Politics EU Politics and News

[Hiryu2.0]

https://www.chathamhouse.org/2025/02/trump-pushing-europe-and-china-closer-together-europe-should-tread-carefully

 

[Musashi]

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[Musashi]

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[Picanha]

https://www.chathamhouse.org/2025/02/trump-pushing-europe-and-china-closer-together-europe-should-tread-carefully

We have to be careful and remind us that China is not a friend we are much closer to the US and the other Western countries Trump will not be there forever.

China is Asias Russia.

 

[haze99]

Bedlam in Bucharest as Presidential Candidate Banned From Romania Election

Chaos broke in Bucharest as supporters of Călin Georgescu reacted with rage after he was barred him from running for president in Romania.

www.breitbart.com

 

[Hiryu2.0]

Trump wants to destroy the EU — and rebuild it in his image

Donald Trump won’t deal with the EU. The EU can’t deal with Trump.

www.politico.eu

 

[PEMM]

Return hubs for illegals to be allowed in leaked proposal. About time, ten years ago.

Return hubs’ possible under new EU rules
The new regulation, seen by Euractiv, is expected to introduce tougher migration rules and facilitate the creation of return hubs.

The Commission is "aiming to make it possible" for member states to explore innovative ideas, including "return hubs," in new legislation set to be unveiled today.

The EU's new return rules – the so-called "missing piece" of the asylum and migration system – are set to be unveiled during Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg today. The new legislation will replace the existing directive, which has been in place since 2008.

The new text, which as Euractiv previously reported is set to be a regulation, will be directly applicable and binding in all member states, bypassing the need for national implementation.

The draft regulation seen by Euractiv paves the way for the EU to establish controversial "return hubs" – dedicated deportation centers outside the bloc.
“I aim to make it possible for member states to think about new, innovative ideas, including return hubs,” EU Commission chief Magnus Brunner said during a closed-door briefing on Monday.
The issue has been under EU-level discussion for months, with Commission President von der Leyen raising the concept in a letter to member states last October, calling for further exploration.

The new proposal will outline three return scenarios for individuals: their country of origin, the country they transited from, or a country with a “return hub” agreement with an EU member state, the draft reads.

According to Brunner, the issue of returns is "existential". “We try to give people the feeling that they have control over what is happening in Europe”, the Commissioner said. He stressed that if the democratic center parties do not address the issue, "we will lose the trust of our citizens altogether."

A unified EU system and harsher rules
The new rules aim to create a unified return system across member states, addressing inconsistencies in rule interpretation to tackle the EU’s low return rates.
"Four out of five people with a return decision remain in the European Union," Brunner said. "That’s not acceptable."

As announced by EU Commission President on Sunday, the regulation will propose a new "European return order," and mutual recognition of return decisions among member states. However the draft says this mutual recognition will not be mandatory.

The new proposal will introduce tougher rules for individuals with a return decision, particularly those considered security threats. Detention grounds should be expanded to address the risk of absconding, with a possible detention period of up to 24 months. For those deemed security risks, detention is expected to last as long as a judge deems necessary following assessment.

Entry bans, previously capped at 5 years, could now extend to 10 years, with high-risk individuals facing bans of up to 20 years. The proposal will also introduce new obligations for returnees and removes the fixed 7 to 30-day voluntary departure period, giving member states control over deadlines.

The text could also pave the way for a broader role for the EU Border Agency Frontex in returns, to be addressed in a future regulatory reshuffle. "We are working on that," Brunner said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s second-term agenda includes tripling the European Border and Coast Guard to 30,000, a move that will require a major regulatory overhaul.

The new text forms part of a broader push for stricter rules. The EU migration chief has confirmed plans to fast-track the safe third country review under the new Pact of Migration.
Last week, the Commission also confirmed that an EU safe country of origin list is in the making, set for completion before June.

Euractiv has previously reported that the Commission was consulting member states to accelerate the review to March instead of June.

https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/return-hubs-possible-under-new-eu-rules/

 

[PEMM]

EU responds to US tariffs with counter tariffs. Starting on April, so there is still time for the US to change its mind a few times.

EU countermeasures on US steel and aluminium tariffs explained

On 12 March, the United States imposed tariffs of up to 25% on imports of steel, aluminium, and certain products containing steel and aluminium from the European Union and other trading partners. In response, the Commission is launching a series of countermeasures to protect European businesses, workers and consumers from the impact of these unjustified trade restrictions.

The new US measures

The US measures implemented on 12 March consist of three key elements:

Reinstating the June 2018 section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminium products. These covered different types of semifinished and finished products, such as steel pipes, wire and tin foil.
Increasing the tariffs imposed on aluminium from the original 10% to 25%.
Extending the tariffs to other products, notably:
Steel and aluminium products, such as household products like cooking ware or window frames.
Products that are only partly made of steel or aluminium, such as machinery, gym equipment, certain electrical appliances or furniture.
In addition, the US Secretary of Commerce will establish by 12 May 2025 a system whereby the US will continue to extend the list of steel and aluminium derivatives products subject to additional duties of up to 25%.

The US tariffs will affect a total of €26 billion of EU exports, which corresponds to approximately 5% of total EU goods exports to the US. Based on current import flows, this will result in US importers having to pay up to €6 billion in additional import tariffs.

The EU's response

The Commission has launched a swift and proportionate response, designed to defend European interests through two countermeasures:

The reimposition of the suspended 2018 and 2020 rebalancing measures;
The imposition of a new package of additional measures.
Reimposing suspended countermeasures

On 1 April 2025, the 2018 and 2020 rebalancing measures will automatically be reinstated once their suspension expires on 31 March. For the first time, these rebalancing measures will be implemented in full. Tariffs will be applied on products ranging from boats to bourbon to motorbikes.

A new package of additional measures

Since the new US tariffs are significantly broader in scope and affect a significantly higher value of European trade, the Commission launched on 12 March the process to impose additional countermeasures on the US. These will target approximately €18 billion worth of goods, which will then apply together with the reimposed measures from 2018. The objective is to ensure that the total value of the EU measures corresponds to the increased value of trade impacted by the new US tariffs.

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_25_750

 

[Musashi]

Dutch MPs vote no to EU's €800bn defence spending plan - DutchNews.nl

Dutch MPs have voted by the narrowest possible margin against an EU plan to increase defence spending by €800 billion, once again highlighting divisions within the cabinet at a time of crisis. The motion, which is not binding on ministers and was drawn up by the one-man party JA21, was backed by...

www.dutchnews.nl

 

[Hiryu2.0]

Trump's next victim: the dollar

This is the moment to expand the international status of the euro, argues Steven Everts.

www.iss.europa.eu

 

[PEMM]

Dutch MPs vote no to EU's €800bn defence spending plan - DutchNews.nl

Dutch MPs have voted by the narrowest possible margin against an EU plan to increase defence spending by €800 billion, once again highlighting divisions within the cabinet at a time of crisis. The motion, which is not binding on ministers and was drawn up by the one-man party JA21, was backed by...

www.dutchnews.nl

What does this mean? Surely we don't start faffing around again to please the Dutch?

So fed up with these guys talking about these things like it's 2006. Knowing full well that it's us here in the frontier who might end up suffering from their decisions. They know full well that EU countries are not all going to cut their welfare program, which means more debt. So this "we recognize the need for increased defense spending" is bs.

 

[Mike1976]

What does this mean? Surely we don't start faffing around again to please the Dutch?

So fed up with these guys talking about these things like it's 2006. Knowing full well that it's us here in the frontier who might end up suffering from their decisions. They know full well that EU countries are not all going to cut their welfare program, which means more debt. So this "we recognize the need for increased defense spending" is bs.

https://militaryimages.net/threads/...nce-strategy-manufacturing.11462/#post-351710

 

[PEMM]

https://militaryimages.net/threads/...nce-strategy-manufacturing.11462/#post-351710

Great idea in principle. It's just not going to happen. Southern European countries are next to desert the front.

 

[Hiryu2.0]

A radical proposal: put the EU's counter-tariffs on US social media apps

Social media is strongly negatively related to mental health, to inefficient time use, weakened family relations, depressing comparisons with others, a weakening of democracy and for less tax revenue. Social media benefits from Europeans, yet Europeans are likely suffering in return.

euobserver.com

 

[haze99]

AUSTRIA

Teens arrested after teacher 'suffers

An Austrian school teacher, 29, was allegedly raped by three young men 'for several hours' on two separate dates last year, prosecutors say. Her Vienna apartment was also set on fire.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Hiryu2.0]

 

[PEMM]

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French want conscription back.

 

[Picanha]

Tesla's European Sales Have Fallen Off A Cliff, Down 45% As EV Market Surges 31% | Carscoops

Volkswagen seems to have greatly benefited from Tesla's fall, with its EV sales recording an impressive growth

www.carscoops.com

 

[PEMM]

Tesla's European Sales Have Fallen Off A Cliff, Down 45% As EV Market Surges 31% | Carscoops

Volkswagen seems to have greatly benefited from Tesla's fall, with its EV sales recording an impressive growth

www.carscoops.com

Supporting parties, especially fringe parties like AfD, is not a great move for an EV brand.

Sending all sorts of tweets that could be seen as pro-Russian, even worse.

 

[Picanha]

Yes lots of hipsters bought Teslas. Talking about shooting yourself in the foot.

VW is happy though and the EV market in Germany is growing at the moment.

Only Tesla not...