioner will correspond with her words. In a world full of threats, not only human but also environmental, it is urgent to find solutions to overcome all obstacles on behalf of all the citizens of the European Union and the world.

The European Face Behind the International Cooperation

Article published in Cafebabel

Neven Mimica during the Parliament hearings. © European Union 2014 - European Parliament

Born in Split, Croatia in 1953, Neven Mimica did a very decent job leading his country towards inclusion in the European Union. Mimica was appointed International Cooperation and Development Commissioner after being a Commissioner for Consumer Protection. 

If we take a look at his background, Mimica has been active in politics for almost three decades, with a prominent role in Foreign and Economic Affairs. For this future Commissioner, there are priorities to follow. Coherence and coordination in working within the European Commission is a must for the well functioning of all defined goals. 

When asked about health situation in the world by the socialist Arne Lietz, Mimica was straightforward in saying that, “Ebola represents for us an opportunity and a challenge.” The creation of a health system for all the population living in developing countries is one of the main goals of this portfolio. Also, sexual and reproductive rights are on the healthcare frontline. 

When questioned by Ignazio Corrao from the EFDD Group* about the TTIP and its barriers concerning developing countries, Mimica said he will control the impact that any aspect of the TTIP can have in those countries. “My role is a kind of guardian to a sustainable development,” he said. 

Later in the hearing, Maria Heubuch, from the Greens, inquired about which kind of initiatives Mr. Mimica intends to adopt to tackle the poverty which affects over 70% of African people. The Eurodeputy mentioned important aspects such as food safety, the protection of small farmers, access to drinking water and seeds. ”We can’t continue letting industry have the monopoly,” she said. Unclear, Naven answered “help for change.” Collaboration with different countries partners in the same project is the plan to follow. 

The Inquisitors. © European Union 2014 - European Parliament 

Overall, all the MEPs performed very well in their job of proficient questioners, approaching subjects such as health issues, development mechanisms, 2015 agenda, TTIP, ISIS, Millennium goals, investment in Africa, governance, social inclusion, immigration policies among others related to international development and cooperation. 

 The confirmation hearings will finish on 7 October, and afterwards, there will be an extraordinary meeting of the Conference of Committee Chairs to evaluate the outcome hearings. On 21 and 23 October, the European Parliament in Strasbourg and the European Council in Brussels, respectively, will vote on college confirmation. 

*Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy Group