Low wages an opportunity, said Renzi's government

«Invest in Italy» official brochure calls investors to the country, insisting in the chance of having less costs for employees' contracts

by Emanuele Bonini

Can the low level of wage be a reason to feel satisfied? Yes, if you are the chief of the Italian government. Instead of inverting trends giving citizens more economic power, in Italy low salaries are something to be proud of. Something to promote, according to the prime minister Matteo Renzi, whose secretary for Economic development issued an official brochure where the general poverty is described as an attractive business model for investors. «Italy offers a competitive wage level (that grows less than in the rest of EU) and a highly skilled workforce» points out the official brochure. In absolute figures, an engineer in Italy earns an average annual salary of 38,500€, while in other European countries the same profile earns on average over 48,500€ per year. Something to don't miss, according to the Italian authorities, whose aim is to attract investors in the hope of generating new jobs.

The national administration led by Matteo Renzi is at work in order to «make Italy a much better place to do business», stressed the Secretary of State for the Economic development, Ivan Scalfarotto. The Italian Trade Promotion Agency (ITA) offices in Italy and abroad «are able to provide support to investors throughout the project life cycle: from obtaining all relevant authorizations, to identifying any suitable incentive package». According to the Italian authorities a low index in salaries is good incentive to make business in the country.
a series of charts and tables shows the least cost of the Italian national workers compared to other countries of Europe. In case of problem in reading the chats, the official brochure explains that «Italy’s labour costs are well below other peer economies, like Germany and France». In addiction, it is well specified that labour cost growth rates registered in Italy between 2012 and 2014) «are lower than those recorded by Eurozone countries (+1.2% vs. +1.7%)».

Figures revealed the failure of the EU migration agenda

One after the strategy defined to manage the refugee crisis is well far to be implemented

by Emanuele Bonini

The European agenda for migration didn't work. Doesn't work. One year after, migrants are still in Italy and in Greece waiting to be relocated among the other EU Member States. Despite all the efforts of the European Commission, national governments didn't deliver. Despite what the European Commission can state, latest figures show an epic fail in dealing with migration crisis. As of 26 September 2016, just 1,196 out of 39,600 people have been relocated from Italy to the rest of the EU, while just 4,399 out of 66,400 refugees have been relocated from Greece.  In total, in a year 5,595 persons were transferred inside Europe, namely the 5,2% of the 106,000 migrants that Member States promised to take care. A clear sign of how national governments are committed in finding a solution and put an end to the crisis.

The 22nd of September, 2015, the European Council agreed to put in place a relocation system allowing the redistribution of all migrants arrived in in Italy and Greece. The Members of the European Union should welcome 120,000 migrants in two years, but looking at the rhythm of the relocations made until now, it seems unlikely that final goal could be achieved. The special formula behind the relocation scheme, which is mandatory on a voluntary basis, is the main reason of such a delay. Member States simply don't want to act.

The European Commission tried to defend its own strategy. «Our measures work», stated the EU Commissioner in charge for Migration, Dimitris Avramopoulos. Unfortunately reality suggests it is not true. If anything worked, it didn't properly. According to Avramopoulos «considerable progress have been made as a Union on the refugee crisis», but figures are there to contradict him. Of course 5,595 relocations are a great achievement compared to none, but they are a failure compared to what it is the final goal.

Draghi called States for delivering and respecting rules

«Monetary policy alone is not enough», said the president of the European Central Bank. «Trust is essential». Warnings to Italy

by Emiliano Biaggio

Rules have to be respected. This means structural reforms have to be delayed, new additional deficit is not allowed. This means also Italy has to deliver rather than complain. The president of the ECB, Mario Draghi, stressed yesterday national government have to do more, in the respect of the existing framework. All the instruments to boost economy are there, according to the chief of the European Central Bank. On the contrary, political will is still lagging behind. And a change in this sense is needed.

Member States have to act
«The monetary policy of the ECB served to limit the negative effects of the shock, but monetary policy alone is not enough to deliver growth», pointed out Draghi in the European Parliament. «Other policy actors need to do their part, with growth-friendly fiscal and structural policies which will contribute to a self-sustaining recovery and increase the economic growth potential». It is not the first time Draghi calls the EU Member States to do more. He has been repeating it since he took office, in 2011. Once again, Member States have been invited to act.

Respecting the rules
«It's important rules are respected». Draghi made clear neither deviations nor derogation from current legal framework are possible. He recalled that «for further European integration to be feasible and acceptable, trust among its nations and people is essential». As a consequence, «to bolster such trust, it is important that agreed rules are respected». In this sense, according to the ECB chief is good to keep in mind that «in the existing rules there's many flexibility». A clear warning to Italy, even though he didn't do any explicit reference.

Quotes

«Global migration will accompany us in the future».
(Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, 19th of September 2016)

China ban EU delegates after Dalai Lama's official visit

The PRC government deleted diplomatic missions from the European Parliament as response to the invitation of the Tibetan leader in Strasbourg

by Emanuele Bonini

The People's Republic of China cancelled external mission of the European Parliament in return of yesterday Dalai Lama's official visit to the EU institution. Tibet's spiritual leader has always been considered by Chinese authorities as the leader of Tibet independence movement, so a problem for the integrity of Chinese territory. The XIV Dalai Lama was invited by the president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz. The decision itself made the PRC upset, but in Beijing censured what the Dalai Lama said yesterday in Strasbourg. «Some constructive criticism is sometime necessary», he said. A statement that forced China to «postpone» the missions from the European Parliament in the Asian country, originally foreseen next week. Two delegations from the Economic Affairs and Industry Committees were supposed to travel to China next week, but they won't do it any longer since China deleted the meetings.

The European Parliament preferred not to comment. It has been taken note of the decision of the Chinese authorities, and delegations will not be sent to the country. Sources confirmed that everything happened because of the official visit of the Dalai Lama in Strasbourg, without adding further details. There is an ongoing diplomatic crisis between the EU and the PRC, and what has just happened is nothing but a new chapter in a never-ending story. The political agenda of the European Union is in contrast with the strategic interests of the Chinese partner, as shows the single strategy on China.

FACT SHEET/ The Western Sahara issue

«Western Sahara is not part of Morocco»

From the European Court of Justice comes a clear opinion over a long-lasting issue

by Emanuele Bonini

The European Union doesn't recognise the ruling rights of Morocco over Western Sahara. This was reaffirmed by Melchior Wathelet, advocat general at the European Court of Justice, in his personal opinion made public today. Called to decide whether the bilateral trade agreements between EU and Morocco are applicable to the Western Sahara, the advocat general ruled it out. In his opinion Western Sahara «is not part of Moroccan territory and, therefore, neither the EU-Morocco Association Agreement, nor the Liberalisation Agreement on the liberalisation of trade in agricultural and fishery products are applicable to it». These considerations are not new in Europe, and they create both a political and judicial problem. On the institutional side the European Union exclude any sovereignty of Morocco over Western Sahara. In giving his opinion, Melchior Wathelet recalled that the largest part of Western Sahara is controlled by the central government of Rabat, which «considers itself as having sovereignty over that territory». This doesn't mean they have it. In fact, the advocate general emphasises that «the European Union and its Member States have never recognised that Western Sahara is  part of Morocco, or that the latter has sovereignty over that territory». Something won't be welcomed by Moroccan authorities, always claiming the Western Sahara as part of the country. It is already possible to expect formal reactions from Rabat and a diplomatic case to be managed.

Charlie Hebdo and the earthquake: if it doesn't make you angry, it is not satire

About the controversy over the new illustration, the meaning, the truth, satire, and political correctness that, once again, are asphyxiating us

by Gianmaria Tammaro, for wired.it.
(This is the English version of the article published the 2nd of September, 2016. Click here to read the original post. English translation by Emanuele Bonini).

There are no half measures when it comes to satire. I realized that after having had discussions with Milo Manara, after having read Luz's book, after having heard about it from illustrators and cartoonists. Satire is uncompromising. That's the point. If it doesn't make indignant, if it doesn't hit, it is not satire. And then it doesn't even make sense to talk about it.

What Charlie Hebdo published in its latest copy is satire. It is, although it talks about the earthquake victims in Italy. Isn't it funny? Well, satire does not necessarily make people laugh: that's comedy. Satire is another stuff. And the problem is that in Italy it is not clear what satire, as in other parts of the world (even if, in some cases, because of real lack of freedom, not only nominal).

More than a year ago, we were ready to fill our mouths with the «je suis Charlie» slogan, and now, today, we are ready to disown it and saying that we were wrong; to say that maybe, perhaps, Charlie Hebdo men are not exactly saints.

It's like the principle by which «satire is fine as long as it is addressed to the others; but when it is addressed to me, to my friends, to my little backyard, then it is unacceptable».

The many interpretations this cartoon offers - three figures, three sentences, we talk about food, about Italy and misfortunes - become of secondary importance, finishing submerged by avalanches of do-goodism and politically correct (the same aspects criticized by Clint Eastwood, and it should be recalled).

Editorials are uncountable as well as are tweets. Indignation rises from civil society and politics. We all go on stage to explain - to pretend of explaining - what satire is. But we do not know. We look at the finger and not at the moon; we look at a cartoon and we don't know what to think. On the contrary, we refuse to think. And this is another problem, another fundamental point.

«National sovereignty is a myth»

Globalization and economy make States not free to play State role, warned Bruegel think tank

by Emanuele Bonini

«National sovereignty is a myth», said yesterday an ALDE Member of the European Parliament during the annual conference of Bruegel held in Brussels. In time of independence claims by governments and far-right parties, in Sylvie Goulard's opinion it has to be said such claims have no reason to be. As shown by the Apple case «Ireland pretends to have sovereignty, but the Irish government is in the hands of the same companies they have granted profitable tax rulings». Thus, fiscal policies clearly show how the national independence doesn't exist in practice. And globalization suggests single States alone can do very few.

«What people can't understand is that the State can't play a national role in a globalized world», stressed Romano Prodi, former president of the European Commission. So Brexit is not the answer. Asking for less Europe in order to get more sovereignty means nothing but lose power. Reintroducing national currencies, symbol of national independence, would be a mistake. «If the Euro falls, then the EU becomes just a weak trade area».