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The eurozone needs a real budget, not a token effort, say S&Ds

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Euro & Finance
Euro sign drowning in the sea
The Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament today expressed their disappointment with the Commission’s proposals on a budget for the eurozone.
 
S&D Group spokesperson on economic and monetary affairs, Pervenche Berès stated:
 
"The 2008 financial crisis made it clear that the eurozone needed a specific budget to help its members cope with macroeconomic shocks. Since then, the Socialists and Democrats have campaigned for such a reform.
 
"Today, the European Commission has proposed two instruments: a reform support programme and a European investment stabilisation function. Neither of these tools will be sufficient. They merely represent an embryonic of a budget for the eurozone, and are not up to the challenge of building a strong economic and monetary union. The eurozone needs a real budget, not a token effort.
 
"With its €25 billion, the so-called reforms support programme will not serve as an incentive to increase the economic convergence between members of the eurozone. The risk is that member states will get financial support to liberalise further the labour markets or reform their pensions system. And, the need to invest to foster convergence is ignored.
 
"As for the stabilisation investment function, the recognition of the need for such a tool is welcome but the resources - €30 billion - are ridiculously low. It cannot serve the purpose of supporting countries facing a deep recession or the consequences of a financial crisis. It is also based on loans, which means some lessons from the current crisis have still not been learnt.
 
"We will keep the fight to strengthen the Economic and Monetary Union. We believe that, in the long-term, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) should be further developed and turned into a European Stabilisation Fund (ESF) with adequate lending and borrowing capacities and a clearly defined mandate.
 
"Any further step towards a deepening of the EMU will have to go hand-in-hand with stronger democratic controls. To this end, the role of the European Parliament and national parliaments will have to be strengthened."
 
Note to the editor:
 
31 May 2018

S&Ds: more needs to be done to make the European Pillar of Social Rights and the Education and Culture programmes a concrete reality

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Languages & Culture
Social Europe & Jobs
The new legislative proposals for the European Social Policy 2021-2027 presented by the European Commission focus on making the European Pillar of Social Rights a reality and composes of the European Social Fund Plus with the budget of €101.2 billion, and the European Globalisation Fund of €1.6 billion.  However, the S&D Group is concerned that while the new ESF+ fund merges a number of funds fighting youth unemployment, inequalities, social exclusion, poverty and investing in mobility and skills of European citizens, this makes the rules less clear and the budget 6% less.
 
Agnes Jongerius, S&D coordinator for the committee on employment and social affairs, said:
 
"We welcome the Commission's efforts to deliver on the European Pillar of Social rights, however we are disappointed with the level of their financial commitment. The Commission scraps the 23% minimum share of the ESF in the Cohesion Policy, while we have been fighting for its increase. We have also been calling for a 30% increase of the ESF´s programmes dedicated to the fight against inequalities and poverty instead of the proposed 25%. The European Parliament has also fought for doubling the budget for the Youth Employment Initiative, which will be 10% of the ESF+.
 
“We need more clarification on how this new super fund will be working in order to meet the needs of all European citizens. We are not sure how the mixing of instruments under shared and direct and indirect management will work and if merging the existing well-known and well-functioning funds and programmes will not be made weaker - thus not reaching their beneficiaries and the most vulnerable citizens.
 
“We will be working hard to make sure we have the right and ambitious resources to fight the current and pressing challenges we face in Europe such as unemployment, low wages, gender pay gap and that we support the well-being of all our citizens.”
 
Silvia Costa, S&D coordinator in the culture committee, comments on the Erasmus+, Creative Europe and the new proposal Rights and Values:
 
“Erasmus+, Creative Europe and the new programme Rights and Values represent a concrete investment in our future, in the future of our youth, in the innovation and social inclusion in the EU. Therefore, the S&Ds demanded to triple the Erasmus+ funds and significantly increase the resources for the other two programmes.
 
“By doubling the Erasmus+ funds and increasing by 9% the Creative Europe ones, the proposal of the European Commission goes in the right direction. This though is not enough yet. The S&Ds goal now is to further increase the resources for these crucial programmes and make them more accessible.
 
“In particular for Erasmus+, we will commit ourselves to have the Erasmus Mundus back in the programme, making it more accessible to all young people thanks to the introduction of the European Student e-Card. In this regard, we welcome that the Commission has included some of our requests in its proposal, such as a greater support to the professional and University education, trainings and youth entrepreneurship.
 
“Finally, we cannot be satisfied with the poor funds increase for the Creative Europe programme, but we do consider the dedicated action in favour of the mobility of artists and the promotion of the literature and the music a positive step forward.”
31 May 2018

The true cost of a Big Mac - S&Ds urge Commission to crack down on abusive zero-hour contracts

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Social Europe & Jobs
ALLAN, Tim 31/05/2018 Employment, social affairs & gender equality, Justice, liberties, citizenship & home affairsShare it Facebook Twitter 
Stamp of ZERO HOUR CONTRACTS
Following a series of petitions sent to the European Parliament signed by more than 31,000 people, the S&D Group has urged the Commission to crack down on multinational companies that use abusive zero-hour contracts. The petitions were linked to a campaign by McDonalds’ workers fighting for better working conditions and an end to precarious contracts.
 
S&D Group MEP Jude Kirton-Darling, who was responsible for the report in the Parliament’s petitions committee, said:
 
“Over the last few years we have seen a huge increase in the number of companies employing people on zero-hour contracts. Companies like McDonalds who make billions in profits and pay their CEOs tens of millions a year, have decided they need to save money by putting employees on contracts where no maternity leave, paid holiday or redundancy is given. If this type of abusive and irresponsible corporate behavior is not illegal, then it should be. We cannot allow multinational companies to get away with avoiding their most basic commitments to their employees.
 
“We stand side-by-side with all those fighting for their right to decent working conditions. We are pushing the European Commission finally do something about it and ensure that EU labour legislation is being implemented correctly. As these petitions have shown, people are fed up at being taken advantage of by their employers. We will continue to fight for the rights of all EU workers, but particularly those on the most precarious contracts.”
31 May 2018

Women’s empowerment must be central to EU’s foreign policy

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Social Europe & Jobs
The European Parliament today backed the S&D Group’s call for female empowerment to be put at the heart of the EU’s foreign policy. Progressive MEPs in the Parliament ensured that the report highlighted the importance of women’s empowerment and their right to sexual and reproductive self-determination, as a pre-condition for sustainable development.
 
Linda McAvan, chair of the European Parliament’s development committee said:
 
“Advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment must be an essential part of the EU’s external relations. Improving the lives of girls and women around the world is the only way of achieving sustainable development. This needs to be taken into account whenever the EU is dealing with third countries, be it in trade matters, agriculture or development issues. We need to work with countries around the world to ensure that their national budgets are focused on women’s development. Investing in girls and women is vital to boost developing economies.”
 
Liliana Rodrigues, S&D MEP responsible for the report in the women’s rights committee added:
 
“The right to decide over one’s own body and life is not only a human right but also a precondition for achieving the UN’s sustainable development goals. We as the S&Ds insist that access to family planning, maternal health services and safe and legal abortion services are not negotiable. These help save millions of lives and are particularly important for those living in war zones, where thousands of women and girls are victims of rape.
 
“We are pleased that progressive forces in the Parliament defeated an attempt by right-wing groups to water down this report. It is essential that the Parliament continues to fight for the rights of girls and women around the world.”
31 May 2018

Stop cracking down on women’s rights activists, say the S&Ds to the government of Saudi Arabia

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Global Europe
Socialists and Democrats were the leading political force behind the resolution that was adopted today by the European Parliament to condemn the recent cracking down on women’s right activists in Saudi Arabia.  At least 11 people were arrested, mostly women, for promoting the right of women to drive. Four of them were reportedly released, but the rest could face long prison sentences. We demand their immediate release and ask the EU member states for targeted measures against Saudi individuals implicated in grave human rights violations.
 
We are also deeply shocked that the EPP tried to eliminate from the resolution the condemnation of the male guardianship system in Saudi Arabia, which makes women second-class category citizens. Fortunately, the progressive forces lead by the S&Ds prevailed.
 
S&D spokesperson for human rights, Soraya Post MEP, said:
 
“In just a few days, on June 24, Saudi Arabia is set to lift the longstanding ban on women drivers. However, there will not be much to celebrate, as at the same time the government has expanded a cracking down on the very activists who had promoted the right of woman to drive. They have been accused of having ‘suspicious contacts with foreign parties’ and ‘undermining security and stability’ of the state.
 
‘This is totally absurd and totally undermines the credibility of the reform process in Saudi Arabia, promised by the Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman during his recent visit to Europe. We call on the government to immediately and unconditionally release all human rights defenders, including Raif Badawi, Sakharov Prize Laureate, still in jail solely for peacefully expressing his views. Women cannot wait anymore to enjoy their basic human rights!”
 
Antonio Panzeri, chair of the human rights subcommittee, added:
 
“I am dismayed by the prevalence of gender-based violence in Saudi Arabia, and by the existence of the male guardianship system, a reflection of the patriarchal system that rules the country. Despite recent government reforms aimed at boosting women’s rights, nothing has changed. Women still remain second-class citizens, who need their male guardian’s authorisation when they want to apply for a passport or get married.
 
“I urge Saudi authorities to get rid of the guardianship law, adopt a legislation that criminalises all forms of gender-based violence against women and ratify the international conventions to remove all obstacles women face in enjoying their rights, including sexual and reproductive rights.
 
“We also think that it’s high time for the EU member states to consider, for the first time ever, the introduction of targeted measures against Saudi individuals responsible for grave human violations. At the same time, we make it clear in our resolution that the EU should stay open for a constructive dialogue with Saudi authorities in order to improve the situation of human rights in the Kingdom.”
31 May 2018

Parliament backs S&D’s call for full investigation into Cambridge Analytica scandal

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Health & Consumers
Following pressure from the S&D Group, the European Parliament will launch a series of three hearings into the misuse of millions of people’s data by Facebook and Cambridge Analytica.  The hearings follow the meeting between Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and the leaders of the political groups in the Parliament. The hearings will be led by the Parliament’s civil liberties, justice and home affairs committee, with the first one taking place on Monday 4 June 2018.
 
Speaking after the confirmation of the follow up hearings, S&D Group vice-president Josef Weidenholzer, said:
 
“We have been calling for a full and transparent investigation into the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal since the story first broke two months ago. This is the biggest example of unauthorised data harvesting in Facebook’s history, raising serious concerns about citizens’ privacy and the manipulation of the democratic process in the digital age. Last week’s meeting with Mark Zuckerberg did little to allay our concerns. Instead of a serious cross-examination, it descended into little more than a Facebook PR exercise. These hearings are a chance to correct that and find the answers that our citizens deserve.
 
“In next week’s hearing we will have both the journalist and whistle-blower who shone a light on the dodgy practices going on at Cambridge Analytica. Their insights will help us get to the bottom of the issue and help us see what action we need to take to ensure that this can never happen again. After the hearings are complete, we will push for Mark Zuckerberg to return to the Parliament and respond to our findings. Facebook and other social media networks have a powerful position in the process of opinion making. We must make sure that this position cannot be abused.
 
“Following the hearings, our Group will work with other progressive forces to ensure a strong resolution in the Parliament that builds on the results of the meetings and outlines what concrete actions the EU should take to ensure this can never happen again.”
 
Note to editors
 
This first hearing is organised by the Parliament’s civil liberties committee, in association with the committees on industry, constitutional affairs and legal affairs.
 
When: Monday 4 June 2018, 17.30 - 20.00
 
Where: József Antall building (Brussels), room JAN 4Q2
 
The hearing will be webstreamed. The link to the webstreaming will appear here.
 
The second and third hearings are planned for 25 June and 2 July 2018
31 May 2018

S&Ds call on EU leaders to stand firm against Trump's populist and protectionist punitive tariffs

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Trade & Society
Reacting to the announcement that US punitive tariffs on steel and aluminium on EU imports would enter into force as of tomorrow, S&D Group leader Udo Bullmann said:
 
“The imposition of US tariffs on EU steel and aluminium exports is unacceptable and unjustified. These punitive tariffs are in clear breach of international law and it is simply absurd to consider the EU a national security threat to the US. Protectionism and unilateral actions only contribute to the spiralling out of control of a crisis.
 
 “We are not naïve free traders. On the contrary, we are committed to protecting our European workers and industries from unfair competition, dumped imports or foreign take-overs of key industries by state-owned investors. However, the way to do this is by respecting the rule-of-law, not through bullying and illegal actions.
 
“I am deeply worried about the latest noises coming out of Washington on imposing tariffs on European cars and falsely presenting the EU’s data protection regulation as a trade barrier. We Europeans care deeply about data privacy and data security and will not allow our citizens to be turned into data cows to be milked by digital giants for massive profits. Whoever wants to do trade with us, must respect our values.
 
“We call on EU leaders to stand firm and united, not to give in to bullying and protect European workers and industries.”
 
S&D spokesperson for EU-USA trade relationships and chair of the European parliament’s trade committee, Bernd Lange, said:
 
“Trump has once again proven that ‘America first’ means ‘America alone’- his short-sighted, populist actions will further alienate the United States from former friends and partners. The American President's reckless decision will be countered by Europe with the entire toolbox of the WTO. Protectionism will only ever cause harm; we can only hope that President Trump wakes up to this realisation in time before he does any more harm to his own citizens.
 
“Europe needs to stand united. We will not cave in to pressure and will not be bullied into any deal.
 
“The future of the multilateral trading order is at stake. We cannot twiddle our thumbs while the US President is trying to tear apart the rules that govern international trade. We need to take a stance and counter this aggression.”
 
S&D Group spokesperson for trade, Alessia Mosca, said:
 
“The Trump administration has again revealed its true face and it is not a pretty one. To appease American voters, they are imposing punitive steel and aluminium tariffs under the guise of national security concerns. They either don’t understand or don’t care that the American people will be among the first to suffer the consequences of this decision.
 
“The Socialists and Democrats call on the European Commission and all actors to continue working within the framework of the World Trade Organisation to unblock the current situation. We fully back the European Commission’s decision to protect European workers and industries through a series of retaliatory measures.”
31 May 2018

European Week Against Cancer (EWAC) – The contribution of Standardization to pre-analytical procedures for in vitro diagnostics

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Health & Consumers
The fight against cancer has made significant advances, but remains a key public health concern in Europe, being the second largest cause of death in the European Union. Following European Union statistics, in 2014 cancer was the cause of one quarter (26.4 %) of the total number of deaths in the EU-28. Hence, to tackle this health problem, the European Commission (EC) set up in 2009 an ambitious goal to reduce cancer incidence by 15 % by 2020 (see EC Communication on Action Against Cancer: European Partnership). European standardization is committed to citizen well-being as well as fighting cancer with standards that ensure safer products for consumers. In the context of the European Week Against Cancer (EWAC), we highlight the work of our CEN/TC 140 on ‘In vitro diagnostic medical devices’.
 
DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung), who is CEN German Member and holds the secretariat of CEN/TC 140/WG 3 “Quality management in the medical laboratory” and, is a project partner in the 48-month-project SPIDIA4P (Standardisation of generic Pre-analytical Procedures for In vitro DIAgnostics for Personalised Medicine) working on the standardization and improvement of pre-analytical procedures for in vitro diagnostics.
 
SPIDIA4P’s successful predecessor SPIDIA, a 4.5-year project funded by the European Union FP7 programme, laid the basis for developing and introducing the first 9 CEN Technical Specifications (CEN/TS) for pre-analytical workflows into European countries.
 
Like SPIDIA, SPIDIA4P is again bringing together key experts from numerous stakeholder organisations to take the next steps towards improving healthcare systems with a worldwide impact. It is funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and consists of 19 partners. The SPIDIA4P consortium will coordinate with large European public research consortia to obtain access to research and validation studies data, serving as evidence for the new standards developments for achieving improvements of diagnosis, patient stratification and prognosis of disease.
 
In this frame, a new Project Liaison with Cancer-ID (Cancer treatment and monitoring through identification of circulating tumour cells and tumour related nucleic acids in blood) is being finalised.
 
SPIDIA4P plans to develop 11 new CEN/TS and 2 new ISO-standards (under the lead of ISO/TC 212 on ‘Clinical laboratory testing and in vitro diagnostic test systems’) for the pre-analytical workflow – some of these will deal with cancer diagnostics, as for example documents on circulating tumour cells, fine-needle aspirations, frozen tissue DNA as well as body fluids cell free DNA. The planned documents will also be applicable to research such as biomarker discovery, development and validation, as well as to biobanks. Furthermore, corresponding External Quality Assurance Schemes will be developed and implemented, aiming to survey the resulting diagnostic practice. These are needed for reducing the number of sample-based diagnostic mistakes, for reducing the number of non-reproducible pre-clinical and clinical studies, thus enabling the improvement and acceleration of biomarker discoveries and validations for reinforcing the era of personalised medicine and innovations in patient care. Two projects are currently being finalized and a series of New Work Items Proposals (NWIPs) for the second wave of the project are currently undergoing the ballot process.
 
SPIDIA4P is coordinated by Dr. Uwe Oelmueller, QIAGEN GmbH, an international expert leading in the field of pre-analytical workflows developments and standardization. During the Global Biobank Week 2017 in Stockholm, Dr. Uwe Oelmueller was honoured for his comprehensive merits on European and International pre-analytical standardization with the “DIN Golden Honary Needle”.
 
Quote:
“The standardization and improvement of pre-analytical workflows is a crucial prerequisite for reducing the numbers of diagnostic errors in healthcare and of non-reproducible research and clinical studies with human specimen. The released and the upcoming CEN Technical Specifications and ISO International Standards for pre-analytical workflows play a central role in achieving these goals.”  - Dr. Uwe Oelmueller, QIAGEN GmbH, SPIDIA and SPIDIA4P Coordinator  
 
The SPIDIA project has received funding under the Seventh Research Framework Programme of the European Union, FP7-HEALTH-2007-1.2.5, under grant agreement no. 222916. The SPIDIA4P project receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 733112.
 
Follow us throughout the year with the hashtag #SingleMarket. Let us know your examples of how European Standards contributed to the prosperity of the EU economy or how they impact your life for the better. Tell us your stories through the hashtag #TellEUstandards.
 
01 Jun 2018

The EU must respond to unjustified U.S. aluminium tariffs via WTO

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Trade & Society
 
Brussels, 31 May 2018 – European Aluminium regrets the U.S. decision to impose a 10% tariff on aluminium products from Europe starting from 1 June 2018. The European aluminium industry rejects the assumption that its exports are a threat to U.S. national security and calls on the EU to launch a WTO trade dispute over the unjustified measures.
 
“As we stressed in the last months, European aluminium exports to the U.S., given both their quantity and characteristics, do not pose any threat to US national security and should have been permanently exempted from the tariffs. We are very concerned that these unjustified unilateral measures put at risk the many industrial clusters, innovation hubs and transatlantic synergies we share with the U.S. Even worse, we face the risk of being harmed by a redirection of aluminium from third countries that are targeted by the U.S. measures. This redirection could see an additional 35 percent of semi-fabricated aluminium products entering Europe, which creates unfair competition for European producers and will be particularly challenging for SMEs,” Director General Gerd Götz commented.
 
The industry association, a leading advocate for a global aluminium market based on multilateral rules, counts on the EU Commission to defend free, fair and rules-based trade by immediately contesting the tariffs through WTO and implementing safeguard measures if proven necessary.
 
“Not only will the tariffs will have unintended negative consequences for our integrated aluminium supply chains, but they also fail to address the cause of the distortions in the global aluminium market: the unsustainable increase of overcapacity in China in both the primary and semi-fabricated aluminium sectors. We hope the U.S. will realise that this global challenge can only be managed effectively through a long-term solution based on multilateral rules and common enforcement like a Global Aluminium Forum within G20. With the G7 in Canada fast approaching, we must now seize the opportunity to get a political endorsement for the creation of a Global Aluminium Forum ahead of the G20 summit in Argentina,” concluded Götz.
 
Together with its counterparts from Canada, the U.S. and Japan, European Aluminium is organising an exceptional meeting of the aluminium industry from the G7 member countries on June 3rd and 4th in Montreal which will help define a policy-driven roadmap to address overcapacity and non-market policies. Please see here for the preliminary program of the event.
 
 
About European Aluminium
European Aluminium, founded in 1981 and based in Brussels, is the voice of the aluminium industry in Europe. We actively engage with decision makers and the wider stakeholder community to promote the outstanding properties of aluminium, secure growth and optimise the contribution our metal can make to meeting Europe’s sustainability challenges. Through environmental and technical expertise, economic and statistical analysis, scientific research, education and sharing of best practices, public affairs and communication activities, European Aluminium promotes the use of aluminium as a material with permanent properties that is part of the solution to achieving sustainable goals, while maintaining and improving the image of the industry, of the material and of its applications among their stakeholders. Our 80+ members include primary aluminium producers; downstream manufacturers of extruded, rolled and cast aluminium; producers of recycled aluminium and national aluminium associations are representing more than 600 plants in 30 European countries. Aluminium products are used in a wide range of markets, including automotive, transport, high-tech engineering, building, construction and packaging.
 
For further information, please contact: communications@european-aluminium.eu, +32 2 775 63 63

 

01 Jun 2018

PES congratulates Pedro Sánchez on his election as the new prime minister of Spain

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Global Europe
The Party of European Socialists welcomes the election of Pedro Sánchez, from our Spanish party PSOE, as the new prime minister of Spain. We look forward to his government forming a credible alternative to a conservative government hounded by corruption.
 
PES president Sergei Stanishev said:
 
"We warmly welcome the election of Pedro Sánchez, a progressive and honest pro-European, to lead the next government of Spain. He will shift away from the austerity policies of the past years in his country and we are confident that, together with our political family, he will contribute to ending austerity at the European level as well.
 
"I would like to congratulate Pedro personally. I am looking forward to working with him and welcoming him in Brussels."
 
PES secretary general Achim Post added:
 
"The conservative government of Rajoy has been brought down by its own corruption. The new prime minister Pedro Sánchez represents the chance for a new start in Spain and in Europe."
 

Notes for editors

  • All 28 EU member states are represented by their progressive parties at the PES, which brings together 34 socialist, social democratic, labour and democratic parties as full members. Together with 12 associate parties and 12 observer parties from outside the EU, we fight for a better and more progressive Europe.
  • The current president of the PES is Sergei Stanishev.
  • The Socialists & Democrats Group is the parliamentary group of the PES.

 

01 Jun 2018

Unfair US steel and aluminium tariffs: European jobs must be protected from a global trade war!

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Trade & Society
 
From today, the EU is subjected to harsh and unfair US tariffs on steel (25%) and aluminium (10%), after their temporary exemption under Section 232, ended at midnight last night. President Trump’s decision to punish EU industry, and its workers, has been met with criticism throughout Europe and is condemned by European trade unions.
 
Luis Colunga, Deputy General Secretary, said: 
 
‘’We are extremely disappointed by the decision to impose these huge unjustified tariffs on our steel and aluminium industries. This will have a devasting effect on European jobs and communities across Europe.
 
“The issues facing American workers are the same ones facing European workers: global overcapacity and unfair state aid. We must find a global solution to a global problem and a trade war is certainly not the answer. 
 
“Europe continues to play by the rules and we support fair international trade. It is completely unjust that European workers are being punished for a global problem. We continue to demand support for our steel and aluminium workers and need national governments and the European Commission to protect European jobs. European workers cannot, and should not, suffer from unfair dumping of cheap steel diverted from the US market.”
 
The European Commission will trigger a dispute settlement case with the WTO today and plans to rebalance the trade deficit by targeting a list of US products with additional duties. The European Commission will also decide on whether to put in place safeguard measures. IndustriAll Europe has taken part in the European Commission’s safeguard investigation and supports safeguards for the steel and aluminium to protect European jobs from the unfair dumping of cheap steel from third countries. 
 
 
Luc Triangle, General Secretary, added:
 
“The US has used the threat of these unfair tariffs to try and negotiate further trade deals with the EU. This is completely unacceptable, especially from the US, a long-term trading ally. We must avoid a global trade war which will benefit no one and will threaten thousands of jobs.
 
“We must prevent this dispute from escalating into other sectors , workers shouldn’t be punished. We will continue to work with our affiliated trade unions and call for safeguard measures to protect our workers. Nationalist and protectionist measures are not the answer and a trade war will benefit no one. industriAll Europe calls for global fair trade that creates progress for all workers’’
 
Background
 
On 1 March 2018, US President Trump announced his intention to impose import duties of 10% on aluminum and 25% on steel from the EU. This is following the US Department of Commerce’s report on the Section 232 investigation regarding the effect of imported steel on US national security. 
 
However, as the US Secretary of Defence has also stated that the US military requires approximately 3% of US steel production, any national security justification appears to be very weak.
 
The European steel market is in recovery but still suffers from high levels of steel imports, 40 million tonnes in 2017, despite multiple EU trade defence measures. 
 
On 23 March, the day that the tariffs were due to enter into force, the White House announced that the EU alongside Canada, Mexico, Australia, Argentina, Brazil and South Korea would all be temporarily exempted until 1 May 2018. The EU was then granted a temporary exemption until 1 June, during which bilateral trade talks took place between the EU and the US. 
 
For further information, please contact: 
Elspeth Hathaway, elspeth.hathaway@industriall-europe.eu, +32 22 26 00 72
01 Jun 2018

Key principles for the Ecodesign framework to continue to deliver substantial energy savings

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Innovation & Enterprise
 
Brussels, 31 May 2018: The European Parliament adopted today an own-initiative report on the implementation of the Ecodesign Directive, while the European Commission is now more than halfway through the 2016-2019 Ecodesign Work Plan. 
 
6 Industry Associations, representing the heating, cooling, refrigeration, household appliance, commercial cleaning appliance and lighting sectors, outline on this occasion key areas that could be improved to ensure that the Ecodesign framework remains a powerful tool to promote energy efficiency at consumer level:
  • Ensure regulatory certainty and sufficient lead-time for manufacturers;
  • Ensure regulations account for income inequality;
  • Promote a transparent, robust and product-specific approach;
  • Avoid unnecessary duplication leading to over-regulation; and
  • Ensure correct implementation and enforcement.
 
Co-signatories consider that cost-effective Ecodesign requirements have contributed to substantial energy savings because they are based on important key principles: simplicity, affordability, measurability and transparency. To keep the effectiveness of the Ecodesign framework, these fundamental principles must be respected and implemented swiftly. In addition, these principles need to be complemented with appropriate measures to promote energy-efficient products and ensure a better enforcement of Ecodesign Regulations.
 
Read Joint Industry Letter (APPLiA, EHI, EHPA, EPEE, EUnited Cleaning, LightingEurope)
 
31 May 2018

Trump sendet fatales Signal für transatlantischen Handel

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Trade & Society

Frankfurt, 31. Mai 2018 – Zur Entscheidung von US-Präsident Trump, Zölle auf Stahl- und Aluminiumimporte aus der Europäischen Union zu erheben, sagt VDMA-Hauptgeschäftsführer Thilo Brodtmann:

„Der amerikanische Präsident Donald Trump setzt mit seiner heutigen Ankündigung, die EU nicht länger von Zöllen auf Stahl- und Aluminiumprodukte auszunehmen, ein fatales Signal für den transatlantischen Handel. Anstatt mit der Europäischen Union über einen wechselseitigen Abbau von Zöllen und anderen Handelsbarrieren zu verhandeln, setzt der US-Präsident auf Abschottung. Seine „Handelsstrategie“ ist eigentlich keine und wird sich mittelfristig als Eigentor erweisen. Denn sie schadet der weiteren Einbindung der US-Industrie in globale Wertschöpfungsketten. Leidtragende sind nicht nur amerikanische Unternehmen, die jetzt für Stahl und Aluminium höhere Preise zahlen müssen, sondern auch weite Teile der deutschen und europäischen Investitionsgüterindustrie, die in den USA investiert haben und Stahl sowie Aluminium verarbeiten. Die Europäische Union sollte nun umso energischer für einen regelbasierten Freihandel im Rahmen der WTO eintreten, etwaige Gegenmaßnahmen hinsichtlich ihrer Angemessenheit prüfen und zugleich den Vereinigten Staaten den Weg zurück an den Verhandlungstisch offenhalten. Denn wir brauchen ein schlankes Freihandelsabkommen, das alle Zölle abbaut und nicht-tarifäre Handelshemmnisse beseitigt. Damit wäre das leidige Thema der bilateralen Zölle ein für alle Mal vom Tisch.“

 

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31 May 2018

With today’s proposals, the Commission is burying the CAP, says S&D Group

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Agriculture & Food
In the wake of the massive budget cuts announced on 2 May and more free trade agreements damaging European agriculture a little more each day, the European Commission continues to give free rein to the market. 
 
Successive Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) reforms adopted over the past 25 years have been devastating for farmers, employment, local economy and dangerous for our food security, the European Commission has not yet got the approach right. While welcoming the capping of aid, Socialist and Democrats deplore the lack of regulatory tools and are still concerned about the risk of renationalisation of the CAP.     
 
The S&D spokesperson for agriculture and rural development, Eric Andrieu, said:
 
“In continuing with a liberal approach, the European Commission is abdicating its responsibilities as a regulator and failing to protect the integrity of the internal market. The conditions for recoupling are too strict and fail to provide real counter-cyclical aid and limits aid to crisis management delivered by the producer organisations. 
 
“We call for a more protective and effective CAP that guarantees better food safety for consumers and stabilises markets for farmers. This means steering markets, redistributing aid more fairly and reorienting the CAP towards a more sustainable agriculture. 
 
“We call for the implementation of regulatory measures to better control price volatility. Like the European project, the CAP needs new colours and a longer-term perspective. We call for the Union's agricultural policy to be more closely linked to food, human health, the fight against climate change, the protection of our environment, our local economies and employment.
 
“We need a fairer and more sustainable CAP. On this point, we can only welcome the fact that direct payments to farmers will be reduced from EUR 60 000 and capped for payments above EUR 100 000 per holding. Similarly, conditionality and greening requirements must be better adapted to accelerate the transformation of our production models. Voluntary coupled payments should be used to encourage diversification of production and encourage agricultural practices that limit inputs. We welcome stronger support mechanisms for young farmers to ensure generational renewal, which is essential if we want to keep our territories alive and ensure a transition of our agricultural model.
 
“In the face of these many challenges, the Socialists and Democrats once again condemn the irresponsible first pillar budget cut of 12% and 23% for rural development in constant euros over 2021-2027.  We have to maintain the value of the current CAP budget.”
 
“With national strategic plans comes the risk of the renationalisation of our agricultural policy putting in danger a truly common policy. For real ecological transition, we need a common European reference base to encourage and help farmers to adopt more environmentally friendly practices. 
 
“European agriculture needs a bold and innovative approach! We need an in depth reform, not the minimal change the European Commission is proposing today.”
01 Jun 2018

European Cancer Patients launch Nutrition and Physical Activity Awareness Materials

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Health & Consumers

On 1 June 2018, the European Cancer Patient Coalition (ECPC) is launching the 'Living Well During Cancer Treatment' Patient nutrition Booklet. ECPC has always played an active role in advocating for the well-being of people with cancer, and it is promoting awareness on the importance of nutrition and physical activity for people with cancer.  

The management of nutrition and physical activity is important for all, but even more so for people with cancer, as survival and quality of life are increasing.

The European Cancer Patient Coalition, in collaboration with Sapienza University of Rome and Healthware International, conducted a European survey of 907 people with cancer about the importance of nutrition and physical activity. The results from the survey demonstrated a substantial gap in the information and practical management of cancer-related nutritional and physical activity issues. These data were developed into a scientific manuscript titled “Perception of nutritional and metabolic derangements in patients with cancer and cancer survivors: Results from a European Cancer Patient Coalition 2016 survey” which has been submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.

Francesco De Lorenzo, President of the European Cancer Patient Coalition, stated that “Nutrition and physical activity are vitally important for people with cancer, as well as for the outcome of their treatment. However, our research indicates that the majority of cancer patients report that their doctors are not checking their weight or discussing nutrition and physical activity.”

Nutrition and physical activity are crucial components of cancer treatment and rehabilitation, as they help patients better cope with the illness. However, given the focus on the cancer and its cure, nutrition and physical activity are often neglected, leaving patients and their families with doubts, questions and the need for practical guidance on how to ensure adequate nutrition on a daily basis, especially during therapy.

Following the successful event on 7 November 2017 at the European Parliament, championed by MEP Daciana Octavia Sârbu, the March awareness campaign on the importance of nutrition and physical activity for people with cancer, which had a social reach of more than 203,046 people, and  the launch of the 'Living Well During Cancer Treatment'  booklet, the European Cancer Patient Coalition is looking forward to address common questions patients might have about diet, nutrition and physical activity during cancer treatment, and provide essential patient information regarding nutrition and cancer

Notes to editors:

About the European Cancer Patient Coalition

The European Cancer Patient Coalition is the largest European cancer patients' umbrella organization. 

The European Cancer Patient Coalition is the voice of cancer patients in Europe. With over 400 members, ECPC is Europe’s largest umbrella cancer patients’ association, covering all 28 EU member states and many other European and non-European countries. The European Cancer Patient Coalition represents patients affected by all types of cancers, from the rarest to the most common.

 

About ECPC’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Activities

The European Cancer Patient Coalition is committed to increasing awareness on the importance of nutrition and physical activity for people with cancer. The European Cancer Patient Coalition gratefully acknowledges the support of Baxter, Celgene, Eli Lilly & Co, and Helsinn. The scope and the content remain the sole responsibility of the European Cancer Patient Coalition.

NOTES TO EDITORS

For more information please contact: Isabelle Manneh-Vangramberen: isabelle.manneh-vgb@ecpc.org, Head of Health and Research programmes

Follow us on Twitter: @cancereu

About the European Cancer Patient Coalition

The European Cancer Patient Coalition is an umbrella organisation of over 400 cancer patient organisations in 46 countries. The Coalition works for a Europe of equality, where all European cancer patients have timely and affordable access to the best treatment and care available, throughout their life. The European Cancer Patient Coalition believes that cancer patients are the most important partners in the fight against cancer and against all the cancer-related issues affecting our society. Policy makers, researchers, doctors and industry should recognise cancer patients as co-creators of their own health.

 

01 Jun 2018

Pedro Sánchez brings back dignity and hope for more social justice in Spain

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Justice & Home Affairs
Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament welcome the appointment of PSOE leader Pedro Sánchez as the new prime minister of Spain, following a no-confidence vote against Mariano Rajoy backed today in the Spanish Congress.
 
S&D leader Udo Bullmann said:
 
“Partido Popular didn’t turn out to be the good pupil that many conservatives praised in the EU, especially Angela Merkel and Wolfgang Schäuble, but a party full of corruption, as Spanish courts have proven. And PP still has other open cases. Spanish people deserve better and I am convinced that Pedro Sánchez will lead a government based on honesty and on social policies to reduce growing inequalities.
 
“We know Pedro Sánchez well, and we are happy to have a convinced European partner in Spain. His presence in the Council will be an asset for a stronger and a more social Europe, the kind of EU that citizens are demanding.
 
“We wish him all success with his project for a more cohesive society, investing in people and making sure that economic growth benefits all, especially the most vulnerable and those who suffered the most after the financial crisis. Together, we can build a better future for Spain and Europe.”
01 Jun 2018

European Soft Drinks Industry boosts progress throughout the European Economy

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Agriculture & Food
Sector generates €185 billion annual revenue across its EU value-chain and supports more than 1.7m jobs 
 
Brussels, 4 June 2018; A study released this week illustrates the strong contribution that the European soft drinks industry makes to the overall European economy, generating €185 billion revenue and indirectly supporting 1.7 million jobs.  The sector, which has been present in Europe for more than a century, supports a local value-chain of suppliers, distributors and retailers with revenue that is 2.5 times greater than that which it receives itself.  
 
The study, undertaken by leading drinks industry analysts Global Data to mark the 60th anniversary of UNESDA Soft Drinks Europe, , is based on 2016 data. It shows that the industry generates €185 billion revenue throughout its EU value chain – equivalent to 1.24% of EU GDP and delivering almost €30 billion in tax contributions to EU member states. 
 
“Our sector is rooted in the European economy and enjoys a strong connection with the industries throughout its value chain,” explains UNESDA president, Stanislas de Gramont, CEO of Suntory Beverage and Food Europe.  “From the agricultural sector where we source ingredients including fruit, berries and sugar beet; to the packaging and raw materials industries; through to the transport and distribution sectors and finally to the supermarkets, shops, bars and restaurants across the continent where our products are sold. We contribute revenue, jobs and investment.”
 
Supporting revenue generation across the value chain
 
Soft drinks represents a significant share of total revenues for some sectors:  for the Foodservice/hospitality sector it is almost 10% of total revenue; for the Creative/marketing services sector it comprises 4.1% of total revenue, and for the Packaging sector 3.7% of total revenue.
 
Delivering significant tax contributions to EU member states
 
Economic activity by the European soft drinks industry delivered almost €30 billion in taxes for EU member states in 2016, benefitting governments and households across the EU28.
 
Supporting employment across the continent
 
The sector sustains over 1.7 million jobs along the length of its supply chain – 168,447 directly and 1,546,578 indirectly.  Europeans whose jobs rely directly or indirectly on the soft drinks industry receive a total income in salaries of €26.7 billion before income tax and each worker directly employed by the soft drinks industry represents another 9 jobs supported in associated industries.
 
A local industry – sourcing, producing and employing people locally
 
The European soft drinks industry is a local industry, contributing to local economies.  Ingredients are sourced from local farmers and producers and production sites employ local people and are located close to distribution and sales outlets.
 
Demand for agricultural produce and packaging from the soft drinks industry supports farming and manufacturing across the EU – from the sugar beet sourced from northern and eastern European countries to fruit and berries sourced from growers across the continent.  It is estimated that 137,500 arable farms across the EU grow crops destined for soft drinks production.  
 
An innovative sector investing in R&D
 
Soft drinks companies spend €70m on research and development in the EU each year - the vast majority undertaken by the companies themselves. Some 560 researchers and scientists are employed in laboratories and technical centres across the EU developing new and innovative products that meet ever-changing consumer tastes and trends.
 
Contributing to the communities in which it operates
 
As a local industry, the sector is an active contributor to community programmes across the EU28: from the regeneration of inner cities and the clean-up of the local environment to sports programmes and the promotion of educational opportunities for young women and the disadvantaged.
 
To view the full report and data see here  https://www.unesda.eu/socioeconomic/
 
Ends
 
For further information please contact:
Sam Rowe, Communications, UNESDA – srowe@unesda.eu ++32 475 361286
 
04 Jun 2018

Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks

Cicero Group

The EU of solidarity cannot lose to the EU of xenophobia

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Global Europe
Med & South
Following the death of more than 50 people in the Mediterranean, S&D Group vice-presidents Elena Valenciano and Tanja Fajon, said:
 
“We deeply regret the appalling loss of lives off the Tunisian coast yesterday. This is just the latest tragedy in the Mediterranean, with people dying trying to reach a better life in Europe. At least 50 people died and dozens more are still missing in one of the worst boat accidents in years.
 
“We are extremely concerned as this new tragedy shows two worrying trends: the rise of departures from Tunisia, heightened by the situation in Libya, and the rise in the number of Tunisians themselves having to leave a crisis-torn country.
 
“On the same day, the new Interior Minister of Italy, Matteo Salvini, made public statements that prove he aims to make his extreme-right anti-immigration and populist discourse the new normality.
 
“The EU must not allow this to happen. The EU of solidarity, the one that respects human dignity, cannot turn into an EU of selfishness and xenophobia.
 
“Tomorrow the justice and home affairs Council will gather EU ministers to discuss the application of the principles of responsibility and solidarity and the long-overdue reform of the common European asylum system.
 
“There is no time to lose. We cannot let ourselves be overrun by this wave of populism and xenophobia. The Council must uphold our most fundamental values and take action before our Union ceases to exist as we know it.”
04 Jun 2018
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