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Prof. Dr  Wolfgang Schumann

30.05.08: Commission adopts code of conduct for EU lobbyists - 0 views

  • The European Commission has adopted a code of conduct regulating lobbyists' behaviour as a forerunner to the voluntary register to be launched by Administration and Anti-Fraud Commissioner Siim Kallas on 23 June.
  • The 'Code of Conduct for Interest Representatives ', officially adopted on 28 May, contains "clear and precise rules" for lobbyists to follow in their relations with Commission staff, according to the EU executive. 
  • The code of conduct is intended to complement the lobbyists register the Commission is set to publish on 23 June and constitutes part of the wider transparency initiative launched by Vice President Kallas in 2005. 
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  • Links European Union European Commission: Communication: A framework for relations with interest representatives (Register and Code of Conduct) (27 May 2008) [FR] [DE] European Commission: Press release: The Commission adopts a code of conduct for interest representatives (28 May 2008) [FR] [DE] European Commission: Coming soon: the Commission's Register for Interest Representatives European Commission: Results of the Consultation on the Code of Conduct for Interest Representatives (27 May 2008) European Commission: Transparency Initiative [FR] [DE] European Commission: Frequently Asked Questions on Transparency Initiative EU Actors positions ALTER-EU: ALTER-EU submission to the consultation on a Code of Conduct for Interest Representatives EPACA: EPACA Response to the Draft European Commission Code of Conduct for Interest Representatives (15 February 2008)
Prof. Dr  Wolfgang Schumann

COM(2008)323 final: European Transparency Initiative..., 27 May 2008 - 0 views

  • European Transparency Initiative COM(2008)323 final: "European Transparency Initiative: A Framework for relations with interest representatives (Register - Code of Conduct)", 27 May 2008. Commission staff working document providing a brief overview of the main results of the consultation on the Code of Conduct. Coming soon: the Commission's Register for interest representatives - http://www.ec.europa.eu/transparency/regrin/ Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Prof. Dr  Wolfgang Schumann

16.12.10: Kroes: WikiLeaks will increase government transparency - 0 views

  • The WikiLeaks disclosure of US diplomatic cables highlights the need to secure networks and individuals from hackers, EU digital agenda commissioner Neelie Kroes has said. At the same time, the phenomenon stresses the need for governments to be "as transparent and open as possible," which entails the "practical advantage" of reducing the amount of information that needs to be secured, she declared.
  • As a consequence, the EU was now looking at criminalising the setting up of botnets and attacking information systems, she said. Also, the commission was aiming at rendering more effective justice and police cooperation in the cyber-area.
Prof. Dr  Wolfgang Schumann

01.04.08: EP call for mandatory register of Brussels lobbyists - 0 views

  • A European Parliament committee on Tuesday (1 April) called for a mandatory register of the estimated 15-20,000 lobbyists in Brussels that wander the halls of the European institutions aiming to influence legislation.

    In a significant victory for campaigners for transparency in public institutions, a report approved by the parliament's constitutional affairs committee recommends that 'interest representatives' – commonly known as lobbyists – be forced to be listed in a joint register covering the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council – where member states are represented.
  • The inclusion of think-tanks in the proposal was also a major win for transparency campaigners, who argued that the research bodies, which had earlier been excluded from the report, were "a major part of the lobbying community" in Brussels. "By recognising these are key lobbying channels in Brussels, MEPs have closed an important loophole in the proposal," said Luxembourg Green MEP Claude Turmes. These gains were largely the result of oral amendments tabled by Green MEPs, who also managed to win a requirement that lawyers be included in the register not only when their purpose is to influence policy, but also when they give legal advice, which they argued was still a form of lobbying activity.
Prof. Dr  Wolfgang Schumann

15.05.09: Slovenia snubs EU, continues to block Croatian accession - 0 views

  • GA_googleCreateDomIframe('google_ads_div_nexttocontent' ,'nexttocontent'); GA_googleFillSlot("nexttocontent120x"); GA_googleCreateDomIframe('google_ads_div_nexttocontent120x' ,'nexttocontent120x'); Ljubljana - Slovenia's politicians - the ruling bloc, the opposition and the president - have found a rare occasion to stand united, with everyone stubbornly backing the decision to block the path of neighbouring Croatia into the European Union - despite Brussels' wishes. In a perennial row over where their common sea border meets the Adriatic coast, Slovenia - an EU member since 2004 - has stalled Croatia, which hopes to join in 2011. Most recently, Ljubljana effectively dismissed a proposal by EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn to resolve the stalemate by having international arbitration draw up the contested border. Croatia had already agreed to the proposal, but the Slovenian response - though wrapped prettily in diplomatic language - was effectively "no." Slovenia asked for amendments that were flatly rejected not only by Croatia but by the plan's author as well.
Prof. Dr  Wolfgang Schumann

11.02.09: Kosovo not yet fully independent, EU envoy says - 0 views

  • Kosovo is still under "supervised" rather than full independence one year after it broke away from Serbia, the EU's representative in Pristina has said, while denying that it could be described as a "EU protectorate."
  • Kosovo is still under "supervised" rather than full independence one year after it broke away from Serbia, the EU's representative in Pristina has said, while denying that it could be described as a "EU protectorate."
  • Kosovo is still under "supervised" rather than full independence one year after it broke away from Serbia, the EU's representative in Pristina has said, while denying that it could be described as a "EU protectorate."
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  • Kosovo is still under "supervised" rather than full independence one year after it broke away from Serbia, the EU's representative in Pristina has said, while denying that it could be described as a "EU protectorate."
  • Kosovo is still under "supervised" rather than full independence one year after it broke away from Serbia, the EU's representative in Pristina has said, while denying that it could be described as a "EU protectorate."
  • Mr Feith rejected claims that Kosovo was slowly being transformed into a protectorate of the EU. "This word is in a way causing a problem for me," he said, explaining that Kosovo had an EU membership perspective and was aiming to one day become a fully fledged member of the 27-member bloc. Before this can happen, Pristina still has a lot to accomplish, the diplomat said, citing stability, reforms and a reconciliation between the majority ethnic Albanian population and the minority Serbs in the north of Kosovo as the three top priorities for next year. "The government must undertake steps in the areas of accountability, organised crime ... It must also strengthen links between civic and political life and ensure the use of public and international donor funds in a responsible and transparent manner." The parliament's role should also be boosted, as "many decisions are still taken by the government, without the significant involvement of the assembly," Mr Feith said.
Prof. Dr  Wolfgang Schumann

13.05.08: EP report on European External Action Service (EEAS) - 0 views

  • The European Parliament is trying to influence the ongoing preparations for the establishment of a 'European External Action Service' (EEAS), to be set up jointly between the EU Council of Ministers and the Commission after the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty. But critics say this major novelty in the EU architecture is about to be introduced in almost complete secrecy.
  • On 6 May, the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee put forward a draft report on the Common Foreign and Security Policy, which is intended to constitute MEPs' wish-list vis-à-vis the Council and the Commission on establishing EEAS.  The report points out that the future office of High Representative/Vice-President of the Commission will derive its legitimacy directly from the European Parliament. It also stresses the need for "transparency and democratic input" into the process of setting up the planned European External Action Service, and calls for a mechanism to be set up to provide confidential information to select Foreign Affairs Committee Members. 
  • "The key expectation of the Parliament is that it has more to say on that and Parliament can add additional democratic legitimacy from taking positions. And we expect to be involved in shaping these decisions ex ante, and not only post factum," Saryusz-Wolsky said. 
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  • EU official documents Lisbon treaty see Article 2, Title VI European Parliament Draft report on CFSP by Jacek Saryusz-Wolski European Parliament Press release: A more effective EU foreign policy in prospect, but more parliamentary scrutiny needed The European Commission Sppeech by Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy
Prof. Dr  Wolfgang Schumann

Best et al., eds. (2008): The Institutions of the Enlarged European Union - 0 views

  • How have the main institutions and decision-making processes of the EU responded to the arrival of new member states? This book assesses the actual state of the EU institutions in the years after the 2004 enlargement, examining each of the main institutional actors as well as trends in legislative output, implementing measures and non-legislative approaches. The contributors outline the key changes as well as patterns of continuity in the institutional politics of the EU. The analysis finds that breakdown has been avoided by a combination of assimilation of the new member states and adaptation of the system, without any fundamental transformation of the institutions. Nonetheless, they conclude that it is not just 'business as usual'.The streamlining and formalization of procedures, together with increased informal practices, has implications for transparency and accountability. Widening has not prevented deepening of European integration, but it has deepened normative concerns about the democratic legitimacy of that process which will remain very much on the agenda of the enlarged EU. This nuanced approach to the complexities of studying institutional politics and change contains important new and original data. As such it will be invaluable for postgraduate and advanced undergraduate students of EU politics and administrative science, as well as researchers, practitioners and journalists working in the fields of European studies more widely.
Prof. Dr  Wolfgang Schumann

Petritsch/Svilanovic/Solioz (2009): Serbia Matters: Domestic Reforms and European Inte... - 0 views

  • Serbia Matters presents policy essays on Serbia's post-Milosevic era written by internationally recognised authors, policymakers, academics and political analysts actively engaged in the Balkans discourse. Since 2000 Serbia has moved from a decade of wars and delayed transition towards European integration. The book assesses the country's present state of affairs, recent achievements and future challenges. It also offers pertinent analyses and compelling arguments as to why Serbia's accession to the European Union matters as much for Belgrade as it does for the whole Western Balkans. This book is written with the aim to persuade both Serbia's leaders and citizens and those Member States of the European Union who are hit by 'enlargement fatigue' that the country ought to have its rightful place in the EU and that there is no alternative to the reform process. Das Werk ist Teil der Reihe Southeast European Integration Perspectives, Band 1.
Prof. Dr  Wolfgang Schumann

04.12.09: Montenegro moves closer to Nato membership - 0 views

  • Nato ministers on Friday offered Montenegro a formal plan to join the alliance, just days after the EU announced it would lift visas for its citizens. "With a sustained effort at further reform, today's invitation to join the Membership Action Plan (MAP) will be a stepping stone to the ultimate goal: full membership in Nato," the secretary-general of the military alliance, Anders Fogh Rasmussen said at a press conference in Brussels.
  • Back in Podgorica, the Nato move, also connected with the recent lifting of EU visas for its citizens, is likely to boost the image of the government. But voices in the civil society warn that this will not mean an acceleration of democratic reforms, which so far are seen as being mostly on paper. Momcilo Radulovic from the European Movement, a Podgorica-based NGO, says there is still need for more transparency, good governance, and a stronger fight against organised crime and corruption. He was sceptical that Nato alone could push for these reforms. "They are only interested in reforming the military and security structures. But once we get EU candidate status, maybe at the end of 2010 or early 2011, there will be more pressure on the government," he told this website.
Prof. Dr  Wolfgang Schumann

30.04.10: Justice reform is key to Serbia's EU application - 0 views

  • The transparency and efficiency of Serbia's judicial reform will be crucial for the Balkan country's prospects of getting European Commission backing to start negotiations on EU membership. Progress in the area of justice was recently singled out by EU enlargement commissioner Stefan Fuele in an answer to Carlos Coelho, a Member of the European Parliament, who questioned him on Serbia's justice reform.
  • "After the negative experience with Romania and Bulgaria, the issues regarding rule of law, organised crime and corruption must be addressed in the early stage of the accession process for any new candidate countries," an EU official explained. "So it is clear why the [EU] commission is focused on the Serbian judiciary reform and why the results of that reform will influence the upcoming Commission opinion on Serbia's readiness to get candidate status," the expert added. This position was supported by Olivier Chastel, Belgium's state secretary for European affairs, considered to be "the brain" of the upcoming Belgian presidency of the EU. "We have learned our lessons from the previous enlargements and we have understood that it is hard to implement reforms in the post-accession period. So in the future we will accept only countries that are totally prepared for EU membership," he said.
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