The European Commission decided to pursue infringement procedures against Romania -already second stage - for the energy sector.
The main reason is that the Romanian Parliament failed to pass an emergency government ordinance, that was supposed to assure the compliance of Romanian legislation to the EU Directives 2005/89 and 2003/54. The deadline was in February 2008, the Finance Ministry did sent for deliberation a draft legislation in this regard and also urged the Parliament to pass the governmental emergency ordinance, but Romanian Parliament failed to approve it in due time.
Romania can still avoid a trial, if the required legislation would be adopted.
Unfortunately, the campaign already started, so there is a risk of overlooking what’s really important.

‘Eurostat regional yearbook 2008 - EU27 regions under the magnifying glass’ was published, according to a EU press release.
As you can see, in 2006, 4.4% of the EU27 labour force was employed in high-tech sectors. The percentage was less than 2% in 23 EU27 regions: 6 of these regions were found in Romania (hear that, monsieur de Ciofliceni?), 5 in Greece, 4 each in Spain and Poland, and 2 each in Bulgaria and Portugal.

In Romania, the region with highest rate was Bucharest - Ilfov (quite predictible) - 5.8% (above EU27 average), and the lowest rate was in South-West Oltenia and South - East - 1.1%.

The surprise comes with the figures related to deaths in road traffic accidents per million inhabitants by region, 2006.
For Romania, the highest rate was in the West (161) (wild, wild west), and the lowest rate in Bucharest -Ilfov (93). Could it be because in this region the vehicles mostly stay in traffic, not … fly? (they wish)

I was afraid that maybe my yesterday post on Sarkozy was kind of malicious (actually, I was told it was mean :D). Seems to me I am not the only one fed up with Sarkozy’s desperate need to be the centre of the Universe. Also on 21st of October he decided to rescue the Europe from crisis with an astonishing proposal: partial nationalisation of key European companies.
Several reactions to this odd idea you may find in Cafebabel press review.
Czech president Václav Klaus criticises the ‘crazy’ suggestions:

‘Those who were fortunate enough not to have lived under communism should not succumb to the fatal fallacy that central planning can eliminate crises. This idea is a misconception. Crises were always used by irresponsible politicians as an excuse for massive state intervention in the economy. Popular fear gives politicians a blank cheque. Let us try to revive trust in the banking and financial system. But let us not attempt to erect new, artificial systems that are directed even more than before against a normally functioning market. Sarkozy’s proposals (and also those of German chancellor Angela Merkel) will not lead to a ‘new capitalism.’ What they really represent is a return to ‘old socialism’.’

What a strange and unbelievable situation! West-European countries, the core of democracy on our continent - France and Germany - try to impose communist solutions to the very model of capitalist market, and former communist countries are strongly against this. Unfortunately, state intervention, if will happen, will be a disastrous acceptance of failure, the little trust the citizens might still have will be vanished. And I don’t want to think about long-term effects.

Handelsblatt (Germany) also have nothing but harsh words for the tempestuous French leader:

‘But now success seems once again to have gone to Sarkozy’s head. Sovereign wealth funds with investments in key industries? And that coming from leading conservative politicians of all people. What on earth will come next? How about a central planning authority, preferably one for the whole of Europe. It is high time to bring Super-Sarko back down to earth. The banks are in dire straits, state investments are necessary for a transitional period. But nationalising entire sectors of industry, however ’strategic’ that may be, we’d better leave that to the Russians.’

As I understood, The French president has called another summit for 7th of November, in Brussels and, only a week after, there is an international financial-crisis meeting in the U.S. I wonder - what other surprises does he have in his hat?

P.S. Of course, our very own president, Traian Basescu (’Sarkozy de Bucarest’ - sure, a beta version, little Paris - little Sarkozy) is too busy to inform Romanians on these matters, even though he loves the summits as much as his friend. I bet it is the translator’s fault.

… nu tine doar de ADN.

Maine (Sambata, 16 august 2008), in Bucuresti, Parcul Moghioros - Drumul Taberei, Intrarea Principala, intre orele 8 - 21, are loc actiunea de colecta pentru sinistratii din Moldova. Spuneti si prietenilor / cunoscutilor, poate vor vrea sa ajute si dansii!

Sursa

Actualizare 18 august 2008:

Necesarul de haine a fost acoperit, sunt insa foarte mari probleme cu apa potabila. Cei care pot dona baxuri de apa plata sau minerala sinistratilor, pot contacta pe organizatori (telefonic: 0742.019.011 sau prin email: donatii@sinistrati.info).

By 2011 all cigarettes sold throughout the European Union will be only self-extinguishing “fire-safe” brands. The proposal was approved on 2007 by all Member States and it means that for all cigarettes there will be used fire-retardant paper. The objective is to cut down the number of fires caused by dropped cigarettes.

According to the commission spokesman Ton Van Lierop, the European Committee for Standardisation has been developing the norms to apply this decision, mandatory for the tabacco industry “by 2011 at the latest”. Such cigarettes are already on sale in Canada, Australia and parts of the United States, said Ton Van Lierop.

.. according to a live broadcasting of Euronews, it looks like Ireland has just rejected the Lisbon Treaty (they are still waiting for the official result announcement), throwing the EU into a new crisis.

What went wrong? Many things, but no doubt the EU lack of communication is the most important factor. Once again, the European Institutions are rushing in, without trying first to obtain if not the agreement at least the opinion of the ‘masses’. Or making sure they do really know what they are voting for.

Most of the European citizens are not really informed on EU matters, so when they have to make a decision they feel they are pressured to vote according to others’ interests, not to their own, and the natural reaction is ‘NO’, no matter what.

Conclusion - don’t treat them as sheep, if you want them to sing like birds.

Later edit: it’s official, it’s a ‘NO’. I think it was 53% NO and 47% YES (I do not know Irish language;strange that Euronews did not have particularly today an Irish translator. No wonder the small countries feel ignored). I just hope the European Institutions have learned their lesson and try a different approach, like addressing to common people, too, not only to the politicians (who, anyway, are not trusted in their countries).

PS. I tried to see the breaking news on Romanian channels. Fat chance! Nothing beyond the football match with Italy and here and there something about the local elections. Unfortunately, I don’t think Romania is an exception. QED.

Comisia pentru cultura a Parlamentului European a adoptat marti un raport a carui concluzie a fost ca exista o nevoie ‘disperata’ de adoptare a unor masuri de protejarea a independentei editoriale si a calitatii in media, pentru a preveni interventiile atat din partea proprietarilor (pentru ‘tonomatele in euro’) cat si (Doamne Ajuta!) din partea guvernelor - si a presedintilor, subliniez eu candid (pentru tonomatele care functioneaza pe baza de dosare SRI). Ma rog, referinte directe s-au facut (deocamdata) la adresa prim - ministrului italian Silvio Berlusconi, patron al unei ‘felii’ importante din media peninsulara.

O recomandare a raportului se refera la aplicarea legilor privind competitia in media pentru a asigura pluralismul, o alta mentioneaza elaborarea unei ‘carte editoriale’ pentru a stabili o linie de demarcatie intre problemele editoriale si cele comerciale.

Raportul nu are putere legala, este doar pentru informarea insitutiilor europene, insa are toate sansele sa devina realitate deoarece a trecut cu 33 de voturi (unul contra) si este sustinut de absolut toate partidele Parlamentului European.

Cheia problemei sta in faptul ca aceste masuri sunt vazute ca necesare protejarii democratiei insasi.

“Even if less than five per cent has changed, … your DNA differs by only two per cent from that of a monkey, but the difference is still fundamental,”

… this was the reply of the VVD house leader Han Ten Broeke, talking about the idea that the treaties (Constitutional Treaty and the Reform Treaty) were the same.

So, after three years ago the people of Netherlands said “NO” to the Constitutional Treaty, yesterday evening The House of Commons in the Netherlands said “YES” to the Lisbon/Reform Treaty. However, the Senate still has to approve the Treaty.

Now it’s Ireland’s turn, which has to vote the Treaty next Thursday.

… This time Google map service is the one that could face a EU lawsuit.
Peter Hustinx, the EU data protection supervisor, presented on 15 May the annual report and, during his discussion with the reporters, he mentioned that if Google launched such a map service in European Union, they should comply with European privacy legislation, which in most member states is stricter than in the United States.

“Making pictures on the street is in many cases not a problem, but making pictures everywhere is certainly going to create some problems. I’m quite sure they are aware of this.”

“Complying with European data protection law is going to be part of their business success or failure”
“If they would ignore it, it is likely to lead to [court] cases, and I think they would be hit hard.”

said Mr. Hustinx.
Google map service has been already launched for many North American cities, and has been a success so far, since the users have the possibility to make a virtual trip to places they cannot visit otherwise.

Definitely this will continue. So far, the internet and software European regulations seem to give the American software giants many headaches.

Microsoft decided on 9 May to appeal the latest record fine of €899 million imposed by EU Competition Commissioner in February 2008 on its software licenses between 2004 and 2007 and the release of information on its products (EurActiv 28/02/08).

Meanwhile, a new accusation of unfair competition was filed by the The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA) on 13 May.
BECTA claims that the incompatibility between Microsoft’s OOXML document standard and alternative codes (ODF etc.) is deliberate and is acting as a barrier to educational and training institutions which are active in closing the so-called digital divide.