They go to Brussels and say how European they are while back home the
government keeps (wrongly) hinting that it is resisting EU demands!
On the same day another item from EUO is headlined---
----------------------
Rocky path lies ahead of EU green legislation -
The European Union's aim to adopt in December an ambitious strategy to
lower greenhouse gas emissions continues to face difficulties, with
Italy -
the loudest among sceptics - calling for "significant changes" to the
plan,
including a possibility to back off if proven too costly.
----------------------
Britain, of course, although the country most likely to be harmed by
these proposal, has a minister, Ed Milliband, in charge who is an
out-and-out climate change fanatic.
Thus are we sold out to Europe
xxxxxxxxxx cs
=======================
EU OBSERVER - Trafalgar Day 21.10.08
New EU trade commissioner defends qualifications
VALENTINA POP
STRASBOURG – Baroness Catherine Ashton presented her negotiation
skills and strong pro-European views as the main assets for taking
over the EU trade commissioner job, during hearings in the European
Parliament's international trade committee on Monday evening (20
October).
"I am someone who regards herself as strongly pro-European. My
British and European identities have always pulled me in the same
direction, rather than apart," Mrs Ashton said in front of the
European Parliament's international trade committee, stressing her
role in steering the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty through the
House of Lords as proof of her negotiating and consensus building
capacities
The committee will give its recommendation to the plenary session,
which is to vote on Wednesday (22 October) on approving her
nomination, as the last stage of approval before Mrs Ashton takes
over the commission's trade portfolio.
Seeming confident about getting the approval, Mrs Ashton said her
first trip on Wednesday after a positive vote would be to the
headquarters of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva, in
order to meet Pascal Lamy, the WTO secretary general and ensure him
"that a successful Doha round remains absolutely central to EU trade
policy." The Doha Round was launched in the Qatari capital in 2001,
with the aim of liberalising trade rules for the benefit of
developing countries.
Baroness Ashton rejected French proposals to reform the structure of
the WTO through measures such as removing sensitive agricultural
issues from the negotiations.
"It's not the moment to renegotiate the structure," she said. "What
we've got to do is make the structure that exists work to our
advantage."
Need for a 'big hitter,' not a 'novice'
Yet some MEPs were critical of Mrs Ashton's qualifications for such a
difficult job. UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who was approved by the
European plenum to retake his seat on the trade committee on the same
day when Mrs Ashton's hearing took place, asked her if she wouldn't
have preferred a different portfolio, as she "clearly lacks" the
necessary qualifications for this one.
"We are still in the middle of a ruinous credit crunch, there is a
rapid contraction of global trade and as history is teaching us, we
may have protectionism around the corner," he said, arguing that the
EU trade commissioner is "the most important figure in the world for
global trade."
"Now it's not the time for a novice, we need a big hitter. Frankly,
looking at your CV, you do not have any direct relevant experience to
take on this job at what is a very very dangerous time," Mr Farage said.
Mrs [sic! -cs] Ashton, a former economist, defended her record as a
negotiator while stressing that she has "hundreds of very experienced
people" working on the trade portfolio at her disposal.
"I am a negotiator, this is what I do. I may not have had the profile
of the now newly ennobled Lord Mandelson, but that does not mean I
have got no experience. Quite the contrary," she said.
On job creation and market access for small and medium-sized
enterprises, Ignasi Guardans Cambo, Spanish Liberal MEP and vice-
president of the trade committee said that when he read Mrs Ashton's
written answers, "it looked as if we were at the start of the way, as
if we were re-inventing the wheel."
Asked by Mr Cambo if she was going to "jump on the train which is
already running" and implement specific measures proposed by the
European Parliament, the commissioner designate said she would do
this, as far as "the carriage doesn't need any repair."
Questions about trade with Eastern neighbours
In regards to the perspective of creating a free trade zone with EU's
eastern neighbours such as Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova without
damaging their economies, Mrs Ashton only echoed the questions put by
Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, Polish conservative MEP and chairman of the
foreign affairs committee also present at the hearings.
"These are some of the questions I've been reflecting on myself. I do
think it's important to develop strategic relationships with our
Eastern neighbours and I know we have started discussions with
Ukraine and Georgia, with different stages of our deliberations,"
Mrs [!]Ashton said, admitting that she doesn't have a deep answer to
those questions yet.
She also refused to answer Swedish conservative MEP Christofer
Fjellner's question on whether it is appropriate to lift tariffs for
Georgia as a sign of solidarity with this country in the aftermath of
its conflict with Russia.
"I had when I was a justice minister the privilege of meeting a
number of ministers from Georgia and talking with them. We need to
consider very carefully our relationships with that country and with
the region," she said.
Baroness Ashton was put forward for the trade job after the surprise
resignation of the UK's previous commissioner, Peter Mandelson, in
order to re-join the British government.
government keeps (wrongly) hinting that it is resisting EU demands!
On the same day another item from EUO is headlined---
----------------------
Rocky path lies ahead of EU green legislation -
The European Union's aim to adopt in December an ambitious strategy to
lower greenhouse gas emissions continues to face difficulties, with
Italy -
the loudest among sceptics - calling for "significant changes" to the
plan,
including a possibility to back off if proven too costly.
----------------------
Britain, of course, although the country most likely to be harmed by
these proposal, has a minister, Ed Milliband, in charge who is an
out-and-out climate change fanatic.
Thus are we sold out to Europe
xxxxxxxxxx cs
=======================
EU OBSERVER - Trafalgar Day 21.10.08
New EU trade commissioner defends qualifications
VALENTINA POP
STRASBOURG – Baroness Catherine Ashton presented her negotiation
skills and strong pro-European views as the main assets for taking
over the EU trade commissioner job, during hearings in the European
Parliament's international trade committee on Monday evening (20
October).
"I am someone who regards herself as strongly pro-European. My
British and European identities have always pulled me in the same
direction, rather than apart," Mrs Ashton said in front of the
European Parliament's international trade committee, stressing her
role in steering the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty through the
House of Lords as proof of her negotiating and consensus building
capacities
The committee will give its recommendation to the plenary session,
which is to vote on Wednesday (22 October) on approving her
nomination, as the last stage of approval before Mrs Ashton takes
over the commission's trade portfolio.
Seeming confident about getting the approval, Mrs Ashton said her
first trip on Wednesday after a positive vote would be to the
headquarters of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva, in
order to meet Pascal Lamy, the WTO secretary general and ensure him
"that a successful Doha round remains absolutely central to EU trade
policy." The Doha Round was launched in the Qatari capital in 2001,
with the aim of liberalising trade rules for the benefit of
developing countries.
Baroness Ashton rejected French proposals to reform the structure of
the WTO through measures such as removing sensitive agricultural
issues from the negotiations.
"It's not the moment to renegotiate the structure," she said. "What
we've got to do is make the structure that exists work to our
advantage."
Need for a 'big hitter,' not a 'novice'
Yet some MEPs were critical of Mrs Ashton's qualifications for such a
difficult job. UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who was approved by the
European plenum to retake his seat on the trade committee on the same
day when Mrs Ashton's hearing took place, asked her if she wouldn't
have preferred a different portfolio, as she "clearly lacks" the
necessary qualifications for this one.
"We are still in the middle of a ruinous credit crunch, there is a
rapid contraction of global trade and as history is teaching us, we
may have protectionism around the corner," he said, arguing that the
EU trade commissioner is "the most important figure in the world for
global trade."
"Now it's not the time for a novice, we need a big hitter. Frankly,
looking at your CV, you do not have any direct relevant experience to
take on this job at what is a very very dangerous time," Mr Farage said.
Mrs [sic! -cs] Ashton, a former economist, defended her record as a
negotiator while stressing that she has "hundreds of very experienced
people" working on the trade portfolio at her disposal.
"I am a negotiator, this is what I do. I may not have had the profile
of the now newly ennobled Lord Mandelson, but that does not mean I
have got no experience. Quite the contrary," she said.
On job creation and market access for small and medium-sized
enterprises, Ignasi Guardans Cambo, Spanish Liberal MEP and vice-
president of the trade committee said that when he read Mrs Ashton's
written answers, "it looked as if we were at the start of the way, as
if we were re-inventing the wheel."
Asked by Mr Cambo if she was going to "jump on the train which is
already running" and implement specific measures proposed by the
European Parliament, the commissioner designate said she would do
this, as far as "the carriage doesn't need any repair."
Questions about trade with Eastern neighbours
In regards to the perspective of creating a free trade zone with EU's
eastern neighbours such as Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova without
damaging their economies, Mrs Ashton only echoed the questions put by
Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, Polish conservative MEP and chairman of the
foreign affairs committee also present at the hearings.
"These are some of the questions I've been reflecting on myself. I do
think it's important to develop strategic relationships with our
Eastern neighbours and I know we have started discussions with
Ukraine and Georgia, with different stages of our deliberations,"
Mrs [!]Ashton said, admitting that she doesn't have a deep answer to
those questions yet.
She also refused to answer Swedish conservative MEP Christofer
Fjellner's question on whether it is appropriate to lift tariffs for
Georgia as a sign of solidarity with this country in the aftermath of
its conflict with Russia.
"I had when I was a justice minister the privilege of meeting a
number of ministers from Georgia and talking with them. We need to
consider very carefully our relationships with that country and with
the region," she said.
Baroness Ashton was put forward for the trade job after the surprise
resignation of the UK's previous commissioner, Peter Mandelson, in
order to re-join the British government.
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