Showdown looms for tuna in Brussels

Brussels, Belgium / Rome, Italy - - European Union member states and the European Commission will decide in the next week whether to support bluefin tuna conservation – or to encourage the continued wilful overexploitation of an endangered marine resource.

Today, the European Commission’s Directorate General for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, DG MARE, will consider DG Environment’s support for a listing of the severely overfished Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to temporarily ban all international trade – the same day that EU member states are asked to give their own feedback on the proposal.

“It would be scandalous if the European Commission were to allow the region’s most emblematic marine species associated with a thousand-year-old fishing tradition to go extinct on its watch,” said Tony Long, Director of WWF’s European Policy Office in Brussels. “This would be a shameful legacy for the Barroso Commission. They must back the proposal to temporarily ban international trade.”

Following an initial proposal tabled in July by the Principality of Monaco, several EU countries – France, UK, Netherlands, Germany, Austria – quickly expressed support to list Atlantic bluefin tuna on CITES Appendix I, which would give the overexploited species a chance of recovery.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy was first to express his country’s support for an international trade ban through CITES, saying: “It is against this great responsibility that we will be judged by our children and the generations to come.”

In addition, the European Commission’s Directorate General for the Environment has since recommended in a draft report – excerpted in a recent Financial Times story – that “from a scientific and technical point of view, the criteria for the listing of Atlantic bluefin tuna appear to be met. (...) There is no doubt about the link between international trade and overexploitation of the species.”

If the EU Commission and member states cannot reach consensus today, the decision risks instead running to a showdown of all 27 European Commissioners, as early as next Wednesday.

“It would be extraordinary if DG MARE, the very department tasked with protecting this iconic species, sought to block a CITES listing to ban trade in this endangered animal,” said Tony Long. “How could any of us have faith that the Commission is serious in wanting to end the catastrophic policy failures in the existing Common Fisheries Policy?”

Listing Atlantic bluefin tuna on CITES Appendix I would be a real chance for the species to recover from decades of massive overfishing and overexploitation, plagued by illegal takes and disregard for scientific advice.

Once bluefin tuna shows signs of recovery, WWF hopes to see a sustainably managed, thriving fishery in the EU and around the Mediterranean again in the years to come.

EU Seeks Doubling Of IMF Funds

EU leaders have agreed to seek a doubling of International Monetary Fund (IMF) resources to enable it to help countries in the global economic downturn, according to a final draft to be presented at an EU summit on Friday.

The draft made no reference to the size of the possible EU contribution to any doubling. EU officials said late on Thursday the bloc would make a contribution of $75 billion, but wanted to consult first with other G20 countries.

The EU argues the IMF needs a greater role in surveillance and in providing more funds it can offer in emergency loans to countries in financial trouble.

EU leaders were also to go over contentious plans to spend $6.8 billion of unused EU budget funds for new power grids and green energy. The European Commission wants to spend freely on projects that will decrease the environmental burden on the continent.

However they declined other calls to open their purses. They resisted US pressure to expand the bloc's fiscal-stimulus plans and said they aren't ready to boost the EU's $25 billion emergency fund for struggling economies.

EU: Demand Accountability for Gaza Conflict Laws of War Violations

The European Union should press for a comprehensive and impartial international inquiry into allegations of serious violations of international law committed by Israeli and Palestinian forces in Gaza and southern Israel, Human Rights Watch said today. Failure to do so would suggest an indefensible double standard in the application of international justice.

In a letter sent today to EU foreign ministers attending the General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting in Brussels, Human Rights Watch said that "failure to push for accountability in Gaza would undermine the credibility of both the EU as a global voice for international justice and international justice institutions themselves."

"The European Union should publicly call for an international investigation into violations of international law during the Gaza conflict," said Lotte Leicht, European Union director of Human Rights Watch. "An EU failure to insist on accountability not only for pariahs like Sudan but also for friendly states such as Israel will badly undercut the EU's credibility on behalf of international justice."

Both Israel and Hamas have a poor record of conducting impartial investigations and of holding members of their own forces accountable for war crimes, the letter said. Similarly, current and planned international investigations are inadequate to address the apparent violations that occurred on both sides during the conflict.

The letter presents Human Rights Watch's basic findings on laws-of-war violations committed by both sides. Regarding Israel, Human Rights Watch's primary concerns are: the ongoing closure of Gaza, amounting to collective punishment; the use of high-explosive heavy artillery as well as of air-burst white phosphorus munitions in densely populated areas; the shooting of unarmed civilians holding white flags; the targeting of civilian structures; inadequate warnings to civilians of impending attack; and the wanton destruction of civilian property.

Regarding Hamas, Human Rights Watch's key concerns are: the firing of rockets deliberately and indiscriminately into civilian areas of Israel; the shooting of rockets and the conduct of military operations from within populated areas in Gaza; and the beatings and killings of Palestinian political opponents and critics in Gaza.

BLUE HELMETS TAKE OVER FROM EUROPEAN FORCE IN CHAD, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

BLUE HELMETS TAKE OVER FROM EUROPEAN FORCE IN CHAD, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
New York, Mar 15 2009 1:00PM

United Nations peacekeepers in Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR) today took over the military and security responsibilities of European forces in the two strife-torn nations.

Today's transfer, which took place at midnight local time, was marked by a ceremony, attended by Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy, held in the Chadian city of Abéché, where MINURCAT's headquarters are located.

In January, the Security Council approved the deployment of over 5,500 blue helmets, 300 police officers, 25 military liaison officers and 5,200 military personnel with the UN mission (MINURCAT) to replace the European troops (EUFOR), which has been in place since March 2008.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today commended EUFOR for the key role it has played in bolstering security for internally displaced pe
rsons (IDPs), refugees and other vulnerable groups in eastern Chad and north-eastern CAR.

"As MINURCAT assumes its new responsibilities, the Secretary-General is confident that the force will build upon and strengthen EUFOR's military achievements while continuing to execute the full range of its mandated tasks, including to contribute to the promotion of human rights and the rule of law and to support the development of the Chadian community police (Détachement Intégré de Sécurité) deployed in eastern Chad," the statement added.

Eastern Chad faces an acute humanitarian challenge with over 290,000 Sudanese refugees from the Darfur war, more than 180,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and a further 700,000 individuals among host communities in need of food, water and health care. Northern CAR has also been affected by a spill-over from the Darfur conflict as well as by other armed groups.

In its January resolution, the Security Council stressed that the multidimensional pres
ence in Chad and military presence in the CAR is intended to help create the security conditions conducive to a voluntary, secure and sustainable return of refugees and displaced persons, by boosting security protection, facilitating the provision of humanitarian aid, and promoting reconstruction and economic and social development.

The resolution empowers MINURCAT to "take all necessary measures, within its capabilities" to contribute to protecting civilians in danger, particularly refugees and IDPs, facilitate delivery of humanitarian aid and the free movement of humanitarian personnel, and protect UN personnel, facilities, installations and equipment.

Mr. Ban also said today that he is "grateful" for several EUFOR contributors' and new troop contributing countries' commitments to the UN force, and encouraged Member States to continue filling remaining gaps to ensure that MINURCAT is equipped to execute its mandate.

Currently, the Mission is composed of some 300 uniformed pers
onnel, mostly police, plus some 325 international civilians.

"In order to succeed, MINURCAT will need the active support of the Governments of Chad and the Central African Republic," the Secretary-General said, adding that he is grateful to both Governments for "their cooperation during the transition period and looks forward to working with them in the implementation of MINURCAT's mandate."

In September 2007, the Council approved the establishment in Chad and CAR, in concert with the European Union (EU), of a UN-mandated, multidimensional presence, including European Union (EU) military forces, in Chad and CAR to help protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian aid to thousands of people uprooted due to insecurity in the two countries and neighbouring Sudan.

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