The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has submitted to the European Parliament its opinion on the discharge decision.
The document, adopted by the Board of Supervisors, provides an overview of the measures taken by EIOPA in the light of the observations and comments made by the European Parliament in respect of the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2019.
In the opinion, EIOPA points out specific actions taken related for example to its workload which is increasingly shifting from regulatory tasks to enforcing and applying Union law, its efforts towards a more coordinated supervisory regime across the European financial system, enhanced cooperation with National Supervisory Authorities and other EU institutions, staff policies and procurement, internal control and audits management.
The last revision of EIOPA Regulation introduced Article 64(11) requiring EIOPA to provide a reasoned opinion on the position of the European Parliament and on any other observations made by the European Parliament provided in the discharge procedure.
ESMA has gathered the views of NCAs and relevant market participants on their experience with and planned future use of FinTech and Distributed-ledger Technology (DLT), as well as on whether the current regulatory framework represents a barrier for them to implement projects involving DLT.
The report contains suggestions in a number of areas in which targeted amendments to the CSDR and further guidance could help CSDs in the deployment of DLT.
ESMA’s recommendations will inform the European Commission’s targeted CSDR review.
Next steps
The Commission is expected to prepare a legislative proposal by the end of 2021.
Raisi is under sanctions for his human rights abuses. Khamenei chose him as the regime’s president so he could serve him, and keep the mullahs’ regime afloat.
Amnesty underlined that ‘Crimes against humanity’ loom large over Raisi’s inauguration as president. We continue to call for him to be criminally investigated for his role in past and ongoing crimes.”
— NCRI
PARIS, FRANCE, August 5, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — The People’s Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK), and the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), reported that the Iranian regime’s new president, Ebrahim Raisi, was inaugurated today. Many international human rights organizations have called for Raisi’s prosecution for his human rights abuses. Yet, Enrique Mora, the Deputy Political Director of the European External Action Service, participated in Raisi’s inauguration today.Raisi dubbed the “Butcher of Tehran,” was a member of Tehran’s “Death Commission” during the 1988 massacre of political prisoners. Raisi and his fellow “Death Commission” members sent thousands of political prisoners to the gallows.
Reacting to Mora’s planned visit to Iran, Amnesty International stated: “The international community, including the EU, which is sending Enrique Mora to Raisi’s inauguration, must publicly demonstrate its commitment to fight against systematic impunity in Iran for extrajudicial executions and other unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, and torture.”
Amnesty underlined that “Crimes against humanity loom large over Ebrahim Raisi’s inauguration as president of Iran. We continue to call for him to be criminally investigated for his role in past and ongoing crimes against humanity related to the 1988 massacre.”
During his first press conference after his selection as the regime’s new president, Raisi blatantly said he should be “rewarded” for his career. Recognizing Raisi as Iran’s representative and shaking hands with him is the approval of this criminal and indeed a reward for his crimes against humanity.
His presidency, as underlined by the Amnesty Secretary-General, Agnes Callamard, on June 19, “is a grim reminder that impunity reigns supreme in Iran.” By participating in Raisi’s inauguration or pursuing negotiations with him, the European Union is fortifying this impunity.
The international community’s failure in holding Raisi and other perpetrators of the 1988 massacre to account has led to systematic impunity in Iran, where mass murderers like Raisi are rewarded instead of being prosecuted.
Seven United Nations human rights experts underlined in their letter published in December 2020 that this failure “had a devastating impact on the survivors and families” and “emboldened” the Iranian authorities to “conceal the fate of the victims and to maintain a strategy of deflection and denial.”
The murder and torture of protesters in November 2019 also took place under Raisi’s watch are part of the devastating impact of the international community’s failure to hold Raisi and his ilk to account.
Raisi is under sanctions for his human rights abuses. Khamenei chose him as the regime’s next president so Raisi could serve Khamenei, suppress protests and dissidents, and keep the mullahs’ regime afloat.
When in October 2020, the EU adopted its new “Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime,” the EU’s High Representative Josep Borrell underlined that the efforts to defend human rights should go “beyond” legislations and resolution.
By sending his deputy to Raisi’s inauguration Borrell and the EU are not only staying behind their human rights values and the Global Sanctions Regime, but they are also indeed justifying the systematic human rights abuses in Iran.
The international community, mainly the European Union, should not recognize Raisi as Iran’s president. They should call for his prosecution and lead an international investigation into the 1988 massacre and the forced disappearance and killing of thousands of Iranians within the last 42 years.
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p class=”contact c9″ dir=”auto”>Shahin Gobadi
NCRI
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Website of the German Nagoya Protocol HuB goes online
BRAUNSCHWEIG, LOWER SAXONY, GERMANY, August 5, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — On 23 December 2020, the German Nagoya Protocol HuB (GNP HuB) project launched a new website, www.nagoyaprotocol-hub.de, which provides researchers in Germany with information on the legally compliant use of biological resources. The GNP HUB project sees itself as a contact point and source of support for academic researchers in Germany. At the same time, the GNP HuB project acts as a network for the exchange of information among researchers on the implementation of the so-called Nagoya Protocol.
Regulation (EU) No. 511/2014 of the European Parliament on measures for users to comply with the provisions of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilisation – the Nagoya Protocol for short – entered into force in October 2014. The implementation of the Protocol in the European Union and around the world poses major challenges for researchers, which can make it difficult to carry out individual research projects with biological material from abroad. For example, researchers must obtain specific approvals for the access and use of biological materials they wish to use in their research. Each country has its own specific procedures, regulations and responsibilities, which are associated with a high level of bureaucracy.
The goal of the GNP HuB project is to help researchers better understand their obligations arising from the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol by providing useful information. “The project is more than just an information point with well-prepared and targeted information,” explains project coordinator Elizabeth Karger. “We also catalyse the exchange of information among researchers in order to build a living network where experiences are shared and made useful for other researchers.” The GNP HuB project website, which has now been published, is being continuously developed and offers researchers an overview of best practices in dealing with the Nagoya Protocol, possible stumbling blocks, options for dealing with challenges, and best practice examples as well as tips and tricks from the field. The information is aimed at both newcomers and experienced researchers.
The project is funded by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation with funds from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. The project is managed by the Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH and is being carried out in close cooperation with the Consortium of German Natural Science Collections (DNFS), the Leibniz Research Alliance ‘Biodiversity’ (LVB) and the German Life Sciences Association (VBIO). “The cooperation partners come from the life sciences community, have been working intensively on questions of access and equitable benefit-sharing for many years, and have a wide range of practical experience,” says Elizabeth Karger. “With this project, we can draw on the support and expertise of the research community.”
Contact German Nagoya Protocol HuB Project coordinator: Elizabeth Karger Email: info@nagoyaprotocol-hub.de
About the Leibniz Institute DSMZ The Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures is the world’s most diverse collection of biological resources (bacteria, archaea, protists, yeasts, fun-gi, bacteriophages, plant viruses, genomic bacterial DNA as well as human and animal cell lines). Microorganisms and cell cultures are collected, investigated and archived at the DSMZ. As an institution of the Leibniz Association, the DSMZ with its extensive scientific services and biological resources has been a global partner for research, science and industry since 1969. The DSMZ is the first registered collection in Europe (Regulation (EU) No. 511/2014) and certified according to the quality standard ISO 9001:2015. As a patent depository, it offers the only possibility in Germany to deposit biological material in accordance with the requirements of the Budapest Treaty. In addition to scientific services, research is the second pillar of the DSMZ. The institute, located on the Science Campus Braunschweig-Süd, accommodates more than 73,000 cultures and biomaterials and has 198 employees. www.dsmz.de
About the Leibniz Research Alliance ‘Biodiversity’ The Leibniz Research Alliance ‘Biodiversity’ (LVB) bundles the skills of 20 institutions from the Leibniz Association. Founded in 2008, its objective is networking and to combine the expertise and resources of these institutions for research on the environmental, economic, spatial and social significance of biodiversity. This research supports the development of solutions for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. To raise social awareness about the value of biodiversity, LVB is increasingly involved in providing environmental education and doing outreach to citizens and the wider community about the insight gained from research by the LVB members. A number of natural science research museums are members of the LVB, featuring extensive collections with more than 70 million objects. www.leibniz-verbund-biodiversitaet.de/en.html
The Leibniz Association The Leibniz Association connects 96 independent research institutions that range in focus from the natural, engineering and environmental sciences via economics, spatial and social sciences to the humanities. Leibniz Institutes address issues of social, economic and ecological relevance. They conduct knowledge-driven and applied basic research, maintain scientific infrastructure and provide research-based services. The Leibniz Association identifies focus areas for knowledge transfer to policy-makers, academia, business and the public. Leibniz institutions collaborate intensively with universities – in the form of “Leibniz ScienceCampi” (thematic partnerships between university and non-university research institutes), for example – as well as with industry and other partners at home and abroad. They are subject to an independent evaluation procedure that is unparalleled in its transparency. Due to the importance of the institutions for the country as a whole, they are funded jointly by the Federation and the Länder, employing some 20,000 individuals, including 10,000 researchers. The entire budget of all the institutes is approximately 1.9 billion Euros. www.leibniz-gemeinschaft.de
About the German Life Sciences Association (VBIO) The German Life Sciences Association (VBIO e. V.) is the umbrella organisation for all those who study or work in the field of biology, biosciences and biomedicine – whether in higher education, school, industry, administration, self-employment, or research. The members of the VBIO represent the entire spectrum of the life sciences, with the focus of their work ranging from the molecular and cellular levels of life through to whole organisms and biomedicine. www.vbio.de
Sven David Mueller Leibniz-Institut DSMZ +49 5312616300 sdm18@dsmz.de Visit us on social media: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn
European Commission Daily news Brussels, 05 Aug 2021 La Commission intensifie son action en faveur d’une éducation primaire et secondaire inclusive et de haute qualité
La Commission a publié a…
European Commission Press release Brussels, 05 Aug 2021 Today, the Commission published a proposal for a Council Recommendation on blended learning to support high quality and inclusive primary and secondary education.
European Commission Press release Brussels, 04 Aug 2021 The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €430 million Italian measure to compensate ski lift operators for the damages suffered due to the restrictive measures introduced by the Italian government to limit the spread of the coronavirus, which prohibited the access of the gen
European Commission Press release Brussels, 04 Aug 2021 As forest fires continue affecting various regions in the Mediterranean and the Western Balkans, the European Commission is swiftly mobilising support to assist countries in limiting the spread of the fires and protect lives and livelihoods.
European Commission Daily news Brussels, 03 Aug 2021 NextGenerationEU: la Commission verse près de 3 milliards d’euros de préfinancements à la Belgique, au Luxembourg et au Portugal
La Commiss…
European Commission Press release Brussels, 03 Aug 2021 The European Commission has today disbursed €770 million to Belgium in pre-financing, equivalent to 13% of the country’s financial allocation.
Europol has assisted the Polish authorities in dismantling an organised crime group involved in the production of illegal cigarettes.
An action day was organised in Poland on 27 July which saw over 100 officers from the Border Guard (Straż Graniczna) searched a number of locations across the province of Warsaw. An illicit factory was dismantled, and 16 suspects charged for their involvement in this illegal tobacco activity. The leader of the criminal organisation features among those arrested.
Over 1.6 million counterfeit cigarettes were seized on site by the Polish authorities, alongside 13 tonnes of tobacco which could have been used to produce a further 13 million cigarettes. The tax loss for the Polish Treasury is assessed at about €3.8 million.
The estimated factory’s production capacity was of approximately 1 million cigarettes per day. The counterfeit cigarettes were destined predominantly for the UK and Germany markets, where they would have had a value of up to €9.7 million.
Europol support
Europol’s Analysis Project (AP) Smoke has supported the providing its secure communication platform and facilitating international cooperation between Poland and other Member States, running cross-checks and providing analytical support and operational expertise.
AP Smoke deployed its experts to Warsaw to assist the Polish authorities with their action day.
In 2010 the European Union set up a four-year Policy Cycle to ensure greater continuity in the fight against serious international and organised crime. In 2017 the Council of the EU decided to continue the EU Policy Cycle for the 2018 – 2021 period. It aims to tackle the most significant threats posed by organised and serious international crime to the EU. This is achieved by improving and strengthening cooperation between the relevant services of EU Member States, institutions and agencies, as well as non-EU countries and organisations, including the private sector where relevant. Excise Fraud is one of the priorities for the Policy Cycle.
The instrumentalisation of migrants and refugees is utterly unacceptable. Using human beings in need to advance political goals violates fundamental European values and principles. Accordingly, the EU and its member states condemn the instrumentalisation of migrants and refugees by the Belarusian regime.
The EU and its member states will address the ongoing surge in irregular crossings into the EU from Belarus to preserve the integrity of its external border. In line with its gradual approach, the EU will consider the possibility of restrictive measures targeted at migrants’ smugglers abusing human rights or those otherwise involved in trafficking in human beings.
The EU and its member states remain determined to effectively manage migratory flows in order to protect the EU’s external borders. People who have no right to stay in the EU shall be returned. In this context, the EU and its member states will take all necessary measures in accordance with EU and international law.
The EU and its member states, in solidarity, already increased their support, including through the deployment of the FRONTEX rapid border intervention and additional technical assistance, and are ready to strengthen it even further. Member states will swiftly provide the support necessary to ensure the immediate deployment of the relevant teams and assets.
We will continue to implement our external migration policy. We will work to further strengthen EU return capacities as part of a comprehensive approach, including through dialogues and partnerships with the countries of origin and transit.
Today the Council adopted a framework for targeted restrictive measures to address the situation in Lebanon. This framework provides for the possibility of imposing sanctions against persons and entities who are responsible for undermining democracy or the rule of law in Lebanon through any of the following actions:
obstructing or undermining the democratic political process by persistently hampering the formation of a government or by obstructing or seriously undermining the holding of elections;
obstructing or undermining the implementation of plans approved by Lebanese authorities and supported by relevant international actors, including the EU, to improve accountability and good governance in the public sector or the implementation of critical economic reforms, including in the banking and financial sectors and including the adoption of transparent and non-discriminatory legislation on the export of capital;
serious financial misconduct, concerning public funds, insofar as the acts concerned are covered by the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, and the unauthorised export of capital.
Sanctions consist of a travel ban to the EU and an asset freeze for persons, and an asset freeze for entities. In addition, EU persons and entities are forbidden from making funds available to those listed.
Background
On 7 December 2020, the Council adopted conclusions in which it noted with increasing concern that the grave financial, economic, social and political crisis that has taken root in Lebanon had continued to worsen over the previous months and that the Lebanese population was the first to suffer from the increasing difficulties in the country. It underlined the urgent need for the Lebanese authorities to implement reforms in order to rebuild the confidence of the international community. The Council also called on all Lebanese stakeholders and political forces to support the urgent formation of a mission-driven, credible and accountable government in Lebanon, able to implement the necessary reforms.
Since then, the Council has repeatedly expressed grave concern about the deteriorating situation in Lebanon. Despite repeated calls on Lebanese political forces and stakeholders to act in the national interest and to no longer delay the formation of a fully empowered government capable of meeting the country’s urgent needs and implementing critical reforms, there is no progress. Meanwhile, the economic, social and humanitarian situation in Lebanon continues to deteriorate and the people continue to suffer.
The Union is ready to use all its policy instruments to contribute to a sustainable way out of the current crisis and to react to a further deterioration of democracy and the rule of law, and of the economic, social and humanitarian situation in Lebanon. At the Foreign Affairs Council of 12 July 2021, the high representative announced a political understanding that a sanctions regime would be established against those responsible for the situation.
The EU remains committed to helping Lebanon and its people to overcome the present challenges and is ready to use the different instruments at its disposal to do so. It is, however, of the utmost importance that the Lebanese leadership put aside their differences and work together to form a government and enact the measures required to steer the country towards a sustainable recovery. The stability and prosperity of Lebanon are of crucial importance for the whole region and for Europe.
The data which is published on a voluntary basis covers the total number of trades and total volume over the period January to June 2021 for the purpose of the systematic internaliser (SI) calculations under MiFID II for:
22,491 equity and equity-like instruments;
113,771 bonds; and
4,818 sub-classes of derivatives (including equity derivatives, interest rate derivatives, commodity derivatives, emission allowance and derivatives thereof ).
The SI test shall be performed by 15 August 2021.
The data is made available through the SI register in excel files and for equity, equity-like instruments and bonds also through FITRS in the XML files with publication date 30 July 2021 (link available here).
The results for equity and equity-like instruments and bonds are published only for instruments for which trading venues submitted data for at least 95% of all trading days over the 6-month observation period. The data publications also incorporate OTC trading to the extent it has been reported to ESMA. The publication includes data for instruments traded or available for trading during the reference period considered.
Background
According to Article 4(1)(20) of Directive 2014/65/EU (MiFID II) investment firms dealing on own account when executing client orders over the counter (OTC) on an organised, frequent systematic and substantial basis are subject to the mandatory SI regime.
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 2017/565 specifies thresholds determining what constitutes frequent, systematic and substantial OTC trading. In particular, investment firms are required to assess whether they are SIs in a specific instrument (for equity and equity-like instruments, bonds, ETCs and ETNs and SFPs) or for a (sub-) class of instruments (for derivatives, securitised derivatives and emission allowances) on a quarterly basis based on data from the previous six months. For each specific instrument/sub-class, an investment firm is required to compare the trading it undertakes on its own account compared to the total volume and number of transactions executed in the European Union (EU). If the investment firm exceeds the relative thresholds it will be deemed an SI and will have to fulfil the SI-specific obligations. ESMA, upon request of market participants and on a voluntary basis, decided to compute the total volume and number of transactions executed in the EU in order to help market participants in the performance of the test since that data is essential for the operation of the SI regime and is not otherwise easily available.
European Commission Press release Brussels, 27 Jul 2021
The EIF is one of the main investors, using resources from the European Fund for Strategic Investments, the main pillar of the Investment Plan for Europe.
The …
European Commission Daily news Brussels, 27 Jul 2021 EU invests €122 million in innovative projects to decarbonise the economy
For the first time since the creation of the Innovation Fund, the European Union …
European Commission Speech Brussels, 26 Jul 2021 First of all, Europe’s recovery, and as the minister already said, some positive news from today’s ECOFIN meeting. Ministers discussed four more recovery and re…
More than 11 tonnes of fish, molluscs and crustaceans were seized during the operation
The Portuguese Guarda Nacional Republicana led an EMPACT Joint Action Day targeting illegal fishing. The action day, co-led by the Spanish Guardia Civil and the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA)and supported by Europol, Eurojustand Frontex, involved authorities from Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Sweden. Law enforcement and fisheries control agencies took part in the actions.
Means mobilised:
3 162 inspectors (from police, fisheries, customs, agriculture and health agencies);
260 vehicles;
189 vessels;
18 aerial assets;
2 explosives detection dogs;
Overall results:
2 248 persons, 12 vehicles and 194 vessels checked;
64 crimes detected;
185 administrative infringements;
8 arrests;
Seizures included plastic explosives, detonating caps and wick, almost 11 tonnes of fish, crustaceans and clams (4.5 tonnes of trout, 6 tonnes of sardines, 50 kg of immature fish, 48 kg of bluefin tuna, 80 kg of fine clams, 31 kg of Norway lobsters), high-tech equipment, computers and documents, 167 illegal fishing nets and 20 other illegal tools.
Europol facilitated the information exchange and the operational coordination and provided analytical support.
Headquartered in The Hague, the Netherlands, Europol supports the 27 EU Member States in their fight against terrorism, cybercrime, and other serious and organized crime forms. Europol also works with many non-EU partner states and international organisations. From its various threat assessments to its intelligence-gathering and operational activities, Europol has the tools and resources it needs to do its part in making Europe safer.
In 2010 the European Union set up a four-year Policy Cycle to ensure greater continuity in the fight against serious international and organised crime. In 2017 the Council of the EU decided to continue the EU Policy Cycle for the 2018 – 2021 period. It aims to tackle the most significant threats posed by organised and serious international crime to the EU. This is achieved by improving and strengthening cooperation between the relevant services of EU Member States, institutions and agencies, as well as non-EU countries and organisations, including the private sector where relevant. Environmental crime is one of the priorities of the Policy Cycle.
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