JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER. 1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
http://ift.tt/28SI0lv
http://ift.tt/28SHPa9
http://ift.tt/28Z7Yrk
EU SPAIN #11 (POSSIBLY MIGHT PRODUCE THE WORLD LEADER)
HOW THE COMMON MARKET TO EUROPEAN UNION WAS BORN.
Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (1951)
http://ift.tt/28Wgwu8
Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (1957)
http://ift.tt/1zIde4r
Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (1957)
http://ift.tt/28WgqCT
01-BELGIUM-1958 *** (A BELGIAN WILL NEGOTIATE THE UK EXIT FROM EU) *
02-NETHERLANDS-1958 *
03-LUXUMBOURG-1958 *
04-ITALY (ROME)-1958
05-FRANCE-1958
06-GERMANY-1958
(THESE 6 SIGN THE TREATY OF ROME)(THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE)
07-IRELAND-1973
08-DENMARK-1973 *
09-UNITED KINGDOM (BRITAIN)-1973 ** (DROPPED OUT JUNE 23,16) *
10-GREECE-1981
Schengen Convention (1985)
http://ift.tt/28WOliG
11-SPAIN-1986 ******* (IMPORTANT SAY IN THE EU) *
12-PORTUGAL-1986
Treaty on European Union (1992)
http://ift.tt/28WgvXf
13-AUSTRIA-1995
14-FINLAND-1995
15-SWEDEN-1995 *
Treaty of Nice (2001)
http://ift.tt/28WObrC
Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (2004)
http://ift.tt/28Wgwu9
16-CYPRUS-2004
17-CZECH REPUBLIC-2004
18-ESTONIA-2004
19-HUNGARY-2004
20-LATVIA-2004
21-LITHUANIA-2004
22-MALTA-2004
23-POLAND-2004
24-SLOVAKIA-2004
25-SLOVENIA-2004
26-BULGARIA-2007
27-ROMANIA-2007
Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (2007)
http://ift.tt/28WOdji
Treaty of Lisbon (2007)
http://ift.tt/1bFYdtX
28-CROATIA-2013
** DROPPING OUT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TRADE BLOC.
*** NEGOTIATOR WITH HOW UK EXITS THE UNION TRADE BLOC.
******* THESE COUNTRIES COULD HAVE A BIG SAY IN FUTURE EU HAPPENINGS.
* KINGS AND QUEENS IN EU COUNTRIES-MONARCHIES.
JOINING COUNTRIES TREATIES WITH THE EU-ACCESSION TREATIES
http://ift.tt/28WOjHH
OTHER EU TREATIES AND PROTOCOLS
http://ift.tt/28WgNgH
http://ift.tt/1nBg8W4
ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT BREAKDOWN BY THE BIBLE
http://ift.tt/1nG4nK1
http://ift.tt/21oThhF
http://ift.tt/1FfpoGC
DANIEL 7:8,24
8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn,(WORLD DICTATOR) before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings(10 NATIONS-10 WORLD DIVISION WORLD GOVERNMENT) that shall arise: and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(EITHER THE EUROPEAN UNION DICTATOR BOOTS 3 ORIGINAL COUNTRIES FROM THE 6 FOUNDING MEMBERS OR THE DICTATOR TAKES OVER THE WORLD ECONOMY BY CONTROLLING 3 WORLD TRADE BLOCS)
EUROPEAN UNION ARMY
REVELATION 19:19
19 And I saw the beast,(EU LEADER) and the kings of the earth, and their armies,(UNITED NATIONS TROOPS) gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse,(JESUS) and against his army.(THE RAPTURED CHRISTIANS)
We shall have World Government, whether or not we like it. The only question is whether World Government will be achieved by conquest or consent.James Paul Warburg appearing before the Senate on 7th February 1950
Like a famous WWII Belgian General,Paul Henry Spock said in 1957:We need no commission, we have already too many. What we need is a man who is great enough to be able to keep all the people in subjection to himself and to lift us out of the economic bog into which we threaten to sink. Send us such a man. Be he a god or a devil, we will accept him.And today, sadly, the world is indeed ready for such a man.
No one will enter the New World Order... unless he or she will make a pledge to worship Lucifer. No one will enter the New Age unless he will take a Luciferian Initiation.- David Spangler Director of Planetary Initiative United Nations.
THE EU WORLD DICTATOR
REVELATION 6:1-2,13:1-3,7-9,16
1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
2 And I saw, and behold a white horse:(EU WORLD DICTATOR) and he that sat on him had a bow;(PEACE) and a crown was given unto him:(WORLD LEADER) and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.(THIS IS THE EU DICTATOR)
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.(7 HEADS ARE THE 7TH WORLD EMPIRE IN HISTORY (THE EU) AS WELL AS THE VATICAN WHICH IS BUILT ON 7 HILLS. 10 HORNS ARE 10 KINGS THAT ARISE FROM THE EU, THEN #11 COMES ON THE SCENE BECOMES THE HEAD OF 3 OUNTRIES AND THEN THE EU DICTATOR, COMES FROM 1 OF THE 3 COUNTRIES THAT RULE FOR THIS TERM. I BELIEVE THE 3 COUNTRIES RULING AT THE TIME ARE SPAIN AND 2 OF THE ORIGINAL 6 THAT STARTED THE EU. FROM 1 OF THESE 3 COUNTRIES COME THE FUTURE EU DICTATOR PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION WHO GUARENTEES ISRAELS SECURITY FOR A LAND FOR PEACE 7 YEAR TREATY.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.(THE JEWISH EU DICTATOR GETS HIS POWER FROM SATAN,HE COMES FROM THE OCCULT).
3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.(THE DICTATOR HAS A FALSE RESURRECTION. JUST LIKE JESUS HAD A LITERAL RESURRECTION THIS DICTATOR GETS MURDERED AT THE 3 1/2 YR MARK OF THR 7 YEAR TREATY AND COMES BACK TO LIFE. THIS IS HOW HE CAN CLAIM TO BE GOD AND GET AWAY WITH IT AND CONTROL THE WHOLE EARTH.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
16 And he (FALSE POPE) causeth all,(WORLD SOCIALISM) both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
OTHER EU OUT STORIES I DONE
http://ift.tt/28WgySShttp://ift.tt/28SI0lv
http://ift.tt/28SHPa9
http://ift.tt/28Z7Yrk
EU SPAIN #11 (POSSIBLY MIGHT PRODUCE THE WORLD LEADER)
HOW THE COMMON MARKET TO EUROPEAN UNION WAS BORN.
Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (1951)
http://ift.tt/28Wgwu8
Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (1957)
http://ift.tt/1zIde4r
Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (1957)
http://ift.tt/28WgqCT
01-BELGIUM-1958 *** (A BELGIAN WILL NEGOTIATE THE UK EXIT FROM EU) *
02-NETHERLANDS-1958 *
03-LUXUMBOURG-1958 *
04-ITALY (ROME)-1958
05-FRANCE-1958
06-GERMANY-1958
(THESE 6 SIGN THE TREATY OF ROME)(THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE)
07-IRELAND-1973
08-DENMARK-1973 *
09-UNITED KINGDOM (BRITAIN)-1973 ** (DROPPED OUT JUNE 23,16) *
10-GREECE-1981
Schengen Convention (1985)
http://ift.tt/28WOliG
11-SPAIN-1986 ******* (IMPORTANT SAY IN THE EU) *
12-PORTUGAL-1986
Treaty on European Union (1992)
http://ift.tt/28WgvXf
13-AUSTRIA-1995
14-FINLAND-1995
15-SWEDEN-1995 *
Treaty of Nice (2001)
http://ift.tt/28WObrC
Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (2004)
http://ift.tt/28Wgwu9
16-CYPRUS-2004
17-CZECH REPUBLIC-2004
18-ESTONIA-2004
19-HUNGARY-2004
20-LATVIA-2004
21-LITHUANIA-2004
22-MALTA-2004
23-POLAND-2004
24-SLOVAKIA-2004
25-SLOVENIA-2004
26-BULGARIA-2007
27-ROMANIA-2007
Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (2007)
http://ift.tt/28WOdji
Treaty of Lisbon (2007)
http://ift.tt/1bFYdtX
28-CROATIA-2013
** DROPPING OUT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TRADE BLOC.
*** NEGOTIATOR WITH HOW UK EXITS THE UNION TRADE BLOC.
******* THESE COUNTRIES COULD HAVE A BIG SAY IN FUTURE EU HAPPENINGS.
* KINGS AND QUEENS IN EU COUNTRIES-MONARCHIES.
JOINING COUNTRIES TREATIES WITH THE EU-ACCESSION TREATIES
http://ift.tt/28WOjHH
OTHER EU TREATIES AND PROTOCOLS
http://ift.tt/28WgNgH
http://ift.tt/1nBg8W4
ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT BREAKDOWN BY THE BIBLE
http://ift.tt/1nG4nK1
http://ift.tt/21oThhF
http://ift.tt/1FfpoGC
DANIEL 7:8,24
8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn,(WORLD DICTATOR) before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings(10 NATIONS-10 WORLD DIVISION WORLD GOVERNMENT) that shall arise: and another shall rise after them;(#11 SPAIN) and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(EITHER THE EUROPEAN UNION DICTATOR BOOTS 3 ORIGINAL COUNTRIES FROM THE 6 FOUNDING MEMBERS OR THE DICTATOR TAKES OVER THE WORLD ECONOMY BY CONTROLLING 3 WORLD TRADE BLOCS)
EUROPEAN UNION ARMY
REVELATION 19:19
19 And I saw the beast,(EU LEADER) and the kings of the earth, and their armies,(UNITED NATIONS TROOPS) gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse,(JESUS) and against his army.(THE RAPTURED CHRISTIANS)
We shall have World Government, whether or not we like it. The only question is whether World Government will be achieved by conquest or consent.James Paul Warburg appearing before the Senate on 7th February 1950
Like a famous WWII Belgian General,Paul Henry Spock said in 1957:We need no commission, we have already too many. What we need is a man who is great enough to be able to keep all the people in subjection to himself and to lift us out of the economic bog into which we threaten to sink. Send us such a man. Be he a god or a devil, we will accept him.And today, sadly, the world is indeed ready for such a man.
No one will enter the New World Order... unless he or she will make a pledge to worship Lucifer. No one will enter the New Age unless he will take a Luciferian Initiation.- David Spangler Director of Planetary Initiative United Nations.
THE EU WORLD DICTATOR
REVELATION 6:1-2,13:1-3,7-9,16
1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
2 And I saw, and behold a white horse:(EU WORLD DICTATOR) and he that sat on him had a bow;(PEACE) and a crown was given unto him:(WORLD LEADER) and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.(THIS IS THE EU DICTATOR)
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.(7 HEADS ARE THE 7TH WORLD EMPIRE IN HISTORY (THE EU) AS WELL AS THE VATICAN WHICH IS BUILT ON 7 HILLS. 10 HORNS ARE 10 KINGS THAT ARISE FROM THE EU, THEN #11 COMES ON THE SCENE BECOMES THE HEAD OF 3 OUNTRIES AND THEN THE EU DICTATOR, COMES FROM 1 OF THE 3 COUNTRIES THAT RULE FOR THIS TERM. I BELIEVE THE 3 COUNTRIES RULING AT THE TIME ARE SPAIN AND 2 OF THE ORIGINAL 6 THAT STARTED THE EU. FROM 1 OF THESE 3 COUNTRIES COME THE FUTURE EU DICTATOR PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION WHO GUARENTEES ISRAELS SECURITY FOR A LAND FOR PEACE 7 YEAR TREATY.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.(THE JEWISH EU DICTATOR GETS HIS POWER FROM SATAN,HE COMES FROM THE OCCULT).
3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.(THE DICTATOR HAS A FALSE RESURRECTION. JUST LIKE JESUS HAD A LITERAL RESURRECTION THIS DICTATOR GETS MURDERED AT THE 3 1/2 YR MARK OF THR 7 YEAR TREATY AND COMES BACK TO LIFE. THIS IS HOW HE CAN CLAIM TO BE GOD AND GET AWAY WITH IT AND CONTROL THE WHOLE EARTH.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
16 And he (FALSE POPE) causeth all,(WORLD SOCIALISM) both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
European SUPERSTATE to be unveiled: EU nations 'to be morphed into one' post-Brexit-EUROPEAN political chiefs are to take advantage of Brexit by unveiling their long-held plan to morph the continent’s countries into one GIANT SUPERSTATE, it has emerged.By Nick Gutteridge- | UPDATED: 07:48, Wed, Jun 29, 2016
The foreign ministers of France and Germany are due to reveal a blueprint to effectively do away with individual member states in what is being described as an “ultimatum”. Under the radical proposals EU countries will lose the right to have their own army, criminal law, taxation system or central bank, with all those powers being transferred to Brussels. Controversially member states would also lose what few controls they have left over their own borders, including the procedure for admitting and relocating refugees. The plot has sparked fury and panic in Poland - a traditional ally of Britain in the fight against federalism - after being leaked to Polish news channel TVP Info. The public broadcaster reported the bombshell proposal would be presented to a meeting of the Visegrad group of countries - made up of Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia - by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. In the preamble to the text the two ministers write: "Our countries share a common destiny and a common set of values ??that give rise to an even closer union between our citizens. We will therefore strive for a political union in Europe and invite the next Europeans to participate in this venture."The revelations come just days after Britain shook the Brussels establishment by voting to leave the European Union in a move some have predicted could leave to the break-up of the EU. A number of member states are deeply unhappy about the creeping federalism of the European project with anti-EU sentiments running high in eastern Europe, Scandinavia and France. Responding to the plot Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski raged: "This is not a good solution, of course, because from the time the EU was invented a lot has changed.“The mood in European societies is different. Europe and our voters do not want to give the Union over into the hands of technocrats.“Therefore, I want to talk about this, whether this really is the right recipe right now in the context of a Brexit."There are deep divides at the heart of the EU at the moment over how to proceed with the project in light of the Brexit vote.Some figures have cautioned against trying to force through further political integration, warning that to do so against the wishes of the European people will only fuel further Eurosceptic feeling. A few weeks before the Brexit vote European Council president Donald Tusk warned that European citizens did not share the enthusiasm of some of their leaders for “a utopia of Europe without conflicting interests and ambitions, a utopia of Europe imposing its own values on the external world, a utopia of Euro-Asian unity”. He added: “Increasingly louder are those who question the very principle of a united Europe. The spectre of a break-up is haunting Europe and a vision of a federation doesn’t seem to me to be the best answer to it.” His view was backed up by the leader of the eurozone countries, Dutch politician Jerome Dijsselbloem, who added: “In the eurozone some are pushing for a completion of the monetary union by creating a full political union, a euro area economic government or even a euro budget… to me it is obvious.“We need to strengthen what we have and finish it, but let’s not build more extensions to the European house while it is so unstable.”Meanwhile Lorenzo Condign, the former director general of Italy’s treasury, has said it is nearly impossible to see Europe opting for more integration at such a time of upheaval. He said: “It seems difficult to imagine that the rest of the EU will close ranks and move in the direction of greater integration quickly. Simply, there is no political will. “Indeed, the risk is exactly the opposite - namely that centrifugal forces will prevail and make integration even more difficult.”But others see the Brexit vote as an opportunity to push ahead with the European elite’s long-cherished dream of creating a United States of Europe.Spain’s foreign minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo has called for “more Europe” whilst Italy’s finance minister, Carlo Padoan, is advocating a common budget for the eurozone states.And Emmanuel Macron, France’s economy minister, wants to go even further and set up a common eurozone treasury which would oversee the permanent transfer of funds from wealthier northern Europe to shore up Mediterranean economies.
EU Officials To Unveil 'Ultimatum' Blueprint As Final Solution For European Super-State-by Tyler Durden-Jun 27, 2016 11:20 PM
It appears The Brits may have dodged more than a bullet in their decision to leave The EU. The foreign ministers of France and Germany are reportedly due to reveal a blueprint to effectively do away with individual member states in what is being described as an "ultimatum." As The Express reports, the shockingly predictable final solution to Europe's Brexit-driven existential crisis is an apparently long-held plan to morph the continent’s countries into one giant superstate. The radical proposals mean EU countries will lose the right to have their own army, criminal law, taxation system or central bank, with all those powers being transferred to Brussels. According to the Daily Express, the nine-page report has "outraged" some EU leaders.The plans for 'a closer European Union' have been branded an attempt to create a 'European superstate', as The Daily Mail reports,Germany's foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault today presented a proposal for closer EU integration based on three key areas - internal and external security, the migrant crisis, and economic cooperation.But the plans have been described as an 'ultimatum' in Poland, with claims it would mean countries transfer their armies, economic systems and border controls to the EU.Controversially member states would also lose what few controls they have left over their own borders, including the procedure for admitting and relocating refugees.The Express reports that the plot has sparked fury and panic in Poland - a traditional ally of Britain in the fight against federalism - after being leaked to Polish news channel TVP Info.The public broadcaster reports that the bombshell proposal will be presented to a meeting of the Visegrad group of countries - made up of Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia - by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier later today.Excerpts of the nine-page report were published today as the leaders of Germany, France and Italy met in Berlin for Brexit crisis talks.In the preamble to the text the two ministers write: "Our countries share a common destiny and a common set of values ??that give rise to an even closer union between our citizens. We will therefore strive for a political union in Europe and invite the next Europeans to participate in this venture."Responding to the plot Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski raged: "This is not a good solution, of course, because from the time the EU was invented a lot has changed.“The mood in European societies is different. Europe and our voters do not want to give the Union over into the hands of technocrats.“Therefore, I want to talk about this, whether this really is the right recipe right now in the context of a Brexit."There are deep divides at the heart of the EU at the moment over how to proceed with the project in light of the Brexit vote.Some figures have cautioned against trying to force through further political integration, warning that to do so against the wishes of the European people will only fuel further Eurosceptic feeling.Czech minister Lubomír Zaorálek added that the four eastern members had reservations about the proposed common security policy.Meanwhile Lorenzo Condign, the former director general of Italy’s treasury, has said it is nearly impossible to see Europe opting for more integration at such a time of upheaval.He said: “It seems difficult to imagine that the rest of the EU will close ranks and move in the direction of greater integration quickly. Simply, there is no political will.“Indeed, the risk is exactly the opposite - namely that centrifugal forces will prevail and make integration even more difficult.”It seems the infamous phrase "never let a crisis go to waste" has not been lost on EU officialdom.
Leaders rule out treaty change to reform EU-By Eszter Zalan-june 29,16-euobserver
BRUSSELS, Today, 18:20-EU leaders will meet in Bratislava in September to rethink the future on the EU in the face of Britain's exit from the bloc and amid growing populism the threatens the foundations of the European project.“Many people express dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs, be it at the European or national level. Europeans expect us to do better … We need to deliver on this, in a way that unites us,” they said in a joint statement after a meeting at the level of just 27 on Wednesday (29 June).The EU-27 earlier the same day held their first preliminary discussion on how to approach reform.Their meeting in Slovakia on 16 September will launch a discussion that some hope will re-energise the European project by next March, in time for the 60th anniversary of the Rome treaty that founded the European Community.The largest countries said it will not only be a “more or less” Europe debate, but on how to create a “better” Europe.German chancellor Angela Merkel said the EU needs to streamline, cut red tape, and create jobs.“We need to act now. We have to set a positive agenda,” she said, adding that the EU also has to get better at delivering results.“The objective has to be to convince citizens why we do certain things … The issue is not about more or less regulation, but to set objectives more precisely,” Merkel said.French president Francois Hollande agreed, saying that “nothing would be worse than the status quo.” “It would be the continuation of the populists' enterprise,” he said.Hollande faces elections next year and far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen, who is calling for a referendum on EU membership, is a strong contender.In the coming weeks, countries will have to work out their ideas and priorities.Some countries, like Germany, France and Italy have already put forward papers with ideas on stronger cooperation on security and tackling youth unemployment.-The EU is not in Brussels'-Others see the process as an opportunity to scale back EU competences and to reinforce nation states.Fault lines will inevitably be exposed between those who think a more federalist EU would be more effective, and others who argue that member states should be more in control of union decision-making.“We have to return to the thesis that the member states and not EU institutions form the basis of the EU. The democratic features of the EU can only be strengthened through member states,” Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orban said Wednesday.“The EU is not in Brussels, but in the 27, now still 28 capitals,” Orban said, in a reference to the fact that the UK remains a member of the EU until the end of its exit negotiations.He added that prior efforts to create democratic legitimacy for the EU institutions had failed.-Treaty change?-The Bratislava process could eventually lead to treaty change, although the majority of leaders agree that now is not time to open up the legal foundations of the bloc.“Of course the EU needs reforms, but not reforms that are complimentary or contradictory to what we’re doing now … It’s about speeding up reforms not adding reforms,” commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said after the meeting.He added that “the general view [among EU leaders] is that there would be no [EU] treaty change … it’s about implementation, not innovation.”Sources said the more eurosceptic Visegrad countries - Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic - would also prepare a common position for the meeting.“We’ll see what happens in Bratislava. Previous groups, previous divisions will change, new groups will emerge,” Orban said.The Hungarian PM said he understood that under the current circumstances treaty change is not timely and would only create uncertainty.“But when things calm down, we should examine what values and procedures to rethink in the current treaty,” he added.Beata Szydlo, the Polish prime minister, whose government advocates “radical” treaty change, said: “To speak about changing the treaty now prompts a certain resistance because everybody is concerned that talks on a new treaty in such an unstable situation could be a big problem ... maybe at the end of the discussions, of the deeper reflection, there will also be talk of the need for a new treaty”.Se warned against ideas of creating sub-sets of EU states each with different levels of integration.“If there’s talk among some states of building a Europe of variable speeds, that’s the end of the european project … leaders have to lay aside talk of clubs or groups that are more or less elite”, she said.Leaders will assess the outcome of the Bratislava talks in October and December and hope have tangible outcomes by next March.
Britain's departure will shift power dynamics in EU-[The Canadian Press]-Geir Moulson, The Associated Press-June 29, 2016-yahoonews
BRUSSELS - Britain's departure from the European Union will deprive the bloc of one of its few truly heavyweight members, a diplomatic, economic and military powerhouse. Britain accounts for more than 60 million of the EU's 500 million people, has the world's fifth-biggest economy and is a nuclear power. Its exit will shift the power dynamics of a bloc that has long relied on trade-offs and compromise between countries that have different ideas about what they want out of a united Europe.Here's a look at shifting powers in the 28-nation bloc:___GERMANY AND FRANCE MAY HAVE TO DO MORE-Germany and France have combined over the decades as the motor of European integration. The two countries often draw up joint proposals for major policy issues before summits of the full bloc — something smaller EU nations can view with suspicion. That frequently requires a balance between different political philosophies, with Germany tending toward a free-market approach while France favouring more state intervention in the economy."When we agree about everything, then the others are worried. When, which is seldom the case, we do not agree, then people are even more worried," French President Francois Hollande said Monday during a visit to Berlin. "So we have decided that we prefer to agree."Amid tensions over Europe's debt crisis, the French-German partnership hasn't been much of a romance over recent years. And it has looked increasingly unbalanced as German Chancellor Angela Merkel presides over a strong economy while the deeply unpopular Hollande struggles to reform France.Germany, France and Italy are the only three EU countries other than Britain with more than 60 million people. Merkel also invited Italian Premier Matteo Renzi to Berlin on Monday ahead of a summit where EU leaders pondered how to keep their union together.The big EU countries are keen not to be seen as dominating their smaller partners."The European Union has no directorate," Renzi said.___THE EUROZONE NOT LIKELY TO EXPAND ANYTIME SOON-Nineteen of the EU's 28 members use the shared euro currency. Britain never joined this inner circle, which brings together countries as diverse as Germany, Slovakia and Greece. Denmark also opted out of the euro and Swedish voters rejected the currency in a 2003 referendum.The club doesn't look likely to expand anytime soon — even though all the many eastern European countries that joined the EU starting in 2004 are on paper committed to joining the euro. Still, governments in Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic are paying lip service at most to that requirement. They're waiting to see how the currency zone resolves the debt problems that saw Ireland, Greece, Portugal, Spain and Cyprus bailed out.___THE EAST GETS MORE ASSERTIVE-Four independent-minded eastern European countries that have been increasingly assertive over the past year will demand to have their voice heard as the EU figures out how to move forward: Poland — the biggest of the EU's eastern members with 38 million people — along with Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.The four have already resisted calls by Merkel for all EU countries to share the burden of hosting the massive influx of refugees to the bloc. Nationalist governments in Poland and Hungary, in particular, have little appetite for further EU integration and have bristled at scrutiny from Brussels of their own domestic policy moves.Witold Waszczykowski, Poland's foreign minister, described officials at EU headquarters this week as out of touch with regular people, saying they should be "beating themselves on the chest" in remorse at the British referendum result.___EU HEADQUARTERS IN BRUSSELS MAY HAVE TO REIN IT IN-The European Union's Brussels-based executive Commission has acquired increased influence and confidence over recent years under the 2009 Lisbon Treaty, which governs the way the bloc is run and was meant to make it more effective and accountable.Yet there's a widespread perception in many European countries that the bloc's leaders are too willing to interfere on matters they don't need to. Britain's exit could make governments elsewhere in Europe more inclined to assert themselves against Brussels officials.Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Tuesday that the EU should keep in mind "the guiding principle — national solutions where possible, and European solutions where necessary."___Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this report.
Malta and Estonia could take over UK’s EU presidency By Eszter Zalan-JUNE 29,16-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 15:12-Two of the smallest EU nations could take over the UK’s job of holding the rotating presidency of the union next year.British prime minister David Cameron told fellow leaders on Tuesday (28 June) that they would have to wait for his successor to decide if the UK would still retain its role, sources familiar with talks said.The British chairmanship had been scheduled for the second half of 2017.Other leaders asked Cameron to let them know as soon as possible so that they could make alternative arrangements if need be.Malta takes over the presidency at the start of next year and Estonia was due to follow Britain in 2018.The Maltese leader said he would prefer Estonia’s chairmanship to be brought forward to cover the UK, a move that would also bring forward the rest of the EU presidency calendar.Malta, with a population of some 450,000, has already tripled the staff at its EU diplomatic mission, from around 45 to 150, to cope with the tasks.It also has made contractual and financial arrangements for the presidency, so it is less flexible to move its dates.But Malta’s prime minister Joseph Muscat has said he is open to discussion about splitting the UK’s six months with Estonia, or about Malta doing a one-year stint.There could be legal complications on splitting the six month-long period, however.According to the Lisbon Treaty, which introduced a new trio system in 2009, three member states are meant to share each 18-month presidency period in terms of closer cooperation.“It is simpler to change the rotation than the period,” an EU official said.Presiding over a longer presidency would also mean extra costs for the member state in charge. An EU official said other member states might offer financial assistance is the situation arose.Estonia, a Baltic country with a population of 1.3 million, has also started preparations for its presidency. They upped their staff from around 70 to 100, This will be doubled for the presidency period.“We need to be flexible, prepare different scenarios. It would not be easy, but we will manage,” said an EU source. The source said that advancing Estonia’s term also posed “difficult” legal questions.Estonian prime minister Taavi Roivas had on said Monday about the possible change of schedule: "We have thought about it. We’ve prepared for it and we'll cope with it."The order of the presidencies is decided by member states, so the EU Council will have to make the final decision.What is the council presidency?-The rotating presidency is in charge of pushing legislation or other decisions through the EU institutions.It no longer speaks for the EU on the world stage, as presidencies used to prior to Lisbon, which also introduced the new posts of EU Council president and EU foreign relations chief.It is also supposed to be a neutral broker.But presidencies still set the agenda for legislative talks in sectoral areas, giving the host state ample opportunity to promote national interests.The job usually requires years of preparation and the reshuffling of diplomatic staff in the country in charge. Malta, for instance, started its preparations in 2013 - four years before assuming the post.“It’s not the end of the world if we don’t find out until September what the UK wants to do, but the sooner would be the better of course,” an EU source said.
EU divided on answer to Brexit 'wake up call' By Eszter Zalan-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, 28. Jun, 15:59-Twenty-seven EU leaders will meet on Wednesday (29 June) for the first time without their UK counterpart to discuss the British divorce and future EU reforms.Last UK vote to leave the EU rang “alarm bells” across the continent that EU structures are too detached from citizens, giving rise to populism and euroscepticsm.Diplomats and officials in Brussels said there is need for deep reflection on how to bring the union closer to the general public.“The [public’s] attachment to the European project is not enough to offset the negative forces of withdrawal and rejection that are being expressed everywhere in Europe,” one EU diplomat said.Another diplomat said: “We need to listen and understand that there is an alarm bell, we need to change things”. A third EU diplomat used the same terms, saying: “This [the Brexit vote] is a very serious wake up call”.The immediate reaction is expected to be a show of unity by the 27, leaving substantial talks for later.Sources said EU council chief Donald Tusk might draft an informal ideas paper for Wednesday morning to serve as a basis for the summit talks, but that there would be no conclusions on the way forward.They also said the EU self-reflection process would lack the grandeur of previous intergovernmental “conventions”.“We don’t expect conclusions on Wednesday, we do not expect another European convention, this process cannot be carried out by ‘wise-men’,” an EU source said.An EU official noted: “You don't need to be Einstein to understand that if you launch a debate on substance now there will be no unity. In the current context, we cannot … promise things we cannot guarantee”.-New big three-France, Germany and Italy, the EU’s post-Brexit big three, on Monday already called for deeper EU integration in areas of clear common interest.German chancellor Angela Merkel, French president Francois Hollande and Italian PM Matteo Renzi said in a joint statement (27 June) in Berlin that they have a “strong commitment to European integration.”They said the EU should work more intensively in areas such as security, economic union, and social cohesion, but take a back seat on issues that capitals can better handle at home.Germany had wanted stronger economic union, while social cohesion is a priority for southern EU states, which need to create jobs for young people.The big three promised to start detailed talks in September and to agree a plan by December. They also spoke of reaffirming the European project in March 2017, the EU’s 60th birthday.In line with that idea, EU council chief Donald Tusk indicated on Tuesday (28 June) arriving to the summit of EU leaders that he would call an informalmeeting of the 27 in Spetember in Bratislava for talks on the EU's future.But Monday’s statement focused on listing joint policies instead of structural EU reform. It also did not mention how to tackle issues of immediate concern to average people, such as the migration crisis.-Reform, not integration-Meanwhile, other EU leaders think that further integration is not the solution.Poland said on Monday the EU should draft a new treaty that returns powers from the European Commission to the Council of the EU, where member states meet.It also called for commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker and council head Donald Tusk to resign over Brexit.There is no appetite for treaty change elsewhere in Europe due to fears that it would open a Pandora’s Box of national demands for opt-ins and opt-outs.But some officials said the future role of the EU Commission and its president would have to come up for debate in the reform process.The mood inside the EU corridors was dim, sources said. They said it was necessary to restore trust between member states and the commission and for national leaders to stop scapegoating EU institutions.“It doesn’t work that the leaders blame the EU for everything. It sends the wrong message [to the general public],” one EU contact said.-Real world issues-Josef Janning, a scholar of EU affairs at the ECFR think tank in Berlin, said the statement issued on Monday by France, Germany and Italy “was careful and cautious” and designed to give the impression of “business as usual.”He told EUobserver that Merkel did want to rush the UK, but neither the EU, so it does not commit to something now it cannot deliver later.He said Merkel is herself in a tricky position because there is no consensus on deeper EU integration inside the German government.Janning advised leaders to quickly address issues of pressing public concern, such as migration and economic structural issues in southern member states, to regain trust.He said the EU needed a critical mass of member states that were ready to act, noting that the concerns of countries such as Poland or Hungary ought to be, and could be accommodated.“I would advise to rebuild the political centre in Europe and focus on delivering on the existing crises,” he said.
Brexit vote irreversible, say EU leaders By Eric Maurice-JUNE 29,16-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 08:45-Five days after the UK voted to leave the EU, the bloc's leaders decided at a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday (28 June) to wait before starting the legal process for Brexit, but they insisted there was no alternative to Brexit.There was no "clamour" to trigger Article 50, British prime minister David Cameron said, referring to the EU treaty clause that organises a country's exit."Leaders understand that some time is now needed to allow the dust to settle in the UK," European Council president Donald Tusk explained.The position had been agreed on Sunday because of the political crisis in the UK.But EU leaders "also expect the intentions of the UK government to be specified as soon as possible", Tusk added.As one official from a member state put it, the message to British officials was: "You have a referendum, you deal with it."That means Britain will have to trigger Article 50 before any discussion about its future relationship with the EU can start. Cameron, who will resign after the summer, said it would be for the next British government to decide.“As of this evening, I see no way back from the Brexit vote,” German chancellor Angela Merkel told journalists. “This is no time for wishful thinking, but rather to grasp reality.”The message was delivered to Cameron but was in reality addressed to his successor and to eurosceptic leaders in Europe.Many member states want to discourage British officials from trying to negotiate a new deal to stay in the EU as they fear this would give an incentive to other countries or anti-EU parties to threaten the EU with referendums.If talks were held outside the legal framework of Article 50, "what kind of message would you send to everybody else?" the member state official said.-UK 'cannot cherry-pick EU rules'-The mood at the working dinner, the first since last Thursday's referendum and the last for Cameron, was "emotional", sources said.Cameron himself told journalists how several leaders told stories of old links between the UK and their countries.He said that the discussions were "very constructive, positive, calm" and that there was "an understanding that Britain and the EU should seek the closest possible relations... over trade, cooperation, security".He added however that it would be "impossible to have all of the benefits of EU membership without some of the cost of membership"."That is something the next British government is going to have to think through very carefully," he added.Officials said that when the UK negotiates its new status with the EU, "there will be no cherry-picking" of EU rules.-'Face the consequences'-In particular, if it wants to get access to the EU single market, it will have to accept the freedom of movement for goods, capitals, services and above all for people."Freedom of movement is not subject to discussion, even if it has been portrayed in a cartoonesque way in the British press," a senior EU official said, adding that it was "a principle of the EU, we will not move from that".“This isn’t to punish the British people but they will have to face the consequences for some time,” French president Francois Hollande said.The issue is likely to be one of the most contentious ones in future talks.Cameron himself told his colleagues during the discussion that he lost the referendum because he did not get a deal to reduce migration further.“I think people recognised the strength of the economic case for staying, but there was a very strong concern about freedom of movement,” he told journalists.In their summit conclusions, EU leaders only mentioned that "the UK prime minister informed the European Council about the outcome of the referendum in the UK", thus keeping their hands free for the months to come.The Conservatives aim to choose a new leader, who will then become prime minister, by 9 September, party officials said on Tuesday.-'No need to speculate'-EU officials said Article 50 could be activated by the new prime minister in October, at the next EU summit, or later according to the domestic situation. But no time-frame was discussed by leaders, sources said.At the press conference following the meeting, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker surprised everyone by saying that a prime minister from the Remain camp would have two weeks to notify Article 50, while for a PM from the Leave camp "it should be done on the day after his appointment".An official told EUobserver that the remark was only made "in the heat" of the press conference.Speaking after Juncker, Tusk said that there was "no need to speculate"."If they [the future British cabinet] need more time we'll have to wait. It's not the best solution for the UK and for us but this is the only legal way we have today," he said.
Renzi seeks green light to help Italy's banks By Aleksandra Eriksson-JUNE 29,16-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 09:24-The European Commission and Italy are floating ideas on a possible bail-out of the country’s banks.Turmoil on global markets following Britain's vote to leave the EU hit hard against Italian banks, which are already struggling under the weight of €360 billion in bad loans, sluggish economic growth and record low interest rates.Euro and finance commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis told Bloomberg on Tuesday (28 June) that the EU’s executive arm was closely monitoring the situation of Italian banks and is in contact with Italian authorities about possible measures.Rome is considering shoring up banks with up to €40 billion to save shareholders and junior creditors from taking the losses.But the bailout of bank creditors would be contrary to new EU legislation, which aims to avoid that tax payers bear the brunt of bad banking policies.Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker added later that day that his team would do everything to avoid a run on Italian banks.“This is not a danger for Italy for the time being,” Juncker told journalists, ”but we have to make sure given the uncomfortable global circumstances we are in that the banking sector in Italy and elsewhere will be protected in the best way possible”.Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi said the talks were not yet formal negotiations.He hopes to persuade the commission that Brexit opened up “exceptional circumstances” that would justify the measure.The Italian parliament is meanwhile clearing legal hurdles for the legislation.Dombrovskis declined to elaborate on the talks or the way the EU is leaning.
The foreign ministers of France and Germany are due to reveal a blueprint to effectively do away with individual member states in what is being described as an “ultimatum”. Under the radical proposals EU countries will lose the right to have their own army, criminal law, taxation system or central bank, with all those powers being transferred to Brussels. Controversially member states would also lose what few controls they have left over their own borders, including the procedure for admitting and relocating refugees. The plot has sparked fury and panic in Poland - a traditional ally of Britain in the fight against federalism - after being leaked to Polish news channel TVP Info. The public broadcaster reported the bombshell proposal would be presented to a meeting of the Visegrad group of countries - made up of Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia - by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. In the preamble to the text the two ministers write: "Our countries share a common destiny and a common set of values ??that give rise to an even closer union between our citizens. We will therefore strive for a political union in Europe and invite the next Europeans to participate in this venture."The revelations come just days after Britain shook the Brussels establishment by voting to leave the European Union in a move some have predicted could leave to the break-up of the EU. A number of member states are deeply unhappy about the creeping federalism of the European project with anti-EU sentiments running high in eastern Europe, Scandinavia and France. Responding to the plot Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski raged: "This is not a good solution, of course, because from the time the EU was invented a lot has changed.“The mood in European societies is different. Europe and our voters do not want to give the Union over into the hands of technocrats.“Therefore, I want to talk about this, whether this really is the right recipe right now in the context of a Brexit."There are deep divides at the heart of the EU at the moment over how to proceed with the project in light of the Brexit vote.Some figures have cautioned against trying to force through further political integration, warning that to do so against the wishes of the European people will only fuel further Eurosceptic feeling. A few weeks before the Brexit vote European Council president Donald Tusk warned that European citizens did not share the enthusiasm of some of their leaders for “a utopia of Europe without conflicting interests and ambitions, a utopia of Europe imposing its own values on the external world, a utopia of Euro-Asian unity”. He added: “Increasingly louder are those who question the very principle of a united Europe. The spectre of a break-up is haunting Europe and a vision of a federation doesn’t seem to me to be the best answer to it.” His view was backed up by the leader of the eurozone countries, Dutch politician Jerome Dijsselbloem, who added: “In the eurozone some are pushing for a completion of the monetary union by creating a full political union, a euro area economic government or even a euro budget… to me it is obvious.“We need to strengthen what we have and finish it, but let’s not build more extensions to the European house while it is so unstable.”Meanwhile Lorenzo Condign, the former director general of Italy’s treasury, has said it is nearly impossible to see Europe opting for more integration at such a time of upheaval. He said: “It seems difficult to imagine that the rest of the EU will close ranks and move in the direction of greater integration quickly. Simply, there is no political will. “Indeed, the risk is exactly the opposite - namely that centrifugal forces will prevail and make integration even more difficult.”But others see the Brexit vote as an opportunity to push ahead with the European elite’s long-cherished dream of creating a United States of Europe.Spain’s foreign minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo has called for “more Europe” whilst Italy’s finance minister, Carlo Padoan, is advocating a common budget for the eurozone states.And Emmanuel Macron, France’s economy minister, wants to go even further and set up a common eurozone treasury which would oversee the permanent transfer of funds from wealthier northern Europe to shore up Mediterranean economies.
EU Officials To Unveil 'Ultimatum' Blueprint As Final Solution For European Super-State-by Tyler Durden-Jun 27, 2016 11:20 PM
It appears The Brits may have dodged more than a bullet in their decision to leave The EU. The foreign ministers of France and Germany are reportedly due to reveal a blueprint to effectively do away with individual member states in what is being described as an "ultimatum." As The Express reports, the shockingly predictable final solution to Europe's Brexit-driven existential crisis is an apparently long-held plan to morph the continent’s countries into one giant superstate. The radical proposals mean EU countries will lose the right to have their own army, criminal law, taxation system or central bank, with all those powers being transferred to Brussels. According to the Daily Express, the nine-page report has "outraged" some EU leaders.The plans for 'a closer European Union' have been branded an attempt to create a 'European superstate', as The Daily Mail reports,Germany's foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault today presented a proposal for closer EU integration based on three key areas - internal and external security, the migrant crisis, and economic cooperation.But the plans have been described as an 'ultimatum' in Poland, with claims it would mean countries transfer their armies, economic systems and border controls to the EU.Controversially member states would also lose what few controls they have left over their own borders, including the procedure for admitting and relocating refugees.The Express reports that the plot has sparked fury and panic in Poland - a traditional ally of Britain in the fight against federalism - after being leaked to Polish news channel TVP Info.The public broadcaster reports that the bombshell proposal will be presented to a meeting of the Visegrad group of countries - made up of Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia - by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier later today.Excerpts of the nine-page report were published today as the leaders of Germany, France and Italy met in Berlin for Brexit crisis talks.In the preamble to the text the two ministers write: "Our countries share a common destiny and a common set of values ??that give rise to an even closer union between our citizens. We will therefore strive for a political union in Europe and invite the next Europeans to participate in this venture."Responding to the plot Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski raged: "This is not a good solution, of course, because from the time the EU was invented a lot has changed.“The mood in European societies is different. Europe and our voters do not want to give the Union over into the hands of technocrats.“Therefore, I want to talk about this, whether this really is the right recipe right now in the context of a Brexit."There are deep divides at the heart of the EU at the moment over how to proceed with the project in light of the Brexit vote.Some figures have cautioned against trying to force through further political integration, warning that to do so against the wishes of the European people will only fuel further Eurosceptic feeling.Czech minister Lubomír Zaorálek added that the four eastern members had reservations about the proposed common security policy.Meanwhile Lorenzo Condign, the former director general of Italy’s treasury, has said it is nearly impossible to see Europe opting for more integration at such a time of upheaval.He said: “It seems difficult to imagine that the rest of the EU will close ranks and move in the direction of greater integration quickly. Simply, there is no political will.“Indeed, the risk is exactly the opposite - namely that centrifugal forces will prevail and make integration even more difficult.”It seems the infamous phrase "never let a crisis go to waste" has not been lost on EU officialdom.
Leaders rule out treaty change to reform EU-By Eszter Zalan-june 29,16-euobserver
BRUSSELS, Today, 18:20-EU leaders will meet in Bratislava in September to rethink the future on the EU in the face of Britain's exit from the bloc and amid growing populism the threatens the foundations of the European project.“Many people express dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs, be it at the European or national level. Europeans expect us to do better … We need to deliver on this, in a way that unites us,” they said in a joint statement after a meeting at the level of just 27 on Wednesday (29 June).The EU-27 earlier the same day held their first preliminary discussion on how to approach reform.Their meeting in Slovakia on 16 September will launch a discussion that some hope will re-energise the European project by next March, in time for the 60th anniversary of the Rome treaty that founded the European Community.The largest countries said it will not only be a “more or less” Europe debate, but on how to create a “better” Europe.German chancellor Angela Merkel said the EU needs to streamline, cut red tape, and create jobs.“We need to act now. We have to set a positive agenda,” she said, adding that the EU also has to get better at delivering results.“The objective has to be to convince citizens why we do certain things … The issue is not about more or less regulation, but to set objectives more precisely,” Merkel said.French president Francois Hollande agreed, saying that “nothing would be worse than the status quo.” “It would be the continuation of the populists' enterprise,” he said.Hollande faces elections next year and far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen, who is calling for a referendum on EU membership, is a strong contender.In the coming weeks, countries will have to work out their ideas and priorities.Some countries, like Germany, France and Italy have already put forward papers with ideas on stronger cooperation on security and tackling youth unemployment.-The EU is not in Brussels'-Others see the process as an opportunity to scale back EU competences and to reinforce nation states.Fault lines will inevitably be exposed between those who think a more federalist EU would be more effective, and others who argue that member states should be more in control of union decision-making.“We have to return to the thesis that the member states and not EU institutions form the basis of the EU. The democratic features of the EU can only be strengthened through member states,” Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orban said Wednesday.“The EU is not in Brussels, but in the 27, now still 28 capitals,” Orban said, in a reference to the fact that the UK remains a member of the EU until the end of its exit negotiations.He added that prior efforts to create democratic legitimacy for the EU institutions had failed.-Treaty change?-The Bratislava process could eventually lead to treaty change, although the majority of leaders agree that now is not time to open up the legal foundations of the bloc.“Of course the EU needs reforms, but not reforms that are complimentary or contradictory to what we’re doing now … It’s about speeding up reforms not adding reforms,” commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said after the meeting.He added that “the general view [among EU leaders] is that there would be no [EU] treaty change … it’s about implementation, not innovation.”Sources said the more eurosceptic Visegrad countries - Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic - would also prepare a common position for the meeting.“We’ll see what happens in Bratislava. Previous groups, previous divisions will change, new groups will emerge,” Orban said.The Hungarian PM said he understood that under the current circumstances treaty change is not timely and would only create uncertainty.“But when things calm down, we should examine what values and procedures to rethink in the current treaty,” he added.Beata Szydlo, the Polish prime minister, whose government advocates “radical” treaty change, said: “To speak about changing the treaty now prompts a certain resistance because everybody is concerned that talks on a new treaty in such an unstable situation could be a big problem ... maybe at the end of the discussions, of the deeper reflection, there will also be talk of the need for a new treaty”.Se warned against ideas of creating sub-sets of EU states each with different levels of integration.“If there’s talk among some states of building a Europe of variable speeds, that’s the end of the european project … leaders have to lay aside talk of clubs or groups that are more or less elite”, she said.Leaders will assess the outcome of the Bratislava talks in October and December and hope have tangible outcomes by next March.
Britain's departure will shift power dynamics in EU-[The Canadian Press]-Geir Moulson, The Associated Press-June 29, 2016-yahoonews
BRUSSELS - Britain's departure from the European Union will deprive the bloc of one of its few truly heavyweight members, a diplomatic, economic and military powerhouse. Britain accounts for more than 60 million of the EU's 500 million people, has the world's fifth-biggest economy and is a nuclear power. Its exit will shift the power dynamics of a bloc that has long relied on trade-offs and compromise between countries that have different ideas about what they want out of a united Europe.Here's a look at shifting powers in the 28-nation bloc:___GERMANY AND FRANCE MAY HAVE TO DO MORE-Germany and France have combined over the decades as the motor of European integration. The two countries often draw up joint proposals for major policy issues before summits of the full bloc — something smaller EU nations can view with suspicion. That frequently requires a balance between different political philosophies, with Germany tending toward a free-market approach while France favouring more state intervention in the economy."When we agree about everything, then the others are worried. When, which is seldom the case, we do not agree, then people are even more worried," French President Francois Hollande said Monday during a visit to Berlin. "So we have decided that we prefer to agree."Amid tensions over Europe's debt crisis, the French-German partnership hasn't been much of a romance over recent years. And it has looked increasingly unbalanced as German Chancellor Angela Merkel presides over a strong economy while the deeply unpopular Hollande struggles to reform France.Germany, France and Italy are the only three EU countries other than Britain with more than 60 million people. Merkel also invited Italian Premier Matteo Renzi to Berlin on Monday ahead of a summit where EU leaders pondered how to keep their union together.The big EU countries are keen not to be seen as dominating their smaller partners."The European Union has no directorate," Renzi said.___THE EUROZONE NOT LIKELY TO EXPAND ANYTIME SOON-Nineteen of the EU's 28 members use the shared euro currency. Britain never joined this inner circle, which brings together countries as diverse as Germany, Slovakia and Greece. Denmark also opted out of the euro and Swedish voters rejected the currency in a 2003 referendum.The club doesn't look likely to expand anytime soon — even though all the many eastern European countries that joined the EU starting in 2004 are on paper committed to joining the euro. Still, governments in Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic are paying lip service at most to that requirement. They're waiting to see how the currency zone resolves the debt problems that saw Ireland, Greece, Portugal, Spain and Cyprus bailed out.___THE EAST GETS MORE ASSERTIVE-Four independent-minded eastern European countries that have been increasingly assertive over the past year will demand to have their voice heard as the EU figures out how to move forward: Poland — the biggest of the EU's eastern members with 38 million people — along with Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.The four have already resisted calls by Merkel for all EU countries to share the burden of hosting the massive influx of refugees to the bloc. Nationalist governments in Poland and Hungary, in particular, have little appetite for further EU integration and have bristled at scrutiny from Brussels of their own domestic policy moves.Witold Waszczykowski, Poland's foreign minister, described officials at EU headquarters this week as out of touch with regular people, saying they should be "beating themselves on the chest" in remorse at the British referendum result.___EU HEADQUARTERS IN BRUSSELS MAY HAVE TO REIN IT IN-The European Union's Brussels-based executive Commission has acquired increased influence and confidence over recent years under the 2009 Lisbon Treaty, which governs the way the bloc is run and was meant to make it more effective and accountable.Yet there's a widespread perception in many European countries that the bloc's leaders are too willing to interfere on matters they don't need to. Britain's exit could make governments elsewhere in Europe more inclined to assert themselves against Brussels officials.Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Tuesday that the EU should keep in mind "the guiding principle — national solutions where possible, and European solutions where necessary."___Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this report.
Malta and Estonia could take over UK’s EU presidency By Eszter Zalan-JUNE 29,16-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 15:12-Two of the smallest EU nations could take over the UK’s job of holding the rotating presidency of the union next year.British prime minister David Cameron told fellow leaders on Tuesday (28 June) that they would have to wait for his successor to decide if the UK would still retain its role, sources familiar with talks said.The British chairmanship had been scheduled for the second half of 2017.Other leaders asked Cameron to let them know as soon as possible so that they could make alternative arrangements if need be.Malta takes over the presidency at the start of next year and Estonia was due to follow Britain in 2018.The Maltese leader said he would prefer Estonia’s chairmanship to be brought forward to cover the UK, a move that would also bring forward the rest of the EU presidency calendar.Malta, with a population of some 450,000, has already tripled the staff at its EU diplomatic mission, from around 45 to 150, to cope with the tasks.It also has made contractual and financial arrangements for the presidency, so it is less flexible to move its dates.But Malta’s prime minister Joseph Muscat has said he is open to discussion about splitting the UK’s six months with Estonia, or about Malta doing a one-year stint.There could be legal complications on splitting the six month-long period, however.According to the Lisbon Treaty, which introduced a new trio system in 2009, three member states are meant to share each 18-month presidency period in terms of closer cooperation.“It is simpler to change the rotation than the period,” an EU official said.Presiding over a longer presidency would also mean extra costs for the member state in charge. An EU official said other member states might offer financial assistance is the situation arose.Estonia, a Baltic country with a population of 1.3 million, has also started preparations for its presidency. They upped their staff from around 70 to 100, This will be doubled for the presidency period.“We need to be flexible, prepare different scenarios. It would not be easy, but we will manage,” said an EU source. The source said that advancing Estonia’s term also posed “difficult” legal questions.Estonian prime minister Taavi Roivas had on said Monday about the possible change of schedule: "We have thought about it. We’ve prepared for it and we'll cope with it."The order of the presidencies is decided by member states, so the EU Council will have to make the final decision.What is the council presidency?-The rotating presidency is in charge of pushing legislation or other decisions through the EU institutions.It no longer speaks for the EU on the world stage, as presidencies used to prior to Lisbon, which also introduced the new posts of EU Council president and EU foreign relations chief.It is also supposed to be a neutral broker.But presidencies still set the agenda for legislative talks in sectoral areas, giving the host state ample opportunity to promote national interests.The job usually requires years of preparation and the reshuffling of diplomatic staff in the country in charge. Malta, for instance, started its preparations in 2013 - four years before assuming the post.“It’s not the end of the world if we don’t find out until September what the UK wants to do, but the sooner would be the better of course,” an EU source said.
EU divided on answer to Brexit 'wake up call' By Eszter Zalan-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, 28. Jun, 15:59-Twenty-seven EU leaders will meet on Wednesday (29 June) for the first time without their UK counterpart to discuss the British divorce and future EU reforms.Last UK vote to leave the EU rang “alarm bells” across the continent that EU structures are too detached from citizens, giving rise to populism and euroscepticsm.Diplomats and officials in Brussels said there is need for deep reflection on how to bring the union closer to the general public.“The [public’s] attachment to the European project is not enough to offset the negative forces of withdrawal and rejection that are being expressed everywhere in Europe,” one EU diplomat said.Another diplomat said: “We need to listen and understand that there is an alarm bell, we need to change things”. A third EU diplomat used the same terms, saying: “This [the Brexit vote] is a very serious wake up call”.The immediate reaction is expected to be a show of unity by the 27, leaving substantial talks for later.Sources said EU council chief Donald Tusk might draft an informal ideas paper for Wednesday morning to serve as a basis for the summit talks, but that there would be no conclusions on the way forward.They also said the EU self-reflection process would lack the grandeur of previous intergovernmental “conventions”.“We don’t expect conclusions on Wednesday, we do not expect another European convention, this process cannot be carried out by ‘wise-men’,” an EU source said.An EU official noted: “You don't need to be Einstein to understand that if you launch a debate on substance now there will be no unity. In the current context, we cannot … promise things we cannot guarantee”.-New big three-France, Germany and Italy, the EU’s post-Brexit big three, on Monday already called for deeper EU integration in areas of clear common interest.German chancellor Angela Merkel, French president Francois Hollande and Italian PM Matteo Renzi said in a joint statement (27 June) in Berlin that they have a “strong commitment to European integration.”They said the EU should work more intensively in areas such as security, economic union, and social cohesion, but take a back seat on issues that capitals can better handle at home.Germany had wanted stronger economic union, while social cohesion is a priority for southern EU states, which need to create jobs for young people.The big three promised to start detailed talks in September and to agree a plan by December. They also spoke of reaffirming the European project in March 2017, the EU’s 60th birthday.In line with that idea, EU council chief Donald Tusk indicated on Tuesday (28 June) arriving to the summit of EU leaders that he would call an informalmeeting of the 27 in Spetember in Bratislava for talks on the EU's future.But Monday’s statement focused on listing joint policies instead of structural EU reform. It also did not mention how to tackle issues of immediate concern to average people, such as the migration crisis.-Reform, not integration-Meanwhile, other EU leaders think that further integration is not the solution.Poland said on Monday the EU should draft a new treaty that returns powers from the European Commission to the Council of the EU, where member states meet.It also called for commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker and council head Donald Tusk to resign over Brexit.There is no appetite for treaty change elsewhere in Europe due to fears that it would open a Pandora’s Box of national demands for opt-ins and opt-outs.But some officials said the future role of the EU Commission and its president would have to come up for debate in the reform process.The mood inside the EU corridors was dim, sources said. They said it was necessary to restore trust between member states and the commission and for national leaders to stop scapegoating EU institutions.“It doesn’t work that the leaders blame the EU for everything. It sends the wrong message [to the general public],” one EU contact said.-Real world issues-Josef Janning, a scholar of EU affairs at the ECFR think tank in Berlin, said the statement issued on Monday by France, Germany and Italy “was careful and cautious” and designed to give the impression of “business as usual.”He told EUobserver that Merkel did want to rush the UK, but neither the EU, so it does not commit to something now it cannot deliver later.He said Merkel is herself in a tricky position because there is no consensus on deeper EU integration inside the German government.Janning advised leaders to quickly address issues of pressing public concern, such as migration and economic structural issues in southern member states, to regain trust.He said the EU needed a critical mass of member states that were ready to act, noting that the concerns of countries such as Poland or Hungary ought to be, and could be accommodated.“I would advise to rebuild the political centre in Europe and focus on delivering on the existing crises,” he said.
Brexit vote irreversible, say EU leaders By Eric Maurice-JUNE 29,16-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 08:45-Five days after the UK voted to leave the EU, the bloc's leaders decided at a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday (28 June) to wait before starting the legal process for Brexit, but they insisted there was no alternative to Brexit.There was no "clamour" to trigger Article 50, British prime minister David Cameron said, referring to the EU treaty clause that organises a country's exit."Leaders understand that some time is now needed to allow the dust to settle in the UK," European Council president Donald Tusk explained.The position had been agreed on Sunday because of the political crisis in the UK.But EU leaders "also expect the intentions of the UK government to be specified as soon as possible", Tusk added.As one official from a member state put it, the message to British officials was: "You have a referendum, you deal with it."That means Britain will have to trigger Article 50 before any discussion about its future relationship with the EU can start. Cameron, who will resign after the summer, said it would be for the next British government to decide.“As of this evening, I see no way back from the Brexit vote,” German chancellor Angela Merkel told journalists. “This is no time for wishful thinking, but rather to grasp reality.”The message was delivered to Cameron but was in reality addressed to his successor and to eurosceptic leaders in Europe.Many member states want to discourage British officials from trying to negotiate a new deal to stay in the EU as they fear this would give an incentive to other countries or anti-EU parties to threaten the EU with referendums.If talks were held outside the legal framework of Article 50, "what kind of message would you send to everybody else?" the member state official said.-UK 'cannot cherry-pick EU rules'-The mood at the working dinner, the first since last Thursday's referendum and the last for Cameron, was "emotional", sources said.Cameron himself told journalists how several leaders told stories of old links between the UK and their countries.He said that the discussions were "very constructive, positive, calm" and that there was "an understanding that Britain and the EU should seek the closest possible relations... over trade, cooperation, security".He added however that it would be "impossible to have all of the benefits of EU membership without some of the cost of membership"."That is something the next British government is going to have to think through very carefully," he added.Officials said that when the UK negotiates its new status with the EU, "there will be no cherry-picking" of EU rules.-'Face the consequences'-In particular, if it wants to get access to the EU single market, it will have to accept the freedom of movement for goods, capitals, services and above all for people."Freedom of movement is not subject to discussion, even if it has been portrayed in a cartoonesque way in the British press," a senior EU official said, adding that it was "a principle of the EU, we will not move from that".“This isn’t to punish the British people but they will have to face the consequences for some time,” French president Francois Hollande said.The issue is likely to be one of the most contentious ones in future talks.Cameron himself told his colleagues during the discussion that he lost the referendum because he did not get a deal to reduce migration further.“I think people recognised the strength of the economic case for staying, but there was a very strong concern about freedom of movement,” he told journalists.In their summit conclusions, EU leaders only mentioned that "the UK prime minister informed the European Council about the outcome of the referendum in the UK", thus keeping their hands free for the months to come.The Conservatives aim to choose a new leader, who will then become prime minister, by 9 September, party officials said on Tuesday.-'No need to speculate'-EU officials said Article 50 could be activated by the new prime minister in October, at the next EU summit, or later according to the domestic situation. But no time-frame was discussed by leaders, sources said.At the press conference following the meeting, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker surprised everyone by saying that a prime minister from the Remain camp would have two weeks to notify Article 50, while for a PM from the Leave camp "it should be done on the day after his appointment".An official told EUobserver that the remark was only made "in the heat" of the press conference.Speaking after Juncker, Tusk said that there was "no need to speculate"."If they [the future British cabinet] need more time we'll have to wait. It's not the best solution for the UK and for us but this is the only legal way we have today," he said.
Renzi seeks green light to help Italy's banks By Aleksandra Eriksson-JUNE 29,16-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 09:24-The European Commission and Italy are floating ideas on a possible bail-out of the country’s banks.Turmoil on global markets following Britain's vote to leave the EU hit hard against Italian banks, which are already struggling under the weight of €360 billion in bad loans, sluggish economic growth and record low interest rates.Euro and finance commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis told Bloomberg on Tuesday (28 June) that the EU’s executive arm was closely monitoring the situation of Italian banks and is in contact with Italian authorities about possible measures.Rome is considering shoring up banks with up to €40 billion to save shareholders and junior creditors from taking the losses.But the bailout of bank creditors would be contrary to new EU legislation, which aims to avoid that tax payers bear the brunt of bad banking policies.Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker added later that day that his team would do everything to avoid a run on Italian banks.“This is not a danger for Italy for the time being,” Juncker told journalists, ”but we have to make sure given the uncomfortable global circumstances we are in that the banking sector in Italy and elsewhere will be protected in the best way possible”.Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi said the talks were not yet formal negotiations.He hopes to persuade the commission that Brexit opened up “exceptional circumstances” that would justify the measure.The Italian parliament is meanwhile clearing legal hurdles for the legislation.Dombrovskis declined to elaborate on the talks or the way the EU is leaning.
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