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On January 1 2022, France took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union (FPEU). The Presidency's function is to chair meetings of the council, determine its agendas, set a work programme and facilitate dialogue both at Council meetings and with other EU institutions. The role rotates among the EU member states every six months.

But French outlet "Generation Frexit" reminded Mr Macron that he is not "President of the European Union", saying that his role is "purely symbolic".

Anthony Vera-Dobroas, writing for the outlet, mocked the leader for the "great fanfare" with which he anounced France's new role, noting that the French leader even has a website "dedicated" to the role.

He said: "Launched with great fanfare on 9 December by President Emmanuel Macron, the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union (FPEU) really began on 1 January 2022.

"With a great deal of communication, notably with the lighting of public buildings in the blue of the European flag, or the incursion of the flag with the golden stars over the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Elyse Palace wishes to make the beginning of 2022 'the year of Europe'.

"The media hype surrounding this presidency is therefore significant.

"A website is even dedicated to it."

To mark the start of the six-month presidency, Mr Macron illuminated historic buildings across France including the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe in the blue of the EU flag on New Year's Eve.

Other observers have noted that the French logo for the presidency includes the letters U and E for "Union Europeene" with a grey arrow in the middle that appears to create a sideways M for Macron.

READ MORE:Macron the wimp! President accused of ducking debate with rival

"Also, it is France, as a State, and not Emmanuel Macron, that holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union."

President Macron has set out an ambitious agenda for the EU, saying in his New Year's Eve national address that "the year 2022 must be a turning point for Europe."

On 9 December, France established a list of "priorities" for its six-month presidency, including making the EU "more sovereign", "greener", "more digital", "more social" and "more humane".

Speaking about the French presidency of the EU, he said: "You can count on my complete commitment to ensuring that this period, which comes around every 13 years, is a time of progress for you".

Claire Demesay, an expert at the Marc-Bloch think-tank in Berlin said the presidency gives Mr Macron "welcome platform to put his European record to the forefront and differentiate himself from his rivals".

Pierre Sellal, a former French diplomat at the French mission to the European Union, added: "The French like nothing more than the image or impression of France being 'at the controls'".

Additional reporting by Maria Ortega.

More:
'Not President of the EU!' Posturing Emmanuel Macron mocked for inflating 'symbolic' role - Daily Express

2021 was far from being a regular year for the automotive industry as the semiconductor shortage severely hampered production. Even in these less-than-ideal market conditions, the BMW Group managed to set a new all-time record by selling 2,521,525 cars. The BMW brand alone accounted for 2,213,795 yet another absolute record.

However, JATO Dynamics numbers show the 3 Series was eclipsed by the Tesla Model 3 in Europe. Sales of the German sports sedan dropped by 1.9% compared to the year before and by 4.9% vs 2019. BMW sold a total of 116,250 units in the last twelve months whereas the EV found 141,429 new homes. Americas idea of an M3 was an absolute hit on the Old Continent, with sales jumping by 64% compared to 2021.

The numbers dont reflect the entire continent as JATO Dynamics did the math for 25 countries part of the European Union. In addition, markets from the United Kingdom, Norway, and Switzerland were included when generating the rankings. The Model 3 was the best-selling EV and made it to the overall top 25 by finishing in 17th place. As for the BMW 3 Series, it ended 2021 on the 25th spot.

One explanation for the gap has to do with the aforementioned microchip shortage. EV buyers last year had shorter lead times than those who were in the market for a combustion-engined car. The longer waiting times for an ICE car convinced some buyers to switch to zero emissions. The lack of semiconductors was a blessing in disguise for Tesla since it had fewer issues securing the necessary microchips. Add into the mix government incentives for electric vehicles, and the end result is not so surprising.

Teslas market share doubled between 2019 and 2021, with this year already shaping up quite nicely. The company will soon begin deliveries of the Model Y crossover from its new factory in Berlin, which should give the likes of the BMW iX3 and Audi Q4 E-Tron some serious headaches.

[Source: JATO Dynamics]

See the original post:
BMW 3 Series Outsold By Tesla Model 3 In The European Union Last Year - BMWBLOG

Today, the European Commission has announced it will allocate 21 million for disaster preparedness and humanitarian aid in the Philippines, Nepal and other South East Asian countries. The funding will support people affected by natural hazards, COVID-19 and conflict.

Commissioner for Crisis Management, JanezLenarisaid: Most recently typhoon RAI has been a painful reminder thatcountries in South East Asia are experiencing first-hand the dramatic consequences of climate change.This is why the EU is further stepping up its humanitarian support to the most vulnerable affected by natural hazards in the Philippines, Nepal and the region. We also support those affected by protracted conflict in the Philippines, while further investing into the preparation and response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Funding will be provided as follows:

Beyond recurring natural hazards in the Philippines, the population is also affected by ongoing conflict between the government and armed groups in the southernmost island of Mindanao. The precarious situation in the country often results in significant loss of life, livelihoods and homes.

The European Commission has provided over 153.5 million in humanitarian funding to the Philippines since 1996.

Nepal is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world due to its location and variable climatic conditions. Climate change and population density exacerbate the effects of natural hazards, which each year cause great loss of life and damage to homes and livelihoods.

The European Union continuously supports initiatives that reduce the risks of natural hazards and improve the disaster preparedness capacities of vulnerable populations, having allocated over 116 million in humanitarian aid since 2001.

Countries in the South East Asia region are frequently affected by natural hazards such as floods, droughts and typhoons. The European Union funds projects that focus on enhancing community resilience and disaster preparedness capacities in countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

See the article here:
Humanitarian aid: 21 million for assistance in Philippines, Nepal and South East Asia - European Commission

By AGGREY MUTAMBO

Kenya and the European Union on Friday launched vital talks to elevate their ties beyond aid and focus on issues of long-term peace and development.

At a meeting in Nairobi, Kenyas Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs and visiting EU top diplomat Josep Borrell Fontelles signed a joint declaration to formally begin discussions on a Strategic Dialogue, a guiding document that could turn relations to common problems.

Mr Fontelles, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, arrived in Nairobi on Friday, just three weeks before the EU hosts African delegates in Brussels for the EU-AU Summit. But while the bloc wants to build ties with the entire continent, Mr Fontelles said the EU will first work with 'like-minded countries.'

We have been having, the European Union and Kenya, a long standing relationship. But we are no longer the donor of development aid. We are a strategic partner, Fontelles told a joint press conference in Nairobi.

There is no doubt that peace and security is at stake in this region and the whole world. And this requires that like-minded countries like the European Union and Kenya join their forces in order to work together in many fields.

The Strategic Dialogue, he said, will bring concrete results, because it will focus on delivering on commitments, actions, investments, and sharing objectives among our people.

Those commitments will target long-term peace and security in the region, fighting poverty through trade and investment, environmental conservation and fighting climate change, defending democracy and the rule of law, and human rights, as well as many sectors in Kenyas priority development agenda, Ms Omamo said.

The EU has traditionally been one of Kenyas biggest donors; supporting programmes for justice, humanitarian support for the displaced as well as in education. On Friday, Mr Fontelles launched the Kenya-European Union Cooperation programme.

Meant to last until 2027, the programme targets environmentally responsible investments in Kenya, human development and digital inclusion through computer literacy and internet service provision.

It will cost $361 million in the initial four years. It will deal with projects meant to preserve peace and stability with a special focus on women and youth, the dispatch said.

The final document from the Strategic Dialogue will guide the ties between the EU and Kenya for the next five years.

Ms Omamo said technical teams from both sides will draft agreements on peace and Security and Stability, Sustainable, Inclusive Development and SDGs and Economy, Trade and Investment, the three main pillars under discussion.

But while it is entirely bilateral, Ms Omamo said the pillars will be related to the goings-on in the region, including the humanitarian issues, security incidents and regional cooperation.

We need partnerships in all of our countries to tackle challenges of the day in a spirit of collaboration and in a spirit of partnership, she said.

We have a common spirit towards developmentand for countries that are able to deliver development goods to their people. that was the spirit of our conversation and they are in line with our conversation of the Strategic Dialogue.

The EU and Kenya have implemented a trade pact which was initially meant for the entire East African Community but which saw member states raise fears of a possible obstruction to nascent industries.

Mr Fontelles also met President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, Nairobi.

Read this article:
Kenya, EU launch talks to elevate ties beyond aid - The East African

Last week, an important vote took place at the European Parliament to approve recommendations on the existing EU laws on live animal transport. Animal welfare has been a hot and sensitive topic for a while now, drawing attention across the board, yet Members of the EU Parliament (MEPs) showed nothing but a total lack of ambition when it came to improve the dreadful conditions in which millions of animals are transported. Even Stella Kyriakides opening speech, the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, reminding her audience that animal welfare is a priority within the EU Farm to Fork strategy, did not have the desired effect.

Last December,the Committee ofInquiry of the European Parliament on the transport of live animals (ANIT) published its recommendations, demanding that rules on the duration and conditions of animal transport be tightened, due to the numerous breaches of existing regulations. Unfortunately, last weeks vote goes in the opposite direction, in fact watering down the already weak Committees text.

Overall, MEPs agreed for a ban on transport of very young calves, while calling for a shift to transport of meat and genetic material instead of live animals whenever possible. Unfortunately, they did not commit to limiting travel time to eight hours, leaving ample room for longer journeys for most animal species. They also suggested installing CCTV cameras in vehicles to ensure more effective control, and expressed their wish to have stricter transport requirements, i.e. limits on temperature, humidity and ammonia levels in vehicles. They did, however, reject all amendments to ban the transport of animals in a late state of pregnancy, and of cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and horses born less than 35 days before departure (the 4-week age limit remains only for calves).

If eight hours seem too few sang the workers during the trade union struggles of the early 20th century, to assert their right to an eight-hour working day. It is now time to consider the right for animals to be treated as sentient beings, as enshrined in the 2007 Lisbon Treaty. If one thinks of the European Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes which clearly states the five freedoms for animal welfare, it is hard to understand how MEPs can fail to take more radical measures.

Every year, millions of live animals are transported within and outside European Union territory, for slaughter, for breeding purposes, from one farm to another, for fattening, etc.On most cases, it is due to the current high specialisation of production cycles: for example, a region is specialized in breeding, another one in fattening, and another one in slaughtering and processing. Another reason is trade: the market expects animals to be sold alive.

Inevitably, every journeyinvolvessuffering. Most often, live animal transport causesstress (animals are sentientbeings andare not used to be moved by vehicle), overcrowding (animals are usually crammed in small spaces during travel), exhaustion and dehydration (especially during the hottest summer months). Whats more, unexpected situations can cause travelling duration to last longer, incidents can occur in which animals lose their lives. Last but not least, live animal transport favors disease spreading.

Solutions do exist to improve the current situation, among which are the creation of small slaughterhouses in the proximity of farms, or mobile slaughterhouses; and the strengthening of local food systems to make them more efficient and resilient. This way, farmers would be more connected to their territories and consumers would be more aware of where their meat comes from.

[Originally published in Il Manifesto on 27/01/2022]

More:
Live-Animal Transport in the EU Will Remain Inhumane - Slow Food International