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The report of Mario Draghi, first published in September 2024, states that competition policy must adapt to ensure greater focus on fostering innovation and restoring the EU's long-term competitiveness. Many of the ideas in this report have featured heavily in the mission letters sent by European commission President Ursula von der Leyen to Commissioners-designate. This panel of experts explores how concepts in the Draghi report may be incorporated into any future Commission guidelines and how the report will influence the new Commission's approach to competition enforcement. The panel also reflects on whether Europe's competition policy harms its competitiveness or whether it offers an avenue through which to boost Europe's competitiveness. This panel event is hosted in conjunction with the Economic Regulators Network (ERN). About the Speakers: Olivier Guersent is the Director-General of the Directorate General for Competition. He joined the European Commission in 1992 and was initially with the “Merger Task Force” in the Directorate-General for Competition. From 2010 to 2014, he was the head of the private office of Michel Barnier, Commissioner for Internal Market and Service. Having held the position of Deputy Director-General since July 2014, Olivier has been Director-General of the Directorate-General for Financial Stability, Financial Service and Capital Markets Union from September 2015 to December 2019. Brian McHugh was appointed Chair of the Irish NCA, the CCPC in August 2023, having previously served as a Member of the CCPC from 2017. Prior to his appointment to the CCPC, he spent 15 years in Northern Ireland's Utility Regulator, the body responsible for both regulating the gas, electricity and water utility industries in Northern Ireland. During his time at the Utility Regulator, Brian was Director of Gas and Director of Finance & Network Assets. Brian holds a BA in Economics from Trinity College, Dublin, and an MSc in Energy Economics from the University of Surrey. Professor Imelda Maher is the Sutherland Full Professor of European Law and Director of the UCD Dublin European Institute. She is a member of the Royal Irish Academy and has been Senior Vice President since 2023. She is an honorary bencher of Middle Temple London, and she serves on the Advisory Board of the Cambridge Centre for European Legal Studies, the Max Planck Institute of Innovation and Competition, Munich, and the Institute for Consumer Antitrust Studies, Loyola University, Chicago. Professor Maher was the first Irish woman to become President of the Society of Legal Scholars of the UK and Ireland (2016-2017), the largest scholarly society of common law lawyers in Europe and is a founding member of the European Law Institute, Vienna. Loretta O'Sullivan is the Chief Economist and Partner at EY Ireland. Loretta has been working in the economics field for almost 20 years in both the public and private sectors, on a wide range of Irish, European and global issues. She was previously the Chief Economist at Bank of Ireland and the Senior Economist in the Monetary Policy and International Relations Division at the Central Bank of Ireland. Loretta holds a PhD in Economics from Trinity College Dublin and an MA in Policy, Management and Government from the University of York.
In 2019, Thierry Breton, a French business executive who became the France's Minister of Finance from 2005 to 2007, was nominated by President Emmanuel Macron to become a member of the European Commission for the Internal Market. In that role his name and face were closely associated with Europe's push to regulate digital markets and the passage of legislation such as the Digital Services Act and the EU's AI Act. On Monday, September 16 - in a letter that called into question EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's governance - Breton resigned his post. While certain tech executives may be happy to see him go- Elon Musk posted “bon voyage” to the news - his departure spells change for Europe's approach to tech going forward. To learn more, Justin Hendrix reached out to a European journalist who is covering these matters closely, and who has been kind enough to share his reporting on the EU AI Act with Tech Policy Press in the past: MLex Senior AI Correspondent Luca Bertuzzi.
Drip by Drip: Unveiling Fashion's Thristy Truth Drip by Drip: Unveiling Fashion's Thirsty Truth – Episode 3: WILL LEGISLATION SAVE OUR WATER RESOURCES? In our third episode, Amira Jehia (co-founder of Drip by Drip) and Anna Cavazzini (Member of the EU Parliament) explore the complex relationship between fashion, water and government regulations on EU and country level. From CS3D (Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive), over the German Supply Chain Act to the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). The podcast explores how rocky the road to the CS3D actually was and on what basis legislation can play a crucial role in reducing the fashion industry's water footprint and curbing water pollution in textile production. Host: Amira Jehia: Co-Founder & Managing Director of Drip By Drip Guest: Anna Cavazzini: Green (Grüne) politician, Member of the European Parliament and Chair of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection. Anna Cavazzini: “Since 2019 I have been a member of BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN in the European Parliament and am fighting for a sustainable EU internal market and fair globalization - in other words for fair and sustainable economic structures inside and outside the EU. For years I supported our current parliamentary group leader Ska Keller as an employee in the European Parliament. In the Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) I then helped negotiate several UN processes and worked in New York in the cabinet of the President of the 70th UN General Assembly for the implementation of the SDGs, the sustainable development goals. And I have also fought for a fairer world on the civil society side: before entering the European Parliament, I worked as a human rights officer at ,Brot für die Welt' and at the campaign organization Campact.” https://www.annacavazzini.eu/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna.cavazzini/ X: https://x.com/anna_cavazzini Creative Production: Yared Abraham Audio Postproduction: Philipp Blömeke (Wardrobe Voices) Drip By Drip: DRIP BY DRIP IS THE WORLD'S FIRST NGO FULLY FOCUSSING ON TACKLING THE WATER ISSUES IN THE FASHION AND TEXTILE INDUSTRY. Website: www.dripbydrip.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/drip-by-drip/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dripbydripngo/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dripbydripngo Video Podcast: https://youtu.be/ebH2hcsFlvQ
The European Union formed in 1992 with the signing of the Maastricht Treaty in the city located at southern tip of the Netherlands. 12 counties initially joined the EU, and this has since grown to 27 member states. The European Union was once described as the “grand experiment.” Experiments are not without challenges… and setbacks. The exit of the United Kingdom—or Brexit—in 2020 was a major disappointment for the EU, but it has otherwise proven successful, albeit fragile and, in many respects, continues to strengthen as a unified citizen-led democracy. The last few years have been tough on the EU. Economic uncertainty, rising inflation, and high energy prices, largely linked to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, have left Europeans with a deepening sense of pessimism. In a survey of Europeans in the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer, only 20 percent agreed that they or their family will be better off in next five years. Trust in government is low and there is a deepening divide on critical issues. At the same time, the EU is the largest single market globally today. With a population approaching 450 million people and a GDP of €16 trillion, if it was a country, it would be the world's third largest (by both these metrics). The EU is ultimately a political and economic partnership, but it faces similar challenges to other economies. And these challenges are frequently compounded by the need to find consensus—and often compromise—among the 27 member states on very complex issues. No doubt, that is essentially how democracy works—it's difficult by design—but the EU government and member states do just that: They find consensus and compromises, and they legislate. A recent example is the Artificial Intelligence Act, the first-ever legal framework on AI, which was unanimously endorsed by all 27 member states. Our guest today is Karen Melchior. In 2019, Ms. Melchior became a Member of the European Parliament (MEP). Frustrated with the state of politics in both Denmark and the EU, she first ran for office in 2014 and was elected the following year to the Copenhagen City Council, where she served on the Social Committee and the Health and Care Committee. Ms. Melchior has worked as a diplomat for the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in data protection law and IT security at the Danish Agency for Labor Market and Recruitment. She holds an MA in Law and a Masters of Public Administration. As a MEP, Ms. Melchior serves on three committees: Legal Affairs, Women's Rights and Gender Equality, and Internal Market and Consumer Protection. She is also a member of Renew Europe, the third-largest political group in the European Parliament. In an online biography, Ms. Melchior said the following: “Political systems are created by people. They can also be changed by people. We cannot afford to let our frustrations grow to the point where they overshadow our capacity for action. Hate can be triggered as easily as hope. The society we have built, based on cooperation and freedom, is fragile. We need to fight every day to sustain it. We can achieve a lot if we dare to try! Let's roll up our sleeves, lift our gaze, and work together to create the kind of world we want.” Resources: About MEP Karen Melchior (European Commission) About MEP Karen MelchiorThe EU Artificial Intelligence ActCorporate Sustainability Due Diligence (European Commission)
Join us for an insightful discussion with Roman Arjona, Chief Economist at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs. We'll delve into the current state and future of Europe's Single Market, exploring how it compares to the US and the challenges it faces in a changing global trade landscape. Roman Arjona, also Vice-Chair of the OECD's Committee for Industry, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, brings his expertise to shed light on these critical issues.
"The lawyer should be on tap, but never on top. It's got to be the client's issue. It's got to be their fight, and you should be there ready for the advice, ready for putting the case, whatever it is"In this episode, Mark and Andrew welcome Hannah Blom-Cooper, a seasoned civil fraud lawyer and partner at Greenberg Traurig. Hannah provides a fascinating look into the world of litigation, the distinct roles of solicitors and barristers, and the intricacies of insolvency law. She shares her experiences in assembling legal teams under urgent conditions, navigating the heavy regulation in the legal profession, and balancing workloads within her team.Hannah also delves into the challenges of managing vulnerability and uncertainty in law firms, emphasizing the importance of trust and effective communication. Memorably, she introduces her 'Third in line for the Conga' metaphor for leadership and her unique insights into team dynamics.This episode captures the inner workings of legal teams and the skills required to thrive in a high-pressure environment.Pass it on resourcesIn this episode the following resources were mentioned, or recommended by Hannah:Malcolm Gladwell and Adam Grant discussing Hidden PotentialAdam Grant's Hidden Potential, The Science of Achieving Greater ThingsChapters00:00:00 Intro00:01:07 Role of Solicitors vs. Barristers00:04:18 Insolvency Law Overview00:06:55 Assembling a Team for Urgent Cases00:10:30 Building and Balancing Legal Teams00:15:06 Internal Market for Legal Resources00:19:02 Pricing and Capacity in Legal Cases00:22:24 Trust and Communication in Legal Teams00:27:24 Challenges of Litigation and Uncertainty00:30:56 Managing Vulnerability in Litigation Teams00:34:53 Team Communication Mechanisms00:38:32 Balancing Task Work and Team Development00:42:19 Hannah's Role and Leadership Style00:45:35 The Conga Metaphor in Leadership00:47:17 Seeking Feedback and Team Dynamics00:48:53 Deferential Behavior and Team Interactions00:50:06 Anticipating Needs and Team Cohesion00:50:32 Best Team Memory00:54:17 Team Red Flags: Mood Hoovers00:55:12 ConclusionThanks for listening!Music by Tom Farrington
In the latest RevDem Rule of Law podcast Oliver Garner discusses the substantive and constitutional tensions caused by the Court of Justice of the EU's internal market case-law with Dr Vilija Velyvyte. She is a Lecturer in Law at the University of Reading and was previously a Lecturer in EU Law and Constitutional Law at the University of Oxford. She is the author of Judicial Authority in EU Internal Market Law: Implications for the Balance of Competences and Powers (Hart Publishing, 2022).
Thierry Breton joined Friends of Europe for an event right after a special European Council and on the day hundreds of angry farmers drove their tractors to Brussels and paralysed most of the European Quarter. The European Commissioner for Internal Market spoke to Dharmendra Kanani, Friends of Europe's Chief Spokesperson, about the challenges of the internal market, the much anticipated Digital Network Act and, of course, European defence. In the end, Breton still had a message for the farmers. You can see the full conversation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGvjz_zM7tU&t=1476s
The European Parliament's Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection is championing a clear regulatory framework to spur metaverse development and make the EU a global leader in the nascent realm. On November 28, the committee adopted a “draft own-initiative report” on virtual worlds' opportunities, risks, and policy implications for the EU bloc, with 31 votes in favor, two against, and eight abstentions.~This episode is sponsored by Tangem~Tangem ➜ https://bit.ly/TangemPBNUse Code: "PBN" for Additional Discounts!00:00 Intro00:25 sponsor: Tangem Wallet01:07 EU MiCA Regulation & hearing recap01:34 Metaverse Hearing Recap04:04 EU vs US04:49 Improbable05:53 VOTE Passed06:20 NFT Regulation Next07:10 Blockchain Policy Summit08:36 Tom Emmer10:15 Digital Asset Project lifecycle11:08 VC applications leaving U.S.11:52 Ark sells Coinbase12:29 Coinbase receives subpoena related to ByBit12:58 CZ steps down as US board chairman13:54 Bullish on ethereum15:20 Outro#Crypto #bitcoin #ethereum~EU Metaverse Hearing✔️U.S. Crypto Regulation Soon?~⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺⎺Become a Diamond Circle Member FREE! ➜ https://bit.ly/PBDiamondCircleSubscribe on YouTube ✅ https://bit.ly/PBNYoutubeSubscribeFacebook
The European Union's Regulation on Foreign Subsidies Distorting the Internal Market is now in operation. What is happening in practice and how should companies prepare? Ulrich Soltész, partner at law firm Gleiss Lutz in Brussels, joins Matthew Hall and Derek Jackson to discuss the state of play under the FSR. Listen to this episode to learn more about the required notifications of certain mergers and public procurement procedures, ex officio investigations (including potentially into leading football/soccer teams), the substantive test, remedies, and the steps companies should be taking now to prepare. With special guest: Ulrich Soltész, Partner, Gleiss Lutz Related Links: European Commission website page for EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation Hosted by: Matthew Hall, Partner, McGuireWoods London LLP and Derek Jackson, Associate, Cohen & Gresser
Thierry Breton, the European Commissioner for the Internal Market, issued a stern warning to Elon Musk regarding the spread of illegal content and misinformation on X, formerly Twitter, about the Israel-Hamas conflict.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
The Digital Markets Act (DMA) is EU regulation that aims to create a safer, fairer and more transparent online environment. Last month the European Commission unveiled its list of online services designated as “gatekeepers”, under the DMA. Gatekeepers will now have six months to adapt to strict antitrust practices or face up to 20% global annual turnover fines. Ronan Spoke to Jeanne Kelly a technology lawyer and one of the founding partners of the first international office of Browne Jacobson in Dublin about this. Jeanne talks about her background, the DMA, and gatekeepers More about the DMA and gatekeepers: European Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, announced that the list of gatekeepers includes Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance (TikTok), Meta, and Microsoft. These companies must appoint a “DMA compliance officer, directly reporting to their board, and inform the Commission of any planned major acquisition”. The ‘Revolutionary' Digital Markets Act aims to allow more competition and let consumers delete preloaded phone apps. The “gatekeeper” designation concerns companies owning “core platform services” that control digital market access between corporate sellers and end-consumers in the digital space. The definition is wide and concerns search engines, social media, intermediation services or exploitation systems.
The European Union's Internal Market commissioner Thierry Breton has called on Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to take "immediate action" or face heavy fines after a report this week revealed Instagram to be the worst social network for child sexual abuse material.
Professor Robert Schütze of Durham University discusses his chapter “Limits to the Union's ‘Internal Market' Competence(s): Constitutional Comparisons,” published in the book “The Question of Competence in the European Union.” Professor Georg Kofler of Vienna University of Economics and Business provides commentary. UVA Law professor Ruth Mason and Oxford University professor Tsilly Dagan also discuss the work. This event was held as part of the “Tax Meets Non-Tax” Oxford-Virginia Legal Dialogs workshop series that builds bridges from tax to other kinds of scholarship. (University of Virginia School of Law, Feb. 10, 2023)
Earlier this month the EU passed a new law on common chargers that comes into effect by the end of 2024, requiring all mobile phones, tablets and cameras sold in the EU to be equipped with a USB Type-C charging port. From spring 2026, the obligation will extend to laptops. The new law, is part of a broader EU effort to reduce e-waste and to empower consumers to make more sustainable choices. Under the new rules, consumers will no longer need a different charger every time they purchase a new device, as they will be able to use one single charger for a whole range of small and medium-sized portable electronic devices. Regardless of their manufacturer, all new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, earbuds and laptops that are rechargeable via a wired cable, operating with a power delivery of up to 100 Watts, will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C port. Alex Agius Saliba, the Maltese EU lawmaker who steered the common charger bill through the EU assembly talks to Ronan about this new law and why it was badly needed. More about Alex Agius Saliba: Alex is a Maltese politician who was elected as a Member of the European Parliament in 2019 on behalf of the Labour Party. Alex has been serving on the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, the Committee on Petitions as Coordinator and the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs.
To keep a level playing field among EU member countries, subsidies granted by those countries to companies engaged in competition in the EU are subject to the EU's state aid rules. But what about subsidies granted by non-EU countries which may impact the EU single market? Andreas Reindl, a partner at Van Bael & Bellis in Brussels, joins Alicia Downey and Matthew Hall to discuss the EU's new Regulation on foreign subsidies distorting the internal market, which authorizes the European Commission to investigate and issue orders to remediate the adverse effects of such foreign subsidies. Listen to this episode to learn more about this new Regulation and its implications for companies making acquisitions or involved in public tenders in the EU. With special guest: Andreas Reindl, Partner, Van Bael & Bellis Related Links: Proposed text of EU Regulation on Foreign Subsidies 13 July 2022 European Council press release 30 June 2022 Hosted by: Alicia Downey, Downey Law LLC and Matthew Hall, McGuireWoods London LLP
The European Parliament and Council are currently negotiating the Artificial Intelligence Act, which introduces common regulatory and legal framework for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in all domains except the military. However, the negotiations pose several challenges for legislators. How should the risk categories be established? Do they take into account unintended impacts of AI? What divergences between public and private sectors could emerge, and how can they be adressed? And how is the AI Act going to help protecting fundamental rights and values? We will answer these questions with Maria-Manuel Leitão-Marques, MEP from Portugal, who is the Vice-Chair of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection and a member of the OECD Parliamentary Group on AI; and Ilina Georgieva, research scientist working on AI, cyber regulation and cyber norms at the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), an independent research organisation. This podcast is second in the 2022 series on Artificial intelligence, brought to you by the OECD's Global Parliamentary Network and the European Parliament's Panel for the Future of Science and Technology, also known as STOA. Guests: Maria-Manuel Leitão-Marques, Ilina Georgieva Host: Christopher Mooney To learn more about Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research, go to https://www.tno.nl/en/ To learn more about the EU Parliament's Panel for the Future of Science and Technology's work on AI, go to: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/stoa/en/home/highlights To learn more about the OECD Global Parliamentary Network, go to: https://www.oecd.org/parliamentarians/ To learn more about the OECD's work on AI, go to: oecd.ai
Mindtree and LTI, Mumbai-listed IT services companies that are part of the Larsen & Toubro group, are in advanced merger talks, according to Bloomberg and Economic Times. A merger plan may be announced as early as next week, Bloomberg reported on April 18. The companies have already been teaming up on larger contracts, Economic Times reported yesterday, citing Mindtree CEO Debashis Chatterjee. A merger would narrow the gap between the combined entity and Tech Mahindra, India's fifth-biggest IT services company, by revenue. By market value, the combined entity would surpass Tech Mahindra, at current share prices. Meanwhile, Makers Lab, the research and development arm of Tech Mahindra, has set up a Quantum Center of Excellence, called QNxt, in Helsinki, the company said in a press release. The centre will accelerate the adoption and commercialisation of quantum technologies globally. The European Union is a step closer to mandating USB Type-C chargers across electronic devices, which will be a blow to Apple, which continues to require its proprietary lightning charger for its iPhones and iPads. On Wednesday, the EU's Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee adopted its position on the revised Radio Equipment Directive with 43 votes in favour and two against, according to a press release from the European Parliament. The EU wants to have a strategy by the end of 2026 that allows for minimum interoperability of any new charging solutions. Brave Software has released a new feature on the Brave browser, called Discussions, which will surface results from forums like Reddit, the company said in a blogpost yesterday. To find discussions, just search for what you want using Brave Search. Ashwin Damera, Founder and CEO of Eruditus and Emeritus has invested Rs. 240 crore ($32 Million) in venture debt finance company, InnoVen Capital India Fund. The investment was made through Ashwin's family office which is co-managed by Ashwin and his wife Bhagyashree Damera. Loop, a Pune-based healthcare and insurance startup has raised $25 million in a Series B round co-led by General Catalyst and Elevation Capital, the company said in a press release. Lightspeed has elevated three executives to the role of partner, on its early-stage investment advisory team, the VC firm said in a blog post on April 19. The three are Shuvi Shrivastava, who joined the firm as an associate in 2015, Pinn Lawjindakul, and Rahul Taneja, who both joined in 2020. Shuvi was responsible for Lightspeed's investments in startups such as Darwinbox, Uni, Pixxel, Rattle, Bhanzu, and xFlow. Pinn helped expand Lightspeed's operations in southeast Asia and Rahul Taneja was chief business officer before being named partner, according to the post. Theme music courtesy Free Music & Sounds: https://soundcloud.com/freemusicandsounds
Covid-19 har orsakat störningar i de globala värdekedjorna och lett till brist på viktiga varor i Europa. Kerstin Jorna, generaldirektör vid EU-kommissionen, presenterar EU:s strategi för att möta dessa utmaningar. Kommentarer från professor emeritus Harry Flam och Jan-Olof Jacke, vd, Svenskt Näringsliv. Medverkande Harry Flam, professor emeritus, vid Institutet för internationell ekonomi (IIES) vid Stockholms universitet, och senior rådgivare till Sieps Jan-Olof Jacke, vd, Svenskt Näringsliv Kerstin Jorna, generaldirektör, Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium Enterprises (GROW) vid Europeiska kommissionen. Seminariet sker på engelska och leds av Ilinca Benson, vice vd, SNS.
What are the tensions between open trade and regulatory divergence in the UK's approach to its internal market? The Constitution Committee recently released a report on the Internal Market, and in this podcast the Deputy Convener Donald Cameron MSP was joined by Professor Michael Keating, and Dr Chris McCorkindale to discuss some of the key themes in the report. You can find out more about the Committee's work by visiting their webpage, or by reading their report "UK Internal Market Inquiry" on the Parliament's website.
Professor Dimitry Kochenov (Central European University) gave a lunchtime seminar entitled "Enforcing Passport Apartheid through EU Law: From Internal Market to the Polish Border" on 23 February 2022 at the Faculty of Law as a guest of CELS (the Centre for European Legal Studies). Biography: Dimitry Kochenov leads the Rule of Law Research Group at the Central European University Democracy Institute in Budapest and is Professor of Global Citizenship and Values at the CEU Department of Legal Studies in Vienna. He is also visiting professor of citizenship and the rule of law at LUISS Guido Carli in Rome. Prof. Kochenov taught different aspects of citizenship, constitutional and EU law worldwide, including at Princeton, Oxford, Groningen, Turin and Osaka and published widely on these issues. His most recent book (Citizenship, MIT Press 2019) has been translated into several languages and reviewed in The New York Review of Books. Dimitry consults governments and international organizations on the matters of his academic interest and served as the founding chairman of the Investment Migration Council (Geneva). Abstract: The European Union is a clear-cut example of the passport apartheid in action, where blood-based statuses of attachment to public authority distributed at birth (citizenships), which predetermine the course of life of all of us to a great degree are taken particularly seriously. The contribution will elaborate on this starting point using two examples showcasing the EU law-based aspects of this global system of injustice: the near complete exclusion of non-EU citizens from the fundamental freedoms in the EU and the pro-active stance of the Union and the Member States in ensuring that the right to seek asylum in the EU is turned into an unworkable proclamation. The two examples will allow enriching a general sketch of what passport apartheid is and which role is played by it in the contemporary world elaborated by Prof. Kochenov in the I-CON with a focus at the global level: https://academic.oup.com/icon/article/18/4/1525/6169921. The analysis of the two examples suggests that the EU is a deeply atypical constitutional system in that it assumes that the core of its law should not apply to those who 'do not belong' by default, including, largely, the idea of the Union's very existence as a territory of directly enforceable supranational rights. This starting position fetishising the personal status of legal attachment to the Union makes the European integration project the best case study for passport apartheid in the world, since all the other legal systems are never as explicit in excluding the foreigners from the most essential rights by default. The atypical nature of the Union on this count is significantly undertheorized and this paper aims to start bridging the gap between the reality of EU law and the numerous proclamations about the Union's equitable value-laden nature. For more information see: https://www.cels.law.cam.ac.uk/weekly-seminar-series
Professor Dimitry Kochenov (Central European University) gave a lunchtime seminar entitled "Enforcing Passport Apartheid through EU Law: From Internal Market to the Polish Border" on 23 February 2022 at the Faculty of Law as a guest of CELS (the Centre for European Legal Studies). Biography: Dimitry Kochenov leads the Rule of Law Research Group at the Central European University Democracy Institute in Budapest and is Professor of Global Citizenship and Values at the CEU Department of Legal Studies in Vienna. He is also visiting professor of citizenship and the rule of law at LUISS Guido Carli in Rome. Prof. Kochenov taught different aspects of citizenship, constitutional and EU law worldwide, including at Princeton, Oxford, Groningen, Turin and Osaka and published widely on these issues. His most recent book (Citizenship, MIT Press 2019) has been translated into several languages and reviewed in The New York Review of Books. Dimitry consults governments and international organizations on the matters of his academic interest and served as the founding chairman of the Investment Migration Council (Geneva). Abstract: The European Union is a clear-cut example of the passport apartheid in action, where blood-based statuses of attachment to public authority distributed at birth (citizenships), which predetermine the course of life of all of us to a great degree are taken particularly seriously. The contribution will elaborate on this starting point using two examples showcasing the EU law-based aspects of this global system of injustice: the near complete exclusion of non-EU citizens from the fundamental freedoms in the EU and the pro-active stance of the Union and the Member States in ensuring that the right to seek asylum in the EU is turned into an unworkable proclamation. The two examples will allow enriching a general sketch of what passport apartheid is and which role is played by it in the contemporary world elaborated by Prof. Kochenov in the I-CON with a focus at the global level: https://academic.oup.com/icon/article/18/4/1525/6169921. The analysis of the two examples suggests that the EU is a deeply atypical constitutional system in that it assumes that the core of its law should not apply to those who 'do not belong' by default, including, largely, the idea of the Union's very existence as a territory of directly enforceable supranational rights. This starting position fetishising the personal status of legal attachment to the Union makes the European integration project the best case study for passport apartheid in the world, since all the other legal systems are never as explicit in excluding the foreigners from the most essential rights by default. The atypical nature of the Union on this count is significantly undertheorized and this paper aims to start bridging the gap between the reality of EU law and the numerous proclamations about the Union's equitable value-laden nature. For more information see: https://www.cels.law.cam.ac.uk/weekly-seminar-series
Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for the Internal Market, discusses the Covid-19 vaccine, its distribution and supply, and other issues crucial to the future growth of the economic bloc.
The Conference on the Future of Europe is a joint undertaking by the European Parliament, Commission and Council which aims to open a new space for debate and engagement with citizens from all corners of Europe on the future of the EU and incorporate their views on key economic, environmental and geopolitical issues into EU policymaking and strategy. This webinar explores the role of the European Parliament and of national parliaments like the Oireachtas in shaping Europe's future, and what it may mean for Ireland and the EU. This event is part of a series co-organised with the European Parliament Liaison Office in Dublin ahead of the European Citizens' Panel. About the Speakers: Guy Verhofstadt has served as an MEP since 2009, and is a former Belgian Prime Minister and a former president of the Alliance of Liberal Democrats for Europe group (ALDE) in the European Parliament. He is a member of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) and the Delegation for relations with the United States, and was the chair of the European Parliament's Brexit Steering Group. Deirdre Clune is an MEP representing Ireland South for Fine Gael and currently serves on the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO), as well as the Delegations for relations with the countries of Central America (DCAM) and to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (DLAT). Before joining the European Parliament, she served as Lord Mayor of Cork, T.D. for Cork South-Central and a Senator for the Cultural and Educational Panel. Senator Alice-Mary Higgins was elected as an Independent on the NUI panel in 2016 to Seanad Éireann, and re-elected in 2020, where she leads the Civil Engagement Group, and is a member of the Committees on Environment and Climate Action, Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, and on Disability Matters. Before her election to the Seanad, she was policy coordinator at the National Women's Council of Ireland, a member of the Executive of the European Women's Lobby in Brussels, and has worked for NGOs including the Older and Bolder alliance, Trócaire and Comhlámh on homecare, climate change, peace-building and anti-racism. Jane Suiter is a Professor in the School of Communications at Dublin City University (DCU), Director fo the DCU Institute for Future Media, Democracy and Society, and is an expert on the information environment in the public sphere, scaling up deliberation and tackling disinformation. She is the senior Research Fellow on the Irish Citizens' Assembly on gender equality, a founding member of We the Citizens, Ireland's first deliberative experiment and a member of the Stewarding Group on the Scottish Citizens' Assembly and of the OECD's FutureDemocracy network. Professor Suiter was named the Irish Research Council's Researcher of the Year in 2020.
How are we staying safe, secure, and innovative in the era of digital-everything? The urgent need to democratize technology is creating an equally critical need to ensure we protect technology users.Up next on Blazing Trails, please enjoy this conversation from Dreamforce 2021 featuring U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton. They discuss the role of policy in helping secure our communications and technology and how they are both striking the careful balance between improving consumer trust in data safety while still implementing new technologies.
For subsidiaries of U.S. companies looking to establish and/or grow their presence in an EU Member State and are perhaps seeking financial assistance from one of the Member States, it's important to be aware of the European Union's regulation of State aid. What is State aid and how does it impact U.S. companies with subsidiaries in the European Union, including France? We're discussing the latest updates to EU State aid and discussing these controls vis-à-vis COVID-19. Joining the podcast is Jacques Derenne, the Co-Leader of Sheppard Mullin's Antitrust and Competition Group and the head of the EU Competition & Regulatory practice at Sheppard Mullin's Brussels office. He is a member of the Brussels and Paris bars. He is also a Professor at the University of Liège and at the Brussels School of Competition. The co-hosts for this episode are Valérie Demont and Sarah Ben-Moussa. Valérie Demont is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group in Sheppard Mullin's New York Office and the Co-Chair of Sheppard Mullin's French Desk. Valérie focuses her practice primarily on U.S. and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and securities offerings and corporate governance matters. She has been involved in numerous mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and dispositions for corporations and private equity funds in the U.S., Europe and Asia (including India). In particular, she routinely advises foreign companies with the establishment and growth of their operations in the United States. Sarah Ben-Moussa is an associate in the Corporate Practice Group in Sheppard Mullin's New York office and is a member of the firm's Energy, Infrastructure and Project Finance team. Sarah focuses her practice on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, financings and corporate governance matters. As a member of the firm's French Desk, she has advised companies and private equity funds in both the United States and Europe on mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, financings, complex commercial agreements, and general corporate matters. What We Discussed in This Episode: What is European Union (EU) State aid and why does it exist? What are the cumulative criteria that must exist to justify the existence of a State aid? What is the process of seeking State aid approval from the European Commission? Can a U.S. company with a foreign subsidiary benefit from State aid? If a French business wanted to set up a company in the U.S., can they apply and receive assistance from the French government? If so, how? Is any COVID-19 financial assistance to companies considered State aid? Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, what guidelines did the European Commission provide regarding the issuance of State aid? How are block exemption regulations allowing companies to avoid the State aid prior notification requirement? What can companies learn from State aid-related litigation in the airline industry? How the proposed EU regulation on the control of foreign subsidies is likely to impact non-EU companies, such as U.S. companies, investing in the EU? Resource: The European Commission Adopts a Proposal for a Regulation on Foreign Subsidies Distorting the Internal Market, by Jacques Derenne Contact Information: Jacques Derenne - https://www.sheppardmullin.com/jderenne Sheppard Mullin French Desk: www.sheppardfrenchdesk.com Co-Chair - Valérie Demont – https://www.sheppardmullin.com/vdemont Co-Chair - Christine Hoefliger Hourcade - https://www.sheppardmullin.com/choefliger Sarah Ben-Moussa - https://www.sheppardmullin.com/sbenmoussa Thank you for listening! Don't forget to FOLLOW to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player. If you enjoyed this episode, please help us get the word out about this podcast. You can listen in Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher Radio, Google Podcasts, or Spotify. Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns: LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Sheppard Mullin French Desk website This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matter, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.
James is a Malta Advocate and a Solicitor of the Senior Court of England and Wales. He has practiced law in the UK and Malta both in private practice and as in house counsel. James provides advice mainly to the Gaming, Financial Services, Real Estate and Hospitality industries. His areas of expertise are: government relations, gambling regulation, devising strategic commercial solutions within a regulated environment, IPR licensing, sport sponsorship, brand development and protection, mergers and acquisitions, international corporate and tax structuring, joint ventures, crowd funding and European Union law, especially in so far as the Internal Market is concerned. He has also acted on the financing of corporate deals with underlying investments in real estate and the trade financing of businesses in the UK. James has held the position of Chief of Regulatory and Corporate Affairs with the Betclic Group as well as having been General Counsel of Betclic and Expekt, two of the Betclic Group's brands. Prior to that he was a foreign lawyer and then a solicitor with London firm Jeffrey Green Russell's (now Gordon Dadds) Company and Commercial team. James is ranked as one of the leading gaming & gambling lawyers globally by Chambers & Partners. He is also listed by The International Financial Law Review as a highly regarded lawyer and by Who's Who Legal in the Sports & Entertainment Category. James is a lecturer in gaming law at the University of Malta and he speaks English, Maltese, Italian and French.
In this episode, our special guest Professor Stephen Weatherill, Professor of European Law, University of Oxford speaks to host Anand Menon. They discuss the UK's Internal Market, why Stephen think it's divisive and divided, and whether lawyers should have done a better job in explaining to the public during the Brexit debate. And, of course, they talk European Super League.
Many countries and states are considering vaccine passports that would show proof of COVID-19 vaccination in order to enter certain places and do certain things. While the idea has merit, there are many ethical, legal and social concerns. In this podcast, Dr. Eeks chats with Dimitry Kochenov, "The Passport Professor", about concerns over vaccine passports, including privacy issues; the further stigmatization of marginalized communities; the "immunoprivileged"; what we know and don't know about the science of the vaccines; the potential for the politicalization of vaccines; who will enforce vaccine passports; and personal liberties vs government mandates. Dimitry Kochenov leads the Rule of Law research group at CEU Democracy Institute in Budapest and teaches Global Citizenship at CEU Legal Studies department in Vienna. He's an author, having written the book Citizenship and several scholarly papers, and has been a researcher or professor at numerous universities, including Oxford, Princeton and NYU. He's written or co-authored several papers on vaccine passports, including this one and his latest, The Commission against the Internal Market and EU Citizens Rights: Trying to Shoot down Sputnik with the 'Digital Green Certificate." Follow Dr. Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or TwitterOr YoutubeSubcribe to her Newsletter here!
When we leave the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy in January, the way farmers are paid will change. Agriculture is devolved, and the 4 nations each have a different approach to what comes next. In this programme, we hear from the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy, Fergus Ewing. We also hear how the divergent agricultural policies could impact the UK's internal market. This week the first Chair of the new Office for Environmental Protection was announced as Dame Glenys Stacey. Once it's up and running, the OEP will effectively replace the European Commission in overseeing compliance with environmental law and holding the Government to account. While the Government insists it will be a strong and independent body, critics have described it as a ‘toothless regulator’. And we get the latest news on brassicas - from cauliflowers to the sprouts. Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons
Tony Connelly, Europe Editor, reports that as talks between the EU and the UK continue in a final push to agree a trade deal, the UK may be willing to make changes to the Internal Market and Finance Bills.
Tony Connelly, Europe Editor, reports that as talks between the EU and the UK continue in a final push to agree a trade deal, the UK may be willing to make changes to the Internal Market and Finance Bills.
Yes Group Spotlight is delighted to showcase yet another excellent zoom meeting this week discussing the Internal Market bill with SNP MP Drew Hendry
This week we're following some of the debate around the rogue state's Internal Market bill, and closer to home we have a very special haircut and a quick view from the bridge. Enjoy!
This is an audio recording of an IfG Live Event Leaving the EU means the governments of the UK have new freedoms to set standards in areas which have been subject to European rules, including the environment. Such freedom could enable the UK to meet its goal of delivering global leadership on the environment and improve standards (as several governments in the UK have expressed their intention to do) but does not prevent a move toward deregulation or the lowering of standards in pursuits of other policy goals.The UK government introduced the UK Internal Market Bill to manage trade between the four countries of the UK from the end of transition which has sparked controversy for a number of reasons. The bill has sparked controversy for a number of reasons, including concerns from the devolved governments that the proposals will infringe on existing devolution settlements and threaten to stall - or even undermine - their development of ambitious standards and regulation.How can the integrity of the UK internal market be balanced with the governments' environmental objectives? What would a regime that promotes a race to the top look like? How would that be reconciled with the UK government's ambitions to do trade deals around the world?To discuss the role of the environment in the internal market, our panel included:Martin Harper, Director of Global Conservation at the RSPBDr Viviane Gravey, Lecturer at Queen's University BelfastDr Emily Lydgate, Senior Lecturer in environmental law at the University of SussexGail Soutar, Chief Adviser on EU Exit and International Trade at the National Farmers' UnionThe event was chaired by Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.#IfGBrexit This event was kindly supported by Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
In this episode, we're joined by Jeremy Miles MS, Brexit Minister and Counsel General for the Welsh Government, to discuss the UK Government's contentious Internal Market Bill. Jeremy puts forward the Welsh Government's case that the bill is as damaging to relations with the other governments of the UK as it has been with international governments and describes how Welsh Government thinks the bill could be revised to provide a better, more equal union. You can find Jeremy on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/wg_CounselGen Welsh Government's response the IMB here: https://gov.wales/finance-ministers-express-real-concerns-over-uk-internal-market-bill And the excellent Senedd Research piece on the bill here: https://seneddresearch.blog/2020/09/24/the-devolution-debate-at-the-heart-of-the-uk-internal-market-bill/ And, of course, us: https://twitter.com/HiraethBlog If you're enjoying Hiraeth, please like and subscribe in your podcast player of choice to receive the next episode automatically.
Asian equity markets were mixed with participants indecisive as focus centred on the Presidential DebateInitial gains in US equity futures were pared as the debate descended into chaos and Trump suggested that a contested election could last for monthsThe UK House of Commons approved the Internal Market bill as expected with a majority of 84 to send it to House of LordsA German EU Presidency spokesperson remarked that “a delay of the EU budget and the recovery fund is becoming increasingly...
RTÉ Europe Editor Tony Connelly, London Correspondent Seán Whelan and Deputy Foreign Editor Colm Ó Mongáin analyse the week in which the UK unveiled a law to break international law and the ructions that ensued.
This week we talk about the politics of incompetence: when does it matter and when can politicians get away with it. Have repeated u-turns during the pandemic damaged the government? Has Nicola Sturgeon had a better crisis than Boris Johnson or is it just competence theatre? Is the government's incompetence going to be enough to get Keir Starmer into Downing Street? With Helen Thompson, Chris Brooke and Chris Bickerton.Talking Points:Competence: does it matter? What kinds of incompetence are likely to do this government the most harm?There have been a lot of u-turns in the policy and rules around COVID.Are these u-turns or is the government improvising in an unprecedented situation?The u-turns that do the most harm are those that are seen as a breach of trust.The important context for u-turns in British politics is Margaret Thatcher’s 1980 speech to the Conservative Party Conference.Her predecessor, Ted Heath, did not stick to the manifesto line in government.She actually was making a u-turn in macroeconomic policy, but she had concluded that voters saw pragmatic chopping and changing as incompetence.The difficulty for Johnson is that there’s a general perception that the government isn’t entirely on top of things. The competence issue comes back to the surface.The internal market bill is being published and it will apparently renege on some aspects of the withdrawal act.Being perceived as seeing yourself above international law is a risk for any government.In the context of Brexit, this is the consequence of how boxed in the Johnson government was when it came into power.COVID has revealed big differences between Westminster and the devolved governments.Sturgeon in particular has pitched her government as more competent than the Johnson government.Critics of the SNP say that this is theatre. But the handling of the pandemic may well feed into the SNP’s pitch heading into what appears to be an increasingly imminent referendum, which they are increasingly confident of winning.But it’s not just the pandemic; it’s also the whole Brexit process.Can Starmer use competence as a lever? Can you win power through competence?The opposition is not in a great place to set the agenda. A number of very important decisions will be made in the next year or so that change the political situation.Don’t underestimate the power of the Conservatives to replace Johnson.Many of Johnson’s ministers are creatures of his politics.What’s interesting about Sunak is that he doesn’t quite fit that template.Mentioned in this Episode:Margaret Thatcher’s 1980 speech to the Conservative Party Conference (‘the lady’s not for turning’)Scottish support for independence rises in the pandemicWho is Boris Johnson?Further Learning: More on the Internal Market BillThe Guardian’s view on the Internal Market... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
As policymakers turn their attention to the economic recovery post-COVID, there is a risk that investments in a green recovery may be side-lined.The European Commission maintains that the recovery and future growth of the EU must be sustainable. Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, insisted that the new Recovery and Resilience Facility, comprising up to €310 billion in grants, will be awarded to those Member States investing in public projects facilitating the green and digital transitions.An informal alliance has been launched in the European Parliament on the back of calls from 12 EU environment ministers who have signed an appeal for a green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Ministers appealed for the European Green Deal to be placed at the heart of the EU’s post-pandemic recovery plan. Signatories come from across the political spectrum and also bring together industry CEOs, civil society groups, business associations, trade unions, and think-tanks.MEP Pascal Canfin remarked: “There will be a before and after COVID-19 crisis. We are choosing to accelerate the ecological transition when the time comes to reinvest in the economy.”
At a formative moment in the negotiations on the future relationship between the EU and the UK, Michel Barnier addresses the IIEA on the state of play, the obstacles on the road to an agreement, and the key issues that will shape the relationship in the years to come. This event is co-organised with the European Commission Representation in Ireland. About the Speaker: Michel Barnier is the European Commission's Head of Task Force for Relations with the United Kingdom. He was previously the head of the Commission's Article 50 Taskforce, charged with negotiating the UK's withdrawal from the European Union. In a long career in European and domestic politics, Mr Barnier has served in many roles, including as Minister of European Affairs of France; Minister of Foreign Affairs of France; European Commissioner and Vice-President in charge of Internal Market and Services; and European Commissioner for Regional Policy and the Reform of European Institutions.
On today's programme, Sybil Ruscoe asks whether we're heading for constitutional problems over agricultural trade within the UK after Brexit. She talks to a professor of politics from Aberdeen University. Continuing a week-long look at the poultry sector, we visit a large-scale broiler unit in South Gloucestershire, and find out how the relationship between animal welfare standards and retail pricing works. Could unwanted fleece from shearing sheep find a new use for gardeners? We find out. Presenter by Sybil Ruscoe and produced by Emma Campbell for BBC Audio in Bristol.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, Thierry Breton, the European Commissioner for the Internal Market and former French finance minister, reacted to the rescue deal reached on April 9 between EU finance ministers in response to the coronavirus pandemic. He was speaking after a week which has turned into a psychodrama for the European Union, with an interminable Eurogroup meeting, worrying growth figures and a clear need for recovery.
With G. J. Koopman, Director General Budget Gert Koopman presents the Commission proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework. He explains how it builds on EU successes (innovation, Erasmus that ensures young people and others do get to “experience Europe”) and brings about structural changes in defence, neighbourhood policy and development aid, for example. The priorities go to the areas of greatest EU added value, where Member States will find synergies and economies of scale as opposed to 27/28 national policies. G. Koopman argues that expenditures when centrally managed can ensure a responsible and efficient management (migration for example). He also broaches the all-important difference between budgetary flows (“juste retour”) and the economic benefits generated by the Internal Market. Listen and find out more on this key document for the seven years to come. Background: http://ec.europa.eu/budget/mff/index2021-2027_en.cfm https://ec.europa.eu/commission/future-europe/eu-budget-future_en
En diálogo con Mario Caira, el portavoz de la Cámara Argentina de la Mediana Empresa (C.A.M.E.), hace un balance del muy mal año que fue para el Sector, 2018, y vislumbra con pesar que 2019 seguirá la misma tendencia. Pone el foco en el derrumbe del Consumo en el Mercado Interno, y en la gran Carga Impositiva que sufre todo emprendedor que invierte su Capital en éste país. Desgarrador relato de lo que sufren quienes generan trabajo genuino para no tener que cerrar sus emprendimientos. Seguinos en nuestras redes: TWITTER , FACEBOOK e INSTAGRAM . ENGLISH In dialogue with Mario Caira, the spokesman of the Argentine Chamber of Medium-sized Enterprises (C.A.M.E.), takes stock of the very bad year that was for the Sector, 2018, and glimpses with regret that 2019 will follow the same trend. It puts the focus on the collapse of Consumption in the Internal Market, and on the large Tax Burden that every entrepreneur who invests his Capital in this country suffers. Heartbreaking story of what suffer those who generate genuine work to avoid having to close their ventures. Follow us in our networks: TWITTER, FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM.
Bruegel senior fellow J. Scott Marcus joins Sean Gibson for this episode of Deep Focus on the 'The Sound of Economics', elaborating on a Bruegel study for the European Parliament into the progress made with the Commission's Digital Single Market Strategy since 2015. In a study for the European Parliament, Bruegel senior fellow J. Scott Marcus (together with co-authors Georgios Petropoulos and Timothy Yeung) has reviewed the gains delivered so far by these new measures, insofar as they can yet be determined. The authors also look at what the next legislative term might deliver, what realistic progress can be expected and what business remains unfinished regarding measures implemented by the current Commission. Speaking to Bruegel press officer Sean Gibson in this episode of the Deep Focus podcast series, Scott Marcus specifies some of the real achievements that the DSM can - and, indeed, has begun to - deliver for both consumers and producers. More broadly, the DSM is put in the context of efforts to digitise European society, specifically how well policies towards the former are keeping pace with the latter. We invite you to review [the research paper in question](http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2019/631044/IPOL_STU(2019)631044_EN.pdf) in this episode, but also recommend consulting [Scott Marcus' testimony before the European Parliament Committee](http://bruegel.org/2018/07/economic-benefits-of-the-digital-single-market/) on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO).
The first session of the Security Summit hosted by Friends of Europe on 20 September focused on the role of the European Union within a security landscape currently undergoing significant global change. As new threats require new capabilities, defence strategies may incorporate recent technological developments to adapt to the shifting nature of modern warfare. Speakers included Lowri Evans (European Commission Director-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs); Edvinas Kerza (Lithuanian Vice Minister of Defence); Frank Sauer (Senior Research Fellow and Lecturer at Bundeswehr University Munich) and Mary Wareham (Global Coordinator of the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots). The panel discussion was moderated by Jamie Shea, Senior Fellow at Friends of Europe and Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges at NATO (2010-2018).
Friends of Europe’s conversation on ‘women power’, looked at empowering women to take more of an active and leading role in business. The event was held on the 22 May as a part of the Young Mediterranean Voices & EYL40 Young Leaders event. Speakers included Yostina Boules (Founder of Taqa Solutions and MENA Young Leader (EYL40)); Ulla Engelmann (Head of Unit Clusters, Social Economy and Entrepreneurship at the European Commission directorate general for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs); Assita Kanko (Author, politician & founder of #Polin, the political incubator); and Silvana Koch-Mehrin (President and Founder of the Women Political Leaders Global Forum (WPL)). The conversation was moderated by Shada Islam, Director of Europe and Geopolitics at Friends of Europe.
The "internal market" was created after the 1987 UK general election focused attention on inadequate funding in the NHS, long waiting lists for elective surgery, and large unwarranted variations in clinical care. Economists attributed these problems to a lack of incentives for efficiency, and the remedies offered included increasing competition in the NHS. Twenty nine years later, this interesting experiment is not likely to have been worth it, says Alan Maynard, professor emeritus of health economics at the University of York. But Michael Dixon, a GP and commissioner in Devon, says that if properly funded and liberated from some of the administrative burdens of "red tape," the internal market could increase accountability. Read their full debate: http://www.bmj.com/content/354/bmj.i3825
Space security is an increasingly important issue, and one that has taken on new meaning in recent years with increased concerns about protecting space capabilities from both intentional and environmental threats. On April 14, 2016, the Secure World Foundation hosted an invite-only luncheon panel discussion at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado, as part of the 32nd Annual Space Symposium, to discuss the current state of space security using the lens of existing norms of behavior, concerns about the resiliency of space assets, and changing attitudes about space protection. For further information and speaker presentations, please visit the event page on the SWF website. Speakers Mr. Pierre Delsaux, Deputy Director General at the European Commission Directorate General for the Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SME’s Mr. Erik Eliasen, Vice President at National Security Space Programs Lt. Col. Mike Hellmann, Assistant Branch Chief of Strategic Planning and Concepts within the German MOD Lt. General Eduardo Peña Merino, General de Aviación, Comandante del Comando de Combate, of the Chilean Air Force Moderator: Dr. Michael Simpson, SWF Executive Director.
http://fsr.eui.eu Andris Piebalgs is Adviser to the President of Latvia and former Commissioner for Energy (Barroso I) and for Development (Barroso II). In this interview Andris Piebalgs gives his perspectives on upgrading and achieving the internal market, and the “fourth package”. “That was always the spirit, that you really had this ability to buy electricity where it is cheaper” “So it means ,2004, ten years and we are back to here, but it is not to square one, now it is not you (Jean-Michel) saying this, now the Commission is saying this, and that is good news”
NUAIR becomes the fifth FAA UAS test site to receive a COA, DJI introduces a new model, regulations in the EU and Singapore, North Dakota and Yellowstone in the news, businesses embrace UAVs in Charlotte, and how long until we see deliveries by drone. News NUAIR Cleared to Begin First Flights of Unmanned Aircraft Systems The Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance (NUAIR Alliance) and Griffiss International Airport announced the receipt of their first Certificate of Authorization (COA) by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). From the press release: “The approval of this application clears the way to begin testing of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in New York under the FAA-designated Griffiss International Airport UAS Test Site… Before the first test flights can start, the NUAIR Alliance team will establish an independent safety review board to collect additional information and create a flight plan... Once that process is finished, the NUAIR Alliance-Griffiss team will coordinate a series of test flights on behalf of Cornell Cooperative Extension.” “The COA allows Cornell Cooperative Extension to fly a UAS manufactured by PrecisionHawk below 400 feet over a farm in western New York. Currently, PrecisionHawk works with clients on a global scale across a variety of industries including agriculture, insurance, oil and gas. For this operation, the Lancaster Hawkeye Mk III, a small fixed-wing aircraft, will carry visual, thermal, multi-spectral and video sensors. These sensors will evaluate field crops like corn, soybeans and wheat, collecting data on conditions like crop growth, insect activity, disease spread, soil conditions and more. This information is critical to advancing the precision agricultural industry which is why this sector is expected to be an early adopter of civil and commercial UAS in the United States and is estimated to comprise 80 percent of the civil and commercial UAS market.” DJI's Newest Pro-Level UAV Puts Its Phantom Lineup to Shame It gets all the press, but the Phantom isn't the only multicopter that DJI makes. The Spreading Wings S900 Hexacopter is referred to by DJI as an “aerial system for the professional creator.” House of Lords launches inquiry into civil use of drones Like elsewhere, civilian use of UAVs in the EU is growing. So the same questions come up: issues of safety, controls that ensure privacy, and economic benefits. The Lords' EU subcommittee on Internal Market, Infrastructure and Employment has called for submissions to get expert written and oral evidence on this topic. They'll be looking at standards for Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) across the EU. The deadline for submitting evidence is September 19, 2014. The final report in expected March 2015. How should UAVs be regulated? Experts weigh in The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is also considering UAV regulations for hobbyists and for commercial operations. There are existing rules for UAVs under the Singapore Air Navigation Order: no operation within five kilometers of an aerodrome, and maximum flight altitude of about 61 meters. But the CAAS wants to determine if additional requirements are needed. Grand Forks AFB hosts first integrated UAV flight On August 1, two MQ-9 Predator Bs were operated in close proximity in unrestricted airspace. This took place at the Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota, by the 319th Operations Support Squadron. They actually accomplished an additional milestone when a manned private aircraft asked to do a brief runway approach. Drone crashes into famed hot spring at Yellowstone National Park Visitors to U.S. National Parks continue to use UAVs to create videos at the Parks, despite the ban announced in June by the National Park Service. Several drone crashes have occurred at Yellowstone National Park, including one where a tourist crashed his camera-equipped multi-copter into the Grand Prismatic hot spring.
20 years ago the European Union embarked on an ambitious project which clearly ranks among its greatest achievements – the creation of the Single Market. The Single Market has brought down barriers to trade and created a level playing field for European businesses and consumers. To mark the 20th anniversary, a series of events took place across the EU. In the UK, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, in cooperation with the European Commission, organised a half-day conference at Lancaster House on 18 October 2012 and published ‘Twenty Years On: The UK and the Future of the Single Market’
20 years ago the European Union embarked on an ambitious project which clearly ranks among its greatest achievements – the creation of the Single Market. The Single Market has brought down barriers to trade and created a level playing field for European businesses and consumers. To mark the 20th anniversary, a series of events took place across the EU. In the UK, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, in cooperation with the European Commission, organised a half-day conference at Lancaster House on 18 October 2012 and published ‘Twenty Years On: The UK and the Future of the Single Market’
Charlie McCreevy is the European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services.Charlie McCreevy is a qualified chartered accountant. In 1977 he was first elected to Dáil Eireann (Irish Parliament) for the constituency where he was born - County Kildare, Ireland. From 1992 he held various cabinet posts in Fianna Fail-led governments including: Minister for Social Welfare, Minister for Tourism and Trade and latterly (1997) Minister for Finance. Since 2005 he has been the EU's Commissioner for Internal Market and Services.This is the 2009 Sir Thomas Gresham Docklands Lecture.
Read-out of the weekly meeting of the von der Leyen Commission by Ursula von der Leyen, Frans Timmermans, Thierry Breton and Kadri Simson, on the "Save gas for safe winter" package
On 20 July 2022, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of the European Green Deal, and Commissioner for Climate Action Policy, Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for Internal Market, and Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy, held a press conference on the "Save Gas for a Safe Winter" Package following the weekly meeting of the von der Leyen Commission in Brussels, Belgium.The Commission proposed a new legislative tool and a European Gas Demand Reduction Plan, to reduce gas use in Europe by 15% until next spring. The Commission will also accelerate work on supply diversification, including joint purchasing of gas to strengthen the EU's possibility of sourcing alternative gas deliveries. The Commission is proposing a new Council Regulation on Coordinated Demand Reduction Measures for Gas, based on Article 122 of the Treaty. "Save Gas for a Safe Winter" was set up in response of the risk facing the EU of further gas supply cuts from Russia, due to the Kremlin's weaponisation of gas exports.
ANNOUNCEMENT - President's agenda for next weekANNOUNCEMENT - €110 million rail project in Bulgaria (Stefan DE KEERSMAECKER, Coordinating Spokesperson of the European Commission for the European Green Deal and Spokesperson for Public Health and Food Safety and for Regional Policy and structural Reforms)ANNOUNCEMENT - Fight against forest fires (Balazs UJVARI, Spokesperson of the European Commission for Budget and Human Resources, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management)ANNOUNCEMENT - July infringements package(Dana SPINANT, Deputy Chief Spokesperson of the European Commission)ANNOUNCEMENT - Today's Councils(Dana SPINANT, Deputy Chief Spokesperson of the European Commission)ANNOUNCEMENT - Farewell to a Ukrainian journalist(Dana SPINANT, Deputy Chief Spokesperson of the European Commission)UKRAINE CRISIS - Sanctions on Russia: Q&A(Dana SPINANT, Deputy Chief Spokesperson of the European Commission, and Daniel FERRIE, Spokesperson of the European Commission for Banking and Financial Services, Taxation and Customs, EU-UK Agreements, Foresight and Interinstitutional relations, Democracy and Demography)ENLARGEMENT - Georgia: Q&A(Peter STANO, Lead Spokesperson of the European Commission for Foreign Affairs)FOREIGN AFFAIRS - Outcome of the visit of EC President von der Leyen to North Macedonia: Q&A(Dana SPINANT, Deputy Chief Spokesperson of the European Commission)INFINGEMENT PACKAGE - Hungary / Discrimination of LGBTIQ people: Q&A(Christian WIGAND, Spokesperson of the European Commission for Justice, Equality and Rule of Law)RULE OF LAW REPORT / MEDIA - Slovenia: Q&A(Christian WIGAND, Spokesperson of the European Commission for Justice, Equality and Rule of Law)INFINGEMENT PACKAGE / RECOVERY and RESILIENCE PLAN - Hungary: Q&A(Dana SPINANT, Deputy Chief Spokesperson of the European Commission)INFINGEMENT PACKAGE - Poland / Primacy of the EU law undermined by the Polish Constitutional Tribunal: Q&A(Christian WIGAND, Spokesperson of the European Commission for Justice, Equality and Rule of Law)INFRINGEMENT PACKAGE - Hungary / Discrimination of LGBTIQ people / Discriminatory fuel prices for vehicles with a foreign number plate: Q&A(Christian WIGAND, Spokesperson of the European Commission for Justice, Equality and Rule of Law, and Sonya GOSPODINOVA, Spokesperson of the European Commission for Internal Market, Defense, Industry and Space, Education, Youth, Sport and Culture)MEMBER STATES - Italy: Q&A(Dana SPINANT, Deputy Chief Spokesperson of the European Commission)FOREIGN AFFAIRS - Russia / EU Member states / Disinformation and destabilisation : Q&A(Peter STANO, Lead Spokesperson of the European Commission for Foreign Affairs, and Dana SPINANT, Deputy Chief Spokesperson of the European Commission)INFRINGEMENT PACKAGE - Renewable energy: Commission urges Italy, Malta and Slovenia to fully transpose the Renewable Energy Directive: Q&A(Tim MCPHIE, Spokesperson of the European Commission for Climate action and Energy)ENERGY - Hungary: Q&A(Tim MCPHIE, Spokesperson of the European Commission for Climate action and Energy)Recorded cutawaysExterior views of the European Commission building
Read-out of the College meeting / press conference (with international sign interpretation) by Margrethe VESTAGER, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Europe fit for the Digital Age, and Commissioner for Competition, and Thierry BRETON, European Commissioner for Internal Market, on DSA/DMA
Read-out of the College meeting / press conference by Margrethe VESTAGER, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Europe fit for the Digital Age, and Commissioner for Competition, and Thierry BRETON, European Commissioner for Internal Market
ANNOUNCEMENT - College agenda and press arrangements(Eric MAMER, Chief Spokesperson of the European Commission)ANNOUNCEMENT - Positive assessment of Croatia's request for 1st RRF payment (Veerle NUYTS, Spokesperson of the European Commission for Economic and Financial affairs, Jobs and Social Rights)ANNOUNCEMENT - MSCA project adoption (Sonya GOSPODINOVA, Spokesperson of the European Commission for Internal Market, Defense, Industry and Space, Education, Youth, Sport and Culture)ANNOUNCEMENT - Condolences on the passing away of Khalid Hameed Farooqui, journalist(Eric MAMER, Chief Spokesperson of the European Commission)PRESIDENT AGENDA - Outcome of the meeting of EC President von der Leyen with Hungarian Prime Minister OrbánUKRAINE CRISIS - Oil sanctions: - Q&A(Eric MAMER, Chief Spokesperson of the European Commission, and Peter STANO, Lead Spokesperson of the European Commission for Foreign Affairs)COMPETITION - Iberian energy market and prices: Q&A (Arianna PODESTA, Coordinating Spokesperson of the European Commission for Competition and Eurostat)INSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS - Ukraine: Q&A(Eric MAMER, Chief Spokesperson of the European Commission)MIGRATION - Ukrainian refugees in Hungary: Q&A(Stefan DE KEERSMAECKER, Coordinating Spokesperson of the European Commission for the European Green Deal and Spokesperson for Public Health and Food Safety and for Regional Policy and structural Reforms)ENERGY - Solar Act: Q&A(Tim MCPHIE, Spokesperson of the European Commission for Climate action and Energy)EU-UK Relations - Northern Ireland: Q&A (Daniel FERRIE, Spokesperson of the European Commission for Banking and Financial Services, Taxation and Customs, EU-UK Agreements, Foresight and Interinstitutional relations, Democracy and Demography)CONFERENCE ON THE FUTURE OF EUROPE - Citizens' consultation: Q&A(Eric MAMER, Chief Spokesperson of the European Commission)Recorded cutawaysExterior views of the European Commission
ANNOUNCEMENT - College agenda and press arrangements(Dana SPINANT, Deputy Chief Spokesperson of the European Commission)ANNOUNCEMENT - Energy Council and EC press conference by Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager on an antitrust case(Dana SPINANT, Deputy Chief Spokesperson of the European Commission)UKRAINE CRISIS - Sanctions : Q&A(Johannes BAHRKE, Coordinating Spokesperson of the European Commission for Digital Economy, Research and Innovation)JUSTICE - Disobedience of the EU rules: Q&A(Dana SPINANT, Deputy Chief Spokesperson of the European Commission)EUROPEAN COURT OF AUDITORS - Special Report on EU intellectual property rights: Q&A(Sonya GOSPODINOVA, Spokesperson of the European Commission for Internal Market, Defense, Industry and Space, Education, Youth, Sport and Culture)Recorded cutawaysExterior views of the European Commission
Press conference by Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President, Josep Borrell Fontelles, Vice-President, of the European Commission, and Thierry Breton, European Commissioner, on EU defence investment gaps and measures to address them
On 18 May 2022, Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Europe fit for the Digital Age, and Commissioner for Competition, Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of a stronger Europe in the World, and Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for Internal Market, held a press conference on EU defence investment gaps and measures to address them.The Commission proposed further measures and actions necessary to strengthen the European defence industrial and technological base. It focuses in particular on the joint acquisition of military equipment, on strategic defence programming to set clearer priorities, and on the support to the European industrial base, including the strengthening of the European defence R&D framework, the European Defence Fund (EDF). EU initiatives to foster defence cooperation also help reinforce a fairer Transatlantic burden-sharing and a more effective European contribution within NATO.
ANNOUNCEMENT - Fight against forest fires(Balazs UJVARI, Spokesperson of the European Commission for Budget and Human Resources, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management)ANNOUNCEMENT - Today's Councils(Stefan DE KEERSMAECKER, Coordinating Spokesperson of the European Commission for the European Green Deal and Spokesperson for Public Health and Food Safety and for Regional Policy and structural Reforms)CRISIS MANAGEMENT - Fight against forest fires: Q&A(Balazs UJVARI, Spokesperson of the European Commission for Budget and Human Resources, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management)RECOVERY and RESILIENCE FACILITY - Hungary: Q&A(Veerle NUYTS, Spokesperson of the European Commission for Economic and Financial affairs, Jobs and Social Rights)REGIONAL POLICY - Partnership agreements: Q&A(Stefan DE KEERSMAECKER, Coordinating Spokesperson of the European Commission for the European Green Deal and Spokesperson for Public Health and Food Safety and for Regional Policy and structural Reforms)ENLARGEMENT - North Macedonia: Q&A(Stefan DE KEERSMAECKER, Coordinating Spokesperson of the European Commission for the European Green Deal and Spokesperson for Public Health and Food Safety and for Regional Policy and structural Reforms)UKRAINE CRISIS - EU sanctions: Q&A(Stefan DE KEERSMAECKER, Coordinating Spokesperson of the European Commission for the European Green Deal and Spokesperson for Public Health and Food Safety and for Regional Policy and structural Reforms, and Arianna PODESTA, Coordinating Spokesperson of the European Commission for Competition and Eurostat)DEFENCE - Action to strengthen EU defence capabilities, industrial and technological base: Q&A(Sonya GOSPODINOVA, Spokesperson of the European Commission for Internal Market, Defense, Industry and Space, Education, Youth, Sport and Culture)CODE OF CONDUCT - Former Vice-President Neelie Kroes: Q&A(Balazs UJVARI, Spokesperson of the European Commission for Budget and Human Resources, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management)RECOVERY and RESILIENCE PLAN - Hungary: Q&A(Stefan DE KEERSMAECKER, Coordinating Spokesperson of the European Commission for the European Green Deal and Spokesperson for Public Health and Food Safety and for Regional Policy and structural Reforms, and Veerle NUYTS, Spokesperson of the European Commission for Economic and Financial affairs, Jobs and Social Rights)HEALTH - Monkey pox: Q&A(Stefan DE KEERSMAECKER, Coordinating Spokesperson of the European Commission for the European Green Deal and Spokesperson for Public Health and Food Safety and for Regional Policy and structural Reforms)Recorded cutawaysExterior views of the European Commission building
On 16 December 2020, Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of a stronger Europe in the World, Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of promoting the European Way of Life, Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for Internal Market, gave a joint press conference on the Cybersecurity strategy of the European Commission.Cybersecurity is one of the Commission's top priorities and a cornerstone of the digital and connected Europe. An increase of cyber-attacks during the coronavirus crisis have shown how important it is to protect hospitals, research centres and other infrastructure. Strong action in the area is needed to future-proof the EU's economy and society.The new Cybersecurity Strategy proposes to integrate cybersecurity into every element of the supply chain and bring further together EU's activities and resources across the four communities of cybersecurity – internal market, law enforcement, diplomacy and defence.This video shows the joint press conference given by Josep Borrell Fontelles, Margaritis Schinas and Thierry Breton and the following question and answer session.