Viktor Orbán is once again seeking a showdown on the big stage. Hungary’s Prime Minister has left the other heads of state and government in the dark ahead of today’s special summit on how he intends to position himself in the dispute over financial aid for Ukraine. Usually, the staff mark out the playing field before their bosses sit down at the table, but not this time: “We will see in the [summit] room what flexibility [Orbán] has,” says a senior EU diplomat.
There is only slightly more clarity on the second strand: the arms deliveries to the Ukrainian armed forces. Equipment worth at least 21 billion euros has been promised by the member states by the end of the year, said Foreign Affairs Commissioner Josep Borrell yesterday, although not all governments have provided information yet. Chancellor Olaf Scholz had commissioned Borrell to provide a list of national arms deliveries to put pressure on hesitant partners like France and Italy. However, Berlin is not satisfied with the result, as Borrell’s paper does not contain the requested list. Read more about this in today’s Feature.
At today’s EU summit, several scenarios are conceivable: On the one hand, there’s a chance for a quick agreement, but on the other hand, embarrassment for the 26 heads of state and government is also possible, once again being kept waiting by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Budapest has remained tight-lipped in advance, with sources in Brussels saying that Prime Minister Orbán intends to lead the negotiations himself. “We will have to wait until the start of the meeting to find out from Viktor Orbán how much room for maneuver he has,” said a senior EU diplomat.
The EU could use a breakthrough in economic and financial aid for Ukraine as good news. However, the picture is not necessarily favorable for EU support with military equipment either. According to EU Foreign Affairs Chief Josep Borrell, the EU has delivered 330,000 artillery shells to Ukraine so far, mostly from old stocks. Another 200,000 shells of 155-millimeter caliber are promised by the end of March, with Borrell pledging that these will come from new production, which is now slowly ramping up.
Borrell: one million shells by the end of 2024
However, the EU had promised Ukraine one million shells by the end of March, falling far short of the target. Borrell defended himself, saying that his goal was not the exact number but rather to trigger momentum, which he believes has been achieved. He noted that the arms industry has already increased its capacity by 40 percent, calling it a success. There are 630,000 artillery shells “in the pipeline,” and the million mark will be surpassed by the end of the year, with annual production capacities set to rise to 1.4 million.
Borrell is also confident about military aid overall. EU member states have delivered €28 billion worth of arms to Ukraine so far. However, what about the current year? In Berlin, Chancellor Olaf Scholz recently criticized that Germany alone was delivering €7 billion, more than all other EU member states combined. In response to the criticism, the EU’s top diplomat launched an inquiry into planned military aid from member states and presented an initial interim report on Wednesday. He announced commitments for 2024 totaling €21 billion, which, while only a part of the picture, illustrates a positive trend and confirms a significant increase. Some member states plan to provide their figures at today’s summit.
Scholz: ‘Europeans have a special responsibility’
In a guest article in the Financial Times on Wednesday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, along with four other government leaders, once again demanded solidarity: “We call on friends and partners of Ukraine to commit again to sustainable, long-term military support for Ukraine as a shared European responsibility,” the letter said. This decision must be made by each country – only then will Ukraine be able to defend itself against Russian aggression. “We Europeans have a special responsibility. Therefore, we must act. Europe’s future depends on it.”
Accordingly, the discussion today is likely to be tough. The other 26 member states are determined not to be misled again by the Hungarian Prime Minister, diplomats say. Orbán had prevented an agreement among heads of state and government to increase the EU budget until 2027 because he did not want to support the €50 billion in financial aid for Ukraine over four years included in it. “We aim for an agreement with 27,” said a diplomat. Paying the aid under the EU budget is the best and most efficient way.
States have a plan B up their sleeve
However, if Orbán once again obstructs, the other 26 do not want to go home empty-handed. The plan B, organizing aid outside the budget, would have significant disadvantages in terms of transparency and efficiency. Preparations have been made to act without Hungary if necessary, emphasized a senior EU diplomat: “We need to get money and weapons to Ukraine now, one way or another.” The message to Russian President Vladimir Putin must be that Europe has the endurance.
“There is no agreement yet, success is not guaranteed,” another diplomat cautioned. Hungary had proposed splitting the planned €50 billion financial injection into four annual installments. However, this was “not acceptable”. Orbán himself referred to it as a “compromise offer”. However, as the increase in the MFF must be unanimous each year, the Hungarian Prime Minister would have a blocking option again every year.
There is no appetite in the capitals to engage in this game. As a face-saving offer for Orbán, it is being discussed that Hungary or other member states could demand a discussion on Ukraine aid at the level of heads of state and government at any time. “If not all 27 agree, there can be no talk of success,” warned the diplomat. If Hungary obstructs, “a new political situation” would arise, the diplomat continued. That would be “very serious”.
More than 25 years after the end of the Congo War, the United States is once again recognizing the global significance of Africa. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently completed a four-day trip to Africa, visiting Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Angola. Prior to this, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi toured the continent. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who avoids foreign travel due to the war in Ukraine, hosted Mahamat Idriss Déby. The President of Chad arrived dressed in a white boubou and white leather shoes.
Last week, the summit of Non-Aligned Movement took place in Kampala, with 90 out of 120 member states represented. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni will now lead the group until 2027. The conference demonstrated these countries’ reluctance to blindly follow Western foreign policy.
Macron seeks to repair strained relationship with Morocco
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron is seeking to repair the strained relationship with Morocco. His trip to Rabat has been postponed several times but is expected to take place in the first quarter of this year. German ministers are also visiting Africa more frequently than ever. Last week, Development Minister Svenja Schulze was in Morocco to discuss migration. This week, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock traveled to several countries in East Africa.
Undoubtedly, Africa is taking a firm place on the global political stage. There are four central reasons for this great interest in the African continent:
Africa possesses the strategic resources needed for electromobility, digitalization, and energy storage: cobalt, manganese, rare earths, gold, silver, platinum. 30 percent of the world’s mineral resources are found in Africa’s soil.
Africa has an enviable demographic. By 2050, the proportion of youth and children under 15 will be 40 percent, while the proportion of elderly over 65 will be only four percent.
Because growth potential is crucially dependent on demography, Africa’s long-term economic prospects are better than those of Europe, North America, Asia, Japan, and South America. According to UN projections, Africa will offer 796 million new workers to the global labor market by 2050. In Europe, the shortage of skilled workers is already dampening growth.
Prosperity will continue to spread across the continent. According to McKinsey, the middle class will triple from 355 million people in 2010 to 1.1 billion by 2060. Consumer markets will be one of the biggest drivers of growth in Africa.
Europe lacks an Africa policy
Europe, particularly Germany, is poorly prepared to adapt to this new situation. Yet, an Africa policy in Europe would have numerous advantages, and the lack thereof brings disadvantages. Germany hardly benefits from Africa’s economic dynamism. African goods exports increased by 26.8 percent to $724.1 billion in 2023, according to Afreximbank. Imports also rose by 15.5 percent to $706 billion. Export-oriented Germany accounts for less than five percent of Africa’s exports and imports.
Europe is not perceived as a preferred partner by many in Africa, especially on issues like digitalization. Africa will only be able to manage its population growth with the help of innovations: E-learning, e-medicine and e-commerce will need to spread rapidly. Europe has not yet been part of the solution.
Furthermore, stable democracies have emerged in many countries, such as Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana or Morocco. Pluralistic societies have developed in other countries. Coups in West Africa show that the youth no longer want to be ruled by corrupt elites brought to power by Western powers, often with German involvement, after sham elections in pseudo-democracies. Political stability and economic success promote a new African self-confidence, strengthen cohesion on the continent and promote intra-African trade.
European double standards
Many Africans accuse Europe of double standards. German politicians, too, are quick to give moral lessons to African counterparts on gender politics, female genital mutilation or women’s empowerment but remain silent on the death penalty and the marriage of minors in the United States.
Moreover, Africa will be an important building block in the global security architecture in the future. The rise of the BRICS and Africa’s role in the Non-Aligned Movement are evidence of this. Europe, as well as Germany, are poorly prepared for this change. Western diplomacy is based on the principle of statehood for good reasons. However, this concept is useless for dealing with coup governments. This creates a diplomatic vacuum that many emerging countries exploit to expand their relations with Africa.
France’s security-oriented Africa policy has failed. But even Germany’s development-oriented approach has not been able to prevent the Sahel region from becoming largely a region of failed states.
The old great powers must take into account the rise of middle powers as well as a greater presence of middle powers on the continent. These include, for example, Brazil, India, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Turkey. So far, European governments have viewed their relations with Africa as part of their national policies. This is outdated. Europe needs a European Africa policy with the aim of creating an integrated space encompassing Europe, Africa and the Mediterranean region. Germany and France should jointly advance this goal.
Africa strategy
Afrika-Strategie
European policy
Foreign policy
Geopolitik
Events
Feb. 5-6, 2024; Kranj (Slovenia) UNESCO, ConferenceGlobal Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence 2024 The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will bring together decision makers, industry leaders and representatives from academia and civil society to share their expertise on governance of Artificial Intelligence and best practices of AI supervision through ethical impact assessments. The forum will also feature the launch of various UNESCO initiatives including the AI Ethics Experts without Borders Network. INFO
News
Platform work: New proposal aims to save law
In the final stretch, negotiators are still trying to reach an agreement on platform work in this legislative term. After the seventh trilogue round on Tuesday without an agreement, work is now underway at the technical level on a joint exploratory text by the Council and Parliament, as learned by Table.Media. On Friday, a corresponding document could already be presented to representatives of the member states in the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) for political coordination.
During Tuesday’s trilogue, a new proposal from Parliament was presented to the Council. It is intended to offer a possible way out of the stalemate in the dossier on combating bogus self-employment on major digital platforms. The proposal, which was already discussed by the EPP’s shadow rapporteur Dennis Radtke at Table.Media earlier this week, envisages excluding the entire section on determining the status of platform workers.
Criteria for employment presumption off the table
This means that the previously targeted criteria that were supposed to trigger a mandatory presumption of employment would be off the table in this smaller version. There has been bitter disagreement between the Council and Parliament over these criteria. According to the new proposal, the decision on when such an employment presumption is triggered and what it is based on would continue to lie with the member states. This would likely also mean that in this version, it would mainly be platform workers themselves who would advance their reclassification and provide initial suspicions. It was previously envisaged that an employment presumption could also be initiated by national authorities.
According to Table.Media information, Parliament wants to retain the provisions on algorithmic management at the platforms. These state, for example, that there must be no automated terminations without human review. The reversal of the burden of proof in the event of a suspected employment situation is also expected to remain. In other words, if an employee can provide initial evidence that they should actually be employed (and an examination procedure is initiated in the member state), the platform would have to prove that the person is not employed but self-employed.
So far, the burden of proof has been on employees. Advocates of a new regulation see this as a problem, as platforms have significantly more information about working conditions and also have more resources to legally protect themselves.
Final trilogue on Thursday
If representatives of the states in COREPER see a need for changes on Friday, there would still be time until the next meeting next Wednesday to make improvements. The next and probably final trilogue is scheduled for next Thursday.
The deadline for negotiating laws so that they can be formalized in time for confirmation in Parliament and the Council before a new Parliament is elected in the European elections in 2024 is Feb. 9.
“As Parliament, on Tuesday, we showed with our proposal that we are serious about reaching a compromise. Now we hope for the Council’s cooperation,” says shadow rapporteur Radtke. However, he remains optimistic. It was also said from diplomatic circles that both sides have committed to reaching a compromise in this legislative term. lei
EU and USA to cooperate more closely on cybersecurity
The European Union and the United States have signed a joint action plan to improve the cybersecurity of connected consumer products (IoT). The goal is to promote technical cooperation and mutual recognition of cybersecurity requirements. This is intended to increase transparency and protection for consumers while reducing compliance burdens for companies.
“The action plan seals a deeper cybersecurity cooperation across the Atlantic,” said Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton during his visit to Washington. The action plan builds on the EU’s Cyber Resilience Act and the US Cyber Trust Mark Program. Anne Neuberger, Deputy National Security Advisor of the USA, welcomed the cooperation with the EU, stating, “We are pleased to have the security standards of the US Cyber Trust Mark Program recognized beyond borders.”
Cooperation also extends to cybersecurity of AI
Both sides have also agreed to advance cooperation within the framework of the Cyber Dialogue in the following areas:
protection of critical infrastructure
crisis management
software security
post-quantum
cryptography
cybersecurity of artificial intelligence
Furthermore, the EU announced its intention to join the global Anti-Ransomware Initiative led by the USA. In this initiative, the EU and the government agencies of its 27 member states commit to not paying ransom to cybercriminals.
EU introduces cybersecurity certification system
Additionally, the Commission has introduced the first European cybersecurity certification system to make digital products such as routers or ID cards more secure. This system is part of the Cyber Security Act and aims to increase the trustworthiness of these products through uniform certification procedures.
Breton emphasized the importance of this step, stating, “We are launching a new framework to ensure that the products we use are cyber secure.” The voluntary system complements the Cyber Resilience Act, which provides mandatory cybersecurity requirements for all hardware and software products in the EU. The system is set to be published in the Official Journal of the EU shortly. vis
CRA
Child protection and the DSA: provider criticism in EPP hearing
It’s about finding the right direction for Europe in the coming years, said Parliament President Roberta Metsola at the beginning of an EPP faction hearing on child protection on the internet. It’s also about making operators aware of their responsibility. “We will not rest on what we have achieved in this legislative term,” Metsola announced.
Belgian Christian Democrat Pascal Arimont and CDU Member of the European Parliament Andreas Schwab had invited author and school principal Silke Müller to speak about the reality of children online. She explained and showed the disturbing, illegal, manipulative, discriminatory or otherwise demeaning content and dangers that children can be confronted with on the internet today. A video of a cat put into a blender by children was one of the milder examples Müller pointed out.
The dark sides of social networks are a “shark tank of unbridled danger“, warned the author, who calls for more activity from platforms and politics: “Do we not need serious discussions about banning children under 16 from accessing social media?” The problem is currently not under control. The primary responsibility lies not with the platform providers but with the people who provide the content.
Providers implementing DSA requirements
The representatives of major social network providers present explained how they deal with child protection overall and the new provisions of the DSA. Snapchat’s platform security chief, Viraj Doshi, explained that on the platform, for example, there would be active inquiries before conversations with likely unknown third parties. The aim is to make the platform “as safe as possible”, said Chloe Setter from TikTok – and technology is the key to this. 77 percent of content deemed problematic is deleted before a single user sees it. As for the DSA, under-eighteens have not seen personalized ads since last summer, and a reporting system has been introduced. Setter also described the non-personalized feed required by the DSA as a measure for better child protection.
Nicole Lopez, Global Director for Child Safety at Meta, the operator of Facebook and Instagram, explained, in addition to the setup for “age-appropriate user experiences” at the company, how difficult content decisions often are in reality and how dependent they are on age. “People lie about their age,” said Lopez. It’s about the content teenagers see. Abstractly, this is easy. However, it is not always clear in a post, for example, if it may be about anorexia – Lopez cited an example of a post, someone had “only eaten four grapes, it’s been a tough day”. Such posts would not be shown to teenagers at Meta – but it is complex and only possible with a lot of technological effort.
The responses from the providers clearly did not satisfy the EPP Members of the European Parliament. Swedish Moderate MEP Arba Kokalari criticized that too little had happened since August. Just the approach after the Hamas attack on Israel in October showed that the providers needed to do more. This would popularize problematic, extreme content.
Commission sees army rolling towards providers
For the European Commission, DG Connect Director Rita Wezenbeek explained that the DSA would offer a variety of tools to demand information from platforms and conduct procedures. However, child protection is a delicate endeavor. They want to protect children’s privacy and not create new problems, such as third parties being able to identify which users are children. With the entry into force of the DSA for smaller platforms on Feb. 17, however, an army of competent authorities would set in motion – because then the linkage of the DSA and other law would become effective. fst
Plattformen
Ukraine free trade: EU Commission proposes extension with emergency brake
Until early June, all tariffs and quotas for the import of Ukrainian products into the EU are suspended. The European Commission now wants to extend these temporary measures by one year. Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas presented a corresponding proposal in Brussels on Wednesday. Schinas emphasized that the trade facilitation measures, introduced for the first time in 2022, are still needed to support Ukraine economically “in this critical phase of the war”.
However, the measures are controversial, even within the Commission, where Polish Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski had spoken out against an extension. Several member states had also warned against displacing domestic producers from the market through the import of cheaper Ukrainian agricultural products. Poland, in particular, continues to maintain unilateral trade restrictions against its neighboring country and remains critical under the new Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Additional pressure came from the farmer protests in France, which also demand an end to duty-free trade.
Limits for agricultural imports
Schinas stressed that they are aware of the “concerns of some member states”. Therefore, the Commission proposes various “protective measures”. For three particularly “sensitive” product groups – eggs, poultry and sugar – imports from Ukraine should be capped at the average level of 2022 and 2023. If imports exceed this value, tariffs and quotas will automatically be reinstated. Several European farmers’ and agricultural associations had called for such a mechanism. According to the Commission, imports for these three product groups from Ukraine have increased significantly since the beginning of the trade facilitation measures, with sugar imports increasing tenfold.
For all other products, the Commission will be allowed to take countermeasures in the event of market disruptions, such as temporary trade restrictions. What’s new is that such measures could also apply to individual, particularly affected EU countries instead of the entire Union. The Commission hopes to “reassure” the critical member states with these measures, Schinas said. The Commission’s proposal still needs to be approved by the EU Parliament and member states. jd
Handelspolitik
Commission aims to establish European social dialogue pact by 2025
At a large-scale social partner summit in Val Duchesse, Belgium, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Belgian Prime Minister and EU Council President Alexander De Croo and European social partners committed to strengthening social dialogue in the EU. They signed a “Tripartite Declaration for a Thriving European Social Dialogue”. Dialogue between employee and employer representatives is a cornerstone of the European social model.
To promote and strengthen the role of social dialogue at both European and national levels, a dedicated representative for European social dialogue will be appointed within the European Commission. The European social dialogue representative is expected to be impartial and serve as the Commission’s point of contact for social partners. The autonomy of European social partners will be preserved.
Pact for EU social dialogue announced
Additionally, the Commission plans to systematically assess the functioning of social partnership. In consultation with European social partners, a mechanism will be established to obtain joint reports from European social partners on social dialogue at the EU level, according to a statement released on Wednesday. In cases where social partners jointly determine that social dialogue at the EU level is not being respected or adequately promoted, the new social dialogue representative will coordinate the Commission’s response.
In the coming months, a series of trilateral and bilateral meetings will be held with European social partners to develop new proposals for strengthening European social dialogue. The meetings will address issues such as institutional and financial support for European social dialogue at all levels, capacity building for social partners, and social partners in candidate countries. This will culminate in a pact for European social dialogue, which is expected to be finalized by early 2025. lei
Arbeitnehmerrechte
Martin Selmayr moves into research
Martin Selmayr, well-known in Brussels as the former Secretary-General of the EU Commission and Chief of Staff to Jean-Claude Juncker, is leaving the Commission. The 53-year-old will assume a guest professorship at the University of Vienna starting today, Feb. 1st, and will resign from his position as Head of the Representation of the European Commission in Austria, the Commission announced.
At the university, Selmayr will focus his research and teaching efforts for six months primarily on EU digitalization law and sustainability law – from the AI Act to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). “Many of the laws adopted at the EU level in recent years now require a thorough scientific analysis and explanation,” Selmayr is quoted as saying in the press release.
The jurist earned a reputation as a brilliant but also ruthless operator in the Juncker Commission. The circumstances of his lightning-fast promotion from Chief of Staff to Secretary-General sparked a scandal in 2018. Juncker’s successor, Ursula von der Leyen, immediately removed him from office in July 2019, likely also on urgent recommendation from the MEPs of CDU/CSU, and sent him to Vienna as the Commission’s representative with generous benefits.
After four years in the position, he apparently sees no further career opportunities within the authority. In recent months, he had applied for other positions within the Commission, such as EU Ambassador to Washington, but was not successful. This is likely also because his relationship with von der Leyen and her Chief of Staff, Björn Seibert, is considered strained. tho
Europapolitik
Heads
Markus Pieper – an experienced MEP becomes SME representative of the Commission
The Member of the European Parliament Markus Pieper (CDU) is transitioning to the Commission as the SME Representative.
Not every day, a Member of Parliament’s call for a new position is heard. Even rarer is when they actually receive that position. Markus Pieper, the Member of the European Parliament (CDU) from northern Münsterland (Lotte), has achieved this feat. After two decades of negotiating many important dossiers (most recently the Renewable Energy Directive, RED) as a rapporteur, the 60-year-old is now moving to the Commission.
He will be the first Commissioner for the interests of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within the Commission. This newly created position will be located within the Directorate-General for Internal Market (DG Grow). Pieper will work directly under the Commission President and will closely coordinate with the Commissioner for Industry and Internal Market.
The job fits him perfectly
One could say that the new job is tailored to the profile of the passionate hunter. Throughout his professional life, he has kept an eye on the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises. Before he was first elected to the European Parliament in 2004, he served as the Managing Director of the IHK Osnabrück-Emsland. He is a staunch advocate of the free market economy and has always seen himself as a business-oriented MEP. Since 2013, he has been the spokesperson for the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Parliamentary Group of the CDU/CSU in the European Parliament.
Even before the reduction of harmful bureaucracy became a political mantra for others, Markus Pieper had advocated consistently in plenary sessions, in the Industry Committee, and in discussions with the Commission to significantly reduce reporting obligations. Ursula von der Leyen is not particularly known for giving business representatives the first access to her. In September, the Commission President announced an SME relief package and an SME Commissioner in her State of the Union address. Pieper had noted this with satisfaction.
Push for transparency obligations for NGOs
In his work in Brussels, Pieper witnessed the increasing influence of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on EU legislation. This is especially true for the dossiers of the Green Deal. In the Committee on Budgetary Control, he sought to ensure better control and transparency of NGOs that receive significant amounts of money from the EU budget and disclose other funders. He was not able to push through these demands. Many MEPs from the Greens and Socialists, who work closely with NGOs, particularly in transport and consumer protection, felt provoked and diluted his demands in the committee and plenary to the point of insignificance.
It is not yet known when Pieper will start his new job. The job description includes ensuring that SMEs are not overwhelmed by new legislative proposals in the next mandate, working together with the Regulatory Scrutiny Board. He will also maintain contact with SME representatives in the member states. Above all, he will engage in dialogue with companies to understand where they are feeling the regulatory pinch.
Relief on the NRW list
The position of SME Commissioner was advertised some time ago. The conditions and the scope of action were so attractive that there were numerous interested candidates. Even Pieper’s fellow MEPs were said to have thrown their hats into the ring. The application process started at a time when parties in the member states were determining the lists for the European elections on June 9. There was a lot of competition for secure list positions, especially in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), because so far, five out of six CDU MEPs from the regional association are male, and this time more women are supposed to be elected due to the gender quota. Markus Pieper, the parliamentary manager of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, was supposed to run for the fifth place. A secure position based on current standings.
Axel Voss and Stefan Berger, who were previously slated for sixth and seventh place, are likely to be relieved by Pieper’s appointment. When the NRW State Delegate Assembly meets this Saturday to elect the list, they will probably move up the list and thus have better chances of re-election. Markus Grabitz
Viktor Orbán is once again seeking a showdown on the big stage. Hungary’s Prime Minister has left the other heads of state and government in the dark ahead of today’s special summit on how he intends to position himself in the dispute over financial aid for Ukraine. Usually, the staff mark out the playing field before their bosses sit down at the table, but not this time: “We will see in the [summit] room what flexibility [Orbán] has,” says a senior EU diplomat.
There is only slightly more clarity on the second strand: the arms deliveries to the Ukrainian armed forces. Equipment worth at least 21 billion euros has been promised by the member states by the end of the year, said Foreign Affairs Commissioner Josep Borrell yesterday, although not all governments have provided information yet. Chancellor Olaf Scholz had commissioned Borrell to provide a list of national arms deliveries to put pressure on hesitant partners like France and Italy. However, Berlin is not satisfied with the result, as Borrell’s paper does not contain the requested list. Read more about this in today’s Feature.
At today’s EU summit, several scenarios are conceivable: On the one hand, there’s a chance for a quick agreement, but on the other hand, embarrassment for the 26 heads of state and government is also possible, once again being kept waiting by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Budapest has remained tight-lipped in advance, with sources in Brussels saying that Prime Minister Orbán intends to lead the negotiations himself. “We will have to wait until the start of the meeting to find out from Viktor Orbán how much room for maneuver he has,” said a senior EU diplomat.
The EU could use a breakthrough in economic and financial aid for Ukraine as good news. However, the picture is not necessarily favorable for EU support with military equipment either. According to EU Foreign Affairs Chief Josep Borrell, the EU has delivered 330,000 artillery shells to Ukraine so far, mostly from old stocks. Another 200,000 shells of 155-millimeter caliber are promised by the end of March, with Borrell pledging that these will come from new production, which is now slowly ramping up.
Borrell: one million shells by the end of 2024
However, the EU had promised Ukraine one million shells by the end of March, falling far short of the target. Borrell defended himself, saying that his goal was not the exact number but rather to trigger momentum, which he believes has been achieved. He noted that the arms industry has already increased its capacity by 40 percent, calling it a success. There are 630,000 artillery shells “in the pipeline,” and the million mark will be surpassed by the end of the year, with annual production capacities set to rise to 1.4 million.
Borrell is also confident about military aid overall. EU member states have delivered €28 billion worth of arms to Ukraine so far. However, what about the current year? In Berlin, Chancellor Olaf Scholz recently criticized that Germany alone was delivering €7 billion, more than all other EU member states combined. In response to the criticism, the EU’s top diplomat launched an inquiry into planned military aid from member states and presented an initial interim report on Wednesday. He announced commitments for 2024 totaling €21 billion, which, while only a part of the picture, illustrates a positive trend and confirms a significant increase. Some member states plan to provide their figures at today’s summit.
Scholz: ‘Europeans have a special responsibility’
In a guest article in the Financial Times on Wednesday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, along with four other government leaders, once again demanded solidarity: “We call on friends and partners of Ukraine to commit again to sustainable, long-term military support for Ukraine as a shared European responsibility,” the letter said. This decision must be made by each country – only then will Ukraine be able to defend itself against Russian aggression. “We Europeans have a special responsibility. Therefore, we must act. Europe’s future depends on it.”
Accordingly, the discussion today is likely to be tough. The other 26 member states are determined not to be misled again by the Hungarian Prime Minister, diplomats say. Orbán had prevented an agreement among heads of state and government to increase the EU budget until 2027 because he did not want to support the €50 billion in financial aid for Ukraine over four years included in it. “We aim for an agreement with 27,” said a diplomat. Paying the aid under the EU budget is the best and most efficient way.
States have a plan B up their sleeve
However, if Orbán once again obstructs, the other 26 do not want to go home empty-handed. The plan B, organizing aid outside the budget, would have significant disadvantages in terms of transparency and efficiency. Preparations have been made to act without Hungary if necessary, emphasized a senior EU diplomat: “We need to get money and weapons to Ukraine now, one way or another.” The message to Russian President Vladimir Putin must be that Europe has the endurance.
“There is no agreement yet, success is not guaranteed,” another diplomat cautioned. Hungary had proposed splitting the planned €50 billion financial injection into four annual installments. However, this was “not acceptable”. Orbán himself referred to it as a “compromise offer”. However, as the increase in the MFF must be unanimous each year, the Hungarian Prime Minister would have a blocking option again every year.
There is no appetite in the capitals to engage in this game. As a face-saving offer for Orbán, it is being discussed that Hungary or other member states could demand a discussion on Ukraine aid at the level of heads of state and government at any time. “If not all 27 agree, there can be no talk of success,” warned the diplomat. If Hungary obstructs, “a new political situation” would arise, the diplomat continued. That would be “very serious”.
More than 25 years after the end of the Congo War, the United States is once again recognizing the global significance of Africa. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently completed a four-day trip to Africa, visiting Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Angola. Prior to this, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi toured the continent. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who avoids foreign travel due to the war in Ukraine, hosted Mahamat Idriss Déby. The President of Chad arrived dressed in a white boubou and white leather shoes.
Last week, the summit of Non-Aligned Movement took place in Kampala, with 90 out of 120 member states represented. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni will now lead the group until 2027. The conference demonstrated these countries’ reluctance to blindly follow Western foreign policy.
Macron seeks to repair strained relationship with Morocco
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron is seeking to repair the strained relationship with Morocco. His trip to Rabat has been postponed several times but is expected to take place in the first quarter of this year. German ministers are also visiting Africa more frequently than ever. Last week, Development Minister Svenja Schulze was in Morocco to discuss migration. This week, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock traveled to several countries in East Africa.
Undoubtedly, Africa is taking a firm place on the global political stage. There are four central reasons for this great interest in the African continent:
Africa possesses the strategic resources needed for electromobility, digitalization, and energy storage: cobalt, manganese, rare earths, gold, silver, platinum. 30 percent of the world’s mineral resources are found in Africa’s soil.
Africa has an enviable demographic. By 2050, the proportion of youth and children under 15 will be 40 percent, while the proportion of elderly over 65 will be only four percent.
Because growth potential is crucially dependent on demography, Africa’s long-term economic prospects are better than those of Europe, North America, Asia, Japan, and South America. According to UN projections, Africa will offer 796 million new workers to the global labor market by 2050. In Europe, the shortage of skilled workers is already dampening growth.
Prosperity will continue to spread across the continent. According to McKinsey, the middle class will triple from 355 million people in 2010 to 1.1 billion by 2060. Consumer markets will be one of the biggest drivers of growth in Africa.
Europe lacks an Africa policy
Europe, particularly Germany, is poorly prepared to adapt to this new situation. Yet, an Africa policy in Europe would have numerous advantages, and the lack thereof brings disadvantages. Germany hardly benefits from Africa’s economic dynamism. African goods exports increased by 26.8 percent to $724.1 billion in 2023, according to Afreximbank. Imports also rose by 15.5 percent to $706 billion. Export-oriented Germany accounts for less than five percent of Africa’s exports and imports.
Europe is not perceived as a preferred partner by many in Africa, especially on issues like digitalization. Africa will only be able to manage its population growth with the help of innovations: E-learning, e-medicine and e-commerce will need to spread rapidly. Europe has not yet been part of the solution.
Furthermore, stable democracies have emerged in many countries, such as Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana or Morocco. Pluralistic societies have developed in other countries. Coups in West Africa show that the youth no longer want to be ruled by corrupt elites brought to power by Western powers, often with German involvement, after sham elections in pseudo-democracies. Political stability and economic success promote a new African self-confidence, strengthen cohesion on the continent and promote intra-African trade.
European double standards
Many Africans accuse Europe of double standards. German politicians, too, are quick to give moral lessons to African counterparts on gender politics, female genital mutilation or women’s empowerment but remain silent on the death penalty and the marriage of minors in the United States.
Moreover, Africa will be an important building block in the global security architecture in the future. The rise of the BRICS and Africa’s role in the Non-Aligned Movement are evidence of this. Europe, as well as Germany, are poorly prepared for this change. Western diplomacy is based on the principle of statehood for good reasons. However, this concept is useless for dealing with coup governments. This creates a diplomatic vacuum that many emerging countries exploit to expand their relations with Africa.
France’s security-oriented Africa policy has failed. But even Germany’s development-oriented approach has not been able to prevent the Sahel region from becoming largely a region of failed states.
The old great powers must take into account the rise of middle powers as well as a greater presence of middle powers on the continent. These include, for example, Brazil, India, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Turkey. So far, European governments have viewed their relations with Africa as part of their national policies. This is outdated. Europe needs a European Africa policy with the aim of creating an integrated space encompassing Europe, Africa and the Mediterranean region. Germany and France should jointly advance this goal.
Africa strategy
Afrika-Strategie
European policy
Foreign policy
Geopolitik
Events
Feb. 5-6, 2024; Kranj (Slovenia) UNESCO, ConferenceGlobal Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence 2024 The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will bring together decision makers, industry leaders and representatives from academia and civil society to share their expertise on governance of Artificial Intelligence and best practices of AI supervision through ethical impact assessments. The forum will also feature the launch of various UNESCO initiatives including the AI Ethics Experts without Borders Network. INFO
News
Platform work: New proposal aims to save law
In the final stretch, negotiators are still trying to reach an agreement on platform work in this legislative term. After the seventh trilogue round on Tuesday without an agreement, work is now underway at the technical level on a joint exploratory text by the Council and Parliament, as learned by Table.Media. On Friday, a corresponding document could already be presented to representatives of the member states in the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) for political coordination.
During Tuesday’s trilogue, a new proposal from Parliament was presented to the Council. It is intended to offer a possible way out of the stalemate in the dossier on combating bogus self-employment on major digital platforms. The proposal, which was already discussed by the EPP’s shadow rapporteur Dennis Radtke at Table.Media earlier this week, envisages excluding the entire section on determining the status of platform workers.
Criteria for employment presumption off the table
This means that the previously targeted criteria that were supposed to trigger a mandatory presumption of employment would be off the table in this smaller version. There has been bitter disagreement between the Council and Parliament over these criteria. According to the new proposal, the decision on when such an employment presumption is triggered and what it is based on would continue to lie with the member states. This would likely also mean that in this version, it would mainly be platform workers themselves who would advance their reclassification and provide initial suspicions. It was previously envisaged that an employment presumption could also be initiated by national authorities.
According to Table.Media information, Parliament wants to retain the provisions on algorithmic management at the platforms. These state, for example, that there must be no automated terminations without human review. The reversal of the burden of proof in the event of a suspected employment situation is also expected to remain. In other words, if an employee can provide initial evidence that they should actually be employed (and an examination procedure is initiated in the member state), the platform would have to prove that the person is not employed but self-employed.
So far, the burden of proof has been on employees. Advocates of a new regulation see this as a problem, as platforms have significantly more information about working conditions and also have more resources to legally protect themselves.
Final trilogue on Thursday
If representatives of the states in COREPER see a need for changes on Friday, there would still be time until the next meeting next Wednesday to make improvements. The next and probably final trilogue is scheduled for next Thursday.
The deadline for negotiating laws so that they can be formalized in time for confirmation in Parliament and the Council before a new Parliament is elected in the European elections in 2024 is Feb. 9.
“As Parliament, on Tuesday, we showed with our proposal that we are serious about reaching a compromise. Now we hope for the Council’s cooperation,” says shadow rapporteur Radtke. However, he remains optimistic. It was also said from diplomatic circles that both sides have committed to reaching a compromise in this legislative term. lei
EU and USA to cooperate more closely on cybersecurity
The European Union and the United States have signed a joint action plan to improve the cybersecurity of connected consumer products (IoT). The goal is to promote technical cooperation and mutual recognition of cybersecurity requirements. This is intended to increase transparency and protection for consumers while reducing compliance burdens for companies.
“The action plan seals a deeper cybersecurity cooperation across the Atlantic,” said Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton during his visit to Washington. The action plan builds on the EU’s Cyber Resilience Act and the US Cyber Trust Mark Program. Anne Neuberger, Deputy National Security Advisor of the USA, welcomed the cooperation with the EU, stating, “We are pleased to have the security standards of the US Cyber Trust Mark Program recognized beyond borders.”
Cooperation also extends to cybersecurity of AI
Both sides have also agreed to advance cooperation within the framework of the Cyber Dialogue in the following areas:
protection of critical infrastructure
crisis management
software security
post-quantum
cryptography
cybersecurity of artificial intelligence
Furthermore, the EU announced its intention to join the global Anti-Ransomware Initiative led by the USA. In this initiative, the EU and the government agencies of its 27 member states commit to not paying ransom to cybercriminals.
EU introduces cybersecurity certification system
Additionally, the Commission has introduced the first European cybersecurity certification system to make digital products such as routers or ID cards more secure. This system is part of the Cyber Security Act and aims to increase the trustworthiness of these products through uniform certification procedures.
Breton emphasized the importance of this step, stating, “We are launching a new framework to ensure that the products we use are cyber secure.” The voluntary system complements the Cyber Resilience Act, which provides mandatory cybersecurity requirements for all hardware and software products in the EU. The system is set to be published in the Official Journal of the EU shortly. vis
CRA
Child protection and the DSA: provider criticism in EPP hearing
It’s about finding the right direction for Europe in the coming years, said Parliament President Roberta Metsola at the beginning of an EPP faction hearing on child protection on the internet. It’s also about making operators aware of their responsibility. “We will not rest on what we have achieved in this legislative term,” Metsola announced.
Belgian Christian Democrat Pascal Arimont and CDU Member of the European Parliament Andreas Schwab had invited author and school principal Silke Müller to speak about the reality of children online. She explained and showed the disturbing, illegal, manipulative, discriminatory or otherwise demeaning content and dangers that children can be confronted with on the internet today. A video of a cat put into a blender by children was one of the milder examples Müller pointed out.
The dark sides of social networks are a “shark tank of unbridled danger“, warned the author, who calls for more activity from platforms and politics: “Do we not need serious discussions about banning children under 16 from accessing social media?” The problem is currently not under control. The primary responsibility lies not with the platform providers but with the people who provide the content.
Providers implementing DSA requirements
The representatives of major social network providers present explained how they deal with child protection overall and the new provisions of the DSA. Snapchat’s platform security chief, Viraj Doshi, explained that on the platform, for example, there would be active inquiries before conversations with likely unknown third parties. The aim is to make the platform “as safe as possible”, said Chloe Setter from TikTok – and technology is the key to this. 77 percent of content deemed problematic is deleted before a single user sees it. As for the DSA, under-eighteens have not seen personalized ads since last summer, and a reporting system has been introduced. Setter also described the non-personalized feed required by the DSA as a measure for better child protection.
Nicole Lopez, Global Director for Child Safety at Meta, the operator of Facebook and Instagram, explained, in addition to the setup for “age-appropriate user experiences” at the company, how difficult content decisions often are in reality and how dependent they are on age. “People lie about their age,” said Lopez. It’s about the content teenagers see. Abstractly, this is easy. However, it is not always clear in a post, for example, if it may be about anorexia – Lopez cited an example of a post, someone had “only eaten four grapes, it’s been a tough day”. Such posts would not be shown to teenagers at Meta – but it is complex and only possible with a lot of technological effort.
The responses from the providers clearly did not satisfy the EPP Members of the European Parliament. Swedish Moderate MEP Arba Kokalari criticized that too little had happened since August. Just the approach after the Hamas attack on Israel in October showed that the providers needed to do more. This would popularize problematic, extreme content.
Commission sees army rolling towards providers
For the European Commission, DG Connect Director Rita Wezenbeek explained that the DSA would offer a variety of tools to demand information from platforms and conduct procedures. However, child protection is a delicate endeavor. They want to protect children’s privacy and not create new problems, such as third parties being able to identify which users are children. With the entry into force of the DSA for smaller platforms on Feb. 17, however, an army of competent authorities would set in motion – because then the linkage of the DSA and other law would become effective. fst
Plattformen
Ukraine free trade: EU Commission proposes extension with emergency brake
Until early June, all tariffs and quotas for the import of Ukrainian products into the EU are suspended. The European Commission now wants to extend these temporary measures by one year. Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas presented a corresponding proposal in Brussels on Wednesday. Schinas emphasized that the trade facilitation measures, introduced for the first time in 2022, are still needed to support Ukraine economically “in this critical phase of the war”.
However, the measures are controversial, even within the Commission, where Polish Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski had spoken out against an extension. Several member states had also warned against displacing domestic producers from the market through the import of cheaper Ukrainian agricultural products. Poland, in particular, continues to maintain unilateral trade restrictions against its neighboring country and remains critical under the new Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Additional pressure came from the farmer protests in France, which also demand an end to duty-free trade.
Limits for agricultural imports
Schinas stressed that they are aware of the “concerns of some member states”. Therefore, the Commission proposes various “protective measures”. For three particularly “sensitive” product groups – eggs, poultry and sugar – imports from Ukraine should be capped at the average level of 2022 and 2023. If imports exceed this value, tariffs and quotas will automatically be reinstated. Several European farmers’ and agricultural associations had called for such a mechanism. According to the Commission, imports for these three product groups from Ukraine have increased significantly since the beginning of the trade facilitation measures, with sugar imports increasing tenfold.
For all other products, the Commission will be allowed to take countermeasures in the event of market disruptions, such as temporary trade restrictions. What’s new is that such measures could also apply to individual, particularly affected EU countries instead of the entire Union. The Commission hopes to “reassure” the critical member states with these measures, Schinas said. The Commission’s proposal still needs to be approved by the EU Parliament and member states. jd
Handelspolitik
Commission aims to establish European social dialogue pact by 2025
At a large-scale social partner summit in Val Duchesse, Belgium, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Belgian Prime Minister and EU Council President Alexander De Croo and European social partners committed to strengthening social dialogue in the EU. They signed a “Tripartite Declaration for a Thriving European Social Dialogue”. Dialogue between employee and employer representatives is a cornerstone of the European social model.
To promote and strengthen the role of social dialogue at both European and national levels, a dedicated representative for European social dialogue will be appointed within the European Commission. The European social dialogue representative is expected to be impartial and serve as the Commission’s point of contact for social partners. The autonomy of European social partners will be preserved.
Pact for EU social dialogue announced
Additionally, the Commission plans to systematically assess the functioning of social partnership. In consultation with European social partners, a mechanism will be established to obtain joint reports from European social partners on social dialogue at the EU level, according to a statement released on Wednesday. In cases where social partners jointly determine that social dialogue at the EU level is not being respected or adequately promoted, the new social dialogue representative will coordinate the Commission’s response.
In the coming months, a series of trilateral and bilateral meetings will be held with European social partners to develop new proposals for strengthening European social dialogue. The meetings will address issues such as institutional and financial support for European social dialogue at all levels, capacity building for social partners, and social partners in candidate countries. This will culminate in a pact for European social dialogue, which is expected to be finalized by early 2025. lei
Arbeitnehmerrechte
Martin Selmayr moves into research
Martin Selmayr, well-known in Brussels as the former Secretary-General of the EU Commission and Chief of Staff to Jean-Claude Juncker, is leaving the Commission. The 53-year-old will assume a guest professorship at the University of Vienna starting today, Feb. 1st, and will resign from his position as Head of the Representation of the European Commission in Austria, the Commission announced.
At the university, Selmayr will focus his research and teaching efforts for six months primarily on EU digitalization law and sustainability law – from the AI Act to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). “Many of the laws adopted at the EU level in recent years now require a thorough scientific analysis and explanation,” Selmayr is quoted as saying in the press release.
The jurist earned a reputation as a brilliant but also ruthless operator in the Juncker Commission. The circumstances of his lightning-fast promotion from Chief of Staff to Secretary-General sparked a scandal in 2018. Juncker’s successor, Ursula von der Leyen, immediately removed him from office in July 2019, likely also on urgent recommendation from the MEPs of CDU/CSU, and sent him to Vienna as the Commission’s representative with generous benefits.
After four years in the position, he apparently sees no further career opportunities within the authority. In recent months, he had applied for other positions within the Commission, such as EU Ambassador to Washington, but was not successful. This is likely also because his relationship with von der Leyen and her Chief of Staff, Björn Seibert, is considered strained. tho
Europapolitik
Heads
Markus Pieper – an experienced MEP becomes SME representative of the Commission
The Member of the European Parliament Markus Pieper (CDU) is transitioning to the Commission as the SME Representative.
Not every day, a Member of Parliament’s call for a new position is heard. Even rarer is when they actually receive that position. Markus Pieper, the Member of the European Parliament (CDU) from northern Münsterland (Lotte), has achieved this feat. After two decades of negotiating many important dossiers (most recently the Renewable Energy Directive, RED) as a rapporteur, the 60-year-old is now moving to the Commission.
He will be the first Commissioner for the interests of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within the Commission. This newly created position will be located within the Directorate-General for Internal Market (DG Grow). Pieper will work directly under the Commission President and will closely coordinate with the Commissioner for Industry and Internal Market.
The job fits him perfectly
One could say that the new job is tailored to the profile of the passionate hunter. Throughout his professional life, he has kept an eye on the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises. Before he was first elected to the European Parliament in 2004, he served as the Managing Director of the IHK Osnabrück-Emsland. He is a staunch advocate of the free market economy and has always seen himself as a business-oriented MEP. Since 2013, he has been the spokesperson for the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Parliamentary Group of the CDU/CSU in the European Parliament.
Even before the reduction of harmful bureaucracy became a political mantra for others, Markus Pieper had advocated consistently in plenary sessions, in the Industry Committee, and in discussions with the Commission to significantly reduce reporting obligations. Ursula von der Leyen is not particularly known for giving business representatives the first access to her. In September, the Commission President announced an SME relief package and an SME Commissioner in her State of the Union address. Pieper had noted this with satisfaction.
Push for transparency obligations for NGOs
In his work in Brussels, Pieper witnessed the increasing influence of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on EU legislation. This is especially true for the dossiers of the Green Deal. In the Committee on Budgetary Control, he sought to ensure better control and transparency of NGOs that receive significant amounts of money from the EU budget and disclose other funders. He was not able to push through these demands. Many MEPs from the Greens and Socialists, who work closely with NGOs, particularly in transport and consumer protection, felt provoked and diluted his demands in the committee and plenary to the point of insignificance.
It is not yet known when Pieper will start his new job. The job description includes ensuring that SMEs are not overwhelmed by new legislative proposals in the next mandate, working together with the Regulatory Scrutiny Board. He will also maintain contact with SME representatives in the member states. Above all, he will engage in dialogue with companies to understand where they are feeling the regulatory pinch.
Relief on the NRW list
The position of SME Commissioner was advertised some time ago. The conditions and the scope of action were so attractive that there were numerous interested candidates. Even Pieper’s fellow MEPs were said to have thrown their hats into the ring. The application process started at a time when parties in the member states were determining the lists for the European elections on June 9. There was a lot of competition for secure list positions, especially in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), because so far, five out of six CDU MEPs from the regional association are male, and this time more women are supposed to be elected due to the gender quota. Markus Pieper, the parliamentary manager of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, was supposed to run for the fifth place. A secure position based on current standings.
Axel Voss and Stefan Berger, who were previously slated for sixth and seventh place, are likely to be relieved by Pieper’s appointment. When the NRW State Delegate Assembly meets this Saturday to elect the list, they will probably move up the list and thus have better chances of re-election. Markus Grabitz
