The awaited decision on the fate of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement is now at the hands of the Dutch Parliament. The European Council stated that they ‘noted carefully’ the referendum outcome in The Netherlands, however following the existing legal procedures the Agreement has to be endorsed/adopted by all 28 member states according to national…
Category: International
Rutte: Dutch gamble
Anna van Densky, OPINION Dutch Prime-Minister Mark Rutte tries to play hard the card of EU solidarity versus ‘aggressive Russia’, while looking for a compromise at the EU Summit in Brussels. The Union has stumbled over Dutch rejection of Ukrainian free-trade perspectives, and the integration process in general, when The Netherlands said clear ‘NO’ in…
EU Summit: #May camertone
Arriving first to the European Counsil Summit, the UK Prime Minister Theresa May sets a camertone to the meeeting, welcoming #Brexit informal meeting, and ensuring active participation of the UK in debate on migration, tackling the root causes. Not least attention took the situation in Syria: May expressed her concern about the fate of…
Concluding 2016: upcoming EU Summit
The 15-16 December EU Summit will focus on issues of migration, security and Brexit in a separate informal meeting. The leaders will assess the situation on measures taken as a response to migrant crisis: the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement, progress on co-operation with selected African countries, and propose the guidelines for the…
Sakharov to ISIS victims
Islamic State survivors and Iraqi Yazidi activists Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar received today Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The two women were honoured by Parliament for standing up for the persecuted Yazidi minority and the victims of sexual violence by Islamic State. “More than 3,500 children and women are still held…
Migrant's missing children
The ‘deep concern’ about the growing numbers of child refugees and about the situation of unaccompanied, missing or separated children is expressed in European Parliament Annual Report on human rights and democracy in the world (2015), presented by Josef WEIDENHOLZER (S&D,AT). Urging the Member States to make it an absolute priority swiftly to reunite unaccompanied minors…
South Sudan: EU calls to end violence
The Council adopted conclusions on South Sudan, in light of the profoundly disturbing developments in the country. The Council called on all parties to lay down their arms and to take decisive steps to end violence, as a last chance for political and military leaders to avoid the resumption of war, to spare their people…
Foreign ministers focus on Latin America and Africa
Arrival and doorstep (in English) by Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the EC Today the EU foreign ministers gather at the Council in Brussels to discuss relations with Latin America and African countries, namely with Cuba, and Colombia, the situation in Democratic Republic of Congo, and…
Europa: the Lantern turned on
On Saturday 10 December 2016 during much awaited opening of European Council meeting centre Europa ‘The Lantern’ almost 2000 attendees enjoyed a guided tour. The majestic project of the Belgium ‘Samyn and Parnters Architects’ took five years to erect, but the whole process was much longer, starting back in 2004, and included the renovation of the…
Sakharov Prize to Islamic State Slaves
Nadia Murad (pictured) and Lamiya Aji Bashar, public advocates for the Yazidi community in Iraq and survivors of sexual enslavement by the so-called Islamic State, will receive the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in a ceremony on Tuesday at noon. ‘On #HumanRightsDay, I call on you to #StandUp4HumanRights. If we all do…
EUROPE DIPLOMATIC 