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The casual smackdown that Donald Trump delivered to the European Union and NATO last weekend only fortified Europeans impression that the American president-elect isnt looking for warm relations. Now, the next six months will bring historic decisions about the future of Europes economic integration and the worlds most successful military alliance.

Trumps election has thrust Europe, long used to a certain privileged, if sometimes ambiguous, status in American foreign policy, onto everyones list of things to tend to after Jan. 20. But, with only tweets and shoot-from-the-hip interviews to go on, no one really knows how the relationship will unfold.

What in fact is really going to happen when everybody sits down at their desks at the White House? said Jackson Janes, president of the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies. The Europeans cant know.

What they can know doesnt offer much hope for harmony.

Trump and some of his closest advisers already have working relationships with rightist politicians in Britain, France and Austria. His election has also surfaced plans, previously the province of obscure websites and lesser-known pundits, that aim to use American influence to break up the European Union. And while Trumps view on those plans is unknown, hes a firm advocate of a British-American free-trade deal, whose negotiation could put the United States on a collision course with the other 27 European Union members.

Tight Links With Right

The deepest source of European unease with Trump may be his tight links with right-wing politicians, and the lack of lower-rung officials who are even known to European governments.

Theres Nigel Farage, the former leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party that long fought for Britains exit from the European Union. Hell be attending Trumps inauguration.

Heinz-Christian Strache, leader of Austrias Freedom Party, met with Michael Flynn, Trumps choice to be national security adviser, last month. This party, founded by a collection of ex-Nazis and other political outsiders, has long sought to break into the Austrian mainstream, and narrowly lost a recent election for the countrys largely ceremonial presidency.

And Marine Le Pen, leader of Frances National Front, has been sighted lurking outside Trump Tower in Manhattan, though no meetings were confirmed.

In any other transition from one major American party to the other 1981, 1993 or 2001 European officials could fall back on people whom they knew would staff the new administration. These former officials, think tankers, and retired military officers provided a network of contacts, and their temperaments were known to the world of diplomacy.

Trump EU Ambassador

This time around, Europeans know that Steve Bannon, the former head of the website Breitbart, who is now a White House adviser to Trump, has an open line to European fringe politics.

Trump has also interviewed Ted Malloch, a former United Nations official and traveling pundit, as a potential U.S. ambassador to the European Union in Brussels. Malloch openly supported the departure of Britain from the EU, and has echoed Trumps disparaging words about the EU.

Seeing this kind of commentary up front, the danger hes running is, simply, that no one will listen to him, said James Elles, a former conservative member of the European Parliament. It would be as though a European ambassador were walking around criticizing the union of the American states.

Over the weekend, Trump predicted that more countries will leave the EU and promised the United States would throw itself into negotiations with Britain for a free-trade deal after he takes office. British Prime Minister Theresa May will travel to the United States to meet Trump in February.

British-American Deal

Were gonna work very hard to get it done quickly and done properly. Good for both sides, Trump said. Well have a meeting right after I get into the White House and itll be, I think were gonna get something done very quickly.

Combining those two points about the EU and a trade deal with Britain suggested that Trump backs a plan, hinted at by Bannon at times, to pick off other European countries from the bloc by offering them similar agreements. Even if this strategy fails, the friction generated between the United States and Europe would be enormous, probably greater than any issue in transatlantic relations in the past 50 years.

More urgently, the timing and symbolism of a negotiation with Britain could immediately put Trump crosswise with the rest of Europe.

May announced in a speech this week that Britain would pursue a hard Brexit, as its departure from the EU has become known. Specifically, it will give up access to Europes broad and deep economic integration, and take full control of its own borders, immigration having been a central issue in the Brexit campaign.

European Agenda

That process will unfold over two years, beginning sometime in the spring, as Britain replaces EU-mandated rules with its own. Until then, the country will remain a member of the EU, and cannot conclude trade deals with other countries on an independent basis.

If Britain and the United States even start a negotiation before its European Union membership ends, it runs the risk of hardening Europes negotiating stance in the Brexit process. Britain, in short, would be seen as a sort of stalking horse for Trumps apparent break-the-EU strategy.

If the Europeans think they are sitting across from Trump and the UK, they will fight that much harder, said one former European official.

The stakes are high for Britain, which wants to preserve Londons status as a global financial capital in the face of Brexit, and also needs a solid trade deal with the rest of the EU.

For the rest of Europe, the central challenge is hammering out a common agenda so it can avoid a new relationship based entirely on reacting to Trumps tweets and emerging policies, Janes said. That could have to do with Russia, or trade, or even China.

Europe needs to figure out what it can do together, Janes said. Because if it doesnt, Trump will pick them apart in five minutes.

Read more here:
European Union Grapples With a Trump Presidency That Could Exploit Its Own Turmoil - InsideSources

New figures released earlier this week by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show property price inflation in Ireland rose by 8.6 per cent in the year to November

Ireland recorded the second highest increase in house prices in the European Union during the third quarter of 2016, according to new figures published by the EUs official statistics body, Eurostat.

House prices in Ireland jumped by 4.7 per cent versus the second quarter, behind Malta, which saw prices rise by 5.4 per cent, but ahead of Estonia, Lithuania and Hungary, all of which showed a 3.4 per cent increase.

The latest figures show euro zone house prices grew at the fastest rate in more than eight years in the third quarter.

Prices climbed 3.4 per cent on an annual basis, the highest rate seen since the first quarter of 2008, when prices rose by 3.5 per cent. However, on a quarterly basis, euro zone prices were up by just 1.3 per cent.

House prices for the EU as a whole climbed 4.3 per cent in the third quarter and were up by 1.5 per cent versus the preceding three-month period.

The highest annual increase in house prices in the third quarter of 2016 was recorded in Hungary, where prices jumped 11.6 per cent. Latvia had the second highest year-on-year rise, up 10.8 per cent, followed by Bulgaria, where costs rose 8.8 per cent.

The biggest annual declines in prices were in Cyprus, down 3.3 per cent, and Italy, where prices were 0.9 per cent lower.

New figures released earlier this week by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show property price inflation in Ireland rose by 8.6 per cent in the year to November, and up 1.5 per cent versus October.

In Dublin, where supply shortages are most acute, prices were up 1 per cent in November and 5.9 per cent on an annual basis.

More here:
Irish house prices: second highest increase in European Union - Irish Times

Switzerland may be outsidethe European Union, but the country is not looking for an anti-EU alliance with the UK, its foreign minister has said.

Following Theresa Mays 12-point Brexit blueprint speech, Swiss foreign minister Didier Burkhalter said: We want good, maybe even closer ties with Britain. But we will not forge an alliance with Britain against the EU.

This dashes the hopes of businesses that the countries could work together to negotiate with the EU over terms of access to the single market while being able to restrict freedom of movement.

In interviews with several Swiss newspapers, Mr Burkhalter said the Government had approved a plan last June to adjust bilateral relations with the UK as a result of the Brexit vote.

Mr Burkhalter said Switzerland is prepared for the UKs plans to leave the EU Switzerlands main trading partner.

We want to improve relations in several fields. It is also an opportunity [for us], if not everything has to be done via the EU, he told the Tages-Anzeiger and Bund newspapers in a syndicated interview.

Mr Burkhalter admitted that there were several unknowable factors but said the Swiss government would soon discuss ways of launching negotiating mandates with Britain.

Our goal is to have legal security as soon as possible, he told the Wednesday edition of the Neue Zrcher Zeitung newspaper.

Swiss business leaders have expressed concern about the impact of Britains plan to leave the European single market.

The Swiss bankers association last year proposed an alliance with London, Hong Kong and Singapore to thrash out deals on accessing EU markets without being hit with high tariffs.

In July, Economics Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann said stable relations with Britain were crucial for the Swiss banking sector and pharmaceutical industry and called on the Swiss and UK Governments to hold talks as soon as possible.

Following Theresa Mays speech on Tuesday in which she indicated the UK would pursue a clean break with the EU, Mr Burkhalter said at the World Economic Forum in Davos: At least we now know what the UK government wants and this is important for our ties with the UK.

Wealthy Switzerland is frequently cited by Brexiteers as a nation which has flourished without being a member of the EU.

Relations between Switzerland and the EU are framed by a series of bilateral treaties where the Swiss Confederation has adopted various provisions of EU law in order to participate in the Unions single market.

The Swiss narrowly voted to restrict immigration in a 2014 referendum, with 50.3% in favour, and have been locked in talks with the EU to implement the measure ever since.

Switzerland is currently at stalemate in its negotiations with the EU after being told it will not be able to access the single market without allowing freedom of movement.

The Swiss are anxious to strike a deal as the countrydepends heavily on the EU for trade, and in November its Government partially climbed down onimmigration proposals.

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Switzerland rejects post-Brexit alliance with UK against EU - The Independent

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Jan 20, CMC Jamaica has received Euro 6.5 million (One Euro=US$1.29 cents) from the European Union.

Finance Minister Audley Shaw said that the disbursement aims to assist the Government in reducing poverty and improving the living standards of the rural population in sugar dependent areas affected by the EU sugar reform.

He told the ceremony that EU Hand-Over instrument is yet another channel of external development assistance through strengthened bilateral relations between Jamaica and the EU.

He said that the European Union Accompanying Measures for Sugar Protocol Countries, AMS 2013, was signed on March 25, 2014 and that the fixed tranche was disbursed in the sum of approximately Euro7.07 million on October 23, 2014.

He said the first variable tranche, which was officially handed over on Thursday, was disbursed in November 2016 in the sum of Euro6.5 million.

The second tranche is expected to be disbursed in March 2018 in the sum of Euro15 million, Shaw said, noting that the disbursement of this first variable trance of Euro6.5 million further aids the governments mission to reduce the economic and social disparities of our rural areas by creating sustainable productivity increases to hundreds of people moving out of poverty.

He said the specific objectives include a creation of a commercially viable sugar cane Industry by strengthened sector management, improved field and factory productivity; the development of the Sugar Dependent Areas to strengthen and support the improvement of living conditions in the Sugar Dependent Areas (SDAs) based on sustainable economic and social development.

He said it is also aimed at supporting the National Policy Environment by improving the environmental and energy performances of the industry to promote the sustainable management of environmental resources and to contribute to an inclusive, economy, social and environmentally sustainable growth.

Shaw said it is important to note that the EU remains Jamaicas largest provider of grant assistance, providing over Euro1.2 billion in Official Development Assistance (ODA) since 1975.

The government of Jamaica appreciates the continued contribution of the EU to Jamaicas agriculture sector and other key sectors, particularly to the Sugar Cane Industry, given the existing challenges which the Government is seeking to address over the long term.

Jamaica is committed to continuing the work being done under the AMS 2013, to the benefit of sugar-dependent areas in Jamaica and their residents and looks forward to the sustained partnership arrangement with the EU towards the achievement of critical environmental, agricultural and economic growth objectives, Shaw added.

Original post:
Jamaica receives funds European Union - Antigua Observer

As Donald Trump took the podium on a cold Washington day to deliver his inauguration speech, the world held its breath. Viewers hunched over televisions or internet streaming services watched Trump mouth thank you to the camera, no doubt wondering how he could possibly live up to his deranged late-night Twitter persona. In newsrooms across America, reporters unsure when they might next get access to a president whoseems to delight in denying them the right to ask questionsgot ready to parse his words for any clue as to what was to come. Some, deciding they couldnt bear to watch, studiously busied themselves with other things.

But when the moment came, Trumps speech was uncharacteristically professional at least compared to his previous performances. The fractured, repetitive grammar that marks many of his off-the-cuff statements was missing, and so, too, were most of his most controversial policy ideas.

Trump told the crowd that his presidency would determine the course of America, and the world, for many, many years to come before expressing his gratefulness to President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama for their gracious aid during the transition. They have been magnificent,"Trump said, before leading applause of thanks from the crowd.

If this opening was innocent enough, however, it all changed in the next breath. The new president moved quickly to the historic movement, the likes of which the world has never seen before, that elected him President. Following the small-state rhetoric of his campaign, Trump promised to take power from the establishment and restore it to the American people. This moment," he told them, Is your moment. It belongs to you.

A good deal of the speech was given over to re-iterating his nationalist positions while also making repeated references to the key issues Islamic terrorism and families that remain points of commonality within the fractured Republican GOP.

The loss of business to overseas producers was blamed for destroying our jobs. Protection," Trump said, Will lead to great strength." He promised to end what he called the American carnage caused by drugs and crime.

From this day forward," Trump said, Its going to be only America first."

There was plenty in the speech, then, that should worry viewers, particularly if you read Trumps promises to make America unstoppable so it can win againin light of his recent tweets about China.

Butit was the things Trump didn't mention that should worry us most. Trump, we know, doesnt use official channelsto communicate his most troubling ideas. From bizarre television interviews to hisupsetting and offensive ralliesand, of course, the infamous tweets, the new President is inclined to fling his thoughts into the world as and when he sees fit, not on the occasions when hes required to address the nation (see, also, his anodyne acceptance speech).

Its important to remember that Trumps administration wins when it makes itself seem as innocent as possible. During the speech, Iwas remindedof my colleague Helen Lewisrecent thoughts on the gaslighter-in-chief, reflecting on Trumps lying claim that he never mocked a disabled reporter. Now we can see," she wrote, Afalse narrative being built in real time, tweet by tweet."

Saying things that are untrue isnt the only way of lying it is also possible to lie by omission.

There has been much discussion as to whether Trump will soften after he becomes president. All the things this speech did not mention were designed to keep us guessing about many of the Presidents most controversial promises.

Trump did not mention his proposed ban on Muslims entering the US, nor the wall he insists he will erect between America and Mexico (which he maintains the latter will pay for). He maintained a polite coolness towards the former Presidentand avoiding any discussion ofalleged cuts to anti-domestic violence programsandabortion regulations. Why?Trump wanted to leave viewers unsure as to whether he actually intends to carry through on hiselection rhetoric.

To understand what Trump is capable of, therefore, it is best not to look to his speeches on a global stage, but to thepromiseshe makes to his allies. So when the Presidents personal website still insists he will build a wall, end catch-and-release, suspend immigration from terror-prone regions where adequate screening cannot occur; when, despite saying heunderstands only 3 per cent of Planned Parenthood services relate to abortion and that millions of women are helped by their cancer screening, he plans to defund Planned Parenthood; when the president says he will remove gun-free zones around schools on his first day - believe him.

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For the Ukip press officer I slept with, the European Union was Daddy - New Statesman