⊂ EUROPE ⊃
Germany seeks Tunisian tied to Berlin attack: A manhunt is underway for a 24-year-old Tunisia native named Anis Amri in connection with this week’s Christmas market attack in Berlin. Police have offered a reward of up to 100,000 euros for information about his whereabouts, and said Amri could be violent and armed. The suspect arrived in Germany in 2015 and was known to be in touch with radical Islamist groups. His asylum request was refused this year and deportation was attempted. Amri has served four years in prison in Italy after he was accused of setting fire to a school.
nytimes.com, cnn.com, washingtonpost.com
EU Commission adopts rules to fight terrorism financing: The Commission has adopted a package of measures to strengthen the EU’s capacity to fight the financing of terrorism, proposing tightening controls on cash and precious metals transfers from outside the EU. The move is part of an action plan against terrorist financing unveiled after the bombings and shootings in Paris in November 2015. Under the new proposals, customs officials in EU states can step up checks on cash and prepaid payment cards sent by post or in freight shipments.
reuters.com, europa.eu
ECJ rules against mass data retention in EU: EU countries cannot force telecom operators to keep all their customers‘ data, the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) ruled on Wednesday. The justices wrote that storing such data, which includes text message senders and recipients and call histories, allows for very precise conclusions to be drawn concerning the private lives of the persons whose data has been retained. Such interference with people’s privacy could only be justified by the objective of fighting serious crime and access to data should be subject to prior review by a court or independent body except in urgent cases.
fortune.com, dw.com
Commission proposes upgrading EU-Turkey trade relations: The EU on Wednesday requested a green light from EU governments to overhaul the bloc’s customs union with Turkey, despite increased political tensions with Ankara since an attempted military coup in July. The Commission said it had asked EU governments to endorse its bid to revamp a limited 1996 accord that eliminated tariffs on trade in industrial goods and processed farm products. Modernising the agreement would bring substantial economic benefits for both partners, according to the Commission.
politico.eu
Syria: Aleppo evacuations resume after brief delay cnn.com
Climate: Petition calls for Obama to fulfil Green Climate Fund pledge euractiv.com
⊂ QUOTES ⊃
„This attack is also an assault on our way of life. We are responding to this by being helpful, by remaining close to one another, by taking care of others. I am grateful to these people around me, and especially for their enormous efforts.“
German President Joachim Gauck has visited some of those injured in the Berlin market attack who are now recovering, expressing compassion for the wounded and the victims’ relatives.
euronews.com
⊂ COUNTRIES ⊃
EU tells Poland to respect democratic values: The EU is stepping up its criticism of the Polish government over its seeming lack of respect for the rule of law, and issued more recommendations for the government to fix its problems. EU Vice-President Frans Timmermans said Wednesday that the 28-nation bloc will not drop this matter until the governing Law and Justice Party (PiS) satisfies questions about the independence of its judiciary and other issues, which are widely perceived as backsliding on fundamental political rights. Poland’s government rejected new pressure from the EU and opposition lawmakers pushed ahead with a plan to occupy parliament all the way into the New Year.
dw.com, washingtonpost.com
Moroccan arrested in Germany for ties to Paris attacks: German authorities have charged a 24-year-old Moroccan of being part of a network that planned Paris attacks last year. The Moroccan man was arrested in the central German state of Lower Saxony. He entered Germany last year, the federal prosecutor‘s office said. The arrest warrant is dated December 13. The news of his arrest comes as German security forces pursue a nationwide manhunt for the perpetrators of the Berlin terror strike on Monday. However, the officials say that the 24-year-old is not linked with the latest deadly incident.
en.europeonline-magazine.eu, dw.com
Spanish banks lose mortgage interest rate case: The European Court of Justice has handed Spanish home owners a major victory against the country’s banks. It ruled that two million mortgage holders are entitled to additional refunds because they paid too much interest. The banks had not lowered their interest payments to match the very low benchmark rates set by the European Central Bank, as part of its measures to stimulate the eurozone economy.
euronews.com
Italian Parliament approves rescue plan for banks: The parliament has approved the Italian government’s plan to spend 20 billion euros to rescue the country’s banking system amid concerns about the health of the country’s banks, including Monte dei Paschi (MPS ) and several other regional banks. MPS, the oldest Italian bank, is trying to pull off a private rescue plan to avoid being bailed out. It would need to raise 5 billion euros by the end of the year, and is in the process of conducting two separate fundraising operations that are due to end Thursday.
politico.eu
Turkey: Moscow distances itself from Ankara’s claims over ambassador’s killing euronews.com
⊂ JOB-BOARD ⊃
politjobs.eu: PlasticsEurope seeks Public Affairs Manager (m/f) *** GIZ seeks Policy Advisor (m/f) *** Siegfried Mureșan MEP offers Traineeship *** European Sunlight Association seeks Communication Officer *** ChildFund Alliance seeks Director – Brussels Office *** Mototrola Solutions seeks Director of Government Affairs – Europe and Africa *** Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft sucht Praktikant (m/w) *** Uni Europa seeks Policy Officer (m/f)
politjobs.eu, politjobs.eu/submit (Inserat schalten)
⊂ MALFUNCTION ⊃
Erdogan meets Bana: Bana Alabed, the seven-year-old Syrian who tweeted about life inside rebel-held east Aleppo, has met Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara. Erdogan’s verified Twitter account posted photographs on Wednesday of the president posing with the girl and her family at the presidential complex. Bana posted on Twitter that she and her family were evacuated from eastern Aleppo this week along with thousands of Syrians who had been trapped in the shrinking rebel-held area of the city. A Turkish government official said that Erdogan sent a special representative to Syria to meet Bana’s family and have them airlifted out of the country to Turkey.
nytimes.com, bbc.com
The “Eurocircle” editorial team is taking a break until January 9 and wishes its readers Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year.