#EUFridays by JEF Hungary #11
Patrik Miklós György
Jan-28-2022
WTO dispute between the EU and China
The European Union has launched a case at the World Trade Organization against the People’s Republic of China. The EU accuses China of discriminatory trade practices against Lithuania, a member of the European Union. These actions appear to be discriminatory and illegal under WTO rules and are harming exporters both in Lithuania and the EU. As bilateral attempts to solve the issue have failed, the EU has resorted to dispute settlement proceedings. Chinas actions can be seen as a response, to Lithuania breaking with diplomatic custom by agreeing that the Taiwanese office in Vilnius can be named Taiwan instead of Chinese Taipei.
Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade, Valdis Dombrovskis, said: "Launching a WTO case is not a step we take lightly. However, after repeated failed attempts to resolve the issue bilaterally, we see no other way forward than to request WTO dispute settlement consultations with China. The EU is determined to act as one and act fast against measures in breach of WTO rules, which threaten the integrity of our Single Market. We are in parallel pursuing our diplomatic efforts to deescalate the situation."
EU Commission; ABC News
The Hungarian government’s stance on the Ukraine-Russia conflict
The Hungarian Foreign Affairs Minister Péter Szijjártó said in an interview that “If Ukrainians do not back down from their anti-minority policy, it will very much limit the Hungarian government’s ability to provide any kind of support, even in this conflict”. Budapest has stated that a law that the Ukrainian parliament adopted in 2017 “On Ensuring the Functioning of the Ukrainian Language as the State Language,” tramples on the rights of the Transcarpathian ethnic minority to study in Hungarian. Hungary has continued to block Ukraine’s cooperation with NATO and the holding of Commission talks. Budapest’s chief diplomat stated “in the context of the security situation in Eastern Europe, I have told our EU and NATO colleagues frankly that if the Ukrainians do not back down from this policy, it will very much limit the Hungarian government’s ability to provide any kind of support to Ukraine, even in this conflict”. Szijjártó added, “that the Hungarian interest is to clearly maintain a pragmatic, normal relationship with Russia based on mutual respect”.
Joint electricity project of Cyprus, Greece and Israel
The EU has approved €657 million in funds for the EuroAsia Interconnector, the most expensive project Cyprus has ever been involved in. This project seeks to link the national electricity grid of Cyprus, Israel and Greece through a submarine cable.
Energy Minister of Cyprus, Natasa Pilides said that, “securing this funding has made it possible to begin construction for the Cyprus-Crete portion of the interconnector, which is estimated to cost over €1.5 billion”. She added, “in addition to its obvious geopolitical importance, the implementation of the EuroAsia Interconnector will end our energy isolation, ensure the energy security of our country and contribute to the development of competition in the electricity market.” The project is also essential for the government’s efforts towards a green economy.
Germany urges the overhaul of EU green energy finance rules
Germany’s environmental minister called for the adjustment of proposed European Union rules on what types of energy are labelled as green, after German objections on the inclusion of nuclear power were ignored. The draft EU plan would classify investments in nuclear power and some natural gas as environmentally sustainable. There is a division on this topic within the EU bloc, with France being home to a globally significant nuclear industry. Austria and Luxembourg have already undertaken legal challenges to the European Commission’s decision, which will still need to be debated and ratified by member states.