Iran nuclear talks: Europeans bet on 'snapback' threat to bring Tehran back in line
To bring Tehran back in line, the Europeans are betting on diplomacy. A meeting was set for Friday, July 25, in Istanbul, Turkey, between Western E3 envoys and representatives of the Iranian regime. This is an "important" but not "decisive" first step, according to Kazem Gharibabadi, Tehran's nuclear negotiator, who spoke on Wednesday to a handful of media outlets, including American news website Axios. According to James Acton, a nuclear policy expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, simply agreeing to meet again would be a step forward.
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France 24
10 minutes ago
- France 24
French health experts speak out against bee-killing pesticide
The legislation to reintroduce in France acetamiprid, a pesticide that is harmful to ecosystems but popular with many farmers in Europe, was adopted on July 8, but without a proper debate to bypass gridlock in a divided parliament. The move sparked anger in France, and support for a student-initiated petition against the legislation has snowballed, with university lecturers, left-wing lawmakers and star chefs backing it. The petition had garnered more than 2 million signatures by Tuesday. Health experts and patient associations have now weighed in, saying in an open letter in French daily Le Monde that they cannot back "a law that is dangerous to the health of our fellow citizens". President Emmanuel Macron, who has been under increasing pressure to act, said he is waiting to hear the verdict of the Constitutional Council, which is expected to rule on the constitutionality of the law on August 7. The health experts and patient associations urged the Constitutional Council to reject the legislation, calling on its members to "respond to the democratic demand strongly expressed by French citizens". The signatories included Agnes Linglart, president of the French Paediatric Society, Olivier Coutard, president of the scientific council of France's flagship scientific research centre CNRS and Gerard Socie, president of the scientific council of the National Cancer Institute. The Constitutional Council, the letter said, must protect future generations from the legislation that "without a shadow of reasonable doubt compromises the health of young people, children and the unborn". The letter said the Senate committee preparing the bill heard from agricultural unions and government agencies but not "doctors, toxicologists or epidemiologists". The senators did not consult representatives of the CNRS, health and labour ministries, even though occupational exposure to pesticides is a risk factor for humans, the letter said. Citing the INSERM health and medical research organisation, the letter pointed to evidence of a link between exposure to pesticides and the occurrence of cancers, neurodegenerative, pulmonary and hormone-related disorders. Banned in France since 2018, the chemical remains legal in the European Union.
LeMonde
2 hours ago
- LeMonde
French PM risks reaching breaking point with unions
Two weeks after French Prime Minister François Bayrou announced plans to stabilize the public debt by 2029, the government assessed the extent to which these measures had provoked hostility among the unions. On July 21, three national unions refused to attend the consultation organized by Labor Minister Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet. Those who did attend, including the more moderate CFDT and CFTC, expressed outrage upon learning the main details of the government's proposed unemployment insurance reform. There will be a further tightening of eligibility requirements for benefits, a new reduction in the duration of payments, and stricter rules for mutual contract termination agreements. This is the third round of cutbacks in five years and is intended to generate between €3 billion and €4 billion in annual savings. However, it appears to be a step too far. No serious impact study has been conducted to assess the effects of previous reforms on employment, even though the government points to 450,000 unfilled jobs. In an already bleak economic climate, the risk of increased insecurity and poverty is high. Pressed by the need to act quickly and decisively, Bayrou's government is tempted to rely on polls rather than unions to adjust the key measures of its plan before the fall. The government is well aware of how difficult it is for the unions to organize significant protests in defense of the unemployed. It also sees how much the issue of welfare abuse, promoted by the far right and the right, is gaining traction. According to an Elabe poll for broadcaster BFM-TV conducted one day after the prime minister's announcement, 82% of French people supported his decision to strengthen controls on long-term sick leave. In contrast, the proposed deletion of two public holidays is proving to be very unpopular. Long-term reforms are needed This wouldn't be the first instance of governing without input from the unions under President Emmanuel Macron. However, the greater the tension with the unions, the greater the risk of a no-confidence vote from the left this autumn. In recent months, Bayrou tried to bring the CFDT and reform-minded unions back into the fold through a series of meetings labeled as a "conclave on pension reform." However, that momentum has now been broken. The scale of the adjustments required to reduce the public deficit from 5.4% of GDP in 2025 to 2.8% in 2029 necessitates long-term reforms. The government's proposals are based on the idea of "working more to produce more." These proposals will not succeed if social partners involved in the running of businesses are not encouraged to reach a consensus, if people feel that they are always the ones paying the price and if issues of job attractiveness and pay are not addressed simultaneously. Compared with their European neighbors, companies in France are slower to integrate young people into the workforce and quicker to push out older employees. Increasing the volume of work by acting on these two factors seems to be the most viable approach, but it requires everyone to play their part, including employers. Yet, all too often, employers shift responsibility by citing fierce international competition or the high cost of labor. For this approach to succeed, the government must firmly remind employers that they are essential partners in the social contract.
Euronews
6 hours ago
- Euronews
EU-US trade deal will come with consequences, German industries warn
While European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised a trade agreement signed between the EU and US on Sunday as a stabilising factor "in uncertain times," representatives of the German economy have expressed concern. Von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump struck a tentative trade deal to avert a potentially devastating tariff war between two of the world's largest economies on Sunday. The majority of EU exports bound for the US will be subject to a 15% tariff. According to a statement made by von der Leyen, this also includes billions of euros in EU investments in the US, as well as the purchase of defence equipment. Tariffs of 15% will now apply to car exports to the US, compared to the previously announced 25%. Import duties on steel are to remain unchanged at 50%. The German economy can breathe a sigh of relief for the time being, according to Managing Director of the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce Helena Melnikov. Melnikov said that worse has been prevented, however, "the deal has its price, and this price is also at the expense of the German and European economies." Wolfgang Niedermark from the Federation of German Industries was more critical. He stated that even a tariff rate of 15% would have an "immense negative impact" on Germany's export-oriented industry. The Federal Association of Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Service also spoke of a "painful compromise" and warned that supply chains would change and prices would rise, saying the deal will cost Germany growth, prosperity and jobs. Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who was satisfied with Sunday's agreement, wrote on X that the deal showed it was possible to "avert a trade conflict". However, a review of Trump's actions to date raises doubts about the reliability of the agreement and the US president's words. In an interview with the Funke media group, Michael Hüther, director of the Institute for the German Economy, said that concerns remained as Trump had never completely taken tariff threats off the table.
