Halloween: an American tradition?

Halloween was already celebrated in Europe over 2000 years ago! It was the new year of the Celts, who lived in the Northwest of the Old Continent, in an area that included Ireland, part of today’s UK, and northern France (a mini European Union, so to speak). It represented those tribes’ New Year (Samhain), which fell on the first day of November, and which signalled the end of the harvest and of the clement temperatures, and the beginning of a darker and colder season. 

As it marked the end of one year and the beginning of the next one, Celtic people and their priests, the Druids, were honouring the dead and believed that the latter’s souls were present among the living on the eve of this transition.

The Catholic Church a few centuries later capitalised on this tradition and established the commemoration of the martyrs of the faith on the 1^st of November. Pope Gregory III in the eighth century included all the saints of the Church in the celebration, which became known as ‘All-Hallows.’ The night before was called by the inhabitants of the Celtic region ‘All-Hallows Eve’, thus ‘Halloween.’

As poverty and famine forced large numbers of Irish and Britons to migrate to North America, the tradition travelled with them and took roots in the Catholic parts of the New Continent. Over time, it lost its religious meaning and became a secular festival, aiming at providing good time for children and adults alike. Some of its old aspects—like giving food and other items—have survived until today.

In most of Europe the tradition was lost for a long time, but it has come back, in its American version. The festival has gained popularity in almost every country of the world, including China!

Halloween Vintage 05- Postcard c. 1900-1910

Halloween now coincides with the religious holiday of All-Saints, on 1^st November. It precedes All-Souls Day, which is on 2^nd November and reminds of the deceased members of families and of friends.

Halloween is not an official (i.e., Federal or national) holiday in the U.S., Canada, or Britain. Catholic states in Europe and other parts of the world officially celebrate All-Saints and All-Souls together on the 1^st of November.

Although Halloween is not a day during which exchange of presents is socially mandatory, as at Christmas or at Muslim Bayramlar, spending in candies and small gifts is considerable. In spite of the economic crisis of the past years, such spending has grown in the United States from US$ 5.18 billion in 2007 to $8.48 billion in 2016 (estimates for the current year by Prosper Insights & Analytics).

For more details on the origins and evolution of Halloween, see the article on the festival’s history posted at Moodle.

Credit for image: Wikimedia Commons

CETA: Not dead, but going through ‘fitness test’

Live Blog

This blogpost will follow the evolution of the issue during the weekend and will update its status live.

Sunday 30 Oct

15:45 EET

BRUSSELS: Agreement signed. "No precedent for UK after Brexit", says Juncker

The ceremony of signature  of CETA was completed a few minutes ago. Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the Commission, denied rumours that the EU-Canada agreement would serve as a model for the relationship between the Union and Britain after the completion of Brexit, the process for which is expected to begin by the end of March 2017. Reuters.

07:00 EET

Signature of CETA delayed

The aircraft of the Canadian PM Justin Trudeau had to turn back to Ottawa last night, shortly after taking-off, for technical reasons.

Mr. Trudeau will fly to Brussels today (Sunday), but details have  not been disclosed. The consequence of the incident is that the signature of CETA will be delayed by a few hours. AP, Reuters.

Saturday 29 Oct

11:30 EET

Happy end is near, but policy-makers are split on trade

The President of the European Council Donald Tusk late last night announced  that the signature of the Treaty ('CETA') will be held on Sunday, 30 October, at 12 noon in Brussels.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also confirmed his presence at the ceremony. The crisis is apparently over.

This outcome doesn't, however, mean that the debate over the Commission's powers to conclude international agreements is over. 

A discussion with 52 influential policy makers from EU's member states--MPs, MEPs, politicians, diplomats, and corporate CEOs--organised at the end of the week in Brussels by daily Politico, revealed that opinions in the Union are split. 

The voting session that concluded the meeting confirmed the schism: 50% of the votes favoured empowering the Commission, while 50% took the position that the states and the qualified regions should have a final say in finalising such agreements.

Friday 28 Oct

Update 22:00 EET

CETA approved by regional parliament

The Belgian regional parliament of Wallonia, in Namur, has now approved the ratification of CETA by the country's federal parliament in Brussels , with 58 votes in favour and 5 against.

The approval became possible after the Commission and Canada accepted the amendments to the Agreement  proposed by the Walloons (see below). The new clauses will be incorporated in the final text in the form of a binding addendum.

As the other 27 EU member states have already committed to the ratification of the Agreement by their national assemblies, CETA should go into effect in 2017. The Commission estimates that trading between the European bloc and Canada should increase, as a result, by 20% in the foreseeable future.

The end of the crisis partially restores the Commission's credibility in negotiating on behalf of all member states complex international agreements. But the amendments in CETA, which restrict the powers of independent tribunals and maintain strict controls over foreign investors in ISDS (see below), are not necessarily good news for the defenders of TTIP--a deal similar to CETA  but  between the EU and the U.S. Washington will most likely be more resistant to such amendments than Ottawa has been this week.

Commission's deadline to Belgium: 28 October at midnight

Corridor diplomacy between the Walloon Region, the Belgian Federal Government and the European Commission during the past eight days leads observers to believe that the transatlantic agreement between Canada and the EU may survive.

Survival of CETA is, however, conditional. It depends on the acceptance by the Commission, the Canadian government and the other 27 EU member states of new clauses proposed by the three autonomous regions of Belgium, which last week rejected the terms of the proposed text that the Commission and Canada had agreed upon.

The additional clauses include ‘safeguard’ terms, which would enable Wallonia (but also EU member states and autonomous regions in such countries) to block the implementation of the Agreement, even after its ratification and of its going into effect. It should be noted that all international trade agreements have similar clauses, in view of preserving the sovereignty of the signatory states and the democratic powers of their national parliaments.

In the case of CETA, Wallonia and Belgium are prepared to ratify the Agreement on the conditions that: the European Court of Justice issues an opinion clearing the legality of the Investor-State Dispute Settlement (‘ISDS’) arrangement; all the member states agree on the exact methodology of appointing judges at the ISDS tribunals; CETA is implemented on a ‘provisional’ basis, giving the possibility to member states and autonomous regions to cancel the Agreement during such trial period; the Commission and other EU institutions  periodically monitor CETA’s functioning to determine whether the Agreement is beneficial to the societies of EU and its regions; states or regions are granted the right to block parts of the Agreement in the event it has negative consequences for certain activity sectors—primarily agriculture.

The Commission has given a deadline by Friday, 28 October for Belgium and its regional parliaments to commit to the ratification of CETA. The government of Canada, which has been informed of the proposed amendments, is sceptical as to the time necessary to examine all changes and agree to them.

As a refresher: CETA is a ‘mixed’ international trading agreement, and as such it requires unanimous approval by all 28 member states and the 10 autonomous regions with such states. On the one hand, this decision-making formula ties the hands of the Commission in concluding advanced trading agreements with third countries. If CETA is not approved, the Commission’s credibility in the international arena will be seriously diminished. On the other hand, the process grants the citizens of the EU more protection over trade-driven initiatives, which may be favourable to a small number of industrialists and financiers, but not necessarily to the entire community.

EUCO Summit 20-21 October 2016

Live Blog

The Summit of the European Council began on Thursday, 20 October at 16:00. It will last until Friday, 21^st October in the evening. It features a loaded agenda, ranging from migration and trade issues to geo-strategic concerns and the status of the EU, following the adoption of Brexit by the citizens of the UK and the growing discontent among Dutch citizens about the conclusion of a free trade agreement with Ukraine by the bureaucrats in Brussels.

This page will report developments as they happen. Times are in CEST (=GMT +2 = Brussels).

Saturday, 22 October

12:00 n.

EU Trade Defence Policy: what is it?

As an explanatory note, here is the definition of the current 'defence policy' by the European Union in respect to imports from third countries:

The European Commission monitors and assists affected EU industries when non-EU countries take trade defence measures against EU exporters. The Commission also plays a more direct role in anti-subsidy and safeguard investigations when EU subsidies are involved and the EU as a whole is targeted.(source: Commission website)

 The Commission routinely investigates third countries, including Turkey. There are currently 39 cases open:  Trade defence measures by the Commission against Turkey

Turkey (like other third countries importing from the EU) apply similar defence tactics. There are currently 11 cases open: Trade defence measures against the EU by Turkey

Friday, 21 October

19:50

Towards a 'Dirty Brexit'?

The Summit is over. Nothing truly tangible came out of it. The discussion on Brexit was short and generic. Some member states wanted to be firm and to put the dots on the 'i' s in the presence of Theresa May, but their outbursts were limited to "No invocation of Article 50 TEU, No Brexit negotiations." 

Another highlight of the Summit was a 'mini-clash of civilisations': the executive in charge of the Brexit file at the Commission, Michel Barnier (France), who will lead the negotiations on behalf of the 27, said, reportedly (by Reuters) that he will conduct the talks in French. "No way!" roared Theresa May, the British PM. To be followed. Officials, it should be noted, have the right to express themselves in their native tongue. 

Meanwhile, I see in the wires that EU senior diplomats (probably at COREPER and EUCO) were given this evening instructions to "prepare for a dirty Brexit." The meaning of the term is at present unclear, but leaks have pointed towards a 'moving chairs' game by London that would extend the duration of the negotiations beyond the two years after invoking Art. 50 TEU. Other sources have just been quoted indicating that the Commission and the European Council are setting up task forces to work on a 'Dirty Brexit' scenario.

19:30

No conclusions on trade defence

More disappointing was the outcome of a EUCO half-day meeting today on trade. Its purpose was to celebrate the adoption of CETA and to give the green light to the Commission to develop measures aiming at strengthening the 'trade defence' of the Union. The term means imposing high duties to products from third countries, such as China, which subsidise domestic industries, leading to dumping.  Steel and aluminium are among such industries. Duties as high 300% were contemplated by Brussels.

Neither of the above materialised. 

A disappointed Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, told the press:

“Our citizens are increasingly concerned about whether the trade deals we negotiated are in their best interest. And I am afraid that we will not be able to continue to negotiate free trade agreements if we do not prove in practice that we are very serious about protecting European consumers, workers and companies.”

But the member states are divided on the subject. The Commission, on the other hand, is in a hurry to impose harsh measures on China, which has claimed her right to the status of world economy to be recognised by the World Trade Organisation. Once such status is granted, the U.S. and the EU will not be able to impose excessive duties.

18:30

Canada: "CETA negotiations have failed"

On her way from Namur (seat of the Wallon parliament) to Brussels airport and to her home, in Canada, Trade Minister Christia Freeland admitted defeat in signing CETA with the European Union by the end of this month. 

“During the last few months we have worked very hard with the European Commission and member states. But it seems evident that the EU is now not capable of having an international deal, even with a country which has values as European as Canada, even with a country as kind, as patient,” she said.

“Canada is disappointed, I am personally very disappointed, I have worked very, very hard. We have decided to go back home. I am very, very sad, really. Tomorrow morning, I will be at home with my three children,” she added, fighting back tears (source: Simon Marks, Politico).

16:10

Wallonia says a final 'NO' to CETA

The minister-president of Wallonia, Paul Magnette (socialist) has now given the final position of his region's parliament: it opposes the ratification of CETA. Magnette had earlier said that the Canadians had volunteered to negotiate directly with the Wallons. However, according to their president-minister, the concessions he and his people would have to make are too grave to be considered. 

Much of the opposition by Wallonia to CETA concerns terms on agriculture (hormones and Genetically Modified Organisms, or 'GMOs') and banking, according to Le Soir. Actually, the same concerns have been voiced by large number of members of the Belgian Federal parliament, which has so far adopted two declarations against the ratification of CETA, thus challenging the country's central government which has signed the agreement.

If no solution is found by Friday night, Belgium will enter a new period of domestic political crisis, which, this time, will most likely drag into its blackhole some EU institutions. 

15:45

CETA: Wallonia turns down Commission's ultimatum

The minister-president (regional prime minister) of Wallonia did not comply with the Commission's ultimatum to ratify by this morning the EU-Canadian trade agreement ('CETA'). He said the terms proposed by Brussels were still far from meeting his parliament's expectations. 

Meanwhile, the government of Canada, which has not been involved in the crisis, said it is prepared to discuss the matter directly with the Wallons, thus bypassing the European Council, the Council, the Commission, and the Federal government of Belgium. The Wallons also seem to prefer dialogue with Ottawa, according to La Libre Belgique.

This development is becoming embarrassing for the Commission, as it indicates that the population in the member states is becoming allergic to the powers conferred to Brussels on trade, and to the top-down negotiating style of the Union institutions towards the elected representatives of the regions.

09:30

No new sanctions for Russia

At the end of the official dinner, around midnight, the European Council issued a communiqué on its work on Thursday. A section aimed at threatening Russian individuals and organisations with sanctions--such as travel ban to the EU and freezing of assets--was dropped, as it did not gather unanimity among the member states. Instead of sanctions, there was a warning:

“The EU is considering all available options should the current atrocities continue.”

 As Italian PM Matteo Renzi told the media:

“it was difficult to imagine” this would mean further sanctions against Russia.

Southern European and Latin member states, except France,  favour a moderate stance towards Moscow and lifting the current economic sanctions, imposed in July 2014. 

Thursday, 20 October

23:30

Conditional rapprochement between Wallonia and the Commission on CETA

The Commission and the head of the government of the autonomous Belgian region of Wallonia have come closer to a deal. It is subject to several conditions and concessions requested by the Wallons. Its final conclusion still needs the approval by the region's parliament and the government of Canada, which was not present in these last-minute negotiations.

19:00

Uncertainty about CETA

The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (‘CETA’), signed between Canada and the European Union, is still in the shadow of uncertainty for its ratification, following the decision last week by the parliament of Wallonia, an autonomous region of Belgium, to reject it. Mixed trading agreements, as CETA and TTIP, need unanimous ratification by all member states and their autonomous regions, wherever these exist. 

France and Italy this afternoon in the margins of the Summit have been lobbying the Belgian and Wallonian prime ministers to ratify the accord. A meeting of COREPER is due to begin at 20:00  in order to seek a solution to the impasse.

Will the hawks dare?

On the official dinner’s menu tonight there is a hot item: a ‘strategic policy dialogue’ between the EU and Russia, which, in plain English, means confronting Moscow on its intervention in Syria on the side of the Syrian government. 

The hawks among the European leaders, led by the British, French and Germans, want more and tougher sanctions against Russia. But it is unlikely that anything dramatic will be agreed upon. As EUCO president Donald Tusk said at his arrival at the meeting “Today it is not about making decisions” on this matter. 

Meanwhile, Moscow announced this afternoon that it will make a ‘humanitarian pause’ of four days in bombing the rebels’ positions in Aleppo. This will reinforce the claim of the doves that dialogue with Russian president Vladimir Putin is better than confrontation.