A swearing-in Ceremony for six new judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) will be held today Friday 9 March 2018, at 11:00 (The Hague local time) in Courtroom I at the seat of the Court in The Hague.
Judges Luz del Carmen Ibañez Carranza (Peru), Solomy Balungi Bossa (Uganda), Tomoko Akane (Japan), Reine Alapini-Gansou (Benin), Kimberly Prost (Canada) and Rosario Salvatore Aitala (Italy) were elected for nine-year terms during the sixteenth session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute in December 2017.
The judges will take a public oath declaring: “I solemnly undertake that I will perform my duties and exercise my powers as a judge of the International Criminal Court honourably, faithfully, impartially and conscientiously, and that I will respect the confidentiality of investigations and prosecutions and the secrecy of deliberations”.
The European Commission is today unveiling an Action Plan on how to harness the opportunities presented by technology-enabled innovation in financial services (FinTech).Europe should become a global hub for FinTech, with EU businesses and investors able to make most of the advantages offered by the Single Market in this fast-moving sector. As a first major deliverable, the Commission is also putting forward new rules that will help crowd funding platforms to grow across the EU’s single market.Today’s Action Plan envisages to enable the financial sector to make use of the rapid advances in new technologies, such as blockchain, artificial intelligence and cloud services. At the same time, it seeks to make markets safer and easier to access for new players. This will benefit consumers, investors, banks and new market players alike. In addition, the Commission is proposing a pan-European label for platforms, so that a platform licensed in one country can operate across the EU.The Action Plan is part of the Commission’s efforts to build a Capital Markets Union (CMU) and a true single market for consumer financial services. It is also part of its drive to create a Digital Single Market. The Commission aims to make EU rules more future-oriented and aligned with the rapid advance of technological development.Valdis Dombrovskis, Vice-President responsible for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union, said: “To compete globally, Europe’s innovative companies need access to capital, space to experiment and scale to grow. This is the premise for our FinTech Action Plan. An EU crowdfunding licence would help crowdfunding platforms scale up in Europe. It will help them match investors and companies from all over the EU, giving more opportunities for firms and entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas to a wider base of funders.”Jyrki Katainen, Vice-President for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness said: “New technologies are transforming the financial industry by revolutionising the way people access financial services. Alternative sources of funding, such as crowdfunding or peer-to-peer lending, directly link savings with investments. They make the market more accessible for innovative entrepreneurs, start-ups and small companies. This objective is at the heart of the Capital Markets Union.”Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for the Digital Economy and Society said: “Digital technologies have an impact on our whole economy – citizens and businesses alike. Technologies like blockchain can be game changers for financial services and beyond. We need to build an enabling framework to let innovation flourish, while managing risks and protecting consumers.” The FinTech Action Plan: The financial sector is the largest user of digital technologies and a major driver in the digital transformation of the economy. Today’s Action Plan sets out 23 steps to enable innovative business models to scale up, support the uptake of new technologies, increase cybersecurity and the integrity of the financial system, including: The Commission will host an EU FinTech Laboratory where European and national authorities will engage with tech providers in a neutral, non-commercial space;The Commission has already created an EU Blockchain Observatory and Forum. It will report on the challenges and opportunities of crypto assets later in 2018 and is working on a comprehensive strategy on distributed ledger technology and block chain addressing all sectors of the economy. A distributed ledger is an information database that is shared across a network. The best-known type of distributed ledger is block chain.The Commission will consult on how best to promote the digitisation of information published by listed companies in Europe, including by using innovative technologies to interconnect national databases. This will give investors far easier access to key information to inform their investment decisions.The Commission will run workshops to improve information-sharing when it comes to cybersecurity;The Commission will present a blueprint with best practices on regulatory sandboxes, based on guidance from European Supervisory Authorities. A regulatory sandbox is a framework set up by regulators that allows FinTech startups and other innovators to conduct live experiments in a controlled environment, under a regulator’s supervision. Regulatory sandboxes are gaining popularity, mostly in developed financial markets.Regulation on Crowdfunding:Crowdfunding improves access to funding especially for start-ups and other small businesses. A start-up can present its project on an online platform and call for support in the form of a loan (‘peer-to-peer lending’) or equity. Investors receive a financial return for their investment. It is currently difficult for many platforms to expand into other EU countries. This is why crowdfunding in the EU is underdeveloped as compared to other major world economies, and the EU market is fragmented. One of the biggest hurdles is the lack of common rules across the EU. This considerably raises compliance and operational costs and prevents crowdfunding platforms from expanding across borders.Today’s proposal will make it easier for these platforms to offer their services EU-wide and improve access to this innovative form of finance for businesses in need of funding. Once adopted by the European Parliament and the Council, the proposed Regulation will allow platforms to apply for an EU label based on a single set of rules. This will enable them to offer their services across the EU. Investors on crowdfunding platforms will be protected by clear rules on information disclosures, rules on governance and risk management and a coherent approach to supervision.
Arusha, 8 March 2018- The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism) marked International Women’s Day today with a variety of events at its Arusha branch. Reflecting on this year’s theme ‘Press for Progress’, the Mechanism joined the global celebration of women’s rights, equality and justice, focusing on the criminal prosecution of the crimes of sexual and gender-based violence against women in armed conflicts.
To mark the occasion, the Mechanism invited students from Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus Secondary School, Saint Joseph Nagarenaro Girls’ Secondary School, Peace House Secondary School, and the Faculty of Law of the Tumaini University in Arusha to its premises. Also in attendance were members of the Arusha branch of the Tanzania Women Lawyers Association (TAWLA) and participants of the Mechanism’s sponsored mentoring programme for teenage girls from Arusha secondary schools. The event included presentations by senior officials of the Mechanism and a representative of the Mechanism’s Staff Union on the Mechanism’s work and mandate. The presentations emphasized the leading role that the Mechanism, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (Tribunals) have played in creating a vast body of jurisprudence related to sexual and gender-based crimes. This includes a number of ground-breaking rulings by the Tribunals – such as those recognizing that the crime of rape may constitute a form of torture and that sexual enslavement may constitute a crime against humanity. These landmark rulings form part of the greater effort to ensure accountability for acts of sexual and gender-based violence committed during armed conflicts around the world. As part of the day’s events, representatives of TAWLA gave presentations on gender dynamics and developments in their field and participants were further given the opportunity to tour the premises of the Mechanism. Mechanism staff members were on hand during the tours to answer questions and discuss issues relating to women’s rights, either specifically relating to international criminal justice or more generally.
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Photography by UN Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals.
Joint operation against drug trafficking in Finland and the NetherlandsSince October 2017, Eurojust has been supporting the Finnish authorities in one of the largest investigations of drug trafficking in Finland, and especially in the region of Pirkanmaa, from which most of the Finnish suspects originate.A larger organised crime group (OCG) established both in Finland and the Netherlands, which has been trafficking drugs, mainly amphetamine, in those countries, was dismantled by the Finnish and Dutch authorities. The estimated value of the drugs (approximately 50 kg) amounts to EUR 2.8 million.
Eurojust facilitated the simultaneous execution of European Investigation Orders and European Arrest Warrants and assisted in the development of coordinated strategies for the joint operations of the Finnish, Dutch, German and Swedish national authorities, which were facilitated through a coordination centre established at Eurojust. Without Eurojust’s intervention, cross-border actions would have been very difficult to perform.
The German and Swedish national authorities supported the Finnish authorities’ investigation and cooperated on the basis of mutual legal assistance requests. In the Netherlands, suspects were arrested and house searches were conducted by the International Legal Assistance Centre (IRC) of Limburg. During these actions, important evidence was obtained for the Finnish authorities. Through the close and active cooperation of the national authorities with Eurojust and Europol, 19 members of the OCG were detained in Finland. A total of 37 individuals (23 in Finland, 14 in the Netherlands) are suspected of five aggravated drug offences.
In addition to drug trafficking, the investigation focused on seven suspected money laundering offences related to the trafficking of drugs between Finland and the Netherlands.
The National Member for Finland at Eurojust, Piia Vottonen, stated: “The active cooperation between Eurojust and the national authorities at the Eurojust coordination centre enabled the success in the case. Eurojustdealt with the judicial aspects within its competence, organised a coordination meeting to discuss the details of the case and set up a coordination centre to support the coordinated actions.Our core task at Eurojust is to assist judicial authorities in dealing with cross-border criminal cases. In this case, as in so many others, the Finnish authorities took on-the-spot investigative measures during the action day at the coordination centre, which provided the necessary judicial support to the investigation.”
In February 2018, Ms. Ivanka Kotorova officially took up her duties as the National Member for Bulgaria at Eurojust for a four-year period. Prior to her appointment, she was the Deputy National Member for Bulgaria at Eurojust.For 28 years, Ms. Kotorova has held various regional, district and cassation posts as a public prosecutor at the Bulgarian Prosecution Office, including the Sofia City Prosecution Office, where she specialised in cases involving economic crime and corruption, as well as the prosecution of persons with immunity. Immediately prior to her appointment to Eurojust, Ms. Kotorova was Head of the International Department at the Supreme Cassation PO in Sofia.After obtaining her Master’s Degree in Law from Sofia University, and while already working as a prosecutor, Ms. Kotorova was awarded a Master’s Degree in International Trade Relations by the University of Economics in Sofia, as well as a Master’s Degree in European Law by the Universities of Strasbourg and Nantes.Ms. Kotorova has also served as contact point for the EJN, regularly updating the Bulgarian legislation section of the EJN website. Over the last 12 years, Ms. Kotorova has provided training for Bulgarian judges, investigators, police officers and prosecutors on international legal cooperation matters. In addition to drafting and publishing numerous professional guidelines and publications, Ms. Kotorova is the author of one and published co-author of two legal texts.After her appointment at Eurojust, Ms. Kotorova said: ‘This appointment is the natural continuation of my entire career, a huge part of which I have devoted to international legal cooperation. Now I have the privilege to work with high-level professionals, to share with them practical experience, and to be of help to my colleagues in Bulgaria. It’s an enormous challenge but also an honour to be trusted with the responsibilities of this post at such a crucial moment when, for the first time since its EU membership, Bulgaria is holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. But these are demands that I feel fully prepared to face.’
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Related link:
Bulgarian Presidency website
By Anton Lutter.
Three weeks after the fall of Halbe Zijlstra, last Wednesday Stef Blok was sworn in as Minister of Foreign Affairs by H.M. King Willem-Alexander.
Mr. Blok is a well-known and experienced politician from the VVD party. 53 years old Mr. Blok studied business at University of Groningen, after which he served in different positions at ABN AMRO bank until 1998.
He then entered the Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal (parliament). In parliament, he was chair of both the finance and public health committees. During the parliamentary elections of 2010, he was his party’s campaign chair.
In 2010 and 2012 he became the leader of the VVD-group in parliament during which time the political leader of the VVD Mr. Mark Rutte was Minister-President.
H.E. Mr. Stef Blok, new Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs.
He entered the Cabinet Rutte II as Minister without portfolio responsible for Housing and Public Services (Rijksdienst) from 2012 until 2017, when he became Minister of Security and Justice after minister Ard van Steur had stepped down.
He served in that position until October 2017. Blok is known as a hardworking and dependable person with a small ego, qualities which will be much appreciated at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Having little experience in foreign affairs, his first challenge will be chairing the United Nations Security Council meetings in March, of which The Netherlands will be a member for the coming six months.
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Source photo: www.ad.nl
Minister Stephan Holthoff-Pförtner, Sir Sebastian Wood and Premier Armin Laschet – Picture by Land NRW, W. Meyer.
Tuesday, 27 February 2018, Düsseldorf, Government House (Landeshaus): Premier of North Rhine-Westphalia Armin Laschet and Minister for European, Federal and International Affairs, Dr. Stephan Holthoff-Pförtner received the British Ambassador, Sir Sebastian Wood for bilateral talks.
Premier Laschet and Minister Dr. Holthoff-Pförtner emphasised the necessity to maintain excellent commercial relations after Brexit. In fact, the NRW State Government appointed in 2017 legal expert, Dr. Friedrich Merz, as Special Envoy for Brexit and transatlantic relations.
During the conversation the NRW Government put forward their disappointment over the fact that the British Government is not pursuing a customs union vis-à-vis the EU as NRW fears trade hindrances, should the free movement of goods and people be impaired. There is a commercial trade worth 22,3 billion Euros since 2016 between NRW and the United Kingdom. In fact, the UK is the fourth largest EU trade partner for NRW. One thousand five hundred British companies are headquartered in NRW, that is, almost one quarter of all settled or represented in Germany indeed.
Historically the UK played a crucial role in the formation of NRW back in 1946, reason whereby HRH The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was guest of honour at the 70 years celebrations for NRW in 2016.
Currently there are just over 26,000 Britons registered in NRW, albeit the number shall decrease as British troops are due to depart in 2020 altogether from NRW and Germany.
There are 130 city and town partnerships between NRW and the UK, for instance between Cologne and Liverpool, Münster and York or Bochum and Sheffield. Sir Sebastian Wood, who is fluent in Mandarin, and an expert on Asian affairs, has been ambassador to Germany since 28 September 2015.
Ambassador Takeshi Yagi and NRW Premier Armin Laschet – Picture by Land NRW, R. Pfeil, 26. Januar 2018.
Friday, 26 January 2018, Düsseldorf, North Rhine Westphalia: Premier of NRW Armin Laschet welcomed for a presentation meeting His Excellency Ambassador Takeshi Yagi, Head of Mission of Japan to Germany, at the “Landeshaus” or Government House in Düsseldorf.
Japan is amongst the most prominent non-European commercial partners for NRW. In fact there are more than six hundred Nipponese companies based in NRW, making it the investment hub for the Japanese in Germany par excellence. NRW by consequence boasts the largest Nipponese population in the whole of Germany, just as Amstelveen in The Netherlands does for the neighbouring Benelux countries.
Currently the Prefecture Fukushima maintains with the State Government a scientific cooperation concerning medical technology and renewable energies. It is intended to intensify the cooperation in 2018.
For further information:
Embassy of Japan in Germany (HE Ambassador Takeshi Yagi): http://www.de.emb-japan.go.jp NRW State Government: https://www.land.nrw/de/pressemitteilung/ministerpraesident-laschet-empfaengt-den-botschafter-von-japan
HRH Princess Haya bint Al Hussein – Picture by World Government Summit.
11 February 2018, Emirate of Dubai, UAE: HRH Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, Chairperson of the International Humanitarian, announced the launch of the “Humanitarian Logistics Data Bank” during her allocution at the World Government Summit held in Dubai.
The database ought to provide specialised information to help affected individuals, and ultimately assist in the struggle to end world hunger.
“The Humanitarian Logistics Data Bank will facilitate the real-time collection of data for the deployment of aid in impacted regions,” she uttered during her intervention. “Realisation of the humanitarian logistics data bank’s incredible potential will depend on dedication, determination and drive, not only of the organisations within the humanitarian sector, but of individuals. One of the individuals whose support will be the wind beneath the wings of its success, is David Beasley, Executive Director of the World Food Program (WFP),” she added further.
The WFP assists 80 million people in around 80 countries annually by means of delving food assistance and improving nutrition in communities.
Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, wife of HH The Amir of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, is also the daughter of the late King Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Likewise she is chairperson of the International Humanitarian City (IHC), a non-profit, independent free zone created by Amir Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum back in 2003. Its members include UN agencies, non-profit organisations, intergovernmental organisations and commercial companies
For further information:
Allocution by HRH Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, Chairperson of the IHC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPvqKwLUn3I
Official website of HRH Princess Haya bint Al Hussain, First Lady of Dubai: http://princesshaya.net/english/
International Humanitarian City (IHC): http://www.ihc.ae
World Food Programme: http://www1.wfp.org
