Jana Bour

Last week, on behalf of APCO European Public Affairs, I attended the Intellectual Property Conference organized by the Hungarian Presidency in Budapest. This conference came at a timely moment, coinciding with the Hungarian Presidency’s questionnaire on AI and copyright. 💬 What was discussed: Citing Draghi’s report, policymakers highlighted the importance of boosting AI investment to keep Europe competitive and accelerate research and innovation. Key debates centered on text and data mining (TDM) exceptions, access to data, liability for copyright infringement, and ensuring fair compensation for rightsholders, notably through licensing and collective management. The process of patenting generative AI outputs, the role of AI in IP enforcement, and the Patent Package were also key topics of discussion. 👋 Want to know more or exchange on what’s coming up in IP, Copyright and AI in the next mandate? Let’s grab a coffee ☕ ! I’d be happy to discuss trends, ongoing and upcoming key files, and the best ways to engage.

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#Finnishgovernment has sent letters to all EU´s #commissionerdesignates. Jozef Sikela got one too. There would have been space to highlight EU´s legal commitment and primary objective of EU #development policy, as laid down in Article 208 #TFEU, which is the reduction and, in the long term, eradication of poverty. It would have been nice to see other buzzwords (like #globalgateway) in the letter. Those words are #nexus #democracy #peace #inequality. And not only as words, but as a frame to guide all actions. CONCORD Kestävän kehityksen toimikunta ja sitoumukset @kehityspoliittinentoimikunta

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[New issue of our journal #PublicSectorEconomics]   🔴 The puzzle of household savings in the EU: tracing influences across time and space / Ana Skoblar   🔴 How compliant are state-owned enterprises in Austria and Slovenia with regard to their sustainability reports? / Tatjana Stanimirović, Philumena Bauer, Dorothea Greiling   🔴 Unsolicited versus solicited public partnership proposals: is there a trade-off between innovation and competition? / Gonzalo Ruiz Diaz   🔴 How does ownership structure affect the profitability of Turkish banks? A comparative analysis of determinants / Ahsen Emir Bulut, Nilgün Acar Balaylar, Turan Karimli   🔴 Fiscal dominance and inflation: evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa / John Hooley, Lam Nguyen, Mika Saito, Shirin Nikaein Towfighian   https://lnkd.in/dE5YS3TW   #openaccess #publicfinance #peerreview #researchpaper

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I'm honored to have contributed, alongside more than 20 other experts, to ILGA-Europe comprehensive review of the implementation of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers Recommendation (2010)5. Here's how #Lithuania compares to other European countries on SOGIESC protections: 🔹 Legal protections: Lithuania has some protections based on sexual orientation, but lags behind countries like Albania, Belgium, and Denmark in comprehensive SOGIESC protections. 🔹 Same-sex partnerships: Unlike Croatia, Cyprus, and Czechia, Lithuania maintains a constitutional limitation on same-sex marriage and offers no legal recognition for same-sex partnerships. 🔹 Adoption rights: While countries like Andorra, Austria, and Belgium allow same-sex couples to jointly adopt, Lithuania lacks regulation in this area. 🔹 "Propaganda" laws: Lithuania, along with Hungary and now Bulgaria, still has laws restricting LGBTI expression, particularly regarding information accessible to minors - a stark contrast to most European countries. 🔹 Data collection: Lithuania collects data on sexual orientation-based discrimination, but falls short of countries like France that gather data on multiple SOGIESC grounds. 🔹 Trans rights: Unlike Belgium, Denmark, and Malta, which have depathologized trans identities, Lithuania's limited legal gender recognition measures still rely on medical diagnosis. 🔹 National Human Rights Institutions: Lithuania's NHRI mandate on SOGIESC protections is more limited compared to countries like Albania or Malta. 🔹 Asylum processes: Unlike Finland, France, and Hungary, Lithuania lacks SOGIESC-specific protocols for asylum officials interviewing LGBTI asylum seekers. On a positive note, Lithuania does have more elaborate anti-discrimination legislation than some regional counterparts, such as Poland. This comparison includes 27 Council of Europe Member States based on the report. #LGBTI #HumanRights #Equality #CouncilOfEurope

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Two interesting messages Mario Draghi on the EU-approach after the sovereign debt crisis: “We pursued a deliberate strategy of trying to lower wage costs relative to each other and combine this together with a pro-cyclical fiscal policy. The net effect was only to weaken our own domestic demand and weaken our social model.” Eric Marlier on the employment and poverty targets: “(…) not surpringly, employment contributes effectively to better poverty outcomes. However, the second key message, also other factors are at play. Growth in employment is not enough on itself. I'll come back on data, impact assessments, etc. in a later post.

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Following the debates in the Plenary Session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe on Sustainable Development of Long-Term Care for Older Persons. The responsibility for care is more and more taken up at the local level and requires competent personnel and sufficient resources.

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Our Newsflash of 5 July 2024 is available, addressing: ▶️ Conclusions of the June #EUCO and adoption of the EU #StrategicAgenda 2024-2029 ▶️ Priorities of the Hungarian Presidency of the Council, with a focus on SGIs' contribution to competitiveness, the social dimension, the implementation of the EU Green Deal and the integration of migrants and refugees in the labour market READ MORE 👉 https://bit.ly/4cL4raI

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What does the Hungarian presidency of the Council mean for cooperatives in Europe? ✅ Competitiveness & SMEs ✅ Development through cohesion policy ❌ Little focus on Eastern Europe in enlargement ❌ Minimal attention to social economy Find out more in this article: https://lnkd.in/eBHqcFdR #cooperatives #SMEs #competitiveness #Letta #SocialEconomy

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The European Parliamentary Research Service just published the study that we as the JURI committee requested on the #AILiability Directive. Particularly, it focuses on possible legal gaps and the relationship with the Product Liability Directive and the #AIAct. The study is very extensive and covers a lot of aspects. It argues that despite the wide scope of the PLD, there is still a need for regulation in the #AILD. Next steps in the JURI committee will be decided in October. https://lnkd.in/eTcvrtBF

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🗓 #CSDDD - Save the date for final European Parliament vote 🗳 In one week, on 24 April at 12.00 CET, MEPs will vote on the final agreement on the #EU Corporate Sustainability #DueDiligence Directive 👁 This will be a big moment but it is one of almost 15 laws being voted during a one hour period - so blink & you might miss it ✋ So far it will be a straight ✅ or ❌ vote on the entire text - a simple majority out of 705 MEPs secures the future of the law 📜 The current agenda is below & you can follow live here ➡ https://lnkd.in/evv3YmnU

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Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2031 of 26 July 2024 on the template for monitoring plans pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2023/1805 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the use of renewable and low-carbon fuels in maritime transport, and amending Directive 2009/16/EC. https://lnkd.in/eBP4-Zcq

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Is the EPP Group really a centre-right party ⁉ The latest report of the Centre for European Studies at Mathias Corvinus Collegium - MCC is adamant: our analysis of 86 pieces of legislation reveals 9️⃣ 5️⃣ % alignment with S&D and Renew on four key EU policies. With 100% approval on : 1️⃣ the Migration Pact 👮‍♂️ 2️⃣ Rule of Law 👨‍⚖️ 3️⃣ and Trade Agreements 💹 ...and "only" 90% on the Green Deal 🍏 . Of course, some national delegations (notably the French) took a different stance, but when comparing the EPP´s final votes, the result is cristal-clear. Infinite thanks to the co-authors Damille Devenyi, Yann Caspar, and my other colleagues of the Centre for their great work on that report. 🙏 Dive into the data! 👇 👇 MCC Brussels #EU #EUelections #migration #GreenDeal #RuleofLaw #EPP

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HUF 10.2 billion HUF (EUR 25.5 million) profiteering from the poor - investigation of the Operational Programme for Deprived Persons concluded The Integrity Authority is filing a complaint for budget fraud and money laundering committed in a criminal organization, mismanagement, and agreement in restraint of competition in public procurement procedures, following the conclusion of its investigation into four EU-funded projects conducted under the Operational Programme for Deprived Persons (RSZTOP). The investigation has confirmed overpricing in two of the four projects, amounting to a total of HUF 10.2 billion. The investigation has confirmed overpricing in two of the four projects, amounting to a total of HUF 10.2 billion. The Directorate General for Social Affairs and Child Protection (DGSACS), the beneficiary of the grant, worked together with suppliers that charged extremely high rates for basic food commodities. Moreover, three tenderers potentially colluded with each other during the public procurement procedure to determine the prices of the products to be procured. The extent of profiteering from those in need is well illustrated by an example: one kilogram of granulated sugar was purchased for four times the average price at the time, at HUF 1 036 instead of HUF 262. #IntegrityAuthority #complaint #investigation #Eugrant #Eufunds #corruption #anticorruption #overpricing

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At the last minute of its European Council presidency, will Belgium still manage to get unanimous agreement among member states on the ViDA package? At the ECOFIN Council (European Council of Finance Ministers) on 14 May 2024, the Belgian presidency failed to secure unanimous agreement among member states on the European Commission's ViDA proposal. On the mandatory digital reporting from 1 July 2030 of intra-Community transactions, member states apparently do agree. Also, on the various measures to ensure that there will be fewer situations where VAT taxable persons established in one member state will need a VAT number and submit returns in another member state (extension of the transactions that can be reported under the OSS scheme, more cases where VAT can or must be reverse-charged to the customer, and so on). But no unanimity was reached on the third pillar, the 'deemed supplier regime' (DSR), under which digital platforms that facilitate services of short-term rental of accommodation and passenger transport by road, will be considered commission agents, and thus will have to be responsible for collecting and passing on the VAT due on these services. Officially, it is Estonia that continues to oppose this measure. The fact that Bolt, a very well-known platform that facilitates, among other things, road passenger transport services, is based in the Estonian capital Tallinn may have a role in this. The Estonian finance minister fears, among other things, that this new rule will lead to an increase in the cost for consumers, which could lead to less consumption and thus less revenue, and to a possible disadvantage of an EU platform vis-à-vis one based outside the EU. According to a source close to the negotiations, Estonia has not yet lifted its opposition to that measure. Therefore, Belgium, as Council president, is still holding bilateral talks with Estonia to try to convince them to still give their agreement on the whole ViDA package. For now, Estonia insists on a so-called ‘opt-in’ clause, meaning that each member state could choose whether or not to apply this measure. But neither Belgium nor the European Commission are in favour of this. Meanwhile, talks are also ongoing to allocate some top European positions. For instance, the Estonian prime minister is in the running to become the new "High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs". Perhaps the allocation of this post could make Estonia give up its opposition to the DSR pillar of the ViDA package after all. Wait and see what will happen on the ECOFIN Council this Friday 21 June 2024. #VAT #ViDA #ECOFIN

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With the proposed amendments to the Consumer Protection Act, which are already under consideration in the National Assembly, Bulgaria is one step away from introducing a significantly stronger and more effective mechanism for the protection of consumers' collective rights. The amendments aim to modernise and extend the scope of the existing legal framework to cover new areas of protection and at the same time introduce swifter and more efficient judicial procedures. https://lnkd.in/dykR9CC5

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Disturbing news about engagement with #hungary on compliance with the Anti-Bribery Convention, https://lnkd.in/ep-GphYt, according to the #oecd Working Group on Bribery, https://lnkd.in/eatHU5my. For more background on Hungary's compliance, https://lnkd.in/ehmu5a4G.

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It’s day four of the hearings, and commissioner-designates are being assessed on key issues, including EU enlargement, climate action, the EU budget, and economic policy. Today, our spotlight is on Wopke Hoekstra (the Netherlands), the proposed Commissioner for 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗡𝗲𝘁-𝗭𝗲𝗿𝗼, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵. He will be appearing in a hearing organized by 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘀 at 9:00 CET, chaired by 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗮 𝗥𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗮 𝗥𝗼𝗱𝗿𝗶́𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘇, Executive Vice-President for Spain’s Clean, Just, and Competitive Transition. Vulnerable neighborhoods, especially in industrial suburbs, face high levels of pollution, inadequate services, limited green spaces, and chronic underrepresentation. These challenges disproportionately impact low-income families, migrants, single parents, students, and individuals with mental health challenges or disabilities. Therefore, we are posing the following question to him: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗘𝗨 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀? 𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲? This question is inspired by our 𝗗𝗩 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗶𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀. 📌DV recommendation: https://lnkd.in/eu-b57sV 📹Follow the hearings live: https://europa.eu/!jX6qDn #EPhearings #EUCommission #EnvironmentalJustice #climatenetzero

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🌐 Kicking off today, the 10th eu-LISA Industry Roundtable is live in Budapest! This time’s event, titled ‘EU Justice and Home Affairs in the Age of AI: Fostering Innovations and Mitigating Risks,’ is organised in partnership with the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union #HU24EU. 👉 The Roundtable brings together industry leaders, EU institutions, and Member States’ authorities to explore the challenges and opportunities of integrating AI-based solutions in the Justice and Home Affairs sector, especially in light of the new AI Act. -- Highlights over the next 1.5 days include: ✔ Regulatory Updates: Key insights from experts at DG CNECT and DG HOME on the AI regulatory framework. ✔ Challenges and Opportunities: Analysis from leading researchers and policy experts on the potential benefits and hurdles for public sector AI use. ✔ Compliance Solutions: Presentations on ensuring transparency and explainability in line with the regulatory requirements. ✔ Operational Solutions: Innovative AI solutions addressing real-world challenges, including border management. ✔ Generative AI in Public Services: Presentations on leveraging generative AI to support public services, featuring DG JRC and top industry providers. --- 👉 Stay tuned for more updates from Budapest! 👉 https://lnkd.in/giViAwFW #StrongerTogether for #ASaferEurope #JHAAN2024 #JHAAgencies

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