KREMLIN's latest news

October 18 − 25, 2021


Culture

Greetings on 25th anniversary of Alexander Solzhenitsyn House of Russia AbroadOctober 18, 2021, 12:45

Economy

Meeting with Government membersOctober 20, 2021, 15:45

Education

Meeting with Moscow Region Governor Andrei VorobyovOctober 18, 2021, 14:05

Foreign Policy

Meeting with Prime Minister of Israel Naftali BennettOctober 22, 2021, 10:55

Valdai Discussion Club meetingOctober 21, 2021, 21:25

Vladimir Putin will hold talks with Prime Minister of the State of Israel Naftali Bennett in Sochi on October 22October 21, 2021, 12:15

Telephone conversation with Prime Minister of Italy Mario DraghiOctober 19, 2021, 13:15

Congratulations to Prime Minister of Israel Naftali BennettOctober 18, 2021, 18:00

Regions

Meeting with Moscow Region Governor Andrei VorobyovOctober 18, 2021, 14:05

Science and Technology

Address to participants and guests of RGO award ceremonyOctober 19, 2021, 17:15

Social Sector

Meeting with Government membersOctober 20, 2021, 15:45

Meeting with Moscow Region Governor Andrei VorobyovOctober 18, 2021, 14:05

Sport

Greetings on start of St Petersburg Open 2021October 23, 2021, 16:00

Healthcare

Executive Order on non-working days in October and November 2021October 20, 2021, 17:15

Meeting with Government membersOctober 20, 2021, 15:45

Meeting with Moscow Region Governor Andrei VorobyovOctober 18, 2021, 14:05

ΚΩΣΤΑΣ ΛΑΜΠΟΣ:Η οικονομική θεωρία ως μεταφυσική εξουσιαστική ιδεολογία

Η οικονομική θεωρία ως μεταφυσική εξουσιαστική ιδεολογία[1]

(Η φετιχοποίηση του κόσμου ως αλλοτρίωση)

 

Κώστας Λάμπος

Διδάκτωρ της Σχολής Οικονομικών Επιστημών του Freie Universitaet Berlin, Συγγραφέας-Δοκιμιογράφος

 

 

 

Περιεχόμενα

Περίληψη

Α. Οι έννοιες του φετίχ και του φετιχισμού

Β. Οικονομική θεωρία και εξουσιαστικός φετιχισμός

1)      Κοινωνία της ισοκατανομής. Χωρίς εξουσιαστικά φετίχ

2)      Σολώνειοι Νόμοι. Η φετιχοποίηση της πατριαρχικής

βίας, της αδικίας και της κοινωνικής ανισότητας

3)      Πλατωνική φιλοσοφία. Αθάνατη ψυχή’. Το φετίχ της ατομικής ιδιοκτησίας

4)      Ο ‘Θεός’ του χριστιανισμού. Το απόλυτο φετίχ της εξουσίας

5)      Θεοκρατία. Φετιχοποιώντας το Σύμπαν

6)      Το πνεύμα του Προτεσταντισμού

7)      Η ‘αόρατη χείρ’. Το φετίχ του κεφαλαίου

8)      Κρατισμός. Το φετίχ του ‘συλλογικού καπιταλιστή’

9)      Κρατικός παρεμβατισμός. Το Φετίχ της αστικής δημοκρατίας

10)  ‘Οι αγορές’. Το φετίχ του παγκοσμιοποιημένου κεφαλαίου

11)  Φετιχοποιώντας την θρησκευτική πίστη

12)  Φετιχοποιώντας τους πολιτικούς θεσμούς

Γ. ‘Να λύσουμε τα μάγια’

Δ. Να αποφετιχοποιήσουμε την Οικονομική Θεωρία

Ε. Επίλογος

Βιβλιογραφία

 

 

Περίληψη

Οι, ανά τους αιώνες, εξουσιαστές φετιχοποιούν, δηλαδή θεοποιούν τους εαυτούς τους και ότι τους αναδεικνύει σε εξουσιαστές. Σε ότι αφορά στην οικονομική θεωρία, που πασχίζει ακόμα να εξελιχθεί από ιδεολογία σε επιστήμη, όλα ξεκίνησαν από τον Σόλωνα που με την εφεύρεση του δικαιώματος της ατομικής ιδιοκτησίας θεμελίωσε την πατριαρχική κοινωνία. Ακολούθησε ο Πλάτωνας που φετιχοποίησε την πατριαρχική εξουσία με την μορφή του ‘θεού’ και των Νόμων και την ατομική ιδιοκτησία με την μορφή της ‘αθάνατης ψυχής’. Συνεχίστηκαν με το φετίχ ‘αόρατο χέρι’ του Άνταμ Σμιθ που απομάκρυνε οριστικά την κοινωνία από τον έλεγχο της οικονομικής δραστηριότητας για να καταλήξουμε στο αόρατο πολυπρόσωπο φετίχ, στις τάχα απρόσωπες νεοφιλελεύθερες ‘αγορές’. Όταν το μεταφυσικό στοιχείο μπλέκει με το επιστημονικό αντικείμενο της οικονομικής θεωρίας τότε γεννιούνται κάθε είδους παραλογισμοί, ανορθολογισμοί και οικονομικά εγκλήματα, με πρώτο και κύριο την κοινωνική ανισότητα, η οποία αποτελεί την μήτρα όλων των άγονων ανταγωνισμών, του ιμπεριαλισμού και των καταστροφικών πολέμων. Η εμπλοκή ανύπαρκτων μεταφυσικών εξουσιαστικών κατασκευασμάτων στο κοινωνικό Γίγνεσθαι επιτρέπει, με τη βοήθεια των μηχανισμών της συστημικής εκπαίδευσης και ενημέρωσης, τη συσκότιση της πραγματικότητας και την μυστηριοποίηση της οικονομίας, η κατανόηση της οποίας απαιτεί τάχα την ύπαρξη ‘θεών’, ‘ημιθέων’ και ‘ειδικών’ οικονομολόγων με Νόμπελ ή χωρίς. Το κείμενο που ακολουθεί προσπαθεί να ερμηνεύσει και να προσβάλλει αυτά τα ταμπού για να καταδείξει ότι, η φύση των οικονομικοκοινωνικών συστημάτων προσδιορίζεται αποκλειστικά και μόνο από την σχέση της κοινωνίας ως Όλον με τα μέσα παραγωγής, η οποία κατ’ αποκλειστικότητα καθορίζει και το σύστημα κατανομής του κοινωνικά παραγόμενου πλούτου. Χωρίς την κατανόηση αυτής της πραγματικότητας η ανθρωπότητα οδεύει με ταχύτητα στην αυτοκαταστροφή, εκτός αν προλάβει να αυτοαποφετιχοποιηθεί και συνεπώς να αποκαπιταλιστικοποιηθεί.

Το νέο τεύχος του e-Newsletter της Αρχής Προστασίας Δεδομένων

 

Το νέο τεύχος του e-Newsletter της Αρχής Προστασίας Δεδομένων είναι διαθέσιμο εδώ.

"Ο ΑΝΔΡΕΑΣ ΛΟΒΕΡΔΟΣ ΣΤΙΣ ΑΧΑΡΝΕΣ":πολιτικός σχολιασμός απο τον ΓΙΑΝΝΗ Γ. ΒΑΒΟΥΡΑΝΑΚΗ

 Ο ΑΝΔΡΕΑΣ ΛΟΒΕΡΔΟΣ ΣΤΙΣ ΑΧΑΡΝΕΣ

γράφει ο Γιάννης Γ. Βαβουρανάκης

https://twitter.com/mgvavour/status/1452279493805105168?s=20

https://www.facebook.com/v.ch.maria/posts/10225509128055755?__cft__[0]=AZWmP0ojKt69xmH36yCsS4DL8pxirq7Ai1_mEEvcf7nMKhH-I9AqKq0Qtm7ZtWaCmLMeySrk-qQ3X1Ti6anMgUD_VoZmK0kOGqK6loPKYtJzAUY_pc-ektkAUYsGCVWheQE&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/maria-chadzidakis-vavouranakis-aa4912a7_%CE%BF-%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%B4%CF%81%CE%B5%CE%B1%CF%83-%CE%BB%CE%BF%CE%B2%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%B4%CE%BF%CF%83-%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B9%CF%83-%CE%B1%CF%87%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%BD%CE%B5%CF%83%CF%80%CE%BF%CE%BB%CE%B9%CF%84%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C%CF%82-activity-6858045541335478272-MUai

      Η επίσκεψη του Υποψηφίου Αρχηγού του ΠΑ.ΣΟ.Κ κ. Ανδρέα Λοβέρδου, με βρήκε τριάντα λεπτά της ώρας ενωρίτερα της προκαθορισμένης, στο Δημαρχείο Αχαρνών.

Ως πολιτικός σχολιαστής, ήθελα να προσμετρήσω το περιρρέον «κλίμα» και την διάθεση τόσο των παλαιών γνωστών ΠΑ.ΣΟ.Κων όσο και την ενδεχόμενη προσέλευση νεολαίας που η παρουσία της, έχει μια ξεχωριστή σημασία.

Η προσέλευση, προσμετρώντας το αρνητικό κλίμα λόγω covid-19, την «δύσκολη» ημέρα του Σαββάτου (δύσκολη για οργάνωση συγκέντρωσης όπως και να’χει), με εξέπληξε ευχάριστα. Τόσο η ομιλία του Υποψηφίου Προέδρου κ. Λοβέρδου, ο οποίος στις προτιμήσεις των παρευρισκομένων ανεφέρθη ως «φαβορί» (και αντιμέτωπος μόνο με έναν άλλο υποψήφιο για τον ίδιο θώκο) όσο και η παρουσία νέων,  ήταν μια ευχάριστη διαπίστωση.

     Το ποιος είναι ο κ. Ανδρέας Λοβέρδος, δεν χρειάζεται βεβαίως να σας το πω εγώ. Ούτε εγώ θα αναφερθώ σε πόσα και ποια ακριβώς δεσμευτικά ανέφερε ο ίδιος ότι θα πράξει. 

Το πρώτο συμπέρασμά μου είναι  πως η παρουσία του θα προκαλέσει σοκ, ιδιαίτερα ..προς τα Αριστερά . Το δεύτερο που αξίζει εδώ ακριβώς  να αναφέρω, είναι Η ΕΠΙΣΤΡΟΦΗ πρώην ΠΑ.ΣΟ.Κων –και μέχρι πρότινος..τσιπραίων-  στις τάξεις του ΠΑ.ΣΟ.Κ.! Μάλιστα,  παρατηρώντας προσεκτικά τους προσελθόντες στην εκδήλωση (όλοι γνωστοί) είναι ότι  το ποσοστό αυτών που …ήδη επέστρεψαν στις δυνάμεις του ΠΑ.ΣΟ.Κ, προσεγγίζει το 15-20% στην πόλη των Αχαρνών! Παρίσταντο επίσης αρκετοί Νέοι κάτω των 30 ετών και σοβαρή παρουσία κατεδείχθη από τις ηλικίες  30-40 ετών. Αυτοί είναι βεβαίως οι «μαγικοί αριθμοί» της χθεσινοβραδυνής εκδήλωσης και λένε πάρα πολλά, δεν νομίζετε;

Να σας πω επίσης ότι τα «πηγαδάκια» έχουν ήδη χρίσει τα φαβορί, όπως σας προείπα στην αρχή και μάλιστα κανείς δεν απέκρυψε τις προσωπικές του προτιμήσεις.

     Από τα κεντρικά σημεία ομιλίας του Υποψηφίου η απαραίτητη ΕΝΟΤΗΤΑ, η ΧΑΜΕΝΗ ΤΑΥΤΟΤΗΤΑ αλλά και τα λάθη του παρελθόντος του κόμματος, όπως και τα εσωκομματικά προβλήματα αλλά και ο ενδεδειγμένος τρόπος λειτουργίας. Αυτά αποτέλεσαν και την επακολουθήσασα συζήτηση με τους παρευρισκομένους .

     Η εκδήλωση έκλεισε με καταδειχθείσα την αποφασιστική θετική ψήφο των παρευρισκομένων, οι οποίοι  είχαν αποφασίσει εκτός από το ΠΟΙΟΣ και το ΓΙΑΤΙ θα ψηφίσουν αυτή την φορά στην κάλπη των επερχόμενων εκλογών.

Εν κατακλείδι η ομιλία ήταν μεστή, γεμάτη αλήθεια και αποτέλεσε σάλπισμα ενότητος και επισήμανση της ανάγκης πολιτικών τομών για το παρόν και το μέλλον του κόμματος.

Είναι γεγονός αναμφισβήτητο, ότι η ομιλία του κ. Λοβέρδου, με δεσμεύσεις χωρίς «ΘΑ», εμφύσησε ανάταση ηθικού -που τόσο λείπει- στους ΠΑ.ΣΟ.Κ.ους καταδεικνύοντας ότι η 5^η και 12^η Δεκεμβρίου θα αποτελέσουν εφαλτήριο ανάκαμψης και οργάνωσης για βήματα με στόχους που από το 2010 και μετά, η παράταξη ΔΕΝ ΕΙΧΕ.

Περιμένουμε όλοι και  άλλους, για να σιγουρευτούμε πως η συμμετοχή της βάσης στις αποφάσεις αποτελούν την δύναμη και το απαύγασμα της συμμετοχικής Δημοκρατίας.

Γ.Β.

 

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory

 The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (19 October 2021)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Latest Images:
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/topic/image-of-the-day

Editor’s note: This video highlights areas of autumn color in the Russian Far East. The image was acquired on October 12, 2021, with the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8. The following text is a transcript of the video.

* Late Bloomers in the Arctic
  https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/148974/late-bloomers-in-the-arctic/?src=eoa-iotd

* Drought in the Northern Great Plains
  https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/148970/drought-in-the-northern-great-plains/?src=eoa-iotd

* Shrinking Glaciers and Growing Lakes
  https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/148966/shrinking-glaciers-and-growing-lakes/?src=eoa-iotd

* Folds of the Bighorn Basin
  https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/148960/folds-of-the-bighorn-basin/?src=eoa-iotd

* Truly Giant Cuttlefish in False Bay
  https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/148963/truly-giant-cuttlefish-in-false-bay/?src=eoa-iotd

* Waiting to Unload
  https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/148956/waiting-to-unload/?src=eoa-iotd

* Auroras Announce the Solar Cycle
  https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/148952/auroras-announce-the-solar-cycle/?src=eoa-iotd

---------------------------------------------------------------------
NASA Earth Observatory
Where every day is Earth day.

BATA SHOE MUSEUM,update

October 2021

What's On Weekly



November 16, 7pm EST

Our Annual Founder's Lecture

Join Director & Senior Curator Elizabeth Semmelhack as she sits down for a fascinating conversation with internationally acclaimed architect Kulapat Yantrasast to discuss his inspiring projects, including his current redesign of The Met's Rockefeller Wing, how he reimagines spaces and where he sees museum design going in the future. Regarded as a new generation architect, Yantrasast's interdisciplinary approach to architecture and design is largely shaped and inspired by his passion for food and society, viewing each project as a mix of ingredients that yields its own unique recipe.

RSVP NOW



Dolled Up Salon
Only one more week until our next virtual Salon event! Join us as novelist and short story writer Derek McCormack and Elizabeth talk all about dolls and horror in pop culture ~ October 27th at 7 pm EST. Be sure to RSVP below.
RSVP



Did you know...
We have a $25 GET TO KNOW US annual pass? This pass gets you unlimited admission to the BSM for an entire year! Level up and receive even more great perks. Check out what it means to be a Friend of the BSM below.

LEARN MORE


Ask a Curator
What was the inspiration behind our newest exhibition All Dolled Up: Fashioning Cultural Expectations? Find out in our latest Ask a Curator IGTV episode!
WATCH NOW




Culture Days
Don't miss our last virtual tour for Culture Days 2021! Discover 4,500 years of footwear history as digital programming and tours coordinator Mitchell takes you through our exhibitions, All About Shoes: Footwear Through the Ages and Behind the Scenes: A Glimpse into Artefact Storage.
RSVP



Museum Shop
Store your cosmetics or little trinkets in a chic and versatile pouch designed by Deborah Lyall, Lyalls Art and Design.
SHOP NOW

IMF:Surging Energy Prices May Not Ease Until Next Year

 

Dear maria, We just published a new blog—please find the full text below.  Surging Energy Prices May Not Ease Until Next Year   By Andrea Pescatori, Martin Stuermer, and Nico Valckx Soaring natural gas prices are rippling through global energy markets—and other economic sectors from factories to utilities. An unprecedented combination of factors is roiling world energy markets, rekindling the memories of the 1970s energy crisis and complicating an already uncertain outlook for inflation and the global economy. Spot prices for natural gas have more than quadrupled to record levels in Europe and Asia, and the persistence and global dimension of these price spikes are unprecedented. Typically, such moves are seasonal and localized. Asian prices, for example, saw a similar jump last year but those didn’t spill over with an associated similar rise in Europe. Our expectation is that these prices will revert to more normal levels early next year when heating demand ebbs and supplies adjust. However, if prices stay high as they have been, this could begin to be a drag on global growth. Meanwhile, ripple effects are being felt in coal and oil markets. Brent crude oil prices, the global benchmark, recently reached a seven-year high above $85 per barrel, as more buyers sought alternatives for heating and power generation amid already tight supplies. Coal, the nearest substitute, is in high demand as power plants turn to it more. This has pushed prices to the highest level since 2001, driving a rise in European carbon emission permit costs. Bust, boom, and inadequate supply Given this backdrop, it helps to look back to the start of the pandemic, when restrictions halted many activities across the global economy. This caused a collapse of energy consumption, leading energy companies to slash investment. However, consumption of natural gas rebounded fast—driven by industrial production, which accounts for about 20 percent of final natural gas consumption—boosting demand at a time when supplies were relatively low. Energy supply, in fact, has reacted slowly to price signals due to labor shortages, maintenance backlogs, longer lead times for new projects, and lackluster interest from investors in fossil fuel energy companies. Natural gas production in the United States, for example, remains below precrisis levels. Production in the Netherlands and Norway is also down. And Europe’s biggest supplier, Russia, has recently slowed its shipments to the continent. Weather has also exacerbated gas market imbalances. The Northern Hemisphere’s severe winter cold and summer heat boosted heating and cooling demand. Meanwhile, renewable power generation has been reduced in the United States and Brazil by droughts, which curbed hydropower output as reservoirs ran low, and in Northern Europe by below-average wind generation this summer and fall. Coal supplies and inventories While coal can help offset natural gas shortages, some of those supplies are also disrupted. Logistical and weather-related factors have crippled production from Australia to South Africa, while coal output in China, the world’s largest producer and consumer, has fallen amid emissions goals that disincentivize coal use and production in favor of renewables or gas. In fact, Chinese coal stockpiles are at record lows, which increases the threat of winter fuel supply shortfalls for power plants. And in Europe, natural gas storage is below average ahead of winter, adding risk of more price increases as utilities compete for scarce resources before the arrival of cold weather. Energy prices and inflation Coal and natural gas prices tend to have less of an effect on consumer prices than oil because household electricity and natural gas bills are often regulated, and prices are more rigid. Even so, in the industrial sector, higher natural gas prices are confronting producers that rely on the fuel to make chemicals or fertilizers. These dynamics are particularly concerning as they are affecting already uncertain inflation prospects amid supply chain disruptions, rising food prices, and firming demand. Should energy prices remain at current levels, the value of global fossil fuel production as a share of gross domestic product this year would rise from 4.1 percent (estimated in our July projection) to 4.7 percent. Next year, the share could be as high as 4.8 percent, up from a projected 3.75 percent in July. Assuming half of this increase in costs for oil, gas, and coal is due to reduced supply, this would represent a 0.3 percentage point reduction in global economic growth this year and about 0.5 percentage point next year. Energy prices to normalize next year While supply disruptions and price pressures pose unprecedented challenges for a world already grappling with an uneven pandemic recovery, the silver lining for policymakers is that the situation doesn’t compare to the early 1970s energy shock. Back then, oil prices quadrupled, directly hitting household and business purchasing power and, eventually, causing a global recession. Nearly a half century later, given the less dominant role that coal and natural gas plays in the world’s economy, energy prices would need to rise much more significantly to cause such a dramatic shock. Moreover, we expect natural gas prices to normalize by the second quarter as the end of winter in Europe and Asia eases seasonal pressures, as futures markets also indicate. Coal and crude oil prices are also likely to decline. However, uncertainty remains high and small demand shocks could trigger fresh price spikes. Tough policy choices That means central banks should look through price pressures from transitory energy supply shocks, but also be ready to act sooner—especially those with weaker monetary frameworks—if concrete risks of inflation expectations de-anchoring do materialize. Governments should act to prevent power outages in the face of utilities curtailing generation if it becomes unprofitable. Blackouts, particularly in China, could dent chemical, steel, and manufacturing activity, adding to global supply-chain disruptions during a peak season for sales of consumer goods. Finally, as higher utility bills are regressive, support to low-income households can help mitigate the impact of the energy shock to the most vulnerable populations. Glenn Gottselig Managing Editor IMF Blog ggottselig@IMF.org

EUROPEAN COUNCIL:conclusions on COVID-19, energy, trade and external relations

 

Friday 22 October 2021

● European Council   22/10/2021 00:44 | Conclusions | European Council conclusions on COVID-19, energy, trade and external relations, 21 October 2021   I. COVID-19 1. Vaccination campaigns around Europe have brought about significant progress in the fight against COVID-19. Nevertheless the situation in some Member States remains very serious. In order to further increase vaccination rates throughout the Union, efforts to overcome vaccine hesitancy should be stepped up, including by tackling disinformation, notably on social media platforms. It is necessary to remain vigilant regarding the emergence and spread of possible new variants. 2. In light of the development of the epidemiological situation, the European Council calls for further coordination to facilitate free movement within, and travel into, the EU, and for a revision of the two Council recommendations. It encourages the Commission to accelerate its work regarding mutual recognition of certificates with third countries. 3. Based on the experiences of the COVID-19 crisis, the EU’s resilience to and horizontal preparedness for crises must be strengthened. To ensure better prevention of, preparedness for and response to future health emergencies in the EU, the European Council calls for the conclusion of the negotiations on the Health Union legislative package and for ensuring that Member States are adequately involved in the governance of the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA). It recalls the need to swiftly take work forward on access to medicines across Member States. 4. The European Council reiterates the EU’s continued commitment to contributing to the international response to the pandemic and to ensuring access to vaccines for all. It calls for the rapid removal of obstacles hampering the global roll-out of vaccines, and invites the Commission to further engage directly with manufacturers in this respect. This will allow Member States to speed up the delivery of vaccines to countries most in need. The EU will continue to support the production and uptake of vaccines in partner countries. 5. In the context of the upcoming G20 meeting and in view of the special session of the World Health Assembly in November, the European Council underlines its support for a strong, central role of the World Health Organization in future global health governance and for the objective of agreeing an international treaty on pandemics. [...] III. ENERGY PRICES 11. The European Council addressed the recent spike in energy prices and considered the impact of the price rises on citizens and businesses, especially our vulnerable citizens and SMEs, striving to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. 12. The toolbox presented in the Commission Communication on tackling rising energy prices contains useful measures for both the short and the longer term. 13. The European Council invites: the Commission to study the functioning of the gas and electricity markets, as well as the EU ETS market, with the help of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA). Subsequently, the Commission will assess whether certain trading behaviours require further regulatory action; the Member States and the Commission to urgently make the best use of the toolbox to provide short-term relief to the most vulnerable consumers and to support European companies, taking into account the diversity and specificity of situations of Member States; the Commission and the Council to swiftly consider medium and long-term measures that would contribute to energy at a price that is affordable for households and companies, increase the resilience of the EU’s energy system and the internal energy market, provide security of supply and support the transition to climate neutrality, taking into account the diversity and specificity of situations of Member States; and the European Investment Bank to look into how to speed up investment in the energy transition, within its current capital headroom, with a view to reducing future disruption risks and meeting Europe’s global connectivity ambitions. 14. The extraordinary meeting of the TTE Council (Energy) on 26 October 2021 will take this work forward immediately. The European Council will keep the situation under review and revert to it in December. [...] V. TRADE 22. The European Council held a strategic discussion on EU trade policy. VI. EXTERNAL RELATIONS 23. The European Council discussed the preparations for the upcoming ASEM Summit on 25-26 November 2021. In this context, it supports the EU strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and invites the Council to ensure its swift implementation. 24. The European Council also discussed preparations for the Eastern Partnership Summit, which will be held on 15 December 2021. The EU’s relations with this region remain of key strategic importance. The European Council reiterates its call on the Belarusian authorities to release all political prisoners. 25. Ahead of COP26 in Glasgow, the European Council calls for an ambitious global response to climate change. It is essential to keep the 1.5°C global warming limit within reach. The European Council therefore calls upon all Parties to come forward with, and implement, ambitious national targets and policies. It urges in particular major economies that have not yet done so to communicate or update enhanced and ambitious nationally determined contributions in time for COP26 and to present long-term strategies towards reaching net zero emissions by 2050. The European Council recalls the commitment by the EU and its Member States to continue scaling up their climate financing. It calls on other developed countries to urgently increase their contribution to the collective climate finance goal of USD 100 billion per year through to 2025. 26. The European Council also took note of preparations for the meeting of COP15 on biological diversity in Kunming. It calls for an ambitious post-2020 global biodiversity framework in order to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. *** Following the Council declaration of 6 December 2018 on the fight against antisemitism and the development of a common security approach to better protect Jewish communities and institutions in Europe and the Council declaration of 2 December 2020 on mainstreaming the fight against antisemitism across policy areas, the European Council welcomes the EU strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life adopted by the Commission on 5 October 2021. The Malmö International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism on 13 October 2021 is a reminder that no effort must be spared in fighting all forms of antisemitism, racism and xenophobia.