Ombudsman criticises how Commission handled request for access to President’s text messages
(Source European Ombudsman)
The Ombudsman has criticised how the Commission handled a request for public access to text messages between its President and the CEO of a pharmaceutical company.
She has now asked it to do a more extensive search for the relevant messages.
In response to the public access request by a journalist, the […]
EU’s contribution to energy efficiency in businesses is unclear
(Source ECA)
In a special report published today, the European Court of Auditors (ECA) calls for clarification of the contributions made by EU funds to energy efficiency in businesses. The auditors conclude that EU funding remains insufficiently linked to business needs. And its expected results, though they are impossible to capture under the […]
ESMA ISSUES 2021 REPORT ON ACCEPTED MARKET PRACTICES UNDER MAR
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU’s securities markets regulator, has today published its annual report on the application of accepted market practices (AMPs) in accordance with the Market Abuse Regulation (MAR).
The number of liquidity contracts and the volumes traded under the AMPs has decreased for the four NCAs […]
ERIK THEDÉEN APPOINTED VICE CHAIR OF ESMA
The Board of Supervisors of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has appointed Erik Thedéen as its Vice Chair. Mr Thedéen, who is the Director General of the Swedish Finansinspektionen (FI), will serve a 2½ year term effective immediately.
He replaces Anneli Tuominen, Director-General of the Finnish Finanssivalvonta (FIN-FSA) who has completed her term.
Verena Ross, […]
Special report 12/2022: Durability in rural development – Most projects remain operational for the period required, but there are opportunities to achieve longer lasting results
(Source: European Court of Auditors)
Since 2007, the Commission has spent more than €25 billion of rural development funds to diversify its rural economy and improve infrastructure. Funded projects were required to remain operational for at least five years.
We examined whether these investments delivered durable benefits. We found that legal durability requirements are […]
Special Report 15/2022: Measures to widen participation in Horizon 2020 were well designed but sustainable change will mostly depend on efforts by national authorities
(Source: European Court of Auditors)
To tackle the innovation divide, Horizon 2020 introduced specific widening measures to support Member States lagging behind in research and innovation. We assessed whether these measures were fit for purpose.
We conclude that the widening measures were well-designed to address the limited participation of widening countries in R&I framework […]
Special report 13/2022: Free movement in the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic – Limited scrutiny of internal border controls, and uncoordinated actions by Member States
(Source: European Court of Auditors)
The right of EU citizens to move freely within the territory of the EU Member States is a fundamental freedom of the European Union. We examined the Commission’s supervision of the internal Schengen border controls and travel restrictions imposed by the Member States during the COVID-19 pandemic, as […]
Ombudsman: EU administration at critical point in treatment of ‘revolving doors’
(Source: European Ombudsman)
The European Commission risks undermining the integrity of the EU administration without a more robust approach to the movement of staff to the private sector, the Ombudsman concluded following a broad inquiry into ‘revolving doors’.
While the Commission has made improvements since the last Ombudsman inquiry, it still needs to do […]
Ombudsman criticises how Commission handled request for access to President’s text messages
(Source European Ombudsman)
The Ombudsman has criticised how the Commission handled a request for public access to text messages between its President and the CEO of a pharmaceutical company.
She has now asked it to do a more extensive search for the relevant messages.
In response to the public access request by a journalist, the […]
Debate on EU future should not be an exercise in ‘citizen-washing’, warns Ombudsman
(Source: European Ombudsman)
The Ombudsman has called on the EU, and especially national governments, to take seriously ideas submitted by the public during the ongoing Conference on the Future of Europe or risk alienating citizens.
Speaking today at the conference plenary in Strasbourg to discuss the recommendations made by two citizens’ panels, Ms O’Reilly praised the people involved […]
Amended Europol Regulation weakens data protection supervision
(Source: European Data Protection Supervisor)
Amended Europol Regulation weakens data protection supervision
Following the publication of the amended Europol Regulation in the Official Journal of the EU today, the EDPS expresses its concerns that the amendments, which will enter into force on 28 June 2022, weaken the fundamental right to data protection and […]
EDPS Conference 2022: A pan-European approach is going to be necessary for effective enforcement
(Source: European Data Protection Supervisor)
EDPS Conference 2022: A pan-European approach is going to be necessary for effective enforcement
This week, on 16 and 17 June 2022, European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) Wojciech Wiewiórowski welcomed over 2000 participants, both in-person and remotely, at his conference titled, “The future of data protection: […]
A new United Nations convention on cybercrime: fundamental rights come first
(Source: European Data Protection Supervisor)
A new United Nations convention on cybercrime: fundamental rights come first
The EDPS published on 18 May 2022 its Opinion concerning the EU’s participation in the United Nations’ negotiations for a Comprehensive International Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes (the future […]
New Regulation on European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) will strengthen personal data protection of asylum seekers
(Source: EUROPEAN DATA PROTECTION SUPERVISOR)
Today marks the entry into force of Regulation 2021/2303, establishing a European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) to replace and succeed to the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), and transform it into a fully-fledged asylum agency.
EDPS orders Europol to erase data concerning individuals with no established link to a criminal activity
(Source: EUROPEAN DATA PROTECTION SUPERVISOR)
On 3 January 2022, the EDPS notified Europol of an order to delete data concerning individuals with no established link to a criminal activity (Data Subject Categorisation). This Decision concludes the EDPS’ inquiry launched in 2019.
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB)
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB)
(Source: European Union)
Overview
Role: To ensure that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Law Enforcement Directive are consistently applied in the EU countries, as well as Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland.
Chair: Andrea Jelinek
Established in: 2018
Number of staff: 21
Location: Brussels
Website: European Data Protection Board
The EDPB is […]
Three arrests after police action against religious extremist propaganda in Germany
(Source: Europol)
On 28 June 2022, the German Regional Police (Landeskriminalamt) struck against the so-called ‘Caliphate State’ religious extremist organisation. During the action day, coordinated by the Landeskriminalamt Rhineland-Palatinate, German law enforcement officers from six German States raided 50 locations in a joint operation and arrested three individuals. The arrested individuals are suspected […]
Europol’s amended Regulation enters into force
(Source: Europol)
Today, on 28 June 2022, key amendments to the Europol Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/794) enter into force, introducing a number of changes to this legal act. Based on the European Commission’s proposal, the European Parliament and the Council have agreed to strengthen Europol’s capacity to better support the EU Member States […]
What we know about the dirty business of environmental crime in the age of climate change
(Source: Europol)
Environmental crime generates millions of euros of dirty money in the EU alone every year, yet it remains extremely challenging for law enforcement to link cases to organised crime activities. Legal discrepancies among countries, low risk of detection and marginal penalties make environmental crime a highly attractive business for criminal entrepreneurs.
Yet […]
ESMA WILL NOT PUBLISH AUGUST SYSTEMATIC INTERNALISER REGIME DATA FOR NON-EQUITY INSTRUMENTS OTHER THAN BONDS AND CTP DATA
(Source: ESMA)
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) will not publish the 1 August 2022 publication of the systematic internaliser (SI) regime data for non-equity instruments other than bonds, as well as that of the consolidated tape (CTP) data. This is due to operational constraints which prevent it from performing the scheduled calculations.
ESMA, […]
ESMA PUBLISHES RESULTS OF ITS CALL FOR EVIDENCE ON ESG RATINGS
(Source: ESMA)
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU’s securities markets regulator, today publishes a letter to the European Commission (EC) providing its findings from the Call for Evidence to gather information on the market structure for ESG rating providers in the European Union (EU).
Key findings
ESMA received a total of 154 responses and […]
ESAs refer stakeholders to Commission statement on the application date of new PRIIPs rules
(Source: ESMA)
The European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) would like to draw the attention of stakeholders to a Statement by the European Commission concerning the application date of new rules for the Key Information Document (KID) for packaged retail and insurance-based investment products (PRIIPs).
The Statement of the European Commission confirms that it is intended:
for the […]
Production in construction down by 1.1% in euro area and by 1.2% in EU
(Source: Eurostat)
In April 2022 compared with March 2022, seasonally adjusted production in the construction sector decreased by 1.1% in the euro area and by 1.2% in the EU, according to first estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In March 2022, production in construction increased by…
Annual inflation up to 8.1% in the euro area
(Source: Eurostat)
The euro area annual inflation rate was 8.1% in May 2022, up from 7.4% in April. A year earlier, the rate was 2.0%. European Union annual inflation was 8.8% in May 2022, up from 8.1% in April. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3%. These figures are published by Eurostat, the […]
Euro area job vacancy rate at 3.1%
(Source: Eurostat)
In the first quarter of 2022, the job vacancy rate was 3.1% in the euro area, up from 2.8% in the previous quarter and 2.1% in the first quarter of 2021, according to figures published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. The job vacancy rate in the EU […]
EIOPA’s supervisory activities in 2021
(Source: EIOPA)
The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) published today its annual report on supervisory activities in 2021. The report highlights the most important deliverables achieved during the year, including a review of the priorities in the field of supervisory convergence to take stock of emerging and future challenges both from […]
ESAs refer stakeholders to Commission statement on the application date of new PRIIPs rules
(Source: EIOPA)
The European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) would like to draw the attention of stakeholders to a Statement by the European Commission concerning the application date of new rules for the Key Information Document (KID) for packaged retail and insurance-based investment products (PRIIPs).
The Statement of the European Commission confirms that it is intended:
for the […]
EIOPA sees the European economy entering a phase of heightened uncertainty
(Source: EIOPA)
The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) published today its June 2022 Financial Stability Report in which it examines the main trends for the European (re)insurance and pensions sectors as well as the macroeconomic landscape with its implications.
EIOPA notes that the European economy is in a phase of heightened uncertainty. Macroeconomic conditions […]