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EU Legislation, Initiatives, etc.
EU News: Recently, the European Commission closed an infringement case against Spain on the Timeshare Directive (Directive 2008/122/EC) after the country notified the Commission of a new law (Decreto-ley) transposing the rules. The Commission also closed a case against the UK following its recent transposition of the Directive for Gibraltar. As the Commission also closed cases against Lithuania, Poland and Slovenia on 22 March, this means that all Member States have now transposed the Directive into their national law.
The new Timeshare Directive, which replaces an older Directive from 1994 (Directive 1994/47/EC), was due to be transposed across the EU by February 2011. The new rules provide significant protection for consumers against unwanted timeshare contracts and contracts on similar holiday products, which often bear considerable financial risks for consumers.
EU News: All EU Member States have integrated 'citizenship education' into their primary & secondary school curricula - albeit with different approaches, according to a report published recently by the European Commission.
Improving knowledge & skills for teaching the subject remains a challenge, however, with only two countries (UK - England and Slovakia) offering training for prospective specialist teachers in initial teacher education programmes. The report indicates a general consensus that citizenship education should aim to develop critical thinking, analytical skills and attitudes to foster active participation in school and society.
Improving knowledge & skills for teaching the subject remains a challenge, however, with only two countries (UK - England and Slovakia) offering training for prospective specialist teachers in initial teacher education programmes. The report indicates a general consensus that citizenship education should aim to develop critical thinking, analytical skills and attitudes to foster active participation in school and society.
RoSPA: Measures to prevent accidental injuries to children & young people in England, Scotland & Wales will be assessed later this month when Child Safety Report Cards are issued across Europe. On Tuesday, 12 June 2012, the European Child Safety Alliance (ECSA) will publish report cards for more than 30 European countries at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
The report cards, and accompanying country profiles, will assess safety measures that relate to children & young people by examining the adoption, implementation and enforcement of national policies that address accidental injury. A summary will provide a multi-country overview to facilitate European-level planning to support national efforts, including a section on inequalities and child safety.
WWF: Responding to a report on reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee, WWF said that the report did not address the long-term sustainability of farming & the environment in Britain.
WWF also argued that, without the introduction of Ecological Focus Areas, Europe risks losing many of the flora & fauna that are necessary for the countryside to thrive. WWF said that, with €53bn, or 41%, of the total EU budget being paid into the CAP such an expensive policy must deliver value for money.
EU News: Laszlo Andor, the European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion, has welcomed the OECD study "The jobs potential of a shift towards a low carbon economy", published last week.
EU News: The European Commission has proposed new rules to enable cross-border & secure electronic transactions in Europe. The proposed Regulation will ensure people & businesses can use their own national electronic identification schemes (e-IDs) to access public services in other EU countries where e-IDs are available.
It also creates an internal market for e-Signatures and related online trust services across borders, by ensuring these services will work across borders and have the same legal status as traditional paper based processes.
EU News: The European Ombudsman, P. Nikiforos Diamandouros, has called on the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to increase the transparency of its procedures for ensuring that children can benefit from new medicines. This follows a complaint from 2 pharmaceutical companies which were required by EMA to test the suitability for children of their heart failure medicine.
They alleged unfair treatment because other pharmaceutical companies had been exempted from the obligation to test similar products. The Ombudsman concluded that EMA did not properly disclose its assessments in these cases. He called on the Agency to make its procedures more transparent in the future.
EU News: In a report released last week, the EU identifies a staggering increase in protectionism around the world with 123 new trade restrictions introduced over the last 8 months – a rise of just over 25%.
In its ninth report on potentially trade-restrictive measures, the European Commission points to a failure by the G20 countries to reducing trade barriers. G20 members have to do more to prevent the introduction of new barriers to trade, and to rectify protective measures introduced since the break-out of the crisis.
In its ninth report on potentially trade-restrictive measures, the European Commission points to a failure by the G20 countries to reducing trade barriers. G20 members have to do more to prevent the introduction of new barriers to trade, and to rectify protective measures introduced since the break-out of the crisis.
EU News: The Commission believes there has to be a clear longer term perspective on the future of the EU's Economic and Monetary Union to give a sense of direction to the reforms & decisions necessary for the EU and its Member States to tackle their current challenges.
The concept of a banking union was put forward by President Barroso at the last informal European Council, which took place on 23 May. It will be discussed in the coming weeks by EU leaders.
The concept of a banking union was put forward by President Barroso at the last informal European Council, which took place on 23 May. It will be discussed in the coming weeks by EU leaders.
EU News: In a Communication adopted last week, the Commission is calling for a more coordinated European approach in the establishment & reform of support for renewable energy schemes and an increased use of renewable energy trading among Member States. Moreover, the fact that investors need regulatory certainty makes crucial to start discussing the future and building a solid framework beyond 2020.
EU News: The European Union has officially launched (in Vienna) the multilateral diplomatic process to discuss & negotiate its initiative for an International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities.
The proposed Code would be applicable to all outer space activities conducted by States or nongovernmental entities, and would lay down the basic rules to be observed by space faring nations in both civil & defence space activities. This initiative is already supported by a number of spacefaring nations, among them the US, Japan and India.
The proposed Code would be applicable to all outer space activities conducted by States or nongovernmental entities, and would lay down the basic rules to be observed by space faring nations in both civil & defence space activities. This initiative is already supported by a number of spacefaring nations, among them the US, Japan and India.
EU News: New crisis management measures to avoid future bank bail-outs.
EU News: Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) was formally launched worldwide last week, coexisting alongside Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4). Deploying IPv6 is a key action under the Digital Agenda for Europe (see IP/10/581, MEMO/10/199 and MEMO/10/200).
The final IPv4 addresses allocated to Europe (out of a total of 4.3bn globally) will be handed out this month. Therefore updating the protocol is essential to ensure there are enough internet addresses for all the computers, mobiles and other devices people need to connect to Internet, and to ensure higher levels of security. IPv6 makes available a practically unlimited number of addresses (340 trillions of trillions of trillions).
FSA: The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published an opinion on mineral oils in food. Mineral oils can occur in food both as a result of contamination and from some applications in food production.
Although EFSA has identified potential concern from mineral oils in food, it acknowledges considerable uncertainties in assessing any potential risks. As in the Food Standards Agency’s recent survey, this opinion does not identify any specific food safety concerns.
Although EFSA has identified potential concern from mineral oils in food, it acknowledges considerable uncertainties in assessing any potential risks. As in the Food Standards Agency’s recent survey, this opinion does not identify any specific food safety concerns.
EU News: Member States must work harder if they are to meet the Europe 2020 education targets to reduce early school leaving rates to less than 10% and increase the share of young people with degree-level qualifications to at least 40%, according to figures for 2011 released by Eurostat.
EU News: Last week, the European Commission's proposal to simplify the settlement of international successions received the final backing of the Council of Justice Ministers of the EU.
The EC proposals will ease the legal burden when a family member with property in another EU country passes away. Once published in the EU's Official Journal – which is expected to take place within weeks – Member States will have 3 years to align their national laws so that the new EU rules on succession become effective.
The EC proposals will ease the legal burden when a family member with property in another EU country passes away. Once published in the EU's Official Journal – which is expected to take place within weeks – Member States will have 3 years to align their national laws so that the new EU rules on succession become effective.
EU News: Last week saw the launch of a new Transparency web portal, which acts as a window on the wide range of instruments developed over recent years to make public scrutiny easier, and improve citizens' ability to exercise their rights.
EU News: "You have the right to… - a Letter of Rights". A new law to ensure defendants' right to information during criminal proceedings throughout the European Union has been published in the Official Journal – the EU's statute book.
The 'Directive on the right to information in criminal proceedings' ensures that anyone arrested or subject to a European Arrest Warrant in any EU Member State is given a Letter of Rights listing their basic rights during criminal proceedings. EU Member States now have 2 years to introduce the new rules in their national legal systems. Currently the right to a Letter of Rights is only available in around one third of Member States.
EU News: The Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) last week took note of the final report of the Ad Hoc Group on Nuclear Security (AHGNS) (10616/12). The disaster at the Fukushima power plant in Japan in March 2011 put the issue of nuclear safety & security at the top of the EU's agenda and triggered a series of meetings & events.
The European Council on 24-25 March (10/1/11, paragraph 31) concluded that the safety of all EU nuclear plants should be reviewed, on the basis of comprehensive and transparent risk & safety assessments.
