Nine EU states are getting ready to reinforce their legal co-operation at the EU level by agreeing a common divorce law, by-passing Sweden's veto and posing questions about a "two-speed Europe." France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Luxembourg and Romania are set to implement the so-called enhanced co-operation procedure, while other countries - including Germany, Belgium, Portugal and Lithuania - are also currently considering joining the initiative, according to the AFP news agency. International divorces amount to some 20 percent of all divorces taking place in the EU each year. If the nine countries go ahead, it will be the first time the legal mechanism - allowing a minimum of eight EU states to present the European Commission with a demand for "enhanced co-operation" - will have been activated. Provided that the commission accepts the move, it then has to be approved by a qualified majority of the bloc's 27 member states.
Nine EU states are getting ready to reinforce their legal co-operation at the EU level by agreeing a common divorce law, by-passing Sweden's veto and posing questions about a "two-speed Europe."
France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Luxembourg and Romania are set to implement the so-called enhanced co-operation procedure, while other countries - including Germany, Belgium, Portugal and Lithuania - are also currently considering joining the initiative, according to the AFP news agency.
International divorces amount to some 20 percent of all divorces taking place in the EU each year.
If the nine countries go ahead, it will be the first time the legal mechanism - allowing a minimum of eight EU states to present the European Commission with a demand for "enhanced co-operation" - will have been activated.
Provided that the commission accepts the move, it then has to be approved by a qualified majority of the bloc's 27 member states.
For the first time ever, nine of the EU's 27 members are preparing to implement a cooperation mechanism that some observers fear could turn the bloc into a collection of ad-hoc agreements made by small groups of states. The move by the nine countries, which could receive the support of Germany and several other nations, according to the AFP news agency, could set a precedent for small groups of EU members to cooperate without the entire bloc's support. France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Luxembourg and Romania are ready to invoke the bloc's "enhanced cooperation procedure" at a justice ministers' meeting on Friday, July 25, to strike a deal on international divorce law. Sweden vetoed a proposal that would have allowed couples of different EU nationalities to choose which country's laws to use when divorcing. EU family law requires unanimous support in order to be enacted.
The move by the nine countries, which could receive the support of Germany and several other nations, according to the AFP news agency, could set a precedent for small groups of EU members to cooperate without the entire bloc's support.
France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Luxembourg and Romania are ready to invoke the bloc's "enhanced cooperation procedure" at a justice ministers' meeting on Friday, July 25, to strike a deal on international divorce law.
Sweden vetoed a proposal that would have allowed couples of different EU nationalities to choose which country's laws to use when divorcing. EU family law requires unanimous support in order to be enacted.
could turn the bloc into a collection of ad-hoc agreements made by small groups of states.
Currently "the bloc" is a collection of no ad-hoc agreements or bilateral agreements between states, on issues like divorce. So where's the problem in at least a group of states doing something better?
If the others are (woo-hoo) scared of "two-speed", let them get on board and make it "one-speed".
Spouses shall, each according to his or her ability, contribute to the maintenance needed to meet their joint and personal needs. Provisions on maintenance for children are set out in the Children and Parents Code. If the contribution which one spouse is to make is not sufficient for that spouse's personal needs or for the payments which that spouse otherwise attends to for the maintenance of the family, the other spouse shall contribute the money that is needed.
The intent is to ensure one spouse (usually the woman) does not suffer financial hardship as a result of a divorce.
EUobserver
Under the proposal, currently blocked by Sweden - which would prefer to keep its own liberal national law - the couples would be able to choose which country's law to apply for their divorce proceedings. If they cannot agree, their joint connection to a country - notably related to the time of residence - determines which country's courts would deal with the divorce case.
Under the proposal, currently blocked by Sweden - which would prefer to keep its own liberal national law - the couples would be able to choose which country's law to apply for their divorce proceedings.
If they cannot agree, their joint connection to a country - notably related to the time of residence - determines which country's courts would deal with the divorce case.
What's misleading is that Sweden would not be obliged to change its "liberal national law": just to enter into an agreement in which Swedish nationals might find themselves obliged to accept that their divorce take place under the rules of another member state (that of the other spouse), in cases where the spouses failed to agree that it should be Swedish law that would apply.
This is more the "protect your own nationals" reflex, it seems to me, than any wish to avoid a "race to the bottom".
Though the Schengen Agreement was not an enhanced cooperation, the enhanced cooperation mechanism is definitely inspired by the way Schengen was brought about. One also should think about the Eurozone as an enhanced cooperation of sorts. A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith
A chemical commonly found in baby bottles and teethers that has been taken off the shelves in Canada is safe for European infants, the EU's food safety monitors have found. The levels of bisphenol A, or BPA, found in such items is safe for infants in small amounts, according to a European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)scientific opinion issued on Wednesday (23 July), which stated that the substance "provides a sufficient margin of safety for the protection of the consumer, including fetuses and newborns." Bisphenol A, a chemical commonly found in baby bottles, is safe in small amounts, European food safety experts have found "After exposure to BPA, the human body rapidly metabolises and eliminates the substance," the report added. "The exposure of the human foetus to BPA would be negligible because the mother rapidly metabolises and eliminates BPA from her body." "The scientists also concluded that newborns are similarly able to metabolise and eliminate BPA at doses below 1 milligram per kilogram of body weight per day." Controversy surrounding the chemical exploded in April this year, when EFSA's Canadian counterpart, Health Canada, released an assessment of BPA that concluded it may pose some risk to infants and proposed reclassifying the chemical as "toxic" to human health and the environment.
A chemical commonly found in baby bottles and teethers that has been taken off the shelves in Canada is safe for European infants, the EU's food safety monitors have found.
The levels of bisphenol A, or BPA, found in such items is safe for infants in small amounts, according to a European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)scientific opinion issued on Wednesday (23 July), which stated that the substance "provides a sufficient margin of safety for the protection of the consumer, including fetuses and newborns."
Bisphenol A, a chemical commonly found in baby bottles, is safe in small amounts, European food safety experts have found
"After exposure to BPA, the human body rapidly metabolises and eliminates the substance," the report added. "The exposure of the human foetus to BPA would be negligible because the mother rapidly metabolises and eliminates BPA from her body."
"The scientists also concluded that newborns are similarly able to metabolise and eliminate BPA at doses below 1 milligram per kilogram of body weight per day."
Controversy surrounding the chemical exploded in April this year, when EFSA's Canadian counterpart, Health Canada, released an assessment of BPA that concluded it may pose some risk to infants and proposed reclassifying the chemical as "toxic" to human health and the environment.
With summer break having arrived, German Chancellor Angela Merkel sat down with the press on Wednesday. Her government, she insisted, was still on the right track. With her personal approval rates soaring, one can forgive her optimism. German Chancellor Angela Merkel answered the questions of the press on Wednesday. It was as if the months of political bickering between the Social Democrats and Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats never happened. Forget about the only recently ended quarrel over minimum wage. Ignore the recent flare up over nuclear energy. And complaints about the CDU not allowing their coalition partners from the SPD to take any credit? Not important. On Wednesday, at her traditional press conference just before the government goes on summer break next week, Merkel insisted that her cabinet cooperated well. "As for how we work together," she said, "I think we do so very, very well; the various ministers with their different profiles and possibilities -- whether or not they come from the Union (eds: CDU plus the Christian Social Union) or the SPD -- all have the possibility to take their part of the credit." But even as Merkel ran down a list of her government's accomplishments this year and pointed to the challenges remaining ahead, she also had a message for her coalition: With general elections still well over a year away, it is far too early to begin campaigning. "After the summer break, we need to continue working," she said. "There will be plenty of time for campaigning, but not in the coming months."
With summer break having arrived, German Chancellor Angela Merkel sat down with the press on Wednesday. Her government, she insisted, was still on the right track. With her personal approval rates soaring, one can forgive her optimism.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel answered the questions of the press on Wednesday. It was as if the months of political bickering between the Social Democrats and Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats never happened. Forget about the only recently ended quarrel over minimum wage. Ignore the recent flare up over nuclear energy. And complaints about the CDU not allowing their coalition partners from the SPD to take any credit? Not important.
On Wednesday, at her traditional press conference just before the government goes on summer break next week, Merkel insisted that her cabinet cooperated well. "As for how we work together," she said, "I think we do so very, very well; the various ministers with their different profiles and possibilities -- whether or not they come from the Union (eds: CDU plus the Christian Social Union) or the SPD -- all have the possibility to take their part of the credit."
But even as Merkel ran down a list of her government's accomplishments this year and pointed to the challenges remaining ahead, she also had a message for her coalition: With general elections still well over a year away, it is far too early to begin campaigning. "After the summer break, we need to continue working," she said. "There will be plenty of time for campaigning, but not in the coming months."
The World from Berlin: 'Merkel Has No Grand Plans' - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News
The center-left daily Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: "Of course one shouldn't be naïve. Merkel has one goal above all others: She wants to remain in power. But contrary to the SPD leadership, she is convinced that she can only do that by exerting a credible amount of effort instead of constantly complaining about her coalition partners -- like Kurt Beck does.... Only when the SPD leadership is successful in creating a different image of itself will people begin returning to them." "Of course, Merkel doesn't have any grand plans and she doesn't develop any far-reaching visions. She doesn't move people with her ideas. But she scores political points anyway. Her trump is called pragmatism. The SPD has to realize, as painful as it may be, that Merkel's method plays best to the public."
The center-left daily Süddeutsche Zeitung writes:
"Of course one shouldn't be naïve. Merkel has one goal above all others: She wants to remain in power. But contrary to the SPD leadership, she is convinced that she can only do that by exerting a credible amount of effort instead of constantly complaining about her coalition partners -- like Kurt Beck does.... Only when the SPD leadership is successful in creating a different image of itself will people begin returning to them."
"Of course, Merkel doesn't have any grand plans and she doesn't develop any far-reaching visions. She doesn't move people with her ideas. But she scores political points anyway. Her trump is called pragmatism. The SPD has to realize, as painful as it may be, that Merkel's method plays best to the public."
Gaaaaah!!! And Süddeutsche is supposed to be center-left. What they describe is nothing but what I described here on ET time and again: Merkel walking in Kohl's footsteps. The recipe is: do nothing in terms of real reforms, let your opponents destroy themselves, and use surrogates for the nasty jobs while you yourself should radiate an above-the-daily-squabbles image (godfather of the nation in Kohl's case, what for Merkel - godmother?). And SZ fell for it.
How did Volker Pispers say it? A man walks around a block, walking its four sides, and after every circle, steps into the same dog-shit at one corner - and wonders why it happened to him again. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
The EU has rebuked Iran for the sentencing of nine people to death by stoning even as a new report by a European rights group shows the number of executions worldwide is on the rise. The European Union said this week it was deeply worried about news that Iran had sentenced nine women and one man to death by stoning for separate adultery convictions in different Iranian cities. A statement issued by France, which currently holds the EU presidency, on Thursday, July 24, reminded Tehran it had pledged to introduce a moratorium on stoning and urged it to abide by its commitments and international standards. "The European Union calls on the Iranian government and parliament to abolish, in law and in practice, recourse to cruel and degrading punishment and, in particular the use of stoning, as a method of execution," the statement read.
The European Union said this week it was deeply worried about news that Iran had sentenced nine women and one man to death by stoning for separate adultery convictions in different Iranian cities.
A statement issued by France, which currently holds the EU presidency, on Thursday, July 24, reminded Tehran it had pledged to introduce a moratorium on stoning and urged it to abide by its commitments and international standards.
"The European Union calls on the Iranian government and parliament to abolish, in law and in practice, recourse to cruel and degrading punishment and, in particular the use of stoning, as a method of execution," the statement read.
Libya's state shipping company says it has halted oil shipments to Switzerland in protest at the brief arrest of leader Muammar Gaddafi's youngest son. It threatened further action if the Swiss did not apologise for the arrest. Geneva police held Hannibal Gaddafi for two days after he and his pregnant wife allegedly hit two of their staff. The couple face charges of bodily harm, threatening behaviour and coercion. They have denied any wrongdoing over the alleged incident on 15 July.
Libya's state shipping company says it has halted oil shipments to Switzerland in protest at the brief arrest of leader Muammar Gaddafi's youngest son.
It threatened further action if the Swiss did not apologise for the arrest.
Geneva police held Hannibal Gaddafi for two days after he and his pregnant wife allegedly hit two of their staff.
The couple face charges of bodily harm, threatening behaviour and coercion. They have denied any wrongdoing over the alleged incident on 15 July.
Diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Libya were in crisis yesterday after Libya vowed "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" in retaliation for the Swiss authorities putting Hannibal, the youngest son of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, in jail for two days. Libya announced it would halt fuel supplies to Switzerland and bar the country's ships from its ports in protest at what it called the "fabricated" and "illegitimate" charges against one of Col Gaddafi's seven sons.Hannibal Gaddafi, 30, who has a record of run-ins with police across Europe, was arrested and jailed on 15 July after staff at the luxury Geneva hotel where he was staying alerted police to violent rows in his suite. Mr Gaddafi and his wife, Aline, who is nine months' pregnant, were arrested and charged with maltreating their domestic staff. He was held in custody and later released on bail; she was taken to hospital when she complained of feeling unwell. Tripoli reacted furiously, with Mr Gaddafi's sister, Aisha, saying that Libya would respond on the basis of "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth".
Diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Libya were in crisis yesterday after Libya vowed "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" in retaliation for the Swiss authorities putting Hannibal, the youngest son of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, in jail for two days.
Libya announced it would halt fuel supplies to Switzerland and bar the country's ships from its ports in protest at what it called the "fabricated" and "illegitimate" charges against one of Col Gaddafi's seven sons.
Hannibal Gaddafi, 30, who has a record of run-ins with police across Europe, was arrested and jailed on 15 July after staff at the luxury Geneva hotel where he was staying alerted police to violent rows in his suite. Mr Gaddafi and his wife, Aline, who is nine months' pregnant, were arrested and charged with maltreating their domestic staff. He was held in custody and later released on bail; she was taken to hospital when she complained of feeling unwell.
Tripoli reacted furiously, with Mr Gaddafi's sister, Aisha, saying that Libya would respond on the basis of "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth".
The UK's business department, BERR, has been accused of trying to sabotage Europe's rules on renewable energy. BERR is trying to change a line in an EU Directive which mandates that energy sources such as wind and wave should get priority connections to the grid. Problems with getting electricity grid connection to windy sites is one of the biggest reasons for the UK failing on its current renewables targets. Greenpeace says BERR has been caught "red-handed" undermining clean energy. BERR's attempt to weaken the terms of the mandate was revealed in a leaked document.
The UK's business department, BERR, has been accused of trying to sabotage Europe's rules on renewable energy.
BERR is trying to change a line in an EU Directive which mandates that energy sources such as wind and wave should get priority connections to the grid.
Problems with getting electricity grid connection to windy sites is one of the biggest reasons for the UK failing on its current renewables targets.
Greenpeace says BERR has been caught "red-handed" undermining clean energy.
BERR's attempt to weaken the terms of the mandate was revealed in a leaked document.
The European Union experienced a record number of food safety warnings in 2007, the EU's health commissioner has revealed. In its annual report, the EU's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), released by commissioner Androulla Vassiliou on Wednesday (23 July), recorded 7,354 notifications of health risks from food or animal feed that were passed on to the European Commission in 2007 - an "all-time high", according to the commissioner, and up 13.5 percent on the previous year. Fish products were the biggest offenders with some 21% alerts originating with seafood In 2006, the total came to 6,840 such notifications. However, Ms Vassiliou cautioned that an increase in warnings does not mean a decline in food safety. "Does the increase of notifications signify that our food is getting less safe? No, it doesn't. It may well mean the contrary," she said.
The European Union experienced a record number of food safety warnings in 2007, the EU's health commissioner has revealed.
In its annual report, the EU's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), released by commissioner Androulla Vassiliou on Wednesday (23 July), recorded 7,354 notifications of health risks from food or animal feed that were passed on to the European Commission in 2007 - an "all-time high", according to the commissioner, and up 13.5 percent on the previous year.
Fish products were the biggest offenders with some 21% alerts originating with seafood
In 2006, the total came to 6,840 such notifications.
However, Ms Vassiliou cautioned that an increase in warnings does not mean a decline in food safety.
"Does the increase of notifications signify that our food is getting less safe? No, it doesn't. It may well mean the contrary," she said.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - EU member states remain divided over a European Commission proposal aimed at setting out EU-wide minimum rules on criminal sanctions against employers who hire undocumented immigrants from outside Europe. A Thursday (23 July) debate by EU interior ministers revealed that it was mainly countries under the biggest pressure from clandestine migration - such as Italy and Spain - which had thrown their weight behind tougher penalties, including criminal ones. The European Commission proposal on sanctions against employers who hire illegal non-EU immigrants dates back to May 2007 Italian interior minister Roberto Maroni - whose country has gained a negative reputation for having many illegal workers in the agriculture and construction sectors - suggested further beefing up criminal sanctions by targeting firms' "assets and wealth." On the other hand, a group of seven countries - including Germany, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, the Netherlands and Sweden - said the criminal measures would be unjustified.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - EU member states remain divided over a European Commission proposal aimed at setting out EU-wide minimum rules on criminal sanctions against employers who hire undocumented immigrants from outside Europe.
A Thursday (23 July) debate by EU interior ministers revealed that it was mainly countries under the biggest pressure from clandestine migration - such as Italy and Spain - which had thrown their weight behind tougher penalties, including criminal ones.
The European Commission proposal on sanctions against employers who hire illegal non-EU immigrants dates back to May 2007
Italian interior minister Roberto Maroni - whose country has gained a negative reputation for having many illegal workers in the agriculture and construction sectors - suggested further beefing up criminal sanctions by targeting firms' "assets and wealth."
On the other hand, a group of seven countries - including Germany, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, the Netherlands and Sweden - said the criminal measures would be unjustified.
A majority of EU member states, including Britain and Ireland, have voted to reform rules like EC Commission Regulation No 2257/94, which caused international ridicule by stating that all bananas must be "free of abnormal curvature" and at least 14 cm in length. Imperfectly-shaped fruit and vegetables may now be back on supermarket shelves by 2009. France, Italy, Spain and Greece opposed the reforms and were accused by officials of unfairly seeking to protect the interests of their farmers.
A majority of EU member states, including Britain and Ireland, have voted to reform rules like EC Commission Regulation No 2257/94, which caused international ridicule by stating that all bananas must be "free of abnormal curvature" and at least 14 cm in length.
Imperfectly-shaped fruit and vegetables may now be back on supermarket shelves by 2009.
France, Italy, Spain and Greece opposed the reforms and were accused by officials of unfairly seeking to protect the interests of their farmers.
EUR-Lex - 31994R2257 - EN
A. Minimum requirements In all classes, subject to the special provisions for each class and the tolerances allowed, the bananas must be: - green and unripened, - intact, - firm, - sound; produce affected by rotting or deterioration such as to make it unfit for consumption is excluded, - clean, practically free from visible foreign matter, - practically free from pests, - practically free from damage caused by pests, - with the stalk intact, without bending, fungal damage or dessication, - with pistils removed, - free from malformation or abnormal curvature of the fingers, - practically free from bruises, - practically free from damage due to low temperatures, - free from abnormal external moisture, - free from any foreign smell and/or taste.<...> The minimum length permitted is 14 cm and the minimum grade permitted is 27 mm. As an exception to the last paragraph, bananas produced in Madeira, the Azores, the Algarve, Crete and Lakonia which are less than 14 cm in length may be marketed in the Community but must be classified in Class II.
A. Minimum requirements
In all classes, subject to the special provisions for each class and the tolerances allowed, the bananas must be:
- green and unripened,
- intact,
- firm,
- sound; produce affected by rotting or deterioration such as to make it unfit for consumption is excluded,
- clean, practically free from visible foreign matter,
- practically free from pests,
- practically free from damage caused by pests,
- with the stalk intact, without bending, fungal damage or dessication,
- with pistils removed,
- free from malformation or abnormal curvature of the fingers,
- practically free from bruises,
- practically free from damage due to low temperatures,
- free from abnormal external moisture,
- free from any foreign smell and/or taste.
<...>
The minimum length permitted is 14 cm and the minimum grade permitted is 27 mm.
As an exception to the last paragraph, bananas produced in Madeira, the Azores, the Algarve, Crete and Lakonia which are less than 14 cm in length may be marketed in the Community but must be classified in Class II.
So, a detailed regulation on the quality of imported fruit permitted for sale, that might be found on any country's statute book. The point about the bend is a point about malformation.
This is about laying down standards for producers. In particular:
the purpose of these standards is to ensure that the market is supplied with products of uniform and satisfactory quality, in particular in the case of bananas harvested in the Community, for which efforts to improve quality should be made.
"In the Community" would cover the French overseas departments of Martinique and Guadeloupe, for instance. It's to be expected that the big producers, like Chiquita, Dole, etc, were already applying similar standards, simply because, in their industrial perspective, it is counter-productive to work with plantations that turn out heterogenous material in terms of packaging, transport, and final consumer acceptance.
Now, either you regulate in matters like these or you leave it to "the market". In any case, you'll note that all fruit (in the US and Europe, at least) is sold in carefully-measured sizes. It seems 1) industrial process; 2) marketability 3) regulations where they exist, concur to produce a similar result.
Are industrial process or free markets held up to ridicule for laying down measured standards?
On that EUR-Lex page, I could not find references to penalties, rights to sell, etc. So I am not clear just what effect such standards have in practice.
I guess they are are just "guidelines" then. Cynicism is intellectual treason.
Bent banana and curved cucumber rules dropped by EU - Telegraph
How long before the Nazi rulers in the EU turn their attention to banning imperfect people? We must rebel against every EU dirctive at every opportunity.
France is to close 83 of its military units in a major shake-up of its defence strategy, the French prime minister has said. Speaking at a press conference, Francois Fillon said money saved would be poured back into the armed forces. He also promised the government would help towns and villages cope with the economic fall-out when the local garrison moved on. The changes are the biggest shake-up of defence policy in 14 years. Mr Fillon announced that the military sites which face closure include regiments, logistic centres and air force bases.
France is to close 83 of its military units in a major shake-up of its defence strategy, the French prime minister has said.
Speaking at a press conference, Francois Fillon said money saved would be poured back into the armed forces.
He also promised the government would help towns and villages cope with the economic fall-out when the local garrison moved on.
The changes are the biggest shake-up of defence policy in 14 years.
Mr Fillon announced that the military sites which face closure include regiments, logistic centres and air force bases.
The Italian senate's unanimous support for the Lisbon treaty on Wednesday (23 July) should help force Ireland into a revote, Italian politicians have said, with Ireland looking increasingly likely to stand out as the only EU country not to ratify the text. "If ratification takes place in the other 26 states, in the autumn we will be able to ask Ireland to find a solution which will not block the integration process and go to the European elections with the new rules foreseen in the Lisbon treaty," the senate's foreign affairs committee head, Lamberto Dini, indicated. Rome: the founding EU treaty was signed in the Italian capital in 1957 "The challenge [of solving Europe's political problems] will begin on the day when the treaty enters into force and when the [EU] countries find out they can no longer rely on the right to veto by one of them," Italian foreign minister and former EU commissioner, Franco Frattini, added. The remarks came as all 286 Italian senators who turned up for the Lisbon vote on Wednesday afternoon gave their backing to the text, with the Italian lower house also expected to approve the treaty by a large majority when it votes next week.
The Italian senate's unanimous support for the Lisbon treaty on Wednesday (23 July) should help force Ireland into a revote, Italian politicians have said, with Ireland looking increasingly likely to stand out as the only EU country not to ratify the text.
"If ratification takes place in the other 26 states, in the autumn we will be able to ask Ireland to find a solution which will not block the integration process and go to the European elections with the new rules foreseen in the Lisbon treaty," the senate's foreign affairs committee head, Lamberto Dini, indicated.
Rome: the founding EU treaty was signed in the Italian capital in 1957
"The challenge [of solving Europe's political problems] will begin on the day when the treaty enters into force and when the [EU] countries find out they can no longer rely on the right to veto by one of them," Italian foreign minister and former EU commissioner, Franco Frattini, added.
The remarks came as all 286 Italian senators who turned up for the Lisbon vote on Wednesday afternoon gave their backing to the text, with the Italian lower house also expected to approve the treaty by a large majority when it votes next week.
BRUSSELS: The European Food Safety Authority pulled back Thursday from giving milk and meat from cloned animals a clean bill of health, making it less likely that such products could reach store shelves in Europe anytime soon. The final report from the authority, an independent advisory body, was less reassuring about safety than a draft in January. It comes after an earlier, negative assessment from a European ethics committee. The European Commission, which must decide whether to approve such products, will take both reports into account. The findings also contrast with those of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which concluded this year that such products were safe - although a voluntary moratorium on marketing them remains in place. Europeans seem likely to take an even more cautious approach similar to that followed with genetically modified crops - which has led to years of trade friction with the United States. Surveys show resistance in Europe to biotechnology remains high, especially when it comes to food.
BRUSSELS: The European Food Safety Authority pulled back Thursday from giving milk and meat from cloned animals a clean bill of health, making it less likely that such products could reach store shelves in Europe anytime soon.
The final report from the authority, an independent advisory body, was less reassuring about safety than a draft in January. It comes after an earlier, negative assessment from a European ethics committee. The European Commission, which must decide whether to approve such products, will take both reports into account.
The findings also contrast with those of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which concluded this year that such products were safe - although a voluntary moratorium on marketing them remains in place.
Europeans seem likely to take an even more cautious approach similar to that followed with genetically modified crops - which has led to years of trade friction with the United States. Surveys show resistance in Europe to biotechnology remains high, especially when it comes to food.
The FDA says it's safe, so when the EU FSA doesn't reach the same conclusion, it "fails to endorse".
There has also been a 10-fold increase in the number of incidents reported by people working in the French nuclear power industry, Criirad director Corinne Castanier said. ... Electricite de France says Wednesday's incident at Tricastin - a huge nuclear complex near the town of Avignon - was not connected to the earlier uranium leak at the plant. ... The rise in radiation prompted 97 EDF and maintenance subcontractors to be evacuated and sent for medical tests. "Seventy of them show low traces of radioelements, below one 40th of the authorised limit," EDF said, adding that the incident would not affect people's health or the environment. .... On Friday, energy company Areva said liquid containing slightly enriched uranium leaked at another of its sites in south-east France. The same day, 15 EDF workers were exposed to what the company called "non-harmful" traces of radioactive elements at the Saint-Alban plant in the Alpine Isere region.
"Seventy of them show low traces of radioelements, below one 40th of the authorised limit," EDF said, adding that the incident would not affect people's health or the environment. .... On Friday, energy company Areva said liquid containing slightly enriched uranium leaked at another of its sites in south-east France.
The same day, 15 EDF workers were exposed to what the company called "non-harmful" traces of radioactive elements at the Saint-Alban plant in the Alpine Isere region.
In Spain last May we heard about a leak that occurred in November 2007, Endesa had not reported it and had continued the plant visits scheduled for students! There have been 2-3 more since then.
Is there any country on earth that takes its regulation and supervision duty seriously? Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. -Charu Saxena.
It also shows that nuclear IS taking "regulation and supervision" seriousy given that such minor incidents are being reported publicly. The hysterics are such that if such minor incidents are not reported, the industry is accused of hiding stuff, and if reported, it is accused of being unsecure.
A car crossing a red light would be a "level 0" incident if the driving industry had such a scale. This is just becoming ridiculous. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
A car crossing a red light would be a "level 0" incident if the driving industry had such a scale.
And a car refusing to stop for a pedestrian on a crossing would perhaps be "Level 1" ? And what would be your attitude to that? ;)
More seriously, though you may be right about journalists, public reporting of incidents is meaningless unless it is publicly reported. A list of incidents on a web page you have to search for, and an absolutely derisory Public Information Centre effort by the French Nuclear Security Authority (please take a serious look, if you can stop laughing, at the presentation on the Authority's site of the Public Information Centre and the documentation made available to the public (not a single link!!!).)
So the journalists may be ignorant (not surprising) but a genuine effort by the authorities to inform transparently is not there. In the case of nuclear, that is a serious matter precisely because nuclear is scary.
So I'd say they get the reporting they deserve.
Syndicated political columnist and television pundit Robert D. Novak was issued a $50 traffic citation yesterday after he struck and slightly injured a pedestrian while driving his sports car in downtown Washington, police said.
Novak, who was on his way to work when the incident occurred, said the bicyclist was "shouting at me that I couldn't just hit people and drive away. But I didn't know I'd hit him. I really didn't have any idea it happened until they flagged me down and told me."
Bono, 47, a partner at Harkins Cunningham law firm, said: "I can tell you what I saw. I was on K Street on my bicycle, and what I saw was a guy get hit by a black Corvette convertible. I see the guy go up on the hood, up on the windshield." As the Corvette turned right from 18th Street onto the service road beside K, Bono said, "the guy rolled off the hood and landed on the street."
