Reinhard Bütikofer, Chair of the China-Delegation in the European Parliament and foreign affairs spokesperson for the Greens/EFA group, comments on the National Security Law: “By imposing unilaterally the so-called National Security Law on Hong Kong, the leadership of the PRC is destroying Hong Kong’s autonomy. The promise of “One country, two systems” has been broken…
The EU institutions have approved a law which would allow citizens in all EU countries to go to court as a group if they have suffered the same damage. Consumer groups have been advocating for such a law for more than 30 years. As a result of today’s agreement, access to justice for consumers will significantly improve…
A conference at the Press Club in Brussels heard last week that a group of six Members of the European Parliament had, independently of their political groups, written to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other senior political figures calling for them to overturn a legitimate judicial decision and grant asylum to a convicted fugitive. The…
The European Parliament has recommended that the EU and its members states file a case before the International Court of Justice, if China applies the new national security law they have proposed for Hong Kong. In a resolution adopted on Friday (19 June) by 565 votes to 34, with 62 abstentions, the European Parliament voted…
The European Publishers Council (EPC) welcomes the European Commission’s decision to open formal antitrust investigations against Apple who, through abuse of dominance, are undermining the ability of news and magazine publishers to have direct commercial relationships with their readers or to offer iOS-device users alternative cheaper purchasing possibilities outside of apps. The case will assess…
The Council today decided to renew the sanctions introduced in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation until 23 June 2021. The restrictive measures currently in place include prohibitions targeting the imports of products originating in Crimea or Sevastopol into the EU, and infrastructural or financial investments and tourism services in Crimea or Sevastopol. Furthermore, the exports of certain…
Charges brought by Polish authorities against two activists who face possible prison sentences of up to 10 years for a poster campaign should be immediately dropped said Amnesty International (AI). The activists were detained and charged last week, after they put up posters in Warsaw accusing the government of manipulating COVID-19 statistics. They were charged with…
In a European Parliament debate on Hungary’s coronavirus emergency measures, most MEPs said democracy and fundamental rights are under threat in Hungary. The majority of speakers on 14 May stressed that the Hungarian government’s measures, including the declaration of a state of emergency without a time limit, are not in line with EU rules, calling…
By Willy Fautré Twenty-five years after the end of Croatia’s war for independence from Serbia, thousands of Serbs are still fighting for their property rights in that Western Balkan country which became a member state of the European Union (EU) in 2013 and is now chairing the EU. Dalibor Močević, a Croatian citizen of Serbian…
I met with Philippe Bresson to explore his experience of investing in Eastern Europe. Philippe manages the BEE Family Office, formerly BRICOSTORE Holding, a 160-year-old family-owned holding company that manages a variety of assets and holdings in various business sectors. It was originally focused on the retail sector in France and internationally. In the late…
