A. whereas the various transitional processes, including popular uprisings, conflict and post-conflict situations, as well as trapped transitions in authoritarian countries, have posed increasing challenges to the EU’s policies in support of human rights and democracy in the world; whereas the EU Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World in 2012 demonstrates the need for the EU to continue to develop flexible policy responses; whereas the most fundamental policy choice for the EU concerns the resilience and political determination to stay true to the founding values of the European Union in challenging times under the pressure of other policy obj ...[+++]ectives and interests;

To put some context on the situation where often violence, murder and upset in the Middle East occurs, we remember that the Arab Muslim world in recent decades and centuries has had much pressure and upheaval (2330) Other religions have invaded from the west.

Since the issue is a relatively new one and raises certain conceptual difficulties, there is a risk that it may be misunderstood in one way or another and that it will run up against an unholy alliance of opponents: liberals might see it as opening a Pandora's box of arbitrary barriers; the southern countries as protectionism and euro-centrism in disguise; and environmentalists and human-rights activists might see it as representing an unacceptable status quo because it fails to put pressure on those who infringe social standards and destroy the environment.

However, these overlaps are limited and the combined market shares do not give rise to competition concerns, given that the parties will continue to face competitive constraints from significant competitors and from the countervailing buyer power exerted by the automobile manufacturers.

Regarding the first point, I would say in reply that, were the United States to exert the pressure referred to by Mr Krarup, it would be just as well that we have obtained the common position, which is easy to support and through which any such possible pressure can be withstood.

The Danish government's appointment of former Commission Vice-President Henning Christophersen as a member of the Constitutional Convention raises the general question as to the suitability of the Convention's members, the reason being that the Danish representative has significant business interests linked to the work of the Convention, as he has lobbied EU decision-makers extensively since leaving the Commission. He is, for instance, a partner in KREAB, whose business activity consists in disseminating EU know-how on a commercial basis, and he is currently acting as an adviser to East European governments during the accession negotiations. ...[+++]