FreeBalance Wins PFM Reform Award in Sri Lanka

Colombo, SRI LANKA FreeBalance, a global Public Financial Management (PFM) solutions and advisory services firm, was recognized with the ‘Excellence in Public Finance Reform’ award at the Asian Digital Finance Forum and Awards event held yesterday in Colombo, Sri Lanka.FreeBalance was lauded for the important work it has delivered with the Ministry of Finance of the Government of Sri Lanka to develop and implement a modern Integrated Treasury Management Information System (ITMIS). The ITMIS is a cornerstone of the government’s Public Financial Management (PFM) reform agenda as articulated in the Fiscal Management Efficiency Project and Fiscal Management Reform Program.Matthew Olivier, Vice President, Revenue Marketing, FreeBalance collected the award on behalf of the company and said: “FreeBalance has been supporting public financial management reform in Sri Lanka for nearly a decade. The progress has been remarkable and would not have been possible without the commitment and dedication of the Ministry of Finance team.”The digital transformation and automation of Treasury operations in Sri Lanka through the ITMIS provides the government with a modern budgeting and accounting system and a sustainable platform to support continued reform, development and service delivery to citizens. By leveraging the ITMIS, the Ministry of Finance has seen improvements in budget planning, execution, and control, and better access to key financial data for decision-making in support of citizens.FreeBalance has been working with the Government of Sri Lanka since 2013 and the ITMIS, built on the FreeBalance Accountability Suite™, has supported a number of important reforms in the country. These reforms include linking planning and budgeting, enabling commitment accounting, centralizing payments, the development of a unified Chart of Accounts, and progressive moves towards accrual accounting. This last development is of particular importance as it provides a clear view of the government’s impact on the economy and enhances transparency on the total resource cost of the government activities.Dignitaries at the Asian FinTech Academy event included Mr. Dharmasri Kumaratunge (Assistant Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka), Mr. Rajkumar Kanagasingam (President of the FinTech Association of Sri Lanka (FASL), and Mr. Takeshi Kito (Vice-chair, Fintech Association of Japan). In addition, a number of senior FinTech academics and business leaders delivered addresses virtually to the audience at the Hilton Hotel.Other winners included People’s Bank, Hatton National Bank, Commercial Bank and Bank of Ceylon who were all praised for their innovative use of FinTech to deliver enhanced financial services in Asia.

Parliament to finalise its position on CAP reform proposal

Bruxelles. Parliament will vote from 13.15 to 14.30 on the three legislative proposals to reform the Common Agricultural Policy as amended by MEPs in votes held throughout the current plenary week. The results of the final votes will be announced at 17.00.The then adopted texts will serve as the basis for EP negotiations with the Council to ensure 2023-2027 EU funding for agriculture stimulates sustainable farming and accessibility of affordable quality food throughout the EU.Women in foreign policy. At 9.00 MEPs will vote on a resolution proposing ways to improve gender equality in the EU’s foreign and security policy. Results will be announced at 12.45.The first voting session lasts from 09.00 until 1015; results will be announced at 12.45. MEPs will vote on further amendments tabled to the legislative proposals on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform and on the above-mentioned resolution on Foreign Affairs.The second voting session lasts from 13.15 until 14.30, on the CAP reform; results will be announced at 17.00.The outcome of votes are published shortly after having been announced in plenary, on Parliament´s plenary homepage, under the column “Priority information and documents”

European Parliament adopts major reform of road transport sector

Bruxelles. MEPs endorsed all three legal acts without any amendments, as adopted by EU ministers in April 2020. The political agreement with the Council was reached in December 2019. The revised rules for posting of drivers, drivers’ driving times and rest periods and better enforcement of cabotage rules (i.e. transport of goods carried out by non-resident hauliers on a temporary basis in a host member state) aim to put an end to distortion of competition in the road transport sector and provide better rest conditions for drivers.
The new rules will help to ensure better rest conditions and allow drivers to spend more time at home. Companies will have to organise their timetables so that drivers in international freight transport are able to return home at regular intervals (every three or four weeks depending on the work schedule). The mandatory regular weekly rest cannot be taken in the truck cab. If this rest period is taken away from home, the company must pay for accommodation costs.
Vehicle tachographs will be used to register border-crossings in order to tackle fraud. To prevent systematic cabotage, there will be a cooling-off period of four days before more cabotage operations can be carried out within the same country with the same vehicle.To fight the use of letterbox companies, road haulage businesses would need to be able to demonstrate that they are substantially active in the member state in which they are registered. The new rules will also require trucks to return to the company’s operational centre every eight weeks. Using light commercial vehicles of over 2.5 tonnes will also be subject to EU rules for transport operators, including equipping the vans with a tachograph.
The new rules will give a clear legal framework to prevent differing national approaches and ensure fair remuneration for drivers. Posting rules will apply to cabotage and international transport operations, excluding transit, bilateral operations and bilateral operations with two extra loading or unloading.The adopted rules will enter into force after they are published in the Official Journal of the EU in the coming weeks.The rules on posting will apply 18 months after the entry into force of the legal act. The rules on rest times, including the return of drivers, will apply 20 days after publication of the act. Rules on return of trucks and other changes to market access rules will apply 18 months after the entry into force of the act on market access.

Reform of road transport sector: press conference

Brussels Thursday, 9 July at 10:00Anna Politkovskaya pressroom and via Skype. Rapporteurs Kateřina Konečná, Henna Virkkunen and Ismail Ertug will hold a press conference on reforms to provide clarity on posting of drivers, improve drivers’ working conditions and fight illegal practices.MEPs will vote on Wednesday evening on amendments to the mobility package of revised rules for posting of drivers, drivers’ rest times and better enforcement of cabotage rules (i.e. transport of goods carried out by non-resident hauliers on a temporary basis). The new rules, which have been provisionally agreed with Council, will be considered adopted unless amendments tabled are voted through with an absolute majority in favour. The results of the votes on amendments will be announced on Thursday at 9:00 (CEST).Journalists may attend the press conference in person, respecting the precautionary measures in force (see below), or participate remotely.Parliament will be using an interactive virtual press environment (with interpretation) based on Skype TX, in conjunction with the traditional EbS and web-streaming services.

Transport Committee approves major reform of road transport sector

Transport Committee MEPs endorsed on Monday the deal reached with EU ministers on a major reform of the road transport sector.The revised rules for posting of drivers, drivers’ rest times and better enforcement of cabotage rules (i.e. transport of goods carried out by non-resident hauliers on a temporary basis in a host member state) aim to put an end to distortion of competition in the road transport sector and provide better rest conditions for drivers.Better working conditions for drivers
• The new rules will help to ensure better rest conditions for drivers and allow them to spend more time at home.
• Companies will have to organise their timetables so that drivers in international freight transport are able to return home at regular intervals (every three or four weeks depending on the work schedule).
• The mandatory rest period at the end of the week, known as regular weekly rest, cannot be taken in the truck cab. If this rest period is taken away from home, the company must pay for accommodation costs.Fairer competition and fighting illegal practices
• Vehicle tachographs will be used to register border-crossings in order to tackle fraud.
• Existing limits to cabotage remain the same (three operations within seven days).
• To prevent systematic cabotage, there will be a cooling-off period of four days before more cabotage operations can be carried out within same country with the same vehicle.
• To fight the use of letterbox companies, road haulage businesses would need to have substantial activities in the member state in which they are registered. The new rules will also require trucks to return to the company’s operational centre every eight weeks.
• Given that vans are increasingly used to provide international transport services, using light commercial vehicles of over 2.5 tonnes will also be subject to EU norms for transport operators, including equipping the vans with a tachograph.
Clear rules on posting of drivers
• The new rules on posting of drivers will give a clear legal framework to prevent differing national approaches and ensure fair remuneration for drivers.
• Posting rules will apply to cabotage and international transport operations, excluding transit, bilateral operations and bilateral operations with one extra loading or unloading per direction (can be added up: e.g. none on the way out and two on the return leg).
Confirming its decision from January, the Transport and Tourism Committee supported in second reading all three social and market access files. The Rapporteurs’ recommendations were adopted without amendments and received:30 votes in favour, 19 against and no abstentions for clear rules on posting of drivers;33 votes in favour, 15 against and 1 abstention for the drivers’ rest times;33 votes in favour, 16 against and no abstentions for new rules on market access and cabotage.A provisional agreement was already reached between the Council presidency and the European Parliament in December 2019. The Transport Committee first backed the deal with the EU Ministers on 21 January. The Council adopted the reform on 7 April.The full house will vote on the reform during its July session. The new rules will be considered to be adopted if no amendments are voted through with an absolute majority in favour (i.e. at least 353 votes).The rules on posting will apply 18 months after the entry into force of the legal act. The rules on rest times, including the return of drivers, will apply 20 days after publication of the act. Rules on return of trucks and other changes to market access rules will apply 18 months after the entry into force of the act on market access.

COVID-19: Reform Support Programme must be transformed into major recovery tool

Statement on the Reform Support Programme by co-rapporteurs of the Budgetary Affairs and Economic and Monetary Affairs Committees.The health, economic and social situation in Europe is currently deteriorating rapidly. The COVID-19 pandemic might lead to unprecedented shocks to our economy and labour markets. The European Parliament, and in particular the Committee on Budgets (BUDG) and the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON), are at the forefront of the debate, working on instruments that would help Europe’s long-term recovery.
The BUDG-ECON co-rapporteurs Eider Gardiazabal Rubial (S&D/ES) and Dragoş Pîslaru (Renew/RO) highlighted that “this crisis has clearly demonstrated the need to urgently deepen the Economic and Monetary Union and to improve the resilience of member states’ economies to sizeable shocks, both symmetric and asymmetric. European solidarity and a coordinated response are key to both an effective crisis strategy as well as a design of the post-crisis recovery.”“While present efforts and all the available means must foremost concentrate on addressing the immediate fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, we must lay down the foundations for recovery and equip our economies with the means to make both national economies and the EU stronger and more united. In this respect, the ambitious 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) is part of a solution. Within the EU long-term budget, the Budgetary Instrument for Convergence and Competitiveness (BICC), which is to be integrated within the Reform Support Programme (RSP), will be one of the key instruments to strengthen”, the MEPs said.The Programme will be a tool to incentivise member states to implement structural reforms and pursue investments that will ensure EU welfare. It should strengthen and support the enlargement of the euro area, with reforms and investments building more resilience to shocks, coupled with direct support for accession towards the euro area. In addition, the technical assistance component will strengthen member states’ capacity to prepare and implement growth-sustaining administrative and structural reforms, and share valuable good practices across the EU.The MEPs also stressed that “BUDG and ECON will work expeditiously on the RSP in order for member states to be able to use this instrument also for post-crisis reconstruction. Our focus will be on stimulating the implementation of structural reforms in order to set the recovery on a sustainable path, unlocking the growth potential, adapting to current challenges, strengthening the adjustment capacity and supporting the process of upward economic and social convergence. The scope and size of this instrument must be significantly strengthened if we want to live up to the task that lies ahead. As to the scope, it is of utmost importance that reforms and investments are prioritised that make our health, social and economic systems more resilient. Regarding the overall size, the current budget (about EUR 17 billion over 7 years) must be beefed up to become macro-economically relevant. This could be achieved by exploring possible links between the BICC and external budgetary funding.”Finally, Members called “on the Commission and the Council to push forward a proposal on the MFF to endow the Reform Support Programme with adequate resources that could transform it into one of the major tools of the EU Recovery Plan post COVID-19 outbreak.”

K12 Inc. Welcomes Education Reform Leader to Executive Team

A powerhouse in the education reform movement has joined K12 Inc., the nation’s leading provider of online curriculum and school programs for students in kindergarten through high school. Dr. Charles A. “Tony” Bennett—who has more than three decades of experience in school management, strategic planning, and operations—has been named Senior Vice President, Academics and External Relations. As one of the nation’s foremost experts in education policy, he will manage and implement a diverse portfolio of initiatives and programs that support, measure, track and ultimately improve student academic achievement and growth across K12-powered schools.Dr. Bennett began his career as a high school science teacher and rapidly ascended to leadership roles in two of the country’s pioneering education reform states: Florida and Indiana. He served as Commissioner of Education in Florida before starting TBX2, Inc./Education Reform Strategies, a consulting company that focuses on supporting education reform across the country.Prior to TBX2, Inc., Dr. Bennett served as State Superintendent in Indiana. During his tenure, the state saw record high school graduation rates and participation and success rates in Advanced Placement courses and exams; student achievement on the Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress (ISTEP) assessment rose dramatically; and improvement in the state’s National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) results was ranked among the top three in the United States. During this time, Dr. Bennett also launched one of the most expansive school voucher programs and developed one of the top-rated educator effectiveness initiatives in the nation.
Dr. Bennett previously held roles in Indiana as School Corporation Superintendent for Greater Clark County Schools and Assistant Superintendent for Administration and Operations at New Albany Floyd County Schools. He also served on the board of the Council of Chief State School Officers, the governing board of the Partnership for the Assessment for Readiness for College and Career (PARCC), and was a founding member and former chair of Chiefs for ChangDr. Bennett holds a doctoral degree in education and a superintendent license from Spalding University. He earned his certification in secondary administration and supervision, a master’s degree in secondary education, and a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Indiana University Southeast.

Formation of Italy’s new government raises questions on sovereign outlook, euro area reform

The Five Star Movement (M5S) and Lega displaced mainstream parties in the March general election, and the two populist groups have joined forces in negotiating the final steps to form a new government. The coalition pact was voted through in membership ballots this weekend. In Scope’s post-election comment published on 5 March, we touched on the probability of this outcome.
Italy’s 10-year yield spread to Bunds stood at 175 bps as of Tuesday, up sharply on lows of 114 bps as recent as late April.“The Italian economy holds structural weaknesses tied to low growth, high public debt of 132% of GDP, alongside institutional bottlenecks. The composition and inexperience of this probable new government cast doubt on the country’s future commitment and ability to resolve such challenges,” say Scope analysts Dennis Shen and Dr Giacomo Barisone.“Many of the negotiated policies would still, in their present form, impose multibillion-euro extra yearly costs on the state without corresponding cuts in government spending or increases in fiscal receipts. However, we believe that many of the proposals are unlikely to be enacted in their current forms, and will probably continue to be watered down, if not blocked.”
Scope notes that earlier controversial proposals, like the request to write-off EUR 250bn of Italian government debt and language referencing EU treaty change to facilitate exits from the Economic and Monetary Union have been excluded from the final two-party agreement.Nevertheless, the policy pact includes Lega’s proposed tax reduction to a flat rate of as low as 15% for companies and individuals, the rolling back of 2011’s flagship pension reform, as well as M5S’s citizenship income. Estimates have placed these actions at a cost of more than EUR 100bn.
President Sergio Mattarella has indicated his opposition to unfunded spending plans. There are additional constraints on the government’s actions including the Constitution, European treaties, as well as the global financial system. The two parties’ small parliamentary majority, especially in the Senate, Lega’s polling gains, and the probability of forced moderation of campaign promises will test the unity and longevity of this government. Nonetheless, the implementation of even some of the suggested measures, probable inaction on other areas of needed reform, and extended political uncertainty cloud the path ahead for Italy’s “A-/Stable” sovereign ratings.
This new government will also have implications for the European reform agenda. Scope has stated its belief that chances of an ‘Ital-exit’ from the euro are low even in the scenario of this exact government formation. Nonetheless, the parties’ desire to reverse fiscal consolidation and renegotiate EU economic and fiscal governance institutions may result in tension between Italy and European institutions and slow the pace of regional institutional reform.

Mexico’s “Silence Law” Demoted OTC Discussion of Oil Reform – Energia.com

A report on Mexico’s profile at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) has been published by Mexico Energy Intelligence® (MEI), a Houston-based digital publication dedicated to regulatory, commercial and institutional developments in the Gulf of Mexico.OTC is the premier global conference for the oil and gas industry. This year it was attended by some 70,000 delegates, speakers and exhibitioners from more than 100 countries. Its speakers come from the top ranks of industry, government and academia.The report tells how Mexico’s “Silence Law” indirectly nixed discussion of the unprecedented opening of the country’s oil and gas resources to private investment. In fewer than 3 years, Mexico’s National Hydrocarbon Commission (CNH) held 8 lease auctions and awarded 107 contracts to nearly 80 companies from a dozen countries. What has been the experience of bidders and Pemex partners? What is the outlook for production and policy continuity? What could be improved? Such questions would ordinarily be the focus of OTC panels.This year, however, a uniquely Mexican restriction of speech interfered with OTC programming. A “Silence Law” prohibits officials from speaking in public during the 3 months prior to a presidential election about their accomplishments. Prudently or otherwise, officials interpreted this law to include OTC. Given the unavailability of high-level government speakers, OTC decided to eliminate panels that would assess the success and misalignments of the upstream reforms.
Although absent from the program, Mexico was not absent from the premises. Pemex had a booth in the main exhibition hall and there was a Mexico Pavilion in an adjacent building.Ulises Hernández was a last-minute, breakfast speaker on the final day. He spoke of Pemex’s plans to develop its portfolio and to seek partners for frontier plays. Ernesto Ríos, director of Mexico Petroleum Institute, said it could serve as a bidder’s engineering partner in a lease auction. The presentations showed the expanding commercial ambitions of these government agencies.One panel on investments in the Gulf of Mexico featured a real-time survey via a cellphone app. One question asked about the “biggest inhibitor to unleashing Mexico’s oil potential.” 67% answered “political uncertainty.”“Beyond matters concerning Mexico, OTC 2018 was another all-you-can-eat buffet of learning and networking opportunities regarding energy law, regulation and technology,” observed George Baker, MEI’s publisher.

Indian Premier Joins World Leaders to Champion Technology and Reform at World Government Summit

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi championed technology as a means of development and warned of its potential to be used as a means of destruction in his address at the sixth World Government Summit (WGS 2018) in Dubai.“Technology has empowered the common man via minimum government, maximum governance. In e-governance, the ‘e’ represents effective, efficient, easy, empowering and equity. Technology has transformed the UAE from a desert into a modern wonder, but it also has a darker side of radicalization of cyberspace,” he said. Modi led a delegation from India, the guest country at this year’s WGS.Earlier today, French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe outlined his country’s roadmap for transformation that includes a progressive climate change policy, corporate tax reduction and a labor law reform. “It is our priority to fix our country and prepare for the future,” he said.
Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, was bullish on the outlook for economic growth despite recent market volatility. She urged governments to implement overdue reforms and offer hope to young people by building stronger economies. “Governments, especially in this region, where 60 percent of the population are under 25 years old, need to focus on policies that will energize the economy and encourage job creation,” she said. (photo:
Narendra Modi)

Asylum reform: EU leaders must not drag their feet on new Dublin rules

Council progress on the revamp of the Dublin system to ensure a fair and responsible EU asylum system should not be further postponed, says Parliament’s lead MEP Cecilia Wikström. Ahead of the European Council, she also warns that Parliament will not sign off on any reform that does not change the situation on the ground.Parliament’s lead MEP on the Dublin reform, Cecilia Wikstrom (ALDE, SE) said: “President Tusk’s recent meddling in the legislative process on the Dublin regulation is clearly unhelpful and deeply damaging to the legislative process, as well as to the inter-institutional relations between the European Parliament and EU governments in the Council.
– His comments, that he would propose a way forward on the Dublin reforms if European leaders cannot agree on a position by June 2018, are arrogant and disrespectful to the European Commission, which has already put forward a proposal on Dublin reforms, as well as to the European Parliament, which has recently adopted a mandate for negotiations by a large majority.
– It is understandable that member states would want to try and find a consensus on such an important issue, but it is equally clear from the last 18 months of fruitless debate in the European Council that such a unanimous position will never be possible to reach, since a small number of member states are determined to obstruct any form of constructive reforms of the Dublin regulation.
– European leaders need to stop meddling in and blocking the legislative process on the Dublin regulation. They need to give a clear mandate to Justice and Home Affairs ministers to proceed with the legislative work as required under the treaty, in order to find a position with a broad majority that can then be negotiated with the European Parliament as co-legislator. Dragging out talks in the European Council on the Dublin regulation until June 2018 leaves almost no time for negotiations between the co-legislators before the next European Parliament elections.
– The European Parliament will only sign off on reforms of the Dublin regulation that change the situation on the ground and allow us to take back control over the failed asylum system. We will not repeat the errors of the past and sign off on a watered-down compromise, which is guaranteed to fail again on first contact with reality. Any new Dublin system must include an automatic relocation system, with the full participation of all member states, as well as fostering true solidarity between all member states”, Mrs Wikström ends.

Seizing the Moment for Euro Area Reform/Saisissons l’occasion pour réformer la zone euro

The election of Emmanuel Macron as French President gave renewed hope to proponents of the European integration project after the blow of Brexit. There is now a momentum that euro area member states could agree on the view that the euro is incomplete and cannot last without major reforms.In this Policy Paper, our president Enrico Letta, Henrik Enderlein, Director of our office in Germany, the Jacques Delors Institut – Berlin and Aart De Geus, President and CEO of the Bertelsmann Stiftung) set out their proposals for a staged but lasting and workable reform at the moment when the Commission publishes its reflexion paper on the deepening on the Economic and Monetary Union. They propose a comprehensive reform strategy based on three building blocks:
– a first aid kit consisting of a reinforced European Stability Mechanism (ESM+), an enhanced Banking Union and better economic policy coordination under improved democratic control;
– a more targeted structural reform agenda combined with a comprehensive investment initiative;
– a major reform of EMU for the long term, involving significant risk- and sovereignty-sharing within a coherent and legitimate framework of supranational economic governance.
These recommendations are based on a longer report that a working group published at the end of 2016. You can find the full report entitled “Repair and Prepare: Growth and the Euro after Brexit”. This publication is part of “Repair and prepare: Strengthen the Euro”, a larger research project of the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the Jacques Delors Institut – Berlin on the future of the euro.
L’élection d’Emmanuel Macron comme Président de la République française redonne de l’espoir aux partisans du projet européen après le Brexit. La dynamique actuelle pourrait permettre aux États membres de la zone euro de s’accorder sur le fait que l’euro est incomplet et ne pourra pas perdurer sans réformes majeures. Dans ce Policy paper, Enrico Letta, président de l’Institut Jacques Delors, Henrik Enderlein, directeur de notre bureau en Allemagne, le Jacques Delors Institut – Berlin, et Aart De Geus, président et directeur de la Bertelsmann Stiftung, plaident pour une réforme progressive mais durable et réaliste de la zone euro, au moment où la Commission publie un document de réflexion sur l’approfondissement de l’Union économique et monétaire.Les auteurs proposent une stratégie de réforme globale fondée sur trois piliers :
– un kit de première urgence consistant en un Mécanisme européen de stabilité renforcé, une Union bancaire enrichie et une meilleure coordination des politiques économiques sous un contrôle démocratique amélioré ;
– un agenda de réformes structurelles plus ciblé comprenant un grand plan d’investissements ;
– une réforme majeure et sur le long terme de l’Union économique et monétaire, impliquant un réel partage des risques et de la souveraineté, au sein d’un cadre cohérent et légitime de gouvernance économique supranationale.Ces recommandations sont basées sur le rapport “Repair and Prepare: Growth and the Euro after Brexit” publié en 2016 par l’Institut Jacques Delors (photo: Area Reform)

Reform of the EU asylum rules – creating a new Dublin system that works

On Thursday, 9 March 2017, Parliament’s lead MEP on the reform of the Dublin system, Swedish liberal Cecilia Wikström, will present her draft report to the Civil Liberties Committee.The draft report is a first response to the Commission’s proposal, presented in May 2016, for reform of the Dublin regulation. This regulation, which determines which member state is responsible for processing an asylum application, constitutes the cornerstone of the EU asylum system, which is currently undergoing a major revamp.
In the report, Ms Wikström proposes ways to remedy the weaknesses of the current EU asylum rules, which became obvious in 2015 when more than one million people fled war, conflicts and persecution and applied for international protection in the EU, resulting in the near-total collapse of the system. To ensure that the new asylum system will work in practice, the rapporteur sets out three key priorities:
· all member states must share responsibility for asylum seekers,
· accelerating procedures: people needing international protection should get it much faster while those who do not have the right to asylum should be returned to their home countries in a swift and dignified manner, and
· all asylum seekers should be registered upon arrival in the EU and member states with EU external borders must protect and maintain them.
The aim is to ensure that member states on the southern borders are no longer left to shoulder a disproportionate share of the EU’s obligations to applicants for international protection. The system should not encourage member states to turn a blind eye or apply “wave-through” policies, and asylum seekers should be certain that their applications will be treated swiftly and fairly in all countries.

The reform of the Dublin system and crisis relocation

On Monday afternoon, the Civil Liberties Committee will hold a hearing on the reform of the Dublin system which determines which EU member state is responsible for processing an asylum application. MEPs will hear from UNHCR, NGOs, EU agencies involved with migration issues, academics, the EU data protection supervisor and representatives of national authorities. The presentations will focus on key issues related to the reform, such as a fair and automatic distribution of applicants between member states, the admissibility procedure and the concepts of safe country of origin and safe third country, the effectiveness of relocation and avoiding secondary movements, as well as the protection of children’s rights and data protection.The hearing will be divided into three discussion sessions. The first will focus on “Reforming the Dublin System – A critical appraisal” (15.05-16.25). The second on “Effectiveness of relocation and avoiding secondary movements” (16.25-17.35), and the third on “Areas of concern for the reform of the Dublin system”, in particular unaccompanied minors (17.15 – 18.30).

Teva’s Safe Harbor Statement under the U. S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include risks relating to: our ability to develop and commercialize additional pharmaceutical products; competition for our specialty products, especially Copaxone® (which faces competition from orally-administered alternatives and a generic version); our ability to consummate the acquisition of Allergan plc’s worldwide generic pharmaceuticals business (“Actavis Generics”) and to realize the anticipated benefits of such acquisition (and the timing of realizing such benefits); the fact that following the consummation of the Actavis Generics acquisition, we will be dependent to a much larger extent than previously on our generic pharmaceutical business; potential restrictions on our ability to engage in additional transactions or incur additional indebtedness as a result of the substantial amount of debt we will incur to finance the Actavis Generics acquisition; the fact that for a period of time following the consummation of the Actavis Generics acquisition, we will have significantly less cash on hand than previously, which could adversely affect our ability to grow; the possibility of material fines, penalties and other sanctions and other adverse consequences arising out of our ongoing FCPA investigations and related matters; our ability to achieve expected results from investments in our pipeline of specialty and other products; our ability to identify and successfully bid for suitable acquisition targets or licensing opportunities, or to consummate and integrate acquisitions; the extent to which any manufacturing or quality control problems damage our reputation for quality production and require costly remediation; increased government scrutiny in both the U.S. and Europe of our patent settlement agreements; our exposure to currency fluctuations and restrictions as well as credit risks; the effectiveness of our patents, confidentiality agreements and other measures to protect the intellectual property rights of our specialty medicines; the effects of reforms in healthcare regulation and pharmaceutical pricing, reimbursement and coverage; competition for our generic products, both from other pharmaceutical companies and as a result of increased governmental pricing pressures; governmental investigations into sales and marketing practices, particularly for our specialty pharmaceutical products; adverse effects of political or economic instability, major hostilities or acts of terrorism on our significant worldwide operations; interruptions in our supply chain or problems with internal or third-party information technology systems that adversely affect our complex manufacturing processes; significant disruptions of our information technology systems or breaches of our data security; competition for our specialty pharmaceutical businesses from companies with greater resources and capabilities; the impact of continuing consolidation of our distributors and customers; decreased opportunities to obtain U.S. market exclusivity for significant new generic products; potential liability in the U.S., Europe and other markets for sales of generic products prior to a final resolution of outstanding patent litigation; our potential exposure to product liability claims that are not covered by insurance; any failure to recruit or retain key personnel, or to attract additional executive and managerial talent; any failures to comply with complex Medicare and Medicaid reporting and payment obligations; significant impairment charges relating to intangible assets, goodwill and property, plant and equipment; the effects of increased leverage and our resulting reliance on access to the capital markets; potentially significant increases in tax liabilities; the effect on our overall effective tax rate of the termination or expiration of governmental programs or tax benefits, or of a change in our business; variations in patent laws that may adversely affect our ability to manufacture our products in the most efficient manner; environmental risks; and other factors that are discussed in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2015 and in our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and we assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or other information, whether as a result of new information, future events or other wise.

Data protection reform – Parliament approves new rules fit for the digital era

New EU data protection rules which aim to give citizens back control of their personal data and create a high, uniform level of data protection across the EU fit for the digital era was given their final approval by MEPs on Thursday. The reform also sets minimum standards on use of data for policing and judicial purposes.Parliament’s vote ends more than four years of work on a complete overhaul of EU data protection rules. The reform will replace the current data protection directive, dating back to 1995 when the internet was still in its infancy, with a general regulation designed to give citizens more control over their own private information in a digitised world of smartphones, social media, internet banking and global transfers.”The general data protection regulation makes a high, uniform level of data protection throughout the EU a reality. This is a great success for the European Parliament and a fierce European ‘yes’ to strong consumer rights and competition in the digital age. Citizens will be able to decide for themselves which personal information they want to share”, said Jan Philipp Albrecht (Greens, DE), who steered the legislation through Parliament.
“The regulation will also create clarity for businesses by establishing a single law across the EU. The new law creates confidence, legal certainty and fairer competition”, he added.The new rules include provisions on:
· a right to be forgotten,
· “clear and affirmative consent” to the processing of private data by the person concerned,
· a right to transfer your data to another service provider,
· the right to know when your data has been hacked,
· ensuring that privacy policies are explained in clear and understandable language, and stronger enforcement and
· fines up to 4% of firms’ total worldwide annual turnover, as a deterrent to breaking the rules.
The data protection package also includes a directive on data transfers for policing and judicial purposes. It will apply to data transfers across borders within the EU as well as, for the first time, setting minimum standards for data processing for policing purposes within each member state.The new rules aim to protect individuals, whether victims, criminals or witnesses, by setting out clear rights and limitations on data transfers for the purpose of prevention, investigation, detection or prosecution of criminal offences or the execution of criminal penalties, including safeguarding against and preventing threats to public security, while at the same time facilitating smoother and more effective cooperation among law enforcement authorities.

The Economist in edicola oggi

Questa settimana segnalo nella sezione Europe: –  L’editoriale su  Berlusconi: A party Animal – Why the prime minister may yet survive his latest sordid sex scandals   –  L’editoriale sulla Spagna e Zapatero: A great burden for Zapatero to bear – The Spanish prime minister has become reluctant convert reform – but maybe too little, too late  –  L’articolo sulla Francia: Ties across the Mediterranean – A principle of non-interference that is not always applied in practice –  La rubrica Charlemagne sulla crisi dell’euro: The name’s Bond. Eurobond – The European Union finds an unexpected new hero in the financial markets  Mentre nella sezione Leaders:-   Lo special report che si occupa dibattito sull’ineguaglianza e le differenze di reddito: The rich and the rest – What to do (and not do)about inequality. –   L’editoriale sulla valuta cinese: The rise of the redback – China will have to open its financial market if it wants the yuan to rival the dollar –  L’analisi sulla BP e la Russia: How bad is BP? – Russia is an unsavoury place to do business;that does not make BP’s Russian deal wrong
Editor’s highlights  Around the world inequality is once again becoming an issue. China’s president, Britain’s prime minister, America’s second-richest man and the head of the International Monetary Fund have all worried, loudly and publicly, about the dangers of a rising gap between the rich and the rest. A survey of those due to gather in Davos next week named it as one of the two main global problems. This week we have a special report on the new global elite. In our cover leader, we argue much of the recent hand-wringing about widening inequality is based on sloppy thinking. In many cases it is part of a meritocratic process. Rather than attacking inequality itself, politicians should strike at the most pernicious, unfair sorts of income disparity and allow more people to move upwards. That would also boost growthTunisia’s lesson for the Arabs Let the scent of jasmine spread The science of sexual abstinence Restraint can be good for you Could the yuan replace the dollar as the reserve currency? Only if China opens up its markets Black gold and tar sands Alberta’s story Chinese mothers: not that good really Seen from Asia, the tiger mum phenomenon looks rather more complicated.

Church Reform Processes

“Free for the Future – Protestant Churches in Europe” is the theme for the coming 7th General Assembly of CPCE, the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe, from 20th to 26th September 2012 in Florence. The meeting of the highest decision-making body of the 105 member churches in more than 30 countries will have processes of church reform as its main material theme, decided the Council of CPCE yesterday during its meeting in Vienna. “What varying experiences with the social changes in their home countries can our churches bring in? What are the shared theological and practical contributions of the protestant churches to a changing Europe? The discussions of the General Assembly should issue in a call to the churches on the way to the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017”, said CPCE President Thomas Wipf. For the first time CPCE will conduct an international stewarding programme for twenty students up to 27 years of age. The stewards will be used in the conference office, in the working groups and in publicity as well as in the services and meditations. “The emphasis in the accompanying framework programme lies on training up the next ecumenical generation on the European level”, stressed CPCE General Secretary Michael Bünker: “We wish to motivate young adults for work in CPCE.” CPCE will approach its member churches to delegate suitable stewards. The Council extended the call of Dr. Peter Bukowski as Liturgical Consultant and Dr. Joachim Christoph as Legal Advisor until the coming CPCE General Assembly in September 2012 in Florence. Bukowski is Moderator of the Reformed Alliance in Germany and a member of the Council of CPCE. Christoph is a retired Vice-President of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany.
Prof. Hans-Peter Grosshans of the University of Münster was called to be a new member of the Expert Group on Ecumenism till the coming General Assembly in 2012. This expert group observes and accompanies the inter-confessional relations of CPCE and is intended to clarify and deepen its theological model. Prof. Parush Parushev of the International Baptist Seminary in Prague was called as a new member of the Expert Group on Ethics until the General Assembly. This body advises CPCE on current issues in politics and society and is meant to extend the presence of the protestant churches on the European level.

U.S.A.: The way reform

Letter to editor. When you and I set out on this journey three years ago, we knew that ours would be a lengthy struggle to build a new foundation for this country — one that would require squaring off against the special interests who had spent decades stacking the deck in their favor. Today, it is clear that you have shifted the odds. This morning, I signed into law a bill that represents the most sweeping reforms of Wall Street since the Great Depression, and the toughest consumer financial protections this nation has ever seen. I know that I am able to do so only because the tens of thousands of volunteers who make up the backbone of this movement overcame the most potent attack ads and the most powerful lobbying the special interests could put forward. Our special-interest opponents and their Republican allies have now set their sights on the elections in November as their best chance to overturn the historic progress we’ve made together. Because of Wall Street reform, we will ensure that Americans applying for a credit card, a mortgage, or a student loan will never again be asked to sign their name under pages of confusing fine print. We will crack down on abusive lending practices and make sure that lenders don’t cheat the system — and create a new watchdog to enforce these consumer protections. And we will put an end to taxpayer-funded bailouts, giving us the ability to wind down any large financial institution if it should ever fail. The passage of Wall Street reform is at the forefront of the change we seek, and it will provide a foundation for a stronger and safer economy. It is a foundation built upon the progress of the Recovery Act, which has turned 22 months of job losses into six consecutive months of private-sector job growth. And it is a foundation reinforced by the historic health reform we passed this spring, which is already giving new benefits to more than 100 million Americans, ushering another 1 million Americans into coverage by next year. But today’s victory is not where our fight ends. Organizing for America and I will move forward in the months ahead on the tough fights we have yet to finish — even if cynics say we should wait until after the fall elections. This movement has never catered to the conventional wisdom of Washington. And we have fought to ensure that our progress is never held hostage by our politics. (Barack Obama)

New address European University Association

European University Association has this week moved to a new address in Brussels. At the same timethey have also launched a new website (www.eua.be) to make easier and quicker to find information on all EUA activities. An integral part of this website is a new-look e-newsletter which has been redesigned to create a more coherent news structure for all EUA news, and will provide the possibility of including more comprehensive updates from the ‘European institutions’ based in Brussels and higher education developments from outside Europe. The Association is considering the possibility of organizing a series of breakfast briefings in Brussels to provide background information for journalists covering higher education/research on issues at the European level – such as university funding, reform process such as the Bologna process.