#EUFridays by JEF Hungary #21

EU treaty change unlikely after Conference on the Future of Europe

According to Zuzana Stuchlíková, a Czech analyst from the Institute of European Policy (EUROPEUM) the Conference on the Future of Europe will not lead to substantive EU trety changes because there is no consensus among member states. The conference is a unique opportunity for European citizens to make proposals and express their opinion on future EU policies and functioning. EU law expert Alberto Alemanno stated that 12% of the 178 proposals would require treaty changes; 23  do not need any action, 21 require action on a member state level, the EU can implement 113, and 21 require an EU treaty change. According to Stuchlíková, aside from a lack of cohesion, the re-designing of EU treaties is highly unlikely do to the war in Ukraine and unstable geopolitical situation. Guy Verhofstadt, the conference’s chair, told journalists however that: “I cannot see a situation in which the Council, the Commission or the Parliament declare that they do not follow up some citizen’s recommendations. The task for the plenary will be to react to and accommodate each of them. There is no escape from this”.

EURACTIV

This weekend, French people will vote about the EU’s future.

On the 24th of April, citizens of the EU’s second largest economy, and one of their founding members are going to vote between first-round winners Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen. After the two came out of the top in the first half of the two-round election, by having a marginal difference of only 1.6 million votes, many are looking for the outcome of the second round. The presidential debate on the 21st has shown the viewers two different kinds of vision about the future of Europe, as Le Pen is said to want to “loosen” the European Union and NATO, while Macron is wanting a more integral alliance, with a strong French lead. At the debate, both parties were trying to convince the third runner up, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, far-left politicians 7.7 million supporters, while trying to show the viewers that they are the more capable leader for the 70 million country.

BBC

German employers and unions opposing EU Russian gas boycott

German unions and employers have united in opposing the possible EU ban on Russian gas, claiming it would lead to job losses and factory shut downs. The chairmen of the BDA employer’s group and the DGB trade union confederation have claimed that “a rapid gas embargo would lead to loss of production, shutdowns, a further de-industrialization and the long-term loss of work positions in Germany”. Germany along with many other EU nations is highly dependent on Russian energy. Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned, that an immediate ban on Russian gas would push “all of Europe into a recession”. Despite comprehensive sanctions against Russian individuals and institutions, the EU is still sending Russia $850 million per day for oil and gas, while governments are condemning the war in Ukraine.

Euronews

A solution might have been found for the theft of the century

After the invasion of Ukraine, a lesser known but much bigger theft has played out. Russian airlines with state support have appropriated about 10 billion euros worth of aircraft, by passing a legislation that makes the recertification and ownership of those planes convenient. The world's biggest aircraft manufacturers, Boeing and Airbus, are supplying around 85% of the Russian domestic and international airline fleet, with around 55% leased by international leasing companies mainly based in Ireland or the Bermudas. Both countries have fallen under the sanctions of the aftermath of the first few days of the Russian invasion, and were forced to break their leasing contracts. Now the EU has created a legal loophole for a few aircrafts to legally change the ownership to Aeroflot, and the first deal will be discussed at a board meeting on Monday for the company to decide whether they want to buy the eight A330’s.

Bloomberg