Latest news with #BenjaminHaddad
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
EU approves 150-billion-euro loan scheme to rearm
EU countries on Tuesday (May 27, 2025) formally approved a new 150-billion-euro loan programme to help rearm in the face of Russia and worries over U.S. reliability, according to the Polish presidency of the bloc. The SAFE borrowing scheme backed by the EU's central budget was proposed by Brussels in March as the bloc rushes to boost its defences. Finalised by member states earlier this month, the text received final approval at a meeting of Europe Ministers in Brussels, with 26 countries voting for and one abstention, the Presidency said. EU countries had haggled at length over what the money could be spent on and how countries outside the bloc can access the funds. In the end, the agreement stuck to the original proposal, allowing 35% of the value of the weapons to come from manufacturers beyond the bloc and Ukraine. France's Europe Minister Benjamin Haddad called SAFE "a major step forward" that asserts "a very clear principle of European preference to support our industries, reduce our dependencies, including from the United States, and invest in Europe's strategic autonomy." "But it is just one step — and we will need to go further," Mr. Haddad told reporters in Brussels. The borrowing programme is part of a package of measures including loosening budget rules that Brussels says could potentially unlock 800 billion euros of defence spending. The approval of SAFE came after the EU and the UK agreed a new defence partnership as part of a post-Brexit "reset". London would still need to strike a separate deal with the EU if it wants to fully open the new scheme to the British Defence industry.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
EU approves 150-billion-euro loan scheme to rearm
EU countries on Tuesday formally approved a new 150-billion-euro loan programme to help rearm in the face of Russia and worries over US reliability, according to the Polish presidency of the bloc. The SAFE borrowing scheme backed by the EU's central budget was proposed by Brussels in March as the bloc rushes to boost its defences. Finalised by member states earlier this month, the text received final approval at a meeting of Europe ministers in Brussels, with 26 countries voting for and one abstention, the presidency said. EU countries had haggled at length over what the money could be spent on and how countries outside the bloc can access the funds. In the end, the agreement stuck to the original proposal allowing 35 percent of the value of the weapons to come from manufacturers beyond the bloc and Ukraine. France's Europe minister Benjamin Haddad called SAFE "a major step forward" that asserts "a very clear principle of European preference to support our industries, reduce our dependencies including from the United States, and invest in Europe's strategic autonomy." "But it is just one step -- and we will need to go further," Haddad told reporters in Brussels. The borrowing programme is part of a package of measures including loosening budget rules that Brussels says could potentially unlock 800 billion euros of defence spending. The approval of SAFE came after the EU and the UK agreed a new defence partnership as part of a post-Brexit "reset". London would still need to strike a separate deal with the EU if it wants to fully open the new scheme to the British defence industry. ob-ec/ub/lth
France 24
27-05-2025
- Business
- France 24
EU approves 150-billion-euro loan scheme to rearm
The SAFE borrowing scheme backed by the EU's central budget was proposed by Brussels in March as the bloc rushes to boost its defences. Finalised by member states earlier this month, the text received final approval at a meeting of Europe ministers in Brussels, with 26 countries voting for and one abstention, the presidency said. EU countries had haggled at length over what the money could be spent on and how countries outside the bloc can access the funds. In the end, the agreement stuck to the original proposal allowing 35 percent of the value of the weapons to come from manufacturers beyond the bloc and Ukraine. France's Europe minister Benjamin Haddad called SAFE "a major step forward" that asserts "a very clear principle of European preference to support our industries, reduce our dependencies including from the United States, and invest in Europe's strategic autonomy." "But it is just one step -- and we will need to go further," Haddad told reporters in Brussels. The borrowing programme is part of a package of measures including loosening budget rules that Brussels says could potentially unlock 800 billion euros of defence spending. The approval of SAFE came after the EU and the UK agreed a new defence partnership as part of a post-Brexit "reset".
The National
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
EU faces ultimatum on Muslim Brotherhood funding
France and Austria are to team up against European funding for Islamist extremist groups. Benjamin Haddad, the French Junior Minister for Europe, met Claudia Plakolm, Austria's Minister for Europe, on Monday to forge a common position. Ms Plakolm used a post on X to call for concrete action against hatred and agitation at European level in the fight against extremism. Mr Haddad told the newspaper Le Figaro that the governments would expose organisations "close to radical Islam" that have benefitted from European funding. The document will be presented for adoption across the EU at a meeting next week. It calls for safeguards against European agencies providing funding for groups and people "hostile to European values". Another funding stream in the crosshairs in the briefing was €9.8 million ($11 million) in grants from the European Research Council for an initiative launched in 2019 to create a "European Quran". Also included in the dossier is funding of €18.8m for projects run by Islamic Relief Worldwide. The Austrian minister was also expected to meet the French Interior Minister and new head of the centre-right Les Republicains party Bruno Retailleau. Mr Retailleau told a meeting in London this year an official report had been complied into the 'words of hatred' promoted by Muslim Brotherhood figures such as its late leader, Yusuf Al Qaradawi. 'I will never, ever, confuse Islamic faith with this Islamist hatred that disfigures it,' Mr Retailleau told an audience at the Policy Exchange think tank. 'We stand by this distinction. 'It's classified today and I'll declassify it soon. This is part of the first actions we must do [that will] inform the public, as well as the administration and politicians. We have to have this debate because the Muslim Brotherhood progresses under cover.' Mr Retailleau said the report had raised questions for the ministry on how it would shape the legal framework to intervene and deal with the challenge to France's 'national cohesion'. Mr Haddad's presentation with Ms Plakolm seeks a "filtering procedure" governed by "guidelines" that equips the funders to tackle "abstract concepts, such as 'hostility to European values". The partners want scrutiny of both the applicant entities as well as individuals associated with the operations. This lack of scrutiny has been identified as a weakness by the European Court of Auditors.
Maroc
24-04-2025
- Business
- Maroc
French Minister Calls for Deeper Agricultural Cooperation with Morocco
French Minister Delegate for Europe and Foreign Affairs Benjamin Haddad on Tuesday urged stronger agricultural cooperation between Morocco and France, calling for enhanced exchange of expertise and know-how to address shared challenges such as food security and climate change. Speaking at the opening of an international conference held as part of the 17th International Agricultural Show in Morocco (SIAM), Haddad emphasized the need to support technical partnerships that foster sustainable, locally adapted solutions through innovation. France is this year's guest of honor at the event. He said the gathering should lay the groundwork for a renewed French-Moroccan partnership, positioning both countries as key players in Mediterranean cooperation. The minister also welcomed the pace of bilateral exchanges, particularly in agricultural governance. For his part, Italian Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, also attending the event, called for balanced collaboration between Europe and Africa, citing the need to combine European research capacity with Africa's human and natural resources. He also praised Morocco-Italy cooperation on water resource management and advocated for greater sharing of agricultural best practices. The conference, held under the theme 'Water Management for Sustainable and Resilient Agriculture,' was inaugurated by Moroccan Agriculture Minister Ahmed El Bouari, with additional addresses by Equipment and Water Minister Nizar Baraka and World Water Council President Loïc Fauchon. Under the High Patronage of HM King Mohammed VI, SIAM 2025 runs from April 21 to 27 in Meknes, hosting 1,500 exhibitors from 70 countries under the theme 'Agriculture and the Rural World: Water at the Heart of Sustainable Development.' (MAP: 23 April 2025)
