Un pequeño desafío (Miniserie Julia) (Spanish Edition)

Heeding the aspirations of the people in the region, including those of Palestinians for statehood and those of Israelis for security is a crucial element for lasting peace, stability and prosperity in the region. The EU recalls the applicability of international humanitarian law in the occupied Palestinian territory, including the applicability of the fourth Geneva Convention relative to the protection of civilians.

Amennyiben igen, melyek ezek? Common ragweed is widespread internationally and is constantly spreading into an even wider area, assisted by an increasingly mild climate. Can the Commission provide information on the following pilot projects initiated by Parliament and included in the EU budget:. Pilot project on complex research on the methods of controlling the spread of ragweed and pollen allergies grant. If so, what are they? Deliverables will be shared after finalisation of the project. The project will deliver policy-relevant guidance to combat Ambrosia invasion as of Vi sono diversi strumenti e apparecchiature tecnologiche, come ad esempio respiratori, carrozzine, deambulatori e materassi anti-decubito, che sono necessari per determinate categorie di pazienti, e che in Italia sono quindi garantiti dal Servizio Sanitario Nazionale.

Il Nomenclatore tariffario contiene l'elenco completo di questi strumenti, ma il suo ultimo aggiornamento risale a ben 13 anni or sono Decreto n. La tecnologia in detto ambito si evolve in maniera piuttosto rapida, e i pazienti che necessitano di questi ausili si trovano di fronte a una difficile scelta, ovvero utilizzare strumenti obsoleti oppure dover pagare di tasca propria la differenza per poter usufruire di migliori servizi.

Questi nuovi dispositivi non si caratterizzano per essere dei prototipi specifici, ma solamente delle innovazioni entrate oramai nell'uso comune in ambito sanitario. Esiste a livello europeo un coordinamento per lo scambio delle migliori pratiche e tecniche innovative in ambito di dispositivi medici e sanitari? La Commissione ritiene tuttavia importante identificare e condividere informazioni sulle innovazioni che intervengono nell'ambito degli ausili medici.

There are a number of instruments and pieces of technological equipment, such as respirators, wheelchairs, walking frames and anti-bedsore mattresses, which are necessary for certain categories of patient and which are therefore provided by the national health service in Italy.

In theory, there were supposed to be regular adjustments, every three years at the most, but this requirement has been completely ignored and the revision of the decree further postponed. Technology in this field is evolving fairly rapidly and patients who need these devices are faced with a difficult choice — either having to use outdated devices or having to pay the difference out of their own pockets in order to receive better services.

Sometimes they do not even have that choice, as some new innovations are not even included on the official list. The continuing health service cuts are also forcing many local health authorities ASL to seek lower-cost products on the market, but these are also often of poor quality, such as many wheelchairs that are manufactured in the Far East. These new devices are not specific prototypes but are simply innovations that have now become commonplace in the health sector. In the light of the above, what measures can the Commission take to try to resolve this situation, which is undermining the autonomy of these patients and preventing them from having a normal social and working life?

Is there, at EU level, any coordination with regard to the exchange of best practices and innovative techniques in the field of medical and health devices? Does the Commission not think it should facilitate a wider dissemination in Europe of the best instruments currently available? These responsibilities include the management of health services and medical care and the allocation of the resources assigned to them. Nevertheless, the Commission believes it is important to identify and share information on innovation in the area of medical devices.

The Commission therefore organises regular meetings on new and emerging technologies where interested parties such as national Competent Authorities, the medical device industry, Notified Bodies and standardisation bodies can exchange views and share expertise on innovative devices coming onto the European market.

Does the Council not think that the prize money from this award could be allocated to help Belarusian society? It is a disgrace that a dictator remains in power at the very border of the European Union. The Council underlined that the prize also recognises the historically and globally unique project of regional integration and enlargement in Europe, where former enemies today are united as friends around a core set of values.

The Council undertook to continue to work tirelessly for peace and in the promotion of fundamental rights and values and to strive to make its external action more coherent, comprehensive and effective. Mahdi Akhavan Bahabadi, segretario del centro nazionale iraniano del ciberspazio, ha negato il coinvolgimento dell'Iran negli attacchi. Ciononostante, si ritiene che gli attacchi siano stati lanciati in risposta alle sanzioni promosse dagli Stati Uniti e al worm digitale Stuxnet impiegato per paralizzare gli impianti nucleari iraniani.

At this stage, the Commission does not intend to speculate with regard to security arrangements put in place by EU companies against possible state-lead cyber attacks. Alcuni gruppi, quali i separatisti di Pattani, selezionano questi obiettivi in quanto simboli dello Stato thailandese buddista. Anche gli studenti sono stati al centro di brutali attacchi e sono rimasti feriti durante gli attentati dei ribelli contro il personale di sicurezza. Il governo deve garantire protezione a quanti sono nel mirino dei ribelli ma la soluzione militare non basta a dare sicurezza alle popolazione nel lungo termine.

Per una pace duratura nella regione occorrono soluzioni politiche. Groups such as Patani Independence Fighters choose these targets as they are viewed as symbols of the Thai Buddhist state. Insurgents have set fire to more than government schools in eight years, and teachers have been ambushed on their way to school or killed in their classrooms. Students have also fallen victim to brutal attacks, and been wounded in insurgent attacks targeting security personnel.

These attacks on schools seem to be part of a larger campaign by insurgents to use violence and terror to drive Buddhist Thais out of the southern provinces and keep local Muslims under their control. The EU follows the conflict in Southern Thailand with concern. The EU is particularly alarmed by the surge of violence in the past few months. The EU is engaged with the authorities and other stakeholders in addressing the issue.

While the protection of all those targeted by the insurgents should be a priority for the Thai government, military solutions alone cannot provide security to the population over the long term. Sustainable peace in the region can be only guaranteed through political means. A degree of devolution may go a long way, if it is coupled with other political reforms aimed at restoring justice and providing a wider cultural and educational space for Malay communities. The EU is currently funding a number of activities with a view to strengthening the voice of civil society, fostering dialogue between Buddhist and Muslim communities, and promoting social and economic development in Southern Thailand.

Zu diesem Thema gibt es jedoch keine EU-weiten Erhebungen. In providing such services, many agents and agencies apply unfair or even mafia-like methods. For instance, they often demand continuous monthly payments from personal caretakers for whom they have only provided a one-time mediation service. Illegal contracts with personal caretakers are not uncommon, in many cases enforced through coercion, extortion, misappropriation of funds, bogus self-employment, infringement of contract rights, and, in some cases, even of violation of fundamental rights.

To counter this problem, one feasible option is to introduce certificates for personal care that certify the caretaker as well as the agent and agency. On the one hand, such certificates provide quality assurance in professional, linguistic and legal terms. On the other hand, they improve the situation for both the caretaker and the person receiving care.

In addition, jobs can be created for caretakers and language trainers. Is the Commission aware of the problem described above, and does it have access to EU-wide surveys on this issue? Is the Commission considering introducing or promoting such certifications throughout the Union? Is the Commission considering taking action in this field, given its cross-border nature?

The precarious status of such care workers would make them vulnerable to abuse and could also imply insufficient quality assurances for care receivers. However, there are no EU-wide surveys on these issues. The problems are likely to differ from one Member State to another, and it is the responsibility of Member States to enforce the applicable legislation to protect care workers and care receivers. However, the experience from Austria referred to by the Honourable Member could be of interest to other Member States and could be presented in the context of the peer review activities under the auspices of the Social Protection Committee.

The Commission has no plans for introducing an EU-wide certification, but could promote the exchange of information among Member States on the issues to be addressed through certification schemes. The Commission will act if there is a breach of EU legislation, notably concerning the right to free movement of carers from other Member States.

The establishment of a European Platform on undeclared work is foreseen in the Commission Work Programme. Its aim would be to enhance cooperation and exchange information as well as best practices at EU level between different enforcement bodies to achieve a more effective and coherent approach to the fight against undeclared work. Pochissimi, infatti, sono stati i responsabili portati di fronte alla giustizia e puniti per i reati commessi. In tale contesto permeato di violenza cronica, raramente i crimini sessuali vengono denunciati. I maggiori ostacoli all'accesso alla giustizia sono dati dal timore di stigmatizzazione e alla mancata percezione di reale sicurezza per le vittime sopravvissute e coinvolte nei processi legali.

Indeed, very few of the perpetrators have been brought to justice and punished for the crimes committed. The message that clearly emerges from the government's attitude is one of impunity and tolerance towards criminals who trample on the human rights of their victims every day. In the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences carried out a total of 22 examinations into suspected cases of sexual violence, compared to 12 in In situations of armed conflict, sexual violence against women is carried out to sow terror among communities, to force them to flee and to wreak revenge on the enemy.

In such a situation of chronic violence, sex crimes are rarely reported.

The main obstacles to access to justice are the fear of being stigmatised and the perceived lack of real security for surviving victims involved in legal proceedings. In addition, administrative delays, a lack of funds and the infiltration of armed groups into local institutions make the legal process inadequate to meet the victims' needs for protection and humanity.

The real problems in the country are not due to a lack of laws to punish sex offenders, but to the fact that those laws are not genuinely and consistently enforced. The Colombian government has made significant efforts to strengthen the rule of law and to reduce impunity for human rights violations throughout the country. However, these are hampered by the continued existence of the complex and multifaceted conflict, which represents a persistent human rights challenge and a formidable obstacle to the effective administration of justice.

Reden voor inzameling is optimale recycling en het tegengaan van illegale export, dump en verwerking. Veel kostbare grondstoffen gaan alsnog verloren, de arbeidsomstandigheden bij veel recycling buiten Europa laten te wensen over en milieuvervuiling is een groot risico. De lidstaten moeten de inzameling en verwerking van deze afvalstromen organiseren. De overheid certificeert instanties die de inzameling mogen doen.

In hoeverre verplicht de Commissie lidstaten aan te tonen welke problemen er zijn bij de inzameling van deze afvalstromen en welke acties de lidstaten nemen om deze problemen op te lossen? Welke actie onderneemt de Commissie als een lidstaat in gebreke blijft bij de inzameling van het afval en transparantie van wat er met deze afvalstromen gebeurt? Welke actie onderneemt de Commissie om inzage te krijgen in wat er gebeurt met de hoeveelheid elektrisch en elektronisch afval dat niet ingezameld wordt?

De betrokken verslagen moet een evaluatie bevatten van de positieve en de negatieve ervaringen met de tenuitvoerlegging van de richtlijn. The aim of collecting it is to ensure optimal recycling and to combat illegal exports, dumping and processing. Large quantities of valuable raw materials go to waste, working conditions for those who perform recycling outside Europe often leave much to be desired, and there is a major risk of environmental pollution.

Member States are required to organise the collection and recycling of these waste flows. The public authorities certify bodies which are permitted to collect waste. In the Netherlands, it has now become apparent that illegal trading is going on between local authorities and uncertified dealers in electrical and electronic waste De Telegraaf , Is the Commission aware of dealing in electrical and electronic waste between local authorities and uncertified dealers? What action does the Commission take to combat illegal trade between authorities and uncertified collectors?

To what extent are Member States required to demonstrate to the Commission what happens to the unregistered part of waste flows? To what extent does the Commission require Member States to demonstrate what problems exist in the collection of these waste flows and what action the Member States are taking to solve these problems? What action does the Commission take if a Member States fails to collect waste in the required manner and does not ensure sufficient transparency regarding what happens to these waste flows?

What action does the Commission take to ascertain what is happening to electrical and electronic waste which is not collected? The Commission will ask the Dutch authorities for further information on the specific case to which the Honourable Member refers. Such reports should include an evaluation of the positive and negative experiences with the implementation of the directive. It is also generally accepted that airports with fewer than one million passengers are not economically viable and cannot continue to operate without state aid.

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Will the Commission take this economic reality into account when drafting its revised guidelines and, in particular, authorise operating aid for airports with fewer than one million passengers? Regional airports can play an important role in local development and accessibility. Nevertheless, it is also important to avoid undue distortions of competition and wasting public resources. This risk is particularly high in cases of duplication of non-profitable airports.

The Commission will take all these elements into account when revising the Aviation guidelines. Vil Kommissionen derudover oplyse, hvilke retsakter fra anden og tredje liberaliseringspakke de enkelte medlemsstater har implementeret korrekt? The European Commission and the Commissioner for Energy have previously answered many questions concerning the implementation of the second and third energy liberalisation packages.

For the sake of clarity, the Commission is requested to provide a comprehensive overview of which countries have received letters of formal notice and reasoned opinions, and which countries have been the subject of a case brought before the European Court of Justice. This overview should be broken down by legal instrument. The Commission is also requested to state which legal instruments from the second and third energy liberalisation packages have been correctly implemented by the individual countries. In addition, the Commission refers to the tables on this topic sent to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat.

Esto solo puede generar un consumo irresponsable, no sostenible y desinformado de las conservas pesqueras en lugar de una apuesta por la calidad, la sostenibilidad y el respeto al medio ambiente dentro de la actividad pesquera. El etiquetado de los productos de la pesca y la acuicultura forma parte integral de la reforma y tiene en cuenta las disposiciones del Reglamento de control, en particular aquellas en materia de trazabilidad.

One amendment in particular to the original text stands out among the many tabled. It removes the obligation on producers to inform customers about the origin of the product they are selling. This new piece of legislation will make it difficult to trace fish products as there will be no guarantee that where fish were caught, and hence what labour and social system applied, will be known. This will make promoting responsible consumption difficult as it will be impossible to judge important factors such as the social, economic and environmental impact if there is no way of knowing in which waters fish processed by canning companies were caught and under what conditions.

This will affect small canning companies which try to produce goods whose quality and certification of origin give them added value, which comply with social and labour standards for their workers, and which will have to sell their product without being able to inform customers about its origin. Thus only the big canning firms will benefit from this change to the proposed legislation, firms who process tonnes of fish at the lowest possible cost without considering protection needs, the environmental impact of their production or the most basic of environmental standards.

This can only lead to irresponsible, unsustainable and uninformed consumption of tinned fish instead of a commitment by the fishing industry to quality, sustainability and care for the environment. Does the Commission consider this legislation on labelling to be compatible with subsidies to the fishing industry which claim to support EU coastal fishing through the added value brought about by certification of origin?

Does the Commission think that EU coastal fishing, which complies with high environmental standards, will be able to compete with other regions in the world in supplying the canning industry, without measures being implemented to ensure traceability within the sector? The Commission believes that improved information on seafood products will help EU consumers to make more informed choices, including on the quality of the products they buy.

Additional voluntary information can be provided to consumers environmental, social, quality, local or regional brands … as long as accuracy is ensured and information does not mislead the consumer. The Commission proposed to develop minimum criteria when needed to ensure the reliability of such information. Labelling of fisheries and aquaculture products is an integrated part of the reform and takes into account provisions of the Control Regulation, in particular on traceability.

Proposed provisions on information to consumers can contribute to ensure a level playing field in terms of competition. EU consumers will be able to know the species concerned and its provenance. They will also know the date of catch or harvest and if a product is fresh or has been defrosted. Tale liberalizzazione, dunque, rischia di causare una moltiplicazione incontrollata di antenne sui condomini, con un conseguente aumento di inquinamento elettromagnetico.

Pertanto, la Commissione ha chiesto al comitato scientifico per i rischi sanitari emergenti e recentemente identificati CSRSERI di procedere all'aggiornamento del suo parere del , previsto per il secondo trimestre del However, according to one of the provisions of the decree itself, an owner or co-owner cannot deny access to a telecommunications operator if the latter wishes to install, connect or maintain network elements such as cables, wires, distributors, lines or devices, including new antennas. From now on, an apartment or the communal parts of the building will be freely available to large telecommunications companies and, moreover, these same businesses will be exempt from tax for the use of public land.

In return, a payment to owners will be set on the basis of the actual reduction in value of the property, as if this were a case of compulsory purchase. In addition, likewise in the name of the digital super-highways, the procedure for installing underground broadband and ultra-broadband cables beneath public roads will be accelerated: There is a danger, therefore, that this liberalisation may result in an uncontrolled multiplication of the number of antennas appearing on the roofs of blocks of flats, which will increase levels of electromagnetic pollution. Therefore, as far as the general public is concerned, there are no specific EU provisions that the Italian authorities need to comply with.

However, the Commission follows the development of scientific knowledge and periodically asks its Scientific Committees to review the latest scientific evidence. Participaciones preferentes en Caixa Galicia y Caixanova. Entre estos clientes se encuentran los titulares de participaciones preferentes de Caixa Galicia y Caixanova. Estas dos cajas gallegas comenzaron a comercializar participaciones preferentes desde y respectivamente, recabando millones de euros para las ampliaciones de capital.

Todas las medidas previstas en el plan tienen por objeto garantizar la solidez y la viabilidad del banco en cumplimiento de las normas sobre las ayudas estatales. The memorandum provides for rules to be established to guarantee subordinated liability. The latter customers include holders of Caixa Galicia and Caixanova preferred shares.

These two savings banks in Galicia began marketing preferred shares in and respectively, raising millions of euros to expand their capital. In marketing these financial products financial institutions should have provided large quantities of information about them and warned their customers of the precise risks they would be running. These minimum legal requirements were not met in any of these cases; information was wrong or even concealed, tricking people who did not have any training in finance in order to sell these complex financial products.

In the case of these preferred shares, failure to comply with existing legislation would presuppose imperfect consent which would invalidate the contracts. Should these preferred shares prove to be invalid, how will the Commission enforce the memorandum of understanding without affecting the funds of the thousands of small savers who were tricked in this way? All measures envisaged in the plan aim at ensuring the soundness and the viability of the bank in compliance with state aid rules.

In addition to this, the memorandum of understanding MoU signed between the Spanish authorities and the Commission, acting on behalf of the euro area Member States, establishes that subordinated liability exercises have to be conducted for hybrid capital, including preference shares.

The Commission is aware of allegations of potential mis-selling as regards the sale of preference shares by some banks. Such allegations are for the Spanish judicial system to investigate and assess. The Honourable Member can rest assured that the Commission promotes consumer protection principles. More concretely, the MoU establishes that consumer protection should be strengthened as regards hybrid instruments. It was recently announced that two of the largest Greek companies intended to relocate their headquarters abroad.

These moves are quite clearly a first step before the dismantling of the production departments of these companies, and according to reports, it is certain that other Greek companies intend to follow their lead soon. All this is taking place while the Memorandum policy being implemented in Greece is producing, inter alia , constant salary reductions and the elimination of collective bargaining agreements and workers' rights.

The companies that are relocating justify their decision by emphasising that economic activity in Greece is shrinking due to falling demand; that investment projects are fleeing southern Europe because of the risk, which is due mainly to European policies; and that foreign banks are imposing exorbitant rates of interest because of the risk that Greece represents. How does it explain the phenomenon that, despite the unprecedented reduction in labour costs, Greek companies are deciding to move abroad? What policy does it intend to pursue so as to restore a climate of confidence in the Greek market and so that, on the one hand, these companies return to Greece and, on the other, more undertakings are dissuaded from also relocating?

How will it reverse the highly unfavourable climate created in international markets towards Greek companies? The Commission considers it crucial to ensure that Greece regains fiscal sustainability and undertakes the necessary structural and fiscal reforms which both will contribute to a timely return of private investment.

In this respect, the measures already taken by the Greek Government in context of the economic adjustment programme and their continued firm implementation, as well as the the substantial package of financing and debt-reduction measures agreed by the European partners will help to create a more favourable climate for Greek companies in international markets.

If sustained in the longer term this will encourage additional foreign direct investment inflows and production in the country. Following an investigation, the U. Has it requested information, or does it intend to do so in future, on the participation of the company in question in tenders in Greece? If so, what was the outcome of the investigations? Is it prohibited under Community law from taking initiatives of its own to investigate this res judicata which constitutes a huge scandal, instead of waiting for third parties to submit information to it?

Does the final conviction of the company in country like the U. In this respect, it should be recalled that the criminal prosecution of individual corruption cases falls within the competence of Member States. National investigations are not monitored by the Commission, which may look into specific cases only to the extent that they would entail concrete violations of EU legislation. On the basis of the information communicated, it appears however that the contracts in question have been concluded between and and that they have already been performed.

Should the Honourable Member communicate to the Commission that there are ongoing contracts, it would look into them in order to appreciate whether there have been irregularities from a public procurement perspective. In the past eight months, France, Belgium and Sweden have notified their intention to adopt national bans on the use of bisphenol A, also known as BPA, in certain food contact materials. These bans, if implemented, would de facto create disruption within the single market as well as in the international trade of these goods.

They would also send confused signals to both consumers and businesses, given that they run counter to the international scientific assessments mentioned above. The European project itself is founded on the idea of the single market. The Commission has the important task of guaranteeing that obstacles to the movement of products, services, innovation and creativity are removed.

The Member States referred to in the question have justified their national measures on the grounds of protection of health. However, it is clear that the right supporting environment in the developing countries where these diseases are often endemic — including adequate local manufacturing capacity, functioning healthcare infrastructures and realistic pricing mechanisms — must be in place if these products are ever going to be made available to those who need them most.

In the light of the above, and in the interest of Policy Coherence for Development, can the Commission say:. How might the Commission cooperate specifically with the private sector on this? The European Union's geographic development instruments aim to strengthen countries' health systems as a whole in order to establish functioning health services that allow health products, new medicines or vaccines, to find a market and reach the population.

The Development Cooperation Instrument and European Development Fund have been used to support Global Health initiatives to provide affected countries with new health products. The authorisation to import medical products is based on the comparative advantages the product could have for its population and is the responsibility of countries' Pharmaceutical Regulatory Authorities. The Global Alliance Vaccine Initiative GAVI is already an example of support for public-private partnerships to ensure the dissemination of new vaccines in developing countries after selection of the most interesting products.

Una de estas potencias militares no firmantes del citado Tratado es Israel. It is exerting constant and focused pressure on certain countries signatory to this Treaty. Nuclear proliferation is, without doubt, the greatest threat to international security and regional stability. It is not just countries signatory to the Treaty that have nuclear weapons. Other military powers are often accused or suspected of possessing nuclear weapons too. The Israeli Government has often been accused of having nuclear weapons but the international community has not exerted any significant diplomatic pressure to verify this.

Israel has sparked off a good many conflicts in the region, it constantly breaches numerous UN resolutions, and infringes the sovereignty of practically all its neighbours. Its continual violation of human rights is well known, its military technologies are extremely advanced and it is the top-ranking military power in the region. These facts are grounds alone to justify diplomatic steps being taken to ascertain whether Israel does have nuclear weapons. If so, will the Council open a diplomatic channel to ascertain whether Israel possesses nuclear weapons outside of the Non-Proliferation Treaty?

Should possession of nuclear weapons be confirmed, what kind of measures or sanctions will the Council impose on Israel? The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery has been identified in the European Security Strategy as one of the greatest threats to international and EU security, one that requires a global approach. The EU has continued to make use of all political and diplomatic instruments at its disposal to address that threat, and has constantly underlined the importance of full compliance with, and national implementation of, existing disarmament and non-proliferation treaties and agreements and other relevant international obligations.

The Conference was postponed in November. The EU would like the Conference to be reconvened as soon as possible in and is calling upon all State parties concerned to attend the Conference in a spirit of compromise. The EU also cooperates closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency in charge of verifying that nuclear energy programmes are developed in accordance with the highest standards of safety, security and non-proliferation , and with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation in charge of the verification of the CTBT.

The EU has no independent information that would allow it to ascertain the possession of nuclear weapons by Israel. This infringement of Greek territorial waters by a Turkish corvette in the Aegean occurred just three days after Ahmed Davutoglu, the Turkish Foreign Minister, concluded his visit to Athens, where it was agreed to resume exploratory contacts for the purpose delimiting the continental shelf between Greece and Turkey. In this context, the Union expresses serious concerns and urges the avoidance of any kind of threat, source of friction or action which could damage good neighbourly relations and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

The Commission consistently reiterates this position on all appropriate occasions. The Commission hopes that the process of exploratory talks between Greece and Turkey — aimed at addressing certain issues arising in bilateral relations — will have a positive outcome further to the latest round of the talks on October 18 In the early s, the former Communist East Germany became a member of what was then the EEC, despite lagging behind in terms of growth. The cost of its entry and convergence with other Member States had a massive impact on the cohesion countries, including Greece, which forfeited valuable Community funding as a result.

The other EEC Member States were never at any moment consulted regarding the entry of this former Communist country which was facing acute difficulties and they bore a disproportionately heavy burden without demur. What has been the total amount received by this country from the structural funds and the European Investment Bank in the form of low-interest loans from up to the present day? The figures available include the programmes from all Eastern German regions from onwards. The funding derives from the following instruments: The data does not include programmes or Community Initiatives at federal level as the Commission cannot obtain reliable data on the allocation of specific funding to Eastern German regions.

When data for Berlin included both the eastern and western part of the city, it was excluded from the calculations. According to recent figures from the UNHCR regarding Syrians, Syrians have crossed into neighbouring countries, a figure that is likely to soar to by the end of this year because of the ongoing conflict. The publications referred to in the plan to accommodate 20 refugees from Syria in Rhodes and Crete make interesting reading and we should pause to consider the unspeakable human tragedy behind the words.

The Ministry stated on Thursday that Greece was preparing to accommodate up to 20 refugees from Syria, according to the timetable set by the Ministry of Public Order, under the UN Convention on refugees. Given that no agreement is respected by Turkey, which has no interest in securing the borders of the European Union, and that tension between it and Syria seems to be rising, and given that Greece is the first stop for Syrian refugees;.

What steps does it intend to take to put down clear red lines as regards the ongoing violations by Turkey in respect of Greece?

• Hunting the Grisly and Other Sketches.
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How does it intend to deal with the new wave of refugees to Greece, given the economic situation of the country, but also the percentage of illegal immigrants which has exceeded all previous crises in relation to the population of the country and which is increasingly becoming a time bomb for social cohesion in Greece? Member States should ensure that their national asylum and migration policies are both protective and efficient.

The Commission, together with Union Agencies and other stakeholders, is continuously supporting Greece towards reforming its asylum and migration policies. The Commission is in close contact with the Greek authorities and stands ready to provide the necessary support to Greece to cope with challenges linked to the arrivals of third-country nationals from Syria.

In this context EASO asylum experts can also be deployed to provide assistance on the ground. La violencia contra las mujeres sigue siendo un problema grave en los Estados miembros de la UE puesto que socava los principales derechos fundamentales de la mujer. However, only one question in the consultation was related to discrimination question 4, about national discrimination. Was this why it was not included in the EU Citizenship Report? Will the Commission consider the preparation of an integral Directive on gender-based violence against women? Does the Commission intend to publicly recognise the lack of gender perspective in the abovementioned public consultation?

These instruments offer a comprehensive approach to the protection of and assistance to all victims of violence against women. Could the Commission therefore state what action it proposes to take in Mali, where the UN and the BBC believe that children are being bought from families by extremist Islamist militants and used as child soldiers and even as possible suicide bombers?

It also recalled the possibility of adopting sanctions against those involved in terrorist groups in northern Mali. The EU, through its humanitarian budget, is providing protection and assistance to the victims of the conflict in North Mali. All humanitarian agencies are mainstreaming the protection of civilians, including children, in their programmes. All ICRC programmes include dissemination of international humanitarian law against the enrolment of children to armed groups.

Commissaris Kroes en de Nederlandse TweedeKamerverkiezingen. Daarbij heeft mevrouw Kroes zich niet beperkt tot het geven van informatie, maar heeft zij zich in politieke zin uitgelaten. Zij heeft meermalen gesproken over uitsluiting van de PVV als coalitiepartner op 1.

In de Nederlandse politieke verhoudingen is het al dan niet kunnen toetreden tot een coalitie van groot belang. Heeft mevrouw Kroes de Commissievoorzitter in kennis gesteld van haar partijpolitieke activiteiten tijdens de Nederlandse Tweedekamerverkiezingen? De deelname van de vicevoorzitter voor de digitale agenda van de Commissie samen met persoonlijkheden van andere politieke partijen aan een gezamenlijk initiatief kan in geen geval worden beschouwd als politieke campagnevoering voor een specifieke partij.

De Commissieleden zijn politieke persoonlijkheden. In Dutch politics, participation or otherwise in a coalition is a big deal. The participation of the Vice-President of the Commission responsible for the Digital Agenda, together with personalities from other political parties, to a joint initiative can in no way be considered as an act of political campaign for a specific party.

The Members of the Commission are political personalities. The Code of Conduct for Commissioners acknowledges that they may be politically active provided that this does not compromise their availability for service in the Commission or their independence in their functions. What, if anything, has the Commission done to rectify the situation, exposed in my previous questions to it, whereby alcohol can be randomly confiscated halfway through a journey when changing planes?

The restrictions on the carriage of liquids that are applicable at airports in the European Union serve to address the threat posed by liquid explosives that may be concealed in liquids, aerosol, or gel containers. The Commission is working towards the removal of all restrictions on the carriage of liquids in hand luggage.

Restrictions would be replaced by methods for screening liquids for potential threat substances. Certain conditions would apply, however, for example, those purchases would need to be sealed inside a Security Tamper-Evident Bag. To implement these recommendations, the Commission intends to bring forward proposals in autumn In the light of the experience gained by this step forward, the Commission would then, if appropriate, bring forward proposals for subsequent phases of removing restrictions more widely with the final objective of a total end to the ban while maintining a high level of security.

Most motorways in the European Union are built with EU taxpayers' money, including those funded by national authorities only. Those which are supported from the European Union budget are supported in line with the shared management principle used for the implementation of cohesion policy. Member States are responsible for selecting and implementing these projects, and the Commission does not maintain comprehensive lists of individual projects.

Member States are also responsible for deciding whether and how to introduce road tolling on EU funded motorways. The Commission welcomes the introduction of road tolling as it provides a revenue stream which can finance the maintenance of the road infrastructure and thus guarantees the financial sustainability of the initial investment. Moreover, road tolling is in line with the polluter pays principle as one of the guiding principles of cohesion policy.

Projects co-financed by cohesion policy need to undergo a financial gap analysis. If the Commission did instruct, request or commission the Born Free Foundation to do any work on its behalf, will it supply details of the remit? As stated on previous occasions when responding to similar enquiries from the general public, stakeholders, and Member States, including a significant number of Parliamentary questions on the same issue e. While the Commission has been kept informed about its findings and has made clear that it will investigate any alleged breaches of the Zoos Directive that are brought to its attention, it has not endorsed the results of this particular inquiry.

A UK resident of Gibraltarian origin has alleged in writing that the Spanish Government has recently stepped up local border go-slow measures against residents of Gibraltar. A gridlocked road system will also inevitably have longer-term implications for the economy. Around 8 people many of them Spanish citizens cross into Gibraltar every day to work and these people are being forced to endure hours of queuing both into and out of Gibraltar.

As well as economic consequences, there will be environmental and air quality consequences due to static or slow-flowing traffic. Is the Commission aware of any recent downturn in relations between Spain and Gibraltar? Can it investigate whether these allegations are a deliberate attempt by Spain to make life more difficult for Gibraltarians and therefore constitute economic sanctions against the territory of another Member State the UK?

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Will it raise these concerns with the Government of the Kingdom of Spain? Gibraltar is neither part of the area without internal border controls nor of the customs territory of the European Union. Checks on people and goods are therefore carried out at its border with Spain. Under the Schengen Borders Code, all people entering and exiting the Schengen area, including those enjoying the Union right of free movement, should undergo a minimum check to establish their identities on the basis of the production or presentation of their travel documents.

This should normally consist of a rapid and straightforward verification. On entering and exiting the Schengen area, third-country nationals, who are likely to be among those crossing between Spain and Gibraltar, should be subject to thorough checks, involving a detailed examination verifying that they fulfil all entry conditions.

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While efficient border management should allow for the smooth flow of legitimate trade and movement of people, border checks may involve delays affecting traffic and travellers. The Commission has no indications that Spain is deliberately carrying out undue checks on those crossing the border for work, which would restrict their right to free movement. Er Kommissionen villig til at overveje eventuelle sanktioner eller modforanstaltninger?

Kommissionen blev den Am Montag, dem 8. Die Kommission wurde am Nieuwe Noorse douanerechten op landbouwproducten. Het voorstel van de Noorse regering om van specifieke douanerechten naar ad-valoremrechten over te schakelen is in strijd met de geest van dit artikel. De Commissie heeft benadrukt dat zij sterk gekant is tegen die wijziging en dat, als die wordt goedgekeurd, zij zal onderzoeken welke juridische stappen kunnen worden ondernomen. One of the budget proposals concerns a change from specific duties to ad valorem duties for six tariff lines comprising beef steaks and fillets, lamb carcasses, and hard cheeses.

Was the Commission informed of these proposals prior to their publication, or has the Norwegian Government unilaterally decided to make the proposed changes? The proposal by the Norwegian government to change from specific to ad valorem duties is contrary to the spirit of this Article. The Commission has underlined its strong opposition to the change and, if it is adopted, the Commission will explore the available possibilities of legal action.

Regarding possible sanctions or retaliation measures, if the change in question is adopted the Commission will consider all available options. The Commission will continue to press for a rapid conclusion of the negotiations on these acts within the appropriate EEA institutional framework. La Commissione sta raccogliendo e analizzando tutte le informazioni relative alla questione sollevata dall'onorevole deputata al fine di accertare la situazione nelle diverse regioni d'Italia e prendere, se del caso, le misure appropriate.

The issue of asbestos in Italy, despite the ban dating back twenty years and the albeit belated legislative measures taken to comply with EU legislation, is still a matter of extreme current concern. A similar complaint has been made in relation to the presence of asbestos in the barracks of the Guardia di Finanza financial police e. This issue, which it is impossible to look at in detail here, suggests that in Italy there is no real action plan for the mapping of the asbestos problem and the environmental remediation and cleanup of the land.

Moreover, the health monitoring of people who have been exposed and those who used to be exposed to asbestos, not to mention the assistance, support and granting of benefits to victims, are inadequate in relation to the major impact and extent of this problem. The Commission is in the process of gathering and analysing all the information concerning the issue put forward by the Honourable Member with a view to determine the situation in the different Regions of Italy and take if necessary the appropriate measures. Following the publication of the guidelines for the training of asbestos removal workers a meeting with Member States' representatives is foreseen for next year.

Tale intervento veniva considerato necessario e urgente dalla Regione Veneto a seguito di una piena del novembre , quando furono registrati metri cubi d'acqua al secondo. Va sottolineato che nelle estati e si sono registrate delle anomale situazioni di secca del fiume e dei torrenti di risorgiva da esso alimentati che potrebbero essere state causate anche da questi interventi.

E in caso contrario come intende intervenire? Public safety, on the contrary, could be endangered precisely by the long channels created by the excavations in the river bed, which has now been stripped of its natural alluvial fan and which could therefore cause a bottleneck effect in the southern part of the river near Ponte di Piave. It is worth stressing that in the summers of and , the river and its surrounding effluent streams dried up to an abnormal extent at times, and that this could also have been caused by the abovementioned work.

In the environmental implication assessments carried out, there was absolutely no detailed analysis of the current state of the river beds and there is no trace of any report showing that the work in question could make the site safer. The draining of the lateral branches of the river, in particular, have certainly interfered with the reproduction and survival of the following priority species: If not, what action does it intend to take?

If Member State authorities determine that the project is likely to have significant effects on the environment, an EIA has to be carried out. Member States have to ensure that the determination by the competent authorities is made available to the public. The Commission does not have sufficient information to establish whether the Italian authorities have complied with the EIA Directive in this case.

One year ago the Task Force for Greece commenced its activities, helping the Greek administration identify necessary reforms and providing technical support for this purpose. Can the Commission say what funding has been needed to date to cover these additional expenses and what are the estimates for the future? From which budget EU or Member States are the amounts provided and, if the funding comes from more than one source, what percentage is provided by each?

The above operating expenses are financed from the administrative budget of the Commission. According to the national reports on youth, some Member States are make changes in their employment legislation so as to provide tax incentives to improve young people's access to the labour market and combat the unacceptable level of unemployment in Europe. Can it provide information about specific best practices of Member States in this area?

Have there been any measurable results? The Commission wishes to ensure that the tax system does not function as a barrier to youth employment. It is therefore asking Member States to stimulate recruitment by shifting taxes and social contributions away from labour, especially for those whose employability is more at risk, e.

This can be done by reducing non-wage labour costs e. Hiring subsidies can also encourage recruitment, but they should be combined with other support measures to maximise impact and cost effectiveness. In particular, a reform to reduce social contribution rates will be prepared in That will help in reducing non-wage labour costs, also by making taxation less distortive, thereby increasing incentives for employment.

The reform is expected to allow for a revenue-neutral gradual reduction in social contribution rates over the programme period by simplifying and harmonising the rates across the various funds now in place, while at the same time broadening the bases for contributions. Details and exact phasing in of this reform are still to be decided but in total contribution rates are expected to decline by 5 percentage points compared with their mid levels. Can it quote specific examples of good practice by Member States which have produced successful results in this area?

The first priority concerns unemployment and labour relationships. Cross-border opportunities are promoted through distance-learning targeting young people in remote areas. Yet another initiative develops specific skills for young unemployed in sustainable economic development. The second priority area addresses social inclusion, youth rights and participation. Greece focuses on youth work and youth centres in combating social exclusion.

It has also developed specific programmes in schools to prevent early school leaving. To promote participation, the General Secretariat for Youth uses different channels. Environment, climate change and green development are the topics of the third priority. Greece intends to raise the awareness of young people and to encourage them to participate in green volunteering. In addition, the General Secretariat for Youth policy is based on the philosophy of intergenerational solidarity and has embraced a cross-sectoral approach. On the same day, the Turkish Disaster Management Authority AFAD indicated that the number of Syrians fleeing civil strife and seeking shelter in Turkey had exceeded , this being, as Ankara announced weeks ago, the maximum number of refugees which can be accommodated in the camps set up for this purpose.

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Has Turkey made a formal request to the Commission for assistance in dealing with the influx of refugees from Syria? Would the Commission be prepared to countenance moves by Turkey to channel refugees towards EU Member States or does it consider that it would be more effective to provide assistance to the Turkish authorities in continuing to accommodate the refugees? Has a contingency plan been drawn up to cover the eventuality of Turkey declaring itself unable to accommodate any more refugees and channelling them towards its border with the EU? So far, Turkey has not submitted a formal request to the Commission for assistance in dealing with the influx of the Syrian refugees.

However, Turkey has officially called upon the international donor community to provide such aid. The EU is currently providing support to Turkey to cope with the Syrian refugees through emergency humanitarian assistance and — soon — through the Instrument for Stability IfS , following the recent adoption of a new IfS Financing Decision to provide support in Turkey and other countries in the region affected by the Syrian crisis.

The use of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance is also being considered. For the time being, UNHCR has not called for large-scale resettlement, given the uncertainty as to whether this will develop into a protracted refugee situation. Indeed, the Commissioner said that in a pan-European open data portal would be set up. Does it have any comparative data about Member States on the degree to which their citizens have access of public documents and data? Does it control Member States' policies in this field? What is the situation in Greece? In Greece's case, how much EU funding is the country required to use for this purpose and what has been the take-up rate so far?

Does it have available best practices and examples from Member States showing that this policy has led to increased investment, innovation and entrepreneurship? If so, can it cite them? The practices and laws in the Member States dealing with the reuse of their information resources differ considerably.

The directive builds on national rules for access to information, and focuses on the barriers to re-use. For more information on the situation in the individual Member States, please see also the Commission-funded website http: Implementing Open Data inside public administrations has the potential to lead to considerable cost savings, while at the same time boosting economic activity. While the Commission encourages the use of the appropriate EU funding programmes in order to implement Open Data, there is no obligation to use such funding.

Deelt de Raad zijn visie? Voortaan zouden alleen die lidstaten mogen stemmen wier belang door een onderhavige kwestie worden geraakt. Het rapport werd in nauwe samenwerking met de voorzitter van de Commissie, de voorzitter van de Eurogroep en de president van de Europese Centrale Bank opgesteld, en is gericht op het formuleren van een visie voor de EMU als waarborg voor stabiliteit en duurzame welvaart. Does the Council endorse his ideas?

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If not, why not? In future, only those Member States should be permitted to vote whose interests are affected by the question at issue. The report was prepared in close cooperation with the President of the Commission, the President of the Eurogroup and the President of the European Central Bank and aimed at developing a vision for the EMU to ensure stability and sustained prosperity. Deelt de Commissie zijn visie? De Commissie geeft geen commentaar op in de pers verschenen informele uitspraken van anderen. De redenering achter de in de mededeling over de blauwdruk gepresenteerde opties berust op het beginsel dat de democratische controle op politieke besluiten moet plaatsvinden op hetzelfde niveau als dat waarop deze besluiten worden genomen.

Als er een zekere mate van soevereiniteit van de lidstaten aan het Europese niveau wordt overgedragen, moet er derhalve ook tot een evenredige aanpassing van de democratische controle op Europees niveau worden overgegaan. Elke stap in de richting van de integratie van het budgettaire en economische beleid zou een pooling van nationale soevereiniteit inhouden en dus hoe dan ook een Verdragswijziging vereisen.

Does the Commission endorse this approach? In future, only MEPs from those Member States affected by a given policy proposal would be able to vote on it. The Commission does not comment on press reporting about views expressed informally by others. The rationale behind the options presented in the Blueprint Communication results from the principle that the democratic scrutiny of political decisions has to take place at the same level, where these decisions are taken.

Hence, to the extent that there is a transfer of sovereignty from the national to the European level, this would also have to be reflected in a commensurate adjustment of the democratic scrutiny at the European level. Any steps towards integration in budgetary and economic policy would imply a pooling of national sovereignty and therefore in any case require a change of the Treaties. Nel giugno , l'UE ha accolto con favore l'annuncio del governo macedone in merito all'eliminazione della diffamazione dal codice penale, nell'ambito di un accordo con l'associazione dei giornalisti ZNM.

La proposta di legge risultante da questo cambiamento sembra tuttavia andare nella direzione sbagliata. Il governo ha anche richiesto il parere degli esperti del Consiglio d'Europa. However, the draft law that resulted from this change appears to be heading in a counter direction. In spite of the recent devastating earthquakes, the oil company believes that the area has a low risk of earthquakes and insists on carrying out the project.

The area concerned has never in fact been classified as being prone to earthquakes, which is further fuelling suspicions as to what is happening. In short, the whole situation appears to be attributable to fracking, which involves injecting large volumes of water and chemicals — usually containing secret industrial compounds and carbon dioxide — into the ground.

This causes underground explosions and subsequent fractures, thereby making it possible to detect the presence of gas deposits. The French Government has banned the use of fracking in oil prospecting precisely because of seismic disturbances. The US state of Vermont has imposed a similar ban. In view of the above, does the Commission believe that research into fracking should be stepped up and funded through the Seventh Framework Programme FP7 or the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme. Induced seismicity is predominantly of very low magnitude and not destructive, although it can in rare cases be felt by the local population.

However, in the area of geothermal energy FP7 supports research to better understand the mechanisms of induced seismicity and its possible environmental impacts, and to investigate ways to mitigate its occurrence. The Commission has nevertheless initiated work to assess whether the level of human health and environmental protection provided by the existing EU legislation, including as regards hydraulic fracturing, is appropriate, and whether or not additional measures at EU level are needed.

Sicurezza delle autovetture elettriche. Uno schianto violentissimo tra una vettura di grossa cilindrata e un taxi elettrico avvenuto in Cina ha provocato tre vittime e innescato un vero e proprio processo sulla sicurezza delle vetture a batteria. La Commissione ha ad esempio adottato nell'aprile il regolamento UE n. Sono inoltre in corso lavori, sempre nell'ambito di UNECE, per sviluppare norme di sicurezza internazionale relative alle batterie dei veicoli elettrici.

La Commissione lavora a stretto contatto con il Giappone e con altri partner internazionali per adottare queste norme entro la fine del A high-speed crash between a powerful sports car and an electric taxi in China has claimed three victims and sparked an enquiry into the safety of battery-powered cars. The accident took place in Shenzhen. The taxi promptly burst into flames, as shown in mobile phone footage taken immediately after impact.

The entire Chinese media are discussing the questions that the case raises about the reliability of lithium-ion batteries. The car manufacturer has offered its assurances that the model has passed all crash tests, including specific fire tests. The risk is in fact that lithium-ion batteries can explode if they reach very high temperatures.

It is precisely for this reason that the cars are protected by cages of high-strength materials capable of absorbing the force generated by heavy impacts. What happened in China is by far the worst incident in the recent history of the electric car. Yet it is not the only one. Several months ago, US transport authorities placed some cars under observation with a request to make structural changes to increase battery protection.

In view of the above, can the Commission state whether a procedure is planned for standardised tests in the Member States and, if so, does it not consider it essential to introduce more stringent crash tests to ensure greater safety for European consumers? Ensuring the safety of vehicles, also for those with new powertrain technologies, is a constant concern for the Commission. Particularly on safety, several regulatory measures have already been taken in order to ensure that electric vehicles are at least as safe as conventional ones.

In addition, work is currently underway, still within the UNECE to develop international safety standards for the electric vehicle batteries. The Commission works closely with Japan and other international partners in order to adopt such standards before the end of The aim is to promote international regulatory harmonisation and in particular to adopt a Global Technical Regulation on safety requirements for electric vehicles and their components by Arrivano sulle coste californiane i tonni contaminati in seguito al disastro di Fukushima.

Al fine di stabilire la portata del danno ecologico e stabilire quali siano le specie colpite, i ricercatori stanno esaminando anche altri animali acquatici autoctoni della zona. I principali paesi importatori erano Italia, Spagna e Germania. I principali paesi importatori erano Italia e Germania.

Tuna caught off the Californian coast has been discovered to be contaminated due to the Fukushima disaster. The fish contain much higher traces of radioactivity than those caught in These are radioactive isotopes that are produced inside the reactor during the nuclear fission of uranium. The phenomenon occurs because Pacific Ocean tuna spawn in Japanese waters before migrating to American shores, particularly the coasts of California and Mexico.

In order to assess the extent of ecological damage and determine which species have been affected, researchers are examining other aquatic animals native to the area. Whether any Member States import food products, particularly tuna, from California? The main importing countries were Italy, Spain and Germany. The main importing countries were Italy and Germany.

The Commission official continues as follows: Could the Commission confirm that it observes strict neutrality in the event of national elections in any Member State, as required by its institutional role? It is Commission policy not to comment on articles appearing in the press. The Commission respects the democratic process of national elections in any Member State. In its proposal to reform the common agricultural policy CAP , the Commission recommends the abolition of milk and sugar quotas between now and , and of wine plantation rights in Does the Commission intend to take the report published by the Committee of the Regions into consideration in order to improve proposals regarding the reform of the CAP?

Has the Commission carried out an evaluation on the economic, social and environmental consequences of such abolitions in all the Member States, particularly in disadvantaged areas with a so-called. This report will constitute an important element in the finalisation of the discussion on the Commission proposals to reform the CAP. An analysis of the impacts of the abolition of sugar quotas has been in particular included in this Impact Assessment. Hoge tarieven voor mobiele telefonie — Grote verschillen tussen lidstaten. Blijkbaar blijft de concurrentie op de Belgische mobieletelefoniemarkt ondermaats en slaagt de consument er niet in om uit een kluwen van ontransparante tariefstructuren het voordeligste aanbod te halen.

In sommige lidstaten betaalt men meer dan 4 keer zoveel voor hetzelfde telefoongebruik. De Belgische regering kondigt intussen aan de contractduur te beperken tot zes maanden en aldus een einde te maken aan de opzeggingskosten waarmee klanten geconfronteerd worden als zij van operator willen veranderen. Kan de Commissie meedelen welke initiatieven ze kan nemen om de concurrentie verder aan te moedigen zodat consumenten hieruit voordeel halen? Heeft de Commissie beste praktijken kunnen identificeren die verdere verspreiding verdienen?

Op welke manier draagt de Commissie er toe bij om regulatoren te begeleiden bij het nemen van maatregelen die de concurrentie op de telecommarkten ten goede komen en welke specifieke aanbeveling heeft de Commissie ten aanzien van de Belgische regulator? De Commissie blijft nauw samenwerken met de nationale regelgevende instanties om ervoor te zorgen dat de markten beter functioneren. Het doel daarvan is meer concurrentie en meer voordelen voor de eindgebruikers.

De verstrengde Europese telecomregels inzake nummeroverdraagbaarheid, dit is de mogelijkheid om van telecomaanbieder te veranderen en daarbij hetzelfde telefoonnummer te behouden, is nog een instrument om de concurrentie aan te moedigen. Een ander belangrijk instrument om de concurrentie in de mobiele markten te versterken is een concurrentiebevorderend spectrumbeleid. Op de naleving van deze verplichting wordt nauwgezet toegezien door de Commissie. Een verdere verbetering van het Belgische concurrentielandschap wordt verwacht na de recente veiling van een vierde 3G-licentie, waardoor een nieuwe speler Telenet de markt betreedt.

Ten slotte moet de recente liberalisering van de koppelverkoop, met mobiele toestellen, de concurrentie mee helpen aanzwengelen. Apparently, competition on the Belgian mobile telephony market remains poor and the consumer is not able to extract the most advantageous offer from the tangle of non-transparent tariff structures. A survey carried out by the European Consumer Organisation BEUC in showed that there is a very large difference in charges for mobile telephony and text messaging in the various Member States.

In some Member States, consumers pay more than four times as much for the same telephone use. The Belgian Government has since announced that contract duration will be limited to six months, thus putting an end to cancellation fees with which customers are confronted when they wish to change operators. However, Belgium is certainly not the only Member State in which there is still a large margin for further price reductions. Can the Commission indicate what initiatives it can take to further encourage competition so that consumers can get the best deals? Has the Commission identified best practices that deserve to be applied more widely?

In what manner is the Commission contributing to guiding regulators in taking measures that will benefit competition in the telecom markets and what specific recommendations does the Commission have in relation to the Belgian regulator? In particular, how can it be ensured that the reduction of termination tariffs is also passed on to the consumer? The Commission continues to work closely together with the National Regulatory Authorities NRAs to ensure that markets function better. The reinforced EU telecom rules on number portability, i.

Another key instrument to enhance competition in mobile markets is a pro-competitive spectrum policy. Further progress in competition in Belgium is expected following the recent auction of a fourth 3G licence which resulted in a new player, Telenet, entering the market. Telenet is under the obligation to start delivering services from the beginning of Moreover, mobile virtual network operators MVNOs are active in the market and are gaining market share with their innovative offers. Finally, the recent liberalisation of tied offers, including devices, should further contribute to increasing competition.

Verkiezingskandidatuur van commissaris De Gucht. De gedragscode voor commissarissen bepaalt dat commissarissen zich verkiesbaar mogen stellen en een actieve rol in een verkiezingscampagne mogen spelen op voorwaarde dat zij hun werkzaamheden voor de Commissie gedurende de hele periode dat zij actief betrokken zijn bij de campagne en ten minste voor de duur daarvan opschorten.

Beschouwt de Commissie de aankondiging van de kandidatuur van de commissaris als het begin van diens campagne? Voorts bepaalt de gedragscode dat commissarissen geen enkele publieke functie mogen uitoefenen. Commissaris De Gucht heeft Commissievoorzitter Barroso evenwel ervan in kennis gesteld dat hij voornemens is bij de aanvang van de verkiezingscampagne bekend te maken dat hij er niet naar streeft om herverkozen te worden als burgemeester van Berlare, dat hij geen actieve rol in de campagne zal spelen en dat hij voornemens is zijn mandaat als lid van Commissie te blijven vervullen. Zoals reeds is medegedeeld, is commissaris De Gucht niet voornemens om actief deel te nemen aan de campagne.

In het kader van deze campagne mag hij geen gebruik maken van personele of andere middelen van de Commissie. De Commissie bevestigt dat commissarissen geen openbare functie van welke aard ook mogen uitoefenen. Volgens de toepasselijke wetgeving is dit het geval voor de functie van lid van de Gemeenteraad. The Code of conduct for Commissioners stipulates that a Commissioner is allowed to stand for election and to play an active role in an election campaign, on the condition that the person in question withdraws from the work of the Commission for the entire period of active implication and at least for the duration of the campaign.

If so, will the Commissioner withdraw from his Commission work immediately in line with the code of conduct? If not, can the Commission indicate why not, and at what point the Commissioner in question will be required to withdraw from such work? Furthermore, the code of conduct stipulates that Commissioners may not exercise any public functions of any kind.

However, Commissioner de Gucht informed President Barroso that he intends to announce, as from the outset of the election campaign, that he is not seeking reelection as Mayor of Berlare, that he will not play an active role in the election campaign and that he intends to continue to fulfil his mandate as Member of the Commission. As previously stated, Commissioner De Gucht does not intend to participate actively in the campaign.

He may not use any human or other Commission resource in the framework of this campaign. The Commission confirms that Commissioners may not exercise any public function of whatever kind. This is the case for the function of member of the Municipal Council Gemeenteraad under the applicable law. All those who commit crimes against humanity, whether in their own country or another, whether in power or in rebellion can and will be brought to justice.

This is the least that the victims of such crimes deserve. It has been a strong supporter of the Special Court for Sierra Leone. How does it expect competitiveness and investments in Greece to be strengthened when such high tax rates are in force? Greece has implemented a number of tax reforms in order to respond to its compelling consolidation needs in recent years. Following revenue-raising motivations, increases in both the standard and reduced VAT rates have been very frequent across EU Member States. The economic literature recognises that consumption taxes are less detrimental to growth than direct taxes.

Complementary measures to enhance the business environment and investment are envisaged in the National Reform Programme submitted by the Greek Government. Overall, the Commission considers that the need to put public finances on a sustainable path does not contradict the long term underlying objective of restoring competitiveness and growth, which is reflected in the types of tax reforms recently implemented in Greece. In line with statements made by the Commission in recent days, it would be advisable to conduct an immediate audit of the electricity sector, overseen by the Commission, to ascertain where these inefficiencies lie.

Does the Commission think that Spain should be required to audit its electricity sector to pinpoint inefficiencies? However, it is up to Spain to choose measures to implement the recommendation. These short term measures should be followed by an in-depth reform of the electricity sector including the revision of the regulated tariff system ensuring that tariffs reflect market prices and a review of the renewables support scheme. The reform of energy sector in Spain should be oriented to ensure in the long run the economic feasibility of the electricity activities and a stable and certain legal framework for investors.

Hemos tenido la oportunidad de debatir bilateralmente este asunto. Photovoltaic producers who made an investment under a remuneration scheme that promised a tariff must have the return on their investment guaranteed, in the same way that an investor buying a bond from United Kingdom must have a guaranteed rate of return.

However, the retroactive measures taken by the Kingdom of Spain clearly give it an unfair advantage over the other EU countries, which have not allowed retroactive measures against EU citizens. What measures does the Commission plan to take to prevent new retroactive rules being made in the Kingdom of Spain against photovoltaic producers? Honourable Member, we had the opportunity to discuss this issue bilaterally. Los datos de esa autoridad son los siguientes:. The white pine tree has been the main species affected since its young age means natural regeneration cannot be guaranteed.

How could the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development aid natural regeneration and restoration of the damaged area in the province of Tarragona? This support covers the planting of new trees and the introduction of appropriate prevention actions creation of forest firebreaks; establishment of protective infrastructures; preventive forestry practices such as vegetation control, thinning and diversification of vegetative structure.

The selection of the specific projects to be funded under this measure falls under the responsibility of the Managing Authority of the program, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity governing the implementation of Rural Development Programs. The contact details of the Managing Authority are the following:. L'UE ogni anno assegna il titolo di Capitale europea dello sport. Il premio di Capitale europea dello sport funge da stimolo, per le amministrazioni locali e le associazioni presenti sul territorio, a soddisfare una fondamentale e determinante realizzazione delle basi che contribuiscono a migliorare il livello generale di salute degli abitanti di un paese, attraverso la cultura del sano esercizio fisico.

In view of the role sport plays as a means of improving individuals' physical wellbeing and their overall quality of life, as well as promoting an inclusive society, an ethical commitment is required of cities awarded this title. The European Capital of Sport award acts as an incentive for local authorities and their sports departments to play an instrumental role in improving their community's general level of health by promoting physical exercise as one of the basics of a healthy lifestyle.

European Capitals of Sport are responsible for developing the facilities and introducing the good practice models that will enable sport to foster the inclusion of society's more disadvantaged groups, such as disabled persons, older persons, young people in difficulties and migrants. The cities that have been awarded the title of European Capital of Sport stand as positive examples of an ethical approach to social policy that should also be applied to strategies, programmes and measures in other areas.

European cities should view this initiative as a common project providing a formal framework for promoting ethical values. Can it provide further information on how cities can apply to become a European Capital of Sport?



However, the European Commission is not involved in the selection process and the management of the European Capital of sport initiative and therefore is not in a position to provide the Honourable Member with the requested information. Cellule cardiache a misura di paziente. Dalle cellule della pelle si possono estrarre cellule cardiache sane: Uno studio israeliano sostiene infatti l'efficacia di una nuova tecnica, messa a punto nei laboratori.

Non si tratta della prima terapia sperimentale volta a ricostruire le aree cardiache danneggiate da un infarto, ma la vera innovazione sta nel punto di partenza. I ricercatori, infatti, hanno utilizzato cellule epiteliali di due pazienti precedentemente colpiti da infarto per generare cellule cardiache compatibili con il cuore stesso dei donatori. Questi ultimi, come hanno chiaramente definito due studi del , sono in grado di fatto di riportare indietro l'orologio biologico delle cellule umane, facendole regredire a uno stadio indifferenziato paragonabile a quello embrionale.

Grazie a questo procedimento sono state ottenute delle cellule staminali indotte pluripotenti che sono state fatte differenziare poi in cellule cardiache vere e proprie. Molti sono gli ostacoli da superare: Inoltre, lo sviluppo delle cellule cardiache partendo da quelle epiteliali richiede due settimane di tempo, impedendo un intervento immediatamente successivo all'infarto. Healthy heart cells can be extracted from skin cells. This is the latest frontier in stem cell research and gives new hope to people with heart damage.

This is not the first experimental treatment to be used to reconstruct sections of the heart damaged by a heart attack, but the real innovation is the starting point. The researchers used epithelial cells from two heart attack patients to generate heart cells compatible with their own hearts. Scientists took epithelial tissue cells from two patients aged 51 and 61 and reprogrammed them to make them immature by infecting them with a virus containing three pluripotent genes. As was clearly established by two studies in , these genes can actually reverse the biological clock of human cells, returning them to a state comparable to their embryonic state.

As a result, pluripotent stem cells were obtained, which were then differentiated into proper heart cells. There are many obstacles to overcome. The first one is that stem cells may cause tumours once they have been injected into a specific organ. Furthermore, it takes two weeks to cultivate heart cells from epithelial cells, which prevents immediate action following a heart attack. Given the importance of this research and the need to develop it, does it not agree that Seventh Framework Programme FP7 or Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme funding should be made available?

This work falls into the category of regenerative medicine, which is well supported by the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development FP7, Specific activities in heart regeneration that have been supported so far include the following projects:. In line with the decision on the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme CIP , this programme does not support this kind of research. Per poter guidare all'estero, i cittadini europei sono oggi soggetti a regole differenti a seconda che si rechino, per periodi di breve soggiorno o per stabilirvi la propria residenza, in paesi membri o paesi extra UE.

In order to be able to drive abroad, European citizens are currently subject to different rules depending on whether they are going to Member States or to non-EU countries either for short stays or to take up residence. Have any non-EU countries signed reciprocal agreements with Member States on the conversion of driving licences? Vaccinazione genetica per curare i tumori. Nuovi studi riguardanti terapie contro i tumori mediante la vaccinazione genetica antitumorale sono stati condotti da un laboratorio di Immunologia Molecolare di Trieste.

Il gruppo di ricercatori ha iniziato a lavorare con uno dei modelli sui linfomi a cellule B che hanno una particolare caratteristica: Si tratta di vaccini che hanno l'obiettivo di essere curativi. I settori terapeutici considerati comprendono la vaccinazione, la terapia basata sugli anticorpi e sulle cellule, la scoperta di farmaci e lo studio della loro resistenza, la chemioterapia e la radioterapia.

A molecular immunology laboratory in Trieste carried out a new study on treating tumours with an anti-cancer genetic vaccination. The study involved a DNA vaccination clinical trial for lymphoma caused by the malignant transformation of B lymphocytes. The research group started working with a particular B-cell lymphoma model, where all the cancerous cells have a particular surface protein that is unique to, and characteristic of, cancerous cells. These vaccines that aim to provide a cure. This approach is being used for lymphoma, but can be transferred to other tumour types since it involves laboratory engineering that can be used for other cancers, for example breast cancer.

Given the importance of the research and the need to develop it, does it consider that the Seventh Framework Programme FP7 or the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme should give funding? Although research on DNA vaccination for lymphoma has not been supported, research on other therapeutic approaches for lymphoma have been funded under the Sixth and Seventh Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development FP6, ; FP7, Therapeutic areas addressed include vaccination, antibody and cell therapy, drug discovery and resistance, chemo and radiotherapy.

In line with the decision on the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme CIP , this programme does not support such kind of research. Si tratta di una fonte energetica capace di concorrere alla crescita di un paese. Nel , invece, si potrebbe arrivare a quota otto miliardi di metri cubi. Un risultato raggiungibile evitando la competizione food — no food e in grado di garantire un crescente utilizzo di biomasse d'integrazione, come sottoprodotti agricoli, colture di secondo raccolto come triticale o mais di seconda semina , effluenti zootecnici, scarti agroindustriali, colture non alimentari.

Nella nuova PAC saranno inseriti provvedimenti per favorire la produzione di biometano? Spetta quindi agli Stati membri stabilire quali colture possano essere destinate alla produzione di biometano per ricevere contributi pubblici. Biomethane is a strategic source thanks to its programmability, efficiency and multiple uses: This is an energy source that can help a country to grow. Half of this could be used directly to produce electricity and heat in biogas plants, and the rest could be injected into the grid and used as fuel for transport, heating and high-yield cogeneration.

Will provisions to encourage biomethane production be included in the new common agricultural policy? Biomethane is a versatile renewable energy carrier which can be used for power generation, combined heat and power generation, heat generation, as a transport fuel and potentially also for the production of renewable hydrogen. Accordingly, it is also regulated at the level of Member States which feedstocks are allowed for making biomethane in order to receive public support.

Use of food and feed crops grown on purpose for biomethane may raise concerns about its sustainability, whereas the use of residues and waste can be considered to be best practice. It will allow to improve the management of its renewable biological resources and it can maintain and create economic growth and jobs and improve the economic and environmental sustainability of primary production.

Reserva Natural de la Bioesfera. This model was largely responsible for the economic crisis from which Spain is now suffering, and it also represents a threat to current tourism in the area's unspoiled beaches. Furthermore, the area of special environmental interest affected was declared a biosphere reserve by Unesco. Some of the natural sites affected are protected by European environmental legislation, such as the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive.

The project's approval has met with strong opposition from citizens, who were not consulted or involved in the decision-making process, as provided for in the Aarhus Convention. Moreover, the project does not fit within a model of sustainable, responsible and environmentally sensitive growth. Does the Commission not see a need to investigate this project to avoid breaches of EU environmental legislation? The Commission is aware of the issues raised by the Honourable Member, due to a recent complaint on the Valdevaqueros urbanization plan in Spain.

The Commission has requested further information from the competent Spanish authorities concerning the compliance of this plan with the relevant requirements under EU environmental law, including the Aarhus Convention. Cianobacterias en el Embalse de As Conchas. The Microcystis Aeruginosa detected produces the Microcystina toxin, which can cause serious health problems in large quantities and after long exposure, including destroying the liver. In Sao Paulo Brazil , more than people have died as a result of the toxin. According to the World Health Organisation directives, the water was declared unfit for any use.

This cyanobacterial bloom seems to be caused by the presence of phosphates and nitrates from fertilisers used in potato cultivation entering the river and from slurry and chemical fertiliser runoff from farms. Has the Commission been told about this serious case of pollution by the Spanish authorities? Does it think that this is contravening the Water Framework Directive? Is it taking appropriate measures to deal with the situation? Should urgent measures be taken? The Commission is not aware of the case of pollution referred to by the Honourable Member.

At this stage, the Commission cannot assess whether the requirements of WFD are being complied with, given that Spain has not submitted its river basin management plans RBMP. This emergency situation is a result of the drought and reductions in water to the dam, but also due to appropriation of the public body of water for private economic interests.

The local Barbastro Hunting and Fishing Association has warned that fishing in the river is impossible this season. One ecologically-valuable section of the river is practically dry, while supplies to local farm irrigation systems, hydropower plants, fish farms and paper factories have been maintained. Both rivers constitute important water arteries, acting as a biological corridor for many species of fauna and flora, while also linking the Pyrenean foothills to the floor of the Ebro River valley, which is why there is an obligation to take measures to protect it.

What actions has the Commission taken or does it intend to take to preserve this important ecological area? In particular, is it thinking of urging the Spanish authorities to establish an obligatory minimum ecological flow for the River Cinca? Has Greece set aside sufficient resources from the Structural Funds to sustain the sector in question? In what way can the Commission help to halt the downgrading of psychiatric establishments and redeem the image of psychiatric establishments in Greece? During the current programming period , the European Social Fund ESF provides support through the Human Resources Development operational programme for the reform of the mental health sector in Greece.

The Commission is concerned, however, at the low level of project implementation in the sector in question, where only 3. The Commission is aware of the challenges facing vulnerable sections of the population in Greece. The ESF is accordingly providing assistance to promote the social inclusion and employment of mental patients, foster their deinstitutionalisation through the development of outpatient facilities, tackle discrimination and step up human resources in the mental health sector.

As early as the beginning of , Greece requested technical assistance for the purpose of speeding up the absorption of funds from the External Borders Fund and the European Return Fund.

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Has any positive impact been noted on the progress of the projects financed by these two funds? Are there any concrete results to be reported? As regards the area of return, since Frontex is successfully running the Attica project deploying experts assisting Greece in capacity building and improvement of return management. This assistance has positive impact on the implementation of different actions co-financed under the Return Fund. This includes the better use of the EBF. In particular, Frontex is expected to support the Greek services in the preparation of technical specifications for actions co-financed under the EBF.

The main objective of the workshop was to verify the availability of Member States to provide support on various identified actions in the area of asylum, migration and borders. Particularly high rates of child poverty are reported in countries where the economic environment is unfavourable owing to the current economic crisis.

Can it provide information on the danger of children from single-parent families ending up in poverty? Is it considering a strategy for combating child poverty, with specific target indicators and practical political actions comparable to those proposed for combating youth unemployment? Has it proposed specific social protection measures to the Member States for this population group? Has there been any response from Member States? Children growing up in a single parent family face risk of poverty of The Council just adopted 19 Country Specific Recommendations related to child poverty and well-being.

The Commission is working on a recommendation on child poverty. It is part of the Commission's workplan. The recommendation will propose a holistic approach to fight child poverty, pleading for improved access to income support, health and social services and better child participation in social and afterschool activities.

Monitoring and evaluation will be facilitated through a set of existing indicators and based on existing reporting mechanisms Europe, National Reform Programmes, National Social Reports. A decade of cooperation on child poverty through the Open Method of Coordination has helped to identify common challenges and a set of indicators as was highlighted in the Joint Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion. Besides, the upcoming Recommendation will propose common principles for effective policy action. The Commission has not proposed any specific social protection measures because this is a Member State competence.

Is the Commission aware of this proposal? What is its position on and assessment of the proposal? Zero rates constitute exceptions to the general rules on VAT rates. Electronically supplied services, such as e-books, are currently excluded from the scope of reduced VAT rates. Respuesta de la Alta Representante y Vicepresidenta Sra. Hierbij hebben zij ook aandacht besteed aan de hongerstaking van Palestijnse gevangenen. Het grootschalige gebruik van administratieve detentie is een zorgenpunt dat wij bij elke gelegenheid aan de orde stellen.

The hunger strike staged by Palestinian prisoners over the past months has effectively ended after Israel pledged to meet basic human rights standards in its prisons. Ministers also looked at the hunger strike by Palestinian prisoners. The extensive use of administrative detentions is a key concern we raise at every opportunity.

Ha condenado la continua violencia de los colonos y las provocaciones deliberadas contra civiles palestinos, y ha pedido al Gobierno de Israel que lleve ante la justicia a los responsables y que cumpla con sus obligaciones en virtud del Derecho internacional.

Daaraan wordt samen met de Commissie gewerkt. De EU is bezorgd over het extremisme van kolonisten en over opruiing door kolonisten op de Westelijke Jordaanoever. De uitvoering van de in de schriftelijke vraag bedoelde maatregelen, is een nationale bevoegdheid van de lidstaten. According to data collected by the Commission, the UN and local activists, the Israeli authorities demolished 22 water cisterns and 37 residential and agricultural structures funded by EU Member States in Does the High Representative believe that measures such as blocking imports of products made by Israeli settlers or an EU visa ban on settler radicals should be implemented, especially given that the occupation and the settlements are illegal under international law?

It also stated that it expects Israel to protect EU investments in support of Palestinian development in Area C for future use. This work is being carried out jointly with the Commission. Implementation of measures outlined in the written question on settlement produce requires the unanimous backing of EU Member States. The EU is concerned about settler extremism and incitement by settlers in the West Bank. It has condemned continuous settler violence and deliberate provocations against Palestinian civilians and called on the Government of Israel to bring the perpetrators to justice and to comply with its obligations under international law.

Implementation of actions referred to in the written question is a matter of national competence of Member States. The Swedish morning paper Svenska Dagbladet had four of its reporters put themselves on a diet of tinned food to investigate whether consuming food from tin cans would impact levels of the hormone-disrupting chemical bisphenol A BPA in the body. The results were astounding. However, this is not enough. I must insist that we regulate the use of BPA and other similar substances in everything that comes into contact with food — even in products intended for adults.

This includes tin cans, lunch boxes, kitchen utensils, plates and other items made of plastic. Children also eat food that comes from tin cans, while pregnant women should be protected from ingesting BPA. Regulation is therefore needed in particular to protect children and foetuses. An article in Svenska Dagbladet described how four of its reporters ate tinned food for two days and a very large increase in bisphenol A BPA of several thousand percent was observed in the urine of all four.

In this brief time, levels of BPA in their urine rose rapidly. Since the food they ate was varied, it is not possible to deduce precisely which tinned food caused the rise. Although BPA has a short half-life in the human body, this is of great concern, and our knowledge of the impact on the body of such rapid rises and falls in levels is poor. Where the data are insufficient, or indicate a danger of safe limits being exceeded, what action do you plan to take? In the Commission considered it adequate to apply the precautionary principle in the case of infants only.

The Commission will apply the precautionary principle if the criteria for its application are fulfilled. Wie bewertet die Kommission die Aussichten auf Realisierung des Brenner-Basistunnels sowie des Tunnels zwischen Lyon-Turin angesichts der angespannten Haushaltslage aller beteiligten Mitgliedstaaten, besonders vor dem Hintergrund der Maastricht-Kriterien und des neuen Schuldenpakts?

How does the Commission assess the existing alternative route through the Pannonian lowlands via Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia? Why was this route not considered, despite the fact that it is a faster and more cost-effective alternative? How does the Commission assess the prospects for the realisation of the Brenner base tunnel and the tunnel between Lyon and Turin in view of the budgetary difficulties of all the Member States involved, particularly in the context of the Maastricht criteria and the new debt pact? What is to happen with the resources for the Baltic-Adriatic corridor earmarked by the European Union if the participating Member States do not commit to their co-financing share in their national budgets?

The proposed core network corridors follow the alignments of the core network which was developed on the basis of a rational and transparent methodology along their most direct alignment, following existing and potential traffic flows. The Baltic-Adriatic corridor follows the existing Priority Projects 23, 25 and 27 and continues to the economic centres of northern Italy. The Commission does not share the opinion of the Honourable Member that there are faster and more cost-effective alternatives. It is considerably longer, single-track and partly non-electrified.

No budget is predetermined for certain corridors. The Commission is aware of the difficult financial situation which might delay the implementation of Lyon-Turin, Brenner or the future Baltic-Adriatic Corridor and will — together with the Member States — decide on the most effective ways to deal with this. Austria and Italy have re-assured that the Brenner Base tunnel will become operational as planned in The number of major missing links on the core network is limited and they have been taken on board because of the methodology referred to above.

Member States are therefore to commit to the obligation of realising the core network until Could the Commission explain whether any corresponding measures have been introduced in the meantime to address the issue of harassment at work? The Commission intends to publish this year a call for tenders on mental health in the workplace with a view to:.

Delineate a series of scenarios for action, taking also into account any cost implications;. The Commission attaches also great importance to involving the social partners' initiatives concerning mental health as well as violence and harassment in the workplace. The Commission plans to undertake an evaluation of the framework Agreement.

The loss of Envisat has an impact on GMES Services, in particular for the marine environment altimetry, ocean colour, ice monitoring and atmosphere monitoring services air quality. The full replacement of Envisat observations will only be achieved with the progressive launch of the Sentinel satellites, starting in the second half of In this framework, the Commission will enhance access to complementary space data, e.

Earlier this month, the Israeli Government announced the approval of a coalition deal between the Likud party led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Kadima party led by Shaul Mofaz. In what way does the Commission expect this deal to impact upon the dynamics of the peace process with the Palestinians and the prospect of a two-state solution? Our services continue to follow the domestic political situation closely and asses its possible ramifications for the Middle East Peace Process.

The EU continues to work with partners in the region and within the Quartet to bring about direct and substantial negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians which should lead to a comprehensive agreement based on a two state solution. Minn din is-sena, fuq talba tal-Parlament Ewropew, ir-rapport annwali tal-UE dwar id-Drittijiet tal-Bniedem jindirizza l-kwistjoni fil-fond.

Have any initiatives been launched in the intervening period that ensure greater protection of religious freedom and of the rights of Christian communities on a global scale? They firmly condemn violence and acts of terrorism, in various countries, against Christians and their places of worship, Muslim pilgrims and other religious communities.

Request was then made to all EU Delegations to monitor the state of FoRB and to engage on such issues, whenever necessary, so to make this right an integral part of the EU's bilateral relations with their host country, and to report on actions taken. The EU has been using the full range of its instruments to engage international partners at the bilateral and multilateral levels, through human rights dialogues, demarches, UN resolutions or financial assistance, to address these concerns.

The EEAS is working closely with Members of the European Parliament and civil society representatives to address the various issues of freedom of religion or belief. Such guidelines will help enhancing EU activity in this field in the most concrete way possible. Is the Commission considering any further measures intended to hasten the reform process and tackle issues such as selective justice in the country?

Selective justice has been identified as a key obstruction to the further development of relations. The cases of Tymoshenko, Lutsenko, Ivaschenko and Filipchuk were given particular attention. The EU will continue to insist on specific measures to curb, and ultimately eliminate, the use of selective justice in Ukraine, including immediate implementation of the updated Criminal Procedure Code and revision of the Criminal Code. The EU will follow closely appeal and cassation processes in the cases of Tymoshenko and others, as well as relevant processes of the European Court of Human Rights.

In reaction to growing risks of water scarcity and with the aim of ensuring water security in the long term, water providers in European countries, including Malta, are increasingly resorting to desalination to cover freshwater needs. Has the Commission considered any investments in more energy efficient technologies that could make desalination processes more environmentally friendly?

Within these projects a few consortia have successfully demonstrated the positive direct coupling of wind turbines with membrane desalination ideal for the Mediterranean because of its lower salinity compared to the Atlantic. The desalinated water is stored in plastic bags in the sea; very large volumes can be obtained at extremely low costs. The pumps can be operated in variable mode and can thus follow the variable wind.

This causes zero stress on the local electricity grid. Since the year , this technology is ready for deployment; wind based desalination is significantly cheaper than fossil fuel based desalination. Progress fit-tnaqqis tad-differenza bejn is-sessi fil-boardrooms tad-diretturi kien ukoll bil-mod.

Has the Commission recorded any improvements in this respect since the publication of this report? Over the past years, the Commission has recorded modest improvement in tackling the remaining gender gaps in employment, education and the economy. Differences in educational choices, occupational and sectoral segregation remain important in many Member States and largely explain the high gender pay gap. Progress in narrowing the gender gap in company boardrooms has also been slow.

In line with this, both at the end of the first and second European Semester, country specific recommendations have been issued to Member States aiming at gender issues. The recommendations point to the need to provide achievable and affordable care facilities, to reduce financial disincentives faced by second earners, to combat the gender pay gap and to promote flexible working opportunities for women. This has made financial education available to citizens starting at school age, through courses and web databases, for example.

Elderly people, however, have less access to these tools, yet have just as much need of knowledge of personal finance. Certain specific problems which affect the elderly, such as failure to access benefits and being targeted for financial exploitation, call for the provision of better financial education. The Commission's activities in the area of financial education are addressed to all, including the elderly. Elderly people will be able to benefit by the improved services that such entities provide to them. In addition, the Commission has been running an online tool for consumer issues, www.

This tool includes a section on financial services information which is available to all consumers, including the elderly. Furthermore, some of the European legislation in the area of financial services such as for instance Markets in Financial Instruments Directive MiFID obliges providers to make due assessment of the consumer's profile for the suitability of the investment product to be offered.

The age could be a relevant factor in this assessment. A number of officials, some who are experts and some who are not, some whose functions are relevant to the issue in question and others whose functions are not, have repeatedly made statements about Greece that have infuriated the Greek people ahead of the elections. These statements have put Greek voters in a terrible quandary, and risk deflecting the electorate from its course and creating an irreversible situation in Greece. We have now reached the point that the spectre of Communism is coming back to haunt us in Greece. Will it intervene through its official representatives to stop various officials commenting on Greece, at least in the pre-electoral period?

The Commission does not comment on declarations or statements made by representatives of other Institutions and International Organisations. This specific proposal was explained as follows: If so, would there be any consequences and what would they be? The decision to issue long stay visas, residence permits and travel documents to non-EU citizens in cases of sudden large scale inflow of migrants should not have a negative impact on the functioning of the Schengen area. Quali misure intende adottare per garantire un efficace intervento volto a tutelare i diritti umani ripetutamente violati?

Al fine di facilitarne la chiusura, nel giugno il presidente del Consiglio dei ministri ha inviato una lettera al segretario di Stato e al segretario alla difesa statunitensi in cui osservava: Six hundred people spent years there before being judged innocent and released, and dozens of the current prisoners are still behind bars because the American authorities do not consider their country of origin safe and have not found another country willing to accept them. What measures does she intend to take to guarantee effective action to safeguard the human rights that have been repeatedly violated?

The EU has repeatedly stated its position that the fight against terrorism must be conducted in full compliance with international human rights standards and the rule of law. The EU continues to call for the closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. Sembra che la giovane abbia meno di 18 anni e che sia tenuta incatenata, in carcere, assieme al figlio di cinque mesi.

La giovane ha confessato dopo essere stata picchiata da un membro della famiglia. Molte pene sono giustificate come parte della Sharia. Quali misure ha intrapreso l'UE in passato per esortare il Sudan a rivedere le proprie leggi al fine di conformarsi alle norme internazionali? Il Servizio europeo per l'azione esterna segue da vicino la questione, in stretta collaborazione con la delegazione dell'UE e con le ambasciate degli Stati membri a Khartoum.

In passato e in varie occasioni, sia bilateralmente che in sedi multilaterali, l'Unione europea ha invitato il Sudan ad abolire la pena di morte o almeno ad imporre una moratoria de jure. She is believed to be under the age of 18 and is being held in prison with her five-month-old baby. Her legs are shackled. She confessed to the charge after being beaten by a family member. The man who was alleged to have committed adultery with her was released after denying the charges. Although Sudanese law stipulates that those accused of serious crimes have the right to legal representation, Intisar Sharif Abdallah was not given access to a lawyer or an interpreter in the court-room.

She remains in prison, while pro bono lawyers have placed an appeal on her behalf. Sudan itself is party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibits imposing either capital punishment or a life sentence without the prospect of release on a person under the age of Sudan is one of only seven countries that permit stoning as a form of punishment. This includes women who wear trousers and knee-length skirts. Many of the punishments are justified as part of Sharia law. Information gathered by various sources, including NGOs, indicates that local Sudanese authorities are embarrassed by the ruling and have been trying to revert the verdict.

It is hoped that this will lead to the imminent examination of her appeal. It has also encouraged the Sudanese authorities to sign and ratify all the relevant international instruments making references to the use of death penalty, including the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights. It is clear that the Commission has had difficulties with these negotiations, not only on account of the previously very frequent withdrawals from the negotiations by African counterparts, but also because of the amount of time it has taken to reach these final agreements.

While the Commission focuses on openness, accessibility and fairness in its internal strategies, all possible references to these terms have been omitted from the EPA articles. Its implementation will rely on best practices and experience in EU policies and regulatory frameworks.

Since the goals mentioned in the Honourable Member's question are at the heart of those policies and rules, they will certainly inspire the EU's cooperation and will be at the core of future initiatives. Finally, the EU's Seventh Research and Development Framework Programme is open for the participation of organisations from third countries including from Africa , and that this principle is expected to be continued under Horizon Does the Commission intend to produce the quantitative data needed in order to assess whether or not community plant variety protection is fulfilling its purpose of stimulating the creation of new varieties?

This Convention provides the basis for members to encourage breeding by granting breeders of new plant varieties an intellectual property right. The aim is to provide an effective system of plant variety protection, encouraging the development of new varieties of plants. In , a study on the effects of plant variety protection concluded that the UPOV system provides an effective incentive for plant breeding in different situations and results in the development of new, improved varieties to the benefit of farmers, growers and consumers.

The implementation of the CPVR legislation was evaluated by an external consultant in