Topic: EU - on July 4, 2010 at 12:31:00 PM CEST
Kissing in cars, feeding stray cats and building sandcastles all banned in Italy
More than 150 "public security" laws have been introduced since Silvio Berlusconi, the prime minister, granted extra powers to local councils to help them crack down on crime and anti-social behaviour.
In the latest episode in the fight to maintain "public decorum", Vigevano, a town near Milan, this week slapped fines of €160 (£130) each on a young couple who dared to sit on the steps of a local monument.
... Link (0 comments) ... Comment
Topic: EU - on June 30, 2010 at 10:45:00 AM CEST
EU to ban selling eggs by dozen
Under the draft legislation, to come into force as early as next year, the sale of groceries using the simple measurement of numbers will be replaced by an EU-wide system based on weight.
It would mean an end to packaging descriptions such as eggs by the dozen, four-packs of apples, six bread rolls or boxes of 12 fish fingers.
... Link (0 comments) ... Comment
Topic: EU - on June 2, 2010 at 1:30:00 PM CEST
Krise in Euro-Land - Verein der Versager
Nicht nur Steuerbetrüger in Griechenland und Hedgefonds haben Europa in die Existenzkrise gestürzt - kräftig mitgeholfen hat die politische Führung in Euro-Land. Sie ist nicht willens ihren Job zu machen. Oder nicht fähig.
Als im Herbst 2008 die Geldhäuser der westlich-kapitalistischen Welt wankten, manche einstürzten und weitere mitrissen, strömte Angst durch die Korridore der Macht: Was tun, um die ökonomische Kernschmelze abzuwenden? Finanzminister und Regierungschefs versammelten sich in hektischen Krisensitzungen, legten der schwer verwundeten Finanzbranche Heilpflaster aus Milliarden von Dollar und Euro aus den Steuerkassen auf und versprachen, das fragile System für alle Zukunft zu stabilisieren.
... Link (0 comments) ... Comment
Topic: EU - on May 20, 2010 at 12:29:00 PM CEST
Essen aus der Ekelküche - Industrie muss auf Klebefleisch verzichten
Wer Fleischreste mit einem Schweineblut-Enzym versetzt, kann sogenannten Klebeschinken herstellen. Die EU wollte das Verfahren zulassen, doch das Europaparlament durchkreuzt die Pläne der Lebensmittelindustrie - es legte mit denkbar knapper Mehrheit sein Veto ein.
... Link (0 comments) ... Comment
Topic: EU - on May 5, 2010 at 2:39:00 PM CEST
Satellite photos catch Greek tax-evaders
The cheating is often quite bold. When tax authorities recently surveyed the returns of 150 doctors with offices in the trendy Athens neighborhood of Kolonaki, where Prada and Chanel stores can be found, more than half had claimed an income of less than $40,000. Thirty-four of them claimed less than $13,300, a figure that exempted them from paying any taxes at all.
... Link (0 comments) ... Comment
Topic: EU - on November 14, 2009 at 12:42:00 PM CET
"Breathtakingly Stupid" EU Cookie Law Passes
"A couple of weeks ago we discussed the EU cookie proposal, which has now been passed into law. While the original story broke on the Out-law blog from a law perspective ('so breathtakingly stupid that the normally law-abiding business may be tempted to bend the rules to breaking point'), there has now been followup from a couple of industry insiders. Aurelie Pols of the Web Analytics Association has blogged on how this will affect websites that want to monitor what people are looking at on their sites, while eConsultancy has blogged on how this will impact the affiliate industry. In all of this the general public is being ignored — the people who, if the law is actually implemented, will have to proceed through ridiculous screens of text every time they access a website. I know most of you guys hate cookies in general, but they are vital for websites to know how people are accessing the sites so they can work out how to improve the experience for the user."
webanalyticsdemystified.com out-law.com econsultancy.com via
... Link
Topic: EU - on September 13, 2009 at 11:52:00 AM CEST
Pensioner stockpiles 1,000 banned lightbulbs so she can read for rest of her life
A pensioner has defied an EU ban by hoarding more than 1,000 traditional light bulbs - enough to see her 'into the grave'.
Valerie Hemsley-Flint, 62, has spent more than £500 of her pension money stockpiling the old-style 100-watt bulbs.
... Link
Topic: EU - on June 9, 2009 at 9:52:00 AM CEST
Pirate Party Wins and Enters The European Parliament
The Pirate Party has won a huge victory in the Swedish elections and is marching on to Brussels. After months of campaigning against well established parties, the Pirate Party has gathered enough votes to be guaranteed a seat in the European Parliament.
... Link
Topic: EU - on November 13, 2008 at 4:35:30 PM CET
New Dutch five euro coin
The Dutch Ministry of Finance organized an architecture competition for which a selected group of architectural offices (unstudio, nox, ...) and artists were invited, including myself. The goal of the competition was not to design a building, but the new 5 euro commemorative coin with the theme 'Netherlands and Architecture'. The winner will be rewarded with a nice price, but most of all with the honor: his design will be realized and will be a legal coin within the Netherlands.
... Link (0 comments) ... Comment
Topic: EU - on November 9, 2008 at 11:02:00 AM CET
Ban on votes for prisoners is illegal, says EU
The government must give prisoners the right to vote or the next general election will be illegal under European law, ministers have been warned by parliament's influential Joint Committee on Human Rights.
The committee's conclusion threatens a constitutional crisis for Labour, which has tried to bury the issue ever since the European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2005 that inmates should have the vote. The committee, comprising six MPs and six peers, has written to the Ministry of Justice saying the government must urgently change the law so that the majority of Britain's 84,000 prisoners are given the right before the country next goes to the polls.
... Link (0 comments) ... Comment
Topic: EU - on October 23, 2007 at 11:10:00 AM CEST
EU stretches Google-DoubleClick inquiry
The European Commission has decided to drag out its investigation of Google's proposed DoubleClick purchase.
Today, according to Reuters, the EU regulator extended the inquiry's deadline from October 26 all the way to November 13. So it's time to edit your calendars.
... Link (0 comments) ... Comment
Topic: EU - on March 1, 2007 at 3:10:00 PM CET
Microsoft warned of more EU fines
The EU has sought to force Microsoft to disclose information that will allow other companies to make sure their software works properly with Microsoft's operating systems.
The latest move comes after the Commission not only fined the firm, but also ordered it to make a version of Windows available without Media Player software.
... Link (0 comments) ... Comment
