Europe

Business is beginning to panic about Brexit

The headaches of negotiating Brexit
Grounded flights. Massive delays at border crossings. A shortag..

Published

5 years ago

November 2, 2017

Europe Disk

The headaches of negotiating Brexit

Grounded flights. Massive delays at border crossings. A shortage of parts for nuclear power plants. 75,000 lost finance jobs.

These are a handful of the dramatic economic consequences if Britain crashes out of the European Union in 2019 without agreeing a new relationship with the bloc. Negotiations have hit a roadblock but are due to resume next week.

The British government has assessed the damage that a "no deal" Brexit would have on 58 industries. Opposition lawmakers are heaping pressure on the government to publish the findings, but it has so far refused.

Here's a look at what experts say could happen in the days and weeks following a "no deal" Brexit:

Aviation

No deal would mean that key trade, regulatory and legal agreements that underpin Britain's economy will be invalidated on March 29, 2019.

One immediate consequence: Thousands of flights in and out of Britain could be grounded.

That's because the U.K. is signatory to international aviation agreements via the EU that allow flights to operate in and out of the country.

Thomas van der Wijngaart, an airline specialist at law firm Clyde & Co., said that flights to all 27 EU members would be affected, along with 17 other countries including the U.S., Canada and Israel.

Aviation experts say that London and Brussels are under immense pressure to reach a deal.

"It is so unthinkably disruptive that some arrangement has to be put in place, but what arrangement we don't really know," said Jonathan Wober, chief financial analyst at CAPA – Centre for Aviation.

Airlines are taking precautionary measures.British budget carrier EasyJet(ESYJY) recently set up a separate business unit in Austria to make sure it can keep flying within the EU if there's no deal on Brexit.

Trade

For decades, trucks and ships carrying EU goods have entered and exited Britain with scarcely a second look from customs officers. But not anymore.

"No deal" means that Britain would lose free trade with Europe, and all trade deals and treaties that the EU has negotiated with other nations.

Instead, Britain would be forced to operate under World Trade Organization rules.

That would mean higher prices. Tariffs on dairy products from the EU would rise by 45%, while those on meat products would spike 37%, according to the U.K. Trade Policy Observatory and the Resolution Foundation.

Imports from outside the EU, such as Cuban cigars and South African wine, would also be affected.

A messy exit would result in chaos at border crossings, where new customs infrastructure would need to be installed.

Dover, the country's main port for trade, has warned that just two minutes of extra processing time per truck "would cause [lines] of over 17 miles."

If fresh foods were stuck at the border — say tomatoes from Spain — they could rot before they reach grocery shelves. The U.K. currently gets about 30% of its food from the EU.

"One of the main challenges beyond the paperwork is the logistics," said Philippe Binard, general delegate of European fresh food association Freshfel. "Maybe there will be a practical solution over time, or maybe not."

The pain would extend beyond physical goods: Consulting firm Oliver Wyman says that 75,000 finance jobs could be lost over the long term if there's no deal on Brexit.

Electricity

Brits should prepare to pay more for energy too if a deal is not reached.

Electric power imported from the EU would be more expensive if it's no longer covered by free trade deals.

"No deal" also promises to make life difficult for the nuclear power industry, which supplies roughly 20% of the country's electricity.

If the U.K. loses access to the EU's nuclear safeguard system, operators would have trouble importing parts for their aging reactors. If plants are forced to shut down, the stability of the U.K. power grid could be at risk.

The country would need to quickly negotiate new nuclear agreements and establish domestic oversight to comply with international nuclear rules.

"Our concern is that there is a lot to do in a short period of time," said Tom Greatrex, head of the British Nuclear Industry Association. "It's hard to see there will be anything other than significant disruption."

Immigration and rights

Roughly 3 million people from other EU states live in the U.K. Meanwhile, 1 million Brits live in other EU nations. Under EU law, both groups currently enjoy the same rights when it comes to jobs, pensions and health insurance.

But a messy Brexit could instantly render both groups illegal residents.

If negotiations collapse, it would be up to each individual country to determine the rights of these expats.

Jonathan Portes, professor of economics and public policy at King's College London, said it's unlikely that Britain or EU countries would start deporting people in the absence of a deal.

But given the uncertainty surrounding their status, it might be more difficult for them to get a job or rent an apartment, he said.

Irish border

"No deal" could mean drastic changes to the land border between Ireland (in the EU) and Northern Ireland (part of the U.K.).

The border is currently "invisible," with up to 30,000 people and 13,000 commercial vehicles freely crossing it each day.

Many companies have a presence on both sides of the border, and products often cross it several times before reaching consumers.

"With no transitional arrangements in place, and no future customs relationship agreed, we will see an immediate re-imposition of customs controls at the Northern Irish border," said Andrew Gilmore, deputy director of research at Ireland's Institute of International and European Affairs.

Gilmore said that customs checks would be "profoundly disruptive for business," and policing the border would be a major challenge.

Ports and airports would require significant extra staffing and storage infrastructure.

The reintroduction of controls would also present a major political headache. The 1998 peace accord that marked the end of 30 years of deadly violence is based on cross-border cooperation and the removal of visible barriers.

— James Frater contributed reporting.

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Europe

Corriere della Sera: Belgian judges exerted illegal & undue pressure on Eva Kaili

Published

2 months ago

January 22, 2023

Europe Disk

Madrid Journal – Italian and Greek media seem to lose patience with how the Belgian authorities are dealing with corruption case in the European Parliamentary. The ill treatment of the Belgian judiciary became very obvious where the prosecution is practically employing blackmail as a tactic to get Eva Kaili to confess despite her pleading innocence from day one. According to the report of the Italian newspaper, the Belgian judges investigating the Qatargate scandal allegedly exerted illegal undue pressure on Eva Kaili, suggesting that she confess her guilt, with the promise that she will be released from prison.

It should be noted that after the conclusion of the last hearing, the lawyers of Eva Kaili complained that their client was kept in solitary confinement for six hours, speaking of torture reminiscent of the Middle Ages and a violation of human rights.

Today the Italian newspaper brings to light the aforementioned claim of the well-known criminologist Michalis Dimitrakopoulos.

“She has not agreed to confess to something she has not done”
“From the first moment they suggested that Eva Kaili plead guilty and be released from prison so that she can finally hug her daughter again,” says Dimitrakopoulos, clarifying however that his client , who has been claiming innocence since day one, has always denied it.

“Despite the fact that being away from her little girl is the greatest psychological torture, she has not agreed to confess to something she has not done,” adds the Greek lawyer.

As also stated in the publication “she does not want her daughter to inherit the stigma that her mother was a corrupt female politician, because it is not true”.

The same publication also states that: “The former Greek TV journalist was immediately acquitted by her partner Giorgi, but the investigators did not believe the couple’s version, convinced that the woman belonged to Pantzeri’s network and tried to help him disappear the money from the funds. In fact, they accused her of bribery and of trying to hide the fruits of a crime.”

What will be her next move
The next moves Dimitrakopoulos plans for Eva Kaili are to build a profile of a woman deeply scarred by the month and a half she spent behind bars in Haren prison, the newspaper says.

“She was shaking as she told the judge, who was also a woman, about the torture she suffered, not in prison, but in a police cell. What he experienced – says the lawyer – is reminiscent of the movie ‘Midnight Express’, but unfortunately this is happening in the center of Europe”.

The indictment against the allegedly aggressive methods of the Belgian justice system ends with the announcement of the next legal move by Eva Kaili’s defense team: “Next week we will appeal to the Supreme Court, announces Dimitrakopoulos. When someone is arrested they are immediately protected by the law. I wonder if it was the same in Brussels.”

Europe

The 5 best resorts and boutique hotels in Italy 2023

Published

3 months ago

January 9, 2023

Europe Disk

Seehof Nature Retreat /Naz-Sciaves (Bressanone)

Adults-only resort overlooking the shores of a private lake, the Seehof Nature Retreat has 40 rooms, including suites and doubles, with lake view or garden view. The wellness rite to clarify ideas about what to do in the future is carried out in the spa, it is the Aufguss, the infusion of vapors with essential oils which is carried out by a sauna master. The swimming pool is heated and can therefore also be used in winter, while the lake is frozen, so only the bravest will go and get their feet wet after a session in the sauna. Those who can’t sit still can go skiing in the Gitschberg/Jochtal and Plose/Bressanone areas, on the way back, massage with alpine herb pads or with arnica and St. John’s wort to soothe the muscles. The stay is all-inclusive (with a four-course gourmet dinner); the half board is on request.

Langhe House / Cerretto Langhe (Cuneo)

The Alta Langa is a land of great reds and also of sparkling wines, hazelnuts, cheeses and castles. Heritage of biodiversity, it is a land that tries to defend its relationship with nature, limiting highways and new constructions.

The result is Casa di Langa, a five-star resort amidst hazelnut groves and vineyards, which renounces single-use plastic, focuses on energy independence and recycles water for the irrigation of its vineyards and biodynamic vegetable gardens which Luigi Merlo, the gardener, takes care of Daniel Zeilinga, the executive chef, with two years of experience alongside Enrico Crippa at the Piazza Duomo restaurant in Alba. Aromatic herbs, edible flowers, ancient varieties all that grows is needed at the Sorì Cocktail Bar, which favors infusions for drinks, the Fàula restaurant, which has just entered the Michelin guide, and the Spa.

Villa Gelsomino / Santa Margherita Ligure

An 18th-century villa, Art Nouveau details and 5 sea-view suites, with original frescoes and Genoese grit floors. Villa Gelsomino is the project of three friends, who transformed the house into a boutique hotel reserved for adults only. The structure uses green energy, is plastic-free, and compensates for C02 emissions by planting trees around the world. You stay among a few guests and in the quiet, on request, there are private yoga and pilates lessons and you get around with electric scooters and e-cycles.

Gallicantu / Luogosanto (Sassari)

They are the new refuges for travelers who have already experienced everything; the pens, the rural settlements where the animals are rounded up, in the Sardinian Gallura are small treasure properties, created among the blocks of granite, sheltered from the confusion of the coast (but the beaches are always short range). Gallicantu, a micro-resort revisited by architect Jean Claude Lesuisse, with just five rooms and two suites, is close to Luogosanto (its name comes from the 22 country churches in the area), Tempio, where Fabrizio De André had chosen to live, and the beautiful Aggius, which is part of the authentic villages of Italy. If you wish, instead of reaching the Costa Smeralda, you can stop by the pool, among the olive trees. There is also a wellness area with sauna, Turkish bath, emotional showers. The pre-nuragic cave of the property is instead intended for the tasting of wines, cold cuts and cheeses.

Cape of Senses / Torri del Benaco (Verona)

55 lake view suites, three swimming pools, one of which is sports and two infinity, adults-only Spa, with fitness and yoga platforms, two restaurants, a 15,000-metre property among the retreats in Italy that will make headlines in 2023 is the Cape of Senses, which will open in July in Albisano, above Torri del Benaco, on Lake Garda. Designed by Hugo and Alessia Demetz, the hotel will be an oasis where you can stay for three days or more: upon request, you can sleep in a mobile structure, in direct contact with the stars. Two restaurants, At sunset, with gourmet à la carte cuisine, and La Pergola, with traditional cuisine served on the panoramic terrace.

This article was originally published on GQ (Italiana Edition)

Europe

NGOs: Belgian authorities treatment of Kaili is inhumane

Published

3 months ago

January 9, 2023

Europe Disk

Greek and European Human Rights organisations have organisations have criticised harshly the Belgian authorities treatment of Eva Kaili and described it as inhumane. The NGOs including Amnesty added that Kaili’s daughter was deprived of her mum for very long time due to the ongoing investigation.

Reports have suggested earlier that Haren prison where Kaili is jailed is one of the worst and most populated prisons in Belgium with very low staff maintaining it. In fact, Belgians have agreed under pressure to allow Kaili to see her daughter after a month of separation between the mum and her little daughter. Such treatment of the Belgian authorities can only be seen under oppressive regimes not in Europe.

After almost a month, Eva Kaili, the former Vice-President of the European Parliament who was jailed as part of the investigation into the Qatargate corruption case, was able to see her two-year-old daughter again.

Accompanied by her grandfather Alexandros Cailis by taxi, the little girl arrived at the Haren prison, according to the Italian newspaper Repubblica. This is the new Belgian prison located a few kilometers from the center of Brussels and where the MEP is being held.

According to the same sources, Eva Kaili’s lawyer, Michalis Dimitrakopoulos said that the Greek politician was “happy to see her child again after a month”. Mother and daughter “played together for about two hours and twenty minutes. The room was very nice and I didn’t feel like I was in a prison,” he added.

Then the well-known criminologist revealed that in the coming days the child will again return to Haren prison to see his mother.

It is noted that in the previous period the Eva Kaili had complained that they did not allow her to see her daughter, a claim denied by the Belgian authorities, stating that detained mothers can see their children at predetermined times, while they have the possibility – if they wish – to keep them in specially designed cells.

It is recalled that Kaili was arrested on December 9, for calling her father and asking him to come and pick up a suitcase from the house where she lived with her husband Francesco Giorgi, after learning that her partner had been arrested. A suitcase in which there were 750,000 euros. Kaili told authorities she knew her husband was holding something on behalf of Italian former MEP Antonio Pancheri, but claims she didn’t know the contents of the suitcase until that morning.

However, the MEP’s entourage speaks of a plot of big interests on her back, while the documents that linked the Greek politician to bank deposits in Panama are still under the microscope.