Mediaboss Marketing

New figures released by the European Commission today show that customs authorities detained more than 41 million fake and counterfeit products at the EU's external border in 2016. The goods had a total value of over 670 million. Everyday products which are potentially dangerous to health and safety such as food and drink, medicines, toys and household electrical goods -accounted for over a third of all intercepted goods.

Pierre Moscovici, Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs, said:"A high level of protection of intellectual property is crucial to support growth and create jobs. Fake goods pose a real threat to health and safety of EU consumers and also undermine legal businesses and state revenues. Studies show that the EU is particularly exposed to imports of counterfeit products. I want to pay tribute to the hard work of customs authorities in combating these fake goods. They need support and resources to enable them to protect us all from the dangers that they can pose. Cooperation between law enforcement authorities should be strengthened and risk management systems upgraded to protect the EU from goods infringing on intellectual property rights."

Cigarettes were the top category (24%) forarticlesdetained and toys the second largest group (17%), followed by foodstuffs (13%) and packaging material (12%). The number of intercepted articles rose by 2% compared to 2015.

Chinaremains the clear leader when it comes to the provenance of fake goods: 80% of articles arrived from China in 2016. Large amounts of cigarettes originated in Vietnam and Pakistan,whileSingapore was the top source for counterfeit alcoholic beverages. Iran was the main source country for fake clothing accessories. Hong Kong was the leader for counterfeitmobile phones and Indiatopped the listfor counterfeitmedicines. Inmore than90% ofdetentions, goods were either destroyed or a court case was initiated to determineaninfringement or as part of criminal procedures.

The Commission's report on customs actions to enforce IPR has been issued annually since 2000and isbased on data transmitted by Member States' customs administrations to the Commission.

The data provide valuable informationwhich supports the analysis of intellectual property rights infringements and helps other institutions such as the European Union Intellectual Property Office and the OECD to map economic data and the most common routes for counterfeiters.

Click here for the full report.

More:
Customs Union: EU customs seized over 41 million fake goods at EU borders last year - EU News

Protesters in front of the presidential palace in Warsaw urge the president, Andrzej Duda, to reject a bill altering the independence of the judiciary system. Photograph: Alik Kplicz/AP

The EU is on the brink of taking the nuclear option of stripping Poland of its voting rights in Brussels in response to plans by its rightwing government to abolish the independence of the countrys judiciary.

Frans Timmermans, the first vice-president of the European commission, accused Warsaw of seeking to put judges under full political control as he warned that the EU was very close to triggering article 7, a never-before-used sanction in the treaties that allows a member states voting rights in the council of ministers to be suspended.

Polands ruling rightwing Law and Justice party (PiS) has been in almost constant conflict with the European commission since it was elected. In recent weeks the Polish government has proposed a series of reforms that would give ministers power over the appointment of judges and members of the countrys supreme court.

The first step in the EU triggering article 7 is an assessment of whether there has been a breach of fundamental rights, which could be launched as early as next week on the recommendation of the commission. What we decide next week depends on developments also this week, Timmermans said, as he called for fresh dialogue with Warsaw.

Should a breach of fundamental rights be found, a motion to suspend Polands voting rights would then need to win the support of member states under the EUs system of qualified majority voting. Two-thirds of the European parliament would also need to give its consent.

Timmermans told reporters in Brussels that the recent proposal from the Polish government to increase political control of the judiciary was a grave threat to the fundamental values of the EU.

These laws considerably increase the systemic threat to the rule of law in Poland. Each individual law, if adopted, would seriously erode the independence of the Polish judiciary. Collectively they would abolish any remaining judicial independence and put the judiciary under full political control of the government.

Under these reforms judges will serve at the pleasure of political leaders, and be dependent upon them, from their appointment to their pension.

The commissioner added: I think every citizen wants to have, if they need to, a day in court without having to say, Hmm, is this judge going to get a call from a minister telling him what to do?.

Timmermans said he was confident he would have the support of member states should he recommend the triggering of article 7.

In Warsaw, Rafa Trzaskowski, an MP with the opposition Civic Platform party and a former Europe minister, said Poland was being pushed to the margins of the EU by its authoritarian government.

He said: Its absolutely clear that patience is running out, not only in the European commission, but also in many European capitals.

The initiation of article 7 would be unprecedented, and it would show quite clearly how marginalised the current government is in the European Union.

Timmermans, a former Dutch minister who has been the subject of personal attacks by Polish ministers over his tough stance with Poland in recent months, said he had written earlier this month to Warsaw about his concerns, but appeals for the proposed laws not to be pursued had been ignored. Two of the four pieces of legislation in question have since been adopted by parliament.

Timmermans said any concerns that triggering article 7 would push Poland to follow the UK out of the union would not be an obstacle to the EU taking action. He insisted there was no way the Polish people would ever choose to leave the union.

The commissioner also called on the Polish government to respect the right of journalists to do their job, after a Brussels-based TV journalist was accused by state-controlled Polish TV of asking politically motivated questions with intent to harm Poland after she sought information from the European commission about its intentions with regard to protecting the rule of law.

There are lot of emotions around this, he said. A lot of personal attacks, peoples personal credibility or integrity has been put to discussion, mine, other peoples. I can take it. They should take their best shot. But what should not be happening is that journalists should be intimidated.

Andrzej Duda, Polands PiS-aligned president, had sought to calm the situation on Tuesday evening, as crowds gathered outside the presidential palace for a candlelit vigil to demand he veto the supreme court legislation.

In a televised address, he said he would only sign the supreme court bill if legislation passed last week giving parliament control of the National Council of the Judiciary (KRS), a hitherto independent body responsible for appointing Polish judges, were amended.

Under Dudas proposal, appointments to the KRS would require a three-fifths majority in parliament, rather than a simple majority as contained in the present legislation, meaning that as parliament is presently constituted, Law and Justice would not be able to appoint judges by itself.

The judiciary is a very serious issue. It needs to be reformed but wisely, he said, arguing that his aim was to avoid accusations that the KRS is working under a political dictate. However, Timmermans suggested that the president had not gone far enough. Under Dudas proposal a coalition of Law and Justice and affiliated rightwing parties would still be able to push through appointments to the body. The supreme court legislation before parliament envisages silent consent for judicial appointments should the KRS not express a view within 14 days, meaning that a paralysed council would still give the justice minister the power of appointment over the supreme court.

Dudas proposal does not change the essential mechanisms of the three combined legal acts, which grant the government political control over the judiciary, said Mikoaj Pietrzak, chair of the Warsaw Bar Association. Its not constitutional, and its not satisfactory. Its just smoke and mirrors.

The European commission is also preparing infringement proceedings against Poland for breaches in EU law. Asked whether Hungary whose rightwing prime minister, Viktor Orbn, has also repeatedly clashed with the commission could also be in line for the ultimate sanction, Timmermans said the nature of Polands breaches was of a far more serious nature.

Link:
Poland may be stripped of EU voting rights over judicial independence - The Guardian

The Communication contributes to the creation of a European Union that protects, as promised by President Juncker in the 2016 State of the Union speech. It builds on initiatives in the area of defence, such as the European Defence Fund and the unprecedented level of cooperation between the EU-NATO that has developed over the past year.

Significant progress has been made on each of the 22 actions to combat hybrid threats identified last year. The EU has improved its awareness and the information exchange between Member States on these growing security threats, which often combine conventional and unconventional methods, ranging from terrorism and cyber-attacks to disinformation campaigns or media manipulation. The EU has also made headway in protecting critical infrastructure in areas such as transport, energy, cybersecurity, and the financial system, as well as in counter violent extremism and radicalisation. But more remains to be done, as the nature of hybrid threats continues to evolve.

The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini said:"Hybrid threats are a major security concern for the European Union, its Member States and our partners. We are working to improve the awareness of the threats through the EU Hybrid Fusion Cell, to monitor and counter illegal online content and propaganda withour Strategic Communication task forces, to enhance the capacities of third countries and to step up our cooperation with NATO. This is at the core of our Global Strategy adopted last year. The safeguard of our society is a priority for the EU."

Vice-President for Jobs, Growth and Competitiveness Jyrki Katainen added: "Following our proposal for a European Defence Fund and the reflection paper on the Future of European Defence, we are taking further steps towards a Security and Defence Union. Increased co-operation to address hybrid threats will make us more resilient. The EU adds value by assisting Member States and partners, relying on a wide range of existing instruments and programmes. Our approach brings together the key actors while fully respecting their different roles and responsibilities."

Elbieta Biekowska, Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, added: "Cooperation in security and defence is not an option it's a must. Europe faces more hybrid, unconventional security challenges than ever. That is why, as the report shows, we are responding an unprecedented level of cooperation between the EU, Member States and NATO to improve resilience, address strategic vulnerabilities and prepare coordinated responses."

As part of the EU's integrated approach to security and defence, the Joint Framework set out a number of actions to prevent, tackle and mitigate the growing challenge of hybrid threats. Work has been taken forward and progress has been made in all areas:

The European Union will continue to use all tools and instruments to address and react to potential hybrid threats, acting as a stronger and more responsive security provider, complementing actions by Member States and partners.

Background

The EU and its neighbourhood are confronted today with the rise of security threats aiming at destabilising our region as a whole. No country can face these challenges alone.

The Juncker Commission made security a top priority from day one. The Commission's 2015 European Agenda on Security specifically recognised the need to counter hybrid threats.

The Commission and the High Representative adopted a Joint Framework on countering hybrid threats in April 2016. 22 concrete actions were put forward. The report published today is looking at their specific implementation.

The EU Global Strategy for Foreign and Security Policy also makes countering hybrid threats a priority, highlighting the need for an integrated approach to link internal resilience with the EU's external actions.

Following the adoption in November 2016 of the European Defence Action Plan, the Commission put forward a series of initiatives which will contribute to strengthening the EU's capacity to respond to hybrid threats. This includes the European Defence Fund, launched on 7 June 2017, with proposed funding of about 600 million until 2020 and 1.5 billion annually thereafter.

The Commission's reflection paper on the future of European Defence presented in June 2017 outlines different scenarios on how to address the growing security and defence threats facing Europe and enhance Europe's own abilities in defence by 2025.

For more information

Joint Report on the implementation of the Joint Framework on countering hybrid threats a European Union response

Joint Framework on countering hybrid threats a European Union response

See the rest here:
Security and defence: Significant progress to enhance Europe's resilience against hybrid threats more work ahead - EU News

A senior German MEP has sided with Theresa May in the Brexit talks, by accusing the EU negotiators of attempting to punish Britain.

Hans-Olaf Henkel accused Michel Barnier, the chief negotiator, of planning to impose a bad exit agreement on Britain as a warning to other countries tempted to leave the EU.

Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament's Brexit negotiator, was also guilty of wanting to make a mess out of this whole unhappy situation.

I have the impression, by their public statements, that indeed they would like to set an example, said Mr Henkel, the deputy head of the European Parliament's industry, research and energy committee.

They want to punish Britain and make sure that non-one else is leaving the European Union.

By the very fact that they say that a country which leaves the European Union should not have the same deal as a country which is in the European Union you can demonstrate what they mean.

Mr Henkel, the president of the Federation of German Industries and a former chief executive of IBM, urged other MEPs who enjoy a potential veto of any Brexit deal not to listen to their own negotiators.

His outburst will strengthen the hand of the Prime Minister who has repeatedly accused the EU of seeking to punish Britain and even of a plot to stop Brexit.

The criticism came as the second round of the talks appeared to have run into trouble within 24 hours of resuming in Brussels, over the vexed issue of the so-called divorce bill

EU diplomats have hit out at Britains failure to agree it must pay a hefty financial settlement for Brexit, suggesting the controversy will stall the talks.

Eyebrows were raised after David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, left the talks after just one hour on Monday, leaving the negotiations to his officials.

The agenda for the four-day talks includes the rights of EU citizens in the UK and British ex-pats in the EU and the Northern Ireland border, as well as the exit bill.

Last week, Mr Barnier urged the British side to present detailed proposals on all three priorities before the talks resumed, but there is no evidence that this happened.

Instead, the UK is expected wait to several weeks before formally setting out its position on the bill, using this week's talk to interrogate and challenge the EU's stance.

Mr Henkel is a member of a Eurosceptic grouping in the Parliament and his views on the EUs approach to the talks are not thought to be shared by most European politicians.

Nevertheless, the German MEP called Brexit disastrous, pointing to the controversy over Britains withdrawal from the Euratom nuclear regulator.

He said the UK received funding for worlds largest nuclear fusion experiment, at the Cullen Centre in Oxfordshire, which is of fundamental importance for the world.

I see that the whole project may collapse if this funding doesnt work anymore, Mr Henkel warned.

Both the EU negotiators and the Prime Minister were wrong to believe EU withdrawal meant pulling out of Euratom as well, he insisted.

Follow this link:
Brexiteers are right - the EU is trying to punish Britain for leaving, senior German MEP says - The Independent

MLB

Please understand this BREXITERS This is not something that the EU is doing to the U.K., this is something that the U.K. has chosen to do to itself and to the rest of the EU they have opted to leave,

Posted on 7/19/17 | 12:26 AM CEST

Completely agreed all countries are better of the in the EU just look at a Greece. Right there is proof that EU wins at everything

Posted on 7/19/17 | 2:06 AM CEST

@Madhava Greece joined in 1981. Both GDP and GDP per capita are up since then. They are down since 2008, too. But the article was about how prepared the Brits are, or not, for negotiations.

Posted on 7/19/17 | 3:29 AM CEST

I am a veteran trade negotiator. he said

Yes a veteran for the EU which takes 10 years to do a deal. Nobody else in the world takes 10 years. And the EU has only done trade deals with economies much smaller than iteself, like Canada, and it still took 8 years.

Dont brag about EU incompetence. The rest of the world does not take so long.

@MLB nobody is thinking anything. We think the EU is incompetent which is why we left. We fully expect them to be incompetent whilst we are leaving.

Posted on 7/19/17 | 9:08 AM CEST

10 Years with WTO rules we will be able to rebuild our manufacturing base.

Then EU will want a Partnership Agreement with us.

Doesnt matter anyway Russia will take Kharkiv to Odessa very shortly and finally sink the EU they will sink quicker than the Bismarck as we say in Essex.

Posted on 7/19/17 | 9:38 AM CEST

Deals are always easy if you have a gun in hand and the other party not. They also dont last nor are they efficient. The Soviet bloc is a perfect example. If equal partners sit at a table you have to get to a consensus, a deal that everyone can live with. And that takes time. For Britain to say we are out but lets pretend that for those parts that suit us we are still in just doesnt work. Whitehall will find out that making decisions without consulting Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland will not work and I doubt that they will get it done in two years time. So they will have to take a hard exit and that will really let the dogs loose. Shooting off the hip may work in cowboy films but not in the real world just ask the USA.

Posted on 7/19/17 | 9:46 AM CEST

Actually, the EU is as responsible as others single market does not truly exist, as it is based on the EU definition that includes services, which does not truly exist. You only have to look at the single market to see that what has been in the interests of France and Germany has been taken into consideration. The current state no longer appeals to the UK as it is not in the UKs national interest, but rather than have a debate and make the EU stronger the EU refused to offer reform to DC and it subsequently led to the BREXIT vote. I wonder what will happen to free movement at the point that it is no longer of interest to France and Germany (remember the French are already putting limitations on French speaking for certain contracts and then there is the posted worker directive). Just think of the consequences when Austria close the Italian border and Turkey allow migrants to filter through just to ramp up the pressure for September all because of migrants (and in the Italy example, visa travel).

Posted on 7/19/17 | 10:18 AM CEST

Im not British, but very much a Brexiteer. Whatever deal is struck between Uk and EU, I demand a referendum on it. I will vote no.

Posted on 7/19/17 | 11:22 AM CEST

wow

Yes a veteran for the EU which takes 10 years to do a deal. Nobody else in the world takes 10 years.

Trans-Pacific Partnership Started negotiations in 2005, signed in 2016, eleven years, its main partner, the US, bails out in 2017 ASEANChina Free Trade Area Started negotiations in November 2000, came into effect in January 2010

And the EU has only done trade deals with economies much smaller than iteself, like Canada, and it still took 8 years.

Glad that you mention it, today Canada is running negotiations for FTAs with eight countries or associations, with India the negotiations started in 2010, no sign of a final deal, with Japan, thats five years now, with the Andean Community, well, that started out in 2007, with Singapore, those started out in wait 2001. And so on. Yes, a great big chunk of the planet does indeed take its time when negotiating trade.

Dont brag about EU incompetence. The rest of the world does not take so long.

Thats simply not true, examples of trade deals between two non UE countries taking a decade to be signed are legion. Whats impressive is that the European Union, twenty eight countries mind you, can actually behave like in such a way that those deals can be made and signed in roughly the same amount of time that takes the likes of China, the US or Japan.

Posted on 7/19/17 | 12:55 PM CEST

Thats fine, the EU gets its money settlement at the end of the process of agreeing the future arrangements. If it can wait, we can too.

Posted on 7/19/17 | 1:57 PM CEST

Sintra: the average time the US takes to agree an FTA is actually 8 months. Its actually easy when you try.

Posted on 7/19/17 | 1:59 PM CEST

@Sintra

It is not only the Brits that think this. Here are some headlines for you from around the world:

Canada walks out on European trade talks after impasse reached

If the EU cannot do trade, what can it do? The Economist

Canada is right to be furious about European Union trade negotiations

Whats the Matter With Europe? The New York Times

Francois Fillon blasts European Union as inefficient and useless

EU is inefficient, makes poor decisions: Shore Capital CNBC . com

Criticism mounts over the EUs inefficiency POLITICO

Decision-Making and Disarray in the EU Geopolitical Futures

Corruption across EU breathtaking says the EU Commission BBC News

EU covers up EU corruption Trade Union

Corruption costs EU up to 990 billion a year POLITICO

Is The European Union Too Big And Bound To Fail? Forbes

Cheerio then and start being a bit more sensible and stop being so over emotional for just one day will you please lovely europeans. Its getting tiring over here in the channel. Grow up maybe?

Posted on 7/19/17 | 2:26 PM CEST

Read the original post:
EU ambassador to US: UK doesn't understand Brexit - POLITICO.eu