No other EU country has suffered as greatly as Italy from the pandemic, with more than 21,600 dead and 105,000 people still infected.
Reported by Sydney Morning Herald 3 hours ago.
↧
EU apologises to Italy for being slow to offer help
↧
EU Needs To Start Changing Its Bureaucratic Ways – OpEd
By Luke Coffey*
Europe has been devastated by the ongoing global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. At the time of writing, almost 900,000 cases had been reported across the continent. Countries from Italy and Spain in Europe’s south to Denmark and Sweden in the north have been hit hard. The UK prime minister spent four days in intensive care suffering from the virus. Thankfully, he seems to be making a speedy recovery. Cases are also starting to increase in the Balkans, where the medical infrastructure is not as advanced as in Western Europe. Iceland has among the most cases in the world on a per capita basis.
Of course, any initial governmental response to the COVID-19 pandemic has to come from local and national authorities. But, when local and national medical provisions and supply chains become overwhelmed, countries tend to look toward institutions and alliances that they have joined for help.
In the case of Europe, there have been two main institutional actors that have played a role in the COVID-19 outbreak across the continent: NATO and the EU. The former has really shone during the crisis. The latter’s response has made some people, like Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, question the bloc’s future. For an organization that likes to preach unity, there has been little such unity across the EU in the face of the pandemic.
In the weeks leading up to the virus’s spread across Europe, national capitals did what sovereign states do: They looked after their own interests first, shunning the broader interests of the union as a whole.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has been accused of dithering, denial and aloofness in the early days of the crisis. Croatia, which is holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, saw its health minister fired over a domestic political scandal involving dodgy real estate deals. This left the Croatian government distracted and delayed in leading and coordinating an EU response to what is now Europe’s biggest health crisis in a century.
There is no agreement among the EU members over the issue of so-called “coronabonds,” which would see all members share the burden of paying off the massive debt that will be incurred during the economic crisis the pandemic has created. The EU has also failed to invoke a mechanism called the “Solidarity Clause,” which would help focus more resources and tools inside the EU to deal with COVID-19. This clause has never been used. If not now, then when?
To put it bluntly, the EU failed to deliver for its member states early on. Even the EU’s top scientist, Mauro Ferrari, resigned over the way it was mishandling the crisis. The steps the EU has now taken are probably too little, too late.
Just like with the situation in the Balkans in the 1990s, NATO was able to step into the breach and deal with issues in a way the EU has never been able to. Thankfully, NATO has been able to demonstrate flexibility, adaptability and commitment to its member states.
In NATO’s most recent Strategic Concept — an official policy document that is supposed to guide the alliance in preparing for future threats — there is not a single mention of the word “pandemic.” Luckily, this has not stopped the alliance from acting. NATO has been doing a great job coordinating requests for assistance from its members and partners during the pandemic through its Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre, which it established in 1998.
Another NATO asset that has proven to be useful is its Strategic Airlift Capability, which is a program that gives some of its smaller members access to military cargo planes they otherwise would not have. For example, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia have used this program to receive deliveries of medical supplies from South Korea. The Netherlands even used it to transport intensive care units to Dutch Sint Maarten, thousands of kilometers away in the Caribbean.
We saw a glimpse of what happens when Europe fails to act and a vacuum is created: The vacuum is quickly filled by countries like China and Russia, using a crisis to push their national agendas. At first, China gained goodwill across much of Europe for its quick delivery of testing kits and personal protective equipment for medical staff. However, as countries started to find out, much of this equipment was faulty.
Russia took advantage of the desperate situation in Northern Italy to send a team of military doctors to the country. Footage of Russian military vehicles in convoy riding around a NATO and EU country while flying the Russian flag was great propaganda material for Moscow. But it has since been reported that some of the so-called medical officials and doctors in the Russian delegation were actually intelligence officers.
The actions of China and Russia show why the stakes are too high for inaction. The EU must learn from its poor early response and work to regain the trust and goodwill of many of its member states. NATO, on the other hand, must continue to do what it does best — helping its members in times of crisis.
Countries are willing to give up some sovereignty by joining organizations like the EU because they hope and expect that members will pool their resources to work together for the common good. But this crisis has shown that the EU is unable to deliver for all of its members in the way that many had hoped.
Overall, NATO is coming out of this crisis looking capable, competent and in control. The EU is looking inept, incompetent and incapable.
Will the EU learn from its mistakes and adapt? It remains to be seen. But if the EU wants to have a future, it had better start changing its bureaucratic and stuffy ways.
· Luke Coffey is director of the Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy at the Heritage Foundation. Twitter: @LukeDCoffey
The post EU Needs To Start Changing Its Bureaucratic Ways – OpEd appeared first on Eurasia Review. Reported by Eurasia Review 3 hours ago.
Europe has been devastated by the ongoing global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. At the time of writing, almost 900,000 cases had been reported across the continent. Countries from Italy and Spain in Europe’s south to Denmark and Sweden in the north have been hit hard. The UK prime minister spent four days in intensive care suffering from the virus. Thankfully, he seems to be making a speedy recovery. Cases are also starting to increase in the Balkans, where the medical infrastructure is not as advanced as in Western Europe. Iceland has among the most cases in the world on a per capita basis.
Of course, any initial governmental response to the COVID-19 pandemic has to come from local and national authorities. But, when local and national medical provisions and supply chains become overwhelmed, countries tend to look toward institutions and alliances that they have joined for help.
In the case of Europe, there have been two main institutional actors that have played a role in the COVID-19 outbreak across the continent: NATO and the EU. The former has really shone during the crisis. The latter’s response has made some people, like Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, question the bloc’s future. For an organization that likes to preach unity, there has been little such unity across the EU in the face of the pandemic.
In the weeks leading up to the virus’s spread across Europe, national capitals did what sovereign states do: They looked after their own interests first, shunning the broader interests of the union as a whole.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has been accused of dithering, denial and aloofness in the early days of the crisis. Croatia, which is holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, saw its health minister fired over a domestic political scandal involving dodgy real estate deals. This left the Croatian government distracted and delayed in leading and coordinating an EU response to what is now Europe’s biggest health crisis in a century.
There is no agreement among the EU members over the issue of so-called “coronabonds,” which would see all members share the burden of paying off the massive debt that will be incurred during the economic crisis the pandemic has created. The EU has also failed to invoke a mechanism called the “Solidarity Clause,” which would help focus more resources and tools inside the EU to deal with COVID-19. This clause has never been used. If not now, then when?
To put it bluntly, the EU failed to deliver for its member states early on. Even the EU’s top scientist, Mauro Ferrari, resigned over the way it was mishandling the crisis. The steps the EU has now taken are probably too little, too late.
Just like with the situation in the Balkans in the 1990s, NATO was able to step into the breach and deal with issues in a way the EU has never been able to. Thankfully, NATO has been able to demonstrate flexibility, adaptability and commitment to its member states.
In NATO’s most recent Strategic Concept — an official policy document that is supposed to guide the alliance in preparing for future threats — there is not a single mention of the word “pandemic.” Luckily, this has not stopped the alliance from acting. NATO has been doing a great job coordinating requests for assistance from its members and partners during the pandemic through its Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre, which it established in 1998.
Another NATO asset that has proven to be useful is its Strategic Airlift Capability, which is a program that gives some of its smaller members access to military cargo planes they otherwise would not have. For example, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia have used this program to receive deliveries of medical supplies from South Korea. The Netherlands even used it to transport intensive care units to Dutch Sint Maarten, thousands of kilometers away in the Caribbean.
We saw a glimpse of what happens when Europe fails to act and a vacuum is created: The vacuum is quickly filled by countries like China and Russia, using a crisis to push their national agendas. At first, China gained goodwill across much of Europe for its quick delivery of testing kits and personal protective equipment for medical staff. However, as countries started to find out, much of this equipment was faulty.
Russia took advantage of the desperate situation in Northern Italy to send a team of military doctors to the country. Footage of Russian military vehicles in convoy riding around a NATO and EU country while flying the Russian flag was great propaganda material for Moscow. But it has since been reported that some of the so-called medical officials and doctors in the Russian delegation were actually intelligence officers.
The actions of China and Russia show why the stakes are too high for inaction. The EU must learn from its poor early response and work to regain the trust and goodwill of many of its member states. NATO, on the other hand, must continue to do what it does best — helping its members in times of crisis.
Countries are willing to give up some sovereignty by joining organizations like the EU because they hope and expect that members will pool their resources to work together for the common good. But this crisis has shown that the EU is unable to deliver for all of its members in the way that many had hoped.
Overall, NATO is coming out of this crisis looking capable, competent and in control. The EU is looking inept, incompetent and incapable.
Will the EU learn from its mistakes and adapt? It remains to be seen. But if the EU wants to have a future, it had better start changing its bureaucratic and stuffy ways.
· Luke Coffey is director of the Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy at the Heritage Foundation. Twitter: @LukeDCoffey
The post EU Needs To Start Changing Its Bureaucratic Ways – OpEd appeared first on Eurasia Review. Reported by Eurasia Review 3 hours ago.
↧
↧
Benedict XVI Celebrates His 93rd Birthday During Coronavirus Lockdown
By Hannah Brockhaus
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI celebrated his 93rd birthday Thursday at his Vatican residence during Italy’s coronavirus lockdown.
The retired pope, who lives in the Mater Ecclesia monastery on Vatican grounds, did not have any visitors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to his personal secretary, Archbishop Georg Ganswein.
Ganswein told Vatican News April 16 that Benedict had received many emails, letters, and phone calls wishing him a happy birthday, including from his older brother Georg Ratzinger.
Benedict XVI’s quiet birthday began with Mass in the monastery chapel, and included prayer and reading, Ganswein said. Benedict also listened to some traditional songs from his homeland of Bavaria.
Ganswein said the pope emeritus is keeping informed on the coronavirus pandemic and prays daily for the sick and suffering.
“He was also particularly struck by the many priests, doctors, and nurses who have died, especially in north Italy, in carrying out their service to coronavirus patients,” the secretary said.
He added that Benedict XVI “participates in this sorrow” and follows it “with concern,” but “does not let himself be robbed of hope.”
On his birthday, Benedict was gifted a copy of a new book on his life, written by German journalist Peter Seewald. Volume one of “Benedict XVI: The Biography” will be published in German May 4 and in English toward the end of 2020.
Ganswein said Seewald had intended to give the copy of the authorized biography to the pope emeritus personally but was prevented by the current pandemic situation.
Benedict XVI resigned from the papacy in 2013, citing advanced age and declining strength that made it difficult to carry out his ministry. He was the first pope to resign in nearly 600 years.
Since his retirement, Benedict’s birthday celebrations have some years included visits from his brother, Georg, and from Pope Francis.
In a letter published in an Italian newspaper in February 2018, Benedict said, “I can only say that at the end of a slow decline in physical strength, inwardly I am on pilgrimage home.”
The post Benedict XVI Celebrates His 93rd Birthday During Coronavirus Lockdown appeared first on Eurasia Review. Reported by Eurasia Review 2 hours ago.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI celebrated his 93rd birthday Thursday at his Vatican residence during Italy’s coronavirus lockdown.
The retired pope, who lives in the Mater Ecclesia monastery on Vatican grounds, did not have any visitors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to his personal secretary, Archbishop Georg Ganswein.
Ganswein told Vatican News April 16 that Benedict had received many emails, letters, and phone calls wishing him a happy birthday, including from his older brother Georg Ratzinger.
Benedict XVI’s quiet birthday began with Mass in the monastery chapel, and included prayer and reading, Ganswein said. Benedict also listened to some traditional songs from his homeland of Bavaria.
Ganswein said the pope emeritus is keeping informed on the coronavirus pandemic and prays daily for the sick and suffering.
“He was also particularly struck by the many priests, doctors, and nurses who have died, especially in north Italy, in carrying out their service to coronavirus patients,” the secretary said.
He added that Benedict XVI “participates in this sorrow” and follows it “with concern,” but “does not let himself be robbed of hope.”
On his birthday, Benedict was gifted a copy of a new book on his life, written by German journalist Peter Seewald. Volume one of “Benedict XVI: The Biography” will be published in German May 4 and in English toward the end of 2020.
Ganswein said Seewald had intended to give the copy of the authorized biography to the pope emeritus personally but was prevented by the current pandemic situation.
Benedict XVI resigned from the papacy in 2013, citing advanced age and declining strength that made it difficult to carry out his ministry. He was the first pope to resign in nearly 600 years.
Since his retirement, Benedict’s birthday celebrations have some years included visits from his brother, Georg, and from Pope Francis.
In a letter published in an Italian newspaper in February 2018, Benedict said, “I can only say that at the end of a slow decline in physical strength, inwardly I am on pilgrimage home.”
The post Benedict XVI Celebrates His 93rd Birthday During Coronavirus Lockdown appeared first on Eurasia Review. Reported by Eurasia Review 2 hours ago.
↧
Impact Of COVID-19: Can Irregular Migrants Cope? – Analysis
Irregular migrants already struggling with poverty, displacement and discrimination, will be one of the hardest hit communities by the COVID-19 pandemic. Facing stigmatisation and a lack of resources, they are often overlooked in policy conversations despite their especially high vulnerability to the virus.
By S. Nanthini*
As of April 15, 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has reached a grim milestone ̶ over 2 million people have now been confirmed to be infected, with the death toll exceeding 134,000. The next ‘wave’ of the virus, after the original wave in China and East Asia, is hitting developing countries hard.
More than 80% of irregular migrants, from refugees to internally-displaced people and asylum-seekers, live in developing countries. Many of them are found in urban areas working in the informal economy. They are an especially vulnerable community that faces inadequate access to healthcare, community stigmatisation and limited humanitarian resources.
*Access to Healthcare in Urban Centres*
A key issue facing irregular migrants is their access to healthcare. Drawn to urban centres in search of jobs, most irregular migrants in urban areas live in overcrowded facilities with poor sanitation, making them vulnerable to disease.
However, they face significant challenges when needing access to healthcare. These challenges include cost, potential language barriers as well as fears of arrest and deportation if they have a precarious legal status. This is especially dangerous during the current COVID-19 outbreak as it increases the risk of potential carriers going around undetected and untreated among the community.
To combat these risks, governments in South Korea and Malaysia have encouraged people to get tested by covering the cost of these tests for everyone in the country, not only their own citizens. To also encourage migrants with precarious legal status to voluntarily come forward to be tested, South Korea’s Justice Ministry has confirmed that information will not be collected by the immigration authorities.
Other countries should also take decisive steps to put in place measures to support their irregular migrant communities by removing barriers that hinder access to healthcare.
*Community Stigmatisation*
Irregular migrants also likely face increased stigmatisation from their host communities as the COVID-19 outbreak intensifies. They are already being used as scapegoats for outbreaks, such as in Italy with the far-right former interior minister, Matteo Salvini, blaming African migrants for the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
This is only being reinforced by discriminatory restrictions. In Lebanon, several municipalities have introduced restrictions that affect only Syrian refugees. Although there have so far been no reported COVID-19 cases among the Syrian refugees in Lebanon, the restrictions on them go beyond government-regulated restrictions.
For example, in the Brital municipality, Syrian refugees are only allowed to move around between 9 am and 1 pm, unlike the government curfew of between 7pm and 5am. Out of fear of further stigmatisation and potential “legal measures”, these discriminatory measures are likely to act as a deterrant to refugees seeking medical care, rather than preventing spread of the virus.
A more inclusive public health agenda may be far more useful in preventing spread of COVID-19. For example, Portugal has temporarily granted full citizenship rights to all migrants and asylum seekers with ongoing residency requests at least until 1 July 2020. By granting them access to national benefits such as healthcare, welfare and bank accounts, this policy is far more likely to prevent the spread by encouraging them to seek help without fear of discrimination.
*Stretched Humanitarian Resources*
With both developing and developed countries needing humanitarian assistance, resources are also being stretched in all areas. Even international NGOs such as MSF and EMERGENCY that are more used to deploying in developing countries have been asked to also deploy to the current epicentre in Europe. MSF has already expanded its activities to countries such as France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland.
Moreover, the increasing number of government-mandated border closures, lockdowns and the evacuation of non-essential international staff by aid groups has meant that resources on the ground are becoming increasingly limited. This shortage of resources is already affecting current and future humanitarian programmes.
For example, Bangladeshi authorities have ordered the suspension of all relief work, apart from essential services like health and nutrition in the refugee camps. They have also asked humanitarian aid groups to limit travel from Cox’s Bazar to the camps.
Makeshift schools and child-friendly spaces in the Rohingya refugee camps have been closed with some possibly repurposed for medical use. In-camp schemes such as the long-awaited formal schooling programme based on the Myanmar curriculum and set to begin this month, have also been suspended.
*Current Global Response*
Although the number of reported COVID-19 cases among irregular migrants remain low as of now, this is unlikely to continue. Urgent support is needed from the international community for countries affected by COVID-19, particularly developing countries with lower preparedness to deal with the outbreak.
In order to help these countries, international organisations have started releasing relief funds and appealing for more money. For example, the UN recently launched its US$2 billion “COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan” appeal on 25 March 2020.
Coordinated by the UN Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs (OCHA) and implemented by UN agencies with NGO consortia, this response plan will support the delivery of medical aid, installation of water, sanitation and hygiene equipment, as well as establish airbridges and hubs to streamline the movement of humanitarian aid.
However, it is essential to keep in mind that resources should not just be diverted to these COVID-19 appeals from other humanitarian projects. While recent global attention has understandably been on COVID-19-related activities, resources must also be available to sustain other vital lifesaving programmes.
As the world sees increased efforts to fight COVID-19, the primary focus of those coordinating the responses to the current pandemic must be the preservation of all life, regardless of who they are or where they come from. COVID-19 doesn’t discriminate, and neither must the world.
*S. Nanthini is a Research Analyst with the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Programme at the Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre), S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. This is part of a series.
The post Impact Of COVID-19: Can Irregular Migrants Cope? – Analysis appeared first on Eurasia Review. Reported by Eurasia Review 37 minutes ago.
By S. Nanthini*
As of April 15, 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has reached a grim milestone ̶ over 2 million people have now been confirmed to be infected, with the death toll exceeding 134,000. The next ‘wave’ of the virus, after the original wave in China and East Asia, is hitting developing countries hard.
More than 80% of irregular migrants, from refugees to internally-displaced people and asylum-seekers, live in developing countries. Many of them are found in urban areas working in the informal economy. They are an especially vulnerable community that faces inadequate access to healthcare, community stigmatisation and limited humanitarian resources.
*Access to Healthcare in Urban Centres*
A key issue facing irregular migrants is their access to healthcare. Drawn to urban centres in search of jobs, most irregular migrants in urban areas live in overcrowded facilities with poor sanitation, making them vulnerable to disease.
However, they face significant challenges when needing access to healthcare. These challenges include cost, potential language barriers as well as fears of arrest and deportation if they have a precarious legal status. This is especially dangerous during the current COVID-19 outbreak as it increases the risk of potential carriers going around undetected and untreated among the community.
To combat these risks, governments in South Korea and Malaysia have encouraged people to get tested by covering the cost of these tests for everyone in the country, not only their own citizens. To also encourage migrants with precarious legal status to voluntarily come forward to be tested, South Korea’s Justice Ministry has confirmed that information will not be collected by the immigration authorities.
Other countries should also take decisive steps to put in place measures to support their irregular migrant communities by removing barriers that hinder access to healthcare.
*Community Stigmatisation*
Irregular migrants also likely face increased stigmatisation from their host communities as the COVID-19 outbreak intensifies. They are already being used as scapegoats for outbreaks, such as in Italy with the far-right former interior minister, Matteo Salvini, blaming African migrants for the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
This is only being reinforced by discriminatory restrictions. In Lebanon, several municipalities have introduced restrictions that affect only Syrian refugees. Although there have so far been no reported COVID-19 cases among the Syrian refugees in Lebanon, the restrictions on them go beyond government-regulated restrictions.
For example, in the Brital municipality, Syrian refugees are only allowed to move around between 9 am and 1 pm, unlike the government curfew of between 7pm and 5am. Out of fear of further stigmatisation and potential “legal measures”, these discriminatory measures are likely to act as a deterrant to refugees seeking medical care, rather than preventing spread of the virus.
A more inclusive public health agenda may be far more useful in preventing spread of COVID-19. For example, Portugal has temporarily granted full citizenship rights to all migrants and asylum seekers with ongoing residency requests at least until 1 July 2020. By granting them access to national benefits such as healthcare, welfare and bank accounts, this policy is far more likely to prevent the spread by encouraging them to seek help without fear of discrimination.
*Stretched Humanitarian Resources*
With both developing and developed countries needing humanitarian assistance, resources are also being stretched in all areas. Even international NGOs such as MSF and EMERGENCY that are more used to deploying in developing countries have been asked to also deploy to the current epicentre in Europe. MSF has already expanded its activities to countries such as France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland.
Moreover, the increasing number of government-mandated border closures, lockdowns and the evacuation of non-essential international staff by aid groups has meant that resources on the ground are becoming increasingly limited. This shortage of resources is already affecting current and future humanitarian programmes.
For example, Bangladeshi authorities have ordered the suspension of all relief work, apart from essential services like health and nutrition in the refugee camps. They have also asked humanitarian aid groups to limit travel from Cox’s Bazar to the camps.
Makeshift schools and child-friendly spaces in the Rohingya refugee camps have been closed with some possibly repurposed for medical use. In-camp schemes such as the long-awaited formal schooling programme based on the Myanmar curriculum and set to begin this month, have also been suspended.
*Current Global Response*
Although the number of reported COVID-19 cases among irregular migrants remain low as of now, this is unlikely to continue. Urgent support is needed from the international community for countries affected by COVID-19, particularly developing countries with lower preparedness to deal with the outbreak.
In order to help these countries, international organisations have started releasing relief funds and appealing for more money. For example, the UN recently launched its US$2 billion “COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan” appeal on 25 March 2020.
Coordinated by the UN Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs (OCHA) and implemented by UN agencies with NGO consortia, this response plan will support the delivery of medical aid, installation of water, sanitation and hygiene equipment, as well as establish airbridges and hubs to streamline the movement of humanitarian aid.
However, it is essential to keep in mind that resources should not just be diverted to these COVID-19 appeals from other humanitarian projects. While recent global attention has understandably been on COVID-19-related activities, resources must also be available to sustain other vital lifesaving programmes.
As the world sees increased efforts to fight COVID-19, the primary focus of those coordinating the responses to the current pandemic must be the preservation of all life, regardless of who they are or where they come from. COVID-19 doesn’t discriminate, and neither must the world.
*S. Nanthini is a Research Analyst with the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Programme at the Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre), S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. This is part of a series.
The post Impact Of COVID-19: Can Irregular Migrants Cope? – Analysis appeared first on Eurasia Review. Reported by Eurasia Review 37 minutes ago.
↧
US Labor Market To Heal Faster Than The European One – Analysis
By Daniel Lacalle*
The jobless claims figures of the past two weeks have been unprecedented and alarming. However, knowing that the data will continue to be concerning, we need to analyze how quickly the economy can can heal and go back to the previous path of record job creation.
The United States economy starts from a comparatively stronger base. Unemployment reached a five-decade low in February, and, despite the extremely weak March jobs figure, it stood at 4.4 percent in the first week of April. This compares to a 7.3 percent unemployment figure in the euro area and 6.5 percent in the European Union. In countries such as Spain and Greece, unemployment stood at 13 and 16 percent, respectively.
The underemployment figure is also significantly better in the United States. The unadjusted U-6 unemployment rate was 8.9 percent in March. Comparable underemployment in the European Union is at an estimated 15 percent, and 12 percent in the eurozone, according to Eurostat figures.
The expected rise in unemployment from the forced shutdown of major economies due to COVID-19 containment measures is simply staggering. The International Labor Organization reported that potential job losses worldwide could amount to 36 million. Unfortunately, this figure may be underestimated.
The figure of unemployed in the second quarter of 2020 in the United States could rise to 52 million, a 32 percent unemployment rate, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. In Spain alone, the figure could rise by 5 million, an unemployment rate of 35 percent in our estimates, while temporary and full unemployed could rise to 57 million in the European Union.
The key to a strong recovery lies in the dynamism of the labor market and the strength of the business fabric, but also in a diversified and open mechanism of financing of the real economy.
The United States could recover one month’s job losses within one to three months. In the eurozone, this would take a minimum of five to six months, particularly in Germany, which also started the shutdown crisis with an all-time low unemployment rate of 3.2 percent. For countries with higher labor market rigidity, such as Greece, Spain, and Italy, this recovery could take between fourteen months and two years.
The key to recovering jobs quickly and efficiently is the combination of a flexible labor market, an attractive investment framework, and solid policies that preserve the business fabric of the country. These are the main reasons why the United States has traditionally reduced unemployment faster and with better wage growth than the eurozone.
There’s also the issue of disincentives. In the eurozone, excessive intervention in the labor and business environment adds to many entitlement programs that may be counterproductive in a recovery. The European Union spends about 1 percent of GDP per year in “active employment programs” and subsidies, yet the unemployment rate is almost double that of leading economies.
Excessive regulation works as a barrier to investment and job creation in growth times and generates negative incentives to recover after crisis periods. This was evident during the last crisis. The European Union delayed its recovery by four years due to the increased intervention and regulatory hurdles.
The financing mechanism is also key. In the United States, the real economy relies less on bank financing than in most of Europe. The real economy’s dependence on bank financing in the European Union is close to 80 percent, according to the European Central Bank, compared to 17 percent in the United States, according to the Federal Reserve Board.
This dynamism and openness in financing business opportunities has traditionally helped the United States boost its economic recovery from a recession, achieving faster growth and more job creation than its peers.
An attractive taxation system is essential to recovering quickly. Unfortunately, in the European Union governments tend to raise taxes on businesses and capital in recession periods, which significantly hurts the recovery process. Legal and investment security are also fundamental in a sustainable and rapid recovery, and, unfortunately, interventionist messages coming from governments generate less inflow of foreign investment and lower growth in gross capital formation.
The recent decision of the Italian and Spanish governments to make dismissals forbidden by law and to intervene in prices will likely prove ineffective, as unemployment will soar anyway due to the destruction of businesses forced to close and will likely harm future investment inflows.
Shutting down the economy may cause long-lasting damage to job creation and businesses that can’t be unwound in a few months; that’s why it’s essential to contain the virus spread with effective measures, but we can’t forget that each month of lockdown means millions of unemployed and thousands of business closures.
The best course of action to tackle the health crisis, as well as the economic collapse risk, is to follow the South Korea and Singapore strategy, which is to implement strict prevention and testing measures, preserve the business fabric, provide safety equipment and health protocols for businesses to survive, and ensure that the economy continues to work while controlling the health crisis.
We can’t forget the difficult time that millions of workers and thousands of businesses are going through, and that’s why it’s imperative for governments to preserve the business fabric to avoid an economic depression of long-lasting social consequences.
Originally published by The Epoch Times.
*About the author: Daniel Lacalle has a PhD in Economics and is author of Escape from the Central Bank Trap, Life in the Financial Markets, and The Energy World Is Flat.
Source: This article was published by the MISES Institute
The post US Labor Market To Heal Faster Than The European One – Analysis appeared first on Eurasia Review. Reported by Eurasia Review 37 minutes ago.
The jobless claims figures of the past two weeks have been unprecedented and alarming. However, knowing that the data will continue to be concerning, we need to analyze how quickly the economy can can heal and go back to the previous path of record job creation.
The United States economy starts from a comparatively stronger base. Unemployment reached a five-decade low in February, and, despite the extremely weak March jobs figure, it stood at 4.4 percent in the first week of April. This compares to a 7.3 percent unemployment figure in the euro area and 6.5 percent in the European Union. In countries such as Spain and Greece, unemployment stood at 13 and 16 percent, respectively.
The underemployment figure is also significantly better in the United States. The unadjusted U-6 unemployment rate was 8.9 percent in March. Comparable underemployment in the European Union is at an estimated 15 percent, and 12 percent in the eurozone, according to Eurostat figures.
The expected rise in unemployment from the forced shutdown of major economies due to COVID-19 containment measures is simply staggering. The International Labor Organization reported that potential job losses worldwide could amount to 36 million. Unfortunately, this figure may be underestimated.
The figure of unemployed in the second quarter of 2020 in the United States could rise to 52 million, a 32 percent unemployment rate, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. In Spain alone, the figure could rise by 5 million, an unemployment rate of 35 percent in our estimates, while temporary and full unemployed could rise to 57 million in the European Union.
The key to a strong recovery lies in the dynamism of the labor market and the strength of the business fabric, but also in a diversified and open mechanism of financing of the real economy.
The United States could recover one month’s job losses within one to three months. In the eurozone, this would take a minimum of five to six months, particularly in Germany, which also started the shutdown crisis with an all-time low unemployment rate of 3.2 percent. For countries with higher labor market rigidity, such as Greece, Spain, and Italy, this recovery could take between fourteen months and two years.
The key to recovering jobs quickly and efficiently is the combination of a flexible labor market, an attractive investment framework, and solid policies that preserve the business fabric of the country. These are the main reasons why the United States has traditionally reduced unemployment faster and with better wage growth than the eurozone.
There’s also the issue of disincentives. In the eurozone, excessive intervention in the labor and business environment adds to many entitlement programs that may be counterproductive in a recovery. The European Union spends about 1 percent of GDP per year in “active employment programs” and subsidies, yet the unemployment rate is almost double that of leading economies.
Excessive regulation works as a barrier to investment and job creation in growth times and generates negative incentives to recover after crisis periods. This was evident during the last crisis. The European Union delayed its recovery by four years due to the increased intervention and regulatory hurdles.
The financing mechanism is also key. In the United States, the real economy relies less on bank financing than in most of Europe. The real economy’s dependence on bank financing in the European Union is close to 80 percent, according to the European Central Bank, compared to 17 percent in the United States, according to the Federal Reserve Board.
This dynamism and openness in financing business opportunities has traditionally helped the United States boost its economic recovery from a recession, achieving faster growth and more job creation than its peers.
An attractive taxation system is essential to recovering quickly. Unfortunately, in the European Union governments tend to raise taxes on businesses and capital in recession periods, which significantly hurts the recovery process. Legal and investment security are also fundamental in a sustainable and rapid recovery, and, unfortunately, interventionist messages coming from governments generate less inflow of foreign investment and lower growth in gross capital formation.
The recent decision of the Italian and Spanish governments to make dismissals forbidden by law and to intervene in prices will likely prove ineffective, as unemployment will soar anyway due to the destruction of businesses forced to close and will likely harm future investment inflows.
Shutting down the economy may cause long-lasting damage to job creation and businesses that can’t be unwound in a few months; that’s why it’s essential to contain the virus spread with effective measures, but we can’t forget that each month of lockdown means millions of unemployed and thousands of business closures.
The best course of action to tackle the health crisis, as well as the economic collapse risk, is to follow the South Korea and Singapore strategy, which is to implement strict prevention and testing measures, preserve the business fabric, provide safety equipment and health protocols for businesses to survive, and ensure that the economy continues to work while controlling the health crisis.
We can’t forget the difficult time that millions of workers and thousands of businesses are going through, and that’s why it’s imperative for governments to preserve the business fabric to avoid an economic depression of long-lasting social consequences.
Originally published by The Epoch Times.
*About the author: Daniel Lacalle has a PhD in Economics and is author of Escape from the Central Bank Trap, Life in the Financial Markets, and The Energy World Is Flat.
Source: This article was published by the MISES Institute
The post US Labor Market To Heal Faster Than The European One – Analysis appeared first on Eurasia Review. Reported by Eurasia Review 37 minutes ago.
↧
↧
The Power Of Art In A Time Of Coronavirus Crisis
By Jaya Ramachandran
As billions of people find themselves either in lockdown or on the front lines combating the COVID-19 pandemic, the first celebration of World Art Day on April 15 is a timely reminder that “art has the power to unite and connect in times of crisis”, the head of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said.
“Bringing people together, inspiring, soothing and sharing: these are the powers of art, the importance of which has been made emphatically obvious during the COVID-19 pandemic”, Audrey Azoulay said in her message.
Throughout self-isolation, art has nonetheless been flourishing. Pointing to peformers tapping into their creativity to relay health guidelines and share messages of hope – as well as neighbours singing to each other on balconies, and concerts online – Ms. Azoulay maintained that creativity abounds.
And the Mona Lisa – Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous masterpiece, the anniversary of whose birth, on April 15, has been chosen for the World Day – has been revisited in a variety of ways, including images of her self-isolating in the Louvre Museum, or covering her enigmatic smile with a surgical mask.
“This is how, despite the crisis, art is demonstrating its resilience today”, explained the UNESCO chief.
Paying tribute to the solidarity shown by artists and institutions at a time when “art is suffering the full force of the effects of a global health, economic and social crisis”, she flagged that this time of confinement can also be “a period of openness to others and to culture, to strengthen the links between artistic creation and society”.
Through the hashtag #ShareCulture, UNESCO has invited everyone to communicate their love of art by sharing it broadly.
The coronavirus pandemic has closed museums and cancelled concerts, plunging many cultural institutions into uncertainty and immediate financial loss while also threatening a long-term effect on the arts.
As the world waits for the current measures to be lifted, vulnerable groups who are unable to get online, exacerbating a global digital divide, have even greater difficulty in gaining access.
Keeping art alive requires the twofold approach of supporting cultural professionals and institutions, and promoting access to art for all, according to Ms. Azoulay. As these challenges require far-reaching cultural policies it will be necessary to “listen to the voices of the artistic world in their globality and diversity”, she stressed.
With the aim of affirming the resilience of art in during this difficult period and in preparing for the future, UNESCO has launched the “ResiliArt” movement, which, among other things, will consist of a series of global virtual debates with renowned artists and draw support for the cultural world throughout the crisis. Guidelines will be drawn on improving the protection of artists for future crises.
The UNESCO chief urged everyone to participate in “this strong impetus for culture” to prove that even in a period of personal distancing, “art brings us closer together than ever before”.
In Italy, for example, impromptu concerts, performed from apartment balconies, have become one of the features of life under lockdown. On UNESCO World Art Day on April 15, a professional violinist Aldo Sebastián Cicchini, a violinist from the Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI) orchestra in Milan, told UN News how he is using his talent to help others through the crisis.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in Italy, he was involved in a project at La Scala, one of the most historic opera houses in Italy. But, as he explains, work ended after positive cases of the virus were confirmed there in late February. Aldo Sebastián Cicchini said:
**“Life may never be exactly as it was before”**
Everyone stopped: opera, cinema, theatre…everything. We are all worried about this, because it’s difficult to think about our work as it was before. Right now, it’s so hard to imagine going to a concert in a theatre filled with 1000 people! So, we are concerned that, once the lockdown is over, it will take several months to re-adjust, and life may never be exactly as it was before.
In March, one of my colleagues in the orchestra at La Scala called on every musician in Italy to open their window, or to go to the balcony, to perform at six in the afternoon.
The first time I took part it was a very cold evening. It was strange, because most of the neighbours didn’t know that I played violin! When I started playing, I felt quite shy, but after a couple of minutes, I could see people happy, and smiling. Then, after I had finished the piece, they were clapping, shouting, and demanding more!
I carried on playing, and they wanted more and more, so I told them, if you want this, let’s do it again tomorrow, at the same time. That was the beginning of everything.
From then on, I played many famous pieces from different countries, such as music from the movie “Cinema Paradiso”, “Claire de Lune” by Debussy, Carlos Gardel’s “Por Una Cabeza”, and “Imagine” by John Lennon. Although the acoustics are not great on the balcony, the music is bringing people closer together during this time of isolation. It is not a cure for the disease, but it is maybe a cure for our hearts.
I think that, in times like this, all the arts are very, very important. Right now, we need to survive, but surviving is not living. The beauty of art makes us united, and part of something that is bigger than us.
Here in my building, every time I played, despite the distance between us, we felt closer. It feels like we are a team, going forward together. And that’s the power of music. And, when I play, I am company to people who live alone, particularly older people.
Aldo Sebastián Cicchini concludes: “We still don’t know when the city, and the country, will reopen, but I hope that every day things will get better, and that the people don’t give up. Until then, I will continue to play for them.”
Note: This report draws on UNESCO and UN News.
The post The Power Of Art In A Time Of Coronavirus Crisis appeared first on Eurasia Review. Reported by Eurasia Review 37 minutes ago.
As billions of people find themselves either in lockdown or on the front lines combating the COVID-19 pandemic, the first celebration of World Art Day on April 15 is a timely reminder that “art has the power to unite and connect in times of crisis”, the head of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said.
“Bringing people together, inspiring, soothing and sharing: these are the powers of art, the importance of which has been made emphatically obvious during the COVID-19 pandemic”, Audrey Azoulay said in her message.
Throughout self-isolation, art has nonetheless been flourishing. Pointing to peformers tapping into their creativity to relay health guidelines and share messages of hope – as well as neighbours singing to each other on balconies, and concerts online – Ms. Azoulay maintained that creativity abounds.
And the Mona Lisa – Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous masterpiece, the anniversary of whose birth, on April 15, has been chosen for the World Day – has been revisited in a variety of ways, including images of her self-isolating in the Louvre Museum, or covering her enigmatic smile with a surgical mask.
“This is how, despite the crisis, art is demonstrating its resilience today”, explained the UNESCO chief.
Paying tribute to the solidarity shown by artists and institutions at a time when “art is suffering the full force of the effects of a global health, economic and social crisis”, she flagged that this time of confinement can also be “a period of openness to others and to culture, to strengthen the links between artistic creation and society”.
Through the hashtag #ShareCulture, UNESCO has invited everyone to communicate their love of art by sharing it broadly.
The coronavirus pandemic has closed museums and cancelled concerts, plunging many cultural institutions into uncertainty and immediate financial loss while also threatening a long-term effect on the arts.
As the world waits for the current measures to be lifted, vulnerable groups who are unable to get online, exacerbating a global digital divide, have even greater difficulty in gaining access.
Keeping art alive requires the twofold approach of supporting cultural professionals and institutions, and promoting access to art for all, according to Ms. Azoulay. As these challenges require far-reaching cultural policies it will be necessary to “listen to the voices of the artistic world in their globality and diversity”, she stressed.
With the aim of affirming the resilience of art in during this difficult period and in preparing for the future, UNESCO has launched the “ResiliArt” movement, which, among other things, will consist of a series of global virtual debates with renowned artists and draw support for the cultural world throughout the crisis. Guidelines will be drawn on improving the protection of artists for future crises.
The UNESCO chief urged everyone to participate in “this strong impetus for culture” to prove that even in a period of personal distancing, “art brings us closer together than ever before”.
In Italy, for example, impromptu concerts, performed from apartment balconies, have become one of the features of life under lockdown. On UNESCO World Art Day on April 15, a professional violinist Aldo Sebastián Cicchini, a violinist from the Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI) orchestra in Milan, told UN News how he is using his talent to help others through the crisis.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in Italy, he was involved in a project at La Scala, one of the most historic opera houses in Italy. But, as he explains, work ended after positive cases of the virus were confirmed there in late February. Aldo Sebastián Cicchini said:
**“Life may never be exactly as it was before”**
Everyone stopped: opera, cinema, theatre…everything. We are all worried about this, because it’s difficult to think about our work as it was before. Right now, it’s so hard to imagine going to a concert in a theatre filled with 1000 people! So, we are concerned that, once the lockdown is over, it will take several months to re-adjust, and life may never be exactly as it was before.
In March, one of my colleagues in the orchestra at La Scala called on every musician in Italy to open their window, or to go to the balcony, to perform at six in the afternoon.
The first time I took part it was a very cold evening. It was strange, because most of the neighbours didn’t know that I played violin! When I started playing, I felt quite shy, but after a couple of minutes, I could see people happy, and smiling. Then, after I had finished the piece, they were clapping, shouting, and demanding more!
I carried on playing, and they wanted more and more, so I told them, if you want this, let’s do it again tomorrow, at the same time. That was the beginning of everything.
From then on, I played many famous pieces from different countries, such as music from the movie “Cinema Paradiso”, “Claire de Lune” by Debussy, Carlos Gardel’s “Por Una Cabeza”, and “Imagine” by John Lennon. Although the acoustics are not great on the balcony, the music is bringing people closer together during this time of isolation. It is not a cure for the disease, but it is maybe a cure for our hearts.
I think that, in times like this, all the arts are very, very important. Right now, we need to survive, but surviving is not living. The beauty of art makes us united, and part of something that is bigger than us.
Here in my building, every time I played, despite the distance between us, we felt closer. It feels like we are a team, going forward together. And that’s the power of music. And, when I play, I am company to people who live alone, particularly older people.
Aldo Sebastián Cicchini concludes: “We still don’t know when the city, and the country, will reopen, but I hope that every day things will get better, and that the people don’t give up. Until then, I will continue to play for them.”
Note: This report draws on UNESCO and UN News.
The post The Power Of Art In A Time Of Coronavirus Crisis appeared first on Eurasia Review. Reported by Eurasia Review 37 minutes ago.
↧
The EU says sorry to Italy over coronavirus
Ursula von der Leyen said the EU wasn't ready for coronavirus and not enough was done to help Italy in the early days.
Studio: Sky News UK Studios
↧
EU Commission President offers 'heartfelt apology' to Italy, as MEPs debate coronavirus response
EU Commission President offers 'heartfelt apology' to Italy, as MEPs debate coronavirus response
Studio: Euronews English
↧
Trainee doctor slayed as domestic violence reports jump amid lockdown
Trainee doctor slayed as domestic violence reports jump amid lockdown
Studio: Euronews English
↧
↧
Director of Italian Hospital Says Italy Would Welcome Dr. Fauci "With Open Arms"
If US President Donald Trump ever fires Dr. Anthony Fauci, he won't be out of work long. Fauci, a leading member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, has job offers coming in from Italy. The..
Studio: Wochit Tech
↧
Director of Italian Hospital Says Italy Would Welcome Dr. Fauci "With Open Arms"
If US President Donald Trump ever fires Dr. Anthony Fauci, he won't be out of work long. Fauci, a leading member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, has job offers coming in from Italy. The..
Studio: Wochit News
↧
Director of Italian Hospital Says Italy Would Welcome Dr. Fauci "With Open Arms"
If US President Donald Trump ever fires Dr. Anthony Fauci, he won't be out of work long. Fauci, a leading member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, has job offers coming in from Italy. The..
Studio: Wochit Entertainment
↧
Director of Italian Hospital Says Italy Would Welcome Dr. Fauci "With Open Arms"
If US President Donald Trump ever fires Dr. Anthony Fauci, he won't be out of work long. Fauci, a leading member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, has job offers coming in from Italy. The..
Studio: Wochit Business
↧
↧
'Every person can be a hero'
Impossible decisions, lack of personal protective equipment and mental health concerns. These are some of the challenges doctors around the world tell us they're facing. BBC Minute has been speaking to..
Studio: BBC World News - Affiliate
↧
Fighting coronavirus with rap
Nigerian-born rapper Tomi Kuti, who lives in Italy, is urging Africans to take Covid-19 seriously.
Studio: BBC World News - Affiliate
↧
EU chief apologizes to Italy over virus response
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has offered a "heartfelt apology" to Italy after criticism that the EU offered too little assistance in the early days of its battle against..
Studio: Reuters Studio
↧
EU chief apologizes to Italy over virus response
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has offered a "heartfelt apology" to Italy after criticism that the EU offered too little assistance in the early days of its battle against..
Studio: Reuters - Politics
↧
↧
Italian woman tells cops she broke quarantine to walk her turtle
People will come up with any excuseto break quarantine — even if it doesn’tmake any sense whatsoever.Case in point: Earlier this week,when a 60-year-old Italian womanwas confronted by the police..
Studio: In The Know Wibbitz
↧
Coronavirus: Lockdown lessons from Italy
Luigi Di Maio, Italy's foreign minister, says a coronavirus vaccine is the only solution to returning back to normal life.
Studio: Sky News UK Studios
↧
LOCAL STUCK IN ITALY
SPEAKING WITH LOCAL WHO'S BEEN UNDER LOCK DOWN IN ITALY
Studio: WXXVDT2
↧