EU passes 'historic' agreement on bank supervision

Euractiv.com reports that European policymakers yesterday (22 September) reached the end of a long road to overhaul the supervision of the EU's banking sector, as MEPs gave their overwhelming backing to the creation of new financial watchdogs.



Read more here: http://www.euractiv.com/en/financial-services/eu-passes-historic-agreement-bank-supervision-news-498050?utm_source=EurActiv+Newsletter&utm_campaign=5647a2c9aa-my_google_analytics_key&utm_medium=email

Court rejects journalists’ calls for full EU transparency

Euractiv.com reports that the European Commission can restrict public access to the documents it files in lawsuits until after cases are decided, the European Court of Justice ruled yesterday (21 September), rejecting a request by a leading journalists' trade union based in Brussels.


The Commission can "refuse an application for access to documents, without being under an obligation to undertake a specific examination," the judges ruled.

But once a judgement has been issued, the Commission can no longer withhold documents from the public eye, the Court said.
The case relates to requests from journalists for access to European Commission documents regarding sensitive cases, including the EU’s ‘Open Skies’ package of legislation, which were first tabled by the Association de la Presse Internationale (API) – a group representing Belgium-based foreign reporters - in 2003.

Read more here: http://www.euractiv.com/en/pa/court-rejects-journalists-calls-full-eu-transparency-news-497992?utm_source=EurActiv+Newsletter&utm_campaign=eb7e459cc7-my_google_analytics_key&utm_medium=email

Reding ditches plans for US-style consumer lawsuits

According to euractiv.com, consumer groups have expressed dismay following Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding's announcement that plans for an EU "collective redress" system are now off the agenda. In an interview with FT Deutschland, Reding acknowledged that she has now effectively stopped the plans, although the proposal had been in the pipeline for a long time.

In her words, the decision was taken to ensure that Europe's economic recovery is not jeopardised by unnecessary burdens for businesses. The plan was designed to ensure that consumers harmed by illegal commercial malpractice are compensated for their losses, but was staunchly opposed by business organisations.

Read more here: http://www.euractiv.com/en/food/reding-ditches-plans-us-style-consumer-lawsuits-news-497997?utm_source=EurActiv+Newsletter&utm_campaign=eb7e459cc7-my_google_analytics_key&utm_medium=email

EU to tighten privacy rules on air passenger data

Euobserver.com writes that the EU commission wants to strengthen privacy rules for the sharing of personal data of air travellers to the US, Australia and Canada and to limit the use of the data strictly to fighting terrorism and serious organised crime.


"We need to have coherence between the usefullness of collecting this data in the fight against terrorism and organised crime, but carriers and passengers need legal clarity and high levels of data protection," home affairs commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said Tuesday (21 September) during a press conference in Strasbourg.

Read more here: http://euobserver.com/9/30862/?rk=1

Belgian EU presidency in push for EU prosecutor's office

According to euobsrver.com, the Belgian EU presidency is stepping up plans to establish an EU-wide public prosecutor in charge of protecting the bloc's financial interests and unifying procedures for gathering criminal evidence, despite reluctance from some member states, notably the UK.

"Our wish is to improve judicial co-operation and co-ordination of criminal investigations within the EU. For that, we need better instruments," Belgian justice minister Stefaan De Clerck said Tuesday (21 September). He was speaking at a seminar co-organised with Eurojust, the EU agency tasked with helping prosecutors and judges deal with cross-border cases and EU arrest warrants.

Read more here: http://euobserver.com/9/30855/?rk=1

EU sued over lack of transparency

EUObserver.com writes that a group of environmental lawyers are suing the EU over alleged attempts to restrict access to information and a lack of transparency in the bloc's biofuels policy.


On Monday (20 September) ClientEarth filed a lawsuit against the European Commission in the EU's General Court in Luxembourg, charging the executive body with having failed to release "documents containing previously undisclosed information on the negative climate impacts of widespread biofuels use."

The case, taken jointly with Transport and Environment, the European Environmental Bureau and BirdLife International, focuses on a controversial study of biofuel use which the four groups claim was manipulated by the commission.

In a separate case on Monday, ClientEarth also decided to sue the Council of Ministers (the EU institution representing member states) over an alleged failure to release documents.

Read the complete article here: http://euobserver.com/9/30853/?rk=1

Book says Carla Bruni used police files to uncover plot

A biography of France's First Lady, Carla Bruni, claims she used police and secret service files to find out who was spreading rumours about the state of her marriage.


According to the book, France's first lady obtained lists of telephone calls and texts made by those she suspected of plotting against her.

Her husband, President Nicolas Sarkozy, is already fighting claims that his office spied on newspaper Le Monde.

Read more here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11343002

Czechs halt Google Street View

The BBC reports that authorities in the Czech Republic have stopped Google from collecting images for its Street View mapping service. The Czech Office for Personal Data Protection refused to grant the search engine giant a licence to collect fresh data in the country.

Read more here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11312390

US told EU to hide ACTA from public

According to euractiv.com, American officials blocked European attempts to publish the latest draft of the global Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) on an EU website after a Washington-based round of negotiations in August.


The European Commission, which has been feeling the heat from lobby groups and the European Parliament for greater transparency in the negotiations, debriefed MEPs on the August negotiations yesterday (1 September).


MEPs have been demanding to see the full negotiating text as they will be asked to give ACTA their consent in a vote later this year.

"If we want to be leaders in the EU on transparency, we really have to put more pressure on our partners to have more transparency," an Austrian Green MEP told EurActiv.

Read the full article here: http://www.euractiv.com/en/infosociety/us-told-eu-hide-acta-public-news-497373

EU to adopt new Basel rules in 2011

Euractiv.com reports that the European Commission yesterday (13 September) announced plans to adopt new capital rules for banks next year after the Basel Banking Committee agreed to higher capital standards on Sunday (12 September).

The EU's adoption of the Basel rules will take the form of a revision of the directives on capital requirements. This will be the fourth revision of the bloc's Capital Requirements Directive after the European Parliament approved CRD III early this summer.


Banks will have to store up to 7% more capital as a line of defence against future crashes in stock markets. Common equity requirements have been hiked from 2.5% to 4% and banks will also be expected to have capital buffers of 2.5%.


The Basel rules are subject to approval in November by the next G20 group meeting in Seoul.

Read the entire article here: http://www.euractiv.com/en/financial-services/eu-adopt-new-basel-rules-2011-news-497736

Sarkozy government sued for spying on journalists

Euobserver.com writes that French newspaper Le Monde has filed a lawsuit against President Nicolas Sarkozy's office for using the country's counter-intelligence services to hunt down their sources, a claim Mr Sarkozy strongly denied.

Read more here: http://euobserver.com/9/30793