Wednesday, June 29, 2016

“EU only” – Europe is at Ceta again the big mistake – THE WORLD

Europe is posted after the Proposed referendum on United Kingdom membership of the European Union. President Jean-Claude Juncker pursued at the EU summit on Wednesday, therefore, one objective: to demonstrate their unity. We, the EU-27, now hold together. We move in closer to the people. We have a plan for the future of Europe.

These plans are obviously very much needed. For how great is the distrust in Europe, shows the discussion about Ceta, the trade agreement between the European Union and Canada. After Juncker said at the EU summit, it would be sufficient to resolve the Agreement at EU level rather than in all national parliaments, followed an outcry. Part of the federal government evaluated the announcement Junckers even as a challenge.

German Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel (SPD) made his anger in itself unusually sharp for him words air. “To decide now that the national parliaments have nothing to say to this trade agreement, is incredibly foolish,” snapped the head of the SPD towards Juncker. “If the EU Commission makes at Ceta, is also the EU trade agreement with the US, TTIP, dead,” Gabriel told the Berliner “Tagesspiegel”. Also CSU chief Horst Seehofer scolded, Junckers vetoed the participation of national parliaments was “irresponsible” and go “in no case”.

Photo: REUTERS Jean-Claude Juncker speaks after the EU summit in Brussels to press

The answer Junckers was not long in coming. Him it personal “relatively schnurzegal” whether national parliaments agreed or not. If the governments of the EU countries came to the conclusion, legal opinion did not count in politics, he was the last person to defend himself against it, he said in the direction of the federal government. The sat. Otherwise it is always the Germans who rap in Europe on compliance with rules.



SPD leader Gabriel in a sensitive position

the dispute between Juncker and the German government had already indicated in the past few weeks. Responsibility for trade policy is formally only at the EU Commission.

But still mainly the federal government is under pressure. Ceta has already been completed and will soon be approved negotiated parliament. The Canada-Agreement shall be considered a blueprint for the agreement with the US, TTIP, which should be negotiated by the end of the year.

Against both agreements has in Germany formed a never held for possible resistance. Last October, went to Berlin at least 200,000 people against the two trade agreements on the street. It was the biggest demonstration since the Iraq war.

Also in the ruling party SPD, the two agreements are controversial. therefore particularly SPD leader and Economy Minister Gabriel is in a delicate situation.

Gabriel had the trade critic always thus pacified, the Bundestag must Ceta and thus later TTIP agree. Because if it were mixed agreements touched national law. Therefore, the people would need to worry about. The SPD faction will certainly not agree to a bad trade agreement in the Bundestag.

But now is not to vote the Bundestag. Next week Brussels will make the decision on a “EU-only agreement” officially announced. The EU argues the one hand legal: If a legal examination shows come Ceta was not a mixed agreement, it falls now time alone in their area of ​​responsibility. Since it is also a matter of European law to defend.



“No one will believe that it is not running at TTIP just”

On the other hand drives the European Commission but by political considerations. She’s sure: Ceta would fail in national polls. Because the agreement would have a total of 42 parliaments, in Germany for example by the Bundestag and Bundesrat.

Photo: AP demonstrators protested in Brussels in May against Ceta, the trade agreement between the European Union and Canada

would in Belgium agree even alone four regional parliaments, and there has already come out against the Walloon Ceta. The Bulgarian and Romanian Deputies have also linked their agreement with the demand for visa-free travel. In this complex situation, it does not make sense from an EU perspective to hunt Ceta without any prospect of success through a national reconciliation process.

From the perspective of Gabriel falls contrast the EU Commission so-traders like him in the back. “The stupid Pressing Ceta would make all conspiracy theories on the proposed FTA explode,” he warned. Moreover, the approach of Juncker bring the already plug end in a dead end free trade agreement with the United States even further into trouble.

“No one will believe that it will run at TTIP not the same as in Ceta,” Gabriel said. That the EU at this stage in their credibility is tarnished because of the Proposed referendum on United Kingdom membership of the European Union in any case, in such a highly politicized issue relies on it alone, Gabriel can not understand at all.



Italy agrees to an “EU-only agreement”

preventing it, a “EU-only agreement” but barely. For this purpose, the Council of European trade ministers would unanimously oppose the actions of the European Commission.

Italy to the European Commission already announced in a letter a few weeks ago, to propose to the Junckers page and a “EU-only treaties “to vote. There, as in many other EU countries be expected from the trade agreements great benefits and I will therefore not derail in national polls.

To an “EU to put -only agreement “into force, it needs, however, in addition to the consent of the European Parliament and a qualified majority in the Council of Ministers trading. Qualified majority is 55 percent of the members of the Council, at least 16 members, and 65 percent of the population.

“The majority of EU Member States has, however, always the opposite, namely, positioned on a mixed agreement,” reads from the Federal Ministry of Economics. Block the Minister Ceta from the Council, it would not enter into force. The political damage would however enormous.



In the SPD resentment grows

So what to do? Juncker suggested the governments, even with a “EU-only agreement” could the member countries their parliaments ask how their governments in the EU Council should vote on Ceta. Gabriel wants to do just that. “Whatever the EU Commission decides: In Germany, the Bundestag will decide,” he said. Without the Yes he would “agree in no case Ceta”.

For Gabriel, it’s not a risky game. Because by the Brussels push the number of Ceta opponents in the Bundestag is certainly not small. Especially in the SPD is growing resentment. But it was nevertheless confident that the SPD would approve the agreement in parliament, sources in party circles. therefore

Juncker was defiant. “I’m not on the altar of legal issues to die,” he said, “but I would like occupied by unique appeal that this is not an EU agreement.”

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