N°61/December 2017 European Parliament Former Members
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N°61/December 2017 EPFMA BULLETIN European Parliament Former Members Association www.formermembers.eu FOCUS FMA Activities Europe of Political FMA Study Visit to Communication Washington Page 12 Page 21 2 FMA BULLETIN - 61 IN THIS ISSUE 03 Message from the President digital communication (Andrea Manzella) 04 EP at Work 14 Fake News (Mariya Gabriel) CURRENT AFFAIRS 16 The EP institutional communication strategy Venezuela’s Democratic 05 The future EU Budget: Opposition, laureates of the EP (Jaume Duch Guillot) Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Make the EU great again Thought. ©European Union (Edit Herczog) 18 Youth, Politics and Communication: A short how-to Cultural diversity: key 06 (Leonie Martin) for a strong and united EU (Carole Tongue) 07 Germany has voted FMA ACTIVITIES (Gisela Kallenbach) 21 FMA Study Visit to U.S.A. 08 For an integrated 32 Former Members Network Sámi Blood winner of the 2017 Defence of Europe LUX Prize. ©European Union (Dolores García-Hierro Caraballo) 34 Visit under EU Presidency 09 The EU’s fight for the Iran deal 36 Photo Report (Tarja Cronberg) 10 Not in the name of honour LATEST NEWS (Karin Junker) 37 Activities Livia Járóka and Fabio Massimo 37 In memoriam Castaldo elected Vice-Presidents FOCUS of the European Parliament. 38 New members ©European Union 12 Politics and CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS: The Editorial Board would like to thank all those members who took the time to contribute to this issue of the FMA Bulletin. We would like to draw your attention to the fact that the decision to include an article lies with the FMA Editorial Board and, in principle, contributions from members who are not up-to-date with the payment of the membership fee will not be included. Due to the long time lag between the call for contribution and the publication, some articles may be outdated. The FMA Bulletin is published by the European Parliament Former Members Association (FMA) with the assistance of the Europe- an Parliament. However, the views expressed in articles represent the views of contributing FMA members or guest writers and do not necessarily represent the views of either the European Parliament nor the FMA. Similarly, any advertisement does not imply an official endorsement by the FMA or Parliament. EDITORIAL BOARD PREPARED BY CONTACTS Brigitte LANGENHAGEN Elisabetta FONCK [email protected] Andrea MANZELLA Lisseth BRAVO Tel.+ 32(0)2 284 07 03 Edward McMILLAN-SCOTT Valeh NASIRI Fax.+32(0)2 284 09 89 Manuel PORTO Marta FALGÀS Teresa RIERA MADURELL Message from the PRESIDENT Dear colleagues, Manzella. The main subject discussed Committee on Foreign Affairs and was ‘The Future of Europe’ and the of the Subcommittee on Security Another year is coming to an end. meeting debated the statement and Defence and President of the Another year full of change and proposed by Mr Walter Schwimmer Kangaroo Group, Ivailo Kalfin, hope for the European Union. As (Secretary General of the Council Member of the High Level Group on we found from our Study Visit of Europe from 1999 to 2004). Own Resources and EP Rapporteur to Washington from 24 to 28 Another dominant issue was the on Critical Information Infrastructure September, Europe must stay united murder of the Maltese journalist Protection, and Sir Julian King, EU now more than ever. Faced with Daphne Caruana Galizia. Our FMA Commissioner for the Security Union. a difficult international situation representatives led the initiative to It was a fascinating and stimulating where President Donald Trump is issue a press release condemning this debate for both members and pushing for a neoliberal world order brutal act. We must remember that students alike. A video of the event is of anarchy and war and propagating freedom of expression is one of the available on the FMA website. his ideology of “America First”, a pillars of the European Union and Our recruitment drive for new slogan that reflects self-interest and acts like Daphne’s murder have no members has been making a desire for a world in which each place in Europe. good progress, with a further 26 country only looks after its own In other news, a delegation from colleagues joining us in 2017. I interests, Europe must stand united the FMA led by Lord Richard Balfe want to thank all of you who have as an example. paid a visit to Estonia from 5 to 7 helped the campaign; remember, our During our visit, which was organised November. Our members had the existing members are best placed to in cooperation with the European chance to talk with former Estonian showcase the work of the FMA and Parliament Liaison Office with the MEPs and visited the Riigikogu explain its importance. If you know US Congress, we had the pleasure (Estonian Parliament) where they somebody who might be interested of being invited to the annual met with Marianne Mikko, member in joining us, don’t hesitate to get meeting of the US Association of of the European Affairs Committee them in touch with the secretariat; if Former Members of Congress, where and Defence Committee. It was each of us recruits one new member, we were given a warm welcome. a productive visit that focussed we could achieve so much more We also had the chance to find on Estonia’s programme for the together and maximise the potential out about the work of important presidency and the example the of the FMA’s programmes. organisations and think tanks and country sets to others as one of the Finally, I should like to thank to exchange ideas with academics leading digital nations in Europe. everyone who has taken part in and student representatives. Among You can find a report on the visit the events organised by the FMA, the issues discussed were the in this bulletin. especially those members who transatlantic relationship and the EU I want to thank all those who have worked throughout the year and climate change. You can find a came to and helped to organise on the ‘EP to Campus’ programme report on the visit in this bulletin. the FMA’s annual events on 29 and with universities. Thank you for This issue deals with communication 30 November. It was a pleasure to making our association’s continued and social media, two very topical see so many people in attendance. success a reality. subjects. European experts and Our guest of honour was Mirek I wish you, your family and friends our colleagues tell us how social Topolánek, former Prime Minister a very merry Christmas and a happy media networks have reshaped of the Czech Republic and former New Year for 2018. communication in politics and President of the Council. what changes we can expect to see The FMA annual seminar, attended in the future. by a large group of students from The Bureau meeting of the Belgian universities, addressed the European Association of former issue of ‘EU Global Strategy on parlamentarians was held on Security and Defence’. I should 3 November in Malta, where our like to thank all of our speakers association was represented by for agreeing to take part, namely Enrique BARÓN CRESPO Brigitte Langenhagen and Andrea Michael Gahler, Member of the FMA President 4 FMA BULLETIN - 61 EP AT WORK KEY FACTS MEPs pass EU scheme to support free WIFI Identifying endocrine disruptors (October in public spaces (September Session - P8_TA- Session - P8_TA-PROV(2017)0376) PROV(2017)0326). Parliament blocked an EU Commission proposal which The scheme pave the way towards free internet would have exempted some chemicals in pesticides spots in public places for all EU citizens and from being identified as endocrine disruptors. forms part of efforts to create a Digital Union. A common electronic system at the Schengen MEPs voted in favour of new Rules to strengthen area’s external borders was backed by MEPs. the security of gas supplies across the EU (October Session - P8_TA-PROV(2017)0411) (September Session - P8_TA-PROV(2017)0327). The new Entry/Exit System (EES) will register Any EU country faced with a gas supply crisis will be information on non-EU nationals when they enter, exit able to alert the others and thus trigger cross-border or are refused entry into the Schengen area. assistance to prevent cuts. Rule of law and democracy in Poland (November EP green light for setting up EU Prosecutor to Session - P8_TA-PROV(2017)0442) fight fraud against EU funds (October Session - MEPs believe that the situation in Poland represents P8_TA-PROV(2017)0384). a “clear risk of a serious breach” of the European The European Public Prosecutor’s Office will be in values, including the rule of law and took formal steps charge of investigating and prosecuting perpetrators to trigger the first stage of the Article 7 procedure. of offences against the EU budget. Other main dossiers discussed in the plenary sessions were: September 2017 Italy in 2016 and 2017. (14.09.17) • Packaged loans converted into • MEPs discussed ways to shape • Easier access to capital securities will have to be made less the EU’s future in a debate with for innovative and socially complex and more transparent, say Commission President Jean-Claude beneficial companies under new rules approved by MEPs. (26.10.17) Juncker. (13.09.17) rules voted by the EP. (14.09.17) • Buying online: MEPs • MEPs backed a legislative • MEPs want legislative approved EU-wide rules to better proposal, under which EU countries information and documents protect consumers. (14.11.17) have to ensure a balance in to be directly accessible to • MEPs said in a resolution that CO2 emissions. (13.09.17) the public throughout the Malta needs to prop up its • MEPs opposed relaxing legislative process.