Welcome to EURACTIV’s International Europe Temporary, your weekly replace on the EU from a worldwide perspective.
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On this week’s version: FAC selections preview, enlargement package deal and work programme for 2023.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the shift within the present geopolitical panorama have led to the realisation that the EU’s strategic curiosity in a steady and safe surroundings in its close to neighbourhood should transcend who would be the subsequent member.
Largely because of the battle, the EU’s enlargement course of has out of the blue been resuscitated after virtually a decade of stagnation.
Earlier this yr, high EU officers mentioned the present state of affairs demonstrated the necessity to velocity up procedures which the earlier Juncker Fee primarily halted.
“Occasions are altering, within the sense that Europe may provide issues and never all the time demand, and typically affords work higher than calls for,” Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi advised EURACTIV after the presentation of this yr’s enlargement stories.
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ENLARGEMENT LATEST
ANNUAL PACKAGE | In case you missed the European Fee’s annual enlargement package deal this week, we have now you coated with a more in-depth look. As EURACTIV reported forward of publication, the EU’s govt in a shock transfer beneficial granting candidate standing to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Serbia, the largest EU candidate nation within the Western Balkans, has backslid on overseas coverage alignment and should step up commitments to EU technique and reform. Language on Turkey went even additional, with some caveats. However there was no progress for Kosovo by way of visa liberalisation.
North Macedonia, in the meantime, acquired largely constructive suggestions, however the nation continues to be unable to start out membership talks because of the Bulgarian veto.
MEPs and think-tank representatives, nevertheless, imagine the European Fee is failing civil society in enlargement international locations and different states.
VISA-FREE HOPES | Regardless of Prague’s push to get an settlement throughout the end line earlier than the tip of their six-month stint on the EU steering wheel in December, prospects of success are dimming for Kosovo’s visa-free entry hopes as new calls for proceed to emerge.
MIGRATION WOES | With greater than 106,000 irregular entries into the EU have been recorded via the so-called Western Balkans route that features Serbia, a spike of 170% over the identical interval final yr, Brussels is rising impatient with Belgrade and looking for choices.
ORGAN TRAFFICKING | Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama stepped up efforts to clear the names of Albania and Kosovo of organ trafficking allegations stemming from the 1998-1999 Kosovo battle, accusing Russia of being behind it throughout a heated session on the Council of Europe (CoE).
EU IN THE WORLD
FAC PREVIEW | EU overseas ministers are anticipated to take a slate of selections once they meet in Luxembourg on Monday (17 October).
After months of delay, EU ambassadors struck a political settlement on a navy help mission to coach 15,000 Ukrainian armed forces personnel in a number of member states, with ultimate operational particulars but to be hashed out.
Ministers are additionally anticipated to green-light one other tranche of help for Ukraine below the European Peace Facility (EPF). Nonetheless, the EU’s off-budget fund to interchange member states’ arms donations offered to Ukraine, is struggling to cowl the majority of incoming reimbursement requests, EURACTIV has learnt.
They’re additionally anticipated to green-light a civilian EU statement mission to the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, as was agreed in Prague mediation talks earlier this month.
After an inside evaluation of the drone exercise has been carried out, EU overseas ministers are additionally to debate the switch of Iranian drones to Russia and will come to a political settlement on future sanctions associated to such exercise. EU diplomats say that though a choice on new listings was unlikely on Monday, a political deal might pave the best way for measures at a later stage.
The bloc is already set to impose on Monday journey bans and asset freezes on some 15 Iranians concerned within the crackdown that started final month on demonstrations that adopted the dying in police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.
WORK FOR 2023 | We obtained our palms on the primary draft of the European Fee’s work programme for subsequent yr, to be offered this month.
Whereas the bloc’s overseas coverage agenda is anticipated to stay busy with Ukraine and the fallout of Russia’s invasion, the EU’s govt is about to unveil a collection of latest methods for the primary half of subsequent yr.
With outer house changing into more and more fascinating for giant energy competitors, the EU plans its first very personal technique for the safety and defence dimension of the void above.
Down on earth, maritime safety will even characteristic a technique of its personal. Count on extra on the safety of important infrastructure and delivery routes.
Lastly, relations with Latin America and the Caribbean are anticipated to return to the EU’s agenda, which comes at a time when the EU fears dropping affect within the area as commerce offers falter.
CHIDING DIPLOMATS | Chatting with EU envoys in Brussels, the bloc’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell in an unusually direct method warned that stories from the EU’s diplomatic missions all over the world typically come too late, and reactions have to be aware of occasions on the bottom.
DEFENCE CORNER
NUCLEAR TALK | NATO is about to carry its common annual nuclear deterrence workout routines subsequent week amid Russian President Vladimir Putin’s repeated threats to make use of nuclear weapons.
In Europe, Russian threats to resort to nuclear within the Ukraine battle have unleashed a discourse round nuclear weapons, the place placing the best tone relating to nuclear messaging seems to be an enormous problem for European leaders.
AIR DEFENCE | NATO defence ministers this week additionally unveiled plans to beef up Europe’s air defences, as Russian missiles have continued to strike Ukrainian cities and cities over the previous 24 hours.
TRANSATLANTIC LINK
ARCTIC CABLES | The European Fee is contemplating financing a fibre optic cable to attach Europe to Asia through the Arctic, with landings in Greenland, Canada and Alaska, and keep away from current choke factors.
EURASIA DIGEST
CHINA VIEWS | Regardless of its world energy wrestle with Washington, China understands that there’s one different main centre of energy on the earth, each strategically and economically, and this centre is Europe, Kevin Rudd, the previous prime minister of Australia, advised EURACTIV.
WHAT ELSE WE’RE READING
ON OUR RADAR
- China’s Xi appears to third 5-year time period as Communist Occasion meets
| Sunday, 16 October 2022 | Beijing, China - Overseas Affairs Council on Russia/Ukraine, China
| Monday, 17 October 2022 | Luxembourg - Volker Turk takes up his place as UN human rights chief
| Monday, 17 October 2022 | Geneva, Switzerland - European Fee to current emergency measures to curb power costs
| Tuesday, 18 October 2022 | Strasbourg, France - European Council on Russia/Ukraine, power, meals safety
| Thu-Fri, 20-21 October 2022 | Brussels, Belgium
PAST EDITIONS
[Edited by Alice Taylor]
