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News

Council Opposes Commission’s AML Blacklisting of Third Countries

19 April 2019

Thomas Wahl

At the meeting of 7 March 2019, the JHA Council unanimously rejected a list of 23 “high-risk third countries”in the area of money laundering and terrorist financing. The list was put forward by the Commissionon 13 February 2019. The list aims to protect … Read more

EU Money Laundering

EP Generally Supports Link Between Non-Respect of Rule of Law and Loss of EU Money

19 April 2019 (updated 4 years, 10 months ago)

Thomas Wahl

On 19 January 2019, the European Parliament adopted its position on the regulation on the protection of the Union’s budget in case of generalised deficiencies as regards the rule of law in the Member States. In essence, the EP backs the Commission’s idea in its … Read more

EU Rule of Law Protection of Financial Interests

ECA: Action Needed in the EU’s Fight against Fraud

19 April 2019

Thomas Wahl

In a special report of 10 January 2019,the European Court of Auditors (ECA) details weaknesses in the Commission’s fight against fraud in EU spending. According to the report, OLAF’s administrative investigations resulted in recovery of less than a third of unduly paid funds. Furthermore, … Read more

EU Protection of Financial Interests

International Operation Against Fake Shampoo

19 April 2019 (updated 7 years, 4 months ago)

Thomas Wahl

On 18 February 2019, OLAF reported on a successful international operation which culminated in the search and seizure of 400 tons of counterfeit shampoo with an estimated retail value of €5 million. The fake haircare products stem from China and were shipped to Latin America … Read more

EU OLAF Counterfeiting & Piracy

Record Number of Legal Practitioner Trainings in 2017

19 April 2019

Thomas Wahl

In 2017, over 180,000 legal practitioners (judges, prosecutors, court staff, lawyers, bailiffs, and notaries) took part in training activities on EU law or the law of another Member State. With this record number since reporting on European judicial training began in 2011, the EU already … Read more

EU Legislation

Roadmap Proposed for New Decision-Making Procedure in EU Tax Policy

8 April 2019 (updated 7 years, 5 months ago)

Thomas Wahl

On 15 January 2019, the European Commission kicked off a policy debate on reforming the EU’s decision-making in taxation. This area is currently subject to a special legislative procedure, the Council being the sole legislator and deciding by unanimity. The European Parliament is consulted … Read more

EU Legislation

Current Legislative JHA Proposals

8 April 2019 (updated 7 years, 5 months ago)

Thomas Wahl

In view of the JHA Council meeting on 7-8 March 2019, the Romanian Council Presidency gave an overview of the current state of play of justice and home affairs legislative items. Criminal law-related items include, for instance:Legislative package on the interoperability of EU … Read more

EU Legislation

Brexit: UK Government Prepares No Deal Scenario

8 April 2019 (updated 7 years, 5 months ago)

Thomas Wahl

The British government has tabled “Regulations” that contain legislative amendments and regulatory measures in the area of security, law enforcement, and criminal justice. They “will provide legal and operational certainty.” by ensuring that the UK’s statute book continues to function effectively should the UK leave the EU without an agreement end of March 2019. Read more

EU Area of Freedom, Security and Justice

Endangered Lawyers – Hearing at the EP

8 April 2019 (updated 7 years, 5 months ago)

Thomas Wahl

On 19 February 2019, the EP’s Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) held a hearing on “attacks on the legal profession and lawyers defending human rights.” The persecution of lawyers has intensified worldwide. Lawyers defending human rights and representatives of NGOs reported that the professional activity of lawyers is increasingly subject to difficult conditions, e.g., abusive infringements of professional secrecy or surveillance of client conversations. Read more

EU Fundamental Rights

New Special Representative for Human Rights

8 April 2019 (updated 7 years, 5 months ago)

Thomas Wahl

On 28 February 2019, the Council appointed Eamon Gilmore as EU Special Representative for Human Rights. Read more

EU European Commission for the efficiency of justice (CEPEJ)

No Progress in Art. 7 TEU Procedure Against Poland and Hungary

8 April 2019 (updated 7 years, 5 months ago)

Thomas Wahl

At its meeting of 19 Feburary 2019, the General Affairs Council dealt with the Article 7 TEU procedure concerning Poland and Hungary. Statements of Member States on the rule-of-law situation in these two countries were cautious. Read more

EU Fundamental Rights

EP: Strengthening Potential of Charter

8 April 2019 (updated 7 years, 5 months ago)

Thomas Wahl

The European Union must take resolute steps to strengthen its own efforts to guarantee the enjoyment of all rights of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, including social rights. This is one of the main requests in an EP resolution of 12 February 2019 “on the implementation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union in the EU institutional framework.” The non-legislative resolution was adopted by 349 to 157 votes (with 170 abstentions). Read more

EU Fundamental Rights

EP: Step up Efforts to Effective Protection of Rule of Law and European Values

8 April 2019 (updated 4 years, 10 months ago)

Thomas Wahl

On 16 January 2019, the European Parliament called on all relevant actors at the EU and national levels − including governments, parliaments, and the judiciary − to step up efforts to uphold and reinforce the rule of law. Read more

EU Fundamental Rights Rule of Law

Report

The European Crime Prevention Network: Preventing Individual Fraud in the EU A Report on a New Toolbox

27 February 2019 (updated 7 years, 3 months ago)

Jorne Vanhee in Issue 1/2019

This report summarises the main findings on the phenomenon of individual fraud in the EU. It includes best practices for counteractions, and recommended prevention measures. Prevention of individual fraud was a focal topic of the Bulgarian Council Presidency in 2018 The report relates to the 13th toolbox of the European Crime Prevention Network (EUCPN). The EUCPN was set up by the Council of the European Union in 2001. It is the first point of contact for crime prevention in the EU. Read more

US CLOUD Act: EU Wants Executive Agreement with the U.S.

18 February 2019

Thomas Wahl

The EU and the U.S. agreed that the U.S. will negotiate one "executive agreement" with the EU in the framework of the US CLOUD Act. The Commission and the Council are preparing the mandate in order to start the negotiations. Read more

EU Law Enforcement Cooperation

Civil Society Organisations Voice Concerns over Council Plans on E-Evidence

18 February 2019

Thomas Wahl

Eighteen civil society organisations urged Member States to seriously reconsider its draft position on law enforcement access to “e-evidence” on the eve of the vote on the general approach in the Council. Read more

EU Law Enforcement Cooperation