Comments for Blog of Cecilia Malmström

Comment on Journalism – one of the most dangerous professions in the world by johnpeters

johnpeters — Mon, 07 May 2012 19:13:15 +0000

Commissioner Malmstrom :

Journalism is about the truth. There is an ongoing media circus between Pr. Putin and the Russian Oligarchs, some of whom got hundreds of billions of dollars in Russian assets in the 90’s for a few coins , using unpaid government loans and corrupt burocratic insiders , and the question is : why not talk about this ? Russia is a neighbor, a partner , a huge costumer and a proud friend , not to mention a member of the Christian Community, so why not talk about all this ? freely ?

As we all can read in the media, one of the most extremist , Boris Berezovsky, is insinuating a 15 million dollar bounty for Pr. Putin, and how can this be in a Rule of Law society ? if anyone had put a bounty on Berezovsky, the press would be screaming against the potential criminal , but when this extremist is the one using threats, nothing happens ? why the double standard ?

Comment on New Eurobarometer on Corruption by camilla hansson

camilla hansson — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:17:32 +0000

Hi,

Here are two suggestions:

Transparency International’s definition:
“Corruption is operationally defined as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. TI further differentiates between “according to rule” corruption and “against the rule” corruption. Facilitation payments, where a bribe is paid to receive preferential treatment for something that the bribe receiver is required to do by law, constitute the former. The latter, on the other hand, is a bribe paid to obtain services the bribe receiver is prohibited from providing.” Link to Transparency’s website: http://www.transparency.org/news_room/faq/corruption_faq#faqcorr1

In the European Commission’s Communication published last year the broad definition of corruption adopted by the Global Programme against Corruption run by the United Nations was used: ‘abuse of power for private gain’, which therefore covers corruption in both public and private sectors. Link: http://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/news/intro/docs/110606/308/1_EN_ACT_part1_v12%5B1%5D.pdf

I hope this helps!

Best regards,
Camilla Hansson
Cabinet of Commissioner Malmström

Comment on New Eurobarometer on Corruption by lugiman2009@gmail.com

lugiman2009@gmail.com — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 19:45:45 +0000

Can you advice us to find the definition of “corruption”?
Thank you.

Comment on Important judgement by camme123

camme123 — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:34:16 +0000

Dear Paolorw,
Thank you for your question to Commissioner Malmström. She has asked me to give you a reply.

Libya has for the last 42 years been ruled by a dictator infamous for the treatment of his own people as well as for the treatment of refugees. The reason why EU thus tried, together with the UNHCR, to establish cooperation with Libya was exactly that – out of concern for the migrants and refugees.

The UN Refugee Agency UNHCR is an invaluable partner in helping refugees and asylum seekers on the ground. A requirement for cooperation between the EU and Libya was, therefore, that the UNHCR, who had been expelled from Libya would be allowed back into the country to resume their activities. But this never happened. Due to the reluctance of the Libyan regime to agree to our demands the agreement never entered into force and soon after the civil war broke out.

Throughout last year the EU assisted the Libyan people with humanitarian aid and the EU is now also supporting the long transition to democracy: http://j.mp/yPaa7U. A democratic Libya would mean a great deal, not only for the Libyan people but also for the refugees and migrants in the country.

Best regards,
Camilla Hansson
Cabinet of Commissioner Cecilia Malmström

Comment on Important judgement by paolorw

paolorw — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 17:18:51 +0000

I have a question Ms. Malmstrom.
How can you be at the same time so concerned about the destiny of migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea and also be the greater promoter of the former and potential new EU/Libya framework agreement on migration?
If I well remember you signed the former agreement in 2010 and you are still the greater promoter of a new one even if there is not a legitim elected government in Libya and even if the human rights situation in Libya is a great international concern.
The ECtHR’s judgement should make you reflect on what has been done so far by your cabinet and by Mr. Fule’s one.
If you read carefully the judgment you might notice reference to numerous UNHCR, HRW and AI’s reports assessing the human rights situation in the country and the EU attempted strategy to keep migrants outside the EU borders. Those reports are still valid since the situation in the country has not improved and it is still dramatic.
I suggest a careful reflection on the work done so far by your cabinet and on a clear position to keep on this issue.
Express words of concern on personal blogs sometimes it is just not enough

Comment on Pensions and One seat for European Parliament by monob

monob — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 09:02:26 +0000

Liebe europäische Mitbürger!

Da die werte Kommission unserer Proteste gegen ACTA als undemokratisch empfindet, rufe ich euch auch, nicht zu vergessen, am 25.2. auf die Straße zu gehen und zu demonstrieren. Wir waren am 11.2. bereits 500.000, demnächst sind wir noch mehr.
Wir sind nicht gewillt, länger zu schweigen!

Comment on An open and safe internet by gold

gold — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 08:31:11 +0000

There is a difficult balance that must be made between different principles - the principle of privacy and Internet security.

Comment on An open and safe internet by internet

internet — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:46:31 +0000

It's really hard to find the right balance, but something must be done, the internet is still a safehaven for too many illegal activities. Good job on the legislation!

Comment on Seminars (and semla) by Martin

Martin — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:32:50 +0000

I remember that Mr. Cox, after having served as a Parliament President, worked as a lobbyist for Microsoft. Whoever sells out to the digital tobacco should not qualify as a person to talk to and doing so damages the dignity of a person holding a Commission office. I also think the Ambassodor goes to far in terms of lobbying. He has to respect that the Commissioners serve the Eruropean Public, not foreign nations, and his lobbying clearly crosses the line of what is appropriate for a person holding the office.

Comment on Seminars (and semla) by financialtools1

financialtools1 — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:56:24 +0000

Dear Commissioner Malmstrom :

Like in so many other issues , the best to you and your team making sure the whole EU speaks with one voice. Union is now more important than ever , be it for more fiscal union , for solid EU inter-banking loans , solid EU support for small and medium industry with smart loans and tax credits, smarter local manufacturing growth policies , NEW FLEXIBLE WORK RULES that are vital to create new JOBS , MORE EXPORTS SUPPORT specially to the Youth and unemployed that needs to learn to travel overseas and sell local EU products , a united new energy independence policy with local EU manufacturing and installation , or like you mention above, international organized crime.

One of the questions still to be answered is how , when and who washes illegal profits from heavy weapons , hard drugs , explosives , extortion and tax-currency evasion , which many times go together , and we see always certain tax shelters , investors, experts and tax-lawyers in Bermuda, Cayman Islands , Gibraltar, Mariana Islands and other great places being used for these illegal operations, so could it be just coincidence ? also we see Internet bets and gambling and other internet scams ” servers and switches “ in these same places where criminal assets are , another coincidence ?

In the USA, it seems like Insider Trading by Congress members Legislation , STOCK ACT , their staff and their families is about to pass, even when it does not end the classic work of some in “ K Street ” , where Congress insiders tell the Hedge-Funds , Private Equity Partners, Money Managers and others of impending Legislation, so they can sell or buy stocks …. this is absurd, but still if approved, this new Legislation is a little step in the right direction….let’s make sure the EU Legislators, political appointees, bureaucrats , staff , their families, private contractors, advisers, experts, etc., are all inside the Rule of Law too.

And this brings me to another international crime situation: what many in Russia are asking about : that the oligarchs that got hundreds of billions of Euros in Russian assets for very little in the 1990’s , or in some cases for nothing, that they pay for these assets to the Russian People , and what a coincidence, some of these oligarchs are the same operators of the tax evasion shelters, organizations, experts , lawyers, advisers and weapons -drugs-gambling servers and switches … is that another incredible coincidence?

Commissioner : this is very difficult and dangerous work, the very best to you all, thanks.

Congress Insider Trading – STOCK ACT, PIPA-SOPA against the Web

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.politics.economics/browse_thread/thread/9ff45de446cf6c7e/77f550d2117226bf