The European Commission proposes a package to enhance consumer protection and strengthen consumer confidence in financial services, comprising deposit guarantee schemes, investor compensation schemes, and insurance guarantee schemes. The proposals were sent to the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers for consideration.
Online gambling operators must receive the approval of The Autorité française de régulation des jeux en ligne (ARJEL -The French Online Gaming Regulatory Authority) before exercising. It is a priori control that is to say, ex ante, specific of the regulation mechanism. But litigation were born about updates of licensed software, the update requiring a new legal approval. Regulatory authority has just notify to the European Commission on April 15, 2012 the new system that it implements: the authorised operator may modify the software originally certified and will merely notify the Regulatory authority. If it considers it necessary, the Regulatory authority may require that the operator requests a new registration. The system becomes a "semi-ex-post" supervision .
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.
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 juillet2011,la Cour de Justice de l’Union Européenne a rejetéun appel interjeté parun radiodiffuseuritaliennenumérique terrestrecontre une décisionde la Cour européennede première instance, qui avaitégalement rejetéun recours contrela condamnationprononcée par la Commission européennede l’Italiepour avoirsubventionné l’achatou la locationpar leconsommateurs d’équipementspour la réception detélévision numérique terrestredes signaux de télédiffusion, puisque cefutuneprestation indirecte, constitutived’aides d’Etat au bénéfice des radiodiffuseurs.
SPANISH
El 28 de juliode 2011, elTribunal Europeode Justiciarechazó una apelación deunemisor italianodigital terrestrecontra una resolucióndel Parlamento Europeo ydel Tribunal General,que había rechazadotambiénun recurso de apelacióncontra la condenade la Comisión Europeade Italia por habersubvencionado lacompra o el alquilerdelos consumidoresde los equipospara la recepción deseñales digitales terrestresde televisión, ya que estaera una disposiciónindirecta delas ayudas estatalesa las emisoras.
DEUTSCH
Am28. Juli 2011hatder Gerichtshofder EuropäischenUnioneine Beschwerdevon einem italienischendigitalen terrestrischenSenderzurückgewiesengegen eine Entscheidungdes EuropäischenGerichts Erster Instanz, die auchabgelehnthatteEinspruch gegen der Überzeugung,inder Europäischen KommissionItalien nachdemKauf oder Leasingvon derConsumer-Gerätenzum digitalen terrestrischenFernsehsignaleempfangensubventionierthaben, da es einindirekter Nutzenwar,um eine staatliche Beihilfefür 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.
The « Centre d’analyse stratégique », the strategic analysis think-tank that is part of the French Prime Minister’s cabinet, published the report of the working group presided by Christian Stoffaës on the theme of « La securité gazière en Europe : de la dépendance à l’indépendance » (The Security of Natural Gas Supply in Europe : from dependence to independence). This report highlights the fact that Europe is in danger, in the long run, of not having access to enough gas and of becoming overly-dependent on its foreign suppliers. Europe must therefore establish policies to reduce and modify its natural gas consumption, and establish energy partnerships with Russia, North Africa, and finally, the Middle East. Europe must realise that competition is nothing more than a means to an end and must implement a true Regulation of the energy sector, in order to create secure conditions that avoid energy crises. Risk management can be achieved by creating emergency reserves; through the regulation of transport network infrastructures; and a renewed ‘energy solidarity’ using the interconnections at member states’ borders. Thereby, Europe will evolve from dependency to independency, which will ensure its natural gas security despite its insufficient supply.
FRENCH
Le Centre d’Analyse stratégique auprès du Premier Ministre publie en Mars 2010 le rapport de Christian Stoffaës sur « La sécurité gazière en Europe, de la dépendance à l’interdépendance ». Il prône une régulation européenne ayant pour but la sécurité énergétique, notamment par des partenariats entre l’Europe et ses fournisseurs (Russie et Afrique du Nord).
Le Centre d’Analyse stratégique auprès du Premier Ministre a publié en Mars 2010 a publié le rapport du groupe de travail présidé de Christian Stoffaës sur « La sécurité gazière en Europe, de la dépendance à l’interdépendance ». Ce rapport souligne que l’Europe risque sur le long terme de manquer de gaz et d’être en grande dépendance de ses fournisseurs. Elle doit donc établir des politiques pour réduire sa consommation, consommer autrement et établir des partenariats énergétiques avec la Russie, l’Afrique du Nord, puis enfin le Moyen-Orient. L’Europe doit admettre que la concurrence n’est qu’un moyen et mettre en place une régulation énergétique pour créer des conditions de sécurité évitant les crises énergétiques. La gestion du risque énergétique prend la forme de gestion de stock de sécurité, la régulation des infrastructures des réseaux de transport et une nouvelle solidarité «énergétique à travers les interconnexions des frontières des Etats membres. Ainsi l’Europe passera de la dépendance à l’interdépendance laquelle lui offrira sa sécurité gazière malgré ses difficultés d’approvisionnements.
GERMAN
Bericht über nationale Sicherheitsanliegen in Bezug auf nationale Gasversorgung: das {Centre d’analyse stratégique} (Zentrum für strategische Analysen) des französischen Premierministers veröffentlich Christian Stoffaës’ Bericht mit dem Titel „Sicherheit der Gasversorgung in Europa: von der Abhängigkeit zur Unabhängigkeit“. Dem Bericht zufolge solle sich die europäische Regulierung auf die Energieversorgung, insbesondere durch Partnerschaften zwischen Europa und den Lieferanten (Russland und Nordafrika)
Das {Centre d’analyse stratégique}, das strategische Analyseinstitut, das Teil des Stabs des französischen Premierministers ist, veröffentlicht den Bericht der Arbeitsgruppe unter Christian Stoffaës zum Thema «La securité gazière en Europe : de la dépendance à l’indépendance» (Sicherheit der Gasversorgung in Europa: von der Abhängigkeit zur Unabhängigkeit). Dieser Bericht betont, dass Europa langfristig Gefahr läuft, die Gasversorgung nicht ausreichend sichern zu können und übermäßig abhängig von seinen ausländischen Lieferanten zu werden. Europa sollte daher seine Gasnutzung verändern und reduzieren, und darüber hinaus Energiepartnerschaften mit Russland, Nordafrika und dem Mittleren Osten eingehen. Europa muss dabei realisieren, dass Wettbewerb dabei nicht mehr ist als ein Mittel zum Zweck und sollte eine echte Regulierung des Energiesektors umsetzen, um die Möglichkeit der Energieknappheit auszuschließen. Zum Zwecke des Risikomanagements könnten Notfallreserven geschaffen werde, die Transportnetzwerkinfrastrukturen reguliert werden und eine erneuerte „Energiesolidarität“ zwischen europäischen Staatengegründet werden. Europa könne sich so von der Abhängigkeit zur Unabhängigkeit bewegen und seine Gasversorgung sichern selbst im Falle unzureichender Lieferungen.
SPANISH
Informe sobre las inquietudes de la seguridad del suministro de gas natural: El « Centre d’analyse stratégique » (el centro de análisis estratégico francés) publica el informe de Christian Stoffaës titulado sobre « La securité gazière en Europe : de la dépendance à l’indépendance» (“La seguridad del suministro de gas natural en Europa: de la dependencia hacia la independencia,” lo cual aboga por una regulación europea enfocada en la seguridad energíca, especialmente a través de asociaciones entre Europa y sus proveedores Rusia y África del Norte).
El « Centre d’analyse stratégique » (el centro de análisis estratégico francés) que forma parte del Gabinete del Primer Ministro Francés, publicó un informe del grupo de especialistas presidido por Christian Stoffaës sobre « La securité gazière en Europe : de la dépendance à l’indépendance» (“La seguridad del suministro de gas natural en Europa: de la dependencia hacia la independencia”. Este informa resalta el hecho que Europa se encuentra en una situación peligrosa, a largo plazo, de no tener suficiente acceso al gas natural y volviéndose demasiado dependiente sobre sus proveedores extranjeros. Europa debe, por lo tanto, establecer política para reducir y modificar su consumación de gas natural y establecer asociaciones con Rusia, América del Norte y, por supuesto, el Medio Oriente. Europa debe reconocer la necesidad de implementar un regulador en el sector de energía para crear condiciones más seguras que evitaran una crisis de energía. El manejo del riesgo puede ser logrado al crear reservas de emergencia; a través de la regulación de la infraestructura de redes de transporte’ y una “solidaridad enérgica” renovada utilizando las interconexiones en las fronteras de estados miembros. De esta manera, Europa evolucionará de la dependencia a la independencia, lo cual asegurará su seguridad de gas natural a pesar de su insuficiencia en esta región.
The European Regulation of 16 September 2009 implements a new regulatory framework for credit rating agencies, in order to restore investor and consumer confidence, enable the supervision and transparency of credit ratings, and avoid conflicts of interest.
The media sector is organized on an equilibrium between the principle of competition and other concerns like information pluralism. Generally, competition Law by making market accessible to many competitors ensures information pluralism. But, this is not the case if an operator get an excessive market power, running risk not only for competition but also for information pluralism. It is the reason why the Italian legal system forbids the constitution of an operator gathering more than 40% of the total income generated by the media sector or more than 10% of the total income generated by the Italian communication sector.
In 2016, Vivendi, a French media group, got more than 28% of the Mediaset Group's actions and around 30% of its voting right. The Italian communication regulation authority sized by Mediaset demands in 2017 to Vivendi to ends its participations in the group Mediaset. Vivendi contested this decision before the regional administrative court which referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union in order to know if freedom of establishment can legitimately be discarded in favor of information pluralism in this concrete case. The Court of Justice answered, in a decision of 3rd of September 2020, that the restriction of the freedom of establishment can in principle be justified by a general interest objective such as information pluralism protection but that in this concrete case, this is not justified because the fact that a firm is committed in the transmission of contents does not necessarily give it the power to control the production of such contents.
We can learn three lessons form this case:
The Court precises that even if the principle is the freedom of establishment, it is possible to discard it to protect information pluralism protection under the condition that the concerned member State do not use this legitimate power to create a political monopoly, the burden of proof falling on the person attacking national legislation and not on the Member State.
The Court distinguishes transmission of contents and production of contents and explains that if the State rejects this decision, the burden falling to it to prove the concrete links between these two activities.
This case shows that the power to share the respective places of the "principle" and of the "exception" always comes back to the judges.
India is transforming its energy policy, because it depends too much of coal and plans to expand its nuclear industry. Its agency, the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) is in charge of overseeing nuclear security. But the Indian Court of Auditors issued a report on 16 August 2012, claimed that such a nuclear deployment could not take place only if the agency is structurally modified. Indeed, it is currently dependent on the federal Government, while independence is required for any regulator. In addition, it has no real powers of control and intervention. It is therefore not a true regulator, and in these conditions, expand nuclear energy would constitute a great risk.
The “Conseil économique, social et environnemental – CESE” (French Economic, Social and Environmental Council) expressed its approval of the “Stratégie nationale de développement durable SNDD” (new French National Strategy for Sustainable Development), on January 27 2010, which has been drawn up by the Government for the period 2009-2013. This national strategy is to become the tool for establishing a new model of economic development.
In Les 100 mots de la régulation (“Regulation in 100 Words”), Marie-Anne Frison-Roche clearly and pedagogically identifies and defines the vocabulary of regulation by making sure, from the introduction, to firmly distinguish between regulation and rule making. Regulation is the maintenance of various balances between principles, rules, and economic and social realities. Rule making is the translation of a collective will emanating from lawmakers or judges, be they national, European, or international.
