This week's European news

Letter n°1082 of Tuesday 8^th October 2024

The European Union between the United States and China: should we choose between equidistance and following?

Philippe Etienne - 08 Oct 2024

The competition between the world's two major powers structures all international relations and influences the choices made by all the other countries,' observes Philippe Etienne. Against this backdrop, Europe finds itself in a delicate situation: must it choose between equidistance and following? For Europe, there is obviously no equidistance possible between the two giants, for reasons relating to its security, but above all to its values. In this triangle between the United States, China and the European Union, Europeans must position themselves to defend their place in strategic value chains. In the final analysis, it is up to us not to allow others to dictate our future.

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■ Front page! :

No successful transitions without moderation

Jean-Dominique Giulani analyses the reasons that have forced the European institutions to backtrack on certain environmental standards. This backtracking is the result of a growing number of rules adopted under pressure, in a very short space of time, which threaten economic activity and innovation, and thus generate exasperation among industrial groups and European citizens. Successful transitions cannot take place without moderate and effective management of European policies. Read more

■ Elections :

7th legislative elections in 4 years in Bulgaria on 27 October

"For the 7th time since April 2021 and for the 2nd time this year, Bulgarians are being called to the polls to elect the 240 members of the National Assembly (Narodno sabranie), the single chamber of Parliament." Corinne Deloy analyses what is at stake in this 7th Bulgarian election in under 4 years. Read more

■ Foundation :

The Schuman Network, ideas in Europe

On the eve of the parliamentary hearings of future European Commissioners, the Schuman Network, an initiative of the Foundation, is working to promote the sharing of ideas on a European scale. With 21 members from 13 European countries, the Schuman Network is a forum to pool research on current European issues. Since its launch, over 130 studies have been published. Read more

■ Commission :

Hearings of European Commissioners

On 2 October, the President of the European Parliament and the leaders of the political groups approved the timetable for the hearings of the European Commissioners-designate. These hearings will take place from 4 to 12 November. The Commissioners-designate must first have their declarations of interest examined by the Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee. Only once the hearings have been completed and the Commissioners confirmed will the President of the European Commission be able to present her entire College. Read more - Other link

Proposal to delay the entry into force of the anti-deforestation law by one year

On October 2, the European Commission proposed to postpone by one year the entry into force of an anti-deforestation text, a pillar of the Green Deal. The proposal follows pressure from industry and commodity-producing countries. The aim of the text is to ban the sale of products derived from deforestation, such as soya, cocoa and coffee. Companies will have to prove that their design complies with these rules. The postponement still has to be approved by the European Parliament and the Council. Read more

Referral of Hungary to the Court of Justice of the European Union

The European Commission brought an action against Hungary before the Court of Justice of the European Union on 3 October. It considers that the law on the defence of sovereignty violates EU law, following a letter of formal notice sent in February. In particular, this law empowers a new Office to conduct discretionary investigations into any activity financed by foreign funds that could compromise Hungary's sovereignty. The Commission considers that this disproportionately affects Hungarian citizens, particularly in terms of data protection. Read more

■ Council :

Additional customs duties for electric cars imported from China

The absence of a sufficient majority among Member States on 4 October leaves the European Commission free to propose the introduction of additional customs duties on electric vehicles imported from China. An existing tax of 10% is already in place, but could be raised to 35%. The aim is to maintain a level playing field: Chinese manufacturers in particular have been accused of benefiting from substantial public subsidies. Some Member States remain opposed to these new customs duties, including Germany, but this was not enough to prevent the Council from taking a decision on the matter. Read more

■ Diplomacy :

G7 statement on recent developments in the Middle East

The G7 leaders spoke out on 3 October in response to recent developments in the Middle East. They expressed their concern at the potential escalation of the conflict and condemned the Iranian attack on Israel. They also reiterated their call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the hostages held by Hamas, and expressed their concern about the situation in Lebanon. Read more - Other link

Aid of 30 million € to Lebanon

On 3 October, the European Commission announced €30 million in humanitarian aid to support Lebanon in the escalating conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. This aid is in addition to the €10 million announced on 29 September, bringing total aid to the country to over €104 million for 2024. It should provide basic aid, emergency food aid, shelter and healthcare. Read more

■ Court of Justice :

Appointment of 9 judges and 1 general counsel

On 2 October, the representatives of the Member States appointed nine judges and an Advocate General to the Court of Justice of the European Union. Two judges have been appointed to the Court of Justice and the other seven to the General Court. Read more

Any Afghan woman can claim refugee status

In a ruling handed down on 4 October, the Court of Justice of the European Union decided that the discriminatory measures put in place by the Taliban regime constitute acts of persecution when analysed as a whole. The Court adds that it is not necessary for Member States to establish that an Afghan woman is subject to an actual risk of persecution. Simply taking into account her nationality and gender is sufficient to obtain refugee status. Read more

■ Court of Auditors :

The Union's Defence Programme is inadequate to face up to new challenges

In an opinion published on 3 October, the European Court of Auditors considers that the €1.5 billion budget allocated to defence over two years may not be ambitious enough, particularly when it comes to the defence of Ukraine. The Court also warns against the risk of resources being spread too thinly, as the range of projects to be funded could be extensive. Read more

■ ECB :

Christine Lagarde's hearing at the European Parliament

On 30 September, Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, held her first monetary dialogue with the European Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) since the June elections. She took the opportunity to talk about the return to growth at the start of 2024, albeit marred by weak household consumption in the second quarter. An important point was the disinflation that has taken place over the last 2 months, with a view to returning close to the 2% target. She called for a deep and integrated capital market, necessary to finance the European objectives. Read more - Other link

■ European Agencies :

70th CERN anniversary

The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) celebrated its 70th anniversary on 1 October. CERN is located on the French-Swiss border. It is the world's leading physics research laboratory. Read more

■ France :

Francophonie Summit in Villers-Cotterêts

On 4 and 5 October, France hosted the 19th Francophonie summit in Villers-Cotterêts. The French president welcomed around fifty heads of state and government from the 88-member "Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). A declaration was adopted to promote the use of French, particularly in the digital environment, and commitments were made to offer numerous opportunities to companies and young people. Read more - Other link

■ Italy :

Meeting of G7 interior ministers

The G7 interior ministers met from 2 to 4 October. Discussions focused on security in the light of geopolitical developments, particularly in the Middle East and Ukraine. They also discussed cyber security, artificial intelligence and migration challenges. Read more

■ Lithuania :

Request for an investigation into crimes against humanity committed in Belarus.

The Lithuanian government announced on 30 September that it had filed a request for an investigation with the International Criminal Court into alleged crimes against humanity committed by the regime of Alexander Lukashenko, with the aim of repressing opposition movements during the 2020 presidential 'election'. ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan confirmed that the request for an investigation had been filed, and stated that the Court would conduct a preliminary examination of the request. Read more - Other link

Polls one week ahead of parliamentary elections in Lithuania

The latest poll published ahead of the first round of parliamentary elections on 13 October shows the opposition Social Democratic Party (LSDP) leading the Lithuanian Homeland Union-Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) by a narrow margin. The leader of this party, Ingrida Šimonytė, the current head of government, would appear to be best placed to continue as Prime Minister. Read more

■ The Netherlands :

Delivery contract for four submarines

On 30 September, the Dutch Secretary of State for Defence, Gijs Tuinman, and Naval Group CEO Pierre Éric Pommellet signed a contract for the delivery of four submarines. This agreement marks the official launch of the Orka class programme, which involves replacing the submarines of the Royal Netherlands Navy in order to strengthen the Netherlands' strategic autonomy. Read more

■ Poland :

11th Warsaw Security Forum

The 11th Warsaw Security Forum took place on 1 and 2 October on the theme of the Weimar Triangle. Organised by the Casimir Pulaski Foundation, it addressed issues crucial to the security of the European continent, such as support for Ukraine, the strengthening of European defence and transatlantic cooperation. Read more - Other link

■ Georgia :

Salomé Zourabichvili visits Berlin, Brussels and Paris

On 2 October, Georgian President Salomé Zurabichvili met the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in Brussels. On 3 October, she met with French President Emmanuel Macron and on 30 September with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. She says she is 'fairly optimistic' that her side will win the parliamentary elections on 26 October, which she describes as 'existential' for her country. Read more - Other link

■ UK :

Keir Starmer travels to Brussels

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer travelled to Brussels on 2 October to meet Ursula von der Leyen, Charles Michel and Roberta Metsola, marking the start of a new approach since the UK left the European Union in 2020. He outlined a new era in relations, with closer economic and defence ties. However, the red lines on easing freedom of movement have been firmly drawn, and no agreement on youth mobility is in sight. There is still a long way to go before any concrete steps are taken, despite the desire to see a more pragmatic and mature relationship emerge. Read more - Other link

■ Switzerland :

Modification of the border with France and Italy

The border between Italy and Switzerland is set to be redrawn as a result of the melting of the glaciers that separate the two countries. The loss of glacier volume over the last few years has forced the two European states to reach agreement on the changes to be made. On 27 September, the Swiss government approved the agreement to modify the demarcation in the Alps. On the French-Swiss side of the border, the change was prompted by the need to upgrade Geneva's public transport system and to restore rivers to their natural state. On the same day, the Federal Council approved the border rectifications. Read more - Other link

■ Ukraine :

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visits Kyiv.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on 3 October. Mark Rutte's first visit comes just two days after taking office. He declared that his priority was to ensure that Ukraine won the war against Russia. Indeed, since the start of the military invasion in 2022, Mark Rutte has been a major supporter of Ukraine in Europe. Read more - Other link

KNDS, the Franco-German defence group, opens a subsidiary in Kyiv.

The Franco-German defence group KNDS, a major partner of the Ukrainian armed forces, announced on 1 October that it was opening a subsidiary in Kyiv to support its cooperation with the Ukrainian defence industry. More specifically, the aim is to increase the operational availability of KNDS systems by facilitating on-site maintenance. In addition, the KNDS group and Ukrainian industry have expressed their intention to produce artillery ammunition. Read more

■ Vatican :

The Pope announces 21 new cardinals

On 6 October, Pope Francis announced which cardinals would be appointed at the Consistory on 8 December. 21 new cardinals will be given permission to wear purple, coming from a wide variety of countries: from Peru to Iran, via Indonesia and Serbia. Of particular note is the appointment of Mykola Bychok, Bishop of the Ukrainian Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul in Melbourne. Read more

■ Council of Europe :

Vaclav Havel prize awarded to Venezuelan opposition figure Maria Machado

On 30 September, the Council of Europe awarded the 12th Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize to Maria Corina Machado, becoming the first Latin American woman to receive it. Among other things, she headed the Sumate group, a Venezuelan citizens' rights group, and was a member of the National Assembly. She has been living in hiding since August because she fears for her safety. It was her daughter Ana who received the prize in Strasbourg. Read more

■ NATO :

Mark Rutte, NATO's new Secretary General

On 1 October, former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte succeeded Jens Stoltenberg of Norway as Secretary General of the Atlantic Alliance. He outlined his three priorities: to ensure that NATO remains strong, effective and credible in the face of all threats; to step up support for Ukraine and bring it still closer to NATO; and to strengthen partnerships in a more interconnected world. Read more

■ Eurobarometer :

The cost of living is a priority for Europeans

On 3 October, the European Parliament published its post-election survey, which took place in all Member States between 13 June and 8 July. The aim of the survey is to highlight citizens' voting behaviour. For the latter, the cost of living and the economic situation are the main factors driving them to vote. The international situation and the defence of democracy and the rule of law come next. This study also reveals the confidence of Europeans: 65% of citizens are optimistic about the future of the Union, and almost half have a positive image of it. Read more

■ Publications :

Strategic Awakening: an essay on Permanent War

Interference, subversion, cyber-attacks, terrorism: taking increasingly variable and often ambiguous forms, war has become permanent. It is everywhere, all the time, and can strike anyone. Published by Editions du Seuil, Jean-Baptiste Jeangène Vilmer's essay 'Le Réveil stratégique: Essai sur la guerre permanente' illustrates the malleability of the concept of war and concludes that it is omnipresent. Read more

■ Culture :

Sakountala Exhibition at the Camille Claudel Museum

Until 12 January 2025, the Musée Camille Claudel in Nogent-sur-Seine is presenting an exhibition to mark the 160th anniversary of the French artist's birth. The exhibition focuses on Sakountala, a sculpture that traces the artist's career. Read more

Soledad Sevilla in Madrid

The Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid is presenting an exhibition by Spanish artist Soledad Sevilla until 10 March 2025. The exhibition retraces the artist's career chronologically, from the start of her career to her current work, through around a hundred works. Read more

Paulo Rego in Basel

'Power Games', an exhibition of works by the Luso-British artist Paula Rego, is on show at Basel's KunstMuseum until 2 February 2025. The works depict fantastical, disturbing or cruel worlds, and refer mainly to the past and present hostilities encountered by women in society. Through her artistic work, Paula Rego defends the status of women with strength and conviction. Read more

Niki de Saint Phalle à Milan

Mudec in Milan is paying tribute to the Franco-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle until 16 February 2025. Through these colourful, provocative and committed works, the exhibition retraces the personal and artistic life of the artist, renowned for her "Nanas", monumental feminist sculptures. Read more

Modern Gothic Art in Helsinki

"From Darkness to Light' is an international exhibition of modern Gothic art presented by the Ateneum art museum in Helsinki from now until 26 January 2025. The exhibition features Gothic works from the 19th and 20th centuries, inspired by medieval and Renaissance art, and aims to shed light on fundamental human feelings. Read more

The art fair Frieze in London

Frieze, one of the world's leading contemporary art fairs, takes place from 9 to 13 October in London's Regent's Park. The fair is an opportunity to discover international galleries showcasing both established and emerging contemporary artists from around the world. It also features events, conferences and art installations and performances. Read more

Arte Povera in Paris

Until 20 January 2025, the Paris Bourse de Commerce is presenting an exhibition of over 250 historic works of the Arte Povera art movement. The exhibition traces the history of Arte Povera in Italy and its international influence through the works of 13 leading Italian artists from this twentieth-century artistic movement. Read more

Lumière Festival in Lyon

The Lumière Film Festival is being held in Lyon from 12 to 20 October. To mark the festival's 15th anniversary, the city where cinema was born is presenting restored films, retrospectives, guests, tributes and film-concerts throughout the city and the Lyon conurbation. The Prix Lumière 2024 will be awarded to actress Isabelle Huppert. Read more

■ Sport :

37th Americas Cup

The 37th edition of the America's Cup, the oldest sporting trophy in the world, created in 1851, takes place from 12 to 27 October in Barcelona. It will pit the defending champion, Emirates Team New Zealand, against Ineos Britannia, which won the Louis Vuitton Cup on 4 October ahead of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli. For the first time, the Puig Women's Cup will be held, which started on 5 October and finishing on 13 October. Read more - Other link