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EU Legislation, Initiatives, etc.
EU News: The European Commission has adopted an Action Plan to revitalise the marine & maritime economy in the Atlantic Ocean Area. The Action Plan follows from the Atlantic Strategy the Commission adopted in 2011.
It aims to show how the EU's Atlantic Member States, their regions and the Commission can help create sustainable growth in coastal regions and drive forward the ‘blue economy’, which has the potential to provide 7m jobs in Europe by 2020.
It aims to show how the EU's Atlantic Member States, their regions and the Commission can help create sustainable growth in coastal regions and drive forward the ‘blue economy’, which has the potential to provide 7m jobs in Europe by 2020.
EU News: The European Commission has carried out unannounced inspections at the premises of several companies active in & providing services to the crude oil, refined oil products and biofuels sectors. These inspections took place in 2 EU Member States and in 1 European Economic Area (EEA) Member State.
The Commission has concerns that ‘the companies may have colluded in reporting distorted prices to a Price Reporting Agency to manipulate the published prices for a number of oil and biofuel products’. Furthermore, the Commission has concerns that the companies may have prevented others from participating in the price assessment process, with a view to distorting published prices’. There is no legal deadline to complete inquiries into anti-competitive conduct.
ICO: An independent survey commissioned by the Information Commissioner’s Office has found a clear lack of understanding across business around the proposed EU data reforms.
That uncertainty extends to businesses’ estimated cost expenditure on meeting their data protection responsibilities under the any new law, bringing into question the data on costs found in existing evidence, for instance figures produced by the European Commission and Ministry of Justice.
That uncertainty extends to businesses’ estimated cost expenditure on meeting their data protection responsibilities under the any new law, bringing into question the data on costs found in existing evidence, for instance figures produced by the European Commission and Ministry of Justice.
EU News: The European Commission has launched its Emergency Response Centre (ERC), which will provide a better coordinated, faster & more efficient European response to disasters in Europe & the world. It will be operational on a 24/7 basis, capable of dealing with up to 3 simultaneous emergencies in different time zones.
EU News: The European Commission recently adopted 2 regulations to promote the roll-out of 'intelligent information services', such as real-time warnings about dangerous road conditions ahead and information on safe & secure parking places for truck drivers.
They can be provided through different means such as variable road signs, the radio and mobile phone applications. The Commission wants these information services to be interoperable & compatible across Europe, and available to as many drivers as possible along the trans-European road network.
They can be provided through different means such as variable road signs, the radio and mobile phone applications. The Commission wants these information services to be interoperable & compatible across Europe, and available to as many drivers as possible along the trans-European road network.
EA: Testing got underway of England’s bathing waters last week to improve water quality and protect England’s £3.6bn seaside tourist economy. As the official 2013 bathing season begins, the Environment Agency is asking local authorities, homeowners & farmers to do more to improve bathing waters across the country.
Last year’s results showed that 93% of England’s bathing waters met the current European water quality standards. But Environment Agency analysis suggests that 10% (around 55) of England’s beaches could be at risk of failing new, tighter standards that come into force in 2015.
EU News: Specifications for a new generation of digital tachographs for trucks & buses were agreed informally by Irish presidency & Parliament negotiators on last week. Innovations include devices that can read on-board recording devices from a distance, will make it easier to enforce driving and rest times.
Under the draft rules, smart tachographs would be fitted to new vehicles within 3 years once the Commission has set out the technical specifications, so to put an end to fraud & tampering and ensure that rules apply fairly & equally to all trucks over 3.5 tonnes on EU roads. Within 15 years, they would have to be fitted, or retrofitted, to all EU-registered trucks and buses in international transport.
EU News: A high level of health protection; the right to benefit from medical treatment; access to healthcare - preventive, diagnostic & curative treatment regardless of financial means, gender or nationality. These principles are enshrined in the European Union's Treaty and its Charter of Fundamental Rights and the EU institutions are bound to them in their actions.
With European Patients' Rights Day being celebrated last week (16 May 2013) the press release takes a look at the benefits to patients of being a citizen of the EU.
With European Patients' Rights Day being celebrated last week (16 May 2013) the press release takes a look at the benefits to patients of being a citizen of the EU.
Also from 25 October 2013, a National Contact Point in each Member State will provide information to patients on their rights to healthcare across Europe. Patients will have access to information on the quality & safety of the care they will receive in order to make informed decisions.
EU News: Prizes have been awarded to eHealth SMEs as part of eHealth Week 2013 in Dublin, Ireland. The UK-based winner in the ‘Champion category’ was UK Preventive Medicine for; The Prevention Plan - A Comprehensive Care Co-Production System – See ‘In the News’ section for more information
