The European Parliament has introduced a new amendment on the reform package of EU telecommunications law, overriding the previously reached compromise.
It comes in defiance of a draft French law that persecutes Internet users who violate copyright laws by illegal sharing of content on the Internet. The amendment requires that “no restriction may be imposed on the fundamental rights and freedoms of end users, without a prior ruling by the judicial authorities (…) save when public security is threatened”.
This approach is contested by Member states and the whole package may fail.
Now I am wondering if this has anything to do with the row over the Working Time Directive?
Roland Strauss, executive director of Knowledge4Innovation, has told EurActiv in an interview that “billions of euro could be saved if knowledge that is already available was not created a second or third time”.
According to Strauss there are two opportunities to fight that: one is to use existing information that can come from patent offices, from sleeping pattens and, on the other side, better communication among research actors themselves. He says knowledge and innovation communities will be an important factor in determining EU research and innovation priorities.
The Commission has published the General Report on the activities of the European Union in 2008. The General Report covers the work of all the EU institutions and bodies and seeks to provide an overview of the notable events and key trends of EU life in 2008.
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Tagged European Union, General Affairs
