My Voice, My Choice

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Photo by Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash Activists have launched the “My Voice, My choice for safe and accessible abortion” initiative. The “ground breaking” drive, championed by prominent figures in the fight for reproductive rights, aims to secure over 1 million signatures over the next seven weeks before the EU elections. It is said to mark the first step…

Focus on Apple’s Competition Policy Compliance

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Photo by Roberto Nickson on Unsplash The European Commission has designated Apple with respect to iPadOS, its operating system for tablets, as a gatekeeper under the digital markets act (“DMA”).  Apple now has six months to ensure full compliance of iPadOS with the DMA obligations. The case dates to 5 September 2023 when the Commission designated Apple as a…

Kazakhstan’s new gambling regulation: A step too far?

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Photo by Cleyton Ewerton on Unsplash Laws regulating the Kazakh gambling and betting market are being hit with big changes.  It is argued that the new amendments and laws will prohibit a large circle of people from participating in gambling and betting.  Such concerns are particularly timely as they come at a time with efforts being made in…

MEPs Condemn Georgia’s Foreign Law

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Photo by Max Kukurudziak on Unsplash MEPs have condemned Georgia’s foreign influence law and have called for its parliament to halt the draft law. This came when the EU Parliament adopted a resolution on the issue.It says the law breaches EU “values and principles.” The Parliament strongly condemned the re-introduction of the controversial draft law on the transparency…

Casablanca Terrorist’s Claims Denied

Photo by Hamza Bouchikhi on Unsplash On 16 May 2003 the deadliest terrorist attacks in Morocco’s history took place in Casablanca, claiming the lives of 33 people and injuring at least a 100 more. One of the terrorists convicted of involvement with the attacks was Ali Aarrass, a Belgian citizen, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison after…

Combatting Gender-Based Violence

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Photo by Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash Socialist MEPs have voiced “regret” over the failure to classify non-consensual sex as rape under planned new EU laws. After a decade of calls and insistent pressure and campaigning, the EU will finally have the first-ever law to combat violence against women – a solid first step to eradicate the pandemic of…

Greens Call to Expedite Espionage Investigations

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Photo by Devin Kaselnak on Unsplash The European Greens are insisting that the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, “speeds up” the Parliament’s investigation into possible links between MEPs and foreign powers. This comes, it says, in response to reports that German police have arrested a parliamentary assistant on suspicion of being an agent of the Chinese…

Training for MEPs

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Photo by Saif71.com on Unsplash All MEPs will in future have to follow mandatory training sessions within the first six months in office focusing on the prevention of conflict and harassment in the workplace. They will also be taught “effective office management.” Parliament’s new anti-harassment rule, which has just been agreed, will be among the final votes during…

Commission Opens Non-compliance Investigations

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Photo by Headway on Unsplash The European Commission has opened non-compliance investigations under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) against several “Big Tech” companies. It will investigate Alphabet’s rules on steering in Google Play and self-preferencing on Google Search, Apple’s rules on steering in the App Store and the choice screen for Safari and Meta’s “pay or consent model”. The…

Cross-Border Traffic Offences

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Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash The EU and its member states have reached a deal which aims to strengthen EU member state cooperation in the cross-border investigation of traffic offences. To prevent reckless driving while abroad, the updated rules will expand the list of traffic offences committed by non-resident drivers that trigger cross-border assistance possibly resulting in…