Next, the Europa Today newsletter that every Sunday morning tells you what will happen in the coming European week, edited by Alfonso Bianchi (for comments, suggestions or criticisms write to [email protected]).
Top of the agenda
The ECB accelerates – At the meeting on Thursday 12 December the ECB is expected to decide on a further cut in interest rates by 0.25, bringing the deposit rate from 3.25 to 3% (some even predict 0.5). Investors expect Frankfurt to continue cutting at all of its upcoming monetary policy meetings, at least until June, and the rate is expected to end 2025 at 1.75%.
Bulgaria and Romania in Schengen – At the EU Home Affairs Council on Thursday 12 December the ministers of the Twenty-seven should give the definitive green light to the entry of Bulgaria and Romania into Schengen. At the moment, air and sea border controls have been eliminated for the two countries, but those at the land borders remain. After the last vetoes from countries such as Austria have been overcome, a date should now be set for the removal of the latter too.
Georgia on fire – Protests continue in Georgia after the disputed victory in the elections of the pro-Russian Georgian Dream party and the prime minister’s decision to freeze the EU accession process. New tensions could arise on Saturday 14 December when the new President of the Republic will be elected.
Indirect election – The future president will be elected for the first time by an electoral college rather than by popular vote, under a constitutional change called for by Georgian Dream in 2017. There is therefore little doubt that a party loyalist will win and that the pro- European Union Salome Zourabichvili will leave office.
The boycott – Members of the opposition, who have launched a boycott, should not participate in the vote. Under the new system, an electoral college of 300 members, including 150 deputies and local and regional representatives, will choose the next leader. The president, whose powers are very limited, will be elected by public vote for a five-year term.
EU Council
Fight against human traffickers – Over 90% of irregular migrants who reach the EU arrive thanks to the work of human traffickers. In 2022, approximately 331 thousand irregular entries were identified and over 15 thousand migrant traffickers were identified, as reported by Frontex. At the Justice Council on Friday 13th the ministers of the Twenty-Seven should agree on their position on the new directive on combating the phenomenon.
The squeeze – The text presented by the Commission in November last year provides for sentences of up to 15 years in prison for traffickers, a stronger role for Europol and more resources for law enforcement authorities. Among other things, a clearer definition of the crime of smuggling is proposed and public incitement to enter the EU without authorization will also become a criminal offence.
Account emergency in France – At the Eurogroup on Monday 9th, the ministers of the twenty countries with the single currency will examine, among other things, the economic and budgetary situation of the eurozone member states. France remains under special scrutiny as it must reduce the deficit monsters which this year is expected to exceed 6%, double the 3% limit imposed by the treaties.
The government crisis – After the rejection of the budget law for social security and the censorship of Michel Barnier’s government, President Emmanuel Macron promised “a special law” to be deposited in Parliament “before mid-December”. But the nation’s problem remains that of finding a prime minister who can bring together the quarrelsome Paris Parliament in which the right of Le Pen’s Rassemblement National and the left of Mélenchon’s New Popular Front must coexist.
The Italian recovery plan – Public accounts will also be discussed at Ecofin on Tuesday 10th, with the Commission presenting draft recommendations. Our country, for once, has not received any warning from the community executive. Italy, which has a deficit of 3.8%, has already negotiated a seven-year recovery plan.
Fishing in the North Sea – At the Agriculture Council on Monday 9th and Tuesday 10th the Twenty-Seven will be asked, among other things, to approve the new EU agreement on fishing quotas in the North Sea with Norway and the United Kingdom. The agreement for 2025 establishes a total allowable catch (TAC) of over 958 thousand tonnes, with EU quotas of almost 463 thousand tonnes of cod, haddock, saithe, whiting, plaice and herring. A reduction is expected for cod in line with the opinion of the International Sea Council (ICES).
EU Parliament
Gender equality – From Monday 9th to Thursday 12th the European week for gender equality dedicated to “Women in the digital world: Security and empowerment” will be held in the European Parliament. Every year the Community Assembly organizes the event to take stock of the results achieved to advance the rights of girls and women and guarantee gender equality, and to identify new measures that the EU can adopt.
Human rights – On Monday 9, the Subcommittee on Human Rights, with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, will celebrate Human Rights Defenders’ Day and Human Rights Day with a high-level conference. Two panels will feature contributions from the EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
Mafia and money laundering – The M5S MEP Giuseppe Antoci is organizing the conference entitled “Virtual money laundering and real mafias: the new paradigms of transnational crime” on Tuesday 10th at the European Parliament. Participating among others are the Commissioner for Internal Affairs Magnus Brunner and the former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.
Zerocalcare at the EU Parliament – On Wednesday 11 December, The Left group is organizing a debate in the European Parliament entitled “Criminalisation of anti-fascism: Insights from the case of Budapest and resistance strategies”. Among the participants Ilaria Salis and the cartoonist Zerocalcare who will present his book “This night will not be short” dedicated precisely to the case of the Italian MEP.
European defense – On Wednesday 11 December, the liberal Renew Europe group is organizing a debate in the European Parliament on how to make the European defense industry more agile and coordinated. The European Commissioner for Defense, Andrius Kubilius, the Polish Deputy Finance Minister Pawel Karbownik and representatives of Airbus and the Finnish aerospace and defense industries will participate.
The European Atreju – From Tuesday 10th to Friday 13th the MEPs of the European Conservatives and Reformists group, which includes Giorgia Meloni’s Fratelli d’Italia, will meet for days of study and debate in Warsaw, Poland in what will be a retort of European Atreju.
Other events
Attal’s Renaissance – Today, Sunday 8th, in France Gabriel Attal will be appointed General Secretary of RenaissanceEmmanuel Macron’s party. Attal triumphed in a no-holds-barred congress, which ended with the withdrawal of his opponent Élisabeth Borne. The former prime minister will succeed Stéphane Séjourné, elected to the position in 2022 when La République en marche turned into Renaissanceand now become Vice-President of the European Commission.
Abbas in Italy – With the war between Israel and Hezbollah having reached a ceasefire, while the war in Gaza is still raging, on Friday 13 December the president of the Palestinian National Authority, Abu Mazen, will be in Rome where he will first meet the head of state at the Quirinale, Sergio Mattarella, and then Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Palazzo Chigi. The following day Meloni will also meet the Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
No parole for Breivik – The ruling on the appeal presented by Anders Behring Breivik is expected on Monday 9th in Norway. The neo-Nazi responsible for the 2011 Utoya massacre in Norway, in which 77 people were killed, has asked for parole after just 13 years of imprisonment. He showed up at the hearing with a Z on his head. It is practically impossible for your request to be accepted.
Agriculture days – In Brussels from 10 to 12 December the EU Agri-Food days, an annual event that brings together stakeholders of the agri-food system, civil society, consumers, the academic world and political leaders from across the EU. The latest agricultural trends, policy options and market developments will be discussed. Among others there will be Commission President von der Leyen and Agriculture Commissioner Hansen.
Notre-Dame reopens – After yesterday’s mega inauguration, with heads of state and government from around the world, the iconic French cathedral of Notre-Dame will reopen its doors to the public today (8 December) for the first time since the devastating fire in April of 2019, when the 861-year-old monument was nearly destroyed. The most visited church in the world has been restored almost exactly to its original form. The stone, which had been darkened by years of pollution and visitor grime, now has an immaculate shine, the woods gleam and the paintings have been cleaned and rediscovered.
