EU: ‘Fantasy’ to think others will follow Brexit, Moscovici tells Trump

It’s fantasy to think other European countries will follow Britain in deciding to leave the European Union, Pierre Moscovici said on Monday (16 January), after US President-elect Donald Trump said he believed it would be the case.

Asked about Trump’s comments in an interview with The Times of London newspaper, European Economic Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said the cost of Brexit would be “considerable” and that it would deter other countries from following suit.

“I’m not worried, I think this idea that Brexit is going to be contagious is a fantasy, a bad fantasy,” Moscovici told reporters in Paris.
   
European leaders react to Trump bombshells

Europe should face Donald Trump with “confidence”, German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said Monday (16 January), after the US president-elect had predicted that more EU members would leave the bloc and charged that NATO was “obsolete”.

“Brexit is not a great thing,” he said and warned Trump that comments advocating a break-up of the European Union would not get the trans-Atlantic relationship off to the best start.

Europe’s best response until Trump’s inauguration would be to remain in “wait-and-see” mode and watch the first steps of its new administration.

But asked about Trump’s comments on slapping tariffs on German carmakers such as BMW, which sought to import cars to the US from plants in Mexico, Moscovici said:

“We must be extremely vigilant, mobilised and, when the time comes, reactive, if a certain spirit is confirmed.”

“Europe must not be naive and Europe must be able to react,” he said.

 Read more: ‘Fantasy’ to think others will follow Brexit, Moscovici tells Trump – EurActiv.com

Germany: Donald Trump slams Angela Merkel′s refugee policy - contradicting his campaign statements about Iraq war

US President-elect Donald Trump labeled German Chancellor Angela Merkel's stance on refugees  (or illegals as he called them) a "catastrophic mistake." He said the policy would lead to even more countries leaving the European Union after Britain.

President-elect Trump heavily criticized Chancellor Merkel's open-door policy on refugees in a joint interview published on Sunday with German tabloid newspaper "Bild" and British newspaper "The Times of London."

"I think she made one very catastrophic mistake and that was taking all of these illegals, you know, taking all of the people from wherever they come from,” he said.

In 2015 about 900,000 migrants, many coming from Syria, entered Germany after Merkel opened the country's doors, famously saying "we can do this."

Note EU-Digest: Instead of blaming Angela Merkel for her refugee policy, which is one of the most humane in the EU, Donald Trump should have  put the blame on the US  (as he did during his presidential campaign) and specifically on the former Bush Administration which started the Iraq war under the pretense of "the treat of weapons of mass destruction", which proved to be a total hoax.

Unfortunately the Bush war in Iraq  unleashed a disastrous chain of other wars in the Middle East creating a massive refugee problem for Turkey and the EU.

When will the EU Commission, or any European politician,  for that matter,  finally open their mouth on the subject and request the US to pay the countries which have been picking up the tab for housing and feeding the millions of refugees, some compensation for the costs incurred as a result of the US Iraq war? 

Also most amazing was that the journalists interviewing Trump never related the Bush Iraq war to the refugee problem Europe is facing or corrected him when he used the word illegals to describe the refugees?  

If a Donald Trump presidency wants European Nations to pay their fair share in NATO, he better also pay the Europeans compensation for housing the millions of refugees as a result of the Bush Iraq war.  
 
Read more: Donald Trump slams Angela Merkel′s refugee policy | News | DW.COM | 15.01.2017

EU: Trump staff asked EU officials which countries will leave the EU next – by Catherine Stupp

Aides to US President-elect Donald Trump recently asked EU officials over the phone which countries will be next to leave the bloc after Britain, outgoing US ambassador to the EU Anthony Gardner said. Gardner was told about the conversations by EU institution staff members, but was not in on the calls.

Trump has expressed support for the UK’s vote to leave the EU and suggested that former UKIP leader Nigel Farage should be made the UK’s new ambassador to the United States. Farage, one of the most outspoken supporters of Brexit, was photographed smiling with Trump in his New York flagship hotel days after he won the US election.

It would be the “height of folly” for the US to express support for Brexit, Gardner told reporters today (13 January), one week before he leaves his post in Brussels.

Despite their differences on Brexit, Farage recently requested to meet with Gardner, who became US ambassador to the EU in 2014.

“I take huge exception to some of the things he’s done,” Gardner said. The US diplomat said he has never met Farage, who he called “off the political reservation”, and has responded to his request but not yet arranged a meeting.

Read more: Trump staff asked EU officials which countries will leave the EU next – EurActiv.com

Europe Needs Franco-German Action To Project Power

After the shock of the United Kingdom’s Brexit referendum and Donald Trump’s election as President of the United States in 2016, this will be a decisive year for Europe. Upcoming parliamentary elections in France, Germany, the Netherlands, and possibly Italy will decide whether the European Union will hold together, or whether it will disintegrate under the neo-nationalist wave sweeping the West.

Meanwhile, the Brexit negotiations will begin in earnest, providing a glimpse of the future of the EU-UK relationship. And Trump’s inauguration on January 20 may someday be remembered as a watershed moment for Europe.

Judging by Trump’s past statements about Europe and its relationship with the US, the EU should be preparing for some profound shocks. The incoming US president, an exponent of the new nationalism, does not believe in European integration.

Here he has an ally in Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has long tried to destabilize the EU by supporting nationalist forces and movements in its member states. If the Trump administration supports or turns a blind eye to those efforts, the EU – sandwiched between Russian trolls and Breitbart News – will have to brace itself for challenging times indeed.

Read moeEurope Needs Franco-German Action To Project Power

Netherlands: Alternative Energy Railways: Dutch electric trains become 100% powered by wind energy

Dutch Trains -Alternative Energy - Wind Power

All Dutch electric trains are now powered by wind energy, the national railway company NS has said .

“Since 1 January, 100% of our trains are running on wind energy,” said NS spokesman, Ton Boon.

“So we in fact reached our goal a year earlier than planned,” said Boon, adding that an increase in the number of wind farms across the country and off the coast of the Netherlands had helped NS achieve its aim.

Eneco and NS said on a joint website that around 600,000 passengers daily are “the first in the world” to travel thanks to wind energy. NS operates about 5,500 train trips a day.

One windmill running for an hour can power a train for 120 miles, the companies said. They hope to reduce the energy used per passenger by a further 35% by 2020 compared with 2005.

Read more: Dutch electric trains become 100% powered by wind energy | World news | The Guardian

USA: President Obama's farewell speech

Click on the link below for an unedited transcript of President Obama’s prepared remarks during his farewell address in Chicago, as provided by the White House. 

 

Read the full transcript of President Obama's farewell speech - LA Times

Israel: Netanyahu questioned for second time in graft probe

Police were questioning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Thursday for a second time as part of a probe into whether he illegally accepted gifts from wealthy supporters, media reports said.

Police declined to comment on the reports.

Read more: Flash - Netanyahu questioned for second time in graft probe: reports - France 24