EU-US relations frayed this week following Donald Trump’s travel ban, with European politicians issuing a slew of diplomatic broadsides. The spat also dimmed the lights on Brexit, despite a vote and white paper on the subject in London. In Brussels, there was good news on renewables and roaming.
EU leaders gathered in Malta this Friday (February 3) to talk migration and Brexit, though a slew of policy announcements by new US president Donald Trump overshadowed the meeting. Meanwhile, there was good news on EU climate targets and roaming charges.
EU and Donald Trump
Trump shocked the world last week by temporarily barring entry to citizens and refugees from seven Middle Eastern and African countries, eliciting a fiery response from Europe.
In a pre-summit letter to EU leaders, European Council President Donald Tusk mentioned “worrying declarations by the new American administration” alongside radical Islam, China and Russia as one of several external threats to the EU.
In another diplomatic broadside, socialist Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have written to the leaders of the Commission and Council to ask them to reject Trump’s reported pick for US ambassador, Ted Malloch.
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EU leaders try to curb central Mediterranean migration
The main aim of the summit is to agree on how to curb migration to Europe through Italy, via Libya, with the two countries striking a last-minute deal on “development cooperation and joint efforts in the fight against human trafficking”, according to Italian premier Paolo Gentiloni.
But the International Organisation for Migration and the UN High Commission for Refugees, who are central to any EU deal to help Libya, have hit out at any moves to return migrants to Libya or at the idea of setting up processing EU asylum-seekers offshore in North Africa.
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Maltese premier Joseph Muscat had previously floated the idea of doing an EU-Turkey style migration deal with the north African country.
Meanwhile, Polskie Radio wonders whether the integration of migrants is possible, after investigating the story of three men, two of whom were migrants from Afghanistan, who raped a woman in Uppsala, Sweden and broadcast the rape live on Facebook.
EU leaders forge post-Brexit strategy
EU leaders are meeting without British premier Theresa May to discuss the future of the UK without the EU, following the UK parliament’s vote in favour of triggering Brexit and the publication of a government white paper setting out its negotiating position.
Meanwhile, a new survey by consultants EY shows 54 percent of people believe Germany is best placed to attract investment from the UK after Brexit.
The Netherlands came in second (at 33 percent, followed by Spain, France and Italy at 8 per cent each). However, the departure of the UK from the EU would not end the reign of London, which heads the ranking of cities best positioned to capture the capital of foreign investors with 54 per cent of the votes.
And a rise in the number of Estonians who support EU membership is being attributed to the UK’s Brexit vote and Trump’s election, security threats that have made people rally to the EU cause.
EU 2020 renewables target on track
The EU said this week it is on track to meet a 2020 target to increase renewable energy by 20 percent.
But climate activities Greenpeace say the EU will need to go much further if it is to achieve the goal set during the 2015 Paris climate conference of limiting the global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius.
Roam like at home from June
European Parliament and government negotiators reached a deal on capping prices phone operators charge each other for customers using roaming.
From June, they can charge no more than 3.2 cents a minute for voice calls and 1 cent per SMS, with data fees dropping over 5 years.
New Bulgarian president cements Brussels, Nato ties
New Bulgarian president Rumen Radev travelled to Brussels this week to dispel doubts about his alleged pro-Russian ties, which arose during his election campaign.
He met with EU and Nato leaders in the Belgian capital, where he appeared to reverse his opposition to Russia sanctions.
Talks continue over Greek debt relief
The Greek government is ready to make some concessions to get the International Monetary Fund on board its third bailout, Skaï Radio reports.
A controversial move by Greece last year to raise pensions will be partly modified by reducing the tax-free threshold on pension payments.
- This press review was put together with the support of RTV SLO (Slovenia), ams (Germany), Castilla y León (Spain), BNR (Bulgaria), Sky Media (Estonia), RTBF (Belgium), Skaï Radio (Greece), Radio24 (Italy), Portugal‘s Radio Renascença and Polskie Radio.
- Author: Sarah Collins, Euranet Plus News Agency
