In an effort to speed up cases against companies accused of price-fixing, the European Union approved offering out-of-court settlements. In 2007, the EU levied 3.3 billion euros ($5.2 billion) in antitrust fines. Companies caught operating illegal price-fixing cartels will get a chance to avoid lengthy court procedures and settle the cases, following a European Commission decision on Monday, June 30. The new method "will reinforce deterrence by helping the (European) Commission deal more quickly with cartel cases, freeing up resources to open new investigations," EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said in a statement. The European Commission is responsible for enforcing the bloc's competition laws. Officials say that companies which the commission has found guilty of price-fixing often challenge the verdict in the European court -- not to dispute their guilt, but to get the fine reduced. This has forced commission officials to focus on the court cases rather than on further investigations.
Companies caught operating illegal price-fixing cartels will get a chance to avoid lengthy court procedures and settle the cases, following a European Commission decision on Monday, June 30.
The new method "will reinforce deterrence by helping the (European) Commission deal more quickly with cartel cases, freeing up resources to open new investigations," EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said in a statement.
The European Commission is responsible for enforcing the bloc's competition laws.
Officials say that companies which the commission has found guilty of price-fixing often challenge the verdict in the European court -- not to dispute their guilt, but to get the fine reduced. This has forced commission officials to focus on the court cases rather than on further investigations.
Polish President Lech Kaczynski said he will not ratify the European Union's reform treaty. Ireland's rejection of the Lisbon Treaty last month makes the ratification process a waste of time, he said. Europe's unity over the reform treaty continued to unravel this week after Poland's president seemed set to abandon his country's approval of the EU's reform treaty. "At the moment the question of the treaty is pointless," Kazynski told the Polish newspaper Dziennik. Poland's parliament approved the treaty in April, but Kazynski's signature is needed to finalize the ratification.
Europe's unity over the reform treaty continued to unravel this week after Poland's president seemed set to abandon his country's approval of the EU's reform treaty.
"At the moment the question of the treaty is pointless," Kazynski told the Polish newspaper Dziennik.
Poland's parliament approved the treaty in April, but Kazynski's signature is needed to finalize the ratification.
The Polish president, Lech Kaczynski, has indicated he will not sign the Lisbon treaty until Ireland decides what to do about its No vote, dealing a strong blow to EU attempts to revive the pact. German ratification also went on hold Monday (30 June), pending a Constitutional Court decision expected early next year. "For now, the treaty question is pointless. It's hard to say how it will end. But to claim there is no union because there is no treaty is not serious," Mr Kaczynski said in an interview with Polish daily Dziennik published on Tuesday, when asked if he would help pressure Ireland by signing the text. "The principle of unanimity is binding here," he added, explaining that Poland must protect small EU countries' rights as it is not a major power itself. "If the principle of unanimity is broken once it will cease to exist forever. We are too weak to accept this kind of solution." The remarks come after weeks of public speculation by presidential aides that Lisbon ceased to exist when Ireland voted No in June, despite calls by France, Germany and Polish prime minister Donald Tusk for the other 26 EU states to continue ratification to help force an Irish re-vote.
The Polish president, Lech Kaczynski, has indicated he will not sign the Lisbon treaty until Ireland decides what to do about its No vote, dealing a strong blow to EU attempts to revive the pact. German ratification also went on hold Monday (30 June), pending a Constitutional Court decision expected early next year.
"For now, the treaty question is pointless. It's hard to say how it will end. But to claim there is no union because there is no treaty is not serious," Mr Kaczynski said in an interview with Polish daily Dziennik published on Tuesday, when asked if he would help pressure Ireland by signing the text.
"The principle of unanimity is binding here," he added, explaining that Poland must protect small EU countries' rights as it is not a major power itself. "If the principle of unanimity is broken once it will cease to exist forever. We are too weak to accept this kind of solution."
The remarks come after weeks of public speculation by presidential aides that Lisbon ceased to exist when Ireland voted No in June, despite calls by France, Germany and Polish prime minister Donald Tusk for the other 26 EU states to continue ratification to help force an Irish re-vote.
Attempts to reform the European Union's institutions, already in disarray following Ireland's rejection of the Lisbon Treaty last month, have suffered fresh blows in the last two days with the refusal of the presidents of Germany and Poland to complete the ratification of the treaty. Poland's President Lech Kaczynski says it would be "pointless" to sign the EU reform treaty. The presidents of Germany and Poland have said they won't sign the European Union reform treaty for the time being in a new setback following Ireland's rejection (more...) of the accord in a referendum last month. German President Horst Köhler's office announced on Monday he would not sign the ratification documents until the Federal Constitutional Court, the country's highest court, rules on legal challenges to the treaty, which aims to streamline the bloc's institutions following the 2004 accession of central and eastern European countries. Köhler's role is largely ceremonial but he still has the power to halt legislation. The court had asked him not to sign the treaty, approved by both houses of the German parliament earlier this year, pending its hearing of two challenges brought by the Left Party and by a politician from Bavaria's conservative Christian Social Union party. There is no date set for a ruling by the court, but it may not come until next year.
Attempts to reform the European Union's institutions, already in disarray following Ireland's rejection of the Lisbon Treaty last month, have suffered fresh blows in the last two days with the refusal of the presidents of Germany and Poland to complete the ratification of the treaty.
Poland's President Lech Kaczynski says it would be "pointless" to sign the EU reform treaty. The presidents of Germany and Poland have said they won't sign the European Union reform treaty for the time being in a new setback following Ireland's rejection (more...) of the accord in a referendum last month.
German President Horst Köhler's office announced on Monday he would not sign the ratification documents until the Federal Constitutional Court, the country's highest court, rules on legal challenges to the treaty, which aims to streamline the bloc's institutions following the 2004 accession of central and eastern European countries.
Köhler's role is largely ceremonial but he still has the power to halt legislation. The court had asked him not to sign the treaty, approved by both houses of the German parliament earlier this year, pending its hearing of two challenges brought by the Left Party and by a politician from Bavaria's conservative Christian Social Union party. There is no date set for a ruling by the court, but it may not come until next year.
EUOBSERVER / WEEKLY AGENDA (30 June - 6 July) - On 1 July France takes over chairmanship of the six-month rotating presidency of the council of the European Union from the out-going EU presidency, Slovenia. France takes up the helm during one of the EU's - and the world's - most difficult periods in many years as the twin oil and food crises eclipse almost every other policy agenda item, and the fall-out of the negative result in the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty leaves much of France's plans for its moment in the European spotlight not quite on the shelf but certainly diminished in import. France takes over the EU presidency on Tuesday On Tuesday, there will be a working meeting concerning the programme of the French Presidency between the members of the European Commission and the French president, prime minister and members of the French government. But the French presidency really kicks off with its first major event, tackling one of the biggest issues on its plate, the food crisis.
EUOBSERVER / WEEKLY AGENDA (30 June - 6 July) - On 1 July France takes over chairmanship of the six-month rotating presidency of the council of the European Union from the out-going EU presidency, Slovenia.
France takes up the helm during one of the EU's - and the world's - most difficult periods in many years as the twin oil and food crises eclipse almost every other policy agenda item, and the fall-out of the negative result in the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty leaves much of France's plans for its moment in the European spotlight not quite on the shelf but certainly diminished in import.
France takes over the EU presidency on Tuesday
On Tuesday, there will be a working meeting concerning the programme of the French
Presidency between the members of the European Commission and the French president, prime minister and members of the French government.
But the French presidency really kicks off with its first major event, tackling one of the biggest issues on its plate, the food crisis.
The US still has dozens of nuclear war heads stationed throughout Europe, including an estimated 20 in Germany. Yet, hardly anyone thinks this makes sense any more -- apart from those at Germany's Defense Ministry. Thomas Kossendey, Germany's deputy defense minister, usually has a broad smile on his face when he walks up to speak at the lectern in the Bundestag, the German parliament's lower house. Kossendey is the kind of politician who likes to add a dash of irony to his parliamentary contributions. Last Wednesday, however, he was in no mood for jokes. As members of parliament debated the stationing of US nuclear weapons in Germany, he seemed somewhat tormented and made sure to stick strictly to his script.
The US still has dozens of nuclear war heads stationed throughout Europe, including an estimated 20 in Germany. Yet, hardly anyone thinks this makes sense any more -- apart from those at Germany's Defense Ministry.
Thomas Kossendey, Germany's deputy defense minister, usually has a broad smile on his face when he walks up to speak at the lectern in the Bundestag, the German parliament's lower house. Kossendey is the kind of politician who likes to add a dash of irony to his parliamentary contributions.
Last Wednesday, however, he was in no mood for jokes. As members of parliament debated the stationing of US nuclear weapons in Germany, he seemed somewhat tormented and made sure to stick strictly to his script.
The chances of Germany's grand coalition reaching a consensus on nuclear energy are dwindling. The conservative Christian Democrats want to keep existing nuclear power plants running longer, while the center-left Social Democrats insist on pushing through the phase-out plan. German Chancellor Angela Merkel hasn't exactly been getting rave reviews from the German business community lately. Executives at corporations and industry groups gripe that the chancellor, who is head of the conservative Christian Democrats, has abandoned her program of reforms and is kowtowing to her coalition partners, the Social Democrats. They call her the "feel-good chancellor." The Biblis nuclear power station. The captains of industry were, therefore, all the more pleasantly surprised when Merkel took up one of the corporate world's favorite issues at a recent meeting of the party's Economic Council. "I believe it is wrong to rush into shutting down our nuclear power plants," Merkel said to enthusiastic applause. "Whenever possible, we must reexamine the decision to abandon nuclear energy." The reports of Merkel's latest shift had hardly been released before officials from both parties were presenting the subject as a hot campaign issue for the next federal election in 2009. CDU General Secretary Ronald Pofalla promptly defined nuclear energy as the "eco-energy of the CDU" and released an environmental position paper calling for Germany's nuclear power plants to remain in operation for longer than originally planned. The Social Democrats were just as prompt in opposing the conservative position. Members of the SPD parliamentary group said that apparently the CDU, and its Bavarian sister party, the CSU, had finally mutated "into a nuclear sect."
The chances of Germany's grand coalition reaching a consensus on nuclear energy are dwindling. The conservative Christian Democrats want to keep existing nuclear power plants running longer, while the center-left Social Democrats insist on pushing through the phase-out plan.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel hasn't exactly been getting rave reviews from the German business community lately. Executives at corporations and industry groups gripe that the chancellor, who is head of the conservative Christian Democrats, has abandoned her program of reforms and is kowtowing to her coalition partners, the Social Democrats. They call her the "feel-good chancellor."
The Biblis nuclear power station. The captains of industry were, therefore, all the more pleasantly surprised when Merkel took up one of the corporate world's favorite issues at a recent meeting of the party's Economic Council. "I believe it is wrong to rush into shutting down our nuclear power plants," Merkel said to enthusiastic applause. "Whenever possible, we must reexamine the decision to abandon nuclear energy."
The reports of Merkel's latest shift had hardly been released before officials from both parties were presenting the subject as a hot campaign issue for the next federal election in 2009. CDU General Secretary Ronald Pofalla promptly defined nuclear energy as the "eco-energy of the CDU" and released an environmental position paper calling for Germany's nuclear power plants to remain in operation for longer than originally planned. The Social Democrats were just as prompt in opposing the conservative position. Members of the SPD parliamentary group said that apparently the CDU, and its Bavarian sister party, the CSU, had finally mutated "into a nuclear sect."
Russian prosecutors today began questioning the jailed oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky on a new set of embezzlement charges, which would appear to augur badly for hopes of his early release. Dmitry Medvedev, the new President, has yet to make his position clear regarding the former oligarch, widely seen as a political prisoner. Observers say that the next steps in the case will show how serious Medvedev really is about battling what he has called Russia's "legal nihilism". Now in a remand prison in Chita, 4,000 miles east of Moscow, Khodorkovsky was charged all over again, together with his business partner, Platon Lebedev. "Investigators of the Main Investigation Department have brought new charges against Khodorkovsky and Lebedev: charges of large-scale misappropriation and legalisation of money earned through criminal activity," the Prosecutor General's office said.
Russian prosecutors today began questioning the jailed oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky on a new set of embezzlement charges, which would appear to augur badly for hopes of his early release.
Dmitry Medvedev, the new President, has yet to make his position clear regarding the former oligarch, widely seen as a political prisoner. Observers say that the next steps in the case will show how serious Medvedev really is about battling what he has called Russia's "legal nihilism".
Now in a remand prison in Chita, 4,000 miles east of Moscow, Khodorkovsky was charged all over again, together with his business partner, Platon Lebedev.
"Investigators of the Main Investigation Department have brought new charges against Khodorkovsky and Lebedev: charges of large-scale misappropriation and legalisation of money earned through criminal activity," the Prosecutor General's office said.
BTW, this is only newsworthy because everyone was assuming Medvedev was about to pardon him... Come, my friends, 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world.
The man wanted over the killing of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya is hiding in western Europe, Russia's chief investigator has said. Politkovskaya, a prominent Kremlin critic, was shot dead outside her home in the capital on 7 October 2006. Thirty-four-year-old Chechnya resident Rustam Makhmudov is believed to have fired the fatal shot. Last month, three men - who all come from Chechnya - were charged over Politkovskaya's murder. Dzhabrail and Ibragim Makhmudov - brothers of Mr Makhmudov - and Sergey Khadzhikurbanov are expected to go on trial soon.
The man wanted over the killing of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya is hiding in western Europe, Russia's chief investigator has said.
Politkovskaya, a prominent Kremlin critic, was shot dead outside her home in the capital on 7 October 2006.
Thirty-four-year-old Chechnya resident Rustam Makhmudov is believed to have fired the fatal shot.
Last month, three men - who all come from Chechnya - were charged over Politkovskaya's murder.
Dzhabrail and Ibragim Makhmudov - brothers of Mr Makhmudov - and Sergey Khadzhikurbanov are expected to go on trial soon.
French army chief of staff General Bruno Cuche resigned today after a soldier fired live ammunition instead of blanks at a weekend military show and injured 17 people, the presidential office said. President Nicolas Sarkozy had pledged to react rapidly and severely and to seek explanations from the army. "The President, the head of the armies, has accepted the resignation presented by army General Bruno Cuche, head of the land army," said a statement from Sarkozy's office. Cuche answers to a higher-ranking officer in charge of the overall armed forces. Sarkozy is the ultimate head of the armed forces in France.
French army chief of staff General Bruno Cuche resigned today after a soldier fired live ammunition instead of blanks at a weekend military show and injured 17 people, the presidential office said.
President Nicolas Sarkozy had pledged to react rapidly and severely and to seek explanations from the army.
"The President, the head of the armies, has accepted the resignation presented by army General Bruno Cuche, head of the land army," said a statement from Sarkozy's office.
Cuche answers to a higher-ranking officer in charge of the overall armed forces. Sarkozy is the ultimate head of the armed forces in France.
The chief of the army was suspected of writing or inspiring it, so this may be payback time. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Apparently Sarkozy pointed to him and said, "you are all amateurs, not professionals !" and didn't say hello to any soldier present. Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
But it's a very high-ranking head (Cuche) to chop off for this incident. It certainly feels like there are ulterior motives. When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind
Any French care to comment on just what it would take to force Sarkozy to step down? What kind of scandal would be simply TOO MUCH for the electorate?
Conventional wisdom treated Dmitry Medvedev's inauguration as president of the Russian Federation as a continuation of President Vladimir Putin's two terms of Kremlin dominance and assertive foreign policy. A visit to Moscow with an opportunity to meet leading personalities of the political world, as well as representatives of various age groups in business and intellectual circles, convinced me that this judgment is oversimplified and premature. For one thing, the emerging power structure in Moscow seems more complex than conventional wisdom holds. It was always doubtful why, if his primary objective was to retain power, Putin, at the height of a popularity that would have allowed him to amend the Constitution to extend his term, would choose the complicated and uncertain route of becoming prime minister. My impression is that a new phase of Russian politics is under way. The statement that the president designs foreign and security policy, and the prime minister implements parts of it, has become the mantra of Russian officials from Medvedev and Putin down. I encountered no Russian in or out of government who doubted that some kind of redistribution of power is taking place, although they were uncertain of its outcome.
Conventional wisdom treated Dmitry Medvedev's inauguration as president of the Russian Federation as a continuation of President Vladimir Putin's two terms of Kremlin dominance and assertive foreign policy.
A visit to Moscow with an opportunity to meet leading personalities of the political world, as well as representatives of various age groups in business and intellectual circles, convinced me that this judgment is oversimplified and premature.
For one thing, the emerging power structure in Moscow seems more complex than conventional wisdom holds. It was always doubtful why, if his primary objective was to retain power, Putin, at the height of a popularity that would have allowed him to amend the Constitution to extend his term, would choose the complicated and uncertain route of becoming prime minister.
My impression is that a new phase of Russian politics is under way. The statement that the president designs foreign and security policy, and the prime minister implements parts of it, has become the mantra of Russian officials from Medvedev and Putin down. I encountered no Russian in or out of government who doubted that some kind of redistribution of power is taking place, although they were uncertain of its outcome.
Like its German competitor Siemens, France's Alstom Group is alleged to have used a system of bribes to buy its way into contracts worldwide. But in France politicians and the media have shielded the company. French President Nicolas Sarkozy almost single-handedly saved Alstom from bankruptcy. Pictured here is the company's new high-speed AGV train, the planned successor to the TGV. The fax was sent in 1998, a time now long past. The corruption scandal that would consume German electronics and engineering giant Siemens was still in the distant future, and public trust in the big names of European industry was still intact. The fax, from a bank in Liechtenstein, was sent to Oehri Treuhand, a Liechtenstein foundation, and Gerry Oehri, the head of the foundation. The bank wanted Oehri to explain a few things about one of his discreet companies.
Like its German competitor Siemens, France's Alstom Group is alleged to have used a system of bribes to buy its way into contracts worldwide. But in France politicians and the media have shielded the company.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy almost single-handedly saved Alstom from bankruptcy. Pictured here is the company's new high-speed AGV train, the planned successor to the TGV.
The fax was sent in 1998, a time now long past. The corruption scandal that would consume German electronics and engineering giant Siemens was still in the distant future, and public trust in the big names of European industry was still intact.
The fax, from a bank in Liechtenstein, was sent to Oehri Treuhand, a Liechtenstein foundation, and Gerry Oehri, the head of the foundation. The bank wanted Oehri to explain a few things about one of his discreet companies.
Sour grapes.
The fact is that France is one of the few countries that has had quite a few high-profile investigations and trials of high level corporate officers - with them actually going to jail; even if there have been some notable exceptions, and plenty more cases never pursued. And that, despite that corporate-firendly press. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Spain's Defence Minister, Carme Chacon, resumed command with a flourish this week after taking six weeks' maternity leave, and announced a clean sweep of all the military top brass. Before taking time to get to know the country's top generals personally, Ms Chacon said she would remove Spain's most senior officer, General Felix Sanz, the defence chief of staff, in addition to the chiefs of all three armed forces. Her action reportedly defies the advice of her socialist predecessor Jose Antonio Alonso, who urged her to keep General Sanz in post, and the private opinion of the Prime Minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.Her wholesale replacement of chiefs of the army, navy and air force was sweetened with expressions of "admiration and pride" in their work, and a desire to count on their "wise advice". She did not name their replacements.
Spain's Defence Minister, Carme Chacon, resumed command with a flourish this week after taking six weeks' maternity leave, and announced a clean sweep of all the military top brass.
Before taking time to get to know the country's top generals personally, Ms Chacon said she would remove Spain's most senior officer, General Felix Sanz, the defence chief of staff, in addition to the chiefs of all three armed forces. Her action reportedly defies the advice of her socialist predecessor Jose Antonio Alonso, who urged her to keep General Sanz in post, and the private opinion of the Prime Minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
Her wholesale replacement of chiefs of the army, navy and air force was sweetened with expressions of "admiration and pride" in their work, and a desire to count on their "wise advice". She did not name their replacements.
WTF?
Where does Carme Chacon get her strong opinions about the military? When the capital development of a country becomes a by-product of the activities of a casino, the job is likely to be ill-done. — John M. Keynes
Turkish police have arrested two retired top generals they believe were members of a state-backed gang suspected of a slew of high-profile killings and a plot to murder the Nobel Prize-winning novelist Orhan Pamuk. The former military police chief Sener Eruygur and Hursit Tolon, former army number two, were among 25 people taken into custody in Ankara early yesterday in the latest twist in investigations that began last year.Dozens of people - including another retired general and a prominent ultra-nationalist lawyer - are already in custody on charges of "provoking armed rebellion against the government".
Turkish police have arrested two retired top generals they believe were members of a state-backed gang suspected of a slew of high-profile killings and a plot to murder the Nobel Prize-winning novelist Orhan Pamuk.
The former military police chief Sener Eruygur and Hursit Tolon, former army number two, were among 25 people taken into custody in Ankara early yesterday in the latest twist in investigations that began last year.
Dozens of people - including another retired general and a prominent ultra-nationalist lawyer - are already in custody on charges of "provoking armed rebellion against the government".
