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States and beyond
A DW Akademie Workshop Magazine
Editorial
Lessons to learn The example of the eu by Emmanuel Luciano
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he European Union (EU) model of regional integration as observed by journalists from Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean), the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has shown that there is a lot the three regional bodies can learn from the EU. The strides the EU has made from the gradual integration during the union’s foundation to the present demonstrate the significance of nations to cooperate at many levels. But as most regional economic bodies are now looking at the EU’s model for a source of inspiration, the successes of the EU should be embraced as a recipe that can create successful integration models in the three regions. The free trade and free movement of people in the European Union, the common currency, the respect for human rights, the promotion of principles of democracy and the rule of law is something the Asean and African regional bodies can only look at the EU with envy. The independence of institutions such as the European Central Bank should provide food for thought for Asean and African regional bodies if they are to adopt such a concept. Most members in Asean, Ecowas and
SADC still like to meddle in the affairs of their central banks for corrupt reasons. With most African and Asean countries having obtained their independence only in the 50s to 70s of last century, regional integration has always been impeded by tendency of most member states to wear the tag of still new national sovereignty at regional bodies. The EU has, however, shown that it is still possible for countries to give up sovereignty in core issues while maintaining their respective national identities. The challenges of the EU could help inform Asean, Ecowas and SADC bodies not to salivate at every EU initiative since no model appears to be perfect. The economic crisis that shook the European Union to the core recently and whose reverberations are still echoing in Greece, Italy and Portugal has shown also the challenges of the EU model. But as Asean, SADC, and Ecowas have a different cultural, historical and political background than that of EU, it is the hope of the journalists from these regions that their regional bodies will choose right paths.
a DW Akademie Workshop Magazine With financial support from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) Editors: Jutta
vom
Hofe, Kerstin Kilanowski
Design: Manuel Solde Reporters: Wasilat Romoke Ahmad, Amie Femia Arimbi, Kudzai Chimhangwa, Enoch Darfah Frimpong, Emmanuel Kondwerani Luciano, Zarni Nar Thet Thet Cho Thein, George Nyavor, Damilola Oyedele, Joyce Pangco Pañares, Mirriam Zimba, Mongezi Phathizwe Zulu Date: November 2013
A Guiding Light consensus and tolerance in the Eu by George Nyavor
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oday, hundreds of millions dwell in freedom, from the Baltic to the Adriatic, from Western Approaches to the Aegean. And while we must never take this for granted, the first purpose of the European Union – to secure peace – has been achieved and we should pay tribute to all those in the EU, alongside NATO, who made that happen – David Cameron
Although it is not been a smooth sail, prospects for better living conditions look good for the over 500 million citizens of the EU. Every regional economic organisation aims primarily to achieve integration and foster economic progress among member states. But as noble as these objectives are, they have become largely elusive to most regional economic groups in some parts of the world. Konrad Adenauer of Germany and Robert Schuman of France sparked the EU flame to be an organization based on a supranational community of states working for the collective good of member states. The EU, albeit unavoidable obstacles, has proven to be a resilient, forward moving and pragmatic torch-bearer lighting the path of the essence of an economic community. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are just three of the numerous regional economic community organisations desiring to leverage on the power of shared economic resources and strengths of member countries for the social and economic upliftment of their citizens. Does the EU offer lessons which these regional economic organisations too can learn from?
In a class of its own Sitting between the fully federal system found in the United States and the loose, intergovernmental cooperation system of the United Nations, the EU has proven over the past six decades to be committed to ensuring that the euro zone becomes a haven of peace, prosperity, and security. The EU approach is based on not isolating any member state if it has a major problem (such as Greece in the most recent crisis), hesitance to move forward with policies until the vast majority of member states are ready, and
a willingness to provide significant financial transfers to help poorer member states catch up with the norm. The unique feature of the European Union is that although member states are all sovereign, independent countries, they have pooled some of their autonomy in order to gain the strength and the benefits of the comity. Importantly also decision-making at the Union involves European institutions such as the
European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, and the European Commission. The European Council defines the general political direction and priorities of the EU but it does not exercise legislative functions. It is the European Commission that proposes new laws and it is the European Parliament and the Council that adopt them. Brussels, the headquarters of the EU, influences and shapes a large part of the laws and regulations of the member states. While the EU has long been the most developed model of regional integration, it was severely shaken by the recent economic crisis, causing increasing doubts about the integration process. The lack of a timely and coherent response specifically to the crisis in some euro zone countries called
into question the integrity of the EU, whose structural and institutional fault lines have been revealed by the global economic meltdown of 2008. Some commentators have even said the likely economic adjustments spearheaded by the European Central Bank (ECB), in consultation with national banks of member states, are already threatening social structure and political stability in some countries in the euro zone area. Each of the treaties ratified by EU member states since 1951 has been a response to a problem. They have been a reshaping mechanism to enable the comity to attain its objective. The last of such treaties, the Treaty of Lisbon, which came into force in December 2007, simplified the working methods and voting rules, created a President of the European Council and introduced new structures with a view to making the EU a stronger actor on the global stage.
and people, a common border and the establishment of a common currency (the Euro) which is currently the second largest global reserve currency after the US dollar are just some of the success stories of the EU. Ideally, barriers to accessing markets in any region are often lower than those for accessing global markets because neighboring countries‘ markets are often similar in taste, standards, distance, and culture. Gaining access to regional markets also increases incentives for more investment flows, and permits suppliers to specialise and integrate into regional supply chains that ultimately cater for both domestic and international markets.In addition, it is often more feasible politically to reduce trade barriers within a region rather than across global markets. But addressing regional trade barriers and strengthening regional integration also helps countries to integrate into world markets. This is because barriers to regional trade are often also barriers to trade with the world.
Watch and learn In West Africa, both the processes and degree of regional integration have lagged behind expectations, and many political commitments have either not been translated into policy and regulatory reforms, or reforms are not implemented. The ECOWAS region thus remains weakly integrated, with continuing tariff and non-tariff barriers. For example differences in charges for customs duties and non-existent packaging regulations constitute such non-tariff barriers. In a DANIDA (Denmark’s Development Cooperation) sponsored report released in June this year (“An Analysis of the SADC Free Trade Area”) Ron Sandrey observed that the SADC Free Trade Agreement, aimed at fostering trade among the 14 member states, have not been successful. The report also confirmed that intra-SADC trade is low and shows no sign of increasing.
Guiding Light Between 1992 and 2011, intra-EU trade in goods rose from 12 to 22 percent of EU Gross Domestic Product (GDP), from 800 billion to 2.8 trillion Euro per year. Intra-EU trade in services rose from 215 billion to 729 billion Euro over the same two-decade period. Trade in certain products has grown especially rapidly, notably in entertainment goods, consumer electronics, chemicals, food and beverages – all of which have seen increases of between 70 and 140 percent. The importance of the EU’s internal market was underlined by the fact that intra-EU trade of goods was higher than extra-EU trade in each EU member state, with the exception of the United Kingdom. Free movement of goods
And while the ECOWAS, ASEAN and SADC members grapple with the thorny issue of a single currency, it is worthy to note that one of the moving forces of the EU has been the sacrifice of the 17 members of the euro system to sustain the Euro as a common currency – a feat worthy of emulation. Although it is important for every regional economic organisation to drive the integration agenda in response to peculiar needs, history and situation of the regional grouping, key lessons can be drawn from the EU experience. Particularly, intra-regional trade, a common currency, free movement of people and goods and a collective investment in infrastructure are vital to integration and economic progress. It should come as no surprise, that Morocco, an African country which does not even meet the fundamental criteria, dreams of becoming a part of the EU. But alas, that will remain forever a dream.
Miles Apart
The fate of workers in Nigeria and their European Counterparts by Damilola Oyedele With Photos from Sunday Aghaeze
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umoke works with one of Nigeria’s biggest banks. Three years after joining the bank, she proceeded on maternity leave for the birth of her first child after a turbulent pregnancy. She had spent just five weeks recovering from the caesarean section she had to deliver the baby when she received an email from the Human Resources Department of her bank that she was due to resume work. She was convinced it was an error as Nigeria’s labour laws entitle her to at least 12 weeks of maternity leave. Upon enquiries, the bank informed her that the seven weeks she spent on hospital admission before delivery for pregnancy related complications, count as part of her maternity leave. With her child barely six weeks old, she resumed work and had to use the services of a day care center. The only concession she received was that she was allowed to close work an hour earlier than her counterparts. Jumoke had no choice, she feared to lose her job. In any case, except for the Courts, there was no agency to report the matter to. She had the option of notifying the bankers unions, but she feared a backlash. Her reproductive rights as a worker exist, just barely enforceable.
Rosalind is a worker with a finance firm in Brussels. A mother to a set of twins, she enjoyed her full 15 week maternity leave without having sick days related to pregnancy illnesses counted. She also enjoyed the time to recover from delivery and bond with her babies. She was more secure; she knew her job was waiting and she knew she had the option of extending her maternity period for 75 percent of her pay if the need arises. The European Union demands that its members uphold the rights of workers through its policies on employment, social affairs and equal opportunities. The member states however offer different working conditions and befits. Where the EU states have evolved as far as reproductive health rights for women, unions in most Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are still grappling with the most basic rights of workers. Rulings from the European Court of Justice have worked to uphold these rights. A representative of Christian oriented trade union in Belgium, Algemeen Christelijik Vakverbond (ACV) Mr. Pascal van Cauwenberge said the most common trade union agitations
in Europe concerns increase in working hours without increase in pay. For example, popular German car manufacturer, Audi needed to produce in its Belgian branch more cars without the extra pay. After discussions with the unions, some workers volunteered to work Saturdays while the company engaged some casual workers to meet up with its production target. Also, Mr. Hedwin De Clercq of the socialist trade union, Algemeen Belgisch Vakverbond (ABVV) in Belgium, added that the unions have had to negotiate terms and conditions in circumstances where workforce evidently have to be reduced like when in 2007 when Audi had to cut jobs while taking over the Brussels plants of Volkswagen due to the economic crises. While these trade unions in the European Union seek more advanced rights for their members, the umbrella organizations of the labour unions in Nigeria: the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) are still grappling with the basics; unlawful terminations, seeking compensations for injuries and deaths resulting from work, contract staffing, low wages, safety issues, unpaid wages, and long working hours without commensurate benefits. Take the case of Anthony, who is a contract staff in one of Nigeria’s oil multinationals working on the oil rigs. As a member of the
National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG), he joined his colleagues to picket and shut down oil production of the company over some unpaid allowances. 10 months later, he and a couple of his colleagues who were contract staffs lost their jobs. The company, although it paid up the allowances the union protested for, refused to renew the contract of those protesters who were contract staff. According to then President of the TUC, Comrade Peter Esele, the company simply exploited the loophole in the contract that it could renew the contracts at its own discretion. The unions could not seek redress in the Courts. In any case, even where the union have a case, the judicial process remains a very tedious one with cases dragging on for years. ECOWAS does not have a policy on labour and employment, but it is working to harmonize labour laws of member states to facilitate economic integration.While the situation is getting better with the increase in the minimum wage, safety practices and introduction of employees compensation bill, Nigerian workers are still far away from Eldorado. Jumoke and Anthony probably work as hard as Rosalind, but they do not enjoy the same rights. Both still clamour for the most basic rights of workers globally.
Earth, Wind and Fire A Review of EUrope‘s boost in renewable energy by Joyce Pangco Pañares
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ust a few steps away from the European Commission office where policies on green energy are crafted, there stands a 150 year old building that runs purely on renewable energy resources. The building‘s traditional facade and interior - with gilded ceilings reminiscent of Victorian-era houses - belie the gamut of technology that made it a showcase for clean energy use. The four-story building along Rue d‘Arlon is now known as the Renewable Energy House (REH), which keeps its 100 tenants warm without using traditional energy resources even in the harshest of winters. „We use 100 percent renewable energy supply for heating, cooling and electricity,“ REH secretary general Kim Vanguers says. „This is a bet on the future.“ REH uses a wide range of renewable energy resources including biomass fuel, solar photovoltaic cells, geothermal energy, and even so-called green electricity from wind energy. Vanguers says they have also limited their thermal exchange through heat recovery and the use computerized motion sensors to determine if they need ventilation. Another innovation that was adopted by REH was the use of compressed sawdust to provide heat instead of using coal. The European Union, in fact, has set a 20-20-20 target for 2020 - a 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gas
emissions from 1990 levels; raising the share of energy consumption produced from renewable resources to 20 percent; and a 20 percent improvement in energy efficiency. According to energy expert Dafydd ab Iago, the Brussels correspondent of news organization Argus Media, the 28-member bloc currently imports 350 billion euro worth of oil and petroleum products, thus contributing to global carbon emissions. European Commission press officer for environment issues Monica Westeren says the key is resource efficiency or how to produce more with less. „Resources are getting scarce. If we protect nature, we protect our future,“ Westeren says. REH is a concrete example on how the European industry leads global renewable energy technology development, which currently supplies 12 percent of EU‘s current energy demand. The sector has not been without critics who have raised the issue of higher costs to produce renewable energy, which they say can distort the market. Big energy suppliers have warned of a 20 percent increase in power bills once the EU‘s 2020-20 target takes effect. But for Westeren, there is no turning back: „If you think the economy is more important than the environment, try counting money while holding your breath.“
So CO2 is a good thing now? by Joyce Pangco Pañares
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f having a four-storey building running only on renewable energy sources sounds futuristic, try artificial photosynthesis by harnessing carbon dioxide (CO2) to produce fuel. While the Renewable Energy House already provides a glimpse of what is yet to come in the renewable energy sector, industry stakeholders are taking the search for clean energy a step further by collecting CO2 and converting it into energy. Artificial photosynthesis mimics nature‘s efficient way of gathering sunlight, such as when plants transform CO2 into energy in a bid to reduce dependency on traditional fossil fuels such as oil and other petroleum products. Solar energy is plentiful since enough reaches the earth‘s surface every hour to meet the world‘s annual energy needs, but the problem lies in harnessing it artificially. It is a very ambitious and grand undertaking that can drastically reduce carbon dioxide volume - which contributes to global warming - while providing renewable energy to a growing population that has to cope with limited resources. „Our future is in artificial photosynthesis,“ says James Pieper, media relations manager of the European Chemical Industry Council. Experts have cited the breakthrough that Bayer MaterialScience achieved in using CO2 to replace portion of the fossil-fuel raw materials, such as petroleum, used to produce foam mattresses. The company undertook a two-year test on the artificial photosynthesis technology - otherwise known as polyols, and is set to commercialize the use of CO2 at its site in Dormagen, Germany by 2015. „CO2 is taking on a new light: The waste gas is turning into a useful and profitable raw material. That makes us one of the first companies worldwide to take an entirely different approach to the production of high-quality foams,“ Bayer MS chief executive officer Patrick Thomas says. During the test phase, Bayer drew CO2 from a nearby power plant, and Thomas envisions a future where power plant operators will eventually pay to have carbon dioxide taken off their hands. Pieper, however, acknowledges that it would take about „20 to 30 years“ to perfect the technology, and even Bayer admits this much when it dubbed its research in its pilot plant in Leverkusen as „Dream Production.“ And if artificial photosynthesis succeeds, it will be a revolutionary technology that will reduce the gap between providing alternative energy and reducing carbon emissions. „If we get it right, we might actually close that gap,“ Pieper says.
It is electrifying
Sub-Saharan Africa should Power up its rural areas Commentary by Emmanuel Luciano
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he rural electrification concept by the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE) is the solution sub-Saharan Africa needs to electrify its rural areas. ARE is promoting mini-energy houses which sub-Saharan Africa can adopt as a panacea for its perennial challenges to electrify the majority of its off grid rural masses. The organisation, one of the 21 associations housed in the Renewable Energy House in Brussels, is a showcase for the use of different renewables generated from the sun, from water or from the heat of the earth. Despite the rural electrification penetration reaching desirable levels in areas such as developing Asia at about 67 percent, according to ARE, sub-Saharan Africa still lags behind as it accounts for at least 99.6 percent of unelectrified population in Africa. In Malawi, for instance only 7,6 percent of a population of above 13 million has access to electricity. Startlingly, only one percent of the population in rural areas has access to electricity. This situation is unacceptable considering that the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goal number one recognises the significance of universal access to modern energy in reducing hunger and improving access to safe drinking water. Yet, this is the region that is recognised as having great potential for solar, wind and small water-powered energy that would cater for rural masses because of its natural advantages. Its good solar radiation throughout the year, for instance, is hardly taken advantage of. Countries in sub-Saharan Africa should embrace
ARE’s mini energy houses called, the Electricity Home Systems to change the landscape of rural electrification. The Electricity Home System, as advocated by ARE, are small power systems that power individual households or small buildings and provide accessible, inexpensive and simple to maintain solution to power. These systems could be powered by solar, wind, hydro as well as biomass energy. Without necessarily focusing on cutting the greenhouse emissions as the EU policy on renewable energy policy would have it, African regional bodies such as SADC and ECOWAS should institute national indicative targets to promote affordable electricity home systems for the rural masses. The indicative targets would act as a guiding tool in the implementation of rural electrification. Regional bodies should also adopt appropriate pricing and subsidy policies to ensure progress in rural electrification projects. Governments in the region should allocate each year in their budgets a certain percentage towards rural electrification. This should not be a tall order for poor countries as the initiative in the long-run going will reduce electricity costs.The European Commission’s directive on promotion of electricity produced from renewable energy recognises that increased market penetration of electricity from renewable energy sources will lead to reduced costs on energy. Sub-Saharan Africa has, therefore, no excuse to lag behind on the globe in prioritising the electrification initiatives of its rural masses.
Don‘t be fooled
Human rights And border patrol Commentary by Joyce Pangco Pañares
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on‘t be fooled by the so-called European Dream. Integration and the free movement of people are assured only if you are within the 28 member-states of the European Union. For outsiders, the parameters are different, if not deadly. And it is Frontex, the European Union‘s external border enforcement agency, that stands between the EU and the deep blue sea. The Warsaw-based Frontex, otherwise known as the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders, was created in 2004. It uses satellite tracking of air and land borders as well as the EU-funded Seahorse advanced satellite system to track ships. Naval, land and air surveillance patrols carried out by Frontex are also supported by memberstates in the form of the European Border Guard Teams. Frontex vessels are painted with the word SAR in big red letters, referring to Search And Rescue, but there have been several incidents where migrants are chased off EU‘s borders even if some of the passengers need immediate humanitarian assistance. A report by the German television program Monitor last month featured Kibrom Andom Woldemichael, a refugee from Libya who was among the 85 people aboard an inflatable dingy who were apprehended and forcibly deported by Frontex agents. The television report said border guards beat the refugees with batons, and Woldermichael remains deaf in his right ear because of the blows. Experts have said that Woldermichael‘s case is not isolated, and the abuses happen with impunity and most are not reported in the media. According to Maurizio Albahari, an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Notre Dame in the United States, the death of hundreds
of migrants trying to reach the Italian island of Lampedusa early October was tragic but also „far from exceptional.“ Italy has earlier sought EU help in dealing with the thousands of desperate migrants who wash up on its beaches annually. Albahari, in an interview with CNN, said at least 20 000 people have died from drowning or hypothermia en route to Europe over the past two decades. Frontex has in fact identified eight main migratory routes in the bloc - Western, Eastern and Central Mediterranean; Eastern land borders; Western Balkans; Western Africa; circular route from Greece and Albania, and Apulia and Calabria in Italy. On its website, Frontex said among the top migrant nationalities are from Afghanistan, Kosovo, Pakistan, Syria, Bangladesh, Somalia, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and Senegal. The internationally renowned non-governmental organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) has repeatedly called on Frontex to ensure that human rights of migrants are not violated while they do border patrols. „All EU institutions, including Frontex, are bound to respect the Charter of Fundamental Rights, which includes the right to seek asylum,“ HRW said in a recent statement. „The high seas are not the place to be making snap judgments about who needs protection or otherwise deserves to be admitted to EU territory and who does not.“ EU President Jose Manuel Barroso himself called the death of migrants as „unacceptable“ and that the bloc must „act now“ to address the problem. Indeed, Lampedusa must not become a symbol of indifference, and the EU must not be the new face of human rights violations.
Energy cost burdens industries by Kudzai Chimhangwa
THE noisy bustle of automated machines picking and sorting sheets of steel greets the visitor to the Audi car manufacturing plant in the outskirts of Brussels. It’s not only the occasional strong smell of burnt steel that is of intrigue but the unique mechanical co-ordination between robots working fluidly to build a fine Audi vehicle body frame. The plant produces hundreds of cars everyday with night hour shifts for its global market and it requires continual power supply to remain competitive. Industrial production in Europe now requires more energy but energy costs remain the biggest challenge. This comes against a background where consumers, industry included, are braced for steep energy bills in the region. Governments will soon heap more charges to finance a 1 trillion Euro upgrade of the region’s energy infrastructure, comprised of 28 member states of the European Union. The European Commission estimates that energy infrastructure development would cost a trillion Euros in ten years’ time and industry accounts for a huge portion of consumption. James Pieper, a chemical industry lobbyist and Media Relations Manager for the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) said the energy issue is going to be an area that most of industry will continue talking about, adding that energy costs are eating into many small to medium industry’s bottom lines significantly. “We need to source the lowest possible cost of energy, as 50 percent of operating costs are based on energy. This is now an increasingly essential part of determining whether businesses remain afloat in Europe,” he said. Many observers concur that the EU energy policy needs to incorporate international realities particularly in the realm of gas supply, an aspect that has
drastically reduced energy costs in the United States through shaling. Shale gas is natural gas found trapped within shale structures and these formations are rich in organic material usually with mature petroleum source rocks. Paolo Scaroni chief executive of Eni, a global oil and gas company contends that Europe has failed to grasp the implications of the US shale revolution. He argues that one alternative would be to look for and then exploit shale gas in Europe as it may be in abundance in France, Germany and the United Kingdom. But such production may come at a cost as public debate rages around the loud and invasive nature of fracking in a densely populated continent. “But if Europe is serious about creating wealth and jobs, it is an option worth exploring,” said Scaroni. Press Officer for Energy Policy in the Office of EU Energy Commissioner Nicole Bockstaller said the EU’s priority is to diversify the energy, in particular gas – suppliers by supporting several pipeline projects aiming to import gas from the Middle East, the Caspian Region and North Africa regions. The idea behind is to be less dependent from one single supplier and to access new energy sources against the background of a growing energy demand in Europe. “More partners to negotiate with will give Europe better chance to avoid gas cuts in the future and to secure the gas supplies needed for keeping the competitiveness of the European economy,” she said. “Only recently did the Shah Deniz Consortium , a group of companies operating the Shah Deniz 2 gas condensate field in Azerbaijan, decide to select the pipeline bringing gas from Azerbaijan to Europe. This is an historical decision, as it signals that substantial volumes of gas will
nectors and reliable networks is crucial for an integrated energy market where consumers get the best value for their money. The European Commission has also adopted a list of some 250 key energy infrastructure projects under which a budget of 5,85 billion Euro has been allocated to transform European energy infrastructure for the period 2014 to 2020. The commission expects that this will help them get implemented faster and make them more attractive to investors.
come to Europe from a Caspian country,� said Bockstaller. For Europe this translates to 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year secured commencing just before 2020. However, a modern infrastructure with adequate intercon-
Once completed, the projects will help Member States to integrate their energy markets, enable them to diversify their energy sources and help bring an end to the energy isolation of some Member States. There is general consensus within the EU by 2015, no Member State should be isolated from the European domestic market in energy supply. The chiming and almost humane movement of programmed robots’ arms working to build unique body frames for world acclaimed Audi vehicles may be stopped, should the looming energy crisis not be averted.
Old MacDonald has a Farm...
A visit to an Organic Farm in Brussels by Enoch DaRFAH FRIMPONG  & Mirriam ZIMBA
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he temperature is dropping and looks like heading towards that magic threshold in the windy fields at Hoftemuisenhole, one hour drive away from Brussels, where an organic farmer makes time to share his experience with a group of visiting journalists from Asia and Africa. Wearing dirty pants, muddy boots, the 57-year-old Guy Depraetere’s welcoming hard palms in the cold and windy weather suggests a hard working farmer. He owns the largest organic farm in Flanders with six employees and has followed the footsteps of his father who migrated to the area as far back as 1957. Having taken over the farm from his father in 1992, and undoubtedly, the art of farming seems to run through the family: His 28 year old son Simeon graduated as a construction engineer but has nevertheless also taken up farming. On Depraetere‘s 92 hectare land is livestock of about 120 cows for meat and vegetables such as cabbages, pumpkins and potatoes. Enticed by the new wave, he explains that in Belgium most of the organic farm products consumed comes from neighbouring Netherlands. Before starting organic in 2009, he began changing some of his fields because the soil was somehow polluted. “At the moment we are 100 percent an organic farm. We try to respect nature,“ he says. „We have this cattle, it is the Belgium white blue, but it has problem with giving birth naturally so it is delivered through a caesarian section which is a routine for us.” Depraetere says in the beginning they had to do the general crops and last year they decided to also do vegetables – cabbages and pumpkins. ”We have seen that agriculture in Europe is not easy,” he shares. Together with his son, they have thought about doing something new, hence
their choice for organic farming. He says there is competition from conventional farmers and it is not easy to have more fields these days. “This means we have to get more value and we have found out that organic farming is not only about economic growth but includes a change of mind.” The European Union agricultural policy serves many purposes such as helping farmers not just to produce food, but to also protect the environment, improve animal welfare and sustain viable rural communities. The union has been developing the market for organic food and improving standards by increasing the efficacy, transparency. Consumer confidence has been improving information about organic farming, streaming public support via rural development, improving production standards and strengthening research. This is because organic farming relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control. It used fertilizers and pesticides but excludes or strictly limits the use of manufactured fertilizers and plant growth regulators such as hormones and genetically modified organisms. There has been an increase in the number of farmers producing organically and strong demand from consumers during the past few years. “You get some money from government to switch from ordinary to organic farming. This is to help stimulate organic farming as a way of sustainability,” Depraetere says. An expert on agriculture policy of the German Green party in the European Parliament Corinna Hartman, explained that farmers in the European Union area access direct aid for their agriculture productions. Ms Hartman explained that more than half of the EU budget, in excess of about €40 billion is directed towards agriculture.
These funds work as some form of subsidies for the agriculture sector in member states of the EU. Ms Hartman also explained that farmers who engage in farming practices aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change, receive more co-financing from the EU. According to Depraetere, organic farming in Belgium is upcoming, and for the moment he has made a lot of investments in machinery. As a result his liquidity is not so good at the moment. But that notwithstanding farmers producing organic vegetable get 30 percent higher prices than conventional farmers from and 10 percent higher prices in organically grown cattle.
Depraetere insists that public opinion is about to change towards more organic consumption and that has also changed their mentality as well. “A lot of people appreciate what we are doing and we try to do organic products and deliver quality.�On sustainability he says there was a gradual shift and together with government regulations, organic farming is more favourable in terms of producing higher quality products. Farmers such as Depraetere may not be able to compete with large scale conventional farmers. But his commitment to produce tasty and healthy food would be respecting life cycle systems.
A Pursuit for clean Energy “If you think economy is more important than environment, try counting money while holding your breath“
by Amie Femia Arimbi
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ising price of oil and rising demand for energy in the world drives people to look for various sources including biofuel which is an energy source that can be derived from the processing of living organism such as plant (maize, corn or oil palm). When it comes to biofuel issue, there are usually two opposite sides: the environmentalists and those who see biofuel as the answer to detach human´s dependency on non-renewable energy such as fossil fuel. The first party believes that development of biofuel particularly the crop-based one contribute indirectly to the rising price of food products. Another argument also blame biofuel exploration as the cause of deforestation because the high demand of this commodity makes people chop down trees in the forest to be made into plantation for biofuel. An environmental NGO Friends of Europe who work on global and European political challenges on its report launched last July said growing crops for biofuels would lead to less food being produced, forcing more people into hunger. It cites an analysis made by scientist from rinceton University, Timothy Searchinger, who says “Decision makers who vote in favour of increasing ethanol biofuels … must count on people to eat less food and less nutritious food to achieve carbon savings.” Meanwhile the pro biofuel side says that land grabbing is not the result of biofuel development but rather the lack of national regulation or implementation of national regulation in the country who develop biofuel. Researcher from Pangea, Brussels-based association of companies working in bioenergy sector in Africa , Jonathan Menary, said land grabbing or deforestation derives from weak land tenure and poor official regulation where it is up to the government of the country concerned to improve it. „The power is on local and national governments of the country to prevent such issue. Though of course companies should also make sure they conduct a fair business and do not seek to take land unjustly,“ Menary said. Although there is calling for national governments to improve their regulations regarding the development of biofuel, company must also play an important role to support the government. It
is a matter of commitment from the company to conduct a beneficial yet environmentally friendly biofuel project. There is one initiative launched by a European renewable energy company Addax Bioenergy who recently launched a sustainable bioenergy project in Sierra Leone, Africa. It sets up a sugarcane estate with bio ethanol refinery.The refinery and the irrigation system for the sugarcane estates will be powered by biomass plant, fuelled with sugarcane fibre residues. It is expected to generate 120 GWh of electricity per year and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 56 000 tons of CO2 per year. This project will become fully operational in 2014. There are also several researches and ideas being developed to look for new energy source that will comply with the environment. A new type of renewable energy called the second generation of biofuel is now being studied as one of the best source to save the environment while at the same time provide an adequate energy to all. It is basically a type of fuel that can be made from all kinds of biomass (organic carbon such as non-food plant waste or animal material) and does not depend so much on crop like the palm oil, corn or maize. Some companies located in Canada, Sweden and Finland are developing this technology with possible commercial production in 2014 or 2015. With the various amount of researches and initiatives to develop a more environmentally friendly biofuel, the task is for companies and the national government to work together to ensure the sustainability of the energy exploration for the benefit of people and environment. The European Union may be one of the key leaders for the development of biofuel that can both reduce gas emission and meet the energy demand. Recently EU parliament members have voted that biofuel used in transport sector must not exceed 6 percent by 2020. This is a revision towards the original goal of 10 percent. The dilemma of finding renewable and beneficial energy sources may still be going on. But one thing for sure, it reflects that environmental issue cannot be separated from the economy.
Tying double Knots Booming Relationships between EU and Asean by Zarni Mann
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uropean Union (EU) is planning to boost the ties between decades long relationship with Association of South East Asian Countries (ASEAN) in trade, investment, political dialogue, education, disaster management and cooperation for regional development. Let us remember: Over the past forty years, the relation of EU with ASEAN has developed dynamically with the increased cooperation on trade as well as on political dialogue. The first connection between these two regional organizations has begun in 1972, with the European Economic Community (EEC) and the ASEAN. Five years later, the Ministerial meeting of ASEAN has agreed to upgrade cooperation with EEC. Followed by the year of 1978 after the first meeting of EU-ASEAN in Brussels, together with the growing number of visits, the collaboration was increased with the political dialogue, trade and investment on ASEAN’s Garment industry. EU is an economic and political union of 28 member states that are located in Europe with more than 500 million citizens. ASEAN again is the home of 600 million people in ten countries of Southeast Asia. ASEAN is a very important partner of the EU. “ A prosperous, successful and stable ASEAN is also in the interest of the EU”, said Olof Skoog, the Ambassador of the EU to ASEAN, quoted in a press release of ASEAN secretariat office in Jarkarta, Indonesia. EU nowadays has become ASEAN’s third largest trading partner, after US and China. The overall trade volume increased to 215 billion Euro by 2011, compared to less than Euro 100 billion in 2008. Business firms from EU countries invest in ASEAN on garment and household material such as cosmetic industry. EU has become the
largest source of direct foreign investment into ASEAN. From 2000 to 2009, the investment of EU companies in ASEAN countries reached around Euro 9.1 billion annually. “EU needs to redouble the efforts on relation with ASEAN, more than 600 million people, including a rapidly growing middle class in ASEAN, which situated between China and India, the economic giants of Asia, is a key partner for EU”, an ASEAN Coordinator in EuropeAid Development and Cooperation, comments. Gradually increasing agreements on the trade and investment of EU with countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Laos and Cambodia, include importing textile and clothes, seafood, agricultural products and fruit from ASEAN. EU countries again export chemical products, industrial machinery equipment and automobiles to ASEAN. Apart from trade and economic cooperation the political dialogue between the two partners became more and more important. It addresses issues like human rights, discussions and agreements on the collaboration in sharing information and experiences over regional, border and maritime securities. This also includes technical assistance given to ASEAN from EU. The decision of ASEAN letting Myanmar to be part of it in 1997, became a major dispute between EU and ASEAN and affected the talks between the two countries so that EU was ready to exclude Myanmar from EU-ASEAN relations. Until recently, Myanmar, an isolated country under the military rule had the most intense human right abuses and lack of freedom in the region. It was under the economical and political sanctions of EU and other Western countries.For more than a
decade Myanmar was an ugly mole for the good image of ASEAN, which could not negotiate with the regional countries for free movement and free trade for their economical and political environment. Later in 2011, while the country’s governance changed from military rule to civil government, EU sent a delegation to Myanmar to explore the possibilities for developing its engagement. Earlier in 2013 an EU Office in the former capital Yangon was opened.
As for the recent example in the context of disaster management and humanitarian assistants, EU has provided euro 2.5 million humanitarian assistance, which includes shelter, water and sanitation and primary health care, to the victims of earthquake in the Phillippines. Past few years, EU has supported the Tsunami hit Ache state of Indonesia with technology for Tsunami monitoring and alert system and capacity building for the victims to rebuilt their lives.
To keep closer ties with ASEAN and to pursue closer coordination on regional and international issues, EU has set a five year enhanced partnership plan with ASEAN last year. The five-year-plan “Bandar Seri Begawan Plan of Action” started in 2013 and covers a wide range of areas from political dialogue, regional securities, trades, sociocultural issues and human rights. In the security context of the plan, the two partners have agreed to cooperate in support each other in maritime-related issues such as combating sea piracy, arms smuggling, search and rescue of persons and vessels in distress at sea. Currently, EU is working together with institutions in ASEAN such as Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC), the Southeast Asia Regional Centre for CounterTerrorism (SEARCCT) in Kuala Lumpur and the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Bangkok, in the form of exchange of experiences and information and capacity-building.
One of the important issues of the agenda includes anti-trafficking in persons. Laborers and youth from less developing countries such as Laos and Myanmar are struggling with economic hardship, poverty, lack of job opportunities and democratic cultures, gender inequality. Again with the booming of sex tourism industry in the region, ignite human trafficking. EU set up the cooperation project in August 2013 worth Euro 3.4 million, for migration and border management in various forms such as technological support for visa simplification and capacity buildings. However, there still are some obstacles in the relation of EU-and ASEAN. An ASEAN Coordinator said the slow process on implementation of cooperation is due to different work procedures on both sides. Although there are structural differences, EU and ASEAN – two strong partners for the future are trying to harmonize to spur trade and investment across the continent as well as free movement of people.
One Europe, seven different gauges Infrastructure remains a challenge for the EU and other regional communities by PHATHIZWE-CHIEF ZULU
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he raging yet charming river Rhine is a formidable natural phenomenon providing ideal symbol for European integration. With its historical association with wealth even before the advent of the Roman Empire, still it is recognised as a reliable and most convenient modern shipping route by seven countries through which it glides. The BBC states that the Rhine River is arguably the busiest shipping route in the world, with over one million containers travelling up and down it each year. Considering the convenience provided by this natural resource, however, it is in contrast to the manmade infrastructure like railway lines which provide numerous problems from one country to the next. Emphasising the problems of rail infrastructure in the EU, Deutsche Welle quoted Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas explaining that Europe‘s railways have currently seven different gauges (the spacing of the rails on a railway track) which adds delays, cost, and inconvenience. And he said only 20 of the major airports are directly connected to the European rail network while only 35 of the major ports are
well connected. “It is necessary to close gaps to resolve the worse problems in the east-west connections, a shattered infrastructure and a poor mutual utility.” „In short, we have to come from a patchwork to a network,” he told Deutsche Welle, adding: „In the digital broadband networks sector, the Commission has observed that EU lags behind. For example, it is hopelessly behind of Japan and South Korea.” Commercial development depends largely on efficient infrastructure development which remains a pivotal regional integration impetus to foster economic growth and viable trade and investment. Obviously fanning the flames of pan-European cooperation, EU Commission President José Manuel Barroso, unveiled the proposal ‚connecting Europe‘, meant to fund € 50 billion worth of investment from the EU‘s 2014-2020 budget to improve Europe‘s transport, energy grids, pipe lines and digital networks, which are so important to EU citizens. Under the plan, which still needs approval from EU member states and the European Parliament, € 31.7 billion will be invested to upgrade Europe‘s transport infra-
is no live power line. But he said this is not an unusual example in Europe. “In other words there is no exchange of quantities of electricity and there is no competition in the electricity market”, he said. But there are interesting solar projects in Spain, for example, with no access to the French market. However, globalisation is gradually taking centre stage and is EU setting the tone with its Regional Integration model. EU’s model has prompted sharply contesting views amongst experts about the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) choice of model of regional integration.
structure. About € 9.1 billion in trans-European infrastructure will be spent to meet the ‚Europe 2020‘ energy and climate change objectives and € 9.2 billion in support investment in fast broadband networks and pan-European digital services, he said. However, in July this year, staggering from the EU economic recession, Brussels eased strict budget deficit rules to give EU countries more flexibility to make key public investments like in infrastructure to boost economic growth. Barroso said the budget rules would be tailor made to suite member states spending on public transport, energy and other kinds of infrastructure. He said such countries will not be included in public deficit figures this year and 2014. However, trade and bilateral cooperation amongst states in EU are on track to develop the infrastructure sector. The recent German-Polish infrastructure development initiatives can be cited as classical examples of regional integration and bilateral cooperation which include funding for the construction sector set to benefit over 40 million inhabitants. Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger said between Spain and France there
In may this year, Angolan economist, Carlos Rosado de Carvalho, suggested that SADC should have a closer look at the EU because of its promising experience. “The experience of the European Union for Southern Africa and for the African continent, to me, should be adapted”, he said. “We of late hear about Europe with some scepticism, because of the economic and financial crisis it recently went through, but the truth is that its regional integration is of success.” However, EU is casting its net far and wide in terms of cooperation with other Regional Economic Communities, like the Southern African Development Community (SADC). In July this year, ahead of the EU-South Africa summit, Brussels approved a ground-breaking € 100 million programme to support infrastructure development, through an innovative grant-loan blending mechanism, for South Africa and the region. This would make possible to support projects in the energy sector in South Africa, as well as regional road and rail projects to improve trade possibilities between South Africa and its neighbours. The EU support came at the most opportune time when the SADC’s objective is to develop a high level infrastructure in the region poised on the SADC Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan. The objective is to meet needs on the basis of regional and trans-boundary infrastructure development requirements by 2027. Key areas that needs urgent attention according to the master plan is water, energy, transport, tourism, meteorology and telecommunication sectors. In energy, South Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique share a single power grid and a lot of cooperation in tourism forming trans-frontier parks. The SADC infrastructure development goal is premised on the three key objectives of poverty eradication, food security and economic development. And, the region is dedicated in its efforts to attain an integrated regional economy on the basis of balance, equity and mutual benefit for all member States.
Is he any better than me? Unequal pay between women and men by Miriam Zimba
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magine Bianca Mendez, a trained electrical engineer, working about 42 hours a week and earning 6 960 Euro per month. In the office next, is George Schweitzer, who holds them same position as Bianca, with the same qualification, but earns 8 000 Euro per month. One would probably wonder why the disparity between the two colleagues. The history behind the Gender Pay Gap (GPG) can be traced as far back as childhood, when initially although both boys and girls are born with equal rights, educational and career expectations for boys and girls has always been different. In most parts of Europe, when they begin their careers, men earn an average of about 16 percent more than women. Statistics also indicate that the United Kingdom and Germany had the highest pay gap of 26 percent in the private sector. This is despite women having as good, or sometimes even better qualifications than the men, often their skills are not valued the same as their male counterparts, and this result in their career progression being slower than that of men. In the family set up, responsibilities are not equally shared, and women tend to have more frequent career breaks and often do not go back to a full time job. As a result, women earn on an average 16 percent less per hour than men, and even 31 percent less per year, given the higher proportion of female part timers. The combined effect of lower wages for women, coupled with women working fewer hours than men over their career lifetime, results in lower pensions for women. This leads to more women experiencing greater effects of poverty in their old age than the men. Women’s representation and participation has continuously been on the agenda of countries through either internal processes or regional and international instruments. The European Women’s Lobby (EWL) is the largest umbrella organisation of women’s associations in the European Union, working to promote women’s rights and equality between women and men. In September 2013, the European Parliament re-opened debates on equal pay for women and GPG. The application of the principle of equal pay for male and female workers for equal work,
or work for equal value has since the Treaty of Rome, been a recognised basic European Union (EU) principle. Despite the significant body of legislation that has been in place for almost 40 years, and actions that have been taken, progress has been extremely slow, and the pay gap between women and men in the EU region still stands at 16.2 percent on average. However, as things stand, it is clear that member states need to do more to close the gap between gender wages to correct ineffective implementation of the principle of equal pay. In simple terms, efforts to address the pay gap could boost economic growth and translate into major investments. An example of a company that employees both men and women is Audi, a German car manufacturer which has an assembly plant in the outskirts of
suffer a deduction of sick days off from their working hours. Both women and men working at the Audi assembly plant are subjected to regular health and safety checks, which are handled by the Health and Safety committee. According to the Europe Statistics, in 2011, the majority of EU countries recorded a higher gender pay gap in the private sector. This is largely attributed to such as those working in the public sector being protected by collective pay agreements, and other employments conditions of service. In Belgium for example, this gap stands at -2.9 percent for the public sector, and 13.8 percent in the private sector.
Brussels in Belgium, and employs 2 550 workers in different departments, including this factory. Leader of the Christian Trade Union at Audi Pascal VanCauwenberge explained during a media tour of the plant, that the women constitute about nine per cent of its workforce. He explained that as the labour movement tries to ensure that women are treated equally, and that their rights are protected. “Although women are not accorded any preferential treatment on the basis of their gender, they are treated with respect, all human rights are observed,” he said. Women at this in most Western European countries also enjoy entitlements such as maternity leave, and while pregnant women are not given to do labour intensive tasks, they also do not
According to the European Women’s Lobby website, the GPG reflects on-going discrimination and inequalities in the labour market which mainly affect women.Studies undertaken by institutions such as EWL and any others across the globe have shown that closing the GPG benefits both the employer and employees because it creates a positive work environment, and ultimately translates to improved productivity. The under valuing of women’s skills in the labour market translates into lost resource for the economy and the society at large.Therefore, valuing of women’s skills allows than contribute positively to economic development, this is because it motivates their performance and improves their economic independence. It then goes without say that increasing women’s earnings throughout their career lifetime, reduces the risk of falling into poverty after the age of 65 years, which currently stands at 23 percent for women, and 17 percent for men within the same age group. In such a world, gender parity can no longer be treated as superfluous, because women make up a half of potential human capital available in any economy. Therefore the efficient use of this talent pool is a key driver of national, regional, and global competitiveness and economic development.As long as Bianca continues to earn less than her male counterparts, and yet still have to pay rent, school fees, bills and other daily expenses, then the gender pay gap remains an important issue that deserves more attention.
My country, my identity An insight on citizens‘ consciousness of national identity from all over the world by Romoke W. Ahmad
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schi Schulz*, a lady of 65 from Bonn, Germany, answers with a broad smile when asked about her opinion on the EU and if she would like to give up German nationality for an European. “Oh, I‘m just fine with the whole integration process“. And then she adds, and her smile seems to disappear gradually, „but I would not really like the idea of having a European passport because differences between the countries are quite large. I prefer knowing from which country a person comes from,” she says.
For the 63-year-old Habib Bel Kahla*, a Tunisian by origin and a German citizen having lived in the country for 20 year and 25 years in France feels neither German nor French or Tunisian. “I have been an European since 45 years now and that is okay. It is just like having one nationality if one is able to move freely within so many countries. There are no borders and that will make us all equal. I like the idea of having an EU passport to make us more united and a single entity”, Habib notes.
When people are faced with the question of identifying themselves, they preferably address themselves as citizens of a particular country rather than of the regional organization their country belongs to or even as citizens of the world. Identity is closely related to having the same passport within the region but also to issues such as a single currency, a common language, and even a borderless society. The lady from Bonn however believes it would be nice to have one language but opinioned that everybody should keep his or her language and culture parallelly. „Seriously, it would be a big dream to have communication in one language so that people can communicate more freely. But it is a matter of step by step to change the language and it would at least last for generations to achieve this aim”, she added.
28-year-old Rebbeka Welker thinks it is important to be a part of the EU and is happy that her country is part of it. It is equally important for her that both Germany and France are in the EU having a common sense, common feeling and understanding of the countries in the region. “I wouldn’t have any problem if I had to drop my German nationality for an European passport. But to my experience some of my reletives or neighbors wouldn’t like the idea of a single European citizenship“, Rebakka observed. This is a typical comment of the younger Europeans who are much more open towards the European idea than the elderly. Even the replacement of the Deutsche Mark through the Euro was something she and most of her friends could easily accept. “Currency change is not important for my identity“, she says.
The Europeans seem to be more open for a super-national identity than the people in the ECOWAS. This doesn’t mean that a European identity is already fully accepted. But the ECOWAS citizens are even less ready to accept the integration process for the fear of some countries dominating the others. According to experts issue of giving up ones national identity needed to be given special attention by the decision makers from both organizations. In spite of all the efforts to change the understanding of the people, many citizens of ECOWAS are more attached to their nationality and believed more in their national project rather than ECOWAS. “The issue of integration is more than what we experience on the surface especially when it comes to compromising my national identity for the so called integration. I cannot imagine replacing my beautiful blue Liberian passport with a green which is symbolic with another national identity”, Wade Williams, a Liberian citizen says. To these people the objectives of integration process remain just lofty ideas and dreams of the leaders of the sub-region states. The politicians say for example that they are working to transform the organistion from an ECOWAS of States to an ECOWAS of the people, but many barriers remain in place which hinders this process.
Some of these barriers include internal trade policies, rising sense of nationalism, mistrust of other ECOWAS citizens and language barriers. Samuel Kofi´s* sense of nationality would never be override by any other one because he was born and raised to be a Ghanaian rather than ECOWAS citizen. “What I enjoy as a Ghanaian citizen in terms of my right to basic maintenance cannot be the same for people in other countries of ECOWAS. Why should I give up my identity for that?” Samuel enquires. As lofty as the idea of integration is to the citizens of these regional organisations, there is one particular attribute that link them together. That is the refusal to give up their national identities for regional citizenship no matter how good the ideas and intention maybe. The question now is, should the leaders have a refocus of the integration idea by including and working on the consciousness of the citizens in order to welcome a single identity for all the member states? Or should they just accept that it might take many generations until people might accept the idea of being an European other than West African? *Names are pseudonym