In recent days, the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA) has completed the sale of the building at 60 Sloane Avenue in London to Bain Capital, with total proceeds of 186 million pounds sterling. The Secretariat for the Economy followed the entire procedure in its various phases.
The capital loss incurred was entirely transferred to the reserve funds of the Secretariat of State, and the papal charity – Peter’s Pence, which comprises offerings from the faithful – has not been touched.
To ensure transparency and independence of the evaluation process, the Holy See availed itself of the assistance of the real estate broker Savills, selected at the end of a tender procedure launched in January 2021 under the supervision of real estate advisors.
In September 2021, APSA received the first round of 16 offers, subject to due diligence in the following months, followed by a second round of three offers, also subject to appropriate investigations. The operation was completed in recent months with the choice of the buyer, and, finally, the signing of the deed of sale.
Parliament will vote on new digital rules, discuss the priorities of the Czech presidency and look at rising prices during the plenary session on 4-7 July.
On Tuesday, MEPs are set to approve the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act, new rules that aim to regulate the digital landscape and limit unfair practices by digital platforms, increase their accountability and protect users from harmful and illegal content.
On Wednesday, Parliament will decide whether to block the European Commission’s plan to classify nuclear and gas energy as environmentally sustainable, meaning projects could benefit from EU funding. MEPs from the economic and environment committees objected to the plan. This classification system for sustainable economic activities is known as EU taxonomy.
Ukraine
MEPs will discuss a number of issues related to Ukraine with representatives of the Council and the Commission on Wednesday, including the decision to grant the country EU candidate status and how to ensure the transport of agricultural products.
Ukraine, traditionally one of the large exporters of agricultural products, faces the destruction of its transport infrastructure and blockage of existing routes following the invasion of Russia.
Cost of living and energy prices
In the wake of rising prices, particularly for food and fuel, MEPs will discuss how EU funds could help people cope with the mounting cost of living on Tuesday. On Wednesday, they will look at how a windfall tax could be levied on energy company profits.
Czech presidency
On Wednesday, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, will discuss the programme and priorities of his country’s presidency with MEPs. The Czech Republic took over the six-month rotating presidency of the EU Council on 1 July.
Duzhe dyakuyu, thank you so much for inviting me to address this special session. Just days ago, on Constitution Day, President Zelenskyy, you said that your ‘victory is not far off’. Of course, Putin’s army is still killing your brothers and sisters. They continue occupying your land, stealing your grain and bombing your cities. You are fighting back bravely. And Europe will stand up with Ukraine as long as it takes. We will not rest until you prevail.
Your brave soldiers on the frontline are making ultimate sacrifices to defend the soil of Ukraine and its people. And behind the lines, there are countless other Ukrainians working to support this national endeavour. And they all hope for a brighter future for their country. This is a courageous generation, on the march towards their vision. Their vision of a free Ukraine that is part of a democratic Europe. I have them clearly in my mind as I speak to you today. You have kept your state and your democracy up and running against all odds. I saw it with my own eyes, after taking the train to Kyiv twice since the beginning of the war. You have kept the Parliament open even in the darkest days, when bombs fell on Kyiv and you had to build barricades to protect the Rada.
Ukraine filed its application for membership in the European Union only days after the Russian invasion. And you managed to provide us with all the necessary information to put forward a strong opinion. We in the European institutions worked day and night to support you. But it is your effort that got the work done. You mobilised not only your institutions, but the best energies in your country. You reached out to thousands of experts from civil society and academia, to showcase everything Ukraine has achieved since the Revolution of Dignity. And because of this effort, you have gained the endorsement and the respect of all EU Member States. This is a significant sign of trust. Ukraine now has a clear European perspective and it is candidate to join the European Union, Something that seemed almost unimaginable just five months ago. So today is first and foremost a moment to celebrate this historic milestone. A victory of determination and resolve. And a victory for the whole movement that started eight years ago on the Maidan.
You have come such a long way since 2014. You have chosen firmly to be a democracy and to live under the rule of law. This choice, Ukraine has already made for itself, for its own sake. Mr President, you once told me that everything that Ukraine would do for EU membership it would do anyway. Because that is the modern and prosperous Ukraine you want it to be. The next steps are within your reach. But they will require hard work, determination and above all unity of purpose.
Today, the international community is mobilising to support your efforts to rebuild your beautiful country. Next Monday, together with President Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Shmyhal, I will participate in the Lugano conference for the reconstruction of Ukraine. Your European path and the reconstruction of the country will go hand in hand. Ukraine will be in the lead. Massive investments will have to come. But to maximise their impact and to foster business confidence, investments will have to be coupled with a new wave of reforms.
You have determined your reform agenda and you have already made important progress. Take the fight against corruption. Preventing and combatting corruption has been particularly high on your agenda since the Revolution of Dignity. You have created an impressive anti-corruption machine. But now these institutions need teeth, and the right people in senior posts. The new head of the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor´s Office and the new director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine should be appointed as soon as possible. Or take your plans to reform the Constitutional Court. Legislation is needed for selection procedures for judges, in line with the recommendations of the Venice Commission. Institutions must come to life, so that they can deliver on the aspirations of your people. Or think about the excessive influence of oligarchs on the economy. Today, Ukraine is the only country in Europe’s Eastern Partnership to have adopted a law to break the oligarchs’ grip on your economic and political life. And I commend you for that. Now you have to focus on the implementation of this law in a legally sound manner, taking into account the forthcoming opinion of the Venice Commission. A media law should also be adopted, one that aligns Ukraine’s legislation with current EU standards and empowers the independent media regulator. In sum, many of the laws and the institutions you need are already in place. Now is the time to translate rules and bodies into positive and enduring change.
Of course, reforms always take time. That is how all our democracies work. They need constant commitment and dedication. And for instance, no one expects Ukraine to fill in all posts in your new institutions while so many of your best and brightest are fighting on the front. But Ukraine’s democracy must be kept on the right track. You have already shown that you can pass important laws even as the war still rages on, and make every day count.
You know the work that lies ahead better than anyone else. The word Rada means council, and council means collective wisdom. I am confident that you will put your collective wisdom at the service of Ukraine, when it comes to reforms and to the future of your country. So today, I come here with a very simple message. There is a long road ahead but Europe will be at your side every step of the way, for as long as it takes, from these dark days of war until the moment you cross the door that leads into our European Union.
I believe in Ukraine’s European future. And the reason is simple. The reason is the tenacity of the Ukrainian people. Your resolve. Your passion for Europe. Your desire to live the European dream in your beautiful country. As President Zelenskyy said in his first speech in front of this parliament: ‘Europe is not somewhere else. Europe is here, in your mind. And when Europe is in your mind, then Europe will come to your country too.’ It is your country. It is your future. And only you can make it happen. You are the ones who can change this country for good. And this will be your ultimate victory. A free, prosperous and vibrant Ukraine. A sovereign Ukraine that is finally reunited with our European family.
The EU brings crypto-assets, crypto-assets issuers and crypto-asset service providers under a regulatory framework for the first time.
The Council presidency and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the markets in crypto-assets (MiCA) proposal which covers issuers of unbacked crypto-assets, and so-called “stablecoins”, as well as the trading venues and the wallets where crypto-assets are held. This regulatory framework will protect investors and preserve financial stability, while allowing innovation and fostering the attractiveness of the crypto-asset sector. This will bring more clarity in the European Union, as some member states already have national legislation for crypto-assets, but so far there had been no specific regulatory framework at EU level.
Recent developments on this quickly evolving sector have confirmed the urgent need for an EU-wide regulation. MiCA will better protect Europeans who have invested in these assets, and prevent the misuse of crypto-assets, while being innovation-friendly to maintain the EU’s attractiveness. This landmark regulation will put an end to the crypto wild west and confirms the EU’s role as a standard-setter for digital topics.
– Bruno Le Maire, French Minister for the Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty
MiCA will protect consumers against some of the risks associated with the investment in crypto-assets, and help them avoid fraudulent schemes. Currently, consumers have very limited rights to protection or redress, especially if the transactions take place outside the EU. With the new rules, crypto-asset service providers will have to respect strong requirements to protect consumers wallets and become liablein case they lose investors’ crypto-assets. MiCA will also cover any type of market abuse related to any type of transaction or service, notably for market manipulation and insider dealing.
Actors in the crypto-assets market will be required to declare information on their environmental and climatefootprint. The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) will develop draft regulatory technical standards on the content, methodologies and presentation of information related to principal adverse environmental and climate-related impact. Within two years, the European Commission will have to provide a report on the environmental impact of crypto-assets and the introduction of mandatory minimum sustainability standards for consensus mechanisms, including the proof-of-work.
To avoid any overlaps with updated legislation on anti-money laundering (AML), which will now also cover crypto-assets, MiCA does not duplicate the anti-money laundering provisions as set out in the newly updated transfer of funds rules agreed on 29 June. However, MiCA requires that the European Banking Authority (EBA) will be tasked with maintaining a public register of non-compliant crypto-asset service providers. Crypto-asset service providers, whose parent company is located in countries listed on the EU list of third countries considered at high risk for anti-money laundering activities, as well as on the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes, will be required to implement enhanced checks in line with the EU AML framework. Tougher requirements may also be applied to shareholders and to the management of the CASPs), notably with regard to their localisation.
A strong framework applicable to so-called “stablecoins” to protect consumers
Recent events on theso-called “stablecoins” markets showed once again the risks incurred by holders in the absence of regulation, as well as the impacts it has on other crypto-assets.
In fact, MiCA will protect consumers by requesting stablecoins issuers to build up a sufficiently liquid reserve, with a 1/1 ratio and partly in the form of deposits. Every so-called “stablecoin” holder will be offered a claim at any time and free of charge by the issuer, and the rules governing the operation of the reserve will also provide for an adequate minimum liquidity. Furthermore, all so-called “stablecoins” will be supervised by the European Banking Authority (EBA), with a presence of the issuer in the EU being a precondition for any issuance.
The development of asset-referenced tokens (ARTs) based on a non-European currency, as a widely used means of payment, will be constrained to preserve our monetary sovereignty. Issuers of ARTs will need to have a registered office in the EU to ensure the proper supervision and monitoring of offers to the public of asset-referenced tokens.
This framework will provide the expected legal certainty and allow innovation to flourish in the European Union.
EU-wide rules for crypto-asset service providers and different crypto assets
Under the provisional agreement reached today, crypto-asset service providers (CASPs)will need an authorisation in order to operate within the EU. National authorities will be required to issue authorisations within a timeframe of three months. Regarding the largest CASPs, national authorities will transmit relevant information regularly to the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA).
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs), i. e. digital assets representing real objects like art, music and videos, will be excluded from the scope except if they fall under existing crypto-asset categories. Within 18 months the European Commission will be tasked to prepare a comprehensive assessment and, if deemed necessary, a specific, proportionate and horizontal legislative proposal to create a regime for NFTs and address the emerging risks of such new market.
Next steps
The provisional agreement is subject to approval by the Council and the European Parliament before going through the formal adoption procedure.
Background
The European Commission came forward with the MiCA proposal on 24 September 2020. It is part of the larger digital finance package, which aims to develop a European approach that fosters technological development and ensures financial stability and consumer protection. In addition to the MiCA proposal, the package contains a digital finance strategy, a Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) – that will cover CASPs as well – and a proposal on distributed ledger technology (DLT) pilot regime for wholesale uses.
This package bridges a gap in existing EU legislation by ensuring that the current legal framework does not pose obstacles to the use of new digital financial instruments and, at the same time, ensures that such new technologies and products fall within the scope of financial regulation and operational risk management arrangements of firms active in the EU. Thus, the package aims to support innovation and the uptake of new financial technologies while providing for an appropriate level of consumer and investor protection.
The Council adopted its negotiating mandate on MiCA on 24 November 2021. Trilogues between the co-legislators started on 31 March 2022 and ended in the provisional agreement reached today.
Foreign subsidies distorting the internal market: provisional political agreement between the Council and the European Parliament
The Council and the European Parliament today reached a provisional political agreement on the regulation on foreign subsidies distorting the internal market.
The French Presidency of the Council of the European Union was built on the principle of economic sovereignty. Economic sovereignty depends on two key principles: investment and protection. The agreement reached on this new instrument will make it possible to combat unfair competition from countries that grant massive subsidies to their industry. This is a major step towards protecting our economic interests.
– Bruno Le Maire, French Minister for the Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty
The regulation aims to remedy the distortions created by subsidies granted by non-EU countries to companies operating in the EU’s single market. It establishes a comprehensive framework for the Commission to examine any economic activity benefiting from a subsidy granted by a non-EU country on the internal market. In doing so, the regulation aims to restore fair competition between all undertakings — both European and non-European — operating in the internal market.
The Commission will be empowered to investigate the financial contributions granted by the public authorities of a non-EU country to undertakings engaging in an economic activity in the EU by means of three tools:
two prior authorisation tools — to ensure a level playing field for the largest mergers and bids in large-scale public procurement ;
a general market investigation tool to investigate all other market situations and lower-value mergers and public procurement procedures.
The co-legislators have decided to maintain the notification thresholds proposed by the Commission for mergers and public procurement procedures:
EUR 500 million for mergers;
EUR 250 million for public procurement procedures.
The Commission will be empowered to investigate subsidies granted up to five years before the entry into force of the regulation and distorting the internal market after its entry into force.
Governance
In order to ensure uniform application of the regulation throughout the EU, the Commission will be exclusively competent to enforce the regulation. During this centralised implementation, member states will be kept regularly informed and will be involved, through the advisory procedure, in decisions adopted under the regulation.
If an undertaking fails to comply with the obligation to notify a subsidised concentration or a financial contribution in the context of public procurement procedures meeting the thresholds set, the Commission will be able to impose fines and examine the transaction as if it had been notified.
Assessment of the effect of foreign subsidies
As is the case under the EU state aid control framework, if the Commission finds that a foreign subsidy exists and that it distorts competition, it will perform a balancing test. This is a tool to assess the balance between the positive and negative effects of a foreign subsidy.
If the negative effects outweigh the positive effects, the Commission will be empowered to impose redressive measures or to accept commitments from the undertakings concerned that remedy the distortion.
Next steps
The provisional agreement reached today is subject to approval by the Council and the European Parliament. On the Council’s side, the provisional political agreement is subject to approval by the Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper), before going through the formal steps of the adoption procedure.
The regulation will enter into force on the 20th day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Background
At present, subsidies granted by member states are subject to state aid controls, but there is no EU instrument to control subsidies granted by non-EU countries. This undermines the level playing field.
To address this, the European Commission tabled the proposal for a regulation on foreign subsidies distorting the internal market on 5 May 2021. It serves as a tool to ensure a level playing field for all undertakings operating in the single market which receive support from an EU member state or from a non-EU country.
Coral Reefs Ecosystem – Approximately 14 per cent of the world’s corals have been lost since 2009, according to the “Status of Coral Reefs of the World 2020” report, a quantitative analysis of a global dataset spanning from 1978 to 2019. According to Gabriel Grimsditch, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) marine ecosystems expert, “Coral reefs are one of the most sensitive ecosystems globally to the ravages of human activities,”
Despite covering less than 10% of the ocean, coral reefs are home to over 9 million species, about a fourth of all marine life, for food, shelter, and even for predators to hunt. Fish, invertebrates, birds, and megafauna including sharks, sea turtles, and marine mammals are among the species found on coral reefs. The conservation of coral reefs should be a global priority and apt measures should be implemented as soon as possible.
Coastal development, dredging, quarrying, destructive fishing practices and gear, boat anchors and groundings add to the factors leading to the destruction of coral reefs.
Most reefs in the world also suffer from poor water quality. Upon entering the ocean, polluted water carries sediment into the ocean. The sediment can smother coral reefs by blocking out the sunlight that corals require to grow. Poor water quality also makes it hazardous for the various living organisms in the habitat.
The importance of clean water bodies has been emphasized time and again and these facts and figures just add a little more evidence to support it. Right now we need a lot more effort than just creating awareness. What we need is the adaptation of efficient and innovative ways that can help us to keep the oceans clean and thus create a clean habitat for the coral reefs to flourish. The inventions like the “WasteShark” by Dutch company RanMarine and FRED by the US-based organization Clear Blue Sea are a few examples that have proved to be both efficient and easy ways of cleaning water bodies.
The WasteShark, according to RanMarine, is designed for in-shore applications, where garbage and biomass tend to gather. When compared to competing options, WasteShark provides a simple and effective method of capturing floating garbage. Ranmarine was founded in 2015 by Richard Hardiman. The company has received funding from EASME based in Belgium and Rajat Khare’s Boundary Holding. The above-mentioned points can just be a part of the complete solution, the other major part being the active participation of people, organisations and governments. From making minor changes in the ways of disposing of trash to choosing the use of eco-friendly fertilizers we can contribute in a lot of ways. “Climate action and reduction of localized threats must go hand-in-hand if we want coral reefs to survive for future generations to enjoy and benefit from them,” says Grimsditch.
H. Em. Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ and Rev. Christian Krieger, Presidents of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) and of the Conference of European Church (CEC) met with the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola on Wednesday 29 June 2022 to discuss the final report of the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE), as well the ongoing war in Ukraine and the implementation of the Article 17 Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU).
In context of the follow-up to the CoFoE, the representatives of European churches expressed their will to support concrete outcomes – as opposed to symbolic ones – and to stand ready to “further contribute to the works of the Conference, especially in the context of empowering the youth and reducing the distance between EU citizens and institutions.”
The meeting also addressed the ongoing Russian war on Ukraine, pointing out the role of the Churches and religious communities in supporting the suffering local population, as well as refugees arriving to the EU countries. In view of the renewed efforts to end the war, the ecumenical delegation stressed that “truth and justice are preconditions for lasting peace in Europe.”
Both Cardinal Hollerich and Rev. Krieger underlined the importance of maintaining constructive dialogue and interaction with EU institutions, in line with Article 17 of the TFEU, which, according to COMECE and CEC, “should be content-based and effectively address key points of priority EU initiatives”. “We are grateful for a very warm welcome and an open exchange with President Metsola, where she listened to us intently,” said CEC President Rev. Krieger. “All in all, it was a meeting that honours the spirit of an open dialogue provided for Churches and faith communities in Article 17 TFEU.”
In this context, the delegation introduced the idea of establishing a ‘Council of European Religions and Religious Leaders’ to enhance the dialogue between faith communities and the EU institutions. President Metsola was invited to open the Council’s first meeting that is envisaged to take place in November 2022.
At the end of the meeting, the President of COMECE expressed the concerns of the Catholic Church for the way the issue of abortion is treated at the EU level. “The attempt to see abortion as a fundamental right, not only goes against the respect of the dignity of every human being, which is one of the pillars of the EU, but it will also gravely endanger the right to freedom of religion, of thought and conscience and the possibility of exercising conscientious objection ,” stated Cardinal Hollerich.
The meeting with the President of the European Parliament was organised in the context of Article 17 TFEU, which foresees an open, transparent and regular dialogue between the EU institutions and Churches and religious associations or communities.
Good evening every one. First of all let me thank you, dear Prime Minister, dear Petr, for your warm welcome. It’s a great pleasure for me to be back in Prague, and to be back for an important moment, because in a few hours it will be the official start, the formal start of your rotating Presidency. You are taking the reins at a turning point for Europe: never has our Union faced such great challenges.
I welcome the priorities of your Presidency. We have many challenges ahead: the war in Ukraine, security and defence, energy, and the resilience of our economies. And I confirm that on October 6th and 7th, you will host the 27 European leaders for the informal meeting of the European Council. Thank you very much for that.
The EU’s unwavering support for Ukraine will be at the heart of your Presidency. I would like to thank you for your support on sanctions and for hosting Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war.
The EU will continue to provide robust support to Ukraine: financial, humanitarian and political. We have already mobilised 2 billion euros to provide military equipment.
But Ukraine needs more. And we are committed to providing more: more military support and more financial support. We are also ready to play an important role for the reconstruction of Ukraine: the destruction is massive and so are the needs.
Another important element: the war is also reshaping the European Union. Just last week, at our European Council meeting, we agreed to give Ukraine and Moldova candidate status. This is a historic moment for those countries, but also for the future of our European Union.
We will also work together to bolster Europe’s defence and security capabilities and your work to quickly develop the Hybrid Toolbox will be key to counter hybrid threats such as foreign interference, disinformation and disruptions in cyberspace.
We will of course also cooperate with partners in NATO. We were together a few hours ago and yesterday, and we participated in the NATO Summit, in Madrid. It was the occasion to reaffirm the strong ties, the strong strategic partnership between the EU and NATO.
Energy security is another example of the destructive impact of Russia’s war, and together, we must live up to our goal of phasing out Russian gas, oil and coal. We will also work together to reinforce our energy security by diversifying our energy sources, bolstering energy efficiency and speeding up renewable and low-energy sources.
And you will have the important task of leading the negotiations on the different topics related to this important common challenge. And I know how you are personally committed on the table of the European Council to make sure that the European Union will take the right decisions, because we do understand the serious consequences for the businesses, for the families, for the households, because of the inflation, because of those prices, and it’s the responsibility of the EU to take the right decisions; we will cooperate, we will coordinate, we will work together, and I’m confident that we will be able to make progress on that important topic.
Finally, I welcome your strong focus on strengthening the values of democracy and the rule of law.
We also want to work, and you mentioned it, with you on this new idea to strengthen security and stability on our European continent: it’s this idea of a European Political Community. And a few days ago, when we were together in Brussels, we had over the dinner an in-depth exchange of views on this important question, this important topic. The goal would be to foster dialogue at the highest political level and to boost cooperation between European countries that share common interests.
We will work together with you, with President Macron, who proposed this idea, and we agreed to propose to have the first meeting of this European Political Community in Prague, under your rotating presidency. The best would be to have this meeting on the 6th and the 7th of October. But we will try to do everything, to consult the countries that are supposed to participate in such a European platform, and we’ll see if it’s possible in October. If not, at least we will do everything to have this meeting in Prague, by the end of the year, and by the end of your rotating Presidency. But I repeat it, what we prefer is the possibility to organise this meeting in October, in parallel with the European Council meeting that will take place here in Prague.
Finally, I had the occasion, just before our meeting, to visit the memorial of Milada Horakova. And In these dark times in Europe, her fight to preserve democratic institutions is a powerful symbol. Her legacy, together with the bravery of Czechs and Slovaks who protested the 1968 Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia, is more important than ever.
Dear Petr, dear friends, rotating presidencies have the power to drive forward our priorities and to address urgent challenges. I know we can count on your leadership and on the people of the Czech Republic, just as you can count on the EU, on me, on the full support and cooperation of the European Union.
I look forward to our close cooperation to make Europe safer and more prosperous, inspired by our common strong values. Thank you.
“Today’s meeting…is a key opportunity and platform for us to make the changes needed: To strengthen political will, scale up investment, and draw on lessons learned,” said Abdulla Shahid.
After observing a moment of silence for those killed or seriously injured on roads around the world, Mr. Shahid spelled out that “daunting and disturbing” statistics on road safety “can…[and] must change,” describing the meeting as “one step” towards that end.
He said he had five key messages on the issue, first, that “no deaths on our streets are acceptable”.
“Road safety falls under the umbrella of the universal right to health,” for which “safety is paramount”.
Secondly the Assembly President said the Global Plan was “key to reducing deaths and boosting development,” adding that safe systems must be “front and centre” in organizing, designing and building good road systems.
He said the High-Level Meeting itself on road safety, had the potential to “mark a critical juncture” in reducing deaths, and added that it was crucial for governments to implement the Global Plan’s recommendations, including by setting national and sub-national reduction targets; outlining detailed plans for action; and ensuring sustainable financing.
Stressing the significance of transformative leadership, his fourth point was to stress that road safety should be made a political priority “at the highest levels of government”.
Finally, he said, “everyone has a role to play”.
“From urban planners, to engineers, and academia, to civil society,” each person must accept their responsibilities. And mechanisms should be put in place to support them, such as in designing and maintaining roads, manufacturing vehicles, and administering safety programmes.
“The time for action from governments, societies and communities is now”, he said.
“Safe mobility systems offer the promise of a safer, healthier and better future for everyone, everywhere. Let us seize this opportunity”, he concluded.
At the same time, unsafe roads are a key obstacle to development.
“Traffic accidents can push entire families into poverty through either the loss of a breadwinner or the costs associated with lost income and prolonged medical care,” he said.
A man wears a helmet and reflective vest while cycling in Manhattan, New York.
Clear-cut goals
The UN chief underscored the goals of a political declaration adopted at the meeting, namely to halve road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030 and promote sustainable mobility “with safety at its core”.
“We need more ambitious and urgent action to reduce the biggest risks – such as speeding; driving under the influence of alcohol or any psychoactive substance or drug; failure to use seatbelts, helmets and child restraints; unsafe road infrastructure and unsafe vehicles: poor pedestrian safety, and inadequate enforcement of traffic laws,” he said.
Mr. Guterres emphasized the need for increased financing for “sustainable and safe infrastructure” and investments in cleaner mobility and greener urban planning, “especially in low and middle-income countries”.
Holistic approach to road safety
From education, health, and transport to climate mitigation, land-use planning, and disaster response, road safety must be integrated in national policies.
The UN chief encouraged all Member States to accede to UN road safety conventions and implement “whole-of-society action plans,” with a “strong prevention approach”.
He also urged donors to scale up much-needed financial and technical contributions through the UN Road Safety Fund.
“Together, we can save lives, support development, and steer our world to safer roads ahead, leaving no one behind,” said the UN chief.
Unsplash/Robert Bye
A busy road intersection in Shenzhen, China.
Dangerous transportation
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), reminded that road safety affects everyone.
“We step from our homes every day onto roads that take us to our jobs, schools and to meet our vital daily needs. Yet our transport systems remain far too dangerous,” he said.
“The future of mobility should promote health and well-being, protect the environment and benefit all.”
Making safe roads a reality
Worldwide, road crashes currently kill more than two people every minute. And since the advent of the automobile, more than 50 million fatalities have occurred on the world’s roads – exceeding the number of deaths in the First World War or in some of the worst global epidemics, according to WHO.
In welcoming the newly adopted political declaration, the UN health agency chief recapped that it would require “transformative leadership from the highest levels of government” to turn its vision into reality.
Putting safety at the heart of our mobility systems is an urgent health, economic and moral imperative,” said Etienne Krug, WHO Director of the Department for Social Determinants of Health. Let’s work together to scale up what works, save lives and build streets for life”.
“Organ harvesting is a lucrative business that is state-sponsored in China and specifically targets Falun Gong practitioners as well as other prisoners of conscience, which is unacceptable,” Czech MEP Tomas Zdechovsky said in his introductory speech at an event organized at the Press Club in Brussels on 29 June, on the eve of the EU rotating presidency by the Czech Republic.
The conference was an initiative of EU Today which had invited to the debate [watch full conference below]
Carlos Iglesias, head of the legal team of NGO Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH)
Nico Bijnens, President of Falun Gong Belgium,
A Chinese Falun Gong practitioner who had been a victim of the repression of the Chinese Communist Party, and
Willy Fautre, director of the Brussels-based watchdog Human Rights Without Frontiers.
“I was one of those MEPs who tabled the last resolution against this practice adopted by the European Parliament on 5 May last,” Zdechovsky said.
“The European Parliament considers that organ harvesting from living prisoners on death row and prisoners of conscience in China may amount to crimes against humanity, as defined in Article 7 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. If China wants to have harmonious commercial relations with the EU, it must put an end to this inhuman practice.”
During the conference, the attendees could watch a video showing several phone conversations between a potential client abroad in search of an organ and several hospitals in China. It could be concluded from those discussions that human organs could be provided to him, even “à la carte.” Indeed, the foreign client asked with insistence to get an organ from a Falun Gong practitioner because “those people have a healthy life, do not smoke or use drugs” and the potential traffickers in the hospitals agreed to this sort of transaction.
In the resolution, the Parliament is calling on the Chinese authorities to promptly respond to the allegations of organ harvesting and to allow independent monitoring by international human rights mechanisms, including the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Up to now, there has not been any constructive response.
The Parliament is concerned over the lack of independent oversight as to whether prisoners or detainees provide valid consent to organ donation. Its resolution also denounces the lack of information from the Chinese authorities on reports that the families of deceased detainees and prisoners are being prevented from claiming their bodies.
The EU and its Member States should raise the issue of organ harvesting in China at every Human Rights Dialogue, said MEP Zdechovsky, who insisted that the EU Member States should publicly condemn organ transplant abuses in China
The resolution also warns EU citizens against transplant tourism to China and proposes to take the necessary measures in order to prevent such a business. No detail is however provided about the nature of such measures but some think this sort of tourism should be criminalized.
The issue has however become more complex since China has established transplant centers in the Gulf region which have advertised ‘halal organs’ which can only come from Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities.
The Parliament calls on its Member States to ensure that their conventions and cooperation agreements with non-EU countries, including China, in the area of health and research respect the EU’s ethical principles in relation to organ donation and the use for scientific purposes of elements and products of the human body.
On the eve of its presidency of the EU, the Czech Republic should consider the resolution of the Parliament about the issue of forced organ harvesting as a matter of priority.
