Europe

cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/43927448

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The Kremlin's annual 'Direct Line call-in show' in Moscow is an hours-long ordeal in which Russia’s de facto leader responds to carefully vetted questions from members of the public.

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The EU committed on December 3rd to end all imports of Russian natural gas by September 2027, and the quantities it buys have already been slashed. But it continues to buy Russian fertiliser that is made from natural gas—more of it, for some types, than before the war.

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Amid the backdrop of its spat with Japan, Beijing has hosted a flurry of recent diplomatic activity with European leaders. German Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil visited in November, followed this month by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul.

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This whirlwind of visits follows a similar active scene in the fall, when European leaders visited Japan during the World Expo Osaka.

The timing of the European leaders' visits to China comes at a curious time for Japan. Last month in parliament, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made comments about a Taiwan emergency that triggered a furious response from China.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has been using his meetings with European officials to push Beijing's narrative about the dispute.

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He reportedly told Wadephul that, unlike Germany, Japan has not thoroughly reflected on its history of aggression even 80 years after World War II.

He told French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot that Beijing believes France will understand and support China's legitimate position, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The European countries have refrained from commenting on these reports directly, an attitude that can be interpreted as tacit approval.

But Japan should not be too concerned about Europe cozying up to China. The recent diplomatic visits were mostly planned before Takaichi took office. European diplomacy in Asia typically balances visits among Japan, China, India and other major countries.

Europe's basic position is to position Japan as a country with which it shares democratic values and the rule of law.

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Beijing is trying to spread the narrative that Tokyo is reverting to its militaristic ways, but EU policymakers are not buying it. Rather, they see China's hegemonic ambitions as increasing the risk of a Taiwan conflict, forcing Japan to respond.

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The Chinese government's call for its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan has been widely reported in Europe. Meanwhile, China has a history of using export controls on rare-earth elements to pressure European companies. When these factors are combined, the image in Europe of China as an authoritarian state that uses economic coercion as a weapon grows stronger.

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Policymakers in major European economies frequently exchange information and coordinate China policies, though approaches vary across the continent. Long-term plans are emerging to reduce economic dependence on China, tighten regulations on Chinese companies operating in the European market and control the inflow of Chinese products into Europe.

Europe is pursuing strategic autonomy while seeking to distance itself from both Washington -- which it is also at odds with -- and Beijing moving forward. It is quietly working to de-risk from both powers as part of its long-term strategy to strengthen itself as an economic bloc.

Signs are emerging that China's excessive pressure on Japan is failing to win over Europe.

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Japan must clearly demonstrate that it is a country based on the rule of law and an open society, and that it is a defender of liberal democracy and market economics. If Takaichi uses Group of Seven summits and other forums to explain this thoroughly, Europe will listen.

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Now is the time to deepen cooperation with democratic forces in the Indo-Pacific region like South Korea, Taiwan and Australia, and gird against authoritarian states seeking to disrupt the international order.

Source: RFE/RL.

cross-posted from : https://lemmy.zip/post/55295459

cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/43914993

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Pina Picierno is Italian, but Ukraine is everywhere in her vice president's office at the European Parliament in Brussels. Awards resting on the window ledge recognize her fight "for freedom and democracy in Ukraine," like the one she received in 2022 from the Istituto Affari Internazionali, an Italian think tank. There are books and novels devoted to Russia and its unfortunate neighbor, invaded by Kremlin troops in February 2022 and struggling ever since not to be carved up and subjugated. There is also a curious painting, a gift from Ukrainian army veterans, depicting their country's yellow and blue trident, into which real bullets have been embedded.

But what visitors do not notice at first glance is the small red button beneath the meeting table: a "panic button" meant to alert the Parliament security teams in case of danger or intrusion. The surveillance camera at the entrance, filming comings and goings, is just as discreet. Whenever she leaves the building, the MEP is always accompanied by a police escort. "I can't just wake up and go for a walk or suddenly decide to see a film," she said on Friday, December 12. "But there are people who risk far more than I do. Ukrainians, in their trenches, are under bombardment to defend their freedom."

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For months, Picierno has lost count of the death threats she has received in the mail and in her email inbox. She has been the target of intimidation near her home in Belgium – incidents she does not want to discuss in detail so as not to interfere with the ongoing investigation. In January, pro-Russian activists distributed leaflets in Bologna, Italy, comparing her to Joseph Goebbels, Adolf Hitler's propaganda minister. Does she see Russia's hand behind these acts? "Yes," she replied simply, her face tense.

One episode in particular has fueled Moscow's anger in recent months. In early March, Vladimir Soloviev, a star host on the Russian state television channel Rossiya 1, was invited to appear on a television program in Italy on the channel Rai 3. Picierno publicly protested against this red-carpet treatment for "one of the Kremlin's main propagandists," who has been under European Union sanctions since 2022. "Italian public broadcasting cannot in any way serve as a megaphone for Russian disinformation," she warned on X.

Her efforts paid off: Soloviev's invitation was revoked. Furious, he lashed out with insults on his show on Rossiya 1. "Her mouth stinks of tyranny," he said – in Italian – referring to the MEP, whom he called a "dirty beast, a disgrace to the human race." Internet trolls then harassed her. The barrage was so relentless that she quickly stopped paying attention. But the escalation reached such a level that in June, the Italian government decided to place her under police protection.

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The Italian is not the only European lawmaker facing pressure from Moscow since the war in Ukraine began nearly four years ago. "There are several of us being targeted by death threats – I myself regularly receive them on social media or by email," said French MEP Nathalie Loiseau (Renew Europe). She recounted how her hotel room was ransacked earlier this year while she was leading a mission observing the legislative elections in Kosovo. For the former minister for European affairs, a strong critic of Putin's regime, there is no doubt about Russia's involvement. "It was an act of intimidation," she said.

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Her colleagues at the European Parliament have noticed that the native of the Naples region has lost weight in recent months. Out of fear of being poisoned, she now only eats food she prepares herself. "I'm human; fear is a normal feeling," she said. "But I also have a duty to be courageous. It's the price to pay if you want to try to change things." She quickly understood the seriousness of her commitment when she entered politics at the age of 16 to denounce the Mafia's hold on her country. Journalist Roberto Saviano, known for his work on the Camorra and who also lives under police protection, is a friend of hers.

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"We need a Europe that is more courageous, stronger and more ambitious," said the MEP. A Europe that takes risks, so as not to run the risk of disappearing.

cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/43915876

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The government must stop “dragging its heels” over whether to add China to the enhanced tier of its threat regime, the parliamentary intelligence watchdog has warned.

The Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) – made up of senior MPs and peers – flagged several areas of the National Security Act where there are “unresolved issues” in its annual report.

The Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) came into force in July and requires anyone carrying out “political influence activities” on behalf of a foreign power to register with the government or face prosecution.

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Russia and Iran are on the enhanced tier, which requires anyone working for those states to declare any activity, not just political work.

Adding China to it would mean people carrying out work in the UK under Beijing’s instruction would need to register with the government.

“Given the extent of the threat posed by China (as identified in the committee’s 2023 China Report), and particularly that of its interference operations, we are concerned to see the government dragging its heels on this decision,” the ISC wrote.

The report acknowledged that “dexterity” is required to “balance the tension between security and prosperity”.

But it said it had previously found the government “reluctant to prioritise security considerations” when it comes to China.

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Security minister Dan Jarvis said the decision [to add China to the enhanced tier of its threat regime] was under “very close review” when he was asked recently why China had not been placed in the top tier.

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Germany's foreign intelligence service is to be given far more scope for taking decisive action in threatening situations under plans of the office of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, according to media reports on Thursday. The proposals would allow sabotage operations to weaken hostile forces, according to public broadcasters WDR and NDR as well as the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, citing a new draft law on the country's Federal Intelligence Service BND.

A BND spokesman said that out of respect for the work of the government and the legislature, he would not comment on the amendment of the law or on any interim results.

According to the reports, the BND will no longer be limited to espionage, gathering and evaluating information, but will in future also carry out operational actions to protect the country. This would require a "special intelligence situation."

Such a threat level would have to be determined by the National Security Council comprised of key ministers, with approval from two-thirds of the members of the control panel of the Bundestag lower chamber of parliament.

The involvement of this secret committee - which monitors the work of the BND as well as the domestic intelligence service and military counter-intelligence - in such decisions would be new for the country.

Observers believe the proposed greater parliamentary involvement may be intended to reassure members of the legislature who are sceptical about expanding the BND's powers.

A special intelligence situation would reportedly be defined as one where a threat to Germany or its allies is identified, for example through another country's preparations for war or increased hybrid attacks.

In this scenario, the agency would also be allowed to actively retaliate against cyberattacks and redirect data streams or shut down IT infrastructure from which attacks are launched.

The BND will reportedly also be permitted to evaluate data using artificial intelligence and to use facial recognition software.

Agency personnel will be allowed to enter homes to install espionage technology and to secretly manipulate and sabotage equipment, such as weapon parts, to render them harmless.

The amendment to the BND Act is still in its early stages, according to the media outlets.

One aim of the planned reform is to enable the agency to act more quickly and decisively against significant increases in hybrid threats, particularly from Russia.

EU ministers have agreed to launch negotiations on an agreement that would grant US border agencies direct access to personal data stored in EU member state databases, and give EU agencies similar access to US data. The US is demanding access to the databases of all states that are part of its Visa Waiver Programme, for “immigration screening and vetting activities.” This is part of a broader plan to massively increase the amount of sensitive data gathered on travellers.

Although the Danish law aims to integrate society, the EU's top court found that it could amount to ethnic discrimination.

Law and JusticeDenmark Denmark's 'ghetto law' faces scrutiny after EU court ruling Although the Danish law aims to integrate society, the EU's top court found that it could amount to ethnic discrimination.

Tenants on the Mjolnerparken estate in Copenhagen challenged the legality of development plans based on Danish social housing law The European Court of Justice (ECJ) on Thursday found that Denmark's so-called "ghetto law" could be discriminatory, but said that the country's own courts need to decide if it goes too far.

The law, passed in 2018, allows the government to reduce public housing in neighborhoods where most residents are from "non-Western" backgrounds.

Denmark's government says the law was meant to help people integrate better by breaking up "parallel societies."

What does Denmark's 'ghetto' law say? Danish law categorizes neighborhoods based on unemployment, crime, education, income, and immigrant population. Areas where more than half the residents are "non-Western" and have at least two social problems are called "transformation areas." A government list defines which countries are considered "Western," including all EU member states. Public housing groups must cut social housing by 40% in "transformation areas" by 2030. They do this by selling, tearing down, converting, or ending leases on the homes. The policy has sparked criticism from rights groups, affected residents, and the United Nations. What did the ECJ find? Residents of Copenhagen's Mjolnerparken estate challenged the measure in 2020, arguing it unfairly targets ethnic minorities. Danish courts then sought guidance from the European Court of Justice.

The ECJ said Danish courts must decide if the criteria specified in the law on public housing are based on people's ethnic origin and thereby place them at a disadvantage. The ECJ emphasized that under EU law, neither nationality nor country of birth alone is sufficient to determine ethnic origin. Rather, this is assessed on the basis of several factors.

A lawyer for the Mjolnerparken residents facing eviction, Eddie Khawaja, noted that the ruling showed the criterion of 50% "non-Western" residents may seem "neutral on paper, but does not prevent residents from being subjected to direct or indirect discrimination."

The Danish Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing said the case would now return to Denmark's Eastern High Court and that the ministry would read the European court's verdict carefully.

cross-posted from : https://lemmy.bestiver.se/post/805938

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cross-posted from : https://discuss.tchncs.de/post/50884929

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EU leaders decided to use joint borrowing instead of Russian frozen assets to support Ukraine, in a big win for Belgian prime minister Bart De Wever, who had long opposed the idea of a reparations loan amid fears of retaliation from Russia.

Reclaiming Migration - Joint Statement

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Pressure continues to mount to curtail asylum arrivals, with over a dozen EU members states hoping to maintain a momentum to limit rights.

The speed of those agreements suggests intense political pressure, amid wider efforts to also deport unwanted and rejected migrants to possible holding pens in foreign states.

The letter, dated 16 December, demands that the EU commission come up with specialised funding schemes for so-called 'innovation solutions' to migration.

Such aspects typically seek to offshore responsibilities to countries like Uganda, where the Dutch are hoping to set up a deportation facility for nationalities from the region.

cross-posted from : https://piefed.zip/c/privacy/p/799548/digital-house-arrest-how-the-eu-wants-to-disempower-families

The world-first policy would ban imports into the EU of cocoa, palm oil and other commodities linked to forest destruction, requiring foreign exporters of these commodities to provide due diligence statements proving their products did not contribute to forest destruction.

Brazil, Indonesia and the U.S., which said complying with the rules would be costly and hurt their exports to Europe.

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After the mass shooting of Hanukkah celebrants on Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, the Kremlin-linked disinformation network known as “Matryoshka” has been promoting claims of an alleged “Ukrainian trail” and frightening Europeans with threats of new terrorist attacks. The watchdog Bot Blocker project (@antibot4navalny), which has been monitoring the network, shared its findings with The Insider.

One video circulating on Twitter (X) and Bluesky is disguised as content produced by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). It claims that experts found markings on the shotguns used by the attackers in Sydney that are supposedly applied to weapons delivered to Ukraine. The video falsely claims that Ukraine has become the “largest source of weapons for the black market.”

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Another video, produced in English, uses the symbolism of Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (Bundesnachrichtendienst). It begins with real information about planned terrorist attacks in German cities during the Christmas holidays, then mentions the shooting on the Australian beach — while claiming the perpetrators were connected to “representatives of Ukraine.” The video contains an error revealing poor fact-checking: it states that both shooters in Australia were killed, whereas only one was shot dead, while the second was wounded and detained. A similar video following the same template includes French subtitles and the symbols of French government agencies.

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The bots are also spreading images of alarming graffiti that, supposedly, appeared in Berlin. The images depict a Christmas tree with a time bomb beneath it, as well as the date 25.12.2025. One of the posts, posing as an Instagram story from the BBC, read “Graffiti warning of a terrorist attack appeared in three boroughs of Berlin.”

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The attack in Sydney took place on Sunday, Dec. 14, the first day of Hanukkah. The attackers opened fire on people gathered on Bondi Beach for an event organized by the Chabad movement. Fifteen people were killed and several dozen were wounded. According to police, the shooting was carried out by 50-year-old Sajid Akram, who was shot dead at the scene, and his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram, who was wounded and is currently hospitalized. Flags of the terrorist organization Islamic State were found in their vehicle.

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The G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, condemn the prosecution of Jimmy Lai under the National Security Law (NSL) in Hong Kong that has led to his guilty verdict on December 15, 2025.

The group calls on the Hong Kong authorities to end such prosecutions and to release Jimmy Lai immediately.

In a written statement, the EU calls Jimmy Lai's prosecution "politically motivated and emblematic of the erosion of democracy and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong."