Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WOLD NEWS
Thursday 2 March 2017

EU unveils new ideas to ensure unity as UK prepares to leave

White Paper at their sum- cannot — do.
mit in Brussels on March “We shouldn’t (try to) per-
9-10. EU citizens and non- suade people that we
governmental organiza- can simply conjure up the
tions are also invited to sun and the moon,” he
comment. told EU lawmakers.
“It is the start of a process, He noted in particular
not the end, and I hope that EU institutions alone
that now an honest and cannot fix problems such
wide-ranging debate will as rampant youth unem-
take place,” Juncker said. ployment.
The move comes with Brit- “We cannot produce mir-
ain set to launch by the acles if national measures
end of March a procedure do not do enough,” Junck-
likely to result in its EU exit in er said.
early 2019. In a joint statement, the for-
No member has ever left eign ministers of Germany
the bloc before, and the and France said the com-
prospect of losing Britain mission’s ideas are “an im-
has shaken a Europe al- portant and valuable con-
ready coping with a refu- tribution” to the debate.
gee emergency and ex- “In view of the enormous
tremist attacks. challenges Europe faces,
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, left, and European Parliament President French far-right leader Ma- we must not ratchet down
Antonio Tajani address the media at the European Parliament in Brussels, Wednesday, March 1, rine Le Pen is threatening to our ambitions for the com-
2017. The European Union executive has unveiled new ideas to keep the bloc unified as Britain
prepares to leave and rising far-right populism casts a shadow over the EU project. follow Britain’s lead if she mon European project,”
(AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) wins the presidential elec- Germany’s Sigmar Gabriel
tion in May. and France’s Jean-Marc
LORNE COOK extremism casts a shadow efficient; allow groups The party of anti-Islam fire- Ayrault said.
Associated Press over the EU project. of member states to ad- brand Geert Wilders is also Commission officials said
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Eu- The European Commis- vance at their own pace; set to poll well in the Neth- none of the five scenar-
ropean Union’s executive sion foresees five possible or do far more together. erlands’ election in two ios is preferred and that a
arm unveiled new ideas scenarios for Europe by European Commission weeks. combination of several or
Wednesday to keep the 2025: to carry on as usual; President Jean-Claude Juncker said debate on another approach entirely
bloc unified as Britain pre- function as a single market Juncker wants EU leaders the future should focus on might be possible, even
pares to leave and far-right only; do less but be more to discuss the so-called what Europe can — and likely.q

House of Lords chides UK govt, backs EU citizens’ rights

JILL LAWLESS The Labour Party’s Brexit go to a vote in the elected any of the others. That The Lords’ amendment
Associated Press spokeswoman in the Lords, House of Commons, where leaves 3 million EU nation- commits the government
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Dianne Hayter, said Eu- there is a strong chance it als in the U.K., as well as 1 to guaranteeing within
unelected House of Lords ropeans living in Britain will be rejected, million Britons in other mem- three months that EU citi-
on Wednesday handed “need to know now, not in since Prime Minister The- ber countries, uncertain zens living legally in Brit-
the government a stinging two years’ time or even 12 resa May’s Conservative whether they will be able to ain when the bill is passed
— though likely temporary months’ time,” what their Party has a majority in the stay in their jobs and homes “continue to be treated in
— defeat on its plans to rights are. lower chamber. once Britain reasserts con- the same way with regards
leave the European Union, “You can’t do negotia- The government said it trol over EU immigration. to their EU-derived rights.”
resolving that EU citizens tions with people’s futures. was “disappointed” by the The government has said A stream of peers — most
should be promised the They’re too precious to be Lords’ vote, and is expect- repeatedly that it plans from opposition parties but
right to stay in the U.K. after used as bargaining chips,” ed to try to overturn the to guarantee the right a few from the govern-
it quits the bloc. Hayter said. amendment in the Com- of EU citizens to remain in ing Conservatives — stood
By a vote of 358 to 256, Par- Pro-EU politicians hailed the mons later this month. Britain as long as U.K. na- to agree with her. Broad-
liament’s upper chamber vote as a symbol of com- By leaving the EU, Britain will tionals living elsewhere in caster Melvyn Bragg, a La-
inserted a clause protect- mitment to Europeans liv- be withdrawing from the the bloc get the same right. bour member of the Lords,
ing EU nationals’ status into ing in Britain. bloc’s policy of free move- Critics accuse the govern- said EU citizens in Britain
a bill authorizing the gov- But it is unlikely to turn out ment, which allows citizens ment of treating people as had been “reduced to
ernment to begin EU exit to be binding on the gov- of the bloc’s 28 member leverage in the divorce ne- pawns in a government
talks. ernment. The change must states to live and work in gotiations. tragedy.”q