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Brexit means the EU sheds one ofits largest annual contributorsthe UK contributesaround US$19.3 billion (18.2bn) leavingGermanyandFrancefar and away the largest donors, atUS$25.8 billion (24.3bn) and US$20.1 billion (19bn) respectively.

In interviews withlocal media, Commissioner Oettinger indicated cuts would be made tothe EU budget, particularly inthe field ofagricultural subsidies, butthese would be insufficient tocover the shortfall created bythe UK's departure, and other countries' contributions may have torise asa result. He suggested Germany would be obliged topay atleast US$4.8 billion (4.5bn) extra from2019.

It is not the first time Oettinger has expressed concern aboutthe fiscal impact ofBrexit onthe EU and his home country, although his forecasts forhow much it might cost have escalated overtime forinstance,he previously suggestedit may cost Germany an extra US$1 billion.

Nevertheless, the question ofwhat impact Brexit might have onindividual EU Member States, and the bloc overall, has rarely been considered inthe mainstream Western media.

Given the UK is theEU's third most populous member state, comprising 12.76 percent ofthe bloc's overall population, the country is a highly influential player inthe European Council and Parliament, and the UKspends more ondefensethan any other EU country.

The implications could be seismic, although analysis byUniversity College London (UCL) suggests a raft ofpotentially positive developments.

For one, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)could be jettisoned outright the UK was a determined lobbyist infavor ofthe controversial trade deal, despitethe protestations ofleaders such asFrench President Francois Hollande.

AFP 2016/ FREDERICK FLORIN

Members of the European Parliament take part in a voting session as they hold signs against the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), on June 10, 2015, in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France

Brexit could also increase EU protectionism, asthe strength ofpotentially protectionist member states would grow.Open Europe analysisof Council voting patterns notes that underthe Council's Qualified Majority voting system, the Southern protectionist bloc (France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal and Cyprus) and Northern liberal bloc (UK, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Finland and the Baltics) are ineffective deadlock.

Without the UK, the collective weight ofthe liberal bloc would decline, whereas the protectionist bloc would strengthen, producing a less open EU. Brexit would also alter Parliament's party landscape and ideological composition over60 percent ofthe UK's 73 MEPs currently sit withcenter-right and Eurokceptic groups.

While it's unclear whether the UK's seats will be lost or reallocated, their loss would arguably strengthen the left, asfor the first time inyears, progressive parties could form majorities withoutthe European People's Party. In an ironic twist, this may mean that if and when the UK is obliged toimport policies fromthe EU, they will be ofa more social democratic nature thanin the past.

REUTERS/ Vincent Kessler

Members of the European Parliament take part in a voting session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, December 14, 2016.

Moreover, Brexit could alter the balance ofpower withinthe EU inother ways too namely, bystrengthening Germany's position, while weakening smaller states.

VoteWatchdata shows that the UK's main voting allies are Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands Germany almost never votes the same way.

UCL contend this inturn will strengthen the Eurozone, which could replace the single market asthe EU's core and driving force. The UK has long been a staunch skeptic and critic ofthe single currency, withits leadersrepeatedly emphasizingthe need tokeep the Eurozone distinct fromthe EU. British withdrawal bydefinition means the end ofsuch pressure.

While strengthening some EU interests and objectives, Brexit could also have a deleterious impact inother areas.

For instance, Brexit will almost inevitably weaken the EU's global role the only question is how severely. Britain is the EU's foremost military power, and its membership means the EU can access the country's significant diplomatic network, intelligence capabilities and soft power.For instance, the LSE question whether the EU could have imposed sanctions onRussia withoutthe UK's international strength and note that post-Brexit, France would be the only major military power inthe EU, potentially undermining future development ofserious EU military capabilities, such asthe long-awaited EU army.

Brexit could even be the long-term trigger ofthe EU's eventual collapse. The period sincethe June 23 referendum has seen the rise toprominence ofanti-EU politicians incountries such asAustria, Denmark, France,the Netherlandsand Sweden.

Should Britain thrive outsidethe bloc, the case forother countries exiting would be strongly emboldened.

Continued here:
The Economic and Political Impact of Brexit on the European Union - Sputnik International

posted at 8:01 am on February 27, 2017 by Jazz Shaw

This is a story which would never take place in the United States, at least not yet and not with the official permission of the government. The European Union has obviously become increasingly alarmed over trends in popular sentiment rippling through their member countries. This started with Brexit, but has more recently cropped up with the candidacies of Marie Le Pen and Geert Wilders. Clearly such rabble rousing is not to be tolerated in the largely socialist paradise so something had to be done. The solution? The EU has passed new rules which will allow them to cut the broadcast of any hate speech or offensive material and then purge such speech from the official record. (Associated Press)

With the specter of populism looming over a critical election year in Europe, the European Parliament has taken an unusual step to crack down on racism and hate speech in its own house.

In an unprecedented move, lawmakers have granted special powers to the president to pull the plug on live broadcasts of parliamentary debate in cases of racist speech or acts and the ability to purge any offending video or audio material from the system.

Trouble is, the rules on what is considered offensive are none too clear. Some are concerned about manipulation. Others are crying censorship.

To be clear here, they are obviously not talking about concerns over any of the members giving speeches endorsing slavery, a new Holocaust or racial purging. They are talking about so-called nationalist platforms supporting some of these upstart candidates who threaten the permanence of the European Union Parliament itself. With more exits being threatened in places like France, the Netherlands, Hungary and Poland, supporters of the EU clearly feel they are in danger.

Anyone who is acting surprised clearly hasnt been paying attention to the news. This is representative of most of Europe in a nutshell. Despite the fact that we tend to think of most of our allied nations on the continent as being westernized in nature, their citizens (and indeed their lawmakers as well) do not have the same freedoms in terms of speech, religion and other things which Americans take for granted. It is still standard practice in many European countries for laws to remain on the books which allow for the prosecution of people who are overheard saying unpopular things, even if that option is not frequently exercised. Lets not forget that Geert Wilders was recently convicted of a crime for chanting the word fewer at a political rally when asking how many Moroccan immigrants the crowd wanted to see.

This censorship at the European Union Parliament may be going even one step further. The Associated Press article brings up the fact that they are already looking at some sort of delay button for the live broadcast of parliamentary speeches. We have such things in the United States to prevent the seven dirty words from being heard on network programming (and yes, were looking at you, Joe Scarborough) but such a thing is not employed to prevent the airing of political diatribes, even when they include unpopular speech.

The only conclusion I can draw at the moment is that candidates like Le Pen and Wilders really have the wizened heads at the European Union in a panic. The lesson we can take from this is found in observing the response. Actual freedom requires a robust rebuttal and persuasive argument against real hate speech. But in the EU they can simply make your speech disappear, and the powers that be get to determine what qualifies as acceptable.

Link:
European Union Parliament moves to censor offensive speech - Hot Air

While the UK has reached agreements in principle with most members of the European Union already there are still several nations, including Germany, who have refused to discuss the issue until after Brexit is triggered.

Mrs May is also facing a rebellion in the House of Lords over the issue where Tory peers are prepared to back a campaign by Labour and the Liberal Democrats to guarantee the rights of EU nationals.

It came after reports that ministers are also discussing plans to give the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) an advisory role on how many visas should be issued to take the political sting out of the issue.

The committee would decide how many visas need to be issued for workers in key industries such as software engineering, health and social care, farming and hospitality, which are heavily reliant on immigrants.

The cut-off date for the 1.2million British nationals living in other EU countries will ultimately be decided by Brussels. The European Parliament's chief negotiator has suggested that the EU will offer British people to individually opt-in and remain European citizens.

Read the original post:
Theresa May poised to announce end of free movement for new EU migrants next month - Telegraph.co.uk

Brussels: The European Union (EU) on Monday imposed new sanctions on North Korea in line with the UN Security Council's resolution adopted after a ballistic missile launch.

Kim Jong Un. File Photo. AFP

According to the European Council (EC), the new sanctions include further restrictions on material transactions, new export and import bans and restrictions on North Korean diplomats' real estate and bank accounts in the EU, Efe news reported.

"Like existing sanctions, these restrictive measures are designed in such a way as to avoid adverse humanitarian consequences for the country's civilian population," said an EC statement.

It added that the sanctions "include exemptions for livelihood and humanitarian purposes, where appropriate".

Scientific and technological cooperation with teams that include North Koreans or are officially backed by the state are also to be suspended, except in medical exchanges.

The new measures will also give EU member states legal permission to prevent North Korean citizens from accessing training or education that could contribute to the country's nuclear and ballistic missiles programme.

"The existing measures implement all Security Council resolutions adopted in response to North Korea's nuclear tests and launches using ballistic missile technology and include additional EU autonomous measures," the EC said.

The Security Council's resolution was adopted on 30 November, 2016, after a successful nuclear test was announced by Pyongyang on 9 September.

On 12 February, North Korea launched a ballistic missile, violating that resolution and several others.

Original post:
European Union imposes new sanctions on North Korea over ballistic missile launch - Firstpost

BUCHAREST Thousands protestedin the Romanian capital Bucharest on Sunday againstthe Social Democrat government that tried to weaken a crackdown on corruption earlier this month.

In early February, the cabinet of Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu approved an emergency decree that would have decriminalized several graft offences.

The move drew criticism from Western allies and triggering nationwide protests that at their height drew at least half a million people onto the streets.

The ruling coalition rescinded the decree, which would have shielded dozens of public officials from prosecution, and on Wednesday it reshuffled the cabinet, hoping to draw a line under the matter.

While the numbers of protesters has fallen sharply since early February, an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 people gathered outside government headquarters on Sunday demanding the resignation of a government they say they cannot trust. Many were carrying pins that read "Resist".

At 1900 GMT they raised pieces of blue and yellow paper above their heads and lit them with mobile phones to form a giant European Union flag.

At previous protests this month, they also formed the Romanian flag. Thousands more protested in other cities across Romania.

In a country report released last week, the European Commission said the government's rescinded decree would have reversed efforts to curb graft which Romania has made in the decade since it joined the EU.

Transparency International ranks Romania among the EUs most corrupt states and Brussels keeps its justice system under special monitoring.

The EU has praised prosecutors and magistrates for their efforts to stamp out corruption, but has noted a trend in parliament to weaken anti-graft legislation.

"Resist" suits me," Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu was quoted telling a local television station. "I am trying to calm things down. I want to enforce the governing program."

The Social Democrats and their junior coalition partner ALDE won a large majority in a December parliamentary election on a promise to raise pensions and wages and boost infrastructure in one of the EU's poorest states. They still enjoy wide support.

On Saturday, around 8,000 people are estimated to have attended a pro-government rally organized by the Social Democrats in the central Romanian town of Targoviste.

(Reporting by Luiza Ilie; editing by Jason Neely)

MANILA The Philippines condemned on Monday the "barbaric beheading" of an elderly German captive by Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf militants who posted a video of the killing after a deadline for a $600,000 ransom passed.

GAZA Israeli aircraft carried out a series of strikes in Gaza on Monday, wounding at least four people, witnesses said, after a rocket fired from the Palestinian territory hit an empty area in southern Israel.

SEOUL South Korean intelligence believes suspects wanted for the murder of the half-brother of North Korea's leader included several officials who worked for the reclusive state's foreign and security ministries, according to lawmakers in Seoul.

See original here:
Thousands of Romanians form EU flag at anti-government rally - Reuters