Economic security has become crucial for the EU. Both the Letta Report on the future of the single market and the Draghi Report on the future of European competitiveness emphasise the need to intensify efforts to secure the EU's supply of critical raw materials (CRM). Europe is vulnerable to both coercion and geo-economic fragmentation because of its high dependency on strategic raw materials from countries with which the EU is not strategically aligned. Diversifying imports of strategic raw materials is key to mastering the clean transition of Europe's economy, mitigating supply chain risks and reducing the EU's strategic dependencies. In line with its CRM strategy, the EU is seeking to conclude new partnerships in the context of the EU trade and Global Gateway strategies. However, the EU is not the only actor looking to secure access to CRM supplies. China, for example, is bolstering its global dominance in strategic and emerging technologies, continuously increasing its presence in Latin America (and Africa) in order to secure its supply of strategic raw materials. The region is primarily rich in lithium and copper, which are essential for renewable energy technologies and the production of the lithium-ion batteries used in laptops, smartphones, and hybrid and electric vehicles. Since 2023, Latin America, too, has won the EU's renewed attention, and real steps to enhance cooperation on CRM have been taken. In 2023, the EU signed a memorandum of understanding with Argentina and Chile on sustainable raw materials value chains. In November 2024, an interim trade agreement with Chile was ratified – the first EU trade agreement comprising a specific chapter on energy and raw materials. In December 2024, the EU and Mercosur finally reached a political agreement on the EU–Mercosur partnership agreement. As Mercosur countries, primarily Argentina and Brazil, are major producers of CRM, the agreement could help the EU secure an efficient, reliable and sustainable flow of the raw materials that are critical for the clean transition and for the EU's strategic autonomy more widely. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

To keep up with the constant shifts in labour markets and societies caused by major developments such as globalisation and technological advances, people need to develop their knowledge, skills and competences continuously. A varied and future-oriented skill set unlocks opportunities for individuals, promotes inclusion, social mobility and civic participation, and supplies the economy with the workforce needed for growth and innovation, not least in the context of the green and digital transitions. Offering quality learning opportunities, including upskilling and reskilling, that are accessible to learners of all ages and backgrounds is key to making all this possible. The overall vision and objectives for education and training in the EU encompass lifelong learning that covers all levels and types of learning: formal, non-formal and informal, from early childhood to adulthood. In its 2020 communication on the European education area (EEA), the European Commission identified lifelong learning as an important aspect of education, while in its 2021 resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training for 2021 to 2030, the Council highlighted lifelong learning and mobility as a priority area. The new Commission Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, Roxana Mînzatu, is responsible for developing a 'Union of skills', focusing on adult and lifelong learning among other things. The European Parliament has always embraced a holistic view of lifelong learning, arguing that it should promote personal and professional growth, foster social participation and employability, and empower active citizens. Parliament has called repeatedly for quality, inclusive and accessible education for all throughout life, as well as endorsing stronger links between education and skills requirements. Additionally, Parliament has continually insisted on the importance of Erasmus+ as a key tool for education and training. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

In May 2024, former European Parliament President Pat Cox described enlargement as perhaps the 'EU's most powerful, transformative and successful policy tool over the past five decades'. The European Council (EU heads of state or government) has, from the outset, played a central role in the EU's enlargement process, shaping both formal and informal aspects. The Lisbon Treaty formally tasked the institution with defining the eligibility conditions to be applied to the accession process. Each enlargement round has provided the Member States and EU institutions with the opportunity to reflect on the conditions of entry and on the impact on the functioning of the EU institutions. This has resulted in the more refined enlargement policy we have today, with the Copenhagen criteria set by the European Council in 1993 as core principles and, on that basis, a fine-tuned methodology for negotiations, adopted in 2020. This briefing will consider some of the challenges facing EU enlargement, look at the European Council's current role in the process and demonstrate the historical evolution of the European Council's involvement in enlargement. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

L'association SOS tient une exposition de plantes et de créations artisanales à la mairie de Pirae. L'occasion pour elle de sensibiliser à la prévention du suicide.

Karine Frogier Leocadie a accompli sa soutenance de thèse ce mercredi 11 décembre à l'université de la Polynésie française. Elle s'est penchée sur « le cas du tahitien dans la société actuelle : langue d'enseignement et langue vivante patrimoniale ».

This study, commissioned by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the AFCO Committee, considers the legal space for an EU Climate and Energy Union. It assesses the major limits at the EU and national level, as well as the question if (informal) Treaty change is possible and necessary to create the space needed. It also assesses if an individual right to clean energy exists, or can and should be legally construed. It pays special attention to the challenge of funding and the role that the emerging principle of solidarity might play. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Drawing attention to migrants' human rights and highlighting their contribution to society, International Migrants' Day is observed every year on 18 December. The day was designated by the United Nations General Assembly on 4 December 2000 in response to growing migration numbers around the world. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

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.

La réglementation du mouillage des voiliers dans le lagon de Fakarava porte notamment sur l’interdiction du mouillage des navires de plus de 10 mètres dans les eaux intérieures de l'atoll sauf dans les zones dédiées. Pourtant à Fakarava le constat de la commune est clair, cette nouvelle règlementation n’est pas encore appliquée.

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.