Il potere della routine: Uno strumento per il successo (Italian Edition)

As the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme CIP does not support any kind of research, no related activities have been funded under this programme. Non ritiene che si possano prevedere degli incentivi per chi fa un uso razionale dell'energia, incentivi non necessariamente economici? Per imprimere nuovo slancio alla tematica dell'efficienza energetica, la Commissione ha proposto una nuova direttiva sull'efficienza energetica. La proposta contiene diverse misure atte a consentire al consumatore di compiere una scelta informata in base al consumo energetico, prevedendo tra l'altro che gli utenti usufruiscano di contatori individuali che misurano con precisione e indicano il consumo energetico reale e ricevano bollette concepite in modo tale da orientare le loro scelte in materia di consumo energetico.

Savings can be achieved both by modifying energy processes, so that there is less waste, and by using technologies capable of converting energy from one form to another more efficiently. The initiative is laudable, but attention also needs to be paid to energy saving on an everyday basis, not just for an hour a year. In large companies, energy saving is not taken into great consideration and offices are overheated in winter and excessively cooled in summer. Does it not consider that incentives — not necessarily financial — might be provided for those who make a rational use of energy?

A comprehensive mix of energy efficiency policies and supporting measures has been implemented at European and national level promoting more efficient use of energy in buildings, household appliances and industrial equipment, transport, industry and energy generation. These include measures aimed at raising citizens' awareness of their energy consumption and ways of making it more efficient. In addition to these measures directly providing consumers with information, the Intelligent Energy Europe Programme supports initiatives aimed at raising the awareness of consumers on these matters. To provide a further impetus for energy efficiency the Commission has proposed a new Energy Efficiency Directive.

The proposal includes several measures which would allow consumers to make informed choices linked to their energy consumption. It would ensure that consumers are provided with individual meters that accurately measure and inform them about their actual energy consumption and that they receive energy bills in a way that allows them to make informed choices.

The proposal is currently the subject of negotiations between the Council and the Parliament. The Sudan air force recently went into action, bombing parts of Bentiu, the capital of the South Sudanese state of Unity, located close to the border. Several international media outlets were alerted by South Sudanese Government officials, who also indicated that the alleged target was a bridge that connects the city with the north of the country, where a United Nations compound has been set up. Sudan and South Sudan have been involved in clashes, with border violations by their respective armies and air raids along the border.

Both the African Union and the United Nations have expressed their concern over the possibility that tensions may lead to open conflict between Sudan and South Sudan and have called on both sides to remain calm; they have also called on South Sudan to withdraw its troops from Heglig.

In addition, they have appealed to the international community to attempt mediation efforts. According to a recent UN estimate, the recent clashes in the border areas have resulted in the displacement of 20, people in South Sudan. La coltivazione e la lavorazione del tabacco rappresentano un settore trainante per l'economia di interi Stati europei con un indotto che garantisce lavoro a migliaia di addetti.

Sulla base delle considerazioni sopraesposte l'interrogante chiede alla Commissione:. Tobacco cultivation and processing is a driver for the economy of entire European States with satellite industries that guarantee employment for thousands of workers.

Jobs and businesses are, however, increasingly at risk and the sector is going through a critical period. There is difficulty in disposing of high quality stocks, there are issues involving uncompetitive prices on the world market and there has been a significant fall in the surface area being cultivated. The tobacco sector must be protected and relaunched in a business sense, so as to avoid an irreversible crisis in a sector which for many years has guaranteed significant tax revenues.

At the same time, the expenditure incurred by companies to reduce the risk associated with tobacco consumption is constantly increasing, which demonstrates continuing efforts to guarantee consumers higher quality and better safety. What policies have been put in place to guarantee the sustainability of tobacco production and to try and restore a sense of certainty and stability to the thousands of agricultural companies and workers in the sector?

Regarding the policies in relation to the tobacco sector, the production of raw tobacco is fully integrated into the general agricultural policy instruments. These are the single payment scheme or the Single Area Payment, basic income support schemes that, under certain conditions, provide payments independently from which kind of commodities farmers actually produce. Thus, tobacco production is treated in a neutral way.

However, there also exists a well developed policy for rural development which in case of difficulties or special needs can provide assistance to tobacco growing regions. The Commission is currently working on the revision of the so called Tobacco Products Directive. A legislative proposal is expected for the end of The impact on farmers will be duly considered in this legislative process. Mentre una normale stampante laser fornisce una carica positiva a ogni singolo pixel su carta, a cui poi aderiranno singole particelle del toner, una stampante che cancella funziona in maniera del tutto diversa.

Questa procedura permetterebbe di effettuare passi da gigante nella riduzione della CO 2 che si produce sia per realizzare la carta che per riciclarla. A printer that can use the same sheet of paper several times: Whereas a normal laser printer gives a positive charge to every single pixel on the paper, to which individual particles of toner stick, a printer that can delete works in a completely different way.

In this case, extremely brief laser pulses in the order of picoseconds one thousandth of a second consists of a billion picoseconds to vaporise the toner present on the page without damaging the paper, since the particular type of light is absorbed by the toner but passes through the cellulose fibres that make up the paper. This process would make it possible to make great progress in reducing the CO 2 produced both by producing paper and recycling it. The Cambridge researchers estimate that, at best, one sheet of paper could be reprinted and deleted 20 times before becoming unusable and, at worst, once.

This process would cut carbon dioxide emissions by half in comparison with paper recycling. In view of the above, is the Commission aware of the recent discovery at the University of Cambridge of a printer that can reprint the same sheet of paper several times, and does it intend to launch an experimental programme to assess the appropriateness of using this new discovery with the main aim of reducing CO 2? The idea of print ink removal with laser light pulses has been published recently and seems interesting.

Two opportunities exist for possible co-funding of such a project from the Commission's budget. Consortia of partners from at least three different EU countries may apply for these funding, granted on the basis of a peer review evaluation process, which is highly competitive. For closer-to-the-market solutions, e. Lattine, barattoli, tubetti, scatole, sottili fogli per confezionare il cibo, dopo la raccolta, un'accurata selezione, la fusione e la liquefazione, sono trasformati in lingotti e poi venduti.

Edilizia, elettrotecnica, trasporti, arredamento, impiantistica: Per una caffettiera moka da tre tazze Per un cerchione di auto ne servono , mentre per un paio di occhiali ne bastano tre. Intende la Commissione avviare iniziative volte a favorire la raccolta differenziata dell'alluminio e sensibilizzare i cittadini in proposito, visti i molteplici vantaggi che derivano dal suo riutilizzo?

Tutte le statistiche disponibili rispetto al grado di efficienza degli Stati membri in materia di produzione e gestione dei rifiuti sono disponibili sul sito web della DG ESTAT http: Ulteriori dati e informazioni sui contenuti materiali per flusso di rifiuti sono disponibili nella relazione concernente la strategia tematica sulla prevenzione e il riciclaggio dei rifiuti COM 13 e il documento di lavoro dei servizi della Commissione che la accompagna — http: After being collected, carefully sorted, melted and liquefied, cans, tins, tubes and foil for food-wrapping are transformed into bars and then sold.

The applications of this versatile metal are almost endless and include construction, electrical goods, transport, furnishings and technical installations. A 3-cup espresso coffee maker requires A tyre rim requires and just 3 are enough for a pair of glasses. The scale of the work behind this sorted waste sector is revealed in the figures.

Can the Commission provide a general overview of the data on the sorted collection of metals, and in particular of aluminium, in the various Member States? This is particularly important for materials such as aluminium which require a far larger amount of energy to extract and process as virgin material than to recycle. In response to the specific questions raised by the Honourable Member:. Additional data and information on the material contents per waste stream are available in the report on the waste thematic strategy COM 13 and the accompanying staff working document — http: Aluminium is present in several waste streams most of them covered by European recycling targets packaging, electric and electronic equipment, construction and demolition waste, end-of-life vehicles.

The priority of the Commission is to ensure the full implementation of existing collection and recycling targets so that aluminium and metals in general are recycled at high rates and in good conditions. Questi tre nomi compaiono in un dossier redatto dall'intelligence saudita sulle possibili minacce di Teheran.

Informazioni su scenari poi condivise con paesi amici nel corso di tre riunioni: I sauditi hanno studiato attentamente le mosse dei rivali storici. Three names — Qassem Suleimani, head of the Quds Force, the Iranian group for covert operations, Hassan Boromand, an official who coordinates covert activities in major European capitals, and Majid Alavi, suspected of having played a role in the failed anti-Israeli attack in Thailand — appear in a dossier compiled by the Saudi intelligence services on possible threats from Tehran.

The Saudis have carefully studied the movements of their historic rivals, from whom they are divided by religion Shiites against Sunnis and by a desire to assert their own influence in the Middle East. In view of the above, can the High Representative say whether steps are being taken to monitor the activities of Iranian terrorist cells within the European Union?

The European Union has neither the competence nor the operational capacities to monitor the activities of specific targets e. Both the European External Action Service and the European Commission can rely on situational awareness capacities, mainly based on the monitoring of open sources information. However, these capacities do not constitute a competence or operational capacity to monitor specific targets. Dispositivo che dimezza i consumi dell'auto. L'inventore varesino l'ha inseguita per anni e, dopo averla perfezionata, ha brevettato il sistema in Italia e Svizzera.

Per avviare la marcia basta una lieve accelerata di 4 secondi. Finita la propulsione, con altri 4 secondi di acceleratore si assicura un altro minuto di marcia. Intende avviare un programma sperimentale al fine di promuovere tale brevetto in tutti gli Stati membri? La Commissione ha fissato un forte quadro politico per la misurazione e la riduzione del consumo di combustibile e delle emissioni di CO 2 delle autovetture.

Questo comprende il regolamento CE n. Inoltre sono state adottate numerose legislazioni nazionali di attuazione, anche in favore delle ecoinnovazioni. Queste normative creano efficacemente un importante incentivo per la diffusione di tecnologie per il risparmio di carburante e la riduzione della CO 2 , sulla base di oggettivi criteri di prestazione. The mechanism, known as the kinetic drive system KDS , is inspired by the cycloid curve principle, a principle of physics dating back to Galileo Galilei.

The inventor from Varese worked on the system for years and, after perfecting it, patented it in Italy and Switzerland. The prototype has also been approved by the traffic department of the Ticino canton. All that is required to start moving is a slight acceleration for four seconds. After that, thanks to the KDS system, the car carries on at the desired speed for a minute with no need to keep the accelerator pressed down and, therefore, at the minimum engine speed where the saving is made. Once propulsion is finished, another four seconds of acceleration provide another minute of driving.

This ensures a smooth drive. In view of the above, can the Commission state whether it is aware of this device, which can reduce fuel consumption and, above all, harmful fuel emissions for cars? Does it intend to launch an experimental programme to promote this patent in all Member States?

The Commission is aware of the new mechanical device to reduce fuel consumption and harmful emission from passenger cars mentioned by the Honourable Member. To mitigate emissions from transport, the European Union has adopted new regulations and continuously supports research and innovation for the development of new technologies and solutions. The Commission has established a robust policy framework for the measurement and the reduction of fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions of passenger cars.

Furthermore, numerous implementing legislations have been adopted, also covering eco-innovations. These regulations effectively create an important incentive for the deployment of CO 2 and fuel saving technologies, based on objective performance criteria. La Duke University di Durham ha realizzato un impianto pilota che sfrutta gli escrementi degli animali per ricavarne metano, da bruciare per mettere in movimento un generatore di energia elettrica.

La ricerca e lo sviluppo sui rifiuti agricoli sono stati portati avanti nell'ambito dei programmi-quadro di ricerca promossi dall'UE fin dall'inizio. Il biogas viene prodotto in impianti commerciali con l'ausilio di numerose fonti quali i fanghi di depurazione, i rifiuti agricoli, i concimi, i rifiuti biologici e le discariche municipali.

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Attualmente la Commissione sta valutando se tali criteri volontari siano sufficienti oppure se non sia necessario introdurre criteri vincolanti. Duke University in Durham has constructed a pilot plant that processes animal dung to recover methane from it, which is burned to power an electricity generator. It is a new form of renewable energy that many, in fact, have thought about for some time, and which could make a large contribution to the reduction of greenhouse gases and to energy production. Capturing the methane produced to put it on the market to fuel cars, for example, would be extremely difficult, which is why it is better to use it in situ.

Research to assess the actual environmental impact has just begun, as has work to find solutions for making the system even more efficient and economically viable. Research and development on agricultural waste has been pursued under EU Research framework programmes from the beginning. Biogas is been produced at commercial installations using a large number of sources including sewage sludge, farm wastes, manures, municipal organic waste and landfills.

Across Europe, more than biogas plants are operating commercially today. Biogas production may indeed help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This will depend on the extent to which biogas will substitute the use of fossil fuels in a life cycle perspective, and on whether methane emissions to the atmosphere can be avoided. Research and development is continuing in this area to produce better gas quality, to improve operational efficiency and safety and to help developing better regulation to bring the innovation to the market. If biofuels are produced, Member States should ensure that it meets the sustainability criteria contained in that same directive.

Regarding solid and gaseous biomass for heating and cooling, the Commission published a report on a sustainability scheme for non-biofuel biomass in and recommended to Member States to use the Renewable Energy Directive requirements. The Commission is currently assessing if these voluntary criteria are sufficient, or if binding criteria would be needed. Escudo antimisiles de EE. Graves consecuencias medioambientales y retroceso en el necesario desarme mundial.

Does the Commission believe that Spain has infringed European law in the light of the provisions of the Aarhus Convention on public participation in environmental matters? Does the Commission not consider it necessary that information should be provided at all times on the payload of those ships so that environmental risks can be assessed effectively and plans can be put into effect to mitigate those risks? Does the Commission intend to seek information from the Spanish Government regarding these issues? The Commission would like to inform the Honourable Member that the establishment of a defence shield as well as related measures is undoubtedly an activity serving national defence purposes and as such outside the scope of the Aarhus Convention.

The Commission does not therefore intend to take any further action in this matter. Respuesta de la Alta Representante y Vicepresidenta Sra. Russia has already warned that it reserves the right to reject further disarmament measures and to withdraw from the START Treaty on limiting nuclear weapons; and Spain, and thus Europe, will be turned into a prime military target for potential enemies of the United States, implying a greater likelihood of being attacked.

Taking into account the consequences for, and changes to, EU security which this decision by the previous Spanish Government involves: The EU does not have a position on this issue, which is the sovereign responsibility of Member States. Der Bereich Bildung wurde nicht explizit aus dem Anwendungsbereich der Richtlinie ausgenommen. The directive, which was also transposed in Germany at the end of , should create a legal framework for facilitating freedom of establishment and freedom to provide services within the European Union.

The directive applies to all services provided for remuneration, albeit with the exception of a number of sectors such as financial or healthcare services. The educational sector was not expressly excluded from the scope of the directive. Therefore, the directive could be applied to fee-based private education.

EUR-Lex Access to European Union law

The Services Directive applies indeed to education services as long as the educational institution concerned is not essentially financed by public funds. The activites of privately financed universities are therefore covered by Services Directive. In a federal Member State, an authorisation of a private educational institution granted by one state Land should therefore be recognised, in principle, in the other states.

Exceptions are possible where justified by a public interest objective. Exceptions to this general rule of unlimited duration of authorisations are, inter alia , permitted when the authorisations are automatically renewed or are subject only to a condition that they continue to fulfil certain requirements. This could apply, for example, in the case of privately funded universities where a regular check is needed as regards the quality of the education being provided by a private university.

To what extent is the Commission aware of this incident, and how has it been involved in any subsequent investigation? The study concludes that single-use plastic carrier bags, mostly given away for free by retailers, are particularly harmful to the environment as they are not degradable and are discarded more frequently. Does the Commission recognise the inconsistencies present throughout the report, particularly in terms of the legal measures recommended by BIOIS? The views expressed in the study are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect possible future actions of the Commission.

The assessment of various options to reduce the environmental impact of plastic carrier bags is still ongoing. A decision on the most appropriate instrument and its scope will be taken upon completion of the evaluation process. Nello specifico, si pone in rilievo che i cittadini in questione raccontano di un numero crescente di segnalazioni circa la presenza di personale militare inglese e francese a fianco degli insorti per organizzare azioni di guerriglia.

L'Unione europea ritiene che le brutali aggressioni e le diffuse violazioni dei diritti umani inflitte alla popolazione dalle forze di sicurezza del regime hanno fomentato la violenza in Siria. Tuttavia, l'UE ha continuamente sollecitato l'opposizione siriana a seguire un percorso non violento verso un cambiamento democratico ed inclusivo. L'UE sostiene pienamente l'inviato speciale delle Nazioni Unite e della Lega araba, Kofi Annan, e il suo piano in sei punti per una composizione politica della crisi.

L'UE accoglie con favore le risoluzioni e del Consiglio di sicurezza dell'ONU, che autorizzano l'invio di osservatori ONU al fine di sorvegliare in modo imparziale la piena cessazione della violenza e l'attuazione degli altri aspetti contenuti nel piano dell'inviato speciale. Tali misure sono concepite in modo da minimizzare gli effetti negativi sulla popolazione e vengono sottoposte a costanti revisioni.

According to the witness accounts of a number of Italian citizens resident in Syria, reported in the newspaper Avvenire , the situation in the country is vastly different from that reported by European media. In particular, the sanctions imposed on the Syrian Government have had a very negative impact.

It is highlighted in particular that, according to these citizens, there are a growing number of British and French military personnel working alongside the rebels to organise guerrilla activity. Support for the liberation of Syria apparently now consists of contributing to the manipulation of information and fomenting civil unrest, which is destined to last for several years. In the coming days, the ultimatum for the withdrawal of the army will expire, despite the serious reservations of many inhabitants of outlying villages who see the military presence as a kind of guarantee of their safety as, according to reports, ambushes perpetrated by the rebels are rife.

The EU considers that violence in Syria has been instigated by the brutal attacks and widespread human rights violations inflicted by the regime's security forces on the population. Nonetheless, it has consistently called on the Syrian opposition to pursue a non-violent path towards democratic and inclusive change. It welcomes the UN Security Council's Resolutions and authorising the deployment of UN observers, which will provide impartial reporting on the implementation of a full cessation of violence as well as the other aspects of the Special Envoy's plan.

The EU is ready to provide necessary assistance to the mission upon request and urges all parties to the conflict to fully cooperate with UN observers. The measures are designed to minimise any negative effects on the population. The sanctions are kept under constant review. Un'azienda ha messo a punto un'innovativa pompa di calore a gas zeolite che, se impiegata su larga scala, permetterebbe enormi risparmi sia economici che ambientali.

L'energia cinetica delle molecole che si trovano rallentate viene trasformata in calore. Le zeoliti sono materiali estremamente porosi che hanno trovato vasta applicazione in molti settori industriali. La Commissione ha sostenuto la ricerca in quest'ambito attraverso i programmi quadro di ricerca e sviluppo tecnologico ed altri programmi. A company has developed an innovative zeolite gas heat pump, which, if used on a large scale, would have enormous advantages in terms of both saving money and protecting the environment.

The new heat source was produced synthetically in order to be used in heating systems. The molecules are slowed down and give off kinetic energy, which is transformed into heat. The pump is powered by built-in solar panels which trigger the adsorption process in the zeolite. Zeolites are highly porous materials that have found widespread applications throughout many industrial sectors. The Commission has supported research into these materials through its Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development and other Programmes.

The topics cover all aspects from zeolite synthesis to innovative applications. The Commission also supports research on heat pumps where both, innovative heat pumps and heat pump integration into larger hybrid systems are considered. Cauzione per smaltire adeguatamente i cellulari. Si tratta di una cauzione di 10 euro sull'acquisto di telefoni cellulari e smartphone che verrebbe poi restituita al consumatore una volta che ha destinato l'apparecchio a un centro di smaltimento adeguato.

Una stima rivela che vi sarebbero circa 83 milioni di vecchi cellulari nelle case dei tedeschi. La cauzione sui cellulari rappresenterebbe un primo progetto pilota. Se dovesse funzionare, infatti, si potrebbe estendere ad altri prodotti tecnologici come i computer, i tablet, le console per i videogiochi e apparecchi simili. La restituzione di una somma di denaro ai consumatori potrebbe indurre gli stessi a porre maggiore attenzione al rispetto dell'ambiente e, quindi, a destinare i prodotti tecnologici a centri di riciclo adeguati. La proposta appena descritta ha suscitato non poche polemiche da parte delle associazioni dei produttori di oggetti elettronici.

In Germany a proposal has been put forward to encourage more responsible use of technological products among consumers. As we know, the recycling of electronic appliances is fundamental for protecting the environment. The deposit on mobile telephones would be a first pilot scheme.

If it were to work, it could be extended to other technological products such as computers, tablets, video games consoles and similar appliances. The return of a sum of money to consumers could prompt them to pay greater attention to respecting the environment and, as a result, to send technological products to suitable recycling centres. The proposal described has aroused fierce debate by the associations of electronic goods manufacturers. Deposit systems can make a contribution to the achievement of higher collection targets, but have also shown to have the potential to create administrative burdens and possible market barriers.

In particolare sul fronte delle PMI, la recente indagine sull'accesso ai finanziamenti condotta dalla Commissione europea consente di rilevare che in Italia le condizioni applicate dalle banche registrano un netto peggioramento rispetto agli altri paesi dell'UE. Dall'indagine emerge che, negli ultimi sei mesi, ben il 75 per cento delle PMI italiane ha registrato un incremento dei tassi d'interesse, mentre quasi il 65 per cento ha dichiarato di aver visto aumentare le commissioni bancarie applicate sui finanziamenti.

Tra i principali paesi dell'area euro, Francia e Germania mostrano uno scenario ben diverso da quello italiano. Analogo discorso per il credito al consumo: Le PMI dipendono in larga misura dal finanziamento bancario e, pertanto, si dovrebbero evitare penalizzazioni di costo per le stesse all'interno dei singoli Stati membri. Le condizioni applicate dalle banche per la concessione di crediti sono determinate da molti fattori diversi.

Banks are exerting ever greater pressure on businesses and households alike. With reference to SMEs, a recent survey on access to funding conducted by the Commission clearly shows that the terms applied to bank loans in Italy have worsened in comparison with other EU countries. The figures for the major eurozone countries show that the situation in France and Germany is very different from that in Italy.

With regard to interest rates, the assertions made by the SMEs polled by the Commission are borne out by comparative data compiled by the central banks and released by the ECB. The figures for new loans granted to non-financial companies show that economic conditions in Italy have severely deteriorated over the last two years. In , the interest rates paid by Italian companies in were lower than those in the other major eurozone countries. In more recent times, however, expenditure on bank interest by Italian companies has been higher than that by their competitors elsewhere in Europe.

The same applies to consumer credit: SMEs rely heavily on bank loans, and costs which penalise such companies should therefore be avoided in individual Member States. The aim should therefore be to maximise harmonisation, through a single corpus of rules. In view of the above, can the Commission say whether the terms applied by banks in Italy are incompatible with this objective and whether they could result in risks and underlying exposure being transferred to SMEs, thus constituting a measure that restricts competition between them?

Many different factors impact on banks' lending standards. This may explain why Italian banks have tightened their standards to a greater extent than their peers in other countries. In this respect, tightening of lending standards may be legitimate given that banks are expected to price loans according to the perceived riskiness of the borrower.

La gestione degli immobili confiscati ai mafiosi richiede un sistema di trasparenza e di adeguate forme di controllo volte ad assicurare che gli stessi abbiano la funzione e la fruizione sociale che la legge impone e prevede. Sulle orme della legge n. I beni confiscati normalmente sono venduti in aste pubbliche e i proventi ricavati sono trasferiti al bilancio nazionale.

The management of properties confiscated from the mafia requires transparency and suitable forms of monitoring to ensure that they are given a social function and are used as required and established by law. The possibility of allocating the assets confiscated from mafia bosses and other representatives of organised crime to publicly beneficial purposes has assumed essential symbolic value in the fight against the mafia and is a strategic tool that also makes it possible to challenge the mafia in the media.

The commitment of the European institutions must be to create conditions which ensure that the confiscated assets can increasingly become a resource able to effectively support the intended economic and social development of a territory that has long been suffocated by the sprawling presence of organised crime.

Within the framework of recent European legislation adopted to fight the interference of organised crime in businesses and the economy, particular importance attaches to provisions on the traceability of financial flows regarding the implementation and supply of public works and services. In particular, these provisions aim to prevent criminal infiltration in the area of public tenders, contracts, supplies and funding, creating the conditions for the traceability of all financial resources invested, mainly thanks to the provisions regarding the use of dedicated bank or post office accounts, even if they are not exclusively used for such purposes.

In view of this, can the Commission state whether European calls for tenders have been published to allow public involvement by the potential beneficiaries of properties confiscated from the mafia, and indicate the European legislation that guarantees the traceability of the flows of EU funds at all levels? These directives are applicable only to purchases of supplies, services and works, made by Member States and other contracting authorities. In addition, the Commission has no specific information from Member States regarding possible tenders organised by Member States for the valorisation of the assets confiscated by Member States from the mafia.

There are no specific provisions at EU level requiring the persons contracting with public authorities to use dedicated bank accounts for the related financial transactions with a view to ensuring the traceability of the flows of EU funds. Confiscated assets are normally sold in public auctions and the resulting proceeds are transferred to the national treasury.

In Italy and a few other Member States, confiscated assets may become public property and can be reused for public or social purposes. This proposal, which intends to facilitate the management of property frozen in view of later confiscation, requires Member States to introduce measures aimed at ensuring an adequate management of such property, notably by granting powers to realise frozen property, at least where it is liable to decline in value or become uneconomical to maintain.

Interventi simili sono stati adottati in Francia la taxe soda sulle bevande gassate zuccherate, circa due centesimi di euro per lattina ed in Danimarca la tassa sul cibo ricco di grassi saturi, come snack e merendine, di circa 2 euro per chilo. Negli Usa, molti Stati applicano da tempo una tassa sulle bevande zuccherate dell'ordine del per cento del prezzo.

Secondo le informazioni a disposizione della Commissione nel la Danimarca ha aumentato l'imposta su cioccolato e dolciumi la cui introduzione risale al Tale legislazione si applica ai prodotti confezionati ad alto tenore di zuccheri, sale o caffeina. Al momento la Commissione non ha intenzione di occuparsi di normative europee sulla tassazione di determinati tipi di alimenti o di additivi alimentari. A study project has been set up in Italy to introduce a tax on junk food.

Its purpose is to reduce the risk of excess weight and obesity. Studies conducted on the American population show a clear positive relationship between the consumption of soft drinks and body weight, above all among young people the relationship is only doubted by the studies sponsored by the soft drink industry.

Among adults, the obesity rate is However, the most alarming statistics are those regarding child obesity. An obese child has a greater risk of developing chronic illnesses as an adult. Obesity is, to all intents and purposes, a public health problem since, besides reducing the quality of life and work capacity, it is a risk factor for numerous chronic illnesses, such as hypertension, type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the treatment of which requires considerable resources. Does the Commission intend to start a specific study on this issue, so as to arrive at a clear European law, taking account of fiscal best practices and the measures already adopted by Member States, given the need to correct externalities and information gaps in the food and drink market?

These programmes could be realised by allocating part of the tax revenue to health promotion for the categories most at risk both in schools, with the involvement of parents, and in healthcare structures through a promotional campaign for healthy eating, through improvements to the food supplied in hospitals and through limits on access to hyper-calorific products from automatic dispensing machines and hospital bars. The Commission is aware that some EU Member States have introduced food taxes as a public health instrument. According to the information available to the Commission Denmark increased the tax on chocolate and confectionery in it was introduced in It applies to packaged products with high sugar, salt or caffeine levels.

There is limited experience with these type of taxes in Member States and limited knowledge of the impact of such initiatives on overweight and obesity trends. For a record of the most recent meeting on the issue the Honourable Member can consult the report at:.

La plastica segnala quando subisce danni diventando di colore rosso. Tale cambiamento provoca la tipica colorazione rossa. A new material which can self-repair when it is damaged has been designed by a team from the University of Southern Mississippi. The innovative plastic imitates the ability of human skin to heal over.

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The plastic reveals when it has been damaged by turning red. Then, if exposed to sunlight or artificial light, which causes changes in its temperature and pH, it can repair itself. The self-repair mechanism consists of long polymer chains that are crossed by small molecular links known as bridges. When the plastic is damaged or cracked, the bridges break and modify their shape.

This change causes the typical red colouring. Therefore, when the plastic becomes damaged, it will be possible to see this easily through the red mark that forms around the lesion. The new plastic is a sign of innovation and progress compared to other plastics which can only self-repair once.

The product developed in the United States works just like human skin and can self-repair forever. Considering that this new material could have great potential and numerous applications, is the Commission aware of the innovation and does it consider that there would be environmental or human health risks should it be used in Europe? The Commission is not aware of the specific innovation referred to by the Honourable Member and has no data on possible environmental or human health risks.

However, if appropriate, the Commission will consult its risk assessment bodies and Scientific Committees if the use of these materials would give rise to any concern. Una regolamentazione per il crowdfunding. Come nuovo strumento per la raccolta di capitali, il cosiddetto crowdfunding sta avendo un impatto in tutta Europa. Tuttavia, per questo tipo di piattaforme non risulta ancora chiaro se possa applicarsi la normativa europea in materia di tutela degli investitori e di rendicontazione finanziaria o se si debba far riferimento alle normative nazionali in materia di fundraising e strumenti finanziari.

Il crowd-funding potrebbe rappresentare un mezzo economicamente efficace per aggregare tanti piccoli contributi, individuare potenziali finanziatori e integrare le fonti tradizionali di finanziamento. A new tool for raising capital, so-called crowdfunding, is having an impact throughout Europe.

Crowdfunding has been used as a model for funding the most diverse start-up ventures on platforms such as growvc.

Il Trionfo dell'Anarchia:

However, it is still not clear whether European legislation on the protection of investors and financial reporting can be applied to this kind of platform or whether national legislation on fund-raising and financial instruments should apply. Can the Commission therefore say what rules are applicable with regard to the legal status of crowdfunding platforms and investors and to the ways of accessing funding through crowdfunding, also stipulating what legislation on financial market instruments should cover crowdfunding?

Crowd-funding could offer a cost effective means for aggregating together many small contributions and locating potential backers, supplement traditional funding sources. In practice, the funding provided can take a wide variety of complementary forms — from more traditional risk financing through to types of donation or forms of pre-payment for services. Given the variety in funding mechanisms on offer and nascent form of the models, the interaction of these models with regulatory requirements across the financial services will vary.

Given this variety, a first step in order to ensure that the appropriate regulation is in place is to obtain greater clarity on the different forms of crowd-financing and the scope and nature of the services being provided. Crowd-funding could become a vital source of potential funding for growth, social and cultural innovation across Europe. The Commission will follow developments closely, from a regulatory perspective as well as a policy perspective.

No ano passado, este prazo era de quatro meses. Tendo em conta que:. Last year, the period in question was four months. The Portuguese fleet has been weakened and rendered obsolete by the adverse developments of the last two decades;. What action will the Commission take under the future common fisheries policy CFP , to mitigate this problem? How will the individual profiles of each country including fleet reduction over the past two decades, size of the EEZ and quantity of available resources, and fish consumption per capita be taken into account in the next CFP?

The reform proposals announced so far do not do so. Dependence on imported fish has increased over the last decades and now reaches levels where two third of fish consumed comes from imported sources. This is the average ratio for the European Union. For the reform of the common fisheries policy CFP the Commission proposes management of our resources in such a way that the exploitation is maximised in a sustainable way. This will lead to larger stocks, with higher catch potential and thus higher yields than currently are harvested. The future CFP should take into account regional and national specificities as much as possible.

For example, the Commission has proposed that fisheries management is regionalized, with Member States and stakeholders in the region taking the lead in defining the measures to implement the policies and to meet the policy objectives and targets. National characteristics may be reflected better in this regional approach to management, with a number of general objectives and management strategies, to ensure equal conditions and level playing field for the fishing industry throughout the Union. Or does it believe that the same rules should be applied when more than one cohesion policy objective is being addressed?

The current state aid rules allow for the financing of cross-border cooperation projects. Some are due to the participation of partners from different Member States in each project, others to the type of projects supported. The current initiative of the Commission to modernise state aid legislation including the revision of the state aid Guidelines to be applied in the next period allows for a broad discussion on such issues, including the projects on European Territorial Cooperation.

In this context, the Commission welcomes all proposals. Within cohesion policy, the territorial cooperation objective provides added value and has great potential in terms of competitiveness, particularly through job creation, and promoting economic growth. This implies a need for more strategic fund programming and for better coordination in terms both of funds and of European internal and external policies.

With regard to the territorial cooperation objective, the priority has to be a territorial approach focusing in particular on specific regional characteristics, not only from a sectoral point of view, but also, and above all, from a strategic perspective encompassing the whole of the geographical area involved. How can the Commission improve strategic programming and coordinate territorial cooperation financing more effectively with the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument? In what ways could synergies be fostered between territorial cooperation and the pre-accession instrument?

What specific measures does the Commission propose to enable the implementation of territorial cooperation programmes, in their various aspects, to be linked effectively with the financing instrument for development cooperation and the European Development Fund? The Commission will continue close coordination. In addition, IPA funds will continue to finance the participation of enlargement countries, where appropriate, in the transnational and interregional cooperation programmes under the European Territorial Cooperation ETC goal of cohesion policy.

This trend is further supported in the Commission's proposal for IPA for No caso afirmativo, com quais medidas? Because they are directly linked to new challenges such as globalisation, climate change, demographic change and migration, they have the potential to become key elements in European strategies to tackle them. Will the Commission move forward with practical measures to promote the outermost regions as.

If so, with what measures? Is it in favour of strengthening the role of the outermost regions within the renewed European Neighbourhood Policy? How does it propose to do this? Will it publish any specific proposal aimed at taking advantage of the regional liberalisation of the outermost regions and trade development, particularly as regards improving transport between these regions and neighbouring territories?

In view of the ORs' geographical position, EU policies with an external dimension are key to delivering this strategy. To this end, the Commission intends to use the updated strategy to address the issues raised by the Honourable Member. This includes taking account of the interests of the ORs when negotiating trade agreements with their neighbours, when trade agreements cover products produced in these regions or and in regard to the improvement of transport between these regions and neighbouring territories. The Commission also intends to continue developing better coordination and synergy between the cooperation programmes supported by the ERDF and other instruments the European Development Fund, the Development Cooperation Instrument, or the Partnership Instrument.

What is the justification for the difference between the maximum co-financing rates for the two cohesion policy objectives of growth and jobs and territorial cooperation, especially bearing in mind that the increased budget allocation for the latter is likely to translate into a higher number of programmes in that area? Regarding the territorial cooperation objective, why is there no proposal to differentiate between the various co-financing rates according to category, level of development and regional specifics? This contributes to ensuring a critical mass for the implementation of ETC projects given that with a relatively.

The Commission does not expect that the increased funding proposed would lead to a higher number of ETC programmes. It would rather expect roughly the same number of programmes, benefitting from increased financial resources. Taking into account that the scope and purpose of cooperation programmes is different than those of national or regional programmes, there should not be a direct competition on the basis of the co-financing rates.

The Commission proposal foresees a uniform maximum co-financing rate for all ETC programmes. This is with a view to simplifying implementation, where handling different maximum co-financing rates can add a layer of complexity in programmes and projects. Simplification is of particular importance for ETC programmes given the implementation challenges deriving from the multi-country context.

How much of this total will Portugal lose because of the cancellation of the TGV project? All these lots were supposed to be implemented in single phasing before The Commission has asked for the submission of a revised project, but it hasn't so far received it. The revision can concern technical parameters of the lines, number and characteristics of the lines, the phasing of the project or a combination of these factors. As regards the Cohesion Fund no funds were yet attributed to the financing of this project. The Commission is waiting for the submission of a revised project and for decisions of the Portuguese authorities in this respect.

The issue of Palestinian prisoners has not been made part of the political agenda of the peace negotiations. In particular the High Representative was very concerned about the critical health condition of the Palestinians held in Israeli administrative detention who had been on hunger strike for more than two months and the possibility that this might lead to a loss of life.

Moreover, countless thousands of unemployed people have lost their entitlement to the unemployment welfare benefits for which they contributed when in work. One of the consequences of this scenario has been a very sharp rise in emigration. Over the past weeks, there have been numerous reports on the plight of many Portuguese citizens who have had no option but to leave their country. There are repeated cases of Portuguese citizens sleeping on the streets, in cars, at train stations and even in public toilets, in the United Kingdom, Luxembourg and Switzerland, and there is also news of problems with workers in Belgium and the Netherlands.

The charitable institutions, including Catholic missions, which have been asked to help feed these people are in despair and are calling for a concerted campaign to dissuade people from emigrating if they do not have contacts abroad and an employment contract. What help has been, or will be, made available to people who find themselves in this situation and to the institutions that offer them support? What measures will be taken to deal with this calamity, for which the Commission manifestly bears a share of the blame? The crisis has had a severe impact, especially on low-productivity economic sectors and has resulted in high unemployment.

The Commission is aware that there is an increasing number of citizens taking up residence in other Member States, who are in need of social assistance. However, the Commission does not have precise figures, namely in what concerns Portugal. The European Social Fund contributes to improving the social situation and the living conditions of the Union citizens by financing a variety of actions ranging from promoting labour market participation to social inclusion and anti-discrimination measures.

In the Commission approved the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion aiming at reducing poverty by providing a framework for. The European Parliament adopted a resolution in in which it advocated establishing a minimum income at European level to help to combat poverty when other social poverty prevention methods such as access to public health and education services, professional training, housing, employment at a fair wage and decent pensions have failed. The resolution advocates a minimum income appropriate to the European Union on a universal basis, supported by Community funds, as a poverty prevention measure and to ensure social justice and equality of opportunity for all, without undermining the specific characteristics of each Member State.

The Minimum wage concerns individual earnings of workers, while the poverty threshold derives from household income, including from sources other than work. The adequacy of minimum wages would be better illustrated by an estimate of net disposable income, including benefits and taxes. According to this calculation, a typical single full-time worker earning the minimum wage is at risk of poverty in eight countries: Setting minimum wages at appropriate levels helps preventing growing in-work poverty and inequalities. The impact of the minimum wage on both demand and supply can differ markedly across Member States.

Therefore, wage floors need to be sufficiently adjustable, with the involvement of the social partners to reflect overall economic developments. The Commission is further exploring several evidence based approaches including support for a tax-benefit micro-simulation model and social experimentation. In addition, the commission administrates a European Parliament pilot project Social solidarity for social integration intended to raise awareness of the adequacy and the role of minimum income schemes in fighting poverty and social exclusion.

This decision to suspend orders, according to chief executive Tom Enders, is retaliation against the European carbon emissions tax, introduced by the European Union and applicable to all airlines using European airspace. In view of the above, can the Commission state what its view of the situation is and what actions have been or will be taken to avoid redundancies? The Commission would further refer the. The EU has taken a series of initiatives to tackle tuberculosis, including drug-resistant forms of the disease. Surveillance of tuberculosis has expanded over the past decade to cover the entire European Region of the World Health Organisation.

Despedimentos na Bosch — Braga, Portugal. Once again, it is being proved that the sole aim of this practice — hiring temporary workers to meet the permanent needs of companies — is to make it easier to pay off workers. It is the primary responsibility of Member States to monitor compliance of pharmaceutical undertakings and healthcare professionals with the rules.

Sono circa 25 le persone morte negli ultimi giorni nell'ondata di violenze tra buddisti e musulmani nello Stato di Rakhine, nell'ovest della Birmania. Lo ha dichiarato a un'agenzia nazionale un ufficiale birmano senza precisare l'etnia e la religione delle vittime. Nell'area rimane in vigore lo stato di emergenza proclamato domenica sera. Attualmente, la maggior parte dei progetti di aiuto, umanitario o di altro genere, nello stato di Rakhine sono stati temporaneamente sospesi. Around 25 people have died in the last few days in the wave of violence between Buddhists and Muslims in the State of Rakhine, in the west of Burma.

A Burmese official notified a national agency without specifying the ethnicity and religion of the victims. The state of emergency declared on Sunday evening remains in force in the area. Inter-communal violence has affected both Buddhist and Muslim inhabitants in the area. Currently, most humanitarian and other aid projects in Rakhine State have been temporarily halted.

Il commercio illegale di specie animali protette prolifera sul web. Solo nel in Italia sono state sequestrate tartarughe Testudo, spedite vive, sigillate in piccoli pacchi che sono stati rintracciati in sei diversi uffici postali d'Italia, da Olbia 62 esemplari sequestrati a Genova 19 , passando per Napoli 18 , Roma 34 , Firenze 63 e Reggio Emilia Negli ultimi tre anni ne sono stati sequestrati in varie zone del paese. Le uova vengono fatte schiudere con l'ausilio di un'incubatrice, poi le tartarughe sono pronte per essere commercializzate senza il rispetto delle norme in materia.

Esistono misure adottate dall'UE al fine di contrastare il commercio illegale di animali e, in caso di risposta negativa, non ritiene che si debba stabilire una strategia europea che ostacoli il fenomeno in questione ormai in espansione in tutta Europa? Sebbene non esistano dati in merito alla portata del problema, si ritiene che il commercio illegale di specie selvatiche sia in aumento. Nonostante l'attuazione e l'esecuzione delle relative disposizioni rientrino nelle competenze degli Stati membri, la Commissione ha adottato nel una raccomandazione che definisce una strategia contro il commercio illegale di specie selvatiche.

The illegal trade in protected animal species is very widespread on the Internet. From tortoises to birds of prey, and even ivory, the market is definitely expanding. In Italy in alone, Testudo tortoises were seized, having been sent live and sealed in small packages, which were traced to six different post offices in Italy — Olbia 62 seized , Genoa 19 , Naples 18 , Rome 34 , Florence 63 and Reggio Emilia In the last three years of them have been seized in various parts of the country. The black market trade in tortoises is now widespread throughout Europe.

It is fairly easy to find them on the Internet, as there are many advertisements on the most common e-commerce sites. Certainly, some of the trade is legal, but in many other cases the animals are sold without any certification. They are captured in the wild and then mated in small illegal and unhealthy farms, set up in cellars or garages. The eggs are hatched using an incubator, and the tortoises are then ready to be sold, without complying with the regulations. While there is no data on the extent of illegal wildlife trade, it is judged to be a growing problem and the involvement of criminal organisations has been proven for a number of valuable commodities like ivory, rhino horns or precious birds.

The implementation and enforcement of those provisions fall within the responsibility of the Member States, but the Commission adopted a recommendation in setting out a strategy against illegal wildlife trade. The Commission chairs meetings of the wildlife trade Enforcement Group which meets twice every year. Between and , around 2 seizures of illegally-traded wildlife products have been reported yearly by EU enforcement agencies. Ivory, tortoises, live birds, various products used for medicinal use and caviar are amongst the most commonly seized specimens. As well as the confiscation of goods, fines and, in the most serious cases, prison sentences have been imposed on the offenders.

I festival sono molto importanti per la vita culturale europea. Sono quindi ammessi al sostegno nel quadro del programma per la cultura UE. Gli operatori culturali che desiderano presentare una domanda di finanziamento devono contattare il Culture Contact Point nel proprio paese. It is developing into a cultural powerhouse in the Puglia region and is gaining an increasingly strong international reputation, coming to be seen as a model for the organisation of cultural events and the creation of new types of performance and artistic trends.

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Promoted by the city of Andria and from this year onwards also working in partnership with the Romaeuropa Festival, it is one of the few Italian cultural events with an international reputation, and one which enjoys strong support from public bodies. The event, which will take place at several sites representing various aspects of the city, will offer a programme emphasising its specific nature through its content and its international vocation.

Can the Commission state whether the city of Andria can apply for direct funding for the Festival, which is growing rapidly and over the years has become an irreplaceable showcase for Puglia and for the whole of southern Italy? The festival also represents a rendezvous with live theatre, exposes audiences to a host of cultural ideas and captures the best of the Italian and international cultural scenes, at the same time maintaining a constant dialogue with the surrounding area, implementing targeted initiatives to support creativity in the form of the new and exciting theatrical developments which have emerged over the past few years.

Festivals are very important to the cultural life of Europe. By giving the floor to a large variety of artists and cultural operators in different f cultural fields, festivals highlight the great richness of our cultural diversity, and make it more accessible to a broad audience. Therefore, the City of Andria could apply for funding for the Castel dei Monti Festival within this programme, either under the festival strand or in the framework of a cooperation project, annual or multi-annual.

Whether as a festival or as part of a cooperation project, it should be noted that specific conditions for participation have to be respected and that the selection process, managed with the help of independent external experts, is highly competitive and only the very best applications receive a grant. Cultural operators who wish to apply for funding are advised to get in touch with the Culture Contact Point in their country. Inquinamento da pillole contraccettive.

Ovviamente tale teoria ha trovato molti oppositori, prime fra tutte le compagnie farmaceutiche. A new threat to fish is about to be added to pollution and illegal fishing practices: According to a study by a British university, high levels of synthetic hormones deriving from the action of these contraceptive pills are released into waters through discharged household waste, which already tends to have an impact on the ecosystem.

The theory has of course encountered considerable opposition, primarily from the pharmaceutical companies. The solution proposed by the professor is to establish a sewerage network that can prevent this phenomenon and, according to the researchers, it should be up to the pharmaceutical companies themselves to pay for it. The researchers say that further studies are needed to be certain and it cannot be excluded that the phenomenon might also have repercussions on human health. According to another study, this time carried out in Canada, not all fish become intersex on contact with the hormone ethinylestradiol, but some species, such as fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas are at risk of disappearing completely from the area where this hormone is present in sufficient concentrations.

Depending on evolving scientific and policy needs, further research could be supported under the next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, Horizon In line with the decision on the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme CIP , this programme does not support this kind of research. Hanno atteso che approdasse a Gioia Tauro prima di entrare in azione. Nella stiva, tra le noccioline brasiliane accatastate in uno dei container, c'erano sedici borsoni contenenti chili di cocaina pura destinata al mercato europeo. In questa settimana altri chili di coca erano andati ad infoltire i depositi delle Fiamme Gialle.

Nell'ultimo anno a Gioia Tauro sono stati sequestrati circa 2 mila chilogrammi di cocaina. I narcotrafficanti della Ndrangheta fanno i conti con un buco economico di 85 milioni di euro di capitale. Una volta tagliata e rivenduta, il costo lievita a dismisura, passaggio dopo passaggio. Fiumi di droga che arrivati sulle piazze di spaccio di mezza Italia avrebbero portato nelle casse dell'organizzazione qualcosa come milioni di euro.

E che dietro il traffico di coca dal Sud America vi siano i clan calabresi non ci sono dubbi. Italian special agents spent months monitoring the progress of a vessel after its departure from the port of Cristobal, near the Panama Canal. They waited until it moored at Gioia Tauro before going into action. In the hold, among the Brazilian peanuts piled up in one of the containers, they found 16 large bags containing kilos of pure cocaine intended for the European market.

The seizure of the drugs, divided up into cakes, was simply the last stage in a lengthy operation. This week customs officers confiscated a further kilos of cocaine. Once the drugs have been cut and resold, their value increases astronomically at every stage in the chain. There is no doubt that the Calabrian mafia families are behind the traffic in cocaine from South America.

The Commission has been supporting Member States' activities on intercepting cocaine shipments at sea as well as combating drug trafficking via the cocaine route more generally. The Commission is aware of the raid carried out by the Italian military on shipments of cocaine from Latin America to Italy which have also been reported in the press. Nuovo studio inerente alle lesioni del midollo spinale. Topi paralizzati in seguito a gravi lesioni spinali hanno ripreso a camminare e a correre grazie a un'innovativa tecnica di riabilitazione combinata messa a punto da un team di ricercatori svizzeri.

In questa fase gli animali sono stati sostenuti da una piccola imbragatura collegata a un sistema robotizzato che interviene nel caso il topo perda l'equilibrio. Dopo un paio di settimane di neuro-riabilitazione i topi non solo cominciano a camminare volontariamente, ma riescono anche a sprintare, salire le scale ed evitare gli ostacoli. Mice paralysed following serious spinal damage have started to walk and run again thanks to an innovative combined rehabilitation technique developed by a team of Swiss researchers.

The method, which opens up new research prospects into possible therapies to deal with paralysis in humans, was carried out in two stages. Ten minutes later an electric stimulation of the spinal cord is carried out, implanting electrodes in the most external part of the vertebral canal, in the so-called epidural space.

The mice treated in this way were then put to the test by standing them on their rear legs on top of a flat surface and inducing them to move by means of a visible bait, a piece of chocolate placed nearby. During this stage the animals were held by a small harness linked to a robotic system which intervened if the mouse lost its balance.

The test was repeated until an unexpected result was obtained. After a couple of weeks of neuro-rehabilitation the mice not only started to walk voluntarily but also to run, climb stairs and avoid obstacles. In the light of the above and given the EU's commitment to the health sector through its development of the Health Strategy and the health programme, does the Commission not agree that the study could be financed through the Seventh Framework Programme FP7 or through the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme, so as to encourage earlier testing on humans?

This is part of an FP7 comprehensive effort to support research on spinal cord repair. I pesci robot sono dotati di un sistema di comunicazione tra loro e con la base che permette di registrare la loro posizione, i loro spostamenti, quali acque sono state campionate e i risultati di ogni analisi. E nonostante le tante funzioni, la tecnologia ha un basso impatto sulla vita marina: A robot fish can analyse types and levels of water pollution in real time.

Hence water monitoring will no longer necessitate sampling and laboratory analysis. The fish is like a tuna with a yellow plastic shell and is 1. Using its movement sensors, the robot can recognise and avoid obstacles. The battery provides as much as eight hours per charge for exploration.

The robot is also fitted with chemical sensors which can detect the presence of lead, copper and other pollutants, and measure the salinity of the water. The novelty is that all this happens extremely fast: Either a single robot fish or a group can handle the analysis work. They are equipped to communicate with each other and with the base, which can plot their positions and movements and record which water has been sampled and the results of each analysis.

Though multi-functional, the technology has a low impact on marine life. The robots make little noise and successfully communicate with each other on very low-frequency wavelengths. Does it think this is a useful tool to resolve the difficulties encountered in identifying the causes of water pollution? If so, does it intend to finance the production of new prototypes for distribution in the Member States? The Commission considers that intelligent robotics can provide a useful tool to remedy the difficulties encountered in water pollution detection and tracking.

The robot fish prototype in question would lend itself very well in future to wider deployment, given its relatively low cost and ease of use for the purpose intended. By involving port authorities in the research, the Commission expects that the technology will be validated in real settings. This will enable the supplying companies in the project to exploit the scientific and technical results more rapidly, all around Europe and the world.

The project will offer therefore, in addition to the important technology achievement, a showcase that the participating industry and research labs should use to transform this progress into commercial success. This is how the Commission sees the exploitation of the project results at this stage. Si ricorre alla rete per diversi motivi: Le incognite e i rischi a cui questi pazienti vanno incontro non sono pochi.

Esistono, infatti, diversi siti affidabili, forum a cui partecipano persone competenti e blog che forniscono informazioni utili. Alla luce di quanto su esposto, si chiede alla Commissione di rispondere ai seguenti quesiti:. La Commissione non era a conoscenza dell'iniziativa italiana menzionata dall'onorevole deputato. Gli Stati membri sono stati incoraggiati a prendere misure ulteriori. Il portale, gestito dalla Commissione, funge da intermediario verso siti web affidabili in tema di salute a livello europeo, fornisce tutta una gamma di informazioni ai cittadini, agli operatori sanitari, ai ricercatori e ai decisori politici.

Consulting the web over medical questions is an increasingly frequent habit amongst Europeans. People turn to the web for various reasons: Now patients will be supported by a quality guarantee covering the transparency and the reliability of health information available on websites and blogs which meet specific requirements. The unknown elements and risks which these patients may encounter are many. While not the right solution for obtaining a diagnosis in real time with guaranteed anonymity, the web can be a useful instrument if well used.

There are in fact various reliable sites and forums in which competent people take part and blogs which provide useful information. The important thing is to know about them. Is it aware of the Italian regulation which requires a seal of approval to be given to Internet sites containing reliable medical information? Are there any EU regulations which cover online health issues or the use of IT to obtain information in the health sector? The Commission was not aware of the Italian initiative referred by the Honourable Member.

There is no EU legislation to cover health information provided on the Internet. Member States have been encouraged to take further action. It has elaborated a Code of Conduct to help standardise the reliability of medical and health information available on the web. Secondo gli agenti, i prodotti acquistati in Cina e in Europa orientale dovevano essere consegnati, come lasciano ragionevolmente ipotizzare le indagini tuttora in corso, a medici senza scrupoli, verosimilmente di etnia asiatica, che li avrebbero somministrati ai loro pazienti in cambio di lauti compensi.

In due casi i farmaci, confezionati in blister, flaconi e bustine, per un peso complessivo di 3,7 chilogrammi, erano nascosti nei bagagli di due cittadine cinesi residenti in Italia e provenienti dalla Cina, rispettivamente via Monaco e via Roma-Fiumicino. Nel terzo, invece, il sequestro di farmaci ha riguardato un cittadino italiano proveniente da Tirana. Tra i principi attivi contenuti nei farmaci sequestrati spiccano l'adrenalina, il raceanisodamine cloridrato, il ribavirine ed il citicoline.

Sostanze che avrebbero potuto causare gravissime patologie fino a diventare letali. Spetta agli Stati membri garantire il rispetto della normativa europea e, in particolare, della normativa nel campo dei medicinali per uso umano. This latest operation was carried out by Bari customs officers.

During regular checks aimed at stopping illicit trafficking at the airport of Bari-Palese they uncovered three attempts to import pharmaceuticals without their mandatory registration with the Ministry of Health. In two cases, the medicines, in blister packs, bottles and sachets, weighing a total of 3. In the third case, the seizure of the medicines involved an Italian national coming from Tirana.

Amongst the main active ingredients in the seized medicines were adrenalin, raceanisodamine hydrochloride, ribavirin and citicoline. These are substances which could cause serious, and possibly lethal, illnesses. It is aware of this event, if it intends to launch investigations in order to ensure that no illegal and dangerous medicines are placed on the market and if it will step up checks at the external borders?

If there are Member States which have issued ad hoc rules against online pharmacies which now turn out to be major suppliers of illegal medicines? The Commission is not empowered to carry out investigations in events such as the one mentioned by the Honourable Member.

Member States are responsible for ensuring the enforcement of European legislation, including of the legislation on human medicinal products. The seizure in Bari airport does not seem to be linked to online sales of medicines. The Spanish legal system has historically been hampered by a lack of physical and human resources, a situation which, has been alarmingly exacerbated over the last few years by the ongoing economic and financial crisis. Although this is one of the three fundamental branches of any State, Spain has one of the lowest numbers of judges per capita in the European Union: This affects the exercise of the right to effective legal protection, to which every citizen of a state of law is entitled, since it slows down the action of the law to unacceptable levels, and also makes proper case management impossible, which can result in undesired incidents causing social alarm.

Paradoxically, the Ministry of Justice, which has seen its budget cut by 6. When is the Commission going to incorporate obligations to maintain and improve the public sector in general, and the legal system in particular, into its prescriptions for the recovery of the Spanish economy and to combat the threats hanging over the euro and economic and monetary union? Does the Commission intend to bring this matter to the attention of the Spanish Government?

In its Annual Growth Survey AGS , which launched the European Semester of Economic Governance, the Commission highlights the fact that the quality of public administration at EU, national, regional and local levels is a determining element in terms of competitiveness and an important productivity factor. Moves towards modernising public administration have therefore been monitored and analysed in each Member State, including Spain.

In particular, the Commission has recommended that Spain should do more to eliminate barriers to doing business arising from overlapping and multiple regulations on the part of different levels of government. Progress in Spain towards modernising public administration and making the civil justice system more efficient will be monitored and assessed during the European Semester exercise. According to the Greek Association of Tourism Enterprises SETE , in May the first , bookings were lost due to the recession and the political instability prevailing in the country, a fact which will have a negative impact on the financial and fundamental indices for , slowing down the growth rates of the Greek economy even more.

Given that the head of the Task Force in Greece has repeatedly emphasised that growth is key to economic recovery and that, in a country like Greece, tourism is undeniably the locomotive for economic growth:. The Commission acknowledges the importance of the tourism sector in Greece, both for economic growth and employment. In the context of their complex economic recovery process tourism represents one of the sectors of great growth potential and therefore deserves careful attention.

A pre-requisite for quality service is the ability to have skilled and trained workers. The main focus of this award will be initiatives implemented by economic operators in the tourism supply chain. Tale legislazione consente l'addebito di una commissione aggiuntiva per i pagamenti con carte di credito, emesse in Danimarca o in un altro Stato membro. Per il momento alla Commissione non risulta che la pratica di Teller possa costituire una limitazione delle norme dell'UE in materia di concorrenza. Could the Commission inform me whether it is aware of the fact that, in Denmark, the fee charged for payments made by credit card is higher for those issued in other Member States than it is for those issued in Denmark, and whether this discrimination can be deemed to be compatible with EU rules?

The issue of surcharging on card payments in Denmark has been subject to an infringement procedure by the Commission against Denmark. Subsequently, the national rules have been changed and there are no longer any surcharges for payments with debit cards, regardless of where the card has been issued. On the contrary, surcharges are allowed on credit cards, as long as no distinction is made between Danish cards and cards issued in another Member State. Nevertheless, in light of the question submitted, the Commission has asked the Danish authorities for additional information and will keep the Honourable Member informed of further developments.

After consulting the Danish authorities, the Commission wishes to inform the Honourable Member about the following:. As already indicated by the Commission in its reply of It allows for the surcharging on credit card payments, be they issued in the Denmark or in another Member State. There are some 40 establishments accepting payment cards in Denmark. If these costs are higher for a payment card issued in another Member State, the corresponding surcharge will in consequence be also higher than the one required for the use of a payment card issued in Denmark.

The Commission does not at present have any indications that this practice by Teller would constitute a restriction of EU competition law. He also noted that in order to boost financial growth, it would be useful to create a new financial instrument that would not be associated with any state bank but consist of independent bodies assisting small and medium-sized enterprises and underwriting risk.

What delays and difficulties, if any, has it observed on the part of the Bank? Due to the economic situation in Greece and the situation of Greek banks in particular, access to finance is still a critical issue. The Commission is in constant contact with the Greek authorities and the EIB at all levels in order to build sustainable solutions for the Greek economy.

However, approvals and signatures have decreased since while disbursement started to decline in The Greek Government has created a working group with members from Greece, some other Member States and EU institutions to analyse the value added of the possible creation of an institution for growth in Greece, whose mission would be to finance the Greek economy. If the Greek Government were to decide to create such an institution it would take some time before it is operational. The Commission assumes that this would not be the case before The Commission is aware that sound management of waste and efficient use of resources is a critical problem globally.

The conference calls for the development and enforcement of comprehensive national and local waste management policies as well as the adoption of strategies, laws and regulations. It also recognises a need to manage solid waste such as electronic waste and plastics in an environmentally sound manner and to significantly reduce food waste throughout the food supply chain. It is essential for the long term sustainability of measures put in place to deal with the growing problem of waste management, that each country, region or municipality takes the leadership and responsibility for the development of such measures.

The EU can then help partner countries by supporting their own efforts to build an appropriate regulatory and institutional environment. The Commission is also taking specific measures to help low-income countries deal with the growing problem of management of municipal solid waste. La Commission n'est donc pas en mesure d'engager une initiative sur cette question. In many Member States, the national health authorities require doctors and pharmacists to prescribe and issue generic medicines, since these molecules are identical and therefore present no risk to the patient, but are priced at a level that enables social security systems to make considerable savings.

However, in a recent report from the French Academy of Medicine, the therapeutic quality and effectiveness of generic medicaments is called into question, without any scientific proof being provided. All medicinal products, including generics, are placed on the market after an in-depth assessment of their quality, efficacy and safety based on the strict requirements of EU pharmaceutical legislation. Member States may adopt national measures and develop national approaches for the prescription of generics which may differ from one Member State to the other.

The Commission is therefore not in a position to launch an initiative on this issue. The Roma are the most numerous transnational minority in the European Union and the integration issues of this minority have always been a subject of EU debate and action. Half of Roma still live in homes without a kitchen, shower or electricity.

Projects seeking better Roma integration over time have proved to be limited in terms both of results and approach. Considering also the exacerbated social impact of the world economic crisis, the Roma community ought to be treated with increased attention, owing to the vulnerability which typifies it. The Commission is well aware of the situation of the Roma people, who are among the most marginalised groups of the European society and have experienced sustained poverty and social exclusion, exacerbated by the economic crisis.

The European Union and the Commission address the challenge of Roma integration via both policy recommendations and financial support. Furthermore, in the framework of the European Semester, Country Specific Recommendations for Roma inclusion have been addressed to Member States with the largest Roma communities and facing the most severe challenges.

This should ensure that Roma exclusion is addressed by Structural Funds interventions in the Member States concerned. The Commission has also proposed for the ESF a specific investment priority on the inclusion of marginalised groups such as Roma and an ex-ante conditionality to ensure that Member States using Structural Funds for Roma inclusion have an appropriate Roma integration strategy in place. The increase in water temperature and the decrease in river flow, both of which are consequences attributed to climate change, are already leading to the temporary shutting down of thermal power stations, which require huge amounts of water for cooling.

Thermal power stations have a service life of many decades and it is not easy to move all of them closer to the sea, which offers a more reliable source of cooling water. Furthermore, there are limits regarding the quantity of water that can be pumped by each plant, because water recycled within a plant returns to the lakes and rivers much hotter than before, causing what is known as thermal pollution, thus harming aquatic ecosystems. Is the Commission aware of these developments and what measures is it willing to take, or has it taken, to deal with the problem of thermal pollution caused by thermal power stations in order to protect aquatic ecosystems?

Has it taken appropriate action, such as holding discussions or conducting studies by specialists, university experts and scientists in order to find a sustainable solution to this problem in both environmental and financial terms? The Commission is aware of the so called thermal pollution that may sometimes be caused by thermal power stations and is currently not taking measures or conducting studies to tackle this particular form of pollution.

Accordingly, Member States must address all pressures on the aquatic ecosystems, including those from thermal power stations, by taking, in the framework of their River Basin Management Plans, appropriate measures that need to become operational by the end of The report will highlight the main achievements but also the gaps and deficiencies in the implementation of the directive, e. At this stage, the Commission cannot prejudge whether thermal pollution will be identified as a key priority. Nonetheless, the Blueprint will contain proposals to improve the implementation of the directive, including by better addressing the impacts of climate change on the aquatic environment.

Given the current crisis in Spain and Greece and the problems in Italy, Portugal and other European countries, what conclusions has the Commission drawn about the relevance and effectiveness of the EBA? Such a stress-test exercise was carried out in Valuable lessons from this exercise can be drawn for future stress tests. Possible improvement relate in particular to the need for greater engagement with banks and national supervisors and further strengthening of the methodology.

If the European financial system is to be credible and stable, all supervisors will have to systematically work together in a more coordinated and constructive way. In this case, EBA's work has been instrumental in order to ensure that the relevant banks have reached the agreed level of capital at the date foreseen.

The Commission has no doubts about the relevance and effectiveness of EBA and the other two new supervisory authorities. Could the Commission specify what reasonable steps providers will be required to take to protect their customers from paying roaming charges for such services where inadvertently accessed when they are in their home Member State? The issue of inadvertent roaming has already been identified and addressed in the previous Roaming Regulation. To further strengthen the monitoring of the occurrence of involuntary roaming, the new Regulation contains additional obligations to monitor and to inform customers.

According to data gathered by NRAs, inadvertent roaming was not identified as a significant problem, and only a few consumers were reported as adversely affected. Information gathered by regulators indicate that providers have put in place a number of mechanisms to deal with the issue of inadvertent roaming: For instance they are providing relevant information on their websites or where a particular issue has been identified, they have generally taken additional steps to ensure consumers are aware of the issue.

In some cases operators offer specific bespoke tariffs for neighbouring countries; or have developed network coverage in border areas to tackle the problem. Some Member States argue that the decisions should not be based solely on the opinions from EFSA, and that national bodies should also be involved in the process. In base all'articolo del codice penale sudanese del , infatti, le colpevoli di tale reato sono punite mediante lapidazione, se sposate, o con cento frustate, se nubili. Le prove a suo carico sono il terzo figlio, di soli 4 mesi, detenuto attualmente in carcere con la madre, ed una confessione ottenuta a seguito di percosse poste in essere da uno dei fratelli.

Il tribunale l'aveva processata nuovamente dopo che la corte d'appello non aveva confermato la pena di morte per lapidazione. L'UE ha inoltre espresso preoccupazione in occasione della visita a Bruxelles a fine maggio del dott.

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Gazhi, stretto consigliere del presidente sudanese Bashir. L'UE ha invitato il Sudan, sia bilateralmente che nel quadro di forum multilaterali, ad abolire la pena di morte o almeno ad imporre una moratoria de iure. Intisar Sharif Abdallah has been sentenced to death by stoning by the Court of Ombada in Central Sudan, after being convicted of adultery. In court, the woman did not have any legal assistance or receive the aid of an interpreter despite her limited knowledge of Arabic, the language in which the proceedings were conducted.

Considering that sentencing to death by stoning is a violation of the ban on torture established, inter alia , by the UN Convention against Torture, to which the Khartoum government is also a signatory;. Considering that stoning for adultery is not prescribed by the Koran, but by the Hadith of Islamic tradition, and is still in effect in seven countries where sharia law is enforced;. Considering that signs are continuing to come from Sudan especially convictions which suggest that Khartoum, after separation from the Christian South, is intending to embrace a more rigid enforcement of sharia law;.

What measures does she intend to take to ensure respect for human rights in Sudan and, in particular, to ensure a fair trial for Intisar Sharif Abdallah and all women similarly tried and currently detained? Does she think that more rigid enforcement of sharia law in Sudan could be an obstacle to achieving an agreement with Christian Southern Sudan and, consequently, a resolution of the conflict? What priority is the European Union giving to putting pressure on the Sudanese Government to comply with international conventions and to calling for substantive reform of the judicial system?

The court had re-tried her after the court of appeal had overturned her sentence of death by stoning. She urges both parties to deploy maximum efforts to resolve all outstanding issues. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement of also provides for a constitutional review process in both Sudan and South Sudan. The EU places a lot of importance on Sudan signing and ratifying all 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.

Direttiva europea sulle malattie mentali. Ciononostante, si tratta di un settore ancora poco assoggettato alla legislazione dell'UE, in quanto l'organizzazione e l'erogazione dei servizi sanitari sono di competenza degli Stati membri. However this is a sector in which there is still little EU legislation, in that the organisation and the delivery of health services are the responsibility of the Member States. This inevitably entails a high degree of diversity regarding the provisions and obligations linked to health treatment, which can vary from one Member State to another.

Within this field, mental health protection and treatment is a particularly delicate issue, arising from the complexity and variety of this type of illness and the consequences which it can have on those affected. In the summer of in Rome, there was an uproar when a man of French origin repeatedly beat his daughter's head against the steps of the monument to the Unknown Soldier, causing her serious injuries. A proposal for such a Joint action has been submitted under the call for proposals and is currently under evaluation.

The Commission has no plans to propose a directive on mental health and takes this opportunity to recall that According to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the definition of health policies and the organisation and delivery of health services and medical care is the responsibility of Member States. Sussistono le condizioni per l'attivazione del Fondo europeo di adeguamento alla globalizzazione per intervenire a sostegno dei lavoratori e della loro riqualificazione professionale?

La Commissione non partecipa alla selezione, al monitoraggio e alla valutazione dei progetti. The spectacles production zone, which is centred in the area of the province of Belluno, in particular Cadore, Agordino Longarone, Alpago, Feltrino Bellunese Belluno and Ponte nelle Alpi and Val Belluna Mel, Sedico, Sospirolo, Trichiana, Limana , along with a significant presence of firms in the provinces of Treviso, Padua and Venice, and some adjacent municipalities in Friuli Venezia Giulia, is now in a serious economic and social crisis.

Last May the management of Safilo announced the cutting of one thousand jobs in the three production facilities of the group, Longarone, Santa Maria di Sala and Martignacco, as well as in the Padua parent company establishment. Considering the dependence of the local economy on the survival of the spectacles industry, can the Commission state whether:.

The operational programmes co-financed by the Structural Funds European Social Fund and European Regional Development Fund are implemented by the Member States and their regions in line with the principle of subsidiarity. The Commission is not involved in the selection, the monitoring and the evaluation of projects. L'assainissement du secteur et la moralisation de ses pratiques sont donc indispensables. Over the last few years, European football has become synonymous with a system that is completely unregulated, and is now seen by many as an economic bubble that is about to burst. The long-term viability of the sport is increasingly being called into question.

It is therefore vital for the whole sector to be cleaned up, and for its practices to be made morally acceptable. Several proposals have been made to supplement these regulations and strengthen regulation at European level. Another involves setting a two-fold salary limit a salary cap for the entire squad, on the one hand, and ensuring that there is an acceptable limit in the discrepancy between salaries of players in the same squad, on the other.

A third involves the introduction of a Football Transfer Tax FTT , with the money generated being used to finance sporting infrastructure and promote both youth training and the core values of the sport. Without these initiatives, is it not likely that competition between football clubs in the European Union will become increasingly distorted? The Treaty rules on competition clearly apply to the economic aspects of sport. Le rapport final du projet est attendu pour la fin de La Commission suivra attentivement les conclusions de ce projet.

The final report of the project is due by the end of The Commission will be closely following the findings of this project. Parliament specifically recognised the efforts of the Commission to develop a toolkit on complementarity. What is the timeline for its completion and publication? Are consultations foreseen with relevant stakeholders including EU Member States, the European Parliament and civil society? The EU strongly supports the Rome Statute system in which the ICC plays a key role as the court of last resort, and the principle of complementarity which is elementary for the Rome Statute to reach its full potential.

Strengthening national criminal jurisdictions and rule of law is key to fighting impunity and putting the complementarity principle into effect. The EU is the largest donor in supporting justice and rule of law reform; it plays a central role in the realisation of the principle of complementarity in practice by supporting justice and rule of law programmes worldwide with a focus on criminal justice.

The core crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes need to be addressed as part of external actions and development cooperation programmes in the area of justice and rule of law, supported by policy and political dialogues at country level. A forthcoming Commission Reference Document on Support to Justice and the Rule of Law — Review of past experience and guidance for future EU development cooperation programmes also addresses fighting impunity as part of wider criminal justice and rule of law reform.

Commission services and the EEAS are working on a toolkit on complementarity which should be presented before the end of this year. Discussions with civil society and international organisations active in the field have fed into this work. La regione Sicilia non ha adottato e attuato piani di protezione rispetto al rischio amianto, e non ha risanato le aree contaminate, con sinergismo e potenziamento tossicologico, nei vari siti, da Milazzo fino a Gela, da Siracusa, e nel resto della Sicilia, con violazione delle norme di cui agli artt.

Is the Commission aware that funding and disbursements drawn from European Regional Development and Structural Funds have been used by the Region of Sicily without securing the contaminated sites? A doctor from Physicians for Human Rights believes that the player is currently in a critical condition and should be transferred to a civilian hospital to receive appropriate care, which he has so far been refused. In addition, what is the European Union actually doing to induce Israel to end the arbitrary and unlawful practice of administrative detention?

The EU has a long standing concern about the extensive and disproportionate use by Israel of administrative detention. All detainees have the right to be informed of the reasons for their detention and given access to a review mechanism. As a general principle, detainees should be subject to a fair trial without undue delay. The Commission expressed uncertainty as to whether the Slovak authorities had indeed applied such a blanket exclusion.

Furthermore, under European Union law, excluded students may request their readmittance to the institutions in question even prior to the legislator's intervention. While recalling that by using the means of redress available at national level individuals directly affected by the application of such provisions should in principle be able to assert their rights more directly and personally, the Commission wishes to inform the Honourable Member that it has contacted in the meantime the Slovak authorities with a view to clarifying this issue.

The Commission will keep the Honourable Member informed of relevant developments in this matter. The European Union is currently experiencing an unprecedented economic and financial crisis that has led to austerity measures being adopted in a number of European countries, with the aim of curbing public deficits and designing new programmes at European level to promote growth and employment.

The seriousness of the situation and the risk that the impact of the eurocrisis might spread, as well as the slow pace of economic recovery in many Member States, have meant that these urgent measures have dominated the European agenda. As a result, other issues linked to the external dimension of the European agenda, but which also have an impact on its internal policies, have been postponed. Nevertheless, this external dimension cannot and must not be forgotten, particularly bearing in mind the aspirations triggered by the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty and the launch of the European External Action Service.

How would it describe the state of relations between the European Union and China? What are the prospects for possible negotiations between the European Union and China on foreign investment in EU territory, which might contribute to economic growth and job creation? What potential areas of convergence can be identified in a possible closer relationship between the European Union and China in the future? Both sides agree about their interdependance and the need to continue on the path of cooperation.

The Commissioner responsible for Agriculture and Rural Development and the Commissioner responsible for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response visited China recently and had constructive discussions respectively about rural development, and disaster-risk management.

Some of the new areas to be highlighted will derive from the above recent visits to China,while others will include global issues such as water and food security, as well as transport. Trade, investment and economic issues will remain high on the agenda, as well as the promotion of people-to-people exchanges and enhanced cooperation on energy. The sudden cessation of flights led to thousands of paying passengers not being able to travel to their booked destinations, with the company unable to refund them directly.

Whether airline passengers, as customers of any failed business who have not received a service for which they have paid, are able to obtain a refund will be dependent on whether there are sufficient funds available to meet their claim. The liquidator will distribute to creditors any funds that they are able to realise in accordance with the priorities set by national law.

The Commission cannot therefore comment on whether affected passengers will receive a refund either at all, in part or in full or the timescale in which such a refund might be made. The Commission does not intend to revise or introduce new legislation to address this issue at this stage, but instead to issue best practice guidelines to assist national regulatory authorities. Korkean edustajan, varapuheenjohtaja Catherine Ashtonin komission puolesta antama vastaus. Ajoneuvojen varustelu saatiin valmiiksi Sopimus tarvitaan, koska operaation mandaatti on muuttunut.

Ajoneuvot luovutettiin liikkuvien turvapalvelujen tarjoajalle The vehicles were shipped to Erbil, but up to now have not been driven so much as a yard. The mission is, however, renting the armoured cars that it needs from a security company. Why were these vehicles purchased and does the mission intend to use them in the future?

How much did they cost? How can the purchase of these armoured cars be justified when the mission is renting vehicles serving the same purpose from a security company? Meanwhile, a temporary solution — procuring mobile security services from a private provider together with the necessary vehicles was deemed as the most convenient option by EEAS and in agreement with the Commission.

The Mission cannot proceed otherwise as it does not have legal personality to conclude contracts if not on behalf of the HoM. Concerning the number of people murdered or executed by states in the last two years as a result of their sexual orientation or gender identity, no such comprehensive data is available. The human rights of LGBTI persons have also been selected as a priority for the human rights country strategies in many countries.

The provision of military services by mercenaries has long been a major problem in international relations, and one that has been particularly visible during armed conflicts. International law is full of gaps in this area. It has thus been for national governments to determine, in their national legislation, exactly what is legal and what is illegal with regard to mercenary activities, and, possibly, to lay down criminal penalties for non-compliance.

The real problem is that there are no hard and fast rules on the accountability of PMSCs which, in the performance of their contracts, carry out what are in reality military operations during which they commit human rights abuses and numerous breaches of humanitarian law occur. PMSCs may therefore be said to be modern-day mercenaries. What view does she take of the convention currently being drawn up within the UN on the activities of such companies? Has she drawn up any proposals for binding secondary legislation on oversight of PMSCs?

What stance will she be taking at the second session of the intergovernmental working group IGWG tasked with drawing up the convention, which has yet to get under way owing to opposition from some countries to the draft convention? The real problem is that there are no hard and fast rules on the accountability of PMSCs which, in the performance of their contracts, carry out what are in reality military operations during which they commit human rights abuses, and numerous breaches of humanitarian law occur.

What view does the Commission take of the convention currently being drawn up within the UN on the activities of such companies? What stance will the Commission be taking at the second session of the intergovernmental working group IGWG tasked with drawing up the convention, which has yet to get under way owing to opposition from some countries to the draft convention? The regulation and oversight of the activities of Private Military and Security Companies PMSCs is a very complex matter given the various situations in which these companies are engaged, but it is important not to confound this industry with mercenaries for which a normative framework already exists including the UN Convention of The Montreux Document compiles and reaffirms the elements of international law that apply to PMSCs, as well as the responsibilities of contracting States.

The International Code of Conduct is a comprehensive tool of self-regulation by the industry, topped by a tripartite oversight mechanism composed by States, civil society and industry representatives. The priority should be to use the full potential of the Montreux document, notably through increased support by States.

Beyond these steps, more reflection is needed regarding possible EU regulation. I am disappointed to report several incidents of Spain deliberately provoking the Gibraltarian authorities. Incidents over the last few weeks have included Spanish fishing vessels illegally entering British territorial waters, worryingly accompanied by armed Spanish Government Guardia Civil patrol boats. Details have also emerged of Spanish authorities radioing threats aimed at disturbing shipping docked in the port of Gibraltar.

The incidents have been met with a dignified and restrained response by the Gibraltarian and British authorities so as not to escalate the situation. However, with armed patrol vessels coming into close proximity, this has the potential to quickly turn into a lethal situation. Will the Commission request that Spain stop interfering with the freedom of Gibraltarian fishermen to fish in accordance with the common fisheries policy?

Does the Commission believe that the threatening behaviour on the part of the Guardia Civil amounts to an infringement of the movement of labour, which is a fundamental right enjoyed by EU citizens? The incidents evoked in this question have their origin in a territorial dispute between Spain and the UK in which the Commission has no powers to intervene. The Spanish Government has said that it intends to request an EFSF credit line to recapitalise its financial institutions.

Does it not consider it essential to reschedule its objectives? Does the Commission see any possibility that the EFSF Board of Directors could propose an amendment of the Treaties in order to directly recapitalise a body within the eurozone? Does the Commission think that the Eurogroup should reopen the ESM negotiations in order to consider direct recapitalisation of financial bodies? Does it see a way to eliminate this feature?

These measures should lead to increased European control and regulation of the financial system. Or do they simply maintain the idea that each State is responsible for its own financial system?