Jun232017

Remarks by President Donald Tusk on the European Council meetings of 22 June 2017

EU

On 23 June 2016 citizens of the United Kingdom (UK) voted to leave the European Union (EU). On 29 March 2017 the UK formally notified the European Council of its intention to leave the EU by…

Over the past 20 years, the European Union has put in place some of the highest common asylum standards in the world. And in the past two years, European migration policy has advanced in leaps and…

‘Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan.It will be built through concrete achievementswhich first create a de facto solidarity.’Robert Schuman9 May 1950On 25 March 2017,…

In response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and deliberate destabilisation of a neighbouring sovereign country, the EU has imposed restrictive measures against the Russian Federation.Overview…

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker delivered his annual State of the Union speech at the European Parliament on 14 September 2016, just two days ahead of the informal meeting of 27…

Enlargement is the process whereby countries join the EU. Since it was founded in 1957, the EU has grown from 6 member countries to 28.Any European country that respects the principles of liberty,…

Jun232017

Ausführungen von Präsident Donald Tusk auf den Tagungen des Europäischen Rates im EU27- und EU28-Format vom 22. Juni 2017

EU

On 23 June 2016 citizens of the United Kingdom (UK) voted to leave the European Union (EU). On 29 March 2017 the UK formally notified the European Council of its intention to leave the EU by…

Over the past 20 years, the European Union has put in place some of the highest common asylum standards in the world. And in the past two years, European migration policy has advanced in leaps and…

‘Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan.It will be built through concrete achievementswhich first create a de facto solidarity.’Robert Schuman9 May 1950On 25 March 2017,…

In response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and deliberate destabilisation of a neighbouring sovereign country, the EU has imposed restrictive measures against the Russian Federation.Overview…

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker delivered his annual State of the Union speech at the European Parliament on 14 September 2016, just two days ahead of the informal meeting of 27…

Enlargement is the process whereby countries join the EU. Since it was founded in 1957, the EU has grown from 6 member countries to 28.Any European country that respects the principles of liberty,…

Jun232017

Verbraucherschutz im digitalen Zeitalter: EU-Vorsitz und Parlament einigen sich auf eine Stärkung der EU-weiten Zusammenarbeit

EU

On 23 June 2016 citizens of the United Kingdom (UK) voted to leave the European Union (EU). On 29 March 2017 the UK formally notified the European Council of its intention to leave the EU by…

Over the past 20 years, the European Union has put in place some of the highest common asylum standards in the world. And in the past two years, European migration policy has advanced in leaps and…

‘Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan.It will be built through concrete achievementswhich first create a de facto solidarity.’Robert Schuman9 May 1950On 25 March 2017,…

In response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and deliberate destabilisation of a neighbouring sovereign country, the EU has imposed restrictive measures against the Russian Federation.Overview…

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker delivered his annual State of the Union speech at the European Parliament on 14 September 2016, just two days ahead of the informal meeting of 27…

Enlargement is the process whereby countries join the EU. Since it was founded in 1957, the EU has grown from 6 member countries to 28.Any European country that respects the principles of liberty,…

Jun232017

Chinese lawmakers call for revision on product quality law

East Asia

Chinese lawmakers on Friday called for the prompt revision to the Product Quality Law at the ongoing bi-monthly session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee.

The current law was first adopted in 1993 and amended in 2000.

The law lags behind development and does not address the emerging problems in online shopping, said Huang Huahua, a member of the committee, while reviewing a report on the law’s implementation at a panel discussion.

The report said that a series of problems such as low-quality products and outdated standards had remained, especially in rural areas and online purchases.

New business models such as the sharing economy, e-commerce and internet economy are challenging the existing supervision model, which require new tools, said Wang Minwen, also a member of the committee.

Wang suggested that a punitive compensation rule and product tracing mechanism be introduced in the new amendment.

Huang Qifan, vice chairman of the NPC’s Financial and Economic Affairs Committee, said the revision should be carried out as soon as possible or it could constitute a barrier to the country’s development.

Huang also called for the integration of the country’s product quality requirements with international standards.

Jun232017

UN opens international probe into alleged abuses in DR Congo’s Kasai provinces

United Nations

23 June 2017 – The United Nations today opened an international investigation into alleged killings, mutilations and destruction of entire villages in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s restive Kasai provinces.

The UN Human Rights Council, comprised of 47 countries, adopted the resolution by consensus during a meeting earlier today in Geneva.

&#8220The victims &#8211 those who have been killed, maimed, subjected to terrible violence and forced from their homes &#8211 deserve justice,&#8221 said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, who has been called on to appoint a team of international experts to carry out the investigation.

In a statement, Mr. Zeid, who has repeatedly called for a probe, said the creation of the investigation is &#8220a step forward in identifying the perpetrators of gross violations and bringing them to justice.&#8221

His office said it expects and counts on &#8220the full cooperation of the authorities&#8221 including &#8220unfettered access to all sites, files, people and places.&#8221

He added that the team will conduct investigations &#8220in a fully independent manner, in accordance with international standards.&#8221

Addressing the Council on Tuesday, Mr. Zeid recounted chilling details of apparent ethnic violence that included mutilated babies and fetuses.

Violence flared up in the DRC’s Kasai regions in August 2016, when a customary chief was killed by Forces armées de la République démocratique du Congo (FARDC), as DRC’s armed forces are known. The Kamuina Nsapu militia (named after the chief) then set about avenging the killing, committing widespread atrocities as well as recruiting children into its ranks.

The gravity of the situation was further underscored by the discovery in April of forty-two mass graves by Mr. Zeid’s office (OHCHR) and the UN mission in the country, known by its French acronym, MONUSCO.

Since the start of the violence, more than 1.3 million people have since been displaced within the country as well as thousands forced to flee across its borders.