The EUropa watchlist from May 5th, 2021 –
It was Merkel’s last deal as EU Council President: Shortly before the close of the doors in December 2020, Chancellor Merkel signed the investment agreement with China. Now it has burst – because of the sanctions that Brussels and Beijing are mutually imposing.
In view of mutual sanctions, the environment is “Currently not favorable for a ratification of the agreement”says Commission Vice Valdis Dombrovskis when he announced the stop. One could “The larger context” do not ignore.
That’s cute – because the EU created this context itself. It kicked off the dispute with China with its new human rights sanctions imposed a few weeks after the investment deal.
There was no compelling reason for this. After all, the violations of the rights of the Uyghurs, which the EU wants to punish, have been known for years. Nobody has forced Brussels to start fighting now of all times.
A victory for Biden and the Greens
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Or maybe yes? It is clear that the new Biden administration in the USA is trying to bring the EU into position against China. It is also clear that this is supported by the Greens in the European Parliament.
When the Chinese leadership then issued their counter-sanctions, also targeting (green) MEPs, it was clear that the agreement was clinically dead. The EU Parliament would no longer ratify it.
This means that the EU (and Germany) is losing the chance to better secure its investments in the Middle Kingdom. That was what it was all about – and not free trade, as has been falsely reported over and over again.
A dead end with sanctions
For Merkel this is a serious setback. She had only recently sought trust in bilateral talks with the Chinese leadership. Nobody is as economically dependent on China as Germany.
The Chancellor is now losing power in this important field of politics. However, there is no gain elsewhere. The rights of the Uyghurs are in no way promoted by the blockade.
If there was any need for proof that European sanctions policy is leading to a dead end – the dispute over the China deal has delivered it …
See also “Merkel’s last deal – of all things with China” as well as “Biden drums against China – and plunges EUropa into a dilemma”
Watchlist
Why does the EU need one again new industrial strategy? The EU Commission wants to reveal this on Wednesday. It was about drawing the lessons from the corona pandemic, it was said in advance in Brussels. Not only for vaccines it revealed strong dependencies on global supply chains, which are to be reduced. The Commission also wants to prevent future crises from severely restricting freedom of movement in the EU internal market. However, she could do that immediately – and take action against the travel restrictions that are still in force!
Hotlist
- Barnier’s lessons from Brexit: A divorce between the EU and one of its members “can happen elsewhere if we’re not paying attention,” former chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said Tuesday, adding that one of the lessons he learned in the job was a need for “less bureaucracy, more democracy” in Brussels. – Less bureaucracy, more democracy, that is what is promised again and again. But it will not be held – as the result of the last European elections showed. Barnier therefore calls for EU competencies to be returned to the member states …
- Mealworms are now foods: “There’s the worm in there” – this could soon be the name of the pack of pasta or biscuits. Because the EU officially approved yellow mealworms for consumption as the first insects. The animals are considered a particularly sustainable source of protein, knows the “Tagesschau”. – I feel sick …
- France is arming Egypt: It is a big arms deal that Cairo officially confirmed. Egypt buys 30 Rafale fighter jets from France, price: 3.75 billion euros. The deal is a great success for the French government. The Rafale, which did not sell well for a long time, have now become an export hit, means “telepolis”. – It is the second arms deal after the deal with Greece. Both are to be seen against the background of the Turkish pioneering efforts in the eastern Mediterranean. A dangerous arms race threatens …
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