Leaders of European Union (EU) countries meeting this Thursday gave the green light to start accession talks with Bosnia-Herzegovina. They “ An immediate humanitarian pause » In the Gaza Strip. European leaders also want to support European rearmament against Russia.
♦ 27 calls with a voice “ An immediate humanitarian pause » In Gaza
The leaders of the 27, meeting at a summit in Brussels, on Thursday “ An immediate humanitarian pause ” has Gazaand requested Israel In a joint declaration, not to launch ground operations in Rafah. “ The European Council calls for an immediate humanitarian pause leading to a permanent ceasefire, (calls for) the unconditional release of all hostages and the provision of humanitarian assistance. ”, according to this text. In this declaration on the situation in Gaza, the first adopted by the 27 since the end of October, European leaders also urged Israel to “ Not to conduct ground operations in Rafah », south of the Gaza Strip, where thousands of Gazans are refugees.
Deeply divided since the unprecedented attack against Israel by Palestinian Hamas on October 7, the 27 had failed to agree on the terms of a common declaration during two previous summits, in December and February. The text adopted Thursday by the 27 follows the United States’ decision, announced Thursday, to submit it to a UN Security Council vote. Draft Resolution Insist on the need for “ Immediate ceasefire “
Europeans also call themselves “ deep anxiety “By Humanitarian Situation” Catastrophic » in Gaza and « Risk of famine due to its effects on civilians, especially children, as well as insufficient arrival of aid ” They demand that Fast, complete, secure and unhindered access » For humanitarian aid, much of which is blocked at the gates of the Palestinian Territory.
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♦ Use of profits from Russian assets immobilized in the EU for Ukraine
Twenty-Seven also decided to go ahead with a plan to use the profits from Russia’s fixed assets in the European Union to arm Ukraine. Leaders of EU member states have said they want to Carry forward the work » On the proposal presented by the European Commission on Wednesday, which would make it possible to release between 2.5 and 3 billion euros per year in favor of Kyiv.
European diplomacy chief Josep Borrell made the proposal on Wednesday To use profits from fixed Russian assets To finance military equipment for Ukraine. “ We are determined to act very quickly so that we can use some of this money to support Ukraine », the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, affirmed during a press conference on Thursday evening. How to use blocked Russian state assets since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine two years ago has been the subject of intense debate.
These assets represent about 210 billion euros in the European Union, and almost all are held by Euroclear, a financial institution based in Brussels. According to Josep Borel, if the 27 manage to formalize their project quickly, most of the windfall generated by the interest earned on these assets should facilitate arms purchases for Ukraine from July.
♦ Investment in defense industry
Europe needs to strengthen its defense industry and for this, it must provide itself with financial means, which are insufficient at the moment, in the eyes of Charles Michel, President of the European Council: “ For decades, this European project has been based on prosperity, on economic cooperation based on shared values with an impression of security. And defense was mainly in the hands of NATO, which is obviously a force and a significant alliance to guarantee transatlantic security. But with these decisions taken today, we want to strengthen the European dimension, the European pillar. »
European leaders have asked the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Union’s financing institution, to extend its loans to defense companies to support European rearmament against Russia. EIB “ Defense industry is invited to adapt its credit policy », wrote the European heads of state and government in a joint declaration.
The Luxembourg-based bank, whose shareholders are the member states of the European Union, provides credit and guarantees to businesses to finance Europe’s priority policies. Equipped with a prestigious AAA financial rating, a guarantee of strength that allows it to borrow cheaply, the EIB, on the other hand, plays a key role in financing the energy transition.
France has campaigned to extend the EIB’s mandate to defense industries in particular. She wrote a letter to this effect this week along with thirteen other countries, including Germany and Italy. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022,” The need for investment in the security and defense sector has increased », these countries are underlined.
But listenGeneral Jean-Paul Perruche: “The European defense industry is very fragmented”
♦ Accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina
“ Depending on Commission Recommendation dated March 12, 2024Decides to open accession negotiations with the Council of Europe Bosnia and Herzegovina », indicates the joint declaration adopted by the leaders. next invitation” The Commission (EU) shall draw up a negotiating framework with a view to its adoption by the Council when all appropriate steps set out in the Commission Recommendation of 12 October 2022 have been taken. “Discussions can only begin after all member state governments have agreed to the framework for these negotiations.
“ congratulations ! Your place is in our European family. Today’s decision is a key step in your journey to the EU. Now the hard work has to continue “, announced the President of the European Council Charles Michel on the X Network. The decision of the Twenty-seven, meeting at a summit in Brussels, is the latest in a movement towards the enlargement of the EU that has taken effect since. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country of 3.5 million inhabitants, obtained candidate status in 2022 after a favorable opinion of the Commission, which determined 14 “. Key priorities » For improvements. These include, in particular, improving the functioning of central institutions, strengthening the rule of law and fundamental rights, and fighting corruption and organized crime in this country, one of the poorest in Europe.
Bosnia recently started negotiations for a cooperation agreement with the European border guard agency Frontex, its parliament adopted an anti-money laundering law demanded by Brussels, as well as a law on preventing conflicts of interest in institutions. But there is still no agreement on the reform of the courts and the electoral law.
The country remains deeply divided after the inter-communal conflict that ravaged the former Yugoslav republic and killed more than 100,000 people. Nearly thirty years after the Dayton Accords ended the conflict in 1995, the country is divided into two: a Serbian entity, Republika Srpska (RS), regularly accused of playing into Moscow’s hands in the region, and other Croat-Bosnians, whose leaders want the country to join NATO.
