EU Delegation to New Zealand: Newsletter 21 Oct 2011
http://www.eu.org.nz/events.asp
European Parliamentary Visitor Impressed with New Zealand
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Ms Mara Bizzotto, Chair of the European Parliamentary
Delegation for Relations with Australia and New Zealand,
paid her first official visit to the country 16-19 October.
She met with Dr Jonathan Coleman, Minister of Immigration,
Ms Hekia Parata, Minister of Ethnic Affairs, and Opposition
Spokesperson Maryan Street. She also attended a business
roundtable and did several on-site visits in Auckland. She
was honoured to be invited and be present at the major Maori
Cuisine and Business show at the Waka Events Centre. After
her first taste of NZ, Ms Bizzotto intends to return next
year leading the official biannual visit of her delegation,
well-briefed about NZ and its peoples. For more about Ms
Bizzotto, please read:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members/expert/groupAndCountry/view.do?id=97198
Placido Domingo and Katherine Jenkins Raise
Spirits and Money in Christchurch
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On 6th October, world-renowned Spanish tenor Placido
Domingo and Welsh opera singer Katherine Jenkins, performed
a special concert to raise money for a new Court Theatre and
the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra which both lost their
homes in the February earthquake. Governor General Jerry
Mateparae and Prime Minister John Key joined more than 8000
citizens in what was a magical night. Placido Domingo
concert made Christchurch come alive, made the city sparkle
and gave hope and faith to a city that appreciates,
understands and loves the Arts said PM Key. The opera star's
sell-out concert raised over three hundred thousand dollars
for the arts and lifted the city's battered spirits. Placido
Domingo is reported to have lost four members of his family
during the 1985 Mexican earthquake in which 10,000 people
died.
Great News for Spanish Economy and
Auckland
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In early October, Auckland Transport signed a contract
with the Spanish manufacturer CAF for NZ$650 million to
purchase 57 electric trains for the Auckland Metropolitan
rail network. They will replace the diesel units currently
providing passenger services to commuters in the city,
incorporating the latest technologies in terms of safety,
accessibility, environmental requirements and modern
amenities. Speaking at Spain's national day reception in
Wellington on 12th October, Spain's new Ambassador Jesus
Miguel Sanz Escorihuela declared: "Our companies are
internationally recognised in infrastructure, sustainable
transport and renewable energies. In this field, there have
already been some fruitful collaborative initiatives in wind
generation. I am confident that very soon we will have more
of our best companies in NZ. Likewise, we welcome NZ
investments in Spain, a country which provides a friendly
environment for business opportunities."
EU High
Representative Catherine Ashton in Australia for CHOGM
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Catherine Ashton will be in Australia next week as a
special guest of the Commonwealth Secretariat for the
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Perth.
Shewill co-chair the "EU-Australia Piracy Event" with
Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd. Catherine Ashton
will be the guest speaker at a lunch hosted by Foreign
Minister Rudd for Commonwealth Foreign Ministers, and is a
panel member of a Royal Commonwealth Society function on
human rights as well as a panellist at PM Gillard's
"Empowering Women to Lead" event. The High Representative
will also travel to Canberra for ministerial consultations
with Foreign Minister Rudd (pictured together at ASEM in
October 2010).
EU ratifies Convention establishing
a fisheries organisation in the South Pacific
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The European Union has ratified the Convention setting
up a new Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (RFMO),
which, once it enters into force, will govern the fishing
activities in the high seas of the South Pacific. The EU is
the 6th Party to ratify the Convention after Belize, Cook
Islands, Republic of Cuba, Kingdom of Denmark in respect of
Faroe Islands and New Zealand. The South Pacific is one of
the few remaining parts of the oceans which have not yet
been regulated by an RFMO (Regional Fisheries Management
Organisation) for non-tuna species. The South Pacific
Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) will
manage non-highly migratory fish species in the region,
including both pelagic and deep sea stocks such as jack
mackerel and orange roughly. It covers a vast area including
the waters from the most western parts of the South Pacific
towards the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of South
America. In order to enter into force, the Convention needs
to be ratified by at least 8 partners, including at least 3
coastal states in the region and 3 long-distance fishing
states. The EU hopes for rapid ratification progress,
particularly by the coastal states in the area, to enable
the South Pacific RFMO to become fully operational in the
near future. The new organisation will allow for the
effective management of fisheries resources and the
protection of the marine environment in this vast area of
the high sea. More information:
https://promo-manager.server-secure.com/ch/6327/rvmzpj/385590/77448r2nh.html
EU committed to nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East
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Following the nomination by the United Nations
Secretary-General of a facilitator and a host government for
the conference in 2012 on the establishment of a zone free
of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction
in the Middle East, EU High Representative Catherine Ashton
said "The EU has always been fully committed to the
establishment of such a zone free of nuclear weapons and all
other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East on the
basis of arrangements freely arrived at by the States of the
region." Read more:
https://promo-manager.server-secure.com/ch/6327/rvmzpj/386565/77448153xy.pdf
The EU at the G-20 summit in Cannes
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The G-20 summit will take place on 3 and 4 November in
Cannes, France. The European Union is a full member of the
G-20 and will be represented by the President of the
European Council, Herman Van Rompuy and the President of the
European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso. Presidents Van
Rompuy and Barroso shared their ideas in advance of the
summit in a letter
sent to the other members of the European Council on 7
October 2011. Both Presidents will present the EU's position
in Cannes after the European Council on 23October will have
finalised EU preparations of the G-20 summit. In the letter,
they stressed that "the fact that France holds the G20
Presidency this year gives Europe a special responsibility.
We need to make the Cannes Summit a G20 Summit that restores
confidence, supports sustainable growth and job creation,
and maintains financial stability". Both leaders expect that
Europe will be in the focus of the Cannes Summit. "Our G20
partners' perception is that if Europe does not solve its
sovereign debt crisis there will be dangerous spillovers on
the global economy. We need to show them that the European
Union is determined to do whatever necessary to overcome the
current difficulties. At the same time, we will also demand
from our G20 partners a constructive contribution to face
the global economic challenges."
[read more https://promo-manager.server-secure.com/ch/6327/rvmzpj/386672/77448n284.html]
European Financial Stability Facility fully
operational
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On 13 October, European Council President Herman Van
Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso
declared the fund to provide financial stability to the
Eurozone was ready: "The enhanced European Financial
Stability Facility is fully operational after Slovakia's
ratification. The EFSF provides us with a stronger, more
flexible tool to defend the financial stability of the euro
area. This is in the clear interest of every one of the 17
Member States directly concerned, as well as for the wider
European Union." [Read more]
https://promo-manager.server-secure.com/ch/6327/rvmzpj/385750/7744810khj.pdf
India and Pakistan floods: Europe responds to desperate
needs
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The European Commission will provide emergency funding
of €3 million for the victims of the ongoing monsoon
floods in India. The disaster has displaced between 200,000
and 300,000 people who are in urgent need of humanitarian
relief. Experts from the European Commission Humanitarian
Aid and Civil Protection Directorate General are in the
field to monitor how needs evolve. The funding will provide
food assistance, shelter, water and sanitation, and basic
household items. Particular attention will be paid to highly
vulnerable groups such as low caste and tribal communities,
religious minorities, single-parent families, the disabled,
children and the sick and elderly. The aid will be
channelled through the Commission's humanitarian partners in
the field. [Read more]
https://promo-manager.server-secure.com/ch/6327/rvmzpj/385787/77448pzc6.html
The European Commission is also to boost its funding for
emergency relief to Pakistan. In addition to €98
million for humanitarian assistance provided so far in 2011
(€86 million from the EC and €12 million from
the EU Member States) another €6.5 million will be
provided from the Commission's humanitarian budget to bring
water and shelter, food and medical care to the victims of
the monsoon floods. [Read more]
https://promo-manager.server-secure.com/ch/6327/rvmzpj/386673/77448cspw.html
Next stages of EU Enlargement
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On 12 October the European Commission recommended
granting EU candidate status to Serbia
and opening of accession negotiations with Montenegro.
In a set of annual reports, the Commission reported on the
progress towards EU accession made by the Western Balkans,
Turkey, and Iceland
over the past year. In a year that has seen the closure of
accession negotiations with Croatia;
there has been further progress elsewhere in the Western
Balkans. A dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina was
established and has yielded initial results. Montenegro has
strengthened its reform efforts based on the priorities set
out by the European Union. The European Commission also
confirmed its earlier recommendation to open accession
negotiations with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
Visa-free travel to the Schengen area was granted to the
citizens of two more Western Balkan countries in December
2010, Albania
and Bosnia
and Herzegovina.
The accession negotiations with Turkey
have regrettably not moved into any new areas for over a
year. Turkey's EU-accession process remains the most
effective framework for promoting reforms, developing
dialogue on foreign and security policy issues and
strengthening economic competitiveness.
[read more https://promo-manager.server-secure.com/ch/6327/rvmp9r/386772/c81d11j36.html]
Launch of first 2 operational Galileo satellites
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The first two operational satellites of the EU's global
navigation satellite system are about to belaunchedin
Kourou, French Guiana. This is just the first of a series of
launches due to take off from Europe's Space
Port in Kourou. The launch of the Galileo satellites at
an altitude of 23,600km will lead to the provision of
initial satellite navigation services in 2014. Successive
launches are expected to complete the constellation by
2019.
[Read more] https://promo-manager.server-secure.com/ch/6327/rvmzpj/386664/774485kg.html
Winners of the 2012 European Border Breakers' Pop Awards
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The winners of the 2012 European Border Breakers Awards,
celebrating the top new talents in European pop music, were
announced on 7 October by Androulla Vassiliou, European
Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and
Youth at the music festival Eurosonic Noorderslag. The
winners of the 2012 awards are: Elektro Guzzi (Austria);
Selah Sue (Belgium); Agnes Obel (Denmark); Ben l'Oncle Soul
(France); Boy (Germany); James Vincent McMorrow (Ireland);
Afrojack (Netherlands); Alexandra Stan (Romania); Swedish
House Mafia (Sweden) and Anna Calvi (UK), who will be in
Australia in December for the Peats
Ridge Sustainable Arts and Music Festival.
[read more https://promo-manager.server-secure.com/ch/6327/rvmzpj/385591/774487682.html]
Academic news and events
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The EU Centre Network in New Zealand has made a call for
papers on "European Dilemmas: Internal and External issues
facing the European Union" for its annual conference on
December 7-8, University of Waikato, New Zealand. More
information:www.eucnetwork.org.nz https://promo-manager.server-secure.com/ch/6327/rvm18h/371459/8a136mdpp.html
.
The Erasmus Mundus Students and Alumni Association unites all the students and graduates of the Erasmus Mundus programme. The Oceania Chapter has launched a Facebook page https://promo-manager.server-secure.com/ch/6327/rvm18h/371967/8a136zrff.html and a Webpage https://promo-manager.server-secure.com/ch/6327/rvm18h/371968/8a1368prs.html.
If you are newly selected Erasmus Mundus student, we encourage you to join EMA https://promo-manager.server-secure.com/ch/6327/rvm18h/371969/8a136144yn.html - the registration is free of charge
Study Portals is the European Study Choice platform, bringing transparency for students to the wealth of study opportunities in Europe's unifying Higher Education Market. It stimulates and inform students on (inter)national study choice and helps Universities with easier and more effective international marketing & recruitment. Almost all large international student associations are official partners. http://www.studyportals.eu/ https://promo-manager.server-secure.com/ch/6327/rvm535/373701/8f28fy6tc.html https://promo-manager.server-secure.com/ch/6327/rvm535/373702/8f28f12dsn.html
European Union Delegation: publications available online
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Key facts: update October 2011 http://www.delaus.ec.europa.eu/Publications/KeyFacts/KeyFactsSept2011.pdf
EU Insight: European External Action Service http://www.delaus.ec.europa.eu/Publications/EU_Insight/EU_Insight_EEAS-2011.pdf
Study in Europe 2011 http://www.study-in-europe.org.au/ EU Insight: Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) http://www.delaus.ec.europa.eu/Publications/EU_Insight/EU_Insight_ETS_2010.pdf
EU Insight: Lisbon Treaty http://www.delaus.ec.europa.eu/Publications/EU_Insight/LisbonTreaty2009.pdf
-------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2011. Delegation of the European Union to New Zealand
ENDS