Marek Havrda, PhD’s Post

Money and law. Our discussion in one week in Brussels with the EU Presidency and the Commission. #RuleofLaw

In December 2023, the European Commission announced a 'Defence of Democracy' Package aimed at protecting the EU against threats to its democracy. However, a proposed Directive included in this package could potentially undermine this policy objective. This Directive bears a striking resemblance to the 'foreign agent' laws implemented in autocratic states to suppress opposition. Check out Transparency International EU's policy position on the package, containing key recommendations to improve the Commission’s proposal. In particular, they recommend: ➡️ Ensuring full harmonisation and limiting the fragmentation of transparency rules ➡️ Expanding the scope of the Directive to create an Interest Representatives Register ➡️ Ensuring the independence of the national authorities responsible for management and supervision If the Directive is not amended, it risks doing more harm than good. Access the full policy position here: http://anticorru.pt/2XZ

📢 Exciting News! Our latest Monitoring Brief is here, summarizing the critical developments in North Macedonia's journey towards EU accession for the period July – September 2023. 🇪🇺 This edition focuses on the fundamentals of EU accession, highlighting the key developments. This comprehensive update covers the notable advancements, including the endorsement of constitutional amendments, the revelation of clandestine election strategies, the public's fervent response to a cancer medication misuse scandal, ongoing dialogues between the government and civil society, and significant partnerships with the European Union. Additionally, delve into the intricacies of public administration reform, peer assessments of the judicial council, and more. Stay apprised of these critical developments shaping North Macedonia's trajectory towards EU accession and the ongoing rule of law dynamics. Stay informed about the latest developments in North Macedonia's EU accession journey and the state of the rule of law. Download our complete monitoring brief to get in-depth insights. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/d2AzDyTM

🔎 What do 4 years of research on (dis)trust in EU governance look like? Read the EnTrust Integrated Policy Paper to find out! This new paper gives an overview of the EnTrust research findings and provides 12 overarching recommendations around: 1️⃣ A democratic framework based on the rule of law and the guarantee of fundamental rights;  2️⃣ Enhanced conditions for the development and sharing of reliable information;  3️⃣ An enabling environment in which citizens can actively engage; 4️⃣ A whole-societal involvement in policy-making. 📌 Read it here! 👉 https://bit.ly/44AARlz Curious for more? Check out other EnTrust Policy Briefs 👉 https://lnkd.in/gSwYzkDN

There will be consequences to all of this, and the coming years shall prove that the crisis in international legitimacy, resulting from the abuse of power, will hardly be rectified with superficial changes and reforms. Read the latest editorial by Ramzy Baroud. https://lnkd.in/ev_rPkAM

How the EU engages with lobbyists: a glimpse into the complexity of the transparency register The European Union places a high priority on maintaining an open and transparent relationship with lobbyists and interest representatives. This interaction is not only a legitimate part of the decision-making process but essential to ensure that EU policies reflect the diverse needs of society. 🇪🇺 ✨   Since 2021, the European Parliament, Commission, and Council have operated under a shared Transparency Register. This register tracks the entities trying to influence EU law-making and policy decisions. It's a critical tool that bolsters transparency and helps maintain public trust. With nearly 12,500 registered entities, ranging from in-house lobbyists and trade associations to non-governmental organizations, the EU continues to strive for greater transparency. Especially in light of events like the 2022 ‘Qatargate’ scandal, the European Parliament has called for even stricter rules to ensure integrity and prevent corruption.   🔍 For anyone engaging with or interested in EU policies, understanding these mechanisms is crucial. Whether you’re a policy professional, lobbyist, or simply a curious citizen, the Transparency Register provides valuable insights into who is influencing EU decisions. But navigating the Transparency Register can be tiring. SAVOIRR simplifies this with a platform that provides access to pre-filtered and decluttered data from official government sources like the transparency register, in real-time. Manage millions of documents and get relevant information tailored to your needs, enabling you to focus more on strategic actions rather than data management.   📌 Learn More: EU Transparency Register (https://lnkd.in/dgSC6bV6) #EUGovernance #Transparency #Lobbying #PublicPolicy #EuropeanUnion

We are watching you! Here's a tool that allows 'citizens, journalists, and civil society to monitor the integrity of decisions made by politicians in the European Union'. You can follow high level meetings, lobbying, declaration of financial interests, tender red flags and many more things. There's a lot to be sceptical about the EU and its institutions, but tools and services like this should mandatory be part of modern democracy. #eu #transparency

EU Regulation 2018/1805: A Free Pass for Freezing and Confiscation Orders? Ilias Anagnostopoulos (managing partner) and Alexandros Tsagkalidis (partner) of Anagnostopoulos discuss freezing and confiscation orders and their application in the context of EU Regulation 2018/1805 in their latest Chambers' Expect Focus piece. https://lnkd.in/dgCJCgwj

We published our Political Manifesto for future EU policymakers last week. As part of our recommendations, we ask for a better enforcement of EU existing rules. Many EU product-related requirements apply to lighting products and their use. The EU Single Market can only thrive if the regulations are easily understandable for manufacturers and enforceable for Market Surveillance Authorities. Effective and efficient enforcement of EU requirements is essential to maintain the competitiveness of the internal market and ensure the overall credibility and impact of EU rules. We call for: - The full enforcement of existing rules. - Further cooperation and alignment between MSAs. The set up of an EU agency for enforcement should be considered. - To set up the conditions allowing more cooperation under Article 9 of the Market Surveillance legislation. Download our Political Manifesto from our website and learn more about our vision for a brighter future together! https://bit.ly/49RBuIU

As the Hague Convention enters into force between the EU Member States (excluding Denmark) and Ukraine, what do you need to know? The intention of the Convention is to remedy frustration by businesses who operate cross-border at the time, cost, and complexity of enforcing national court judgments across borders. In this article, Evelyn Tjon-En-Fa and Louise Lanzkron look at the purpose of the Convention, how it operates and whether the USA and UK will ratify it in the future: