Spain refuses to comply with the recommendations of the Council of Europe for human rights in Catalonia

This is in no way a surprise as the Spanish Authorities only wish is to punish anyone who gets in the way of Spain. They have no desires to respect individual rights of any individuals.

Catalonia was granted decision making powers, but when using them against the wishes of Spain, refuses to allow the decisions to stand and instead takes legal actions against the individuals. Now Spain refuses to accept the decisions of the European Court of Justice (ECJ), so are not respecting democratic actions.

Spain although claiming to be a democratic country are acting in such a way that they aren’t.

This is totally wrong and they should be made to suffer for this, but doubt that they will be., so Spain will continue to do as they please.

Josep Goded

The Council of Europe’s Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights has published the follow-up report to its previous resolution regarding Spanish political issues. The resolution, issued in 2021, called for the release of Catalan political prisoners, legal reform involving sedition, and the end of repression against the independence movement.

In the report, the EU Council rapporteur, Boris Cilevičs, criticizes the extradition orders against Catalan exiles; and the possible overturning of the pardons given to the political prisoners.

“It would be very unusual and unfortunate if the pardons, once announced and implemented to release the nine prisoners, were annulled,” Cilevičs said.

Cilevičs also denounces the fact that the Spanish state has not reformed the crimes of sedition and rebellion in the penal code.

“The reform of the rebellion and sedition laws cannot be postponed too long,” he said, regretting that it was not on the Spanish government’s agenda presently. According…

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EU top court rules Catalan separatist Junqueras was MEP with immunity when jailed in Spain | Euronews

The pro-independence Esquerra Republicana party, which Oriol Junqueras leads, called for his “immediate release” from jailed.

Source: EU top court rules Catalan separatist Junqueras was MEP with immunity when jailed in Spain | Euronews

All companies must record employees’ working hours, EU court rules | Euronews

Companies operating in EU member states must set up a system to record the working time of their members of staff, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled

The court said it was necessary to record employees’ hours so that legal working time limits can be properly applied.

“In order to ensure the effectiveness of the rights provided for in the Working Time Directive and the Charter, the Member States must require employers to set up an objective, reliable and accessible system enabling the duration of time worked each day by each worker to be measured,” said the ECJ in a statement.

Each country will be free to define how to implement such a system, it added.

The May 14 ruling comes after a case brought to the ECJ by Federación de Servicios de Comisiones Obreras (CCOO), a Spanish trade union that asked for Deutsche Bank to be forced to set up a system recording working hours for its employees in Spain.

“The union considered that such a system would make it possible to verify compliance with the stipulated working times and the obligation, laid down in national law, to provide union representatives with information on overtime worked each month,” said the ECJ.

Deutsche Bank was not recording its employees’ working hours because it said that Spanish law only requires to keep a record of overtime hours worked by members of staff.

According to information cited in the ECJ statement, 53.7% of overtime hours worked in Spain are not recorded. Spanish companies are also legally obliged to know precisely the number of normal hours worked in order to determine whether overtime has been worked.

“In the absence of a system enabling the duration of time worked each day by each worker to be measured, it is not possible to determine, objectively and reliably, either the number of hours worked and when that work was done, or the number of hours of overtime worked, which makes it excessively difficult, if not impossible in practice, for workers to ensure that their rights are complied with”, the ECJ noted in its statement.

 

Source: All companies must record employees’ working hours, EU court rules | Euronews

What are the perks of being an MEP? Euronews Answers

From an expenditure allowance to a golden parachute, there are many benefits to being a European lawmaker — but many are also conditional. Here’s a list of the main perks that come with being a member of the European Parliament.

Salary

Each member of the European Parliament takes home the same gross salary, regardless of how many years they’ve been in office — and that amount is €8,757.70 per month as of July 2018. After taxes and insurance, the monthly total lands at €6,824.85. But for most MEPs, there’s further taxing from here, as many member states require their European lawmakers to pay an additional national tax, so the final net amount depends on the MEP’s home country and its taxation policy.

When comparing the wages to national lawmakers, as of 2018 British MPs annual salary before taxes equal to about £6,448 (€7,329) per month. In Italy, national MPs earn a net salary of €5,246.54.

Read more | Who are the best-paid MPs in the European Union?

General expenditure

To manage office costs in their constituency, including computers, telephones, conference organising as well as office rent and supplies, a general expenditure allowance of €4,513 is budgeted per month. This money pot is highly controversial because the sum can be deposited directly into MEPs’ personal bank accounts — and they are not required to disclose how the money was spent. Whereas MEPs must submit invoices to get reimbursed for travel expenses, the general expenditure allowance has no oversight or controls.

 

Source: What are the perks of being an MEP? Euronews Answers

EU FARCE: Hundreds of treaties at risk as ECJ rules clause ILLEGAL : Express

According to a report in German newspaper Heise, the decision could affect nearly 200 treaty agreements between EU member states.

The verdict, published yesterday by the European Court of Justice (ECJ), could have a huge impact on investment protection agreements beyond the specific case – at least between two or more EU member states.

This ruling has been made as a result of a claim by Dutch insurance group Achmea against Slovakia, who in 2006 had partially reversed a lucrative liberalisation of the health insurance market.

The Achmea group, which had a subsidiary in Slovakia, then sued for lost profits, citing the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), an investment protection agreement signed by Czechoslovakia and dissolved in 1993 with the Netherlands.

 

Source: EU FARCE: Hundreds of treaties at risk as ECJ rules clause ILLEGAL : Express

European court strikes down 2 billion euro French dividend tax | Reuters

A French tax on dividends introduced by the Socialist government in 2012 was struck down by the European Court of Justice on Wednesday.

Companies such as AXA (AXAF.PA), Danone (DANO.PA) and Orange (ORAN.PA) had challenged the tax which was levied as an additional band of corporation tax calculated on dividends paid. The companies argued that it amounted to double taxation. The tax brought in 2 billion euros ($2.22 billion) a year to France’s state coffers.

The AJEF group of French blue-chip companies welcomed the court’s decision, saying in a statement it was a strong signal for France’s attractiveness in terms of the business environment.

Source: European court strikes down 2 billion euro French dividend tax | Reuters

Michael’s Responsive Campaign News Vote Leave

Source: Michael’s Responsive Campaign News 

Vote Leave

We send £350 million a week to the EU – enough to build a new hospital every week 250,000 EU migrants a year come to the UK and five new countries are in the queue to join – including Albania, Serbia, and Turkey – it’s out of control and damages the NHS It’s safer to take back control and spend our money on our priorities Imagine if we Vote Leave on 23 June… Tweet this BBC: The Great Debate – On 21 June, the BBC will be holding a televised EU debate at the Wembley Arena. The event will feature top names from Vote Leave and the IN campaign. To apply for a place click here. Vote Leave hits the road Today marks the launch of the Vote Leave bus tour, with Boris Johnson and Vote leave chair Gisela Stuart kicking things off in Truro. With only 43 days left to go until the referendum, we will be taking our case to the whole country, spreading our positive vision of life outside the EU. As the bus travels around the country, Cabinet ministers will be joined by people from all walks of life, from doctors and teachers to business people, and of course thousands of volunteers and supporters along the route. People right across the UK want to take back control of the £350 million we give to Brussels every week and instead spend that money on our priorities, like the NHS. Head of Labour In campaign dismisses £350 million as a ‘drop in the ocean’ At the launch of Labour In for Britain’s battle bus tour, Alan Johnson  claimed that the £350 million  we send to the EU each week would be a ‘drop in the ocean’ for the NHS.  This is a shocking admission. The fact is that the NHS is in crisis and desperately needs more money. Patients struggling to get care on the NHS will rightly think that Mr Johnson is completely out of touch to dismiss a sum of money which could build a fully staffed hospital every week. The Labour IN chief then went on to say that people who want to Vote Leave are ‘extremists’. However, it is hard to see what is ‘extremist’ about wanting to take back control of the £350 million we send to the EU every week. This is yet another example of the ridiculous claims made by the IN campaign, as they are unable to make a positive argument for staying in the EU. EU judges make it difficult to extradite dangerous criminals and terrorists The European Court of Justice yesterday took steps to take control of the UK’s extradition cases. The European Court will use the Charter of Fundamental Rights – which the government originally said would have the same legal effect as The Beano in the UK – in order to decide if we can deport dangerous criminals. This will make it easier for dangerous criminals and terrorists to remain in the UK. The ruling could have even prevented the extradition of  Abu Hamza had the judgment been made at the time of his extradition case. These rules should be made by elected lawmakers accountable to the British people – not faceless bureaucrats in Brussels or unaccountable judges in Luxembourg. After we Vote Leave on 23 June, we can take back control of these key decisions and make our country more secure. Donate Message from a supporter Today’s must-reads Iain Duncan Smith: EU membership is destroying young people’s dreams of getting on the housing ladder – Telegraph EU may ban deporting terrorism suspects – Mail Brits must give Churchill’s two fingers to Cameron’s WW3 EU threats – Lord Owen, Sun EU to launch kettle and toaster crackdown after Brexit vote – Telegraph Trade deficit with EU hits ANOTHER record high in first quarter of year as referendum decision looms – Mail Mass migration and the threat to Britain’s social fabric liberals can no longer ignore –Trevor Phillips, Mail Tweet | Share Upcoming Campaign Dates Wednesday 11 May – Edinburgh Vote Leave Get Together – Edinburgh RSVP or Share Thursday 12 May – The case for Brexit – Stirling RSVP or Share – Saturday 14 May – Street Stall – Ashborne RSVP – or Share –