WHAT RIGHTS QUALIFY FOR SOCIAL BENEFITS ?

The recent decision by the European Court of Justice  now requires legislation at the EU level and also at local National level.

EU legislation must protect the rights of workers who have contributed towards a National Social Security system.  Local legislation must detail the rights to benefits of citizens who have never contributed or even worked ! 

 

In each country a minefield of problems will need to be revised including the rights of temporary foreign immigrants.

 

Again any changes will necessarily lead to more discussions of the introduction of co-ordinated Frontier Controls on the borders of the EU !     

 

Is this not what voters in the recent EU Parliamentary Elections clearly said they wanted ? 

 

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EBOLA : DOES FIFA HAVE ANY RULES ?

After staging the World Cup in Brazil so successfully it seems that FIFA has gone into hibernation !

Staging the 2018 World Cup Finals in Russia and the 2022 Finals in Qatar has raised new problems but no credible solutions.  In particular with reference to the suspected irregularities connected with the surprise selection in 2010 of Qatar as Hosts, there has been a blackout of information due to the embargo on making public a 350 page report on the vote !  

The very fact that there is an embargo has nourished  suspicions that something is wrong somewhere ! Will this embargo be lifted before the next FIFA Presidential election ?

Since 2010 little, or nothing, has changed in FIFA under the stewardship of Sepp Blatter !  Ebola has spread panic throughout the world but FIFA has issued no guidelines.  Never are there any votes to adopt "reserve venues" as cover if a major catastrophy occurs in the world of FIFA ! 

Who would bear the loss if an international footballer died from Ebola while playing in the African Nations Cup ? 

Finally, does FIFA have any solution for the  World Cup if Russia is at war in 2018 ?

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"BENEFITS TOURISTS" : WILL THEY LOSE THEIR "RIGHTS" ?

Yesterday, November 11, 2014, a decision by the European Court of Justice reopened the debate on Tourists who seek to "profit" from Social Benefits when visiting countries where they have never worked or even tried to find work.

This judgement, which now ignites a vast discussion, arises from an appeal by a Romanian woman who was refused "rights" in Germany, where she had lived with her sister for five years !  Long term it will provoke a revision of certain fundamental provisions in the Treaties of the EU !

 

However, this is just a small drip of the water in the Orient !  The ripple effect will last until EU Treaties have been properly redefined.   The affirmation by Manual Borroso that "Benefits Tourism" does not exist in the EU or EUROZONE has now been officially contradicted !

 

David Cameron knows this is just a start.  He will now have the support some other countries which have been less combative in the past !  Even Angela Merkel cannot ignore the impact of this Judgement !

 

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EU + EUROZONE : WILL THEY CHANGE TO SURVIVE ?

Will politicians be allowed to modify EU Treaties, in accordance with the clear wish expressed by voters in the recent Parliamentary Elections ?

This is a simple "democratic" question, but the answer is far from being simple !   There are politicians who refuse to accept that Treaties must be modernised to reflect a changing world and to protect the whole objective of the EU or the EUROZONE.

First of all, what are the main changes that must be considered ? 

a)  Immigration into the EU and Migration in the EU !

b)  Free Trade principles when there is "Dumping".

c)  National sovreignty for judicial decisions on local legislation.

d)  Death Penalty for Terrorist killers.

 

Secondly, should the EUROZONE not create its own rules to protect the EURO and the interests of its member countries ?  For example, Germany wants Immigration but other countries, in the EUROZONE or not, only want very selective immigration ! 

 

Also, the EUROZONE wants its "Golden Rules" but EU countries have other rules and methods to protect their currencies.  All the countries in the EU vary, particularly in size and in what they can achieve at present.  The same basic principles of the EU are therefore not always tailored for their needs.

 

This year 2014 has seen an economic depression all over the World.  Tomorrow the Golden Principles of the EUROZONE will be tested when the European Commission reviews the 2015 National Budgets and plans of Eurozone countries !  Several countries, like France, are expecting losses for 2014 and must take corrective action in 2015 to stave off problems for the EURO ! 

 

The EU must modernise itself to survive and.....to save the EURO !

 

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FRANCOIS FILLON M'A DIT QUE...

A chaque semaine, désormais, son lot de vraies et fausses confidences de hauts responsables politiques, ses ragots, ses secrets d'affaires en cours d'instruction.  On ne se contente plus de les rapporter dans les diners en ville mais on en fait des livres et ce qui relevait d'une presse, que l'on qualifiait volontiers de presse de caniveau, se retrouve désormais à la une de journaux d'opinion.  Opinion ou manipulation ? 

Il en est ainsi pour le journal "Le Monde", daté du lundi 10 novembre 2014, qui n'a pas hésité, sans précaution aucune ni réserve, à titrer en page une : "Fillon a sollicité l 'Elysée pour accélérer les poursuites judiciaires  contre Sarkozy". Ceci, comme on peut le lire plus loin, sur la base d'une révélation de Jean-Pierre Jouyet rapportée par deux journalistes du journal " le Monde" dans l'ouvrage " Sarko s'est tuer".

Jusqu'où ira le pitoyable colportage des commérages ?

DML

 

 

 

WHAT PRESIDENT HOLLANDE DID NOT EXPLAIN !

Comments by the Public and in the Press after the interview of President Hollande on TV, watched by 8 million citizens, have been withering ! "Why did he want to be interviewed when he had nothing new to say ?", is a gentle way to summarise the discontent !

After two and a half years as President, the mid-point of his five year term, what has Hollande done to reverse, as he has said, the mess left by Sarkozy, his predecessor ?  The general public impression is "NOTHING !". 

To make France more competitive and to kick-start the economy, Cost Savings by the State are required for more State and/or Private Investments.  This would then help to reduce unemployment and the National Debt ! 

To be really precise, Hollande has not attacked any of the following possibilities;

1)   -  Created cost savings by     

           - streamlining government services and departments.

           - raising the retirement age in line with inreased longevity,

          - introducing a declining scale of benefits for the long term unemployed to force them to accept to work, 

          - decentralising certain national services.

2)   -  Created more jobs through direct government investment,

           - by building more housing for the needy (as had been planned),

          - by launching long-term modernisation projects,

3)  -  Redefined the rights and duties of Employers, Unions and the Government when businesses face severe economic difficulties, by

          - revising the rules of the 35 hour working week,

          - modernising employment rules for employers.

                - modernising the rights of Trade Unions.

 

These are just a few options that should have been exploited during the first two years of President Hollande's term of office.  In this way the National Debt would not be as serious as it is now ! 

Everyone in France is acutely aware that Brussels and the EUROZONE have been very critical of the 2015 Budget and Plan submitted by France !  Logically, if France cannot reduce its overspending , the EURO itself could be in danger.   In his TV interview Hollande avoided all discussion of this subject but Brussels will surely want action ! 

All these matters need attention, and they will not simply go away if they are not addressed ! 

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NICOLAS SARKOZY: DEUX ANS DE CONFIDENCES...

Deux ans de confidences de Nicolas Sarkozy, tel est le thème de l'ouvrage de Nathalie Schuck et de Frédéric Gerschel publié chez Flammarion, "Ca reste entre nous, hein?".

De ce livre qui, selon les auteurs, est la chronique, vue des coulisses, d'une renaissance politique, Nicolas Sarkozy ne sort pas grandi et son image d'homme d'Etat est singulièrement terni.

Des confidences ?  En fait un florilège de petites phrases, de propos peu amènes voire quelques horreurs prononcés par l'ancien Président de la République.

On citera, "à l'UMP tous des cons", "L'UMP, ce ventilateur à merde", sur François Fillon,"un loser", sur Marine Le Pen "elle fait hommasse", sur Xavier Bertrand "ce bon à rien, ce petit assureur"...

On en  vient à douter qu'un ancien Président de la République se soit laisser aller à de tels propos et s'ils étaient prononcés en "off" on s'étonne que des journalistes aient, en les publiant, contrevenu aux règles déontologiques.

Quant au lecteur, il referme le livre un peu gêné avec le sentiment d'avoir été le témoin de conversations qu'il n'aurait pas du entendre...

DML