Caritas Internationalis launches an emergency appeal to support Caritas Croatia in giving shelter to quake-affected people

Caritas Internationalis launches an €880,000 appeal to help Caritas Croatia’s work in ensuring safe and dignified living conditions to people made homeless by a recent earthquake.“The ground has been shaking every day since the original earthquake and people are living in constant fear and stress. A vast area of around 2000 square kilometres has been affected,” says Suzana Borko, deputy director of Caritas Croatia.“Two hundred Caritas volunteers have been out delivering food and hygiene items to those affected since the earthquake happened. We’re now focusing on the long-term as we aim to help people rebuild their homes and communities.”Caritas’ eight-month project will initially help up to 200 households by providing prefabricated container accommodation and financial and technical help so people can repair their homes.“Many of those affected in rural areas want to stay near their crops and livestock so they are sleeping in barns, in their cars and in the ruins of their homes. Caritas Croatia will help them as they rebuild their homes and communities so they can live in safe and dignified conditions,” she says. The 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck around 30 miles to the south of Zagreb on 29th December, between the towns of Petrinja, Sisak and Glina. It was the second earthquake in two days and the strongest in the area for 140 years.Caritas’ response will focus on helping people in rural areas who risk being overlooked because of their geographical isolation.Suzana Borko says that up to 90 percent of houses in villages between Petrinja and Glina have been damaged. One of the challenges is that houses have to be reassessed to see if they are inhabitable after each successive quake.In spite of the challenges, she sees signs of hope and says, “At this challenging time we’ve seen a miraculous humanitarian response within our country, with many people sending food and clothes and construction items to the affected areas. Decent shelters and the rebuilding of homes are a primary focus for us and we will stick with these communities until we have achieved this.” Donations can be made here: https://www.caritas.org/donate-now/croatia-earthquake/

MEPs reiterate their support for Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

European Parliament.In a resolution adopted on Wednesday by 641 votes in favour, 5 against and 47 abstentions, MEPs briefed EU representatives on the stance to take in preparing the 2020 Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty (NPT) review process, stressing the importance of the Treaty’s three central elements: non-proliferation, disarmament, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy. They also point out that effective multilateralism and rules-based international order are a pre-condition for countering the proliferation of nuclear weapons.MEPS warn that the NPT will be reviewed in a particularly challenging international security context; no progress has been made in the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula; the US has withdrawn from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran; the INF Treaty has collapsed; and negotiations to extend the new START Treaty between Russia and the US have reached a deadlock.With the collapse of the INF treaty last summer in mind, MEPs recommend that EU representatives call on the US and Russia to resume dialogue and move towards a new legally-binding agreement for short- and medium-range missiles. MEPs also recommend that the EU’s continuing commitment to the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) should be reaffirmed as it represents the best possible means for obtaining assurances of an exclusively peaceful use of nuclear energy by Iran. They welcome the opposition expressed by France, Germany, and the UK (E3) at the United Nations to the US motion to reimpose sanctions on Iran, whilst at the same time calling on Iran to ensure full compliance with its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA and the NPT. Regarding North Korea, MEPs recommend urging the country to abandon its nuclear weapons programme and return to the NPT and IAEA safeguards. They also reiterate that North Korea continues to represent a regional and international nuclear and ballistic threat.In force since 1970, the NPT is a multilateral treaty aimed at limiting the spread of nuclear weapons. According to the Treaty, non-nuclear power states have committed themselves to not acquiring nuclear weapons and states with nuclear powers are obliged to pursue disarmament. All states can access nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, under certain constraints. The UN reviews the NPT every five years with the next review due at the April/May conference. 191 states are parties to the NPT. Iran ratified the treaty in 1970, but since 2005 has been under international pressure for failing to provide relevant information on its nuclear programme. North Korea ratified the NPT in 1985. In January 2003, it unilaterally withdrew and has so far conducted several increasingly sophisticated nuclear tests.

Christie’s, WHO Foundation and UN75 announce Global Art Initiative to support COVID-19 Response

New York, NY. COVID-19 has revealed that a virus can affect not only our physical health but also our ability to cope with the psychological impact in its wake. The cultural community is often among the first to support in solidarity and compassion, standing together against common existential threats. In that spirit, The Future is Unwritten’s Healing Arts Auction series is today unveiled by Christie’s, the WHO Foundation and UN75, a cultural call-to-action to support a global COVID-19 response through the arts.The Healing Arts Auctions in collaboration with Christie’s will run over the course of a year, with works to be offered in a number of sales across a wide range of genres. The first work to come under the hammer will be Magnetism (2012, estimate: £80,000 – £120,000) by Ahmed Mater, appearing in the November Middle East Contemporary Art Sale in London. One of his most important pieces to date, Mater fuses art, science and the concept of identity and religion, creating one of the 21st Century’s most iconic cultural images from the Islamic world. The central focus of the piece is a cuboid magnet that resembles the black draped Kaʿbah, the central element of the Meccan rites, considered by Muslims everywhere to be the most sacred place on Earth. Around the cube are spiral patterns made of tens of thousands of particles of iron evoking the Hajj, an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, that include a series of rituals like walking counter-clockwise seven times around the House of God. Mater’s counterpoint of square and circle, whirl and cube, of black and white, light and dark, places the primal elements of form and tone in dynamic equipoise. The overall aim of the artist is simple, but enchantingly alluring. Given, during COVID-19, Mecca was seen mostly empty for the first time in its history, this work is well positioned to launch the Healing Arts Auction series. Detail of lots from other categories will be announced in the coming months.As part of The Future is Unwritten’s initiative to engage the international art world in UN priority areas, and World Health Organization (WHO) Solidarity Series of Events, the auction series aims to increase awareness around a global path to recovery and raise critical funds to mobilize artists and health professionals in support of communities most vulnerable, at-risk and with the weakest health systems to act effectively in response to the pandemic.Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General, comments: “This initiative represents a unique opportunity for the art world to step up to this global challenge and support communities on the front line of the pandemic, ensuring everyone, everywhere has the tools they need to overcome it.”All proceeds from this initiative will benefit the WHO Foundation, supporting the urgently needed mental health response to the pandemic through the applied use of arts in health-giving and recovery; and The Future is Unwritten’s Artist Response Fund, supporting artist-led projects that directly facilitate community healing and healthcare messaging in the aftermath of the pandemic. In addition to the auction series there is a program of educational events covering urgent thematic areas from emergency response, to mental health, to the health effects of the environmental crisis, to the achievement of Universal Health Coverage, each through the lens of the supportive power of the arts. Christopher Bailey, WHO Arts & Health Lead, adds: “Art has a unique ability to help us comfort, confront, contextualize and create community. And when embracing science and evidence as a bedrock, art and culture can help us imagine a better way forward to a positive future.”Artist-led projects being supported include an urgent public-health campaign in Yemen; The Painted Desert project by artist-physician Dr. Chip Thomas addressing the nutrition crisis among the Navajo Nation in Arizona (Navajo deaths from COVID-19 were among the highest per capita in the US); a cultural preservation project with Yazidi communities on the Iraqi-Syrian border following the ISIS genocide in 2014; a public health data campaign by Mona Chalabi in New York City; and community rebuilding projects in Beirut, Khartoum and failing small town main streets across the United States.Fabrizio Hochschild Drummond, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General for the Commemoration of the United Nations 75th Anniversary commented: “Arts are socially influential and help us better understand the world and one another. It is imperative for the United Nations to engage with the arts and include cultural voices in its global policy discussions at this time.” Dirk Boll, President of Christie’s Europe, Middle East and Africa, remarks: “Christie’s is honoured to be working with the WHO Foundation and UN75, offering a platform for artists and works in the coming year, to assist individuals and communities. We’re also very pleased to present the work of Ahmed Mater as the debut lot in our year-long auction collaboration, today one of the most celebrated artists from Saudi Arabia, as well as a doctor and an individual who is very active in promoting the different artistic strengths of his region, dedicated to making culture accessible to as many as possible.”

“Unequivocal support” for the people of Bulgaria in their legitimate demands

The Civil Liberties Committee on Thursday called on the Bulgarian authorities to ensure EU values and the Charter of Fundamental Rights are respected. The Civil Liberties Committee approved, with 35 votes in favour, 30 against and one abstention, a draft resolution on the “significant deterioration of respect for the principles of rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights, including the independence of the judiciary, separation of powers, the fight against corruption and freedom of the media” in Bulgaria. MEPs highlight the need for the Bulgarian Government to ensure stricter control of the way EU funds are spent and to address immediately the concerns that taxpayers’ money is being used to enrich those associated with the ruling party. The text focuses also on persisting systemic issues in the judiciary, especially the lack of a framework in place to hold the Supreme Judicial Council and the Prosecutor General accountable and the failure to comply with over 45 European Court of Human Rights judgments by carrying out effective investigations.MEPs are further concerned about a series of developments, including: • the announced constitutional reform, which should be preceded by proper consultations and be in line with international standards • potential changes in electoral legislation, close to the next parliamentary elections • the hasty adoption of legislation by the governing majority • investigations into high-level corruption not yielding tangible results and “corruption, inefficiency, and a lack of accountability” • the serious deterioration of media freedom and working conditions for journalists in Bulgaria over the past decade • allegations against the Bulgarian police regarding the use of force against women and children and journalists during demonstrations • the state of fundamental rights in Bulgaria, e.g. as regards hate speech, gender and sexual discrimination, and the rights of Romani people and asylum seekers. “European law matters; the rule of law matters. The rule of law is linked with defending the interests of the EU and fighting against corruption. Mapping corruption shows clearly that member states with structural deficiencies on rule of law are those most prone to resort to corrupt practices when managing EU budget and funds. That has to come to an end”, said rapporteur Juan Fernando López Aguilar (S&D, ES).The resolution is set to be voted on by the full house on 8 October.

Parliament requests more support for regions to make energy transition a success

MEPs adopted Parliament’s position on the Commission proposal on the JTF with 417 votes in favour, 141 against and 138 abstentions.Parliament insisted on a substantial increase in JTF resources from the EU budget for 2021-2027 (EUR 25 billion in 2018 prices compared to EUR 11 billion proposed by the Commission and the decrease to EUR 7,5 billion agreed by the European Council). This amount should be supplemented by EUR 32 billion in current prices, as proposed under the EU Recovery Instrument.Moreover, MEPs confirmed key provisions outlined in the draft recommendations by the Regional Development Committee: Providing support to people, the economy and the environment, Creation of a “Green Rewarding Mechanism”, allowing 18% of the total JTF resources to be allocated to member states that reduce their greenhouse gas emissions more quickly than others

• • A share of 1% of the total amount will be allocated for islands, and 1% for the outermost regions,
  • A co-financing rate of up to 85% of costs for eligible projects across the EU,
  • Possibility to transfer resources from other cohesion funds on a voluntary basis,
  • Broadening the scope to include microenterprises, sustainable tourism, social infrastructure, universities and public research institutions, energy storage technologies, low-emission district heating, smart and sustainable mobility, digital innovation, including digital and precision farming, projects fighting energy poverty, as well as culture, education and community building,
  • A derogation for investments in activities related to natural gas, for regions heavily reliant on the extraction and combustion of coal, lignite, oil shale or peat, if they qualify as “environmentally sustainable” in accordance with the Taxonomy Regulation and comply with six additional cumulative conditions.
    In addition, only 50% of the national allocation will be available for countries which have not yet committed to a 2050 national target for climate neutrality, until such a target is adopted.

“Major support of democratic society”

Former Federal President Joachim Gauck acknowledges the achievements and commitment of HARTING / Festive celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Technology Group attended by many prominent guests.In view of a German society that would appear “satiated and fatigued in parts” (“the country’s spirit is on the brink”) as the former
headed of state commented, it is all the more remarkable to experience HARTING as decidedly and firmly looking to the future with courage, optimism and genuine joy, and bearing responsibility as “the most beautiful form of freedom.” Family owned and managed companies like HARTING are a “stable support of society”. Government cannot
replace their activities. In his speech, Dietmar Harting, the former long-standing Chairman of the Board of Management and son of the company founder, cast a look back on the beginnings of the company, which just a few months after
the end of the war had started to manufacture household appliances such as energy-saving lamps, hotplates, lighters, waffle irons and irons in a small workshop and a dozen employees. The company’s first buyer brought raw materials in from the Rhineland, stowed away in a backpack while riding a coal waggon; the wife of the company founder delivered the company’s
goods by bicycle, accepting food as payment from farmers in the surrounding area. The young firm developed rapidly, soon
concentrating on automotive electrics, medical equipment, jukeboxes, record players and tape recorders. With the advent of the patented Han® connectors in 1956, the company, which was gradually relocated to neighbouring Espelkamp from the 1950s onwards, went on to write technology history. The mayors of the cities of Minden and Espelkamp, Michael Jäcke and
Heinrich Vieker (“Espelkamp would not be conceivable without HARTING”), the District Administrator of the Minden-Lübbecke district, Dr. Ralf Niermann, as well as the District President of Detmold, Judith Pirscher, emphasized HARTING’s role in the technology sector, as an attractive employer and leading-edge, ultra-modern training company, and as a promoter and generous supporter of the region in their welcome addresses. The musical accompaniment of the ceremony was by members of the NorthwestGerman Philharmonic Orchestra and the New Life Gospel Choir.The last highlight rounding up the exceptional festive day was a short reception of the former Federal President in the town hall of Espelkamp, where he signed the Golden Book. More information at http://www.HARTING.com

MEPs approve €585 million to support Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries

Parliament gave its green light to top up support to refugees and host communities in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon in response to the Syrian crisis.The report by Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, DE) recommending the approval of the draft amending budget was adopted on Friday with 557 votes to 72 and 59 abstentions.€485 million have been earmarked to keep funding the two main EU humanitarian support actions in Turkey, the Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) and the Conditional Cash Transfer for Education (CCTE).Host communities and refugees (Syrian refugees and Palestinian refugees from Syria) in Jordan and Lebanon will be supported with a total of €100 million. This money will be used to fund projects that offer access to education, support livelihoods and provide health, sanitation, water and waste services, as well as social protection.

ECSA in full support of effective and well-targeted tonnage tax for shipping

L’ECSA sostiene con forza il regime di tonnage -tax efficace e ben mirata per lo shipping, a fronte dell’odierna nuova richiesta di FERPORT (la Federazione europea degli operatori portuali privati) e CLECAT (l’Associazione europea per le spedizioni, i trasporti, la logistica e i servizi doganali) alla Commissione europea di agire per limitare l’uso del regime di tonnage tax per le compagnie di navigazione. Entrambe le organizzazioni suggeriscono di non applicare più il sistema di tassazione del tonnellaggio alle “attività accessorie”, attività strettamente connesse alle operazioni di shipping.
L’ECSA non vede motivo per questa richiesta in quanto la presunta distorsione della concorrenza derivante dall’applicazione della tonnage tax ad attività accessorie non è riconosciuta.
L’ECSA sottolinea che il sistema di tassazione del tonnellaggio è essenziale per fornire agli armatori europei condizioni di parità nei confronti di concorrenti extracomunitari, salvaguardando posti di lavoro altamente qualificati per molti europei presso le sedi delle compagnie di navigazione in Europa che porta anche a importanti effetti positivi su altri comparti del cluster marittimo e logistico europeo in termini di fatturato aggiuntivo e posti di lavoro.
L’approccio seguito dalla Commissione europea in merito alle “attività accessorie” è applicato da molti anni. L’ECSA non è a conoscenza di alcuna distorsione della concorrenza con gli operatori di altre parti della catena logistica e per questo, dopo una prima incontro di sei mesi fa, ha chiesto a FEPORT e CLECAT di discutere ancora di questo argomento che al momento non ha evidenziato alcun caso di distorsione della concorrenza.
L’ECSA ha piena fiducia nel processo decisionale della Commissione europea in materia di aiuti di Stato al trasporto marittimo e rimane fiduciosa che le condizioni legate all’applicazione della tonnage tax alle attività accessorie e alle altre condizioni che gli Stati membri devono seguire impediscono qualsiasi distorsione della concorrenza con altri operatori della catena logistica.

McAllister on EU-UK talks: Full support for the EU Chief Negotiator

The Chair of Parliament’s United Kingdom Coordination Group, David McAllister (EPP, DE), made the following statement on Friday after a meeting with EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier.After a vote in the Committees of Foreign Affairs and International Trade on 12 June, the European Parliament will vote on a resolution at the 17-19 June plenary session to sum up its stance ahead of the milestone High-Level Conference with the UK.“As stated in several resolutions, Parliament will not consent to an agreement that does not include provisions on level playing field, fundamental rights, robust governance and a stable framework for fisheries.It also considers the full implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, co-signed by the UK Prime Minister, to be crucial.Today we reiterate our full support for the EU Chief Negotiator, who has a clear political mandate from the European Council and the overwhelming support of the European Parliament to negotiate an ambitious agreement that covers all the areas and sectors included in the Political Declaration. Not only the ones in which the UK government is interested.The EU cannot make an agreement at the cost of undermining its internal market or the interests and competitiveness of our companies and industries. Meanwhile, in the UK legal proposals, there are many examples of areas where the UK wants to keep access to the single market whilst not abiding by its rules: it asks for almost complete freedom of movement for service providers, the assimilation of UK auditors, the recognition of professional qualifications and electricity interconnection. The EU has provided none of these in any of its agreements with third countries.As the UK is no longer an EU member, it cannot have similar access to EU databases as member states. For the same reason, the UK cannot enjoy the right to decide on financial services equivalence or the adequacy of data protection, which are EU sovereign competences. The UK has taken a sovereign decision to leave the EU, its internal market and customs union and this will have concrete consequences as of 1 January 2021.”

EP supports local authorities fighting the effects of the pandemic

Brussels. Besides Parliament’s core activities, President Sassoli has offered EP support to local authorities providing meals, shelter and a COVID-19 testing centre. The current precautionary measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 have not affected the European Parliament’s capacity to ensure the legislative, budgetary and scrutiny functions of the Institution.Besides its core activities, the European Parliament contacted the local authorities to offer its support in addressing the socio economic consequences of the crisis in its three main places of work. As result, different agreements with local authorities are in place to address specific requests and needs due to the current circumstances.“We are all involved in an emergency which touches people’s lives. This crisis must push all of us, including the institutions, to set a good example” said European Parliament President David Sassoli.Thanks to its logistical services, the European Parliament provides about 7,000 meals per week, since 14 April, distributed in collaboration with various charitable associations: Resto du Coeur Saint Gilles, DoucheFLUX, the Red Cross, Mother Teresa and CPAS Ixelles. Parliament has also started to deliver meals for medical staff at Saint Pierre hospital.In addition, 100 vulnerable women have been offered a shelter on EP Brussels premises. The Samusocial of the Brussels Region has been running the fully equipped installations in EP’s Kohl building since 29 April. The Parliament also provides the associated catering 7 days a week to them in a cafeteria reorganised to respect all precautionary measures.The European Parliament has also made available part of its car and truck fleet for the transportation of supplies and delivering meals to nurses and doctors.

Transport: more support and better coordination vital to overcome COVID-19 crisis

In a debate on Tuesday with Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean, MEPs raised a number of persisting problems facing the sector that have been caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.Members insisted on much closer cooperation and a common approach in the European Union to avoid the type of unilateral and uncoordinated action by individual member states that nearly led to a breakdown of the single market, when the containment measures were first introduced.Commissioner Vălean told MEPs that a relief package for the transport sector will be tabled in the coming days and a dedicated crisis exit strategy will be presented as soon as possible. “The Commission is working on a set of recommendations to facilitate this coordination and to avoid fragmentation,” she said. This upcoming guidance to coordinate EU efforts will include various modes of transport as well as safety measures, e.g. social distancing rules and cleaning of vehicles.Many MEPs insisted during the debate that passengers’ rights must be respected and consumers must retain the possibility to be reimbursed. The Commission has to clarify any remaining ambiguity so that these rights are respected in all member states, they said.The Commissioner said that vouchers should be made more attractive to consumers and guaranteed by the state. She said that with various funds made available, as well as state aid rules being temporarily more flexible, “member states are free to decide how to design the measures and help companies to survive”.
Several MEPs brought up the worsening working conditions for transport workers who are dealing with longer hours and little safety and personal protective equipment. The Commissioner argued that, despite the relaxed rules on driving and rest times, workers’ health and safety remain a priority.MEPs reiterated their worries regarding the collapse of the tourism sector, as discussed with Commissioner Thierry Breton on 21 April. The Commission will propose additional measures and a recovery strategy for the tourism ecosystem ahead of the summer season.The European Parliament stated, in its resolution on EU coordinated action to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences, that the transport and tourism sectors have been severely affected. MEPs called for action to ensure the health, safety and working conditions of transport workers and to support transport companies to survive the crisis.

COVID-19: MEPs free up over €3 billion to support EU healthcare sector

The EU funds should directly support healthcare systems in EU member states in their fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The initiative should allow the EU to buy urgent medical supplies, such as masks and respiratory equipment, transport medical equipment and patients in cross-border regions, finance the recruitment of additional healthcare professionals to be deployed to hotspots across the European Union, as well as helping member states to construct mobile field hospitals.A total of €3.08 billion from the EU budget will be channelled mainly through the Emergency Support Instrument (€2.7 billion) and through rescEU (€380 million).The package includes additional funds to finance repatriation flights (€45 million) under EU Civil Protection Mechanism to reunite families stranded in third countries, to provide more resources for the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (€3.6 million), but also to help Greece deal with increased migratory pressures (€350 million), and to support Albania’s post-earthquake reconstruction (€100 million). Budget Committee MEPs already called in March for available financial means remaining in the 2020 budget to be mobilised.

Coronavirus response: Further EU support to fisheries and aquaculture sectors

The package includes support for the temporary cessation of fishing activities due to coronavirus, support to aquaculture farmers for the suspension of production and additional costs, and support to producer organisations for the storage of fishery and aquaculture products. Additional amendments to the EMFF Regulation allow for more flexible reallocation of financial resources within the operational programmes of each Member State and a simplified procedure for amending operational programmes with respect to the introduction of the new measures.Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, said: “Europe’s fishermen and aquaculture farmers are used to fighting the elements. But the coronavirus is a different kind of storm. The Commission therefore proposes a range of targeted actions addressing the urgent challenges that our seafood community faces. These measures will help protecting thousands of jobs in the EU’s coastal regions and maintaining food security.” With fishers forced to stay in port and fish farmers facing the prospect of having to dispose of unused products, these temporary and targeted measures will serve to provide immediate aid during this difficult situation. The Commission has also acted with a view to fostering greater market stability, mitigating the risk of having high-value seafood products wasted or redirected to non-human food purposes, and helping to absorb the impact of the crisis on the return on products.Provided that the Commission proposal is adopted by the Council and the European Parliament without amendments, expenditure for operations supported under the specific coronavirus-related measures will be retroactively eligible as of 1 February 2020 until 31 December 2020. The supported operations must comply with the eligibility conditions established in the regulation. Therefore, Member States can already start selecting and supporting these operations.

COVID-19: Parliament approves crucial EU support measures

As part of the EU’s joint response to the COVID-19 outbreak, MEPs almost unanimously adopted three urgent proposals in an extraordinary plenary session, on Thursday.The urgent measures to help people and businesses tackle the crisis were voted on in plenary less than two weeks after the Commission tabled its proposals.The approved proposals are:The Corona Response Investment Initiative. These measures are meant to channel €37 billion from available EU funds as soon as possible to citizens, regions and countries hit the hardest by the Coronavirus pandemic. The funds will be directed towards healthcare systems, SMEs, labour markets and other vulnerable parts of EU member states’ economies. The proposal was adopted with 683 votes in favour, 1 against and 4 abstentions.The extension of the EU Solidarity Fund to cover public health emergencies. The measures will make up to €800 million available for European countries in 2020. Operations eligible under the Fund will be extended to include support in a major public health emergency, including medical assistance, as well as measures to prevent, monitor or control the spread of diseases. The proposal was adopted with 671 votes in favour, 3 against and 14 abstentions.Temporarily suspending EU rules on airport slots. This will stop air carriers from operating empty flights during the pandemic. The temporary suspension means that airlines are not obliged to use their planned take-off and landing slots to keep them in the next corresponding season. The ‘use it or lose it’ rule will be waived for the whole summer season, from 29 March until 24 October 2020. The proposal was adopted with 686 votes in favour, no votes against and 2 abstentions.

‘Together’ Goes Nationwide With Support for Students to Boost Positive Mental Health

Student.com announces that Together by Student.com will help connect communities across the nation at is launches nationwide in 2020 – being available in Liverpool, Swansea, Birmingham and Edinburgh during early 2020, following a successful launch in Sheffield. Together – created as a direct response to 70% of students feeling lonely whilst at university – provides an opportunity for students and care home residents in local communities to create long-lasting friendships, encouraging healthy wellbeing, by building a network outside of their accommodation.Together hosted a tea party in Sheffield for the care home residents and students taking part in the initiative. The students and care home residents shared favourite family & friendship memories, as well as the latest news and even sharing dating advice. The initiative helps to remedy research statistics showing that both students and the older generation in local communities are at risk of the negative impact of loneliness on mental health & wellbeing. For students, adjusting to the student lifestyle and often living away from home for the first time can be a challenge to maintain healthy day-to-day routines due to academic, social and financial pressures. For the older members of the local community, according to Age UK, more than 1.7 million older people say they go for over a month without speaking to a friend, neighbour or family member.

European decision-makers and local and regional governments call for European policies to give greater support to rural areas

Against the backdrop of ongoing discussions about the EU’s next financial framework, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), members of the European Parliament and the International Association Rurality-Environment-Development (RED) met at a conference in Brussels on 12 November to talk about the specific needs of rural areas post-2020. They urged the European Commission to include provisions in its future legislative proposals to take account of the specificities of these areas and to provide them with adequate funding, in particular under the European Structural and Investment Funds (EFSI).
On 3 October 2018, the European Parliament adopted a resolution, at the initiative of Mercedes Bresso, chair of Intergroup on Rural, Mountainous and Remote Areas (RUMRA), on the specific needs of rural, mountainous and remote areas. The proposal called for European policies to be coordinated to ensure the development of rural areas so as to meet the economic, environmental and social challenges facing all of Europe’s regions, and rural areas in particular. In order to foster cohesion and prevent the risk of territorial fragmentation in the future, the proposal suggested establishing a Smart Villages Pact with a view to ensuring a more effective, integrated and coordinated approach to EU policies with an impact on rural areas. The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) echoes these demands, which are crucial to ensuring rural development in the 2021 and 2027 period. As pointed out by Gérard Peltre, President of RED and the European Countryside Movement, recognising the diversity of rural areas in terms of development and innovation hubs to meet the major social, climate-related and other challenges facing Europe in a world undergoing radical change is essential to achieving the EU’s territorial cohesion objectives, building on the European Rural Agenda and making a success of Rural Proofing. The most recent figures however reveal a lack of financial commitment to these areas, making the introduction of an operational strategic and financial framework – including the European Rural Agenda – geared to the integrated development of rural areas even more urgent. Mr Peltre argued that future efforts towards a European rural agenda, put on an official footing by the European Parliament, hinged on the support of bodies such as the CoR and, of course, the commitment of the Member States and the European Commission. France had opened the way with its French Rural Agenda. The same applied to the cross-border Grande Région with the rurality reference centre (Lorraine, Luxembourg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Sarre, Wallonia).Franc Bogovič, Member of the European Parliament and vice-chair of the RUMRA intergroup at the European Parliament, pointed out that “with this resolution the European Parliament aims to assure citizens outside urban areas that they hold opportunities similar to those in urban areas. It is up to us MEPs in the relevant Committees to use this resolution as a tool and constant reminder every time we need to argue and persuade other politicians that policies that solely aim at urban areas are incomplete : they only address half of Europe”.Jan Olbrycht, Member of the European Parliament and rapporteur for the multiannual financial framework, added that
the second pillar of the CAP should not be a reserve for the first pillar and that rural development should not restricted to the CAP but should, rather, be taken into account in all European policies.Ulrike Müller, Member of the European Parliament and rapporteur on the CAP Horizontal Regulation, and the CAP’s contribution to rural development, added “we need strong rural areas in the European Union, and that’s why I am calling for the common agricultural policy to continue to provide enough money for the Rural Development Fund in the next funding period. In my view, the key elements in this respect are knowledge transfer and innovation, assistance for young farmers and generational renewal, and support for medium-sized enterprises.More than half the population live in rural areas, where there is often a lack of fast internet, good transport links, easily accessible healthcare, and educational and cultural facilities. That’s also something we need to address.” The speakers agreed on the urgent need to find a response to the rural-urban imbalance and to step up rural-agricultural cooperation. They considered that rural, mountainous and remote areas should be put back at the centre of European economic and social policies in the next cohesion policy programming period. Rural areas must enjoy similar opportunities to the initiatives launched for urban areas.

Workarea Commerce Cloud to Support New Growth Initiatives

Workarea Commerce, a leading enterprise commerce platform, and Syatt Media, an eCommerce development, and growth studio, announced today that Spell & The Gypsy Collective, a growing Australia-based fashion brand, has launched on Workarea Commerce Cloud.Founded in 2009, the modern-bohemian fashion brand has seen steady growth and increasing interest in their product globally and across selling channels. With Workarea, the team embarks on the next phase of their business with a single technology platform to implement rich customer experience improvements across their websites and retail points of sale.Syatt Media, a Workarea Solution Partner, was chosen by Spell to support their implementation of the Workarea Commerce Cloud.
Scaling Globally with Superior Content and Omnichannel Capabilities. As demand for Spell’s products has grown, the digital team looked to Workarea to support customers across the globe. Their new approach leverages Workarea Commerce Cloud’s multi-site capabilities which lets their team efficiently manage unique, content-rich shopping experiences in different markets. Also, the platform’s architecture allows for locale-specific integrations such as payments and fulfillment.

AmFed Makes Contribution to Canopy Children’s Solutions in Support of Vulnerable Children

Executives from AmFed Companies, LLC, a Jackson-area insurance company that specializes in workers’ compensation, presented Canopy Children’s Solutions with a check for $50,000 to support statewide programs benefitting vulnerable children.
“Mississippi is more than the location of our office and service area. It’s our home,” said Billy Roberts, President and CEO. “Social responsibility is a key factor in AmFed’s company mission and plays a major role in facilitating the ongoing growth and development within our state. Our support of Canopy and their solutions to provide resources and tools for success to the future generations of Mississippians is a way to try to make our home a better place.”This donation is part of a state-wide push aimed at helping to bolster access to quality solutions committed to serving the mental, behavioral, educational and social needs of children in the state. In Mississippi, 1 in 5 children face a significant behavioral health challenge. Of those affected, it is estimated that nearly 100,000 children go without proper treatment.

Hexnode Announces Zero-day Support for the New macOS Catalina

Hexnode, the global Unified Endpoint Management solution, has announced zero-day support for the latest macOS – macOS 10.15 Catalina. The year 2019 has been Apple’s year since it announced the new OSes and devices in the WWDC’19 event. The series of OS releases and device releases have marked the highlight of the past few months for Apple fans all around the world. Apple has already released iOS 13, iPadOS, watchOS 6, and tvOS 13, and today, it’s the day for the official release of macOS 10.15. Apple has managed to include some amazing new features in Catalina, which makes it more flexible for cross-platform performance. The best example is the feature called “Sidecar”, which enables Mac users to add an iPad as a second screen to the mac. Also, Catalina enables authentication with Apple Watch. Along with new features, a lot of existing features have been enhanced. Apps such as Photos, Notes, Reminders, Safari, etc. have undergone significant modifications. The security features also had their share of the makeover. The most noticeable security aspect is the addition of Activation lock to macOS, which was available only in iOS till now. Like Google Play Protect, from Catalina onwards, apps are checked for security issues before installing them, decreasing app vulnerabilities. Apps from now on will need permission to access files in the devices. The Find My feature, now a consolidation of Find My iPhone and Find My Friends, can track Macs even while offline. iTunes has said bye-bye and been replaced by three new apps – Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Podcasts.

Allied Wallet Africa Announces New Office in Angola to Support African Entrepreneurs

Allied Wallet Africa, a global FinTech company offering various payment solutions in 196 countries, recently announced a new office in Angola, Africa to support the growing opportunities for African entrepreneurs and business owners.
Millions of people are eager to engage in online commerce, but lack the proper support and functionality. South Africa has the largest e-commerce market in the continent with Nigeria and Kenya following closely, and people of the region are eager to trade and transact in the new digital space.“Africa deserves the opportunity to participate in e-commerce, they deserve advancement,” said Allied Wallet Africa CEO Andy Khawaja, “…and we are happy to be chosen for this opportunity. We are dedicated to helping these entrepreneurs and creating new opportunities in the region.” Allied Wallet Africa will bring new, “open API” online payment solutions along with mobile payment options, digital wallet solutions, and even solutions catered to utility and payroll functions.With a new office and a staff of about fifty employees, Allied Wallet Africa will accommodate the region and share new technology with a population 1.3 billion.Eshopworld.com reports that Africa has a growing middle class and a year on year increase of 265% in e-commerce growth. McKinsey Global Institute projected that e-commerce will be worth $75 billion in Africa’s leading economies by 2025.Allied Wallet Africa proudly announced their commitment to the region’s digital growth and its mission to improve Africa’s digital infrastructure and previously undeveloped payment processing system.Dr. Andy Khawaja added, “Africa is full of opportunity and smart entrepreneurs that deserve access to new e-commerce tools. It’s our goal to connect Africa – to further connect them as a continent and to further connect them to the world in our growing digital space.”