Mats Persson. A british view of the European Union
11 November 2014. Mats Persson, director of Open Europe, talks to Ignacio Molina, Elcano Royal Institute, on the UK position in the European Union and all th...
By: RIE Elcano
Link:
Mats Persson. A british view of the European Union - Video
Italian proposals for changes to draft legislation already adopted by Parliament would weaken citizen's rights, according to EDRi
European Union legislation on net neutrality is under threat, as Italy is seeking to water down a draft already adopted by the European Parliament, a digital rights group has warned.
Italy's proposals include removing the very definition of net neutrality, and allowing differential charging for services, according to preparatory documents for the Nov. 27 EU Council meeting of telecommunications ministers, at which the issue is due to be discussed.
The leaked information note and its annex were obtained by European digital rights group EDRi and show that Italy, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council, has proposed that member states agree on a weakened form of net neutrality.
"These documents show that the Italian Presidency is now back-pedalling on meaningful net neutrality protections," the group said.
Member states' ambassadors in Brussels are discussing net neutrality on Friday, as they prepare the agenda for the Nov. 27 Council meeting, a Council official said. "They should decide what they will propose to the ministers," she said, adding that as talks were ongoing she couldn't say what the proposal will be.
The biggest gap in the amended proposals, according to EDRi, is that they fail to prohibit discrimination on the basis of billing.
"Allowing 'free' access to certain services and metered access to everything else is as much -- and as damaging -- an infringement of net neutrality and the fundamental right of freedom to impart information, as any blocking or filtering," it said, adding that if people have to pay extra to access a website or have to pay Internet companies to allow them to do so, the essence of the open Internet has been dismantled.
Other worries include the Italian presidency's proposal to remove key definitions from the text. In the document, the Italian presidency wrote: "Instead of a definition of net neutrality there could be a reference to the objective of net neutrality, e.g. in an explanatory recital, which would resolve the concerns that the definition might be at variance with the specific provisions."
But without meaningful and enforceable net neutrality provisions, EDRi said, the fundamental right to receive and impart information would be hindered.
Read the original post:
EU net neutrality legislation under threat from Italian proposals, says rights group
IANS Nov 21, 2014, 03.01PM IST
(Purinoted that India's)
BRUSSELS: Indian Ambassador to the European Union (EU) and Belgium Manjeev Singh Puri has called for energising EU-India trade and economic relations.
"Please energise your constituents across the European Union because India has opportunities. The government is interested very much. The entire business of 'Make in India' encompasses this entire thing of ease of doing business in India," he said in his inaugural address at an EU-India economic forum which kicked off in Brussels Thursday night.
"What you require is a determined will and willingness to partake in this new India, these new opportunities arising which the whole world is talking about," he said.
Puri noted that India's trade with the EU has dipped a little in the last years in the aggregate terms although India's exports to the EU have risen, but overall EU imports to Indian have fallen in the last few years.
"The EU-India free trade agreement (FTA) is very important but it should not be seen as a panacea for everything. It has to be a win-win for both sides," stressed the Indian ambassador.
The two-day conference around the theme, "EU-India Strategic Partnership: Beyond the Lost Decade: What will it take for European and Indian Businesses to make it Work", has been organised by the Euro-India Chamber of Commerce (EICC).
Sunil Prasad, secretary general of the EICC, said the objective of the Trade and Investment Partnership Summit (TIPS) is to create awareness on international business opportunities and feasibility of cross-border expansion for Indian and European businesses.
He said that it was dedicated to fostering bilateral trade, investment and economic relations between the EU and India .
Read the rest here:
India wants to energise trade ties with European Union
AP Nov 20, 2014, 05.08PM IST
(EU legislation limits bankers')
BRUSSELS: A key adviser to the European Union's highest court is siding against Britain and wants the EU cap on bankers' bonuses to be maintained.
Advocate General of the European Court of Justice Niilo Jaaskinen recommended Thursday that British attempts to derail the EU financial law ``should be rejected,'' advising the court to dismiss the action.
EU legislation limits bankers' bonuses at one year's base salary and double that if a large majority of shareholders agree. The advice of the advocate general is confirmed in a majority of cases when the court itself makes a ruling, which is expected within months.
Britain says the rules will lead to an increase in bankers' fixed pay, drive away talent and weaken Europe's financial industry, the heart of which is in London's City.
The government of Prime Minister David Cameron wanted to keep such decisions as a national prerogative. The issue of whether the EU should make decisions against the wishes of London goes to the heart of the debate whether Britain should stay within the 28-country bloc.
Jaaskinen said in his assessment that he ``finds no legitimate grounds for the UK's claim'' that the EU should stay out of such issues.
Backers of the cap say huge bonuses pushed bankers to seek short-term personal gain through massive long-term risks that threatened the overall health of theirs banks _ and ultimately needed bailouts funded by taxpayers. They say such incentives to risk-taking helped destabilize the financial system and trigger the 2008-2009 financial crisis.
View original post here:
European Union Court adviser backs cap on bank bonuses
Russian foreign minister Lavrov calls for cooperation with EU
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has told the country #39;s parliament that Moscow and the European Union need to resume cooperation. He also expressed disappointment that Russia had been...
By: euronews (in English)
More here:
Russian foreign minister Lavrov calls for cooperation with EU - Video