The Week in Europe 10-16/06/02

02.07.2002 | Euroskop

EU news in brief

Human rights and democracy: European Commission launches eight international conferences

The European Commission kicked off a series of eight regional Human Rights Workshops across the world on 10 June, with an event concentrating on the Middle East, taking place in Amman, Jordan. Further Workshops will be held in North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Southern Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and South Eastern Asia. The aim of this initiative is to present EU policy and programmes for promoting human rights and democracy world-wide.

The first workshop focused on the regional role of Arab civil society in fostering democratisation and human rights. This regional approach will contribute to policy thinking on how to mainstream human rights and democracy in its development assistance programmes. These discussions are designed to promote improved project design, management and impact. It is an opportunity for the European Commission to learn from others about the needs of the region, and how procedures and policy could be better adapted to them.

This series of eight workshops will draw attention to recent development in EU thinking on promoting human rights and democracy in third countries. The overall strategy is set out in a European Commission Communication (May 2001)

http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/human_rights/doc/com01_252_en.pdf

The European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights' (EIDHR) programme for 2002-2004, (supported by a budget of €100 million in 2002), will concentrate on four thematic priorities (see

http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/projects/ddh/ddh_en.htm)

The promotion of human rights and democracy is a central objective in Europe's Common Foreign and Security Policy. The development and consolidation of 'democracy and the rule of law, and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms' is set down as a key goal in the Treaty on European Union (1993). These principles are reflected in the European Commission's Regional and Country Strategies, and are supported by Europe's financial assistance to third countries across the globe. The EU is the world's biggest single donor of development aid. Human rights clauses are systematically included in trade, co-operation, and association agreements with third countries, including Mediterranean agreements and the Cotonou agreement. The EU works with both governments and civil society in pursuit of its principles, and favours an approach built on dialogue and partnership.

http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/human_rights/intro/index.htm

The European Union's own commitments to human rights and democracy are set out in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (December 2000).

http://europa.eu.int/comm/justice_home/unit/charte/index_en.html

Pensions: Commission decides to attack obstacles to job mobility in pension schemes

The European Commission has decided to attack the problem of supplementary pension rules which obstruct the mobility of EU workers when they go to another Member State to work, or even when they change jobs within their own Member State. The Commissions decision to launch formal consultation of social partners is the first step towards EU action to help workers who are forced to change pension scheme when they change their employer. The Commission consultation paper analyses three key parameters of supplementary pension schemes: rules on acquisition and preservation of pension rights; rules on transferability of pension rights; rules on cross-border membership of pension schemes (remaining in the same pension scheme while moving to a job in another Member State). Significantly, the Commission notes that, in relation to cross-border membership, the recent political agreement allowing for pan-European pension funds will help those workers who change Member State to work and are able to stay in the same pension scheme but serious problems will still remain where workers are forced to change pension scheme. Europeans are already relatively reluctant to change jobs: in 2000, only 16.4% of EU workers had been with their employer for less than one year, compared to 30% in the US. This decision is part of the Commission's strategy to remove the day-to-day obstacles which discourage European worker mobility. Other recent proposals in this area have included an EU health card and a website with information about job vacancies throughout the EU.

For more information on transferability of pension rights :

http://www.actuaries.org.uk/groupe_consultatif/documents/Cross_Border_Transfers.pdf

[Background paper IP/02/846]

EU Civil Protection capabilities reinforced

The European Commission has adopted a communication taking stock of the progress made to improve the EU's preparedness to respond to the consequences of terrorist threats. This Communication follows the Commission's November 2001 Communication, which looked at how to mobilise resources, expertise and networks in the area of civil protection, in the wake of the events of 11 September. The Commission has since taken action to enhance its response capabilities. Hence, in future, a country hit by any kind of major emergency including the consequences of terrorist threats will be able to call on the help of co-ordinated EU intervention teams. These teams, which will have the latest technical resources at their disposal, will be co-ordinated by the Commission with the support of the best qualified European experts .

[Background paper IP/02/848]

Researchers send in thousands of new ideas for European research

Universities, companies and research centres have sent more than 15,000 ideas for European research projects to the European Commission. More than 100,000 groups and institutions were involved in drafting the ideas; the proposed teams involve potentially several hundreds of thousands of researchers across Europe and beyond. In a radical departure from previous programmes and for the first time, on 20 March 2002, the Commission asked the scientific community to say what they see as the most promising topics for cutting edge research in the 6th Research Framework Programme, due to be launched in autumn this year. Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin is encouraged by the massive response. "It shows that the European Research Area is becoming a reality," he said. "The strong response also demonstrates that our researchers have many good ideas. That much more funding for research is needed in Europe through a co-ordinated investment by Member States. It is an encouraging sign as we work towards the EU's target of investing 3% of GDP in research by 2010. Our researchers want to work together and share efforts with the best of their field in other countries. They want to work together in a new way at the European level, namely in projects or networks with sufficient critical mass to meet global scientific or technological challenges." For further information please visit:

http://www.cordis.lu/fp6/eoi-instruments/

[Background paper IP/02/852]

Security of gas supplies: Loyola de Palacio stresses the importance of the Putin/Kuchma declaration

This Russian/Ukrainian declaration, signed by Presidents Putin and Kuchma last weekend, provides for the setting-up of a strategic investor consisting, on an equal basis, of Ukrainian, Russian and European gas companies which will be responsible for the modernisation and management of the transit transmission of Russian natural gas to the EU. In this context, it recalls the importance of this agreement for the security of EU supplies, in particular as regards the introduction of market-economy rules in the management and security of transit. For more information about INOGATE, please consult the following website:

http://www.inogate.org/

[Background paper IP/02/843]

VAT: new Commission on-line validation service saves time and costs for businesses

It will be easier for businesses across Europe to check the validity of their customers' VAT identification numbers on the Internet. The Commission has launched an online service which gives businesses access to certain parts of the system of electronic information exchange used between tax authorities, known as the "VAT Information Exchange System" or "VIES". The new service will save time and administrative costs both for businesses and tax administrations. Under current VAT rules, supplies of goods made by a trader in one Member State to a trader in another Member State are exempt from VAT in the country of origin, on the basis that they will be taxed in the country of destination. However, a trader making intra-EU supplies must be sure that his customer is subject to VAT in another Member State before despatching the goods free of VAT as otherwise he may have to pay the VAT himself. Until now, a supplier wishing to confirm the validity of the VAT identification number provided by his customer had to contact his own tax administration which would check the VIES and confirm that the number quoted was valid. This is part of the Commission's work to make doing business in the EU's internal market as simple as possible, by removing practical obstacles which are a headache for businesses. The online service can be accessed at the following address:

http://europa.eu.int/vies

[Background paper IP/02/864]

Enlargement news

A big week in the parliament for enlargement

The mid-June European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg devoted much of its attention to enlargement. On 12 June, the EU Council of Ministers and the European Commission provided progress reports at the opening of a joint debate on enlargement. The Parliament discussed a series of reports on different aspects of enlargement, ranging from finance to agriculture, and women's rights to asylum seekers.

Top of the agenda was the report by Elmar Brok on the state of enlargement negotiations, which contains twelve sub-sections on the individual candidate countries. The Parliament's foreign affairs committee has already backed this report and wants to send a message of encouragement "in this crucial final year of the accession process". The Committee has restated its commitment not to place new obstacles in the way of enlargement, or to require the candidate countries to do more than is necessary to transpose and implement the acquis communautaire (existing Community law and treaties).

The report does however insist on the need for the candidates to continue meeting the political criteria, in particular by taking more energetic measures to combat discrimination against minorities. It also highlights the need for these countries to promote "good governance" internally by combating corruption and organised crime through practical measures and to submit a report on their efforts to the EU institutions before the end of the accession negotiations.

The draft report also voiced concern at the delays in implementing the SAPARD aid programme for rural development, and argues that efforts should focus more on making better use of the pre-accession funds, in particular by supporting administrative capacity-building at central and regional levels. The committee also urged the member states to agree as soon as possible on a common position for the chapters on agriculture, regional policy and budgetary issues so that they can be completed in good time.

The Parliament also discussed a report from the regional, transport and tourism committee on the effect of enlargement on border regions. This report considers that the money allocated to border regions is insufficient. But it also agrees that the Commission's plan for a phased introduction of transitional measures for the border regions is sensible. The possibility of taking into account regional and sectoral differences on the free movement of workers and services should be feasible.

A further report debated covers the first year of operation of the ISPA pre-accession funds, designed to support the efforts of the ten applicant countries to adapt to EU rules in the environment and transport sectors. The Commission should work to improve the quality of projects, with better instruments for assessing their impact and promoting the projects which perform best, and should monitor project management closely, making sure that Community rules and procedures are scrupulously applied, the draft report says.

The budget committee's report on the financial impact of EU enlargement was discussed, with its assertion that the benefits of accession will outweigh any costs to member states' budget balances. But it admits that the financial cost of enlargement cannot be calculated until the accession negotiations are completed.

The agriculture committee's report on the SAPARD programme was also on the agenda. This calls on the Commission to provide a written statement with detailed information on the outstanding obstacles to the transfer of SAPARD funds to applicant countries. It maintains that preparations for accession are being hindered by delay in implementing the programme. The draft endorses a reorientation of the SAPARD programme towards alternative employment strategies in rural areas. And it calls for a specific new proposal called INPARD (Innovative Participatory Rural Development) which should create additional employment and income as well as strengthening civil society.

Another report from the agriculture committee, also up for debate, backs the phasing-in of farm subsidies to new member states gradually over a ten-year period. The committee says that "an excessive influx of cash as a result of direct payments" would allow low productivity to persist and discourage investment. Instead, it believes priority must go to supporting rural development. It also endorses the Commission's proposal for a simplified system of area payments and believes the applicant countries should be allowed to make top-up national payments, under certain conditions.

Parliamentarians from candidate countries attended meetings in Strasbourg during the week, invited by MEPs for an early taste of life in Strasbourg. And on behalf of the ELDR group, Baroness Sarah Ludford of the UK and Lousewies van der Laan of the Netherlands asked the Commission to respond to questions on the rights of asylum seekers from future member states. Given the fact that a French court has recently granted asylum to a group of Hungarian Gypsies, MEPs want to know from the Commission how many EU countries are accepting asylum applications from the 12 candidate countries. The two MEPs are asking for concrete action plans with timetables and deadlines to resolve this issue. Anna Karamanou of Greece, on behalf of the Women's Rights and Equal Opportunities Committee, will be asking the Commission to clarify the situation with regard to equal opportunities in the candidate countries and what measures to promote equal opportunities have been funded by EU programmes.

Member states differ on direct aids for candidates' farmers

Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Sweden are opposing the European Commission's proposal to phase in direct aids to farmers in the new member states between 2006 and 2013, because they fear it will perpetuate the current EU policy of high levels of agricultural support, which they want to see reduced in the context of the forthcoming reform of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy.

Prodi Commission claims enlargement rhetoric approaching reality

Enlargement is one of the highlights of the mid-term review of the Prodi Commission after two-and-a-half years in office - entitled "Closing the gap between rhetoric and reality" - released last week. "One of the top priorities of the present Commission, enlargement, which aims to achieve a peaceful unification of our continent to ensure peace, stability, democracy and prosperity between the Baltic Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean, is close to becoming reality," it says. "The negotiation strategy proposed in 2000 by the Commission and approved by the European Council led to significant progress in the talks, allowing for agreement with candidates on issues as sensitive as for instance the environment, free movement of workers, purchase of land, transport or justice and home affairs.

Based on some key principles and on a detailed 'road-map', this strategy proceeds according to schedule and will enter soon its final phase with negotiations on the most challenging issues, in particular agriculture, regional policy and budget, on the basis of the Commission's proposals presented earlier this year." The report predicts that if this momentum is maintained, it will be possible to conclude negotiations at the end of the year with the best-prepared countries. Then the ratification process of the Accession Treaty could be launched in time for the future new Member States to participate in the European elections in 2004 as members of the Union.

Good and bad in candidates' level of IT access

Progress of the eEurope+ action plan in the EU candidate countries was reviewed at a ministerial conference on the Information Society, entitled "Connecting Europe", in Ljubljana on 3-4 June. National strategies and programmes have been developed in the candidate countries and implementation of relevant EU acquis (on telecommunications and e-commerce in particular) is well on track, it found. In particular, telephone and mobile penetration rates are high, there are ambitious programmes for computers in schools, and significant progress has been made on e-Government. However, the cost of Internet access varies widely, PC costs are often prohibitive for home users, and little data is as yet available on areas such as e-commerce.

The eEurope+ action plan aims to accelerate the reform and modernisation of the economies in the candidate countries, to encourage capacity and institution building, to improve overall competitiveness, and to enhance social cohesion. Good co-operation between the EU and candidate countries on Information Society issues can help support the EU enlargement process and make information and knowledge available to citizens and the private sector, the Commission says. Hosted by Slovenian industry minister Pavel Ganfar and Information Society Commissioner Erkki Liikanen, the meeting brought 40 ministers or deputies from all 13 candidate countries together with political, business and academic representatives of EU member states and the countries of south-east Europe.