La régulation bancaire européenne est toujours en attente de réforme, les Etats-Unis ayant adapté les règles par la loi Dodd-Frank, notamment via la règle Volcker qui exige au sein des banques la séparation de certaines activités et interdit aux banques de dépôt une liste d'activités. En Europe, le Royaume-Uni dispose du rapport de la Commission Vickers, qui prône un système beaucoup plus radical et d'une autre nature, à savoir la séparation entre les banques de dépôt et les banques d'investissement. La Commission Européenne a demandé sur le même thème un rapport à la Commission Liikanen. Celle-ci a rendu son rapport le 2 octobre, dont les conclusions se situent entre les deux. Le rapport ne demande pas la séparation préservant le modèle continental de la banque universelle, mais préconise à l'intérieur des banques la séparation des activités non-risquées de gestion de fonds (qui continueraient d'être garanties par l'Eat) et des activités risquées de gestions de fonds (qui cesseraient de bénéficier d'une telle garantie).

TRANSLATED SUMMARIES

ENGLISH

In France, the Minister of Ecology has issued an Order to facilitate the purchase of electricity generated by wind. The text is being challenged before the "Conseil d’Etat" (State Council) for illegality, in that it constitutes state aid. The State Council considers the matter serious enough to suspend the proceeding and seized the Court of Justice of the European Union of a preliminary question on 15 May 2012.

FRENCH

En France, le ministre de l’Ecologie a émis une ordonnance afin de faciliter l’achat de l’électricité produite par le vent. Le texte est actuellement contestée devant le «Conseil d’Etat" (Conseil d’Etat) pour cause d’illégalité, en ce qu’elle constitue une aide d’Etat. Le Conseil d’Etat considère que l’affaire suffisamment grave pour suspendre la procédure et saisi la Cour de justice de l’Union européenne d’une question préjudicielle le 15 mai 2012.

Translated Summaries

In The Journal of Regulation the summaries’ translation are done by the Editors and not by the authors

ENGLISH

The European Commission issued a reasoned opinion on November 24th, 2011, to France and the Czech Republic demanding that those countries modify their legislation in order to comply with European regulation on renewable energies. If the modifications are not implemented in the upcoming two months, the Commission will open a case before the European Court of Justice.

FRENCH

La Commission européenne a émis un avis motivé le 24 Novembre 2011, concernantla France et la République tchèque, exigeant que ces pays modifient leur législation afin de se conformer à la réglementation européenne sur les énergies renouvelables. Si les modifications ne sont pas mises en œuvre dans les deux prochains mois, la Commission ouvrira une procédure devant la Cour de justice de l’Union européenne

ITALIAN

Il 24 novembre 2011, la Commissione europea ha emesso una raccomandazione con cui richiede alla Francia ed alla Repubblica Ceca di modificare le proprie legislazioni in modo tale da conformarle alla regolamentazione europea in materia di energia rinnovabile. Se le modifiche non saranno introdotte entro i prossimi due mesi, la Commissione adirà la Corte di Giustizia Europea.

....................

Other translations forthcoming.

ENGLISH

On May 12, 2011, both Neelie Kroes, the European Commissioner for the digital agenda within the European Commission, and Larry Strickling, Assistant Commissioner for Communications and Information within the United States Department of Commerce, sent a notification to the ICANN, a private association that manages Internet domain names. First of all, they agreed with the principle of self-regulation of Internet domain names by the ICANN. But, they requested a reform of its “governance” to improve its transparency and better take into account public authorities’ recommendations.

Association - Conflict resolution - Domain name - European commission - Internet - Internet Corporation for Assigned Names & Numbers (ICANN) - Memorandum - Power - Private regulator - Regulatory Authority - Self regulation - Soft law - Transparency - United Nations (UN) *

* In The Journal of Regulation, these keywords are done by the Editor and not by the Author.

 

PORTUGUESE

Informe bibliográfico (Internet): Autoridades europeias e norte-americanas notificaram a ICANN, uma associação privada encarregada da auto-regulação de nomes de domínio na Internet, que ela deve adotar uma governança mais transparente e também adotar as recomendações de estruturas públicas.

Em 12 de maio de 2011, tanto Neelie Kroes, o Comissário Europeu para a agenda digital dentro da Comissão Europeia, quanto Larry Strickling, Comissário Assistente para Comunicações e Informação dentro do Departamento de Comércio dos Estados Unidos da América, enviaram uma notificação para a ICANN, uma associação privada que gerencia nomes de domínio na internet. Em primeiro lugar, eles concordaram com o princípio da auto-regulação dos nomes de domínio na Internet pela ICANN. No entanto, eles solicitaram uma reforma em sua governança para melhorar sua transparência e melhor levar em consideração as recomendações de autoridades públicas.

Associação – Resolução de conflitos – Nome de domínio – Comissão Europeia – Internet - Internet Corporation for Assigned Names & Numbers (ICANN) – Memorandum – Poder – Regulação privada – Autoridade de regulação – Auto-regulação – Soft law – Transparência – Nações Unidas (ONU)*

* No Journal of Regulation, as palavras-chave são fornecidas pelo Diretor, e não pelo Autor.

ITALIAN

Relazione bibliografica (Internet): Le autorità europee e nord americane hanno indicato che l’ICANN, una società privata che ha lo scopo di auto-regolare i nomi a dominio di internet, dovrà aumentare la trasparenza della gestione ed adottare le raccomandazioni delle strutture pubbliche

Il 12 maggio 2011, Neelie Kroes, Commissario europeo per l’agenda digitale della Commissione europea, e Larry Strickling, Commissario assistente per le comunicazioni e l’informazione del Dipartimento del Commercio degli Stati Uniti, hanno entrambi dichiarato che l’ICANN, una società privata che gestisce i nomi a dominio di Internet, deve riformare il proprio sistema di gestione migliorando la sua trasparenza e deve prendere in debita considerazione le raccomandazioni provenienti dalle autorità pubbliche.

Associazione - Autorità di regolazione - Autorità privata di regolazione - Auto-regolazione - Commissione Europea - Internet - Internet Corporation for Assigned Names & Numbers (ICANN) - Memorandum - Nazioni Unite (ONU) - Nomi di dominio - Potere - Risoluzione di controversie - Soft law - Transparenza *

* In The Journal of Regulation, le parole chiave sono responsabilità dell’Editore e non dall’Autore.

 

 Other translations fortcoming.

Translated Summaries

In The Journal of Regulation the summaries’ translation are done by the Editors and not by the authors

ENGLISH

On July 28, 2011, the European Court of Justice rejected an appeal by an Italian digital terrestrial broadcaster against a ruling of the European General Court, which had also rejected an appeal against the European Commission’s condemnation of Italy for having subsidized the purchase or rental by consumers of equipment for the reception of digital terrestrial television broadcast signals, since this was an indirect provision of state aid to the broadcasters.

 

FRENCH

Le 28 juillet 2011, la Cour de Justice de l’Union Européenne a rejeté un appel interjeté par un radiodiffuseur italienne numérique terrestre contre une décision de la Cour européenne de première instance, qui avait également rejeté un recours contre la condamnation prononcée par la Commission européenne de l’Italie pour avoir subventionné l’achat ou la location par le consommateurs d’équipements pour la réception de télévision numérique terrestre des signaux de télédiffusion, puisque ce fut une prestation indirecte, constitutive d’aides d’Etat au bénéfice des radiodiffuseurs.

 

SPANISH

El 28 de julio de 2011, el Tribunal Europeo de Justicia rechazó una apelación de un emisor italiano digital terrestre contra una resolución del Parlamento Europeo y del Tribunal General, que había rechazado también un recurso de apelación contra la condena de la Comisión Europea de Italia por haber subvencionado la compra o el alquiler de los consumidores de los equipos para la recepción de señales digitales terrestres de televisión, ya que esta era una disposición indirecta de las ayudas estatales a las emisoras.

DEUTSCH

Am 28. Juli 2011 hat der Gerichtshof der Europäischen Union eine Beschwerde von einem italienischen digitalen terrestrischen Sender zurückgewiesen gegen eine Entscheidung des Europäischen Gerichts Erster Instanz, die auch abgelehnt hatte Einspruch gegen der Überzeugung, in der Europäischen Kommission Italien nach dem Kauf oder Leasing von der Consumer-Geräten zum digitalen terrestrischen Fernsehsignale empfangen subventioniert haben, da es ein indirekter Nutzen war, um eine staatliche Beihilfe für Broadcaster.

ITALIAN

Il 28 luglio 2011, la Corte di Giustizia Europea ha respinto un appello di emittente italiana di digitale terrestre promosso contro una decisione della Corte generale europea. Anche tale Corte aveva respinto l’appello promosso contro la decisione della condanna dello Stato italiano per aver sovvenzionato l’acquisto o l’affitto da parte dei consumatori di un decoder, in quanto costituirebbe un aiuto statale indiretto alle emittenti.

 .................

Other translations forthcoming.

Main information

The Italian upper administrative court (“Consiglio di Stato”) ruled that the Autorità per le garanzie nelle comunicazioni (“AgCom” – the Italian Regulatory Authority for electronic communications) is not bound to provide a rigorous justification when issuing decisions not compliant with European Commission’s comments. This judgment is of general interest since, on the basis of a formalistic reasoning, it does not pay adequate attention to the role played by the European Commission in electronic communications’ regulatory proceedings at national level. Under the European regulatory framework (and the multilevel governance system established therein), comments from the European Commission are the main pillar of the horizontal coordination system between the European level and the national level, aimed at creating a competitive common market for electronic communications.

Translated summaries

 

ENGLISH

France and Italy had subsidized rail alpine highway, but the project was behind schedule. Thus, an prolongation of governments support was necessary. The European Commission admittedit in its decision of 11 June 2012, because States are committed the concession will be effective on June 30, 2013 and mostly because this mode of transport will be an alternative to transporting goods.

 

FRENCH

La France et l’Italie avaient subventionné l’autoroute ferroviaire alpine, mais le projet a pris du retard. Ainsi, une prolongation du soutien des gouvernements était nécessaire. La Commission européenne l'a admis dans sa décision du 11 Juin 2012, parce que les États se sont engagés et que la concession sera effective le 30 juin, 2013, surtout parce que ce mode de transport sera une alternative au transport routiers par camions des marchandises.

The European Commission has published its institutional architecture of the Union Bank, which is being built in Europe. The primary role is entrusted to the European Central Bank. The ECB shall have power to issue licenses to the 6000 banks acting in the euro area. This institution will supervise to ensure compliance and liquidity. It will restore compliance if necessary. It will have power to impose sanctions, ranging from fines to withdrawal of approval. Thus, institutional reform leads to an extreme centralization of power, national authorities no longer as relays

The case of Libor continues to produce its effects. Some of its ramifications are jurisdictional, through prosecution for price manipulation or cartel, some are normative, through institutional reflections about reforms deemed necessary of the Libor mechanism. After UK, it's the turn for the European Commission to organize a large consultation about it.

Germany is characterized in that in Europe generally has refused liberalization of the gambling industry. For this, it will incur remonstrance’s from the European Commission. But this issue is the responsibility of the Länder. That is why, when the Land of Schleswig-Holsteing decided in April 2011 to open the sector to competition online games, Everyone saw a sign of liberalism and compliance with European lines. But the government of this land has changed in May 2012 to make way for a coalition, it seems more favorable to a closure of that activity or, at lesse, should be left to public monopolies. However, on September 2, 5 licenses are to be given by that Government to the major operators of online games, which shows that the line previously adopted market-opening games online is maintained, unlike the rest of the Germany.

A l'occasion du Conseil des Ministres des Finances de l'Union Européenne qui s'est tenu à Chypre le 14 septembre 2012, Michel Barnier, Commission européen au Marché Intérieur a développé la proposition de la Commission européenne d'une supervision bancaire confiée à la Banque Centrale Européenne. Les Britanniques ont fait observer que la supervision bancaire européenne ne concernerait que les pays de la zone euro, alors que la régulation bancaire européenne concerne tous les pays de l'Union européenne, ce qui va poser problème, en raison des liens très forts entre supervision et régulation. Le Commissaire européen a répondu qu'il n'y avait pas problème, car l'European Banking Authority, régulateur de l'Union, concevrait les règles, et la BCE les appliquerait, les deux notions étant par ailleurs distinctes. On peut être éventuellement moins confiant que lui.

The optic fiber is a very difficult issue for regulators: they want its deployment, for the good of consumers, but they are not willing to pay much more for this and the operators are not prepared to invest without profitability. Incentives are insufficient and uncertainties, major flaw of the regulation, are very large. This is why the European Commissioner in charge of digital, Mrs. Neelie Kroes, announced that on the one hand that the system would now stable for regulation of the optic fiber and that on the other hand there is no more tendency of the regulator to lower the price of access to cost method which discourage operators to invest.

In Estonia, State owns the company Levira Ltd., which operates telecommunications. Meanwhile, the Minister for Economic Affairs which assigns and manages the radio frequencies, numberings and ensures the functioning of the universal service. But a principle of regulation prohibits the cumulation by the state of the quality of regulator and the quality of operator. This is why the European Commission opened an infringement procedure to the right of the European Union against the Estonia 1 July 2012 and asked by a reasoned opinion, to separate clearly its two activities, to ensure the required impartiality attached to the exercise of the powers of regulation.

The European Commission, following the example of the Obama administration understands the regulation of financial markets through the protection of consumers of financial instruments. It is on this basis that should be analyzing the proposed "package" which the Commission presented the draft on July 3, 2012. The Commission manifests its particular concern for investment details and information of investors. Based on the observation that individuals do not to use the markets only in an intermediated way, the project aims the " organismes de placement collectif en valeurs mobilières " - OPVCM (undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities ). Finally, noting that for the consumers, the insurance product and the product purely financial, is similar the Commission proposes to revise the regulation of the sale of insurance products and insurance mediation.

Airports are critical infrastructure. They often receive support from the State and the European Commission has adopted specific guidelines to soften the principle of prohibition of State aid in this area. Yet it is not necessary that the regulation be the mask of a violation of competitive equality. This is why the Commission has extended and prolonged on June 27, 2012, the investigation initiated in 2007 proposed to the airport of Alghero, Italy. Indeed, the investigation revealed including infrastructure subsidies, which the Commission doubt that they are comply with EU law.

On June 19, 2012, the European Parliament adopted an extensively modified version of the draft text prepared by the European Commission on credit rating agencies. It does not address the issue of the concentration of the rating market, believing that this is a matter of competition and not of regulation. It reduces the scope of the rotation rule in three years and only for structured products. It requires agencies to issue a schedule of two or three dates in the year where they can change their sovereign debt notes. Next to these devices of ex ante regulation, Parliament adopts an ex post system, civil liability of agencies, in which it will be for them to demonstrate to investors that they have complied with the rules in force.

In the field of the competition law, due to the lack of ex-ante regulation device, the European Commission sued Microsoft for abuse of dominant position, in that the company refused to disclose to its competitors certain information on interoperability and to allow the use for the development of competing products. The decision of sanction of the Commission of 24 March 2004 had established the abuse of dominant position by such behaviour and had chosen as a sanction the appointment of an independent trustee that can access the source code and ensure access to competitors. The Commission, by decision of 12 July 2006, accompanied the operative part of the decision by a penalty payment. The Court of first instance of the European Union, seized by Microsoft for annulment, confirms the operative part of the decision, especially in view of the innovation criterion, but decreases the amount of the penalty payment.

On 6 June 2012, the European Commission has extended the authorization given to France, Belgium and Luxembourg to bring their State guaranty to Dexia Bank SA and DLC. Further, the Commission agreed to raise the ceiling of the guaranty, joint but non several, of EUR 15 billion which brings the ceiling allowed to EUR 55 billion. But the permission is only until September 30. This might coincide with the time where the Commission will take a position on the plan of "orderly resolution" of this systemic bank. It justifies its flexibility itself in its exemption from the prohibition of State aids, by the fact that it is a systemic bank and that a resolution plan will be submitted soon, but it raises in advance competition problems.This justifies all the more draft texts on the mechanisms which must be specific to the systemic failing financial institutions.

On 7 June 2012, in Copenhague, at the Institute of International Finance (IIF) analysed the impact of the new regulatory regime on banks, credit and systemic risk and the new challenges facing Europe. He took act that Zero growth is expected, european unemployemt is at 10%, many firms have difficulties to finance new projects and spending for innovation is down. I said that European leaders need to do more, even if they have already done much. They are obtaining a new fiscal compact, which requires very strict rules on government deficits and agreed on a close coordination of our national economic policies, notably though the "European semester" including a collective right to review the annual budget of each Member State before it is finalised. But to restore the citizens’ trust, Regulation must be developped.

Guidelines are already emerging to what extents the financial supports provide by Member States to broadband networks are compatible with the principle of prohibition of State aid. The open public consultation launched the 1st June until September 3, is part of the more general approach of the Commission to change its guidelines for State aid and in the "digital strategy" of the European Union. It asked to those who respond to the consultation to have the concern to conceive aids to remedy market failures, to encourage investment and to introduce new players. By these signs, we measure it is a regulatory approach.