INR | WESTERN EUROPE: Weekly updates

Germany Imposes Stricter Border Controls Amid Immigration Crackdown

1.Germany will introduce tighter controls at all land borders starting Sept. 16, lasting six months, to combat irregular migration and bolster security.

2. The move comes in response to public concerns, including recent deadly knife attacks involving asylum seekers, and aims to curb Islamist extremism.

3. The government’s action is seen as a bid to regain political ground from the far-right AfD, which won a state election in Thuringia, capitalizing on immigration fears.

4. These measures may strain European unity, especially as Germany looks to negotiate asylum seeker returns with other Schengen countries.

Read more at: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-put-temporary-controls-all-land-borders-source-says-2024-09-09/

NATO Expands MEO Satellite Services with SES for Enhanced Global Communications

1. NATO awarded its first Medium-Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite services contract to SES, supporting naval, air, and ground communications for the U.S. and Luxembourg.

2. The MEO Global Services (MGS) program, established by the U.S. and Luxembourg in 2022, aims to share space capabilities among NATO members.

3. The program offers secure 10 Gbps O3b mPOWER capacity, with options for managed services and sovereign gateways, enhancing coalition operations.

4. SES plans to expand its O3b mPOWER constellation, with additional satellite launches scheduled through 2026 to boost mission-critical connectivity for NATO nations.

Read more at: https://www.satellitetoday.com/government-military/2024/09/11/nato-awards-ses-contract-for-meo-services-for-us-luxembourg/

Dutch Court Convicts Two Pakistanis for Assassination Threats Against Politician

1. Threats Against Geert Wilders: Two Pakistani nationals were convicted by the Netherlands' Court of The Hague for calling on the public to assassinate far-right politician Geert Wilders after he proposed a controversial cartoon competition in 2018.

2. Fatwa and Terrorist Intent: A 56-year-old religious leader issued a fatwa and incited murder with terrorist intent, receiving a 14-year prison sentence. The second defendant, a political leader, was sentenced to four years without proven terrorist intent.

3. International Impact: Despite the convictions, the men are unlikely to serve their sentences as they remain in Pakistan, which has no extradition treaty with the Netherlands.

4. Political Violence in Europe: This case is part of a larger trend of increasing political violence in Europe, with several attacks on political figures across the continent in recent months.

Read more at: https://www.jurist.org/news/2024/09/netherlands-court-convicts-two-pakistani-men-for-assassination-threats-with-terrorist-intent-against-politician/

Austria Tops List as World's Most Overcrowded Tourist Destination

1. High Tourist-to-Resident Ratio: Austria experiences overtourism with nearly four tourists for every resident, primarily concentrated in its capital, Vienna.

2. Tourism Boom in Vienna: Vienna saw a 31% rise in overnight stays between 2022 and 2023, nearing pre-pandemic tourism levels, with 17.3 million overnight visitors.

3. Overcrowding in Hallstatt: The picturesque town of Hallstatt, a UNESCO site, has struggled with mass tourism, drawing over a million visitors annually, leading to local protests and attempts to limit tourist numbers.

4. Efforts to Curb Overtourism: Measures like limiting tour buses in Hallstatt and blocking popular photo spots have been met with mixed reactions, highlighting the challenges of managing mass tourism.

Read more at: https://news.az/news/austria-tops-list-as-world-s-most-overcrowded-tourist-destination

France's New PM Faces Political Divide in Forming Government

1. Michel Barnier Named Prime Minister: President Emmanuel Macron appoints conservative Michel Barnier as France’s new Prime Minister.

2. Government Formation Next Week: Barnier is set to announce a new government next week amidst consultations with potential ministers.

3. Politically Divided Parliament: The French parliament is split between Macron's centrists, the left-wing NFP alliance, and the far-right National Rally.

4. Budget Deadline Adds Pressure: The October 1 deadline for the 2025 budget adds urgency to the process.

Read more at: https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.economictimes.com/news/international/world-news/frances-new-pm-michel-barnier-to-form-government-next-week/amp_articleshow/113261935.cms

Belgium is perplexed and angry that Germany is reintroducing border controls

Those who regularly cross Germany's nine land borders are mixed in their feelings about the country's plan to impose controls there for the next six months.

The regulations that were announced on Monday will be in effect at the crossings with Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Denmark from September 16 until March 15, 2019.

The nation is essentially returning to the period of border controls in Europe, given that the Austrian border has been under control since May, as have the borders with Switzerland, Poland, and the Czech Republic since June, and the French border since July.

Read more: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/09/11/belgian-discontent-as-germany-brings-in-border-controls 

Over an EU fine, Hungary threatens to send migrants to Belgium via bus

In reaction to a sentence of more than $220 million levied by the European Court of Justice, Hungary is intensifying its dispute with the EU by threatening to transport refugees to Brussels.

Hungary was penalized after the court determined that it had broken EU asylum laws. Prime Minister Viktor Orban has pledged to send undocumented migrants straight to Belgium in protest. Protesting leaders in Belgium denounced the idea as outrageous, and officials threatened to stop the buses at the border.

The impasse puts strain on European unity by highlighting deeper differences over immigration policy and the rule of law. Check out our video to learn more.

Read more: https://www.firstpost.com/web-show/firstpost-america/hungary-threatens-to-send-migrants-to-belgium-on-a-bus-over-an-eu-fine--vd506234/ 

When diplomats visit Kiev, the US and the UK promise to provide Ukraine with over $1.5 billion in aid

During a visit to Kyiv by its senior diplomats on Wednesday, the United States and Britain committed roughly $1.5 billion in extra aid to Ukraine, while Ukrainian officials reiterated their requests to employ missiles supplied by the West against targets located further within Russia.

More than $700 million in humanitarian relief was announced by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, while British Foreign Secretary David Lammy affirmed that his nation would contribute an additional $782 million in loan guarantees and support. The majority of the work was focused on supporting Russia's energy infrastructure in anticipation of a challenging winter.

Churchill picture found in Italy that was taken in Canada

After going stolen from an Ottawa hotel and being replaced with a replica, an original print of a well-known Winston Churchill portrait was discovered in Italy.

Photographed by Yousuf Karsh in 1941, "The Roaring Lion" was captured soon after Churchill addressed Canada's parliament about the war.

The image was discovered on Wednesday in the possession of a private buyer in Genoa, Italy, who was not aware that it had been reported stolen, according to Ottawa police.

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd0511gyme3o

European Union to reevaluate tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles

The European Union should reevaluate proposed import taxes on electric vehicles built in China, according to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who also encouraged Beijing and Brussels to reach a settlement to prevent a trade war.

Sanchez's remarks while on a visit to China indicate a shift in strategy from Spain, which has up to now backed the tariffs, while also expressing worry about the possible effects on Spanish industry of any spillover from the EU-China trade war.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/spanish-prime-minister-says-we-dont-need-another-trade-war-2024-09-11/

News Bits collected by [Region Head]: 

Poulina Banerjee (BA IR 3rd year)

Uttam Roy (BA IR 3rd year)

Published By: Varsha Das (BA IR, 3rd year)

INR | WESTERN EUROPE: Weekly Updates

Changes to UK import controls from 31 January 2024

In August 2023, the UK Government published its Border Target Operating Model which introduced new customs procedures and import controls for live animals; food of animal origin; germinal products; animal by-products; plants; plant products; fruit; vegetables; and horticulture products imported into Great Britain from Ireland and the rest of the European Union.

There are two important changes to take note of:

1. Export health certificates and phytosanitary certificates will be required for medium-risk animal products, plants and plant products imported to Great Britain, in line with the UK risk categories.

2. Your Great Britain importer or Great Britain based agent will need to pre-notify each consignment on the UK’s food and feed sanitary and phytosanitary import system (IPAFFS)

These new UK requirements will be in addition to the existing formalities that apply when exporting goods from Ireland and the EU.

https://www.fsai.ie/news-and-alerts/latest-news/changes-to-uk-import-controls-from-31-january-2024

El Prado Museum pushes for more inclusive and respectful language

• A total of 1,800 cartouches have been revised, but in addition to the galleries, there was also a lot of work to be done on the website which has some 27,000 files. 
• Words and terms such as 'dwarfism,' 'handicapped,' 'the wife of' and 'obesity' have been removed to use more inclusive and less sexist language.
• Victor Cageao has led the conservatorship department to look for examples of wording that - in the present time - could be seen as discriminatory or insulting.

https://www.euronews.com/culture/2024/01/22/el-prado-museum-pushes-for-more-inclusive-and-respectful-language

Monaco goes to the polls: explore the principality's unique political system

• Second smallest state in the world, Monaco, will go to the polls on Sunday to choose new lawmakers.
• The Monegasques are going to vote this Sunday 5 February 2023, to renew their Parliament called the NationalIn Monaco, legislative power is jointly exercised by Prince Albert II and the National Council
• It is currently chaired by Brigitte Boccone-Pagès.

https://www.euronews.com/2023/02/04/monaco-goes-to-the-polls-explore-the-principalitys-unique-political-system

Liechtenstein election: Just 23 ballots separate two biggest parties that will now form coalition

• The country’s election on Monday was seen - as it has always been - as a two-horse race, with only marginal differences, policy-wise, between the horses.
• The two parties that share power at the head of Liechtenstein will now be called upon to form a new coalition.
• Each won 35.9% of around 20,000 votes in the parliamentary elections on Sunday, according to the Swiss news agency Keystone-ATS.
• The local parliament, the Landtag, which has 25 deputies, must now appoint the government, headed either by Daniel Risch, (VU) or Sabine Monauni (FBP), who would be the first woman to lead the country where women were only granted the right to vote in 1984.

https://www.euronews.com/2021/02/08/liechtenstein-election-just-23-ballots-separate-two-biggest-parties-that-will-now-form-coa

Romania, Bulgaria to partially enter Schengen after striking deal with Austria

• Romania and Bulgaria have struck an agreement with Austria to partially join Europe's borderless Schengen travel zone by March 2024, Bucharest and Sofia have confirmed.
• The political agreement will allow Romania and Bulgaria to join the Schengen zone by air and sea only, with further negotiations to follow on land borders, the Romanian interior ministry said Wednesday.
• Austria had been blocking both countries' accession to Schengen over concerns it could lead to an influx in irregular migrant arrivals in Europe via the Turkish and Western Balkan routes.

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/12/28/romania-bulgaria-to-partially-enter-schengen-after-striking-deal-with-austria

Andorra summit: Latin American leaders call for better distribution of coronavirus vaccines

• The region has been disproportionately hit by the pandemic, accounting for nearly 30% of the world's COVID-19 deaths.
• Representatives of 22 countries from Latin America and Europe’s Iberian Peninsula, in their first, mostly virtual meeting since the pandemic started, called for more equitable access to coronavirus vaccines and flexible funding for their economic recovery.
• U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said he was alarmed by the unequal distribution of vaccines.
• “If this dangerous trend of vaccine nationalism and parallel deals continues, vaccination in developing countries could take years, delaying, even more, the world's recovery,” Guterres told the leaders. “The vaccination campaign is the main moral challenge of our times.”

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2021/04/22/andorra-summit-latin-american-leaders-call-for-better-distribution-of-coronavirus-vaccines

 

Europe Faces a Measles Outbreak

• When vaccinations begin to lag, as they did during the pandemic, measles is often the first disease to resurge. “It’s the canary in the coal mine,” one expert said.

• In Europe, reported measles cases rose more than 40-fold last year compared with 2022, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday.

Read Ahead at:https://nyti.ms/3UbFsqW

Pashinyan: Armenia-Belgium close cooperation contributes to development of Armenia-EU interaction

• Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received the new ambassador of Belgium to Armenia, Eric De Muynck, the PM’s office informs.

• Pashinyan emphasized the importance of Belgium's decision to open an embassy in Armenia, and expressed confidence that as a result, cooperation between the two countries will expand in all domains.

Read ahead at:https://news.am/eng/news/803567.html

Belgium Becomes Latest Signatory to the Artemis Accords

•  Belgium has become the latest country to append its signature to the Artemis Accords, with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hadja Lahbib, and the Secretary of State for Science Policy, Thomas Dermine, signing the accords yesterday, 23rd of January 2024.

• As a State participating in and contributing to European and international space exploration programs, in particular the Artemis program, Belgium considers the Artemis Agreements to be an important political instrument.

Read ahead at:

https://spacewatch.global/2024/01/belgium-becomes-latest-signatory-to-the-artemis-accords/

Macro Intelligence: nuclear power's new dawn, uranium market hits 16-year high

• Uranium, a highly dense metal found in most rocks, is primarily used as fuel in nuclear power plants. The price of uranium has skyrocketed to US$106 per pound, reaching a 16-year high.

• This increase is the highest since November 2007, driven by supply concerns and renewed interest in nuclear power. Notably, 22 countries, including the US, UK, Canada, and France, have committed to tripling their nuclear capacity by 2050.

Read ahead at:

https://www.ig.com/en-ch/news-and-trade-ideas/macro-intelligence--nuclear-power-s-new-dawn--uranium-market-hit-240123

Switzerland to remove air border controls with Bulgaria and Romania

• Passport checks for people flying to and from Bulgaria and Romania will be abolished at Swiss airports.

• The Swiss government on Wednesday agreed to follow a recent European Union decision to lift internal border controls at air and maritime borders with Bulgaria and Romania.

Read ahead at: https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/switzerland-to-remove-air-border-controls-with-bulgaria-and-romania/49153852

Switzerland, India reach deal on FTA

• Switzerland and India have reached consensus on a free-trade agreement after 16 years of negotiations, Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin said.

• Parmelin traveled to India directly after the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to meet with counterpart Piyush Goyal, according to a post by the Swiss minister on the platform X, formerly Twitter, late Saturday. The outline of a deal was agreed, and officials are working to finalize the details, he said.

Read ahead at: https://www.deccanherald.com/business/switzerland-india-reach-deal-on-fta-2858267

Colombia boosts trade with the Netherlands, emerging as a significant export partner

• As per the latest DANE report updated to October 2023, Colombia is strengthening its commercial bonds with the Netherlands and the Dutch Caribbean.

• Colombian exports to these regions have reached a noteworthy $1.738 billion, making the Netherlands Colombia's sixth major export destination. This places Colombia ahead of countries like India, Mexico, and Brazil.

Read ahead at: https://www.freshplaza.com/latin-america/article/9594461/colombia-boosts-trade-with-the-netherlands-emerging-as-a-significant-export-partner/

Hazardous goods violations lead to fines and parliamentary questions in the Netherlands

• The wagons were filled with the hazardous substance Methyl-tert-butyl ether (MBTE), a highly flammable liquid mainly used as an additive in fuel. Upon discovery of the violations, ILT immediately halted the transport due to environmental risks, in particular risk of fire.

• The train was supposed to cover large distances in Europe and pass densely populated areas in the Netherlands, exposing large populations to environmental hazards. The train was escorted back to the site where the wagons were loaded from a location near Amsterdam.

Read ahead at:

https://www.railfreight.com/policy/2024/01/22/hazardous-goods-violations-lead-to-fines-and-parliamentary-questions-in-the-netherlands/

Cabinet approves Memorandum of Intent (MoI) between India and Netherlands on cooperation in the field of Medical products Regulation

• The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was apprised of a Memorandum of Intent (MoI) signed between the Central Drugs standard Control Organization (CDSCO), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, Kingdom of the Netherlands on behalf of Medicines Evaluation Board, Health and Youth Care Inspectorate, Central Committee on research Involving Human Subjects “on cooperation in the field of Medical products Regulation”. 

• The MoI seeks to establish a framework for fruitful cooperation and exchange of information between the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, Kingdom of the Netherlands on behalf of Medicines Evaluation Board, Health and Youth Care Inspectorate.

Read ahead at

:https://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/news_updates/cabinet-approves-memorandum-of-intent-moi-between-india-and-netherlands-on-cooperation-in-the-field-of-medical-products-regulation/

Farmers’ protests sweep France, seizing agenda before EU elections

• The far right is going after Macron’s record on agriculture and EU regulation in an attempt to bank on farmer discontent.

• French farmers will protest “for as long as necessary,” the leader of the biggest farming union warned on Monday, as rural discontent hits the campaign agenda ahead of June's European election.

Read ahead at:

https://www.politico.eu/article/farmers-protests-france-unofficially-kicks-off-eu-elections-macron/

India-France Partnering in the Indo-Pacific: Positioning Japan

• Countries in the Indo-Pacific region are realigning their foreign policy outlooks and national security plans due to changes in power diffusion and transition. China’s unreserved power projection and push for unipolarity present the main obstacle to the Indo-Pacific region’s quest for multipolarity.

• France is one of India’s closest allies and a strategic partner in Europe along with being the second-largest arms supplier to India. 

Read ahead at:

https://capsindia.org/india-france-partnering-in-the-indo-pacific-positioning-japan/

France logged record number of asylum requests in 2023, 8% higher

• Around 142,500 people applied in total -- including 123,400 for the first time -- and around a third of all requests for protection were accepted, the French Office for the Protection of Refugee and Stateless Persons (OFPRA) said in provisional figures.

• Just 131,000 people had applied in 2022, with a slightly lower proportion of 29 percent receiving a positive response."This increase is not specific to France, but comes within a European context," OFPRA director Julien Boucher told AFP.

Read ahead at:https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/france-logged-record-number-of-asylum-requests-in-2023-8-higher-101706012557396-amp.html

Egypt eyes cooperation in specific sectors with Bulgaria, Luxembourg: FM

• Minister of Foreign Affairs met Monday with his Bulgarian and Luxembourger counterparts in Brussels on the sidelines of the Association Council of the European Union and Egypt.

• Minister Shokry stressed to Minister Mariya Gabriel the necessity of devising a joint vision on making Egypt a center for Bulgarian firms to enter the markets of the Middle East and Africa.

Read ahead at:

https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/1/129919/Egypt-eyes-cooperation-in-specific-sectors-with-Bulgaria-Luxembourg-FM

News bits compiled by:

Nadia Rawat (M.A. I.R., 2nd Year)

Swapnil Tiwari (B.A. I.R. 1st Year)

Drafted by:

Daney Antonio Martin (B.A. I.R., 1st Year)

Published by:

Alithia Clemency Paul (M.A. I.R., 2nd Year)