Tag Archives: Donald Tusk

Tusks regrets EU refusal of N.Macedonia and Albania accession talks

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On October 17 the EU leaders discussed the enlargement. The overwhelming majority wanted to open accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania. However, such a decision requires unanimity, and there was no unanimity yesterday. That is why the EU will revert to this issue before the Zagreb summit in May 2020.

‘Let me be very clear: North Macedonia and Albania are not to blame for this. And the Commission reports are also clear that both these countries did what they were asked to do. And the adoption of the Prespa Agreement was a truly extraordinary achievement. So both countries have the right to start EU negotiations as of today. They are ready. Unfortunately, a few member states are not ready yet. This is why we didn’t manage to reach a positive decision. Personally, I think it was a mistake, but I will not comment on it further” the President of the European Council Donald Tusk said.

‘Today I would like to send a message to our Macedonian and Albanian friends: please do not give up. I fully understand your frustration, because you did your share and we haven’t. The EU is a complex political entity, and it is true that sometimes it takes too long to decide. But I have absolutely no doubt that one day you will become full members of the European Union.”

‘Today leaders also discussed the priorities of the new Commission with President-elect von der Leyen, as well as the future EU budget. It was an important discussion that will continue in the following months. However, without Jean-Claude  (Juncker) and myself around the European Council table, as you know. On this note, I want to thank Jean-Claude, my colleague and friend, for our friendship, for your loyalty and solidarity and for our really great cooperation. And I also want to thank you, the media, for your tough but fair questions, for your patience, for staying up so late with us. And for laughing at some of our jokes. Never funny, frankly speaking…”

EU Council endorses Brexit Deal II

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European Council President Donald Tusk said that the EU and the UK were “very close” to concluding Article 50 Agreement, often referred to as “Brexit Deal”. After the European Council Summit, endorsing the deal, the approval by Westminster and the European Parliament will be the final steps to seal it.

President Tusk was addressing the press corps at Brussels Brexit Summit after the 27 European Union member states agreed to approve of a deal, under which Britain will leave on October 31 in an orderly fashion.

However the experts say the Brexit deal is far from being sealed, while there is growing scepticism among British Members of Parliament, who oppose it, claiming that the second version of the Article 50 Agreement is worse than the forme Prime Minister May deal.

“Since day one, the EU has been United. We negotiated with the #UK as one union, one family. We put peace and people above everything else. Now it’s time to turn a page and look towards our new partnership with the UK #Brexit”, the EU top negotiator Michel Barnier wrote on his Twitter micro blog.

Tusk congratulates Kurz with spectacular victory

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“On behalf of the European Council I would like to congratulate you on your spectacular victory in the recent election. Your official tasking today to form a new government is a reflection of the victory and I wish you every success in this endeavour.

https://twitter.com/eucopresident/status/1181246915272478720?s=21

“Your past contributions to our work in the European Council have been much appreciated and I trust that the future Austrian government will continue to play an important and constructive role in the European Union.“

Donald Tusk vows to protect French wine export

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Addressing G7 Summit in Biarritz, France, the president of the European Union Council Donald Tusk called for “Putting a stop to trade wars. Trade deals and the reform of WTO are better than trade wars.Trade wars will lead to recession, while trade deals will boost the economy, not to mention the fact that trade wars among G7 members will lead to eroding the already weakened trust among us.”

The European Union will “respond in kind” if the U.S. imposes tariffs on France over digital tax plan, Donald Tusk added.

Before leaving for the Summit the American President Donald Trump warned about possible tariffs imposition on French wines in retaliation of the decision of National Assembly to tax US digital companies (GAFA) 3%, operating in France. At present this tax could generate an amount up to €500 million a year and more for the French state purse.

Tusk confronted with MEPs criticism

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The EU Council president Donald Tusk has been confronted with a wave of MEPs criticism over top jobs nominations procedures, replacing previously agreed leading candidate logic of appointment. In Plenary debate on July 4, opening  the IX legislature exchange of views, assessing the results of the European Council crisis summit held from June 30 to July 2 in Brussels, to assign the EU leading jobs.

The leaders of majority of the political groups expressed strong criticism of the European Council’s actions and decisions over the last few days. They demonstrated  concern with rejection of the Spitzenkandidaten process and obscurity in which the heads of states and governments were deciding the candidacies of the next President of the European Commission, European Council, European Central Bank, and European External Action Service.

They also pointed at lack of representation of Eastern European countries.

Donald Tusk declined to enter the debate with MEP, and was listening to their comments.

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Brexit party MEP Ann Widdecombe (71) compared the UK’s departure from the EU to the emancipation of slaves, while taking floor as the first Brexit party Member to address in the new European parliament.

With her leader, Nigel Farage, on her right, Widdecombe said the recent negotiations among the EU’s heads of state and government kept in secrecy confirmed the need for Britain to leave.

“It’s not democratic at all and that is just one of many reasons why Britain is right to be leaving this place, hopefully on Halloween,” Widdecombe concluded, addressing her fellow MEPS of the European parliament in Strasbourg. “If that’s this place’s idea of democracy that’s a serious betrayal of every country represented here.”

Tusk hopes for EU top jobs Summit success

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The EU member-states are striving for an agreement on the European Union’s top jobs by July 2, by the day of the new European Parliament constitution – in the attempt of avoiding an institutional crisis, the European diplomats say.

The diplomats doubt if the a deal can be reached at the Summit, pointing to a disagreement between Berlin and Paris over a German candidate Manfred Weber’s bid to take over the job of the President of the Commission later this year.

The five top executive positions are to be attributed to start a new political cycle.

European Council President Donald Tusk said that he was “cautiously optimistic” that EU leaders would agree on candidates to hold the bloc’s top jobs when they meet in Brussels on June 20.

“I remain cautiously optimistic, as those I have spoken to have expressed determination to decide swiftly. I hope we can make it on Thursday” Tusk said.

The top jobs include the successors  for European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, the EU chief diplomat Federica Mogherini, the head of the European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt Mario Draghi, and  Donald Tusk, the President of the EU Council.

Following an European election end May, the new European parliament is due to gather in Strasbourg for the first time on July 2 and should then elect its new president for 2019-24.

 

 

 

 

Juncker congratulates Emperor Naruhito

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The president of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker congratulates on His Imperial Majesty Naruhito on his accession to the throne. “My best wishes for a long, peaceful & prosperous reign. There could be no better occasion than the beginning of a new Japanese era, Reiwa, to further develop our friendship & our harmonious relations” Juncker wrote in his Twitter microblog.

Previously the president of the European Council Donald Tusk suggested the name of the new imperial era #Reiwa  could become the motto of the EU-Japan relations.

Emperor Naruhito has ascended to the Chrysanthemum Throne as the 126th ruler of his dynasty, and Japan’s first modern monarch, taking his nation into a new era.

The EU and Japan’s Economic Partnership Agreement entered into force on  February 1, 2019. EU firms already export over €58bn in goods and €28bn in services to Japan every year. 

The agreement secures the opening of services markets, in particular financial services, e-commerce, telecommunications and transport. It furthermore:

  • facilitates to EU companies access to the procurement markets of 54 large Japanese cities, and removes obstacles to procurement in the economically important railway sector at national level;
  • addresses specific sensitivities in the EU, for instance in the automotive sector, with transition periods of up to 7 years before customs duties are eliminated.
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