BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) — A push by French President Emmanuel Macron to hand Brussels more powers to control Chinese investments in Europe’s key industries faced a setback on Thursday from European Union partners who fear a rise of protectionism. European leaders will discuss the thorny topic of international trade on the second day of an EU summit on Friday, as Europe seeks to champion free trade against the protectionist policies of United States President Donald Trump. […]
Tag: European Union
Merkel says EU future more important than Brexit talks
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday that the European Union’s future took priority over Brexit talks, in a rebuke to British Prime Minister Theresa May’s plans to bring the negotiations up at a Brussels summit. “For me, the future of the (remaining) 27 member-states comes before the exit negotiations with Great Britain” said Merkel as she arrived for the two-day meeting. “We want to conduct these negotiations in a good spirit,” she […]
May presents bills in Queen Elizabeth’s speech to take Britain out of EU
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday presented eight draft laws to take Britain out of the European Union in a legislative program read out in parliament by Queen Elizabeth II. The laws include the “Great Repeal Bill” to overhaul existing EU legislation and separate bills on customs, trade, immigration, fisheries and agriculture. The queen said the “Great Repeal Bill” would repeal the European Communities Act, the 1972 legislation that enshrined […]
Bailout deal thrusts burden back on Greece say analysts
by Catherine Boitard Agence France-Presse ATHENS, Greece – As Greece’s government Friday welcomed a long-delayed bailout agreement, analysts warned the deal throws responsibility back on the struggling country to pull itself out of crisis. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said the agreement — hammered out by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and eurozone finance ministers — opens the way to a “final exit to the crisis.” Reached Thursday, the deal averted another summer of Greek […]
Merkel warns US, Britain no longer reliable partners
FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany (AFP) — Europe “must take its fate into its own hands” faced with a western alliance divided by Brexit and Donald Trump’s presidency, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Sunday. “The times in which we could completely depend on others are on the way out. I’ve experienced that in the last few days,” Merkel told a crowd at an election rally in Munich, southern Germany. “We Europeans truly have to take our […]
President Duterte can refuse EU aid – political analyst
QUEZON City, Philippines -(Eagle News) — Political analyst Clarita Carlos said that it is the prerogative of President Rodrigo Duterte to refuse aid, especially when such aid is conditional. “Yung aid nga may space. May conditionality na sinasabi nya na magbibigay lang siya kung nakapasa tayo sa kaniyang Human Rights criterion. Ayaw ng Presidente nung may kakabit yung ibibigay mo. At saka napakaliit lamang na aid niyon. Masasabi natin mas marami nga silang human rights […]
Malacañang on decision to decline EU aid: It’s to assert the country’s independence
(Eagle News)– The government on Thursday said the decision to refuse European Union aid from now on was done to assert the country’s independence. “(This) is to enable them (EU) not to interfere with our internal affairs,” Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said in a text message to reporters on Thursday. “We are supposed to be an independent nation,” he said. Media reports quoted European Union Ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen as saying that refusing […]
Uber just an ordinary taxi firm: top EU lawyer
,by Bryan McManus Agence France-Presse BRUSSELS, Belgium – Ride-hailing app Uber may be a pioneer in its field but at heart it is just an ordinary taxi company and should be regulated as such, a top EU lawyer said Thursday. Uber claims it is a service provider, connecting riders with freelance drivers directly and much more cheaply than traditional cab companies. It has run into huge opposition from critics and competitors who say this allows […]
War on drugs ni Pangulong Duterte, suportado ng European Union
(Eagle News) — Handang magbigay ng suporta ang European Union (EU) sa pinaigting na kampanya ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte laban sa iligal na droga sa Pilipinas. Ayon kay EU Ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen, pinag-aaralan na nila ang pagbuo ng isang proyekto na tutulong sa mga drug user para hindi na bumalik sa kanilang nakasanayang gawain. Layunin ng proyekto ng EU na ipakita sa mga drug addict ang kahalagahan ng pagiging ‘drug-free’. Sakaling buo […]
Eurosceptics see Macron win as bad news for Brexit
by Dario THUBURN Agence France-Presse LONDON, United Kingdom – British eurosceptics reacted angrily on Monday to Emmanuel Macron’s victory in France saying the election of a pro-EU president was bad news for the Brexit negotiations but experts said a stronger Europe could ease the talks. Brexit figurehead Nigel Farage said Macron would be European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker’s “puppet” while the Leave.EU campaign group compared his election win on Sunday to France’s surrender to Nazi […]
Ukraine orders confiscation of $1.5 bn in Yanukovych regime assets
KIEV, Ukraine (AFP) — Ukraine on Friday launched a process to return some $1.5 billion in assets allegedly stolen from the budget by the deposed Russian-backed leader Viktor Yanukovych and his team. The National Security and Defense Council said the state savings bank had begun confiscating the old regime’s holdings in line with an earlier court ruling. Council chief Oleksandr Turchynov said the $1.5 billion (1.4 billion euros) would be returned to the state budget. Ukrainian […]
Trump says ‘strong Europe’ is important for US
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — United States President Donald Trump, who once celebrated Britain’s decision to leave the European Union, said Thursday that he wants the bloc to remain strong. “Yes, a strong Europe is very, very important to me as president of the united states,” Trump told reporters at a joint news conference with Italy’s Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni. “And it is also in my opinion — in my very strong opinion — important […]





