The Commission welcomes the launch of the Unitary Patent system today, which will make it simpler and easier for companies to protect their innovations in Europe and capitalise on their intellectual property. The Unitary Patent system will strengthen the EU’s innovation and competitiveness and complete the Single Market for patents. It will initially cover 17 […]
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European Parliament calls for coordinated strategy to protect 2024 European elections against foreign interference
Parliament calls for a coordinated strategy to increase the EU’s resilience to foreign interference and information manipulation and protect the 2024 European elections . Foreign interference, disinformation, and attacks on democracy are likely to continue in ever-greater numbers and to become more sophisticated in the run-up to the European Parliament elections in June 2024, say […]
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European Commission publishes June infringement proceedings package for Spain
The main decisions adopted by the Commission in relation to infringement proceedings in Spain are presented below. Jobs and social rights Reasoned opinions Employment: The Commission calls on GREECE, SPAIN and LUXEMBOURG to incorporate the Directive on Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions into national law The European Commission decided to send a reasoned opinion to […]
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MEPs vote to speed up the freezing and confiscation of criminal assets
The new legislation on seizing criminal assets would ensure fast and efficient freezing operations everywhere in the EU, and quicker compensation for victims. To speed up asset freezing and confiscations and close loopholes, MEPs on the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee adopted on Tuesday a draft position on new rules with 50 votes […]
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The EU General Court rejects Meta’s appeal against the obligation to send documents identified by search terms to the European Commission
On the basis of suspicions of anticompetitive behaviour by the Facebook group in its use of data and in the management of its social network platform, the European Commission, by decision of 4 May 2020, sent a request for information to Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd, formerly Facebook Ireland Ltd. That decision, adopted pursuant to Article […]
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Spain amends tax law to improve European tax cooperation
The reform includes the transposition of the DAC Directive7 which obliges Member States to exchange information obtained through digital platforms. The Spanish Parliament has given final approval to the Bill amending the General Tax Law and other tax regulations that give effect to the transposition of the EU Directive 2021/514, known as DAC7. The final […]
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EU expands sanctions list against Iran for human rights violations
The Council decided to impose restrictive measures on an additional 5 individuals and two entities responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran. The new listings include the current commander of the Tehran Police Relief Unit of Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces (LEF), and an individual linked to the “Maryam Arvin case” – a lawyer who was brutally arrested, […]
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Council adopts EU rules on crypto-assets market
The EU brings crypto-assets, crypto-assets issuers and crypto-asset service providers under a regulatory framework. Setting an EU level legal framework for this sector for the first time, the Council adopted a regulation on markets in crypto-assets (MiCA). MiCA will protect investors by increasing transparency and putting in place a comprehensive framework for issuers and service providers including compliance […]
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European Parliament adopts three resolutions on respect for human rights in Algeria, Belarus and Myanmar
Media freedom and freedom of expression in Algeria, the case of journalist Ihsane El-Kadi Parliament urges the Algerian authorities to immediately release all those arbitrarily detained and charged for exercising their right to freedom of expression, including prominent journalist Ihsane El-Kadi, who was convicted in April to a five-year sentence and hefty fines on unfounded […]
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