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Before the EU summit: Dispute over sanctions and other decisions

2022-12-15T04:30:04.416Z


Before the EU summit: Dispute over sanctions and other decisions Created: 2022-12-15Updated: 2022-12-15 05:20 European Union flag waving in the wind. © Philipp von Ditfurth/dpa Actually, major issues should have been cleared up before today's EU summit. But this plan is in danger of failing. Mainly because of a German neighbor. Brussels - The last EU summit of the year is in danger of being ov


Before the EU summit: Dispute over sanctions and other decisions

Created: 2022-12-15Updated: 2022-12-15 05:20

European Union flag waving in the wind.

© Philipp von Ditfurth/dpa

Actually, major issues should have been cleared up before today's EU summit.

But this plan is in danger of failing.

Mainly because of a German neighbor.

Brussels - The last EU summit of the year is in danger of being overshadowed by the dispute over new Russia sanctions and a possible blocking of further decisions.

Contrary to what had been planned, the EU states were unable to agree on the planned ninth sanctions package on Wednesday.

In addition, renegotiations on decisions already agreed on Monday were threatened - including on a hitherto unique action against Hungary because of allegations of corruption.

However, the government in Budapest does not seem to be the problem this time.

Blockade after basic agreement?

threat of fiasco

There should have been formal decisions on all topics by Wednesday evening.

However, according to diplomats, there were further differences of opinion on the final details of the sanctions package until Wednesday evening.

A new compromise proposal should be examined by the experts from the member states by Thursday morning.

Until recently, there were mainly discussions about whether the current sanctions rules might prevent the export of Russian agricultural products and fertilizers to developing and emerging countries.

Together with countries like France and the Netherlands, Germany is calling for adjustments to be made as part of the ninth package of sanctions that rule this out with legal certainty.

Other countries such as Poland, Lithuania and Latvia see reports of agricultural exports allegedly prevented by sanctions as Russian propaganda and did not want to accept any changes until the very end.

The deadline for the final approval of the so-called Hungary package also had to be postponed to Thursday.

According to diplomats, the reason was Poland's pending approval.

The country had registered the need for examination of the decision on a guideline for the international minimum tax for large corporations, which is also part of the package.

Originally, the EU states had agreed in principle on a package consisting of four parts on Monday.

Due to concerns that EU money is being misappropriated in Hungary due to insufficient fight against corruption, the country is to be withheld from the country for the time being 6.3 billion euros.

In addition, an important guideline for the international minimum tax for large companies, extensive EU aid for Ukraine and the Hungarian plan for the use of EU corona aid should be decided.

Hungary had previously blocked the minimum tax and aid to Ukraine for weeks.

According to EU diplomats, the resistance was broken when countries like Germany threatened the government in Budapest with blocking the approval of the Hungarian Corona aid plan.

However, now the Polish response to the package is pending, which is blocking a formal decision.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the other heads of state and government actually have other major issues in front of their chests at their last regular summit of the year.

Among other things, it is said to be about military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia, and about relations with the USA.

The transatlantic relationship is burdened by a US subsidy program worth billions, because the subsidy rules in the EU are seen as discriminatory and incompatible with the rules of the World Trade Organization.

The energy crisis is also likely to keep the heads of state and government busy.

An overview:

Transatlantic Relations

Filing lawsuits or raising billions for the domestic economy yourself?

The question poses itself to the heads of state and government in view of the US subsidy program.

There is a fear that companies and jobs will migrate to the USA.

On Wednesday evening, Chancellor Scholz was still hesitant about proposals by the EU Commission to introduce a separate European fund for company aid in the future.

According to him, there are still many unused funds at EU level that could be reallocated.

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Gas price cap against price explosion?

On Tuesday, too, the EU energy ministers were again unable to agree on the details of a planned EU gas price cap that is intended to prevent excessive price swings.

In particular, the question of exactly how high the price limit should be has not yet been answered.

"The interpretations differed greatly," said Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) after the meeting.

He would like the heads of state and government to provide guidelines on what exactly is meant by "excessive prices".

However, it is unclear whether the summit will deliver these specifications.

According to information from EU circles, an agreement has so far failed, mainly due to Germany.

Theoretically, the price cap could also be decided with a majority decision against the will of Berlin.

Migration and Schengen

Last but not least, there is a risk of disputes over the issues of migration and Schengen.

Neither is on the agenda.

However, there is plenty of reason for exchange at the top level.

Bulgaria and Romania could complain, for example, that Austria and the Netherlands recently blocked the timely accession of both countries to the Schengen area without border controls.

States like the Netherlands or Belgium, on the other hand, could bring up the fact that they groan under the large number of people seeking protection who they can hardly care for.

Both countries complain that countries on the EU's external borders often allow asylum seekers to move on to other member states, which is usually different under EU law.

dpa

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-12-15

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