EUROPA - Newsroom - Latest stories - Justice and citizens rights

EU Citizenship: Commission proposes 12 new actions to boost citizens' rights

Wed, 08 May 2013 11:19:00 +0200

The 2013 EU Citizenship Report sets out 12 concrete ways to help Europeans make better use of their EU rights, from looking for a job in another EU country to ensuring stronger participation in the democratic life of the Union.

Employment: Commission proposes to improve application of workers' rights to free movement

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:27:00 +0200

The European Commission has proposed measures to ensure the better application of EU law on people's right to work in another Member State and so make it easier for people to exercise their rights in practice.

European Commission acts to slash red tape in all Member States

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:52:00 +0200

The European Commission is proposing to slash red tape for citizens and businesses by doing away with bureaucratic rubber-stamping exercises currently required to get public documents like your birth certificate recognised as authentic in another EU Member State.

Trafficking in human beings: more victims in the EU but Member states are slow to respond

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0200

23.632 people were identified or presumed victims of trafficking in the EU over the 2008-2010 period. This is the most striking figure emerging from the first report on trafficking in human beings in Europe, published by the European Commission.

Schengen Information System (SIS II) goes live

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:07:00 +0200

SIS II is the second generation of the Schengen Information System in operation since 1995 and has enhanced functionalities, such as the possibility to enter biometrics (fingerprints and photographs), new types of alerts (stolen aircrafts, boats, containers, means of payment), or the possibility to link different alerts (such as an alert on a person and a vehicle).

EU Justice Scoreboard: European Commission broadens the scope of its analysis of Member States' justice systems

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 12:35:00 +0100

The European Commission has unveiled a new comparative tool to promote effective justice systems in the European Union and thereby reinforce economic growth. The ‘European Justice Scoreboard’ will provide objective, reliable and comparable data on the functioning of the justice systems in the EU’s 27 Member States.

Putting a stop to marketing scams: European Commission takes action to strengthen enforcement against unfair commercial practices

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 11:17:00 +0100

The European Commission outlined a series of actions to tackle aggressive commercial practices across the EU such as fake ‘free’ offers, ‘bait and switch’ advertising for products which cannot be supplied, and exhortation of children.

2014 European Parliament Elections: Commission recommends that political parties nominate candidate for Commission President

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 11:18:00 +0100

The proposals aim to better inform voters about the issues at stake in next year's European Parliament elections, encourage a Europe-wide debate and ultimately improve voter turnout.

Green light for the second-generation Schengen Information System (SIS II)

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 15:26:00 +0100

At the meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council, ministers adopted two legislative acts related to the SIS II. The new system will go live on 9 April.

'Smart borders': enhancing mobility and security

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 15:00:00 +0100

The Commission proposed a 'smart border package' to speed-up, facilitate and reinforce border check procedures for foreigners travelling to the EU.

EU Cybersecurity plan to protect open internet and online freedom and opportunity

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 11:41:00 +0100

The cybersecurity strategy – "An Open, Safe and Secure Cyberspace" - represents the EU's comprehensive vision on how best to prevent and respond to cyber disruptions and attacks. This is to further European values of freedom and democracy and ensure the digital economy can safely grow.

European Commission strengthens the protection of the euro by means of criminal law

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:06:00 +0100

The European Commission has proposed to crack down on criminals who counterfeit euro notes and coins. Counterfeiting of the euro is estimated to have cost at least €500 million since the currency was introduced in 2002.

Anti-Money Laundering: Stronger rules to respond to new threats

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 14:37:00 +0100

The Commission has adopted two proposals to reinforce the EU's existing rules on anti-money laundering and fund transfers.

Illicit drugs: EU report unveils new worrying trends in smuggling and consumption

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 10:36:00 +0100

The report unveils the ‘changing face of organised crime in Europe’: while, historically, the EU drug market has focused on specific drugs trafficked by specialised operators along well-defined routes, the contemporary market is more ‘fluid’, with new routes and multi-substance consignments becoming more common.

Regulatory pressure gets the ball rolling: Share of women on company boards up to 15.8% in Europe

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 15:18:00 +0100

The Commission released mid-term figures on the share of women on boards in publicly listed companies. The new figures show an increase in the number of women on boards to 15.8%, up from 13.7% in January 2012.

European Commission kick-starts the 2013 European Year of Citizens

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 15:22:00 +0100

To mark the European Year of Citizens 2013, a range of events, conferences and seminars will be organised across the EU at Union, national, regional or local level.

Customs: Boosting EU competitiveness, protecting EU citizens in the 21st century

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 13:39:00 +0100

The European Commission adopted a Communication on the State of Customs Union. The Communication takes stock of the current state of the EU customs union, identifies the challenges that it currently faces, and sets out priority actions for ensuring its future evolution.

Giving honest businesses a second chance: Commission proposes modern insolvency rules

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 23:00:00 +0100

Businesses hit by the economic crisis will be thrown a lifeline under a new proposal from the European Commission to modernise Europe’s rules on cross-border business insolvency, helping to give otherwise viable businesses a ‘second chance’.

Easier and faster circulation of judgments

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 10:18:00 +0100

EU rules on the enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters have been revised. The aim is to remedy shortcomings in the current rules for solving cross-border disputes in order to improve judicial cooperation between member states.

Report: How to prevent crime across Europe

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:05:00 +0100

In a report, the European Commission evaluates the efforts of the network to enhance safety and security for European citizens.

European Commission takes action to protect businesses against marketing scams

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 12:55:00 +0100

The aim is to better protect businesses, professionals and NGOs across Europe from dishonest traders who do not play by the rules and use misleading marketing practices, such as sending out forms asking businesses to update details in their directories, seemingly for free, and then charging them annual fees.

European elections: citizens will be able to stand as candidates in another EU country more easily

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 15:12:00 +0100

It will now be easier for EU citizens living in another Member State to stand as candidates in the 2014 European Parliament elections, following a vote on a European Commission proposal in the European Parliament.

Women on Boards: Commission proposes 40% objective

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 12:37:00 +0100

The Commission has proposed legislation with the aim of attaining a 40% objective of the under-represented sex in non-executive board-member positions in publicly listed companies, with the exception of small and medium enterprises.

Putting victims first: new rules on victims' rights to become law

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 13:00:00 +0100

The directive sets out minimum rights for victims, wherever they are in the EU. Member States now have three years to implement the provisions into their national laws.

A visa policy to spur economic growth in the EU

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 11:17:00 +0100

If fully exploited, the current visa rules could ensure that the EU remains an attractive destination for more tourists/third country nationals, while at the same time boosting EU's economic activity and job creation.

Improving standards for the reception of asylum seekers

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 12:55:00 +0200

Ministers reached agreement on a directive laying down standards for the reception of asylum seekers. This directive is one of five legislative instruments making up the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) package.

European Year of Citizens: raising awareness of EU citizens' rights / Justice and citizens rights

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 22:15:00 +0200

Parliament voted to designate 2013 European Year of Citizens with the aim of raising awareness of the rights linked to EU citizenship.

Main results of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 19:11:00 +0200

The Council adopted several legal acts, notably on energy efficiency, better access to and improved digitisation of orphan works across the EU and minimum standards for the rights, support and protection of crime victims.

Major banks, telecoms companies and governments join forces in EU-wide cyberattack exercise

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 11:28:00 +0200

Cyber Europe 2012 runs alongside European Cyber Security Month and is the second EU-wide cyber-attack simulation exercise organised by Member States, the Commission and ENISA.

Asylum and migration: EU must do more to protect unaccompanied children

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 12:48:00 +0200

In a report on the situation of unaccompanied minors in the EU, the Commission calls for improved efforts at both national and European level to respond effectively and in full respect of the rights of the child to this complex transnational challenge.

EU Consumers: settling small cross-border disputes without any hassle

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 12:29:00 +0200

To avoid difficult, costly and time-consuming legal procedures, the European Union is facilitating access to justice for consumers in Europe, so that they can effectively enforce their rights.

EU rules to ease cross-border successions are now law

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:00:00 +0200

The rules will bring legal certainty to the estimated 450,000 European families dealing with an international succession each year. Member States now have three years to align their national laws so that the new EU rules become effective.

Libor scandal: Commission proposes EU-wide action to fight rate-fixing

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 12:54:00 +0200

The Commission is not proposing to set the minimum types and levels of criminal sanctions at this stage, but wants to require each Member State to provide for criminal sanctions in its national laws to cover the manipulation of benchmarks.

EU customs detain over 100 million fake goods at EU borders

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 12:10:00 +0200

In 2011, EU Customs detained almost 115 million products suspected of violating intellectual property rights (IPR) compared to 103 million in 2010. The number of intercepted cases increased by 15% compared to 2010.

Protecting taxpayers' money: Commission proposes to strengthen use of criminal law against fraudsters

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 14:27:00 +0200

The European Commission has proposed new rules to fight fraud against the EU budget by means of criminal law to better safeguard taxpayers' money. The Directive creates a more harmonised framework for prosecuting and punishing crimes involving the EU budget so that criminals no longer exploit differences between national legal systems.

European Parliament rejects ACTA

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 13:51:00 +0200

The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) was rejected by the European Parliament, and hence cannot become law in the EU. This was the first time that Parliament exercised its Lisbon Treaty power to reject an international trade agreement. 478 MEPs voted against ACTA, 39 in favour, and 165 abstained.

40 new measures for an EU strategy against trafficking in human beings

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 12:53:00 +0200

The Commission adopted the EU Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings (2012-2016), a set of concrete and practical measures to be implemented over the next five years. These include the establishment of national law enforcement units specialised in human trafficking and the creation of joint European investigation teams to prosecute cross-border trafficking cases.

ECJ: judgment in family benefits for migrant workers case

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 11:31:00 +0200

EU law does not prevent a Member State from granting family benefits to posted or seasonal workers in respect of whom it is not, in principle, the competent Member State.

European Commission plans to ease legal burden for cross-border successions to become law

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 13:17:00 +0200

The Commission's proposal to simplify the settlement of international successions received the final backing of the Council of Justice Ministers of the EU. The European Commission proposals will ease the legal burden when a family member with property in another EU country passes away.

EU-wide right to information at arrest is now law

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 11:55:00 +0200

This law ensures that anyone arrested or subject to a European Arrest Warrant in any EU Member State is given a Letter of Rights listing their basic rights during criminal proceedings. EU Member States now have two years to introduce the new rules in their national legal systems.

New report and survey give a snapshot of migration, asylum and free movement in the EU

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 15:01:00 +0200

The Commission is publishing a Report on the 2011 developments in the areas of immigration and asylum, accompanied by a Eurobarometer on European citizens' attitudes towards cross-border mobility, migration and security. According to the survey, 8 out of 10 Europeans agree that EU Member States should offer protection and asylum to those in need and that rules for admitting asylum seekers should be the same across the EU.

European Commission calls on Member States to implement national plans for Roma integration

Wed, 23 May 2012 14:52:00 +0200

The European Commission has called on EU Member States, in a report adopted today, to implement their national strategies to improve the economic and social integration of Europe's 10 to 12 million Roma.

Europe Day sees launch of first European Citizens' Initiative

Tue, 08 May 2012 12:24:00 +0200

The European Commission will mark Europe Day (9 May) by registering the very first European Citizens' Initiative. Other proposed initiatives will also be added to the online register in the coming days.

Fair trial rights: European Commission proposal giving citizens the right to information in criminal proceedings to become law

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:56:00 +0200

EU Justice Ministers adopted a new law that the European Commission had proposed to ensure defendants' right to information during criminal proceedings. Under the 'Directive on the right to information in criminal proceedings', suspects of a criminal offence will be informed of their rights in a language they understand.

Parliament gives green light to air passenger data deal with the US

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:47:00 +0200

A new agreement on the transfer of EU air passengers' personal data to the US authorities was approved by the European Parliament. The deal sets legal conditions and covers issues such as storage periods, use, data protection safeguards and administrative and judicial redress.

New partnership between EU and UN Women to enhance gender equality worldwide

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:42:00 +0200

The new Memorandum of Understanding signed on the margin of the EU Sustainable Energy for All Summit in Brussels, reaffirms the partnership between the two organisations to support gender equality and women’s empowerment around the world and ensures closer collaboration; sharing information, expertise and analysis in order to effectively advance women’s rights.

European Commission makes fundamental rights a reality for citizens

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:17:00 +0200

The European Commission's second annual report on the Charter finds that fundamental rights concerns are increasingly embedded in EU policy-making.

Update on ACTA's referral to the European Court of Justice

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:57:00 +0200

The European Commission has taken the next step in the important process of referring the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) to the European Court of Justice (ECJ). By agreeing on the legal submission to be put before the ECJ, the Commission aims to respond to the wide-ranging concerns voiced by people across Europe on what ACTA is about and whether it harms fundamental rights in any way.

Commission fires starting gun on European Citizens' Initiatives

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 14:39:00 +0200

1 April 2012 marks the launch of European Citizens' Initiatives. From that day, a million citizens from across Europe can come together on an issue that is important to them, and ask the Commission to do something about it.

European Commission seeks public input on a modern system of European insolvency law

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 12:36:00 +0200

The European Commission launched a public consultation on modernising EU rules governing insolvencies. The results of the consultation will help determine whether and how the existing Regulation needs to be revised in order to bolster businesses and strengthen the EU's Single Market.

An EU Cybercrime Centre to fight online criminals and protect e-consumers

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:42:00 +0200

It is estimated that, worldwide, more than one million people become victims of cybercrime every day.The European Commission proposed to establish a European Cybercrime Centre to help protect European citizens and businesses against these mounting cyber-threats.

More safeguards for online privacy rights

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0100

Proposals would introduce a single set of rules giving individuals more control over how their personal data is managed and used.