Wednesday
23rd May 2018
By EUOBSERVER
Jean-Claude Juncker has written to former competition commissioner Neelie Kroes seeking “clarifications”, the EU Commission said, following leaks that showed she had interests in an offshore firm called Mint that she failed to declare. The commission said it was also “looking into” whether Mint was linked to any firms on which Kroes adjudicated while she was in office. The inquiry could see her stripped of her EU pension.
The success of the new general data protection regulation (GDPR) will depend on whether data protection authorities enforce the new rules - which, in turn, will be at least partly determined by how many people they employ.
EU trade chief said the US will impose tariffs or "other limiting measures" on 1 June, as the EU's offer to start limited trade talks is probably not enough for the protectionist Trump presidency.
Notorious killers and corruption lynchpins, whether from Russia, Africa, or further afield could have assets seized by the EU if Europe joins new American sanctions.
The European Commission has suggested the United States suspend social media giant Facebook from a data-transfer sharing pact with the EU if it breached privacy laws.
Six beneficiaries of a €35m defence research grant were also part of the EU expert group that called for more public money in for the military. 'This raises serious concerns about a conflict of interests,' says campaigner Bram Vranken.
The European Commission wants to triple the amount of money for migration in the next EU budget. Earlier this week, EU agencies, NGOs, and the mayor of Athens gave their views at a European parliament public hearing.
