Mediaboss Marketing

The word Peace (in French) and the logo of the European Union are projected during a light show onto the French Foreign Ministry building to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome international agreement that established the creation of the European Economic Community, on March 24, 2017 in Paris. (File Photo | AFP)

BRUSSELS: The EU unveiled a raft of proposals on Wednesday to improve the work-life balance for Europeans in an effort to fight accusations by populist parties that Brussels is too beholden to budget cuts and free markets.

The new ideas include an EU-wide policy on paternity leave for fathers and more rights for parents to ask for time off.

The commission is also looking to better protect Uber drivers and food delivery couriers, employees of the so-called gig economy that have limited access to benefits.

The measures are part of what the EU is calling the "pillar of social rights", announced in the wake of Britain's Brexit vote as a way to win back the faith of Europeans tempted by euroscepticism.

The announcement comes at an especially sensitive moment in France, where pro-EU Emmanuel Macron will in the second round of the presidential election face the far right Marine Le Pen, who calls Brussels a destroyer of the welfare state.

"Look what is going on in France in the election campaign, social policy is the top of people's minds and what we have to do is regain the trust of the people in the institutions," Social Affairs Commissioner Marianne Thyssen said at a news conference.

These ideas face a long road to becoming reality. Today, the EU has very little power over social policies that remain the strict remit of national governments.

The end goal for the commission is that social protection one day be incorporated into the EU treaties which right now is only vaguely mentioned.

"I have been seeking to put social priorities at the heart of Europe's work, where they belong," said European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker, the former Luxembourg prime minister.

But opposition has been historically spearheaded by Britain, which is leaving the EU, and Brussels hopes to seize the opportunity to bring the topic back to the fore.

Read the original post:
European Union seeks deeper social rights to thwart populists - The New Indian Express

GETTY

His remarks came after a leading European human rights body placed Turkey back on a watchlist over concerns about the functioning of democratic institutions in the country.

The unprecedented decision to reinstate monitoring triggered a furious reaction from the Turkish government, which claims the unjust move was motivated by xenophobia.

The Prime Minister told reporters that Turkey would now decide on what steps it would take regarding the decision by the Strasbourg-based Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

The 47-member council placed Turkey back on the watchlist over the countrys ongoing crackdown on dissent following last years attempted coup.

The body also expressed deep concern about rights violations in the country as well as President Recep Tayyip Erdogans increasing powers.

Being monitored by the Council of Europe means Turkey will be subject to frequent visits by human rights officials and debated more often in the Strasbourg chamber.

While the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is separate from the European Union, its decision comes as a further setback to Turkeys bid to join the EU.

Relations between Turkey and the EU soured further during a referendum campaign earlier this month that saw President Erdogan granted more powers.

In his campaign, Mr Erdogan accused Germany and the Netherlands of acting like Nazis by banning Turkish political rallies.

GETTY

All Council of Europe member states - 28 of which are members of the European Union - have signed up to the European Convention on Human Rights.

The treaty is designed to protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

The Council of Europe applies its monitoring scheme to all countries when they join.

However, this is the first time it has been reopened against any member of the body, which includes Russia, Ukraine and all 28 EU member states.

In a recent resolution, the assembly which is made up of parliamentarians from the various member states voiced concern over Turkey's sweeping dismissal and detention of civil servants, judges, prosecutors and academics following the botched coup, as well as the closure of independent media and non-governmental organisations.

The vote to open the procedure against Ankara passed with 113 votes in favour versus 45 against.

The assembly has also called on Turkey to swiftly lift the state of emergency and free jailed lawmakers and journalists.

The European Union has already said Turkey's EU negotiations will cease should Mr Erdogan reinstate the death penalty - as he has indicated he might - with the EU official responsible for negotiations with potential new member states calling for a new format of relations with Turkey.

Some EU officials hope that, even if it came to formally aborting Turkey's EU bid, the bloc could re-energise talks on trade with the NATO ally whose cooperation is vital in dealing with the unprecedented flow of refugees from the Middle East.

More:
Turkey-EU relationship at 'lowest point' after country added to human rights watchlist - Express.co.uk

GETTY

Ms Le Pen came second in the first round of the French election on Sunday and will face Emmanuel Macron, a centrist candidate, on May 7 in the second and final round of voting.

The European Parliament believes Ms Le Pen has defrauded it of around 290,000.

AFP/Getty Images

1 of 10

Described as more democratic and republican than her nationalist father, she has led a movement of "de-demonization of the Front National" to detoxify it and soften its image

GETTY

Ms Le Pen used the money as salaries for two of her aides, who actually worked for her Front National party

European Anti-Fraud Office

According to the European Anti-Fraud Office, Ms Le Pen used the money as salaries for two of her aides, who actually worked for her Front National party.

The Eurosceptic politicians position as an MEP has meant she has so far been exempt from prosecution, but prosecutors will be able to pursue the offences with the lifted immunity.

The announcement is due to be made in Brussels on Wednesday afternoon.

GETTY

The anti-EU presidential candidate could be summoned to parliament as early as next week to be questioned.

However, Ms Le Pen has said any legal processes against her are just a political interference and she has called for the investigations to wait until the election has passed.

EU lawmakers have already sanctioned Ms Le Pen for misspending EU funds and her monthly salary has been slashed by half.

In March, the EU legislature lifted Ms Le Pens immunity after she posted a picture of Islamic State (ISIS) violence on social media.

The fraud allegations have not seemed to have had much impact on Ms Le Pens campaign, unlike Republican Francois Fillon, who lost scores of voters after it was revealed he gave his wife a fake job as a parliamentary assistant.

In February, the Front National headquarters were raided by police as part of the investigation involving the misuse of European Union funds.

Ms Le Pen announced on Monday she will be temporarily stepping down as leader of the Front National to concentrate on the election campaign and broaden her appeal to less extreme voters.

See the article here:
Marine Le Pen's immunity to be lifted in bid to investigate 290000 misuse of EU funds - Express.co.uk

LoveFM

Three Northern Primary Schools Courtesy European Union LoveFM Today the Government of Belize in collaboration with the European Union opened three preschools in northern Belize. New buildings were built at Trial Farm and San Jose Villages in the Orange Walk District and one in San Pedro Village in the Corozal ... and more »

Read more:
Three Northern Primary Schools Courtesy European Union - LoveFM

It turns out that Donald Trump is bad at making deals. Yes, the guy who oncesaid you cant leave the White House, go to Hawaii and play golf for three weeks and be a real deal-maker. It doesnt work that way, is the very same guy who tried to circumvent the European Union and cut a bilateral trade deal with Germany and whenrefusedthe first time, he asked 10 more times,according to the Times of London.

During his meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel last month, Trump insisted on to negotiating a trade deal between the U.S. and Germany, only to be shut down numerous times.You cant do a trade deal with Germany, only the EU,' a senior German official told the Times of London.

On the eleventh refusal, Trump finally got the message, Oh, well do a deal with Europe then,' the official added.

Merkel explainedto Trump that he must instead negotiate with the EU in its entirety after his administrations efforts to reach out to the nations individually had been denied. Merkel also said to her own cabinet members that Trump only hadvery basic misunderstandings regarding the fundamentals of the EU and multinational trade agreements.

The Trump administration then decided to it was more valuable for the U.S. to prioritize a trade deal with the EU rather than one with the U.K. after their referendum in June to formally leave the pact, a source close the White House told the Times of London.

Reuters reported:

Any quick deal between the U.S. and Europe could come as a blow to British Prime Minister Theresa May who had hoped to win a promise of deeper trade ties when she became the first foreign leader to meet Trump in office in January.

Trade became a major issue during the Brexit campaign when the then-president Barack Obama said Britain would go to the back of the queue for a deal if it voted to leave.

See the rest here:
Art of the deal: Angela Merkel had to repeatedly tutor Donald Trump about the European Union - Salon