Tag: European Union

• Monday, January 9th 2017 - 10:53 UTC

  Mercosur and EU feel “2017 is a window of opportunity”, but can't find the path despite Brexit and Trump

  

  Negotiations for an ample trade and cooperation agreement between the European Union and Mercosur are strategic, essential and must be urgently concluded, said Ramon Jauregui, head of the Euro-chamber for Latin America delegation, following on the recent accords signed by the EU with Ecuador and Cuba.

• Thursday, January 5th 2017 - 10:06 UTC

  PM May names veteran diplomat as envoy to EU: overcomes mini Brexit turmoil

  

  Prime Minister Theresa May appointed a senior career diplomat as envoy to the European Union on Wednesday to replace an ambassador who quit with a scathing resignation letter that exposed frustration among officials over her strategy. . Tim Barrow, political director at the Foreign Office, will take up the post next week following the abrupt departure of Ivan Rogers, who told staff in his resignation letter they should “speak the truth to those in power”.

• Wednesday, January 4th 2017 - 11:04 UTC

  Labour too weak to win UK election, says Fabian Society; could drop to its lowest number of seats since 1935

  

  Labour is “too weak” to win a British general election alone and should consider working with rival parties, a left-of-centre think tank has said in a report. Andrew Harrop, the Fabian Society's general secretary, said there had been a “huge meltdown” of support in Scotland and cited party leader Jeremy Corbyn's unpopularity and a “muffled” approach to Brexit, as determining factors.

• Wednesday, January 4th 2017 - 09:13 UTC

  UK ambassador to EU steps down criticizing preparations for Brexit negotiations

  

  UK's ambassador to the European Union urged British colleagues in Brussels to challenge “muddled thinking and... speak truth to power” as he quit ahead of Brexit talks, according to the BBC. Writing to staff, Sir Ivan Rogers said ministers needed to hear “unvarnished” and “uncomfortable” views from Europe.

• Wednesday, December 14th 2016 - 15:24 UTC

  Double taxation: Ecuador, Italy sign agreement to foster private investements

  

  Ecuador signed an agreement with Italy to define the tax obligations of the citizens of the two countries, in order to avoid double taxation on income taxes and equity and prevent tax evasion, the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry said.

• Tuesday, December 13th 2016 - 10:45 UTC

  Cuba, Europe normalize relations after 20 years

  

  Cuba and the Eurpean Union Monday signed in Brussels their first cooperation agreement, which will be from now on the legal basis of the link between the island and the 28 EU countries.

• Monday, December 12th 2016 - 17:51 UTC

  US, EU and Japan do not recognize China as market economy: Beijing anticipates retaliation

  

  China's battle for recognition as a market economy that would help it avoid penalties from key trade partners has been thwarted, as a key clause in Beijing's deal to join the WTO expired on Sunday.

• Monday, December 12th 2016 - 15:17 UTC

  Germany wants to extends unilateral border controls beyond EU's deadline

  

  As EU's Interior Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos declined an extension beyond February and pushed for things to go “back to Schengen,” Germany prepares to go ahead on its own to maintain the border controls in Bavaria for a longer period of time. Border controls between the Schengen countries are only acceptable as a time-limited exception to the rule of open borders. Better protected EU external borders should make the controls in the interior of Europe superfluous.

• Saturday, December 10th 2016 - 09:52 UTC

  House of Lords EU committee to launch inquiry into Brexit implications for Gibraltar

  

  The United Kingdom House of Lords EU Select Committee has launched a new short inquiry on the implications of Brexit for Gibraltar. The committee will meet next week and take evidence from Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia and Attorney General Michael Llamas.

• Wednesday, December 7th 2016 - 11:57 UTC

  Supreme Court debates if PM May can use a regal prerogative to implement Brexit

  

  Four day debate Five months after United Kingdom's referendum to abandon the European Union, the question of who actually gets to pull the trigger on Brexit remains a muddle. Prime Minister Theresa May says she does. A high-level British court argued otherwise last month, ruling that Parliament must have a say. Now it’s up to the U.K. Supreme Court, which this week began hearing arguments in a case that could complicate May’s plan to set in motion Britain’s exit by the end of March.