EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT:Ceta: creating opportunities for EU businesses in Canada

Ceta: creating opportunities for EU businesses in Canada

 10-02-2017 - 12:12

Negotiated for nearly five years and four months, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Canada is now ready for the final vote by the European Parliament. If MEPs approve it during next week's plenary, the agreement could already provisionally applied from April. In 2015 EU-Canada trade accounted for more than €60 billion and Ceta is expected to boost this. Read on and watch our video to find out more about the difference the trade deal could make.

Ceta would remove all tariffs between the EU and Canada, except those charged on public services, audiovisual and transport services and a few agricultural products. It would also lead to the mutual recognition of certifications for a wide range of products, from electrical goods to toys.

Who would benefit from Ceta?

Consumers

Opening markets could lead to more choice and lower prices.

Workers

It would become easier for certain EU professionals to supply legal, accounting, engineering, architectural or similar services in Canada. Ceta provides a framework for the EU and Canada to recognise each other's qualifications in such professions. It would also make it easier for firms to temporarily move staff to the other side of the Atlantic.

Companies

By simplifying procedures it would become easier for European companies to expand in the Canadian market. Under Ceta Canada would open up its government tenders to EU firms more than with any of its other trading partners, both at federal and municipal levels.

Canada would also commit to making its tendering process more transparent by publishing all of its public tenders on a single procurement website. Currently lack of access to information is one of the biggest obstacles for smaller companies in overseas markets.

Protecting EU products

Although the EU would be able to export nearly 92% of its agricultural and food products duty free, this would not come at the expense of protection for European products. Canada has agreed to protect 143 European products that are associated with a specific town or region and that enjoy a great reputation because of their qualities, This includes products such as feta from Greece and roquefort from France.

Guarantees

All imports from Canada would still have to meet EU rules and regulations. Ceta would not lower or change EU health and safety, environment and social or consumers rights standards. It wouldn't change how the EU regulates food safety, including on GMO products or the ban on hormone-treated beef.

Ceta doesn't cover public services, so EU countries would be able to keep public monopolies and continue to decide which services (such as water supply, health and education) they want to keep public and which ones they want to privatise.

New investor protection mechanism

In response to pressure from the European Parliament, the controversial investor-state-dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism -considered a private system based on companies’ choices- was replaced by the Investment Court System (ICS), which aims to ensure government control over the choice of arbitrators.

The new Investment Court System would be public, not based on temporary tribunals and have professional and independent judges appointed by the EU and Canada.

Transparency

The text agreement with Canada has been integrally available online for over the past two years ever since the negotiations were concluded in Ottawa on 26 September 2014.

As it is a mixed agreement, it will not only need to be approved by the European Parliament, but also by national and regional parliaments.

REF. : 20170206STO61384

Updated: (13-02-2017 - 13:40

U.S.A:DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY RESPONSE TO RECENT LITIGATION

The Department of Homeland Security will continue to enforce all of the president’s Executive Orders in a manner that ensures the safety and security of the American people. The president’s Executive Orders remain in place—prohibited travel will remain prohibited, and the U.S. government retains its right to revoke visas at any time if required for national security or public safety. The president’s Executive Order affects a minor portion of international travelers, and is a first step towards reestablishing control over America's borders and national security.

Approximately 80 million international travelers enter the United States every year. Yesterday, less than one percent of the more than 325,000 international air travelers who arrive every day were inconvenienced while enhanced security measures were implemented. These individuals went through enhanced security screenings and are being processed for entry to the United States, consistent with our immigration laws and judicial orders.

The Department of Homeland Security will faithfully execute the immigration laws, and we will treat all of those we encounter humanely and with professionalism. No foreign national in a foreign land, without ties to the United States, has any unfettered right to demand entry into the United States or to demand immigration benefits in the United States. 

The Department of Homeland Security will comply with judicial orders; faithfully enforce our immigration laws, and implement the president’s Executive Orders to ensure that those entering the United States do not pose a threat to our country or the American people.

For the latest news about the department of Homeland Security, visit http://DHS.gov/news .

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MEPs set priorities for a new impetus in development

The EU’s development policy needs new impetus to tackle new climate change, migration and security challenges, Development Committee MEPs say in a resolution voted on Wednesday.

MEPs also call for better coordination and better targeting of development policy and stress that aid money must be used to eradicate poverty, not to stop refugees. 

Co-rapporteur Bogdan Wenta (EPP, Poland) said before the vote “The revised EU external cooperation framework creates the momentum that we have to build on. Our resolution puts the Sustainable Development Goals and the economic, social and environmental dimensions of development at the very heart of the Consensus. We call for further efforts by the EU and its member states towards joint programming and efficient implementation in order to improve aid effectiveness and promote country ownership”,

Co-rapporteur Norbert Neuser (S&D, DE) added: “With the tough challenges we face, effective European development cooperation is more important than ever. With this resolution we make sure that our essential values guide us in our fight against poverty, and for the dignity and wellbeing of people."

The resolution, approved by 21 votes to 1, with no abstentions, is the basis for negotiations with the Council and Commission for the revision of the European Consensus on Development, a joint policy statement setting out the EU’s common values, principles and objectives for eradicating poverty in the world.

MEPs list a number of key demands, inter alia:

• new challenges linked to climate change, migration and security necessitate need an overhaul of policies, but poverty eradication must remain the primary objective of the EU’s actions,

• development effectiveness requires better cooperation between member states. Joint programming and implementation is a must,

• funding to tackle the root causes of migration is meant to help social development, not to stop refugees. Parliament needs better oversight of the EU’s Trust Funds and External Investment Plan,

• further cooperation with the private sector is encouraged, but must stay in line with social, environmental and human rights standards,

• non-governmental organisations, national parliaments and local authorities need further recognition and support to improve effectiveness, transparency and accountability, and

• development policy must be an integral part of the EU’s external policy.

Next steps

The full House will vote on the committee's resolution in February.

Background

The reform of the EU’s current development policy statement is linked to new global challenges and to the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the UN Summit in September 2015. The current Consensus dates from 2005. While the number of people living in absolute poverty has fallen by 600 million since 1990, less progress has been made in other areas, such as reducing the number of deaths of mothers and babies during childbirth and providing access to clean drinking water. Over half of global development aid comes from the EU and its members, making them collectively the world's largest aid donor.

REF. : 20170124IPR59772

GSA U.S. General Services Administration update

Administrative Specialist

Job Announcement Number:
1712071CLDE
Location Name:
Omaha, Nebraska
Department: 
General Services Administration
Agency: 
Public Buildings Service
Occupation Code: 
0301
Pay Plan: 
GS
Appointment Duration: 
Permanent
Opening Date: 
Monday, January 23, 2017
Closing Date: 
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Job Status: 
Full Time
Salary: 
$40,684.00 to $52,893.00 / Per Year
Pay Grade(s): 
07 to 07
Who May Apply: 
United States Citizens
Job Summary: 
Who May Apply: All United States citizens and nationals (residents of American Samoa and Swains Island). This vacancy is also being announced under Vacancy Announcement 1712072CLMP under Merit Promotion regulations. Please review that announcement to see if you are eligible for consideration under Merit Promotion Procedures. Note: You must apply separately for each announcement in order to be considered under both procedures.

Administrative Specialist

Job Announcement Number:
1712071CLDE
Location Name:
Omaha, Nebraska
Department: 
General Services Administration
Agency: 
Public Buildings Service
Occupation Code: 
0301
Pay Plan: 
GS
Appointment Duration: 
Permanent
Opening Date: 
Monday, January 23, 2017
Closing Date: 
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Job Status: 
Full Time
Salary: 
$40,684.00 to $52,893.00 / Per Year
Pay Grade(s): 
07 to 07
Who May Apply: 
United States Citizens
Job Summary: 
Who May Apply: All United States citizens and nationals (residents of American Samoa and Swains Island). This vacancy is also being announced under Vacancy Announcement 1712072CLMP under Merit Promotion regulations. Please review that announcement to see if you are eligible for consideration under Merit Promotion Procedures. Note: You must apply separately for each announcement in order to be considered under both procedures.

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Antonio Tajani elected president: “I will be a spokesman for the whole Parliament”

 

Antonio Tajani was elected president of the European Parliament on 17 January, succeeding Martin Schulz. Tajani, an Italian member of the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) group and vice-president of the Parliament, received 351 votes in the fourth and final round of voting, compared to 282 votes for Gianni Pittella, the Italian leader of the S&D group. His term in office will end in 2019, when the next elections for the European Parliament will be held. (Read more: Antonio Tajani elected president: “I will be a spokesman for the whole Parliament”)

who's who: overview of the people in charge of Parliament

 

MEPs elected Antonio Tajani as Parliament president on 17 January and on 18 January voted for who they wanted as vice-presidents and quaestors for the second half of the parliamentary term. Check out our infographic to find out who was chosen for Parliament's key posts. (Read more: Who's who: overview of the people in charge of Parliament)

Parliament’s mid-term election: 14 Vice-Presidents and 5 Quaestors elected

 

Following the election of the President, MEPs elected 14 Vice-Presidents in two ballots on Wednesday. To be elected, candidates needed to win an absolute majority of valid votes cast. The new Vice-Presidents come from six different political groups. Members also elected five Quaestors, by acclamation. (Read more: Parliament’s mid-term election: 14 Vice-Presidents and 5 Quaestors elected)

 REF. : 20170117TST58587

 

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Antonio Tajani elected Parliament's new president

 

 

Former Commissioner Antonio Tajani (EPP) replaces Martin Schulz (S&D) as president of the European Parliament

 

 

 

 

Parliament president online

 

• Parliament president's website
• Facebook page

 

 

What the Parliament president does

 

 

Find out how the president gets elected, what the responsibilities are and how this is linked to your vote during the elections for the European Parliament

 

Find out more

 

• Background article on mid-term elections in the European Parliament
• Briefing: electing the Parliament president
• Videos and photos about the mid-term elections in European Parliament
• Photo gallery

 

 

The Bureau of the European Parliament

 

 

MEPs have also elected 14 vice-presidents and five quaestors that are members of the Bureau: an influential Parliament body taking decisions on financial and administrative matters