16 July 2019​​

During the meeting of the Working Group Europe of Germany’s Public Prosecutors General at Eurojust’s premises in The Hague, their support and appreciation for Eurojust’s operational support to cross-border investigations was reaffirmed. They stressed the need to safeguard the role of Eurojust for the future. In a resolution of 10 June 2019, the Public Prosecutor Generals expressed their grave concerns that the proposed financial resources for Eurojust in the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework (2021-2027) are far too limited to meet the growing demand for practical, on-call support to judicial authorities. This situation risks weakening the EU security chain, when other law enforcement agencies are being considerably strengthened.

The Working Group Europe of Germany’s Public Prosecutors General visited Eurojust on 15 and 16 July under the leadership of Dr Frank Lüttig, the Public Prosecutor General of Celle. The Federal Public Prosecutor General, Dr Peter Frank, and the Public Prosecutors General of Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Cologne, Munich and Naumburg were present.

The delegation met with Mr Ladislav Hamran, President of Eurojust, and Mr Klaus Meyer-Cabri, Vice President of Eurojust and National Member for Germany. Recent developments around e-evidence and the future increase in workload for Eurojust after the European Public Prosecutor’s Office becomes operational were also discussed. The Working Group discussed current issues with the acting Deputy Director General (DG JUST) of the European Commission and the Executive Director of Europol.

‘Eurojust has become a very important partner in our fight against serious cross-border crime’, said Dr Lüttig. ‘In the past four years, the support requested through the German Desk at Eurojust has in fact risen by 350%. With cross-border crime on the rise, we expect that German prosecutors will turn even more often to Eurojust in the future. We want them to be able to count on the swift, useful service they have been getting until now. With the resolution, we also stress the importance of proper funding for the opportunities in the new Eurojust Regulation to deepen judicial cooperation at EU level, including a rapid introduction of an EU-wide Digital Justice infrastructure.’

Mr Meyer-Cabri confirmed that the demand for services from German prosecutors via the German Desk at Eurojust is steadily increasing. ‘By mid-July 2019, we have already reached the number of cases we had registered by September 2018. This represents an increase of 83% compared to last year. Through our 24/7 services and strict focus on the needs of the local prosecutors, the German Desk, and Eurojust as a whole, are ready to help when it really matters.’

The added value of Eurojust to German prosecutors was particularly evident following a landmark judgement by the European Court of Justice of 27 May 2019 on the European Arrest Warrant (EAW). As a result, German public prosecutors remain in charge of preparing the EAWs but German courts have become competent to issue them. Through swift support via Eurojust, approximately 150 EAWs have been urgently replaced, including EAWs for which people were already in custody and EAWs for serious offences. Eurojust has also taken the lead in an analysis of the wider implications of the ruling and quickly complied an overview of the role of prosecutors in all Member States. Eurojust will monitor future developments closely.

‘As Eurojust’s quick analysis of the EAW ruling on Germany clearly shows, we are very well placed to help practitioners find their way in an increasingly complex EU legal environment’, said Mr Hamran. ‘I warmly welcome the outspoken support of the German Prosecutors General concerning our budgetary needs and proper funding for the future. The steady rise in cases referred to us, including from German prosecutors, is for me the best indicator that our pragmatic, decentralised cooperation model, with national representatives united under one roof, works well and needs to be safeguarded. It is agile and fosters considerable trust. We want to continue serving each prosecutor that knocks on our door without no to future requests due to budgetary reasons.’

 

Photo © Eurojust

16 July 2019​​

During the meeting of the Working Group Europe of Germany’s Public Prosecutors General at Eurojust’s premises in The Hague, their support and appreciation for Eurojust’s operational support to cross-border investigations was reaffirmed. They stressed the need to safeguard the role of Eurojust for the future. In a resolution of 10 June 2019, the Public Prosecutor Generals expressed their grave concerns that the proposed financial resources for Eurojust in the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework (2021-2027) are far too limited to meet the growing demand for practical, on-call support to judicial authorities. This situation risks weakening the EU security chain, when other law enforcement agencies are being considerably strengthened.

The Working Group Europe of Germany’s Public Prosecutors General visited Eurojust on 15 and 16 July under the leadership of Dr Frank Lüttig, the Public Prosecutor General of Celle. The Federal Public Prosecutor General, Dr Peter Frank, and the Public Prosecutors General of Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Cologne, Munich and Naumburg were present.

The delegation met with Mr Ladislav Hamran, President of Eurojust, and Mr Klaus Meyer-Cabri, Vice President of Eurojust and National Member for Germany. Recent developments around e-evidence and the future increase in workload for Eurojust after the European Public Prosecutor’s Office becomes operational were also discussed. The Working Group discussed current issues with the acting Deputy Director General (DG JUST) of the European Commission and the Executive Director of Europol.

‘Eurojust has become a very important partner in our fight against serious cross-border crime’, said Dr Lüttig. ‘In the past four years, the support requested through the German Desk at Eurojust has in fact risen by 350%. With cross-border crime on the rise, we expect that German prosecutors will turn even more often to Eurojust in the future. We want them to be able to count on the swift, useful service they have been getting until now. With the resolution, we also stress the importance of proper funding for the opportunities in the new Eurojust Regulation to deepen judicial cooperation at EU level, including a rapid introduction of an EU-wide Digital Justice infrastructure.’

Mr Meyer-Cabri confirmed that the demand for services from German prosecutors via the German Desk at Eurojust is steadily increasing. ‘By mid-July 2019, we have already reached the number of cases we had registered by September 2018. This represents an increase of 83% compared to last year. Through our 24/7 services and strict focus on the needs of the local prosecutors, the German Desk, and Eurojust as a whole, are ready to help when it really matters.’

The added value of Eurojust to German prosecutors was particularly evident following a landmark judgement by the European Court of Justice of 27 May 2019 on the European Arrest Warrant (EAW). As a result, German public prosecutors remain in charge of preparing the EAWs but German courts have become competent to issue them. Through swift support via Eurojust, approximately 150 EAWs have been urgently replaced, including EAWs for which people were already in custody and EAWs for serious offences. Eurojust has also taken the lead in an analysis of the wider implications of the ruling and quickly complied an overview of the role of prosecutors in all Member States. Eurojust will monitor future developments closely.

‘As Eurojust’s quick analysis of the EAW ruling on Germany clearly shows, we are very well placed to help practitioners find their way in an increasingly complex EU legal environment’, said Mr Hamran. ‘I warmly welcome the outspoken support of the German Prosecutors General concerning our budgetary needs and proper funding for the future. The steady rise in cases referred to us, including from German prosecutors, is for me the best indicator that our pragmatic, decentralised cooperation model, with national representatives united under one roof, works well and needs to be safeguarded. It is agile and fosters considerable trust. We want to continue serving each prosecutor that knocks on our door without no to future requests due to budgetary reasons.’

 

Photo © Eurojust

I am deeply saddened by the news of Werner Müller’s death. Born in Essen, Werner Müller typified the people of the Ruhr, where he was a highly respected manager in industry. As Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, he was a key figure in German and European politics. His great expertise, dry wit and calm manner made for a good rapport with everyone he had dealings with. I too had the pleasure of working closely with him. His services to Germany’s mining industry and miners are inestimable.

I will always think fondly of Werner Müller, and I am glad that I was able to speak to him personally one last time at the closure of the last coal mine in Bottrop on 21 December last year.

My thoughts are with Werner Müller’s family, and I wish them strength at this difficult time.

Eurostat: Excédent de 23 milliards d’euros du commerce international de biens de la zone euro, excédent de 7,8 milliards d’euros pour l’UE28

Selon les premières estimations d’Eurostat, les exportations de biens de la zone euro (ZE19) vers le reste du monde se sont établies à 203,4 milliards d’euros en mai 2019, en hausse de 7,1% par rapport à mai 2018 (189,9 milliards). Les importations depuis le reste du monde ont quant à elles été de 180,3 milliards d’euros, en hausse de 4,2% par rapport à mai 2018 (173,0 milliards). En conséquence, la zone euro a enregistré en mai 2019 un excédent de 23,0 milliards d’euros de son commerce international de biens avec le reste du monde, contre +16,9 milliards d’euros en mai 2018. Le commerce intra-zone euro a augmenté à 172,0 milliards d’euros en mai 2019, une hausse de 4,9% par rapport à mai 2018. En ce qui concerne l’UE28, les exportations de biens extra-UE28 se sont établies à 178,5 milliards d’euros en mai 2019, en hausse de 10,7% par rapport à mai 2018 (161,3 milliards). Les importations depuis le reste du monde ont quant à elles été de 170,7 milliards d’euros, en hausse de 6,1% par rapport à mai 2018 (160,9 milliards). En conséquence, l’UE28 a enregistré en mai 2019 un excédent de 7,8 milliards d’euros de son commerce international de biens avec le reste du monde, contre un excédent de 0,4 milliard en mai 2018. Le commerce intra-UE28 s’est élevé à 308,1 milliards d’euros en mai 2019, soit +3,5% par rapport à mai 2018. Un communiqué de presse est disponible en ligne. (Pour plus d’informations : Daniel Rosario – Tél.: +32 229 56185 ; Kinga Malinowska – Tél.: +32 229 51383)

Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of DNA by Telenor 

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of DNA Plc of Finland, by Telenor ASA of Norway. DNA provides mobile and fixed communications services, broadband internet services and TV distribution services in Finland. Telenor provides mobile and fixed telecommunications services and TV distribution services in the Nordic region. The Commission found that the proposed transaction would raise no competition concerns, because there are very limited horizontal overlaps between the companies’ activities in the market of retail TV services in Finland, the wholesale market for acquisition of TV channels and the possible market for machine-to-machine (M2M) subscriptions for business customers. A number of strong players would remain in each of the markets after the merger. In addition, the Commission found no problems regarding the vertical links between the upstream markets for wholesale international roaming and wholesale mobile and fixed call termination services, and the downstream markets for retail mobile and fixed telecommunications services. The transaction was examined under the normal merger review procedure. More information is available on the Commission’s competition website, in the public case register under the case number M.9370. (For more information: Lucía Caudet – Tel. +32 229 56182; Maria Tsoni – Tel.: +32 229 90526)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Le commissaire Moscovici assiste à la réunion des ministres des Finances et des gouverneurs de Banques centrales du G7 demain et jeudi à Chantilly, en France

Pierre Moscovici, commissaire en charge des affaires économiques et financières, de la fiscalité et des douanes, assistera cette semaine à la réunion des ministres des Finances et des gouverneurs de Banques centrales du G7 à Chantilly, en France, au nom de la Commission européenne. Le commissaire Moscovici participera à des discussions sur les risques liés à l’économie mondiale et au système financier ; sur les nouveaux défis liés à la fiscalité internationale, à la concurrence et àl’économie numérique ; et sur la lutte contre les inégalités dans les économies avancées. (Pour plus d’informations: Annika Breidthardt – Tél.: +32 229-56153; Vanessa Mock –Tél.: +32 229 56194; Enda McNamara Tél.: +32 229 64976; Patrick McCullough – Tél.: +32 229 87183)

Upcoming events of the European Commission (ex-Top News)

Euro area

The first estimate for euro area (EA19) exports of goods to the rest of the world in May 2019 was €203.4 billion, an increase of 7.1% compared with May 2018 (€189.9 bn). Imports from the rest of the world stood at €180.3 bn, a rise of 4.2% compared with May 2018 (€173.0 bn). As a result, the euro area recorded a €23.0 bn surplus in trade in goods with the rest of the world in May 2019, compared with +€16.9 bn in May 2018. Intra-euro area trade rose to €172.0 bn in May 2019, up by 4.9% compared with May 2018.

Full text available on EUROSTAT website