EU to put an end the profitable detached work

Draft amending proposal of the posted workers directive wants to eliminate the wage differences. In name of labour protection and fair competition

by Emanuele Bonini

Same remuneration and same conditions as local workers, no salary level change in case of subcontractor, publication of all elements of the different remuneration policies in force in the Member States. The European Union made a step forward in the revision of posting workers directive, by adopting the draft proposal containing the new measures. The Employment and Social Affairs Committee approved the legislative text by with 32 votes to 8 and 13 abstentions, paving the way to the negotiations with the European Council. Unless of last-minute surprises, with every probability the Plenary will back the draft bill in the vote scheduled next week. Then representative from the Parliament and from the Member States (Council) will be in the position of table negotiations.

Posted workers account for less than 1% of the overall EU working population, but they are growing in number. According to the EU figures, in 2015 they were 2.05 million, a value increased by 41,3% between 2010 and 2015. The growth of the single market has led to increased wage differences, generating automatic incentives for posting. Workers sent working abroad often earn considerably less than local workers, which can lead to unfair competition between posting and domestic companies, social dumping and exploitation of posted workers. The new draft rules are supposed to stop all that, pointed out one of the two co-rapporteur. «The agreement we have is politically clear: improve the protection of workers and ensure a level playing field for companies in the internal market», said the Elisabeth Morin-Chartier after the commitee vote.

Italy a real problem as no-vax war set in EU agenda

«Unacceptable» for the European Commission chief that in 2017 children still die for measles. Figures suggest is time for remedies, called vaccinations

A US measles information leaflet. Click to enlarge

by Emanuele Bonini

A spectre is haunting Europe, the spectre of sickness. All the powers of Europe have entered into a holy alliance to exorcise this spectre, except the Italians. It could be argued that Karl Marx, philosophy and history are all serious things. Perhaps health is not? Of course it is, otherwise the Italian no-vax culture would had never become a matter of urgence. How to explain the lack of vaccinations in Italy in the politica agenda of the EU? In no other way but that. Care and healthcare are supposed to be prerogative of sovereign countries, but apparently in certain cases they don't care. So here comes the need of intervention. The president of the European Commission stressed it clearly in his State of the Union speech, and that was astonishing as is the Italian state of play. The latest figures from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) help a lot in catching the spectre which is annoying the continent. Only in 2017, as of 13 September, Italy has reported 4.487 measles cases, making the country the 5th in the world for highest infection rate. Worse than Italy made India, Nigeria, Pakistan and PRC, all developing or underdeveloped countries.

Shame and shake. Antivaxers are ashaming Italy and shaking Europe. «Measles outbreaks continue to occur in a number of EU/EEA countries», the ECDC noticed. Italy and Romania are the main EU countries where such infections take place, as also detected by the World Health Organization (not updated data compared to those from the ECDC). Thus, «there is a risk of spread and sustained transmission in areas with susceptible populations». According to Jean-Claude Juncker «it is unacceptable that in 2017 there are still children dying of diseases that should long have been eradicated in Europe». In other words, what the president of the European Commission ment without saying, a modern Europe can't afford to have neither medievalist forces nor third world poverty dynamics. «Children in Romania or Italy must have the same access to measles vaccines as children in other European countries. No ifs, no buts». So antivaxers, please go home! «Avoidable deaths must not occur in Europe, and we are working with all Member States to support national vaccination efforts». So work Italy? Just in case, the ECDC recalled that «vaccination with at least two doses remains the most effective measure» against measles outbreaks. Oops!


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EU commissioner declared war on antivaxers

Brexit to hit literary legend's isle

Corto Maltese, a «cult» character of the best of the European graphic novel genre, had official residence in Antigua, where consequences from the anti-EU referendum are expected

by Emanuele Bonini

History proved Corto Maltese was right, in the end. Antigua is a good place for a domicile, not a good a place to live in. Even Gibraltar has become a country just to pass through, a destination probably good nothing but for hit and run visits. And that's true especially today, in time of Brexit, whose waves propagate so far to reach and shake the crystalline waters of the Caribbean. In this part of the world many of the countries under the British crown, both formally and «de facto» still continue to be heavily dependent on the United Kingdom. Commercial supplies, special financing, tourism: the British are worth a lot here, and Antigua make no exceptions. Around the 17.7% of local wealth depends on tourism, driven for one third by UK nationals now not in the condition to sustain higher travel costs. With the UK out of the great play of the EU, import-export flows won't be possible any longer unless new commercial agreements are arranged. Because of British EU membership trade, aid, and investment relations between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Member States countries, included Antigua, has been with the EU.

In perspective what has been until today can't be taken for granted any longer. After Brexit Antigua, as well as all the CARICOM group, won't be in the position to trade with London because the latter will have become a third Country. New partnership will be needed, with CARICOM not on the top of the British agenda. If living in Antigua could previously seem not to be a good idea, it doesn't appear to be the wisest choice given the current times. So farewell, Corto!

Migration is there to stay. So will Europe?

EU more and more disunited in dealing with the asylum seekers crisis, and now it was made clear that mutual solidarity is not a must

by Emanuele Bonini

The first access country is always responsible for migrants and asylum seekers, even in time of crisis, so ruled the European Court of justice today. That means that people landing on the Italian ground can't be allowed to pass through the national territory to submit their asylum application to the EU member State where they would like staying. Juridical clarity was made, now both political measures and practical solutions have to be established as well. Rules are there to stay as they are and always have been, but this doesn't solve the the migration issue. Or, well, it does just in part. First access countries - such as Italy and Greece, in the specific case - are left alone by law in dealing with migrations flows. It's up to them to table credible and sustainable solutions, exactly what didn't happen so far.

It has been recognised that the rules in force have not been thought for managing emergency situations, but under a legal point of view this doesn't justify any derogation to the implementation of the European regulation for the single asylum system, knows as the Dublin regulation. The latter «must be interpreted» in a scrict way: even in front of an emergency («an unusually large number of third-country nationals» arrived to the European Union territory) every transit must be regarded as having «irregular crossing» of the border of the first Member State. This is about justice, which is different from fairness.

Refugees put Lebanon at stake, minister warned

Social and economic rising tensions between Syrians and hosting population, wiht the internation European community underestiming risks

Gebran Bassil

by Emanuele Bonini

Lebanon is about to collapse, the minister for the Foreign Affairs warned today. Social tensions are increasing, and measures are needed to alleviate the huge pressure created by the high amount of the Syrian refugees. Lebanon, a country of 4.4 million inhabitants, is hosting more than 1.5 million refugees from Syria, plus those from Palestine (280.000) and Iraq (6.000). There is a total of 200 refugees per square meter that makes it the highest per-capita concentration of refugees worldwide. One person out of four is a refugee and «the situation can't go on», minister Gebran Bassil said referring to «concerns due to the social and economic rising tensions» between the hosting community and hosted community, what the Lebanese authorities call «the reception fatigue». This is not the only challenge for the Middle East country. There are other two elements undermining the stability of the republic. One is terrorism, the other is lack of international solidarity, especially from the European Union.

Settlements and camps represent a threat for the national security, since terrorists may try to get infiltrated amongst the people in need. Lebanon was able to avoid it so far, but more needs to be done in order to secure the more and more fragile State, the minister stressed at the end of the 8th EU-Lebanon Association Counsil. International sustain thus is key, although Gebran Bassil feels to be left alone. Criticisms were raised against to the so-called partners, blamed for not doing what they are supposed to do.
«We are disappointed with the lack of burden sharing and with the fact that most the of the Countries are escaping from their international obbligations of responsibility sharing». No explicit reference was made to Austria, Hungary, Slovakia or Poland, all EU member States harshly against the idea of take care about refugees, but it was easy to guess who Mr. Bassil had in mind. All over the world, he said, «we see actions aiming at building walls». That is exactly what is happening in Europe, especially in the countries just mentioned. «In Lebanon we believe in bridging gaps rather than digging trenches to segregate humans», and this explains why Lebanon «will continue» to host people in need on the basis of the principle of non-refoulement. Europe have not interests in leaving Lebanon to explode under the pressure of sociali tensions, theory suggests. Practice speaks other way, on the contrary.

Europe needs migrants, EU report shows

According to the 2017 edition of the European Commission's ESDE review extra-EU people are key to solve the issue of the economic demographic decline

by Emanuele Bonini

Intolerance can't be the answer, fences can't be the political agenda. EU countries need migrants more than ever to address the demographic challenge and its future implication, a study from the European Commission revealed today. Without people coming Europe will collapse, it basically says. Europeans are getting older, and the active population in the labour market is projected to shrink by 0.3% every year with all the consequences. Nowadays there are four working-age people per pensioner, in 2060 they will be just two. «No further migration would exacerbate the demographic challenge», states the document. «Without any further net migration into the EU from now on, the decline of the working-age population would be much stronger» than foreseen.

The 2017 Employment and Social Developments in Europe (ESDE) review offers two different scenarios, by which in 2040 the the active EU population could decline to 247 million people or even to 210 million people. With less active people available and more pensions to pay, future poses critical challenges for the 27+1 EU member States. The only possibility at disposal to host migrants and integrated them into the social and labour environment. «Higher net immigration would allow growth in the working age population to resume in the medium term», according to the 268 pages report. In time of fence-building, it appears hard to see national governments allowing asylum seeker applicants come and stay. Decision makers should therefore revise their immigration policies.

«No EU-UK flights after Brexit», Ryanair chief warns

Air carriers can't wait the end of negotiations, scheduled for March 2019. Connections to be disrupted already in September 2018, with British government considered as no problem-solver

by Emanuele Bonini

Brexit «will bring chaos for aviation», with no EU-UK air connections of any kind after March 2019, Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary warned today. Although the conditions for exiting the European Union has to be found the 29th of March of that year at the latest, «for carriers the deadline is September-October 2018, when flights will be abolished», he said in a public hearing held in Brussels. «The aviation sector won't wait» so long, and clear conditions have to be in place before the scheduled roadmap in order to allow companies to operate. Both technical and praticals reason require the commercial environment to be clearly defined and predictable. Slots have to be resersed in advance, but in order to ask for them it is necessary to know whether operating flights is possible. So, be ready for the worst. «There is the perspective of not having EU-UK flights in April, 2019. With no deals, flights will be deleted, as the 2019 summer holidays will»

The major concern for the Irish carrier is the uncapability of the British government to find the way out. «British have no idea of they are doing, have no plans, and have no idea what the want» for the future, O'Leary criticised. With these premises it has not a surprise if the touristic sector is in allarm. TUI Group, the world's number one tourism business, has commissioned a study with the aim of investigating the possibile side effects of Brexit. In case of EU-UK flights black-out the EU27 tourism industry stands to lose some €21 billion in business, warned Ralf Pastleitner, Director International Public Policy, Group Corporate & External Affairs of TUI Group. GDP could shrink of 2.8% in Malta, and of 0,5% in Spain, just to give an example. The fact that such a study has been tabled is the proof that concerns are there, are real and the business world is working in order to be ready to address all the possible scenarios, included the worst ones.

Fact-checking, or the index of our failure

More than a journalistic exercise. Today is a systemic need to get away from an increasingly widespread practice of hide the truth

by Emanuele Bonini

Truth, truth, nothing but truth. Apparently the real world is lost in fakes. There is no other explanation for the new season of fact-checking exploded all across Europe and beyond. Newspapers, newswires and websites are more and more focused on searching for truth. In normal times and normal conditions, normality foreseen that journalists verify what they have to write before publishing it. Checking before publish is an obligation linked to the fair activity of every single reporter, but here something is wrong. But we don't live in normal times. Distortion and misinformation are the new practice. There's nothing wrong in journalist, apart from being part of this corrupted system.

In the internet era getting a clear image of what world is about is today more and more complex and complicated. Thousends of thousends of websites flourish in number and actvity, promoting and stimulating debates on everything. Most of the times negating the truth, and here we come to the true big issue: in web we trust. If the internet becomes the community of virtual information, the real world becomes virtual, too. Internet is the place where people get informed. But internet is an unsafe space. Fake news are our every day meal, and media are obliged to follow the rules of a game radically changed. People are finding in the so-called «alternative» source of information their main landmark. Real information producers have lost in confidence and credibility, and have been forced to work in order to regain a missing trust by verifying the supposed reliability of the «alternative truths».

EU Court ruled out ticket flight refunds for bird strikes

Accidents have unpredictable nature and damages occurred are out of the air carrier control

by Emanuele Bonini

Mind the birds. Like in one of the most famous Alfred Hitchcock's movies, the Birds, winged animals can be dangerous and harmful, especially for your pocket. Because of them, you can miss your flight, your journey and your money. According to the the European Court of Justice, delays lasting more than three hours can't be refundable in case of technical problems due to birds. Although bird strikes are episodes not so rare to happen, for the EU judiciary body such events can't be foreseen and not even predicted. That means air carrier are exempted from refunding passengers for their tickets. The EU legislation foresee that air passengers have the right to be reimbursed every time occurs a delay of more than three hours. This happens even in case of technical problems, but not if these are produced of birds got into the plane engine.

There is not only the unpredictable and exceptional nature of bird strikes to "save" air carriers from their repayment obligations. The ECJ ruled that the problems of caused by these accidents to the plane are out of control of the company and its personnel. This the reason why the Court decided to reject the appeal submitted by two European citizens who experienced a five hours delay flight in 2013. Birds are out there, so pay attention. Or simply be ready to pay.

«Elections not a reason for inaction», ECB chief blamed

Mario Draghi criticized the Member States do very little to implement structural reforms

by Emanuele Bonini

Reforms, reforms, reforms. Once again, the president of the ECB, Mario Draghi, urged the governments to implement what is needed to exit the crisis once and for all, calling the Member States not to hide behind the elections as a pretext to avoid maintaining the promised efforts. Draghi has been insisting on the need for structural reforms since he assumed his post, and he still renews his appeal. The latest call was made on at the end of the meeting of the governing council of the European Central Bank, which to decided to maintain unchanged the interest rates and to go on with the Quantitative Easing. The non-standard monetary policy measures, confirmed at the net asset purchases of the new monthly pace of €60 billion, are intended to run until the end of December 2017 or beyond, if necessary. It's the same old story: the ECB does its own part, but the Member States have to do their own. «Things are going better. Recovery previously fragile and uneven, is now solid and broad», the Eurotower chief said at the end of the board meeting. Nevertheless, «economic growth continues to be dampened by a sluggish pace of implementation of structural reforms», whose responsibility lies on the countries of the Euro area. Always. «It’s quite clear that once countries enter into a very important political and election cycle, the push for legislating structural reforms becomes less vigorous. However, this by itself doesn’t justify any absence of action, because even without legislation you have implementation of previously legislated reforms».