London turns away, Orban turns away too – and Spahn squirms

March 19, 2021

The EUropa watchlist from March 19, 2021 –

It was not that long ago that Berlin engaged in confidential talks everlasting friendship endeavored with London – for the post-Brexit period.

Outwardly, Chancellor Merkel and Foreign Minister Maas preached European unity, behind the scenes they were looking for one bilateral special relationship.

The talks were not crowned with success, as it now shows. London is turning away from Germany and the EU, which are relations at a low point.

This shows the new foreign policy strategy, presented by the UK government this week. She is turning her back on the EU under the slogan “Global Britain”.

London sets no longer on Brussels, but rather on the Commonwealth, the cooperation with Berlin and Paris as with the Iran nuclear agreement or the Anglo-Saxon espionage alliance with the USA, Australia, Canada and New Zealand (“Five Eyes”).

Asia is more important

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The focus should be on Asia and China lie – similar to in USA. This shows that EUropa no longer counts in terms of foreign policy, but continues to lose influence.

But also leads to alienation with the EU Dispute over AstraZeneca, which the German EU President von der Leyen is fueling with her threat to curb exports.

That too falls back on Germany. Because the initiative came from Berlin to suspend the vaccinations with the AstraZeneca vaccine. Since then there has been a thick air between London and Berlin.

“The EU doesn’t understand us”

Last but not least there is still Dispute over Northern Ireland and the trade agreement. The EU does not understand what the situation is on the ground, it is said in London.

Meanwhile, the EU is threatening one protracted litigation. And the European Parliament is delaying ratification of the trade deal.

Against this background, how a normal relationship Britain should develop with Brexit country is a mystery to me …

See also “Internal market beats Brexit”

Watchlist

What does it bring video conference between EU commission chief von der Leyen, EU council chief Michel and the Turkish sultan Erdogan? Will the EU representatives dare to shout at Erdogan about the threatened ban on the Kurdish HDP? On Thursday, Brussels and Berlin expressed their “deep concern” and expressed doubts about the rule of law. But there was no question of sanctions. On the contrary: after one Report from “Reuters” The EU is revising its plan to punish Turkish people responsible for the gas drilling in the Mediterranean again. – More here

Hotlist

• Hungary’s ruling party Fidesz is leaving the European People’s Party. So accomplishes Viktor Orban the final break with Europe’s Christian Democrats, reports the “Tagesschau”. At the beginning of March, the Fidesz MPs had already left the EPP Group. – Again, the initiative comes from Orban, not the EPP. The Hungarian autocrat should try next to found a new right-wing conservative parliamentary group in the European Parliament, more here
• In response to the recommendation of the European Medicines Agency, the Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn the further use of the corona vaccine approved by AstraZeneca – but with warnings. The vaccinations with the preparation should be resumed on Friday, said Spahn on Thursday evening in Berlin. Those willing to vaccinate should then be informed about possible risks in updated information sheets. reports the “world”. – Spahn is doing another U-turn. He could have had the warnings without triggering an EU-wide crisis – and without squirming for hours before he released the vaccine again …
• That came about exactly five years ago EU / Turkey Agreement is considered to be the turning point in the European migration crisis. However, only point three of several contract contents was actually implemented: It was about Turkey intensifying border patrols in the narrowness of the sea between its coast and the East Aegean Islands. – A worth reading Analysis from the Vienna “Standard”.

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