Photo : theparliamentmagazine.eu
By Samruddi Pathak
THE UK
Government proposes measures against migration through the English Channel
On 21 August, the UK Government announced the recruitment of 100 new “specialist intelligence and investigation officers" into the National Crime Agency to tackle the high number of boats filled with asylum seekers which also include human smugglers. The Interior Ministry of the UK said that they aim to achieve the highest rate of deportations in the last five years by February 2025. The newly elected Labour Party-led Government plans to increase detention capacity and sanction employers who hire people with no right to work in the UK. Keir Starmer, the UK’s Prime Minister, scrapped the policy that included deportation of undocumented individuals to Rwanda. Instead, Starmer said that plans to dismantle human traffickers who organise illegal crossing of borders. The government will appoint a Border Security Commander, who will be cooperating with other European countries on illegal migration. Starmer also pledged to cooperate with France on the surge of illegal migration. So far, 19,294 people have crossed the English Channel illegally this year. The number is 10 per cent higher as compared to 2023. The government is currently investigating 70 cases of human trafficking. (“UK announces new measures to crack down on migrant crossings from France,” France24, 21 August 2024)
THE EU
Politico presents the names of the nominees to form the European Commission
On 21 August, Politico reported names of the nominees for Ursula von der Leyen’s, EU President, Commission. All the nominees will have to be approved by the Parliament. The following are some of the notable names to be proposed before the Parliament: Magnus Brunner from Austria who currently serves as the Finance Minister of Austria Dubravka Suica from Croatia who is the European commissioner for democracy and demography. Costas Kadis from Cyprus who has previously served as Cyprus’ minister of health, education and culture, and agriculture and environment. Jozef Sikela from the Czech Republic who is currently the Czech industry and trade minister. Kaja Kallas from Estonia had stepped down as Estonian prime minister in July after being picked by EU leaders as the bloc’s next foreign policy chief. Henna Virkkunen from Finland. Thierry Breton from France. He is also the European commissioner for internal market and services. Apostolos Tzitzikostas from Greece. He is the Governor of Central Macedonia. (“Von der Leyen’s new Commission: The names we know so far,” Politico, 21 August 2024)
Congo asks for more Mpox vaccines from the EU
On 21 August, Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said that the African continent requires more than 10 million doses of the Mpox virus vaccines, while the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) alone requires 3.5 million doses. Europe has announced that it will send 2,15,000 doses to Africa and Japan has pledged three million doses and the US will send 50,000 doses. Politico has reported that most European countries have their reserves for storing vaccines and the number is in the hundreds of thousands. In April 2024, the European Medicines Agency had suggested the EU to donate the stockpiled vaccine doses “to avoid a potential spread across the northern hemisphere.” Europe has only one Mpox vaccine manufacturer, Bavarian Nordic. The EU procures all the vaccines produced by Bavarian Nordic. (“Congo to EU: Give us your mpox jabs,” Politico, 21 August 2024)
GERMANY
Significant rise in illegal border crossing in Germany
On 21 August, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) of Germany released a report suggesting a drastic increase in the number of illegal migrants in 2023. According to the report, 2,66,224 individuals crossed the border illegally. The number is 33.6 per cent higher than in 2022. The European Border and Coast Guard Agency reported 3,80,200 undocumented individuals in the 29 countries’ Schengen area. The number is the highest since 2016. Main countries of origin of illegal border crossing were Syria, Turkey and Afghanistan. Most of them entered Europe through human smugglers and traffickers. (“German police report significant rise in illegal migration,” Deutsche Welle, 21 August 2024)
Ukraine war persuading voters in Eastern Germany says an opinion in Deutsche Welle
On 21 August, Deutsche Welle reported on the impact of Germany’s foreign policy on the voters of eastern Germany. State elections will be organised in September in Thuringia, Saxony and Brandenburg. Issues at the centre of the election campaign are the supply of weapons to Ukraine and the stationing of new US weapons in Germany. Since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war, Germany has spent EUR 23 billion to support Ukraine. Germany is only second to the US in providing support to Ukraine. The Forsa polling institute found in a survey that 34 per cent of citizens of eastern Germany think that the country is doing too much for Ukraine. Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union support the Ukrainian cause while left-leaning parties like Alternative for Germany and Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance advocate pro-Russian foreign policy initiatives. Tino Chrupalla, co-chairperson of Alternative, said in an interview, “We are paying exorbitant energy prices, inflation has skyrocketed, all as a result of the sanctions. This must stop.” The debate has also gained momentum after Olaf Schulz, Chancellor of the German Federation, agreed for deployment of American missile on German soil. (“Foreign policy shapes regional elections in eastern Germany,” Deutsche Welle, 21 August 2024)
Two men arrested for plotting to shoot near Swedish parliament
On 22 August, German prosecutors charged two men for plotting a shooting near the Swedish parliament in Stockholm. One of them was a member of the Islamic State extremist group and the other one was a supporter of the group. Both accused hold Afghanistan citizenship and donated money to the Islamic State Khorasan Province through intermediaries. Both suspects were arrested in Gera, a city in eastern Germany. The court in the district of Gera will decide on the proceedings of the trials. Extremism has increased in Germany. In the summer 2023, Iraqi Christian refugees burnt copies of the Quran in Sweden. After which Iraqi refugees stormed the Swedish embassy in Germany. Quran burning further led to Turkey blocking Sweden’s membership bid in NATO, meanwhile also increasing polarisation in the society. (“Germany charges 'IS' supporters with Sweden attack plot,” Deutsche Welle, 22 August 2024)
GEORGIA
Georgian Dream party vows to ban United National Movement
On 21 August, Georgia’s ruling party Georgian Dream released a statement that blamed the largest opposition party United National Movement (UNM) for starting the Russia-Georgia war in 2008. It also accused the party of planning to open a second front in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. The Party pledged to declare UNM and its satellite parties as unconstitutional once Georgia Dream gets a majority in the parliament. The Party also intends to introduce bills curbing the propagation of LGBTQ+ ideas, like Hungary and Bulgaria. As of now, the Georgian Dream Party can still appeal to the Constitutional Court to outlaw the party based on the allegation to “overthrow the constitutional order of the country…to infringe on the independence and territorial integrity of the country, or to propagandise war or violence.” Opposition claims that Georgia Dream wants to concede to Russia Parliamentary elections in Georgia will take place on 26 October. (Ketrin Jochecova, “Georgia’s ruling party wants to outlaw the opposition,” Politico, 22 August 2024)
INTERNATIONAL
China retaliates against EV tariffs with a probe into dairy products
On 21 August, the Chinese government initiated an anti-subsidy investigation against European dairy products. This probe has been launched three weeks after the EU imposed anti-subsidy tariffs on Chinese EV manufacturers. The products that the Chinese government will be investigating include fresh cheese, curd, processed cheese, blue cheese, milk and cream as per the Chinese Commerce Ministry. China has threatened the EU with a probe into its dairy products in June, if the tariffs on EVs are imposed. France will be impacted the most. France contributes up to 40 per cent of the total dairy exports to China from the EU. France was also the most vocal on EV tariffs on Chinese EV makers. China will be quantifying the monetary impact of 20 subsidy programs on dairy products exported to China. Out of 20, seven are under Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) while the rest 12 fall under national programs of countries. The EU has made a statement that it will continue to protect the interests of its dairy farmers. (Alessando Ford, “China hits back at electric vehicle tariffs with probe into EU dairy,” Politico, 21 August 2024)