Consumers’ protection: increased customs-detained goods Over 115 million fake goods – worth 1.3 billion – were detained before reaching EU borders. The Commission released a report on the customs’ authorities’ activity of EU27 for the year 2011, which shows that "the number of intercepted cases increased by 15% compared to 2010". The top categories of articles stopped by customs were medicines (24%), packaging material (21%) and cigarettes (18%), as well as clothing, toys, electronics, beauty products. Commissioner Algirdas Semeta, said: "In terms of where the fake goods originated, China continued to be the main source, accounting for 73% of all IPR infringing articles". For certain product categories "other countries remain the main sources such as Turkey for foodstuffs, Panama for alcoholic drinks, Thailand for soft drinks and Hong Kong for mobile phones". Libor Scandal, the Commission proposes strict regulations "Public confidence has taken a nosedive with the latest scandals about serious manipulations of lending rates by banks. EU action is needed to put an end to criminal activity in the banking sector". On July 25 the EU Commissioner for Justice and Internal market affairs Viviane Reding presented with her colleague Michel Barnier, a set of provisions on insider dealing and market manipulation. Owing to the recent LIBOR scandal, which upset the United Kingdom and the whole world, the Commission decided to present proposals for EU-wide rules. Commissioner Reding urges EU Council and Parliament to issue a rapid decision to this regard. The Libor scandal, which involved the British Barklays Bank, highlighted false submissions of interbank lending rates. The Commission proposes a directive "to prevent insider dealing and market manipulation", including criminal sanctions. Such amendments will clearly prohibit the manipulation of benchmarks, including LIBOR and EURIBOR, and make such manipulation a criminal offence. "Orphans artworks": available online? What will be the destiny of EU "orphan artworks?" Will they be available online as envisaged in the informal agreement of EU Parliament and Council? The Juridical Affairs Commission addressed the issued on July 10: the Assembly is called to deliver an opinion in the plenary session of September 12. If the proposal is approved, all the artworks protected by copyright like films, novels and pictures, whose property rights have not been identified will be made available online by public authorities with a selection of "orphan artworks" corresponding to the above criteria. It is equally envisaged that the owners of the rights can put an end to the "orphan" situation of their works by claiming their rights, but public institutions would be protected from the risk of heavy compensation. It’s an important aspect, since, as underlined by MEP Lidia Joanna Geringer de Oedenberg, rapporteur of the proposal, "public institutions are preventing the public display and sharing of these artworks for fear that without the consensus of the holder of the property rights they might be brought to Court". Such works "sometimes represent over 70% of an entire collection". Culture: creative Europe, new EU programme "Creative Europe Programme" is the new project of the European Commission for the period 2014-2020, envisaging the integration of the Culture and Media programmes along with the creation of services and financial tools that will enable these sectors to boost the "growth enhancing" potential of all European policies. The Commission has proposed a 1.8 billion budget, which represents a 37% increase on current spending levels. The purpose of the Programme is to promote the circulation and distribution of European cultural works whilst supporting tens of thousands of artists, cultural professionals, cultural and audiovisual industries and organizations. The new digital tools will play a key role in the dissemination of materials. The Programme, states the Executive in a note – promotes cultural and linguistic diversity, and ensures the protection of our common patrimony". The regulation of "Creative Europe" is being currently examined by EU Council and Parliament, but for the first time, past 9-10 July, it was discussed by the Commission for Culture at the European Assembly.
