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Explained: Why the EU-Mercosur trade deal could be ratified this year

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Explained: Why the EU-Mercosur trade deal could be ratified this year

Greater than 20 years after negotiations began, the European Union and Mercosur may lastly ratify their commerce deal this 12 months.

Hope that the long-delayed deal may progress was renewed after the election in Brazil of leftist president Lula da Silva, who took workplace on 1 January and this week acquired German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Brasilia.

Each leaders endorsed rushing up the ratification of the deal at press conferences.

Negotiations between the 2 blocs — Mercosur contains Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay — began in 2000 and have been concluded in June 2019. 

However the EU decried the “assault” on the Amazon rainforest below the management in Brazil of right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro, whose administration allowed deforestation of the rainforest for mining and agricultural actions at 3 times the speed noticed greater than a decade in the past.

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“I do not assume a deal would have been attainable with former President Bolsonaro. Now he’s gone and there’s a new authorities, so it will likely be simpler,” German MEP Anna Cavazzini (Greens), who’s the vice-chair of the delegation for relations with Brazil, mentioned.

“Nonetheless, many of the members of the European Parliament have made it clear that they need binding and enforceable sustainability standards, they need the settlement to not contribute to deforestation and so they need some ensures,” the lawmaker burdened in an interview with Euronews.

Commerce offers on the EU’s agenda

Now Lula da Silva is advocating for a extra sustainable financial improvement mannequin, together with within the Amazon forest, typically described because the lung of the planet. Scholz mentioned that Germany will once more contribute to the Worldwide Amazon Fund (created in 2006 by Lula da Silva), with a brand new disbursement of €35 million.

On the EU facet, 2023 additionally presents a beneficial setting nearer ties, Udi Dadush, a non-resident fellow on the Bruegel assume tank and creator of the in-depth evaluation “The EU-Mercosur Free Commerce Settlement: prospects and dangers”, mentioned. 

“The present Swedish presidency of the EU could be very pro-trade, and the approaching Spanish presidency (within the second half of the 12 months) may even be very supportive of the settlement due to the historic ties with the three Spanish-speaking international locations, with Brazil being Portuguese talking,”  the analyst instructed Euronews.

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However even with this new strategy to biodiversity conservation and the combat towards local weather change in Brazil, the EU-Mercosur settlement has lengthy been overshadowed by criticism from political and financial teams, and will entail extra joint protocols.

By eliminating bilateral tariffs, the 2 sides ought to acquire extra export capability to a mixed market of 780 million folks, however some sectors are delicate, particularly agriculture, and specifically the meat sector  — beef and poultry is not going to be totally liberalised, as an illustration.

“Actually, some agricultural exports from Mercosur international locations will enhance and this poses a menace to agriculture in Europe, which is already below plenty of stress. Many of those offers have to be checked out sector by sector, and we have to stability these completely different pursuits. We have to design commerce agreements in a greater manner, in order that they profit as many teams as attainable,” MEP Cavazzini mentioned.

The shadow of China

In recent times, China has turn into Mercosur’s largest buying and selling associate and Lula da Silva needs to debate the situations for a commerce settlement with Beijing throughout his go to to the nation in March. 

The EU subsequently must step up dialogue with Mercosur and is eager to spice up imports of mineral assets which might be essential for the so-called inexperienced industrial revolution and the place China has a dominant place. 

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“One of many results of the battle in Ukraine and the pandemic has been to make everybody rather more delicate to the safety of provide strains and the supply of supplies of every kind,” defined Udi Dadush.

“If you happen to can cement that relationship, make it safer, that is a part of guaranteeing diversification and safety of provide for Europe. The identical, by the best way, can be for Latin America,” the analyst added.

The free commerce settlement is without doubt one of the two components of the worldwide Affiliation Settlement between the EU and Mercosur. The second pillar is a political settlement, which was closed in June 2020. As soon as the ultimate model of the treaty is closed and translated into all EU languages, the textual content will be submitted to the European Parliament. 

Solely after that, ratification by all EU member states (and Mercosur states) will begin so it will possibly come into pressure. Because the earlier commerce agreements with Canada, Japan and others powers, that is thought-about a milestone if the EU needs to implement the Inexperienced Deal and shield multilateralism.

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Cambodia's prime minister bans musical horns on vehicles to curb dangerous street dancing

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Cambodia's prime minister bans musical horns on vehicles to curb dangerous street dancing
  • Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Mane has issued a ban on musical horns after videos on social media depicted people dancing on roadsides.
  • Mane instructed the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation and police nationwide to remove tune-playing horns from vehicles.
  • The ban has already been put into effect by provincial authorities, and Hun Manet voiced its nationwide enforcement.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Mane has ordered a ban on musical horns, after videos posted on social media showed people dancing on roads and roadsides as passing trucks blasted rhythmic little tunes.

Hun Manet, who last year took over the wheel of government from his father, Hun Sen — who led Cambodia for 38 years — called on the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation and police across the country to immediately take action against any vehicle whose normal horn has been replaced by a tune-playing one by ripping it out and restoring the standard honking type. 

He said the measure has already been implemented by provincial authorities, but he wanted to announce it publicly to make sure it was enforced nationwide.

CAMBODIA’S PIONEERING POST-KHMER ROUGE ERA PHNOM PENH POST NEWSPAPER WILL STOP PRINT PUBLICATION

He commented on his Facebook page on Monday that recent social media posts had shown “inappropriate activity committed by some people, especially youth and children, dancing on the roadside to the musical sounds from trucks’ horns.”

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet greets garment workers on Aug. 29, 2023, at Prey Speu village outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Mane has ordered a ban on musical horns, after videos posted on social media showed people dancing on roads and roadsides as passing trucks blasted rhythmic little tunes. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith, File)

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Hun Manet said such dancing affects public order and poses a traffic hazard that is a threat to life and limb, not least of all to the dancers themselves. 

2 ANTI-GOVERNMENT ACTIVISTS IN CAMBODIA CHARGED WITH INSULTING KING ON SOCIAL MEDIA

One video shows three young people dancing in the middle of a road while a large trailer truck coming their way lays down a beat.

For Cambodians, there will be no more dancing in the street.

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Biotech strategy launch, Newsletter

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Biotech strategy launch, Newsletter

Key diary dates

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Tuesday 19 March: European Parliament’s committee vote on the reform of EU pharmaceutical rules.

Wednesday 20 March: Presentation of the European Commission‘s first ‘EU Biotech and Biomanufacturing Initiative’.

Tuesday 19-Friday 22 March: European Commission organises Digital Markets Act workshops with gatekeepers.

In spotlight

This Wednesday (20 March) the European Commission is expected to unveil a new ‘EU Biotech and Biomanufacturing Initiative’ .

Despite half-hearted attempts at regulatory simplification in the sector in the past, life science technologies are increasingly drawing attention from policymakers.

Last month Euronews first reported on the health component of this initiative based on a leaked draft document that highlighted a focus on the vibrant biopharmaceutical sector – responsible for providing breakthrough messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules playing an essential role in COVID-19 vaccines.

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But biotech applications are not limited to the health sector, ranging from sustainable sourcing of advanced materials to climate-smart production and other components essential to a fossil-free and circular economy.

A ‘blue’ biotech is also emerging, with new research on aquatic organisms and microalgae fermentation ready for commercial exploitation – not to mention the potential of new genomic techniques (NGTs) for food production, already under discussion by EU lawmakers.

The main goals of this initiative will be to survey the status quo and track future challenges facing the biotech sector to orientate policy efforts in readiness for the next legislative mandate.

Some policy ideas are likely to be proffered, such as a one-stop shop to permit and authorise biotech manufacturing – while a controversial proposal for an R&I tax credit for biotech companies is rumoured to have been shelved for the moment.

This first dedicated attempt to address the sector won’t be the last, with economic security and strategic autonomy likely to be key buzzwords for the next commission.

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Biotech is expected to be a new beat to keep a close eye on and it has already been listed as a critical technology for the continent, together with semiconductors and artificial intelligence.

The defence imperative dominating current commission thinking involves European independence from military aircraft to sourcing these critical new technologies.

Policy newsmakers

@Hahn                                                                                                                   @Wiewiórowski

Commission under data notice

The European Commission was ordered last week to bring its use of Microsoft 365 office programs in line with its own rulebook, after European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) Wojciech Wiewiórowski found following an investigation that the commission breached EU rules on transfers of personal data outside the EU. The commission now needs to suspend all data flows resulting from its use of Microsoft 365 to Microsoft and to its affiliates and sub-processors located in countries outside the EU/EEA that are not covered by a data transfer agreement. The commissioner responsible for admin, Johannes Hahn, will have to demonstrate compliance with the orders by 9 December 2024.

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Subscribe here to see the results of last week’s poll and stay informed on the latest EU policy developments with our weekly newsletter, “The Policy Briefing”. Your weekly insight on European rulemaking, policy issues, key events, and data trends.

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Reuters Institute: Research shows women only make 24% of news top editors / FIP

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Reuters Institute: Research shows women only make 24% of news top editors / FIP

New research by the Reuters Institute analyses the gender representation of senior editors in major news outlets across five continents, recording that women fill only 24% of senior editorial roles in the markets surveyed. The findings highlight how gender inequalities can reinforce misperceptions, imbalances, and perceived differences both within journalism and as covered by journalists.

The research “Women and leadership in the news media 2024: Evidence from 12 markets” took examples from five continents, and analysed the gender breakdown of editorial leaders.  Two hundred and forty major online and offline news outlets provided data. 

According to the factsheet, among the 33 news top editors appointed across brands covered this year and last, 24% are women. In some of these countries, however, women outnumber men among working journalists.

Reuters contrasts its new findings with data from the past five years. The proportion of women among the top editors has increased by only 2% since 2020, going from 23% to 25% in 2024. The Institute’s analysis anticipates that, at this pace, gender parity will be reached in such positions only by the year 2074.

Change is not consistent throughout countries, however. If the percentage has increased relative to 2020 in six countries (name them all), it has decreased in Germany by 2% and it has highly decreased in South Africa, from 47% to 29%. 

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Reuters Institute makes clear that “top editorial leadership matters both in terms of how journalism is practised and how it appears in society,” insisting on  how top editors represent the wider public “in all its difference and diversity.”

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