The European disability rights strategy for 2021-2030 is due to be updated, since the list of initiatives published in 2021 only goes up to 2025. During its December plenary session, Parliament is expected to hold a debate on the new initiatives the European Commission should commit to for the 2025-2030 period. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Provision of clean drinking water, a vital resource and a public good, is considered a matter of public health. Many Europeans already have access to clean and safe drinking water at an affordable price. However, emerging issues such as water scarcity, droughts and the presence of chemical substances or microplastics in water are crystallising societal and environmental concerns. The European Commission is due to make a statement on the right to clean drinking water in the EU during the Parliament's December 2024 plenary session. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The UNCITRAL Mauritius Convention aims to improve transparency in treaty-based investor-state arbitration. Parliament is due to vote on giving consent to the Council's conclusion of the Mauritius Convention on transparency, on behalf of the EU, which will also allow EU Member States to ratify on their own behalf. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

In December, after a public hearing of the candidates in the Committee on Petitions (PETI), the European Parliament is set to elect the European Ombudsman for the new parliamentary term. Six candidates are running: Teresa Anjinho (Portugal), a former Deputy Portuguese Ombudsman; Emilio De Capitani (Italy), a former European Parliament official; Marino Fardelli (Italy), Ombudsman of the Lazio region; Julia Laffranque (Estonia), a former judge of the European Court of Human Rights; Claudia Mahler (Austria), a human rights expert; and Reinier van Zutphen (Netherlands), Ombudsman of the Netherlands. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Since the start of the Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the EU has provided Ukraine with financial, military and humanitarian support on an unprecedented level, including macro-financial assistance, financial support via the Ukraine Facility, humanitarian aid and military assistance from its Member States and through the European Peace Facility. Regulation (EU) 2024/2773 provides for a new macro-financial assistance loan for Ukraine and establishes a Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism (ULCM). That loan and the ULCM are part of a G7 initiative adopted at the G7 summit in Apulia in June 2024 to support Ukraine with loans of up to US$50 billion (€45 billion). The purpose of the G7 initiative is to provide Ukraine with sufficient and continuous financial support to address the immediate needs inflicted on the country by Russia's ongoing aggression. The ULCM will provide Ukraine with non-repayable financial support to assist it in repaying loans provided by G7 partners. Given the urgent nature of Ukraine's financing needs, the MFA will be available in 2024. According to the annex to the final agreement between G7 finance ministers of 25 October 2024, the EU's share of the G7 loan will be €18.115 billion. Extraordinary revenues originating from Russian sovereign assets immobilised in the G7 member states will be used to repay those loans and the associated interest costs. The ULCM will collect the extraordinary revenues and use them to repay the loans. The European Parliament adopted the proposal on 22 October 2024 and Regulation (EU) 2024/2773 entered into force on 29 October 2024. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

In recent decades, the digital information sphere has become the public space for debate: the place where people access information, and form and express opinions. Over the past 10 years, global information ecosystems have also increasingly become geostrategic battlegrounds. Authoritarian state actors are testing and fine-tuning techniques to manipulate public opinion and foment divisions and tension, to undermine democratic societies and open democracy as a system. At the same time, the geostrategic rivalry overlaps more and more with corporate geopolitics: the digital information sphere has become a contested territory for large corporations competing fiercely to lead the development and roll-out of new technologies – with artificial intelligence (AI) as a game changer in this quest. These innovations come with risks: information manipulation campaigns facilitated by generative AI magnify threats to democratic information ecosystems. Strategic and systemic pressures on the open information environment are set to increase. This makes efforts to uphold universal values in the digital information environment – values such as human rights and, in particular, freedom of expression – even more essential. The increased focus on information integrity by multilateral organisations makes room for coordinating actions to boost the resilience of information ecosystems more broadly, safeguarding human rights. This concept ties in with key parts of the work planned under the future 'European democracy shield'. The broad scope of information integrity covers a number of activities that are already under way in the EU – including measures and legislation launched in recent years – and offers new paths for coalitions and partnerships. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

La septième séance de la session budgétaire a permis ce lundi 09 décembre des «ajustements fiscaux», notamment en matière de droits et taxes de douanes. Une véritable réforme fiscale est annoncée pour juin 2025 par le gouvernement. En attendant, le prix des boissons sucrées va augmenter et les droits d’enregistrement chez le notaire vont baisser.

Chaque semaine, découvrez le portrait d'un des 6 athlètes nominés pour le prix du public de la 11e édition des Trophées du Sport. Rencontre avec Teura Tupaia, champion de lancer de javelot et candidat n°1.

Corruption is a major challenge for the European Union (EU), with all its Member States affected by the problem to some extent. The scale of the problem, however, is difficult to measure, both in the EU and elsewhere. Surveys on perception of corruption among citizens and experts – such as the Global Corruption Barometer and Eurobarometer surveys – are the principal measurement tools. Since the 1990s, countries around the world have joined forces to address corruption collectively. This has led to the emergence of widely recognised international laws and standards, adopted in particular by the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the United Nations. Mechanisms, such as the Council of Europe Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), have been developed to monitor implementation of these rules. The EU has gradually adopted laws addressing a range of corruption-related issues. These include a directive on the fight against fraud to the Union's financial interests, and directives on public procurement, whistleblowers and money-laundering. However, the legal framework thus created remains patchy, the lack of minimum rules on the definition of criminal offences and sanctions in the area of corruption being one important missing element. The EU also developed its own tool for monitoring anti-corruption efforts – the EU anti-corruption report – only to abandon it after the first edition. Recently, corruption-related issues have been addressed almost exclusively within the EU rule of law framework, a development criticised by various stakeholders, including the European Parliament. The latter has adopted numerous resolutions on corruption addressing, among other things, the impact of COVID 19, systemic challenges to the rule of law and deficiencies in the EU's fight against corruption. This briefing updates an earlier one published in 2023, which built on a study by Piotr Bąkowski and Sofija Voronova, published in 2017. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The safe third country (STC) concept is well established in international asylum policies. According to the concept, certain migrants should not be granted protection in the country where they have applied for it. Instead, they may be returned, or transferred, to a country where they could have found, or can find, international protection. Amid ongoing EU-level discussions on safe third country rules, in 2018 the United Nations Refugee Agency developed legal considerations on safe third countries. Within the framework of the body of EU law on asylum, the STC concept is based on the assumption that certain third (i.e. non-EU) countries can be designated as safe for applicants seeking international protection, under specific conditions. The concept builds on cooperation with third countries in a bid to reduce irregular arrivals and increase return rates. It seeks to speed up the processing of the claims of asylum applicants arriving from safe third countries, to prevent overburdening national asylum systems. The recently adopted Asylum Procedure Regulation provides for broader applicability of safe country clauses. This concerns, in particular, four aspects: (i) the safety assessment when applying the STC concept; (ii) interpretation of the 'connection requirement', i.e. the connection between an asylum seeker and a third country, when readmitting an applicant to a designated STC; (iii) the option to designate a third country as safe with territorial limitations or to exclude certain vulnerable groups from such a designation; and (iv) the creation of a common EU list of STCs in addition to national lists. The success of any STC scheme relies on third countries' cooperation, something that can be challenging to obtain. To counter criticisms of burden shifting and to boost the viability of STC schemes, the EU must demonstrate solidarity through burden sharing. Furthermore, many potentially safe third countries lack asylum laws and administrative frameworks. Consequently, they would likely require substantial support from external partners. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

La nouvelle est tombée mercredi 04 décembre : Noël Nohotemorea, plus connu sous le nom de «père Ato» a été révoqué de ses fonctions de prêtre. La décision émane du Pape François en personne. Des abus et des malversations présumées sont reprochés à Noël Nohotemorea, qui exerçait à la paroisse Sacré Cœur de Taravao. Sur place, les fidèles restent muets.

C'est la seule écloserie de nacres de Polynésie. Située à Fakarava, elle bat à plein régime, fruit d'un investissement de 400 millions cfp, la société Tahiti Precious Pearl est née il y a déjà 10 ans. Du stade larvaire à la formation de coquillages, chaque étape de la croissance des nacres juvéniles est scrupuleusement respectée.

A Taravao, deux jeunes à scooter ont percuté un cycliste alors qu'ils tentaient d'éviter une voiture.

Depuis vendredi, l'annonce du mariage de Onaku et Stanley a réjoui toute la Polynésie. Aujourd'hui celle de la séparation de Vaimalama et de son désormais ex-compagnon Nicolas devrait avoir l'effet inverse. Ou rassurer celles et ceux qui en pincent pour la belle...

Plus de 80 vols annulés ce week-end et 2 800 passagers bloqués, les conséquences de la grève des pompiers aéroportuaires qui a débuté hier. Véritable dialogue de sourd entre la FRAAP et le Président Brotherson, sur la revendication principale, à savoir la revalorisation des salaires des fonctionnaires territoriaux.

Le terrain de Vaitarua, théâtre de discorde. Les riverains de la vallée de Taravao se plaignent de nuisances sonores générées par la piste de run et de motocross utilisée par l’association de motocyclisme de Polynésie. Le président du Pays Moetai brotherson s’est rendu sur place ce matin.

Onaku, notre jolie Miss Météo, est désormais «casée» depuis vendredi. Un mariage également scellé dans la plus pure tradition polynésienne.

Tama Hiquily, l'autre champion polynésien de MMA. Cette nuit en Nouvelle-Zélande, il a fait fort en frappant très fort son adversaire kiwi. Il devient ainsi champion de MMA amateur.

Le premier forum pour la jeunesse LGBTQIA+ a lieu du 04 au 06 décembre au centre Tarona à Fare Ute. Organisé par l'association Cousins Cousines de Tahiti, l'événement réunit une vingtaine de jeunes venus de toute l'Océanie. L'occasion pour chacun de raconter librement son histoire.

Ce vendredi 6 décembre, le Centre de Coordination de Sauvetage Aéro-maritime de Polynésie française (JRCC Tahiti) a pris en charge la coordination d’une opération de recherche et de sauvetage suite à l’échouement d’un trimaran à l’est de Tahuata, dans l’archipel des Marquises.

La Fédération de rassemblement des agents des administrations de Polynésie (FRAAP) a déposé un préavis de grève le 29 novembre. Plusieurs négociations ont eu lieu mais la revendication principale concernant le point d'indice bloque toujours. Ainsi, l'ensemble des services administratifs devraient entrer en grève vendredi 06 décembre. Les pompiers aéroportuaires font partie de ce mouvement, ce qui devrait engendrer des perturbations dans les programmes de vols.

Plus de trois cents fonctionnaires d'État participent au mouvement de grève jeudi 05 décembre. Une partie des établissements scolaires du premier degré sont fermés.

Le président de la République a pris la parole jeudi, et notamment assuré qu'il accomplirait son mandat «jusqu'au bout».

Une séance historique, «un moment de vérité» et de «responsabilité»: Michel Barnier s'est défendu ce mercredi devant l'Assemblée nationale, qui vient de voter la motion de censure entraînant la chute de son gouvernement, un acte inédit depuis 1962 avec une grande incertitude politique et budgétaire à la clé. Notamment pour les outre-mer.

Malgré la surveillance des pompiers de Mahina mise en place jusqu’à très tard dans la soirée de mardi, le feu de brousse a repris de plus belle ce mercredi au pied du domaine de Atima. Cette fois, le front des flammes s’est sérieusement approché des habitations, dont les résidents ont été sortis de leur sommeil vers 2 heures du matin.

Après une première éditions réussie l'an dernier à la même période, la seconde est prévue vendredi et samedis prochains toujours sur le spot de Taharu'u à Papara.

Déjà révoqué de ses charges pastorales en mars dernier par le Vatican, Noël Ato Nohotemorea, qui exerçait dans des paroisses de la presqu'île, n'est plus officiellement prêtre. Ainsi en a décidé le Pape François. Monseigneur Jean-Pierre Cottenceau lui a remis le décret pontifical du 11 octobre 2024 pour lui notifier la décision suprême et irrévocable du chef de l'Eglise catholique. Voici le communiqué.

Le drame s'est déroulé hier soir à Paea après une dispute familiale. Un homme est mort après avoir été poignardé par son petit frère.

The European Union now has its first ever Commissioner dedicated to Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef. He has been specifically tasked by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with preparing a 'strategy on intergenerational fairness' that takes fully into consideration the impact of today's decisions on future generations, and seeks feedback from all age groups. Micallef says he will 'attach particular importance to instilling a true and lasting culture of participatory democracy that applies to all ages, including senior citizens'. The momentum for this kind of thinking is growing. In September 2024, world leaders convened at the United Nations in New York for a 'Summit of the Future', and committed to fostering intergenerational dialogue and ensuring youth participation in national and international forums. Addressing humanity's most pressing challenges demands the engagement of all generations, as both younger and older people contribute their own unique knowledge, experience, and skills. This briefing delves into the mechanisms already in place in the EU for listening to young people, and explores the incoming Commission's plans for further engaging young people in decision making processes. From now on, for example, every Commissioner must organise an annual youth policy dialogue dealing with his or her area of competence. Additionally, as of 2025, all new initiatives in the Commission's annual work programme that are of significant relevance for young people will undergo a specific 'youth check'. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Le drame s'est déroulé hier soir à Paea lors d'une dispute familiale. Un homme est mort après avoir été poignardé par son petit frère.

The rise of digital technologies represents a double-edged sword for women's rights. On the one hand, the digital environment has enabled women to build networks and spread awareness about the abuse they suffer, such as through the #Metoo movement. On the other, it has provided abusers and misogynists with new tools with which they can spread their harmful content on an unprecedented scale. With the development of artificial intelligence, these trends, both positive and negative, are expected to continue. Against this backdrop, it has become clear that digital violence is as harmful as offline violence and needs to be tackled with the full force of the law, as well as through other non-legislative measures. Moreover, the digital content causing the harm – images, messages, etc. – needs to be erased. This is particularly important, as the impact on victims is profound and long-lasting. The European Union has adopted several pieces of legislation that aim to make a difference in this respect. The directive on combating violence against women, to be implemented at the latest by June 2027, sets minimum EU standards for criminalising several serious forms of cyberviolence and enhances the protection of and access to justice for victims. EU legislation on the protection of privacy is also having an impact on cyberviolence. For example, the new Digital Services Act imposes an obligation on big digital platforms in the EU to remove harmful content from their websites. This is instrumental in removing intimate or manipulated images that are disseminated on the internet without the person's consent; almost all such images portray women, according to existing data. Member States use a multiplicity of legal approaches to tackle this issue, combining criminalisation of specific cyber offences with the use of general criminal law. In some Member States, an explicit gender dimension is also included. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Le 22ème Festival international du film documentaire océanien se déroulera du 31 janvier au 09 février 2025, en salle et en ligne.

Aux alentours de 20h30 lundi 02 décembre, le balcon d’une maison située sur les hauteurs de Faaa s’est effondré. Sept personnes s’y trouvaient pour dîner et ont chuté d’une trentaine de mètres. Le premier bilan provisoire fait état d’une victime en urgence absolue et six en urgence relative.

This synopsis is the first out of a series of four studies, commissioned for a PECH Committee Workshop on “The future of the EU fishing fleet − First assessment of the EMFAF programming for 2021-27”. The study focuses on EMFAF Article 17 (First acquisition of a fishing vessel), Article 18 (Replacement or modernisation of a main or ancillary engine) and Article 19 (Increase of gross tonnage to improve safety, working conditions or energy efficiency”). The synopsis deals with the situation for all 22 coastal EU Member States, while at the same time considering results of three additional case studies on Spain, France and the Netherlands. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) provides for public co-funding to support the modernisation of the fishing fleet during the current funding period (2021-2027). Funding opportunities are subject to specific conditions framed by the EMFAF Regulation as regards the first acquisition of a fishing vessel (Article 17), replacement or modernisation of a main or ancillary engine (Article 18) and increase of gross tonnage to improve safety, working conditions or energy efficiency (Article 19). Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP