Opportunitajiet Brexit

Kull fejn tmur tisma’ ilħna li jwissu kif bi Brexit, il-futur se jkun aktar skur. Minħabba f’hekk, tissorprendi ruħek meta titlaqa’ ma’ min qed iqis l-opportunitajiet li se joffrilu l-Brexit. Hekk ġrali: issorprendejt ruħi l-ġimgħa li għaddiet, meta fi Brussell ġiet iżżurni delegazzjoni biex titkellem dwar das-suġġett!
Kienet qed tirrapreżenta lill-bejjiegħa fil-ħwienet tal-ajruporti. Malajr fhimt għaliex: jekk terġa’ tidħol id-dwana bejn ir-Renju Unit u l-bqija tal-Ewropa, fl-ajruporti jisplodi l-bejgħ tad-“duty free”. Bħalissa, bejgħ fl-ajruporti ta’ oġġetti “duty free” fi ħdan l-Unjoni Ewropea kif inhi ftit jista’ jiffjorixxi: il-pajjiżi membri għandhom l-istess dazji u taxxi tal-istess effett bħad-dazji. Dan jinbidel malli r-Renju Unit joħroġ mill-Unjoni.
Fl-aħħar snin, l-ivvjaġġar turistiku bejn il-pajjiżi Ewropej żviluppa sew. Mhux daqstant il-bejgħ fl-ajruporti mid-dehra. Bil-Brexit se jkunu qed jinħolqu opportunitajiet ġodda ta’ bejgħ “duty free” f’dan is-suq turistiku li baqa’ jikber.
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SIMONE VEIL
Il-mewt ta’ Simone Veil qanqlet mewġa ta’ sogħba liema bħalha fi Franza. F’żgħuritha, Veil kienet deportata min-Nazi lejn Auschwitz. Irnexxielha ssalva. Kienet attiva ħafna fil-politika, fil-ħidma favur l-għaqda Ewropea u fil-ġlieda għal titjib fid-drittijiet tan-nisa.
Kisbet l-aqwa għarfien u saret kontroversjali ħafna fl-1974. Bħala ministru tas-saħħa f’wieħed mill-gvernijiet tal-President Giscard d’Estaing daħħlet liġi li tippermetti l-abort. Kellha taffaċċja attakki feroċi, uħud minnhom tassew personali u moqżieża. Dak iż-żmien kienet waħda minn tmien deputati nisa fil-Parlament Franċiż; l-oħrajn kienu kollha rġiel. Wasslet il-liġi sal-aħħar bil-voti tal-Oppożizzjoni soċjalista, għax ħafna deputati liberali u konservattivi vvotaw kontra.
Wara kienet eletta fil-Parlament Ewropew. Minnu, baqgħet tiddefendi d-drittijiet tan-nisa. Jien wieħed minn dawk li jammiraw l-ħerqa politika li uriet tul il-karriera tagħha, għalkemm bqajt dubjuż dwar l-impenn Ewropew tagħha li donnu kien imnebbaħ mill-federaliżmu.
Veil jixirqilha kull ġieħ. L-espressjoni ta’ sogħba għall-mewt tagħha kienet ġenerali u mistħoqqa.
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IL-BAĠIT TAL-UE
Telqu d-diskussjonijiet fi ħdan l-Unjoni Ewropea dwar kif se jissawwar il-baġit tal-Unjoni fis-snin li ġejjin. It-tluq tar-Renju Unit se jħalli ħofra kbira fid-dħul finanzjarju tal-Unjoni peress li dal-pajjiż iħallas aktar milli jdaħħal fil-fondi tal-Unjoni. Fl-aħħar snin, il-kontribuzzjoni tiegħu laħħqet qrib it-12 fil-mija tal-baġit totali.
Minħabba dat-tnaqqis fid-dħul, se jkollu jsir tnaqqis fin-nefqa tal-Unjoni; jew inkella se jkollu jiżdied id-dħul permezz ta’ żieda fil-pagamenti li jagħmlu l-pajjiżi membri lill-baġit tal-Unjoni.
Tkun xi tkun is-soluzzjoni, mhijiex se tingħoġob. Min qiegħed jistrieħ fuq finanzjament Ewropew għal proġetti ġodda ma jiħux gost jara dal-finanzjament jonqos. U ħadd mhu se jieħu gost jara l-kontribuzzjoni finanzjarja li jrid idendel tiżdied.

English Version – Brexit opportunities

Voices all over warn us how with Brexit, the future will become sombre. So, you do feel surpise when meeting people who are banking on the opportunities that Brexit will offer. That’s what happened to me last week: a delegation met me in Brussels to discuss the subject!

It was representing retail shops at airports. I soon understood their point: if duties are again enforced on trade between the UK and the rest of Europe, duty free sales at airports could explode. Such sales within the EU as constituted at present are quite constrained: member states apply the same tariffs and taxes with equivalent effect to tariffs. This will change as soon as the UK exits the EU.

In recent years, tourist travel between European countries has developed hugely. Less so, it seems, sales at airports. With Brexit, new opportunities for duty free sales in the ever growing tourist market should emerge.

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Simone Veil

There was an upsurge of grief in France when the death of Simone Veil was announced. In her adolescence, the Nazis deported her to Auschwitz. She managed to survive. She became very active in politics as well as in the movement for pan-European unity and the struggle for women’s rights.

She became best known and a very controversial figure in 1974. As the minister for health in one of the governments under the Giscard d’Estaing presidency she piloted the law that allows for abortion in France. She endured ferocious attacks, some of which were highly personal and disgusting. In those days, there were only eight female MPs in the French Parliament; all others (obviously) were men. She carried the abortion law through on the back of votes from the Opposition socialists; many liberal and conservative MPs voted against.

Later she was elected to the European Parliament. In that forum, she maintained her defence of women’s rights. I am one of those who consider her political commitment as remarkable, even though I felt less enthusiastic about her European commitment, since it seemed to be too federalist in scope.

Simone Veil deserves full honours. Which is why the expression of grief at her death was widespread and above all, deserved.

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The EU Budget

Discussions are shaping up within the EU regarding how the Union’s budget will be structured in coming years. The UK’s departure will leave a gaping hole in the Union’s financial receipts since this country pays more into the Union’s treasury than it takes out. Recently, the UK’s contribution came close to 12 per cent of the total budget.

Due to this decline in income, there has to follow a reduction in the Union’s expenditure; alternatively, income should rise on the back of an increase in the payments members make to the Union’s budget.

Whatever the solution, it will not be liked. Those who rely on European financing for projects they wish to launch, will hardly be pleased to see these funds diminish. And for sure, nobody will relish the prospect of a rise in contributions that must be made.