Law & Justice

EU Official: Poland Must Implement Tribunal's Decisions

April 06, 2016

While he indicated that ongoing progress between Poland's government and constitutional tribunal could preclude further EU monitoring and potential future sanctions, Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans called on the Polish government to end the stand-off between the bodies by implementing the court's rulings regarding changes in the judiciary.
CoE Body Seeks Reforms in French Local Democracy

April 04, 2016

The Council of Europe's ("CoE") Congress of Local and Regional Authorities has adopted a recommendation on French local and regional democracy calling on national authorities in the country to engage in more consultation with local officials on boundary and election issues and to transfer certain powers on taxation to the local level.
ECJ Will Hold Hearing on UK Surveillance Law

April 01, 2016

The Guardian reports that the Court of Justice of the EU ("ECJ") has scheduled an emergency hearing in April to determine whether UK legislation requiring that telecommunications companies retain communications data for a maximum period of 12 months violates EU law.
UK Official: EU Rules Ease Entry by Terror Suspects

March 30, 2016

UK Under Secretary of State for Justice Dominic Raab has warned that EU rules have made the bar for border security to deny the entry into Britain of suspected terrorists and criminals "impossibly high" and argued that deporting foreign criminals would be easier if Britain opts to leave the EU.
EU Reviews "Geoblocking" by Online Content Providers

March 30, 2016

Reuters reports that the European Commission is reviewing the antitrust implications of the practice by online content providers of "geoblocking," or restricting access to content by users in certain countries, finding that it might violate EU rules prohibiting "anti-competitive behaviour."
Opponents Threaten EU Legal Action Against UK Sugar Tax

March 30, 2016

According to The Telegraph, companies in the food and beverage industry are preparing a legal challenge in the EU courts to a planned tax on some sugary drinks in UK Chancellor George Osborne's budget, arguing that the tax is anti-competitive and gives an "unfair advantage" to some beverage producers.
EU Parliament Head Calls on Poland to Repeal Court Measures

March 30, 2016

Prior to a discussion at the European Commission of rule of law developments in Poland, President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz has called on the Polish Government to repeal measures through which it changed the composition and procedure of the country's Constitutional Court and to take into account international concerns regarding its democracy.
ECJ Strikes down Broad EU Information Request

March 29, 2016

The National Law Review reports that the Court of Justice of the EU ("ECJ") has invalidated a "lengthy" and "all-encompassing" request for information sent by the European Commission to cement manufacturers during a cartel investigation, arguing that such requests must be tailored to the investigation and must reveal the reasons for the questioning.
CoE Body Examines Polish Surveillance Law

March 29, 2016

AP reports that the Council of Europe's ("CoE") body of constitutional experts, the Venice Commission, is following up its criticisms of Polish legislation on the composition and procedure of the country's Constitutional Court with an investigation of a Polish law granting police new authority to access internet data and pursue surveillance.
EU Council Pushes Bulgaria, Romania on Judicial Reform

March 28, 2016

As part of the EU Cooperation and Verification Mechanism on strengthening the rule of law in member states Bulgaria and Romania, the Council of the EU has published conclusions on the progress of the countries that call for specific measures and reforms to enhance judicial independence and combat corruption among Bulgarian and Romanian judges.