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The European Union (EU) will discuss 5G technology rollouts and the establishment of global security standards when leaders meet with India next month, as concerns grow about the dominance of Chinese telecom giants.

Europe wants to work with democratic partners including India to establish open and transparent standards as nations prepare to move to the new security protocol that should be part of every 5G value chain, Margrethe Vestager, the European Unions antitrust chief said in an interview.

When we have a systemic rivalry, then we must come together to protect what is really important, Vestager said. The way tech is used is a reflection of the system that we prefer, which is democracy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend the India-EU summit in Portugal on May 8 to meet leaders from the 27-member bloc of nations for discussions on trade and security issues. The EU is Indias largest trading partner.

India and many European countries, along with the US, have sought to distance their next generation telecom infrastructure from companies including Huawei Technologies Co. and ZTE Corp. amid concerns over their links with the Chinese government.

Nations including the US, UK, Australia and India have raised red flags about Chinese majors participating in building the networks. Chinese suppliers have been shut out of recent telecom auctions in India. While the US and Japan have announced their intention to invest in 5G research, the UK plans to build an alliance of democracies for safer adoption of the technology thats expected to spur growth post-pandemic and add $1.3 trillion to the global economy by 2030.

Theres renewed focus on building common standards to ensure security across the 5G value chain, Vestager said. Standards would include agreeing on technical aspects like radio spectrum bands and interface technologies to be used by 5G networks and creating level-playing fields for local and smaller companies.

It has been part of discussions we have had so far, she said. And I would hope that this would be a common approach. Standard setting is one of the keys for a level playing field and for speed when it comes to digitalization.

The EU needs to invest $355 billion while India would need to invest over $70 billion to build its 5G network, according to the government.

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European Union looks to align with India on 5G to 'distance' telecom infrastructure from Chinese companies - Hindustan Times

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This article is brought to you in association with theEuropean Commission.

While the coronavirus pandemic has been impacting on European daily lives for more than a year, attitudes towards the EU remain positive, according to the latest Standard Eurobarometer conducted in February-March 2021.

The image of the EU and trust in the EU have increased and reached their highest levels in more than a decade.

Europeans citizens identify health and the economic situation as the two top concerns both at EU and national levels.

The survey also indicates an increase in concern about the current state of national economies: 69% of Europeans think that the situation is currently bad and 61% of Europeans fear that their countrys economy will recover from the impact of the pandemic in 2023 or later.

1. Trust and image of the EU

Close to half of Europeans trust the European Union (49%), after a 6-point increase since the Standard Eurobarometer of summer 2020. It is the highest level registered since spring 2008. Trust in national governments (36%) and national parliaments (35%) have lost ground, though both remain at a higher level than in autumn 2019.

In 20 Member States, a majority of respondents say they trust the EU, with the highest levels found in Portugal (78%) and Ireland (74%).

The positive image of the EU (46%) has reached its highest level since autumn 2009, after a 6-percentage point increase since summer 2020. Fewer people have a neutral image of the EU (38%, -2), while 15% (-4) have a negative image of the EU.

A majority of respondents have a positive image of the EU in 25 EU Member States (up from 13 in summer 2020), with the highest proportions found in Portugal (76%) and Ireland (75%).

2. Main concerns at EU and national level

Almost four EU citizens in ten consider health as the most important issue currently facing the EU: 38% of respondents now mention this issue, a steep increase of 16 percentage points since summer 2020. It has taken first place ahead of the economic situation (35%, unchanged), while the state of Member States public finances has slid into third position, (21%, -2). The environment and climate change is in now in fourth place (20%, unchanged), while immigration, at 18% after a 5-point decrease, has fallen out of the leading trio of concerns for the first time since autumn 2014. Unemployment is in sixth position, with 15% of mentions (-2 percentage points).

Regarding main concerns at national level, health is also perceived as the most important issue (44%), after a 13-percentage point increase since summer 2020. The economic situation is in second place, mentioned by a third of Europeans (33%, unchanged), while a quarter cite unemployment (25%, -3).

3. The economic situation and the euro

Perceptions of the national economy have continued to deteriorate: only 29% of EU citizens now think that the situation is good (-5 percentage points since summer 2020, -18 since autumn 2019), the lowest level for this indicator since spring 2013. The proportion of Europeans who consider this situation to be bad has gained ground correspondingly (69%, +5).

Positive perceptions of the current situation of the national economy varies widely between EU Member States, ranging from 86% in Luxembourg, down to 7% in Italy.

Support for the euro remains very high: 79% (+4) of citizens in the euro area are in favour of the euro, the highest point since 2004, with figures ranging from 95% in Portugal to 70% in France and Austria. Overall in the European Union, seven in ten Europeans support the euro (70%, +3), the highest level ever recorded.

4. The coronavirus pandemic

43% of Europeans are satisfied with measures taken so far by national governments to fight the pandemic (-19 percentage points since last summer) while 56% are dissatisfied (+19).

The same proportion is satisfied with measures taken by the EU (43%, -2), while 49% are dissatisfied (+5). However, 59% trust the EU to make the right decisions in its response to the pandemic in the future.

More than six Europeans in ten (61%) think that their countrys economy will recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in 2023 or later. Less than a quarter think that recovery will come in 2022 (23%), and just 5% think that it will be this year, in 2021. Close to one in ten fear that their countrys economy will never recover from the impact of the pandemic (8%).

A majority of Europeans believe that the EU 750 billion euro recovery plan, NextGenerationEU, is an effective instrument for responding to the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic (55%). Close to four in ten think that it is not effective (38%).

Since summer 2020, Europeans personal experience of measures to fight the pandemic, such as confinement, has deteriorated: a majority of EU citizens now consider that it was a difficult experience to cope with (40%, +8 percentage points since summer 2020), while less than three in ten say it was easy to cope with (29%, -9). The proportion who say that it was both easy and difficult to cope with has remained almost unchanged, at 31% (+1).

5. Vaccination against Covid-19

45% of Europeans answered they would like to get vaccinated as a soon as possible or had already been vaccinated at the time of fieldwork, and 20% would like to do so some time in 2021. 21% would prefer to get vaccinated later. Only 12% say that they would never get vaccinated, and 2% that they dont know.

In 21 countries, a majority of respondents would like to get vaccinated as soon as possible or have already been vaccinated, led by Ireland (74%), Denmark (73%) and Sweden (71%). On the other hand, less than one respondent out of five intends to get vaccinated as soon as possible in Bulgaria (19%) and Cyprus (16%).

Background

The Winter 2020-2021 Standard Eurobarometer (EB 94) was conducted through face-to-face and online interviews between 12 February and 18 March 2021 across the 27 EU Member States and twelve countries or territories[1]. 27,409 interviews were conducted in the EU27 Member States between 12 February and 11 March 2021.

For More Information

Standard Eurobarometer 94

[1] The 27 European Union (EU) Member States, five candidate countries (Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey), Bosnia-and-Herzegovina, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom as well as the Turkish Cypriot Community in the part of the country that is not controlled by the government of the Republic of Cyprus, and Kosovo* (*this designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/99 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence).

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Eurobarometer: Trust in the European Union has increased since last summer - The European Sting

For organic and sustainable agriculture, farmers must have access to high-quality organic seeds. Yet in Europe there is still a shortage of these kinds of seeds. In the LIVESEED project, the European Union wants to do something about this. New breeding materials brought in by projects such as LIVESEED help reduce dependence on synthetic seed treatments through breeding varieties that are resistant to seed- and soil-borne diseases. This in turn enables more environmentally friendly cultivation, the EU said in an interim report released yesterday on the project that was launched back in 2017.

This EU-funded project also looks at aspects of the market and the corresponding regulations. This includes a new quality strategy for organic seeds, a Europe-wide seed database and sustainable breeding techniques that are adapted to specific conditions.

Experts from 18 European countries are collaborating on the project, which also involves an overview of existing national databases on the availability of organic seeds. Since the seed that is to be used has to be adapted to local conditions, the scientists also wanted to see how the availability of organic varieties with specific characteristics could be broadened as well. These include, for instance, higher tolerance to stress, or resistance to pests and diseases.

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We are also developing a new strategy for the health of organic seed stocks and a roadmap for using only organic seeds by 2036, said Project coordinator gnes Bruszik. This strategy will take into account seed cultivation conditions and look at the maturation, microbiome and effect of sanitation treatments of organic seeds.

The project team has also developed new experimental models for organic varieties that can be used in daily practice. This will allow farmers to test these themselves and see how they could be improved to adapt to local conditions.

It is expected that by 2030, about a quarter of all agricultural land in the EU will be used for organic agriculture. LIVESEED can help to meet this goal. The benefits of this project for farmers include better access to a wider range of high-quality seeds, a more thorough knowledge of seed cultivation and an opportunity to test new or promising varieties in their native climatic conditions, Bruszik said.

Also read other IO articles on sustainable agriculture by following this link.

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European Union lays the groundwork for sustainable agriculture - Innovation Origins

U.S. President Joe Biden will embark on his first overseas trip in office in June, the White House announced Friday, with the aim of demonstrating his administration's commitment to the transatlantic alliance and re-engagement with key allies.

Biden will attend the Group of Seven summit in Cornwall, England, set for June 11-13, followed by a visit to Brussels, where he will hold meetings with European Union leadership and attend the June 14 summit of leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The meetings with the United States' closest allies come as Biden has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to a summit in the coming months in a third country, though no date has yet been set.

Most recent American presidents have selected North American neighbors for their first cross-border trips, though former President Donald Trump, whose penchant for unilateral action and open skepticism of the NATO alliance unsettled American allies, made his first overseas stop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. For Biden, the first trip is meant to turn the page from Trump's approach to alliances.

Its both a practical chance to connect with key allies and partners on shared opportunities and challenges," said Yohannes Abraham, the chief of staff and executive secretary of the National Security Council, in an interview with the AP. "But also its an illustration of something that the president has been clear about that the transatlantic alliance is back, that revitalizing it is a key priority of his, and that the transatlantic relationship is a strong foundation on which our collective security and shared prosperity are built.

Biden, for his part, held virtual bilateral meetings with the leaders of Canada and Mexico in February and March, respectively. The June trip will follow after Biden's first in-person bilateral meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga at the White House last week and next month's planned visit by President Moon Jae-in of South Korea.

In Cornwall, Biden will hold bilateral meetings with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other leaders. He will hold additional one-on-one meetings in Brussels with NATO allies, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.

This trip will highlight his commitment to restoring our alliances, revitalizing the Transatlantic relationship, and working in close cooperation with our allies and multilateral partners to address global challenges and better secure Americas interests, she said in a statement.

The announcement comes shortly after the conclusion of Bidens two-day virtual climate summit, in which he received praise from leaders, particularly those in Europe, for returning the U.S. to the Paris Climate Agreement and reengaging on a host of other issues of shared concern.

The trip will mark the most ambitious travel schedule yet for Biden since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, as the president has sought to model safe behavior for the nation.

It comes as the U.S. has stepped up its travel warnings for much of the world due to the virus. Both the U.K. and Belgium are listed by the State Department under level four, the highest, do not travel advisory, and are the subject of specific prohibitions preventing most travel to the U.S. by noncitizens.

The White House said it is working closely with host countries to ensure the safety of all attendees at the summits.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month lifted quarantine guidance for international travel for those fully vaccinated for COVID-19, but still recommends that vaccinated individuals returning from overseas monitor their symptoms and take a test 3-5 days after returning to the U.S.

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Biden to make first overseas trip in office to United Kingdom, European Union - The Hindu

The U.S. Marshals Service flew unmanned drones over Washington, D.C., in response to last summers Black Lives Matter protests, documents obtained by The Intercept via the Freedom of Information Act show.

The documents two brief, heavily redacted emails indicate the Marshals flew the drones over Washington on June 5 and 7, when nationwide protests against police brutality in the wake of George Floyds murder were at their height.The surveillance flights occurred just days after the Trump administration ordered the mobilization of the near entirety of federal law enforcement against Washingtons protesters. The aggressive physical crackdown against Black Lives Matter rallies, particularly in Washington, D.C., spurred its own wave of outrage as police beat, chased, and chemically dispersed largely peaceful demonstrators. Less visible law enforcement responses to the rallies also drew intense criticism, including the use of social media surveillance and, in particular, the use of aerial surveillance over multiple cities by the Air National Guard and Department of Homeland Security. Government aircraft monitored 15 cities during the protests, according to the New York Times, filming demonstrators in New York, Philadelphia, and Dayton, Ohio; aPredator dronewas deployed over Minneapolis.

One email provided by the Marshals Service is dated June 5 and carries the subject line UAS Status for Protests, apparently referring to Unmanned Aircraft Systems, common military jargon for drones. It contains only a few fragments of unredacted text but appears to have contained notes from a UAS briefing in response to the protests and states that a redacted entity responded to Washington DC and conducted one flight, the same day Mayor Muriel Browser asked Donald Trump to withdraw all extraordinary law enforcement and military presence from Washington, DC. The June 7 email is similarly fragmentary and censored but notes that the redacted entity once again responded to Washington DC and conducted several flights.

Marshals Service spokesperson James Stossel declined to answer any questions about the purpose of the June 5th and 7th flights or what data was collected, stating, The USMS does not release details of operational missions, and denied that the Marshals flew drones over the city on any other dates. Asked how the robotic aerial surveillance of protests conforms with the agencys narrowly defined mission, Stossel said, The Marshals Service conducts a broad array of missions as authorized by Federal Law which may include ensuring the rule of law is maintained during protests. Press reports from this period describe the protests in question as peaceful.

The previously unreported flights raise the question of why the U.S. Marshals Service would be flying drones over mass gatherings of First Amendment-protected activity in the nations capital. The marshals are the oldest law enforcement branch in the United States, dating to the 18th century, and their present day grab bag of responsibilities is more or less constrained to protecting courthouses, asset forfeitures, operating the Witness Protection Program, transporting prisoners, and hunting fugitives. The vestigial agency has historically been cagey about the existence or purpose of its drone program: In 2013, the Los Angeles Times reported,In 2004 and 2005, the U.S. Marshals Service tested two small drones in remote areas to help them track fugitives, but the test was abandoned after both drones crashed.

Documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union that same year via the Freedom of Information Act were also heavily redacted, providing only murky outlines of how the agency was conducting aerial surveillance. These ACLU documents stated that the Marshals possessed a rapidly deployable overhead collection device that will provide a multi-role surveillance platform to assist in [redacted] detection of targets. Another document provided to the ACLU noted that the marshals deployed surveillance drones through their Technical Operations Group, or TOG, which provides the U.S. Marshal Service, other federal agencies, and any requesting state or local law enforcement agency, with the most timely and technologically advanced electronic surveillance and investigative intelligence available in the world, according to the Marshals Service website. The Marshals spokesperson, however, told The Intercept, No USMS UAS flights were conducted at the request of any other agency.

While the Marshals Service quietly acknowledged the existence of its drone surveillance pilot program in its 2020 annual report, the flights were largely described as tied to the agencys core responsibility of apprehending fugitives. But the document does briefly note that UAS operators also deployed in support of the USMS mission during the nationwide civil unrest in Summer 2020. The report doesnt mention what exactly this drone-based support entailed, but the Marshals on-the-ground violence against protesters in Portland prompted widespread criticism last summer.

Once again, high-tech tools sold for use against the worst criminals are deployed against peaceful protesters.

Experts say its still unclear why the U.S. Marshals are even in a position to conduct these flights in the first place. How did it become part of the mission of U.S. Marshals Service to engage in aerial surveillance during a protest movement? said Jay Stanley, senior policy analyst at the ACLU. Its hard to know with all the secrecy, but it looks like once again, powerful high-tech tools sold to the public for use against the worst criminals are now being deployed against peaceful protesters and activists.

Matthew Guariglia, a policy analyst at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told The Intercept that the fact theres a Marshals Service drone program at all is indicative of how thoroughly crime-fighting agencies in the United States now resemble war-fighting forces: The Marshals service has drones for much the same reason that many local police departments have tanks, Guariglia said. The slow militarization of local and federal law enforcement as a result on the war on crime, war on drugs, and war on terror have created dozens of desperate law enforcement agencies with advanced technology and bloated budgets. The mere knowledge that a drone is or even could be watching demonstrators threatens to chill out right to protest, Guariglia added.

Stanley also objected to the near-full redaction of the flight emails, which the Marshals Service argued was warranted on the basis that they would reveal secret investigative techniques and could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical safety of any individual. But as Stanley pointed out, its not as if flying a camera-packing drone over a throng of people is a new or secret technique in the year 2021. How high are the chances they used their drones in some clever, innovative way they need to keep secret because nobody else has thought of it? he explained. No matter how theyre using it, the Marshals Service needs to be open and transparent given the relative novelty of drones as a law enforcement surveillance tool and their significant implications for our privacy. This kind of reflexively secretive behavior is one reason activists and communities tend not to give agencies the benefit of the doubt when they seek new surveillance technologies.

Update: April 23, 2021This article was updated to clarify the comments of USMS spokersperson James Stossel

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U.S. Marshals Used Drones to Spy on Black Lives Matter Protests in Washington, D.C. - The Intercept