The legislative package, covering medicinal products for human use, consists of a new directive (adopted with 495 votes in favour, 57 against and 45 abstentions) and regulation (adopted with 488 votes in favour, 67 against and 34 abstentions).
Incentives for innovation
MEPs want to introduce a minimum regulatory data protection period (during which other companies cannot access product data) of seven and a half years, in addition to two years of market protection (during which generic, hybrid or biosimilar products cannot be sold), following a marketing authorisation.
Pharmaceutical companies would be eligible for additional periods of data protection if their particular product addresses an unmet medical need (+12 months), if comparative clinical trials are being conducted on the product (+6 months), and if a significant share of the product’s research and development takes place in the EU and at least partly in collaboration with EU research entities (+6 months). MEPs also want a cap on the combined data protection period of eight and half years.
A one-time extension (+12 months) of the two-year market protection period could be granted if the company obtains marketing authorisation for an additional therapeutic indication which provides significant clinical benefits in comparison with existing therapies.
Orphan drugs (medicines developed to treat rare diseases) would benefit from up to 11 years of market exclusivity if they address a “high unmet medical need”.
Combatting antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
To boost research and the development of novel antimicrobials, MEPs want to introduce market entry rewards and milestone payment reward schemes (e.g. early-stage financial support when certain R&D objectives are achieved prior to market approval). These would be complemented by a subscription model scheme through voluntary joint procurement agreements, to encourage investment in antimicrobials.
They support the introduction of a “transferable data exclusivity voucher” for priority antimicrobials, providing for a maximum of 12 additional months of data protection for an authorised product. The voucher could not be used for a product that has already benefited from maximum regulatory data protection and would be transferable only once to another marketing authorisation holder.
More details on MEPs’ specific proposals are available here.
Quotes
Rapporteur for the directive Pernille Weiss (EPP, DK) said: “The revision of the EU pharmaceutical legislation is vital for patients, industry and society. Today’s vote is a step towards delivering the tools to tackle present and future healthcare challenges, particularly for our market attractiveness and access to medicine across EU countries. We hope Council takes note of our ambition and commitment to create a robust legislative framework, setting the scene for effective negotiations.”
Rapporteur for the regulation Tiemo Wölken (S&D, DE) said: “This revision paves the way to addressing critical challenges such as medicines shortages and antimicrobial resistance. We are strengthening our healthcare infrastructure and boosting our collective resilience ahead of future health crises – a significant milestone in our pursuit of fairer, more accessible healthcare for all Europeans. Measures improving access to medicines, whilst incentivising areas of unmet medical needs, are crucial parts of this reform.”
Next steps
The file will be followed up by the new Parliament after the 6 – 9 June European elections.
Background
On 26 April 2023, the Commission put forward a “pharmaceutical package” to revise the EU’s pharmaceutical legislation. It includes proposals for a new directive and a new regulation, which aim to make medicines more available, accessible and affordable, while supporting the competitiveness and attractiveness of the EU pharmaceutical industry, with higher environmental standards.
In adopting this report, Parliament is responding to citizens’ expectations to ensure the EU’s strategic autonomy for medicines and access to quality and affordable treatments across the EU, to address security of supply issues, invest in strategic sectors and reduce bureaucracy, as expressed in proposals 8(3), 10(2), 12(4), 12(6), 12(12), 12(17), 17(3) and 17(7) of the conclusions of the Conference on the Future of Europe.
Imagine this: you’re swamped with choices, bombarded with ads, and unsure who to trust. Suddenly, a friend excitedly recommends a brand they love. Bingo! That’s the power of customer advocacy in action.
Customer advocacy, where happy customers sing your praises, has always been a goldmine for brands. But today, with competition fiercer than ever, brands need a smarter way to tap into this word-of-mouth magic. That’s where customer advocacy software steps in.
Working with a laptop computer – illustrative photo. Image credit: Cottonbro studio via Pexels, free license
Forget boring surveys and generic testimonials. Customer advocacy software is all about turning your happy customers into brand champions! This software helps you build a community of loyal fans who rave about your brand to their friends and family, influencing buying decisions and driving new customers straight to your doorstep. It’s like having a personal army of cheerleaders, all thanks to the power of advocacy!
Customer advocacy software offers a comprehensive suite of tools that can help with:
No More Marketing Headaches: Ditch the spreadsheets and complex setup! This software makes it easy to create, launch, and manage your advocacy program, integrating seamlessly with your existing marketing tools.
Happy Customers, Happy You: Keep your customers feeling valued and engaged with personalized communication, tailored rewards (think exclusive discounts or early access!), and even fun gamification elements.
Referral Sharing Made Easy: Sharing referrals with friends and family shouldn’t be a hassle. This software makes it smooth sailing with options like email blasts, social media sharing buttons, and personalized referral links.
See What’s Working (and What’s Not): Track your program’s success with clear data and analytics. You’ll see who your top advocates are, how your efforts are impacting brand growth, and what areas might need a little tweaking.
Everything in One Place: No more juggling different platforms! This software integrates seamlessly with your existing marketing automation tools and CRM system.
Leveraging Customer Advocacy Software for Maximum Impact
Customer advocacy software is a valuable tool, but its effectiveness hinges on a well-defined strategy. Here’s how to leverage customer advocacy software for maximum impact:
Finding Your Fanatics: Not everyone is a cheerleader at heart. This software helps you identify your ideal advocates – the superfans who rave about your brand and have a history of positive interactions.
Rewards That Rock: Forget generic discounts! This software helps you personalize rewards for your advocates. Think tiered programs based on referral success, exclusive early access to new products, or even unique experiences.
Sharing Made Simple: No more clunky copying and pasting! Advocates can use software to share via social media, personalized links, or pre-written emails — all with a few clicks.
Keeping the Spark Alive: Building advocacy is a marathon, not a sprint. This software helps you nurture relationships with your advocates. Send personalized thank-you notes for referrals, offer them exclusive content, or give them early peeks at brand updates.
Gamify Your Advocacy: Who doesn’t love a little friendly competition? This software lets you incorporate gamification elements like leaderboards and badges. It’ll spark a fun rivalry among your advocates, motivating them to strive for higher referral goals and, ultimately, drive even more brand love.
By implementing these strategies, customer loyalty software empowers you to cultivate a loyal community of brand champions who actively promote your brand, fostering organic growth and sustainable brand loyalty.
H2: Data Analytics and Insights
Data is the lifeblood of any successful marketing strategy, and customer advocacy is no exception. Customer advocacy software provides comprehensive data analytics and insights to empower data-driven decision-making and optimize your program performance.
Track Your Wins: See how your program is doing with clear data on referrals, new customers, and acquisition costs. It’s like a report card for your advocacy efforts!
Celebrate Your Stars: Identify your top advocates and learn from their success to boost future campaigns.
Test and Optimize: Use data to tweak your messaging, incentives, and communication for maximum impact. Think A/B testing for your advocacy program!
Measure Value: Track the lifetime value of referral customers to see the real ROI of your program. Loyal customers from referrals means big wins!
Personalize the Love: Segment your advocates and tailor communication and incentives for a more impactful experience.
By leveraging the data and insights offered by customer advocacy software, you can continuously refine your program, identify areas for improvement, and ensure you are maximizing the value you derive from your loyal advocates.
H2: Integration with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems
Customer advocacy software is most effective when it integrates seamlessly with your existing marketing ecosystem. A crucial integration is with your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.
CRM systems consolidate customer data, track interactions, and provide valuable insights into customer behavior. Integrating your customer advocacy software with your CRM allows for a unified view of your customer journey:
Automated Workflows: Streamline workflows by automating tasks like adding new advocates to your CRM based on their referral activity within the customer advocacy software.
Targeted Communication: Utilize CRM data to personalize communication with advocates based on their purchase history, interests, and past interactions with the brand.
Unified Customer Experience: A seamless CRM integration ensures a consistent customer experience, regardless of whether they interact with your brand through the advocacy platform or any other touchpoint.
Improved Customer Retention: Utilize insights from both systems to identify potential churn risk and proactively engage at-risk customers with personalized offers or targeted communication through the advocacy program, potentially transforming them into brand advocates.
In conclusion, in today’s digital world, customer advocacy is no longer a fad; it’s a strategic imperative. Customer advocacy software empowers brands to cultivate a community of loyal advocates who become trusted voices, driving organic customer acquisition and brand growth.
By leveraging the functionalities offered by customer advocacy software, brands can:
simplify program creation and management.
nurture customer relationships and encourage advocacy.
facilitate effortless referral sharing.
gain data-driven insights to optimize program performance.
seamlessly integrate with CRM systems for a unified customer experience.
Customer advocacy software empowers brands to leverage loyalty marketing and unlock the science of referrals, transforming passive customers into vocal advocates and propelling them toward sustainable success in the competitive landscape. The power of word-of-mouth marketing, amplified by customer advocacy software, builds brand loyalty and paves the way for long-term growth.
Roberta METSOLA, EP President at the European Council
Addressing the Special European Council today in Brussels, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola highlighted e.g. the following issues:
European Parliament elections
“In 50 days’ time, hundreds of millions of Europeans will start heading to the polls. I have been visiting Member States, where alongside MEPs we are listening to citizens. The people that we have met have mentioned the fight against poverty and social exclusion, security, the strengthening of the economy and the creation of new jobs among their top priorities. These are the issues that people expect us to deliver on, like we already delivered on migration.”
“This is the last European Council before the elections in June. Rest assured, the European Parliament will continue to work until the last moment of the mandate to deliver for all Europeans.”
Competitiveness and the Single Market
“I welcome our discussion on driving economic growth and boosting European competitiveness aided by the analysis of Enrico Letta in his High-Level Report on the Future of the Single Market. This comes at a critical time.”
“The Single Market is our Union’s unique growth model. It has been a powerful engine of convergence and our most valuable asset. Today, people are able to live, work, study and travel anywhere within our Union. It helps businesses, large and small, to set-up shop wherever they choose, giving them greater market access while fostering competitiveness. It also enables consumers to have wider choices, at cheaper prices and with stronger consumer protection that will account for their interests. In being the world’s largest single democratic market, it has even strengthened our place in the world.”
“The Single Market is an evolving project, inherently linked to the EU’s strategic priorities. I believe that our economic area still holds the potential to deliver even wider benefits for our people. The time is now for a renewed commitment to it. That means deepening our Single Market. Only by increasing productivity, speeding-up investments in own industrial capabilities, including in smart electricity grids, and integrating the Single Market for energy, finance and telecoms, can we reduce strategic dependencies while simultaneously supporting and sustaining economic growth. The Single Market is our greatest economic driver.”
“More effort to level the playing field is required. The adoptions of the Digital Services Act, the Digital Markets Act and the AI act are key steps in the right direction. But an equal level of commitment is needed when it comes to energy and more broadly for the green transition. The reality is that while our targets here are world-leading, which is something that we should be proud of, excessive bureaucracy risks holding us back, and even presents a barrier to socio-economic inclusion.”
“For the green transition to work, it must incorporate every sector. It cannot leave anyone behind. It must provide real incentives and safety nets for industry. People must have confidence in the process and they must be able to afford it. Otherwise, it risks driving more and more people to the comfort of the fringes.”
“Another barrier that hinders economic progress is the fragmentation of our financial sector and more specifically obstacles to capital flows across our Union. Even though green investments have gained momentum in recent years, a gap of more than €400 billion remains to be filled annually – a gap that that simply cannot be filled by public financing alone. We need to create the right conditions and frameworks for our start-ups and SMEs to stay in Europe. Meaning that we need to complete our Banking Union and our Capital Markets Union.”
“That is how we can show our people that ours is a project that delivers, that addresses the real issues and cushions the challenges facing businesses and families across Europe. How we will ensure long-term competitiveness, prosperity and leadership on the global stage.”
Enlargement
“EU enlargement towards Ukraine, towards Moldova, Georgia and the Western Balkans must remain high on our strategic and political agenda. The approval of the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans is a step in the right direction. It shows again that the Single Market does make us attractive. It is bringing our Western Balkans allies closer to us and in doing so, it is strengthening our continent, our Union, our European way – and us all.”
Security and defence
“Europeans also want us to reinforce our security and defence structures to defend peace and democracy over the next five years. What is happening at our borders must remain at the top of our agenda.”
Support to Ukraine
“We have already provided strong political, diplomatic, humanitarian, economic and military support to Ukraine. Our support with Ukraine cannot waver. We need to speed-up and intensify the delivery of equipment that they need, including on air defence. We cannot let up.”
Russian interference
“Russia’s attempts to skew narratives and strengthen pro-Kremlin sentiments ahead of upcoming European elections in June through disinformation are not anymore just a threat, but a possibility that we must be ready to counter. The European Parliament stands ready to support the Member States in pushing-back and addressing any malign interference with our democratic decision-making processes in every way that it can.”
Iran
“Iran’s unprecedented drone and missile strikes on Israel risk igniting further tensions in the region. As a Union, we will keep working to de-escalate and stop the situation spiralling into more bloodshed.”
“Last year, the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to have the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps listed as a terrorist organisation. We maintain that. And with these worrying developments, new sanctions against Iran for its drone and missile programs are needed and justified.”
Gaza
“In Gaza, the situation still remains desperate. The European Parliament will keep pushing for a ceasefire. We will keep demanding the return of the remaining hostages while maintaining that Hamas can no longer operate with impunity. That is how we get more aid into Gaza, how we save innocent lives and how we push forward the urgent need for a two-state solution that gives real perspective to Palestinians and security to Israel.”
1:40 PM – Philippe Lazzarini has said the agency is facing a “deliberate and concerted campaign” to undermine its operations at a time when it’s crucial services – delivered by over 12,000 mostly local staff in Gaza – are most needed.
So far, some 178 UNRWA officials working in Gaza have been killed since Israel’s bombardment and military campaign began last October.
In January, the Israeli Government presented the UN with information accusing 12 UNRWA employees of taking part in the 7 October terror attacks but has yet to provide that evidence to the organisation. UNRWA nevertheless terminated their employment and began an internal investigation.
Some 16 countries led by the United States announced a funding freeze for UNRWA – or suspension of future funding – in response to the allegations of collusion but some of those countries have since reversed course and resumed funding.
Mr. Lazzarini wrote to the General Assembly, which provides UNRWA its mandate, and later briefed Member States in March, saying the agency was at “breaking point” across the region and under serious threat of grinding to a halt.
Israel’s announcement in late March that they would no longer approve any UNRWA food convoys into northern Gaza meant that the clock is ticking “faster towards famine”, he said on X, formerly Twitter.
Diplomacy continues in New York
Ambassadors last met on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza on 5 April when they heard top UN aid officials make an appeal for the Security Council to help end the carnage there six months on from the start of the conflict.
The Maltese mission which holds the presidency for the month of April said in a post on X, that there will be a vote on a draft resolution put forward by Algeria this coming Friday.
The draft is focused on the diplomatic push by some countries to admit Palestine as a full Member State of the UN, in the wake of the crisis in the Middle East.
Although a special committee on UN membership did not come up with a conclusive recommendation this week, the Algeria draft recommends to the General Assembly that the State of Palestine “be admitted to membership in the United Nations.”
The UN Security Counciladopts a resolution tabled by its 10 non-permanent members (E-10) demanding a ceasefire in Gaza during Ramadan, by a vote of 14 in favour to none against, with one abstention (United States)
Resolution 2728 also calls for the immediate release of hostages and for ensuring humanitarian access to Gaza
The Council rejected a Russia-proposed amendment that would have called for a permanent ceasefire
The US ambassador said her delegation “fully supports” the critical objectives of the draft
Algeria’s ambassador says the ceasefire will end “the bloodbath”
“This must be a turning point,” says the ambassador for the observer State of Palestine
The draft’s lack of condemnation of Hamas is “a disgrace”, says Israel’s ambassador
For summaries of UN meetings, visit our colleagues at the UN Meetings Coverage in English and French
UN Secretary-General António Guterres celebrated the achievements and contributions of people of African descent from across the world, while addressing the forum via video message, but also acknowledged existing racial discrimination and inequalities Black people continue to face.
He said the establishment of the Permanent Forum shows a dedication from the international community to address these injustices. Still, it needs to be backed by significant change for people of African descent globally.
“Now we must build on that momentum to drive meaningful change – by ensuring that people of African descent enjoy the full and equal realization of their human rights; by stepping up efforts to eliminate racism and discrimination – including through reparations; and by taking steps towards the full inclusion of people of African descent in society as equal citizens,” said Mr. Guterres.
She commended the forum’s planned 70 side events focusing on climate justice, education, health, and more for people of African descent, saying it shows a “remarkable effort, amplifying the reach and impact of our collective commitment.”
Ms. Al-Nashif urged Member States to participate in discussions and act on recommendations derived from them.
“Only then can we ensure that all civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of people of African descent can be fully realized without discrimination or bias,” she said.
During the Permanent Forum, a conversation will be centred around achievement limitations and expectations of the requested second international decade.
“We look forward to the outcome of the discussions of this session; and we will be following the intergovernmental discussions in relation to the International Decade throughout this year,” said Ms. Al-Nashif.
All reports from the Permanent Forum will be presented to the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council in September, as well as the new session of the UN General Assembly, which begins that month.
A fight for change
The Deputy High Commissioner said her office is continuing to look for ways to ensure “the meaningful, inclusive, and safe participation of people of African descent in public life is essential in the fight against systemic racism.”
A crisis that is here and now, but begins somewhere in the past. A crisis of identities, positions and morals – political and personal. A crisis of time and space, the foundations of which are rooted in the twentieth century. The exhibition “Dislocations” at the “Palais de Tokyo” gathers the work of 15 artists from different generations, with different pasts (Afghanistan, France, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Lebanon, Palestine, Myanmar, Syria, Ukraine). What unites them is the creative search for the border between the present and the past. Fragments of stories, remnants of war, a combination between the simplicity of materials and the technological possibilities of modern times.
The project was prepared in collaboration between the Palais de Tokyo and the non-profit organization Portes ouvertes sur l’art, which disseminates the work of artists in exile and in search of free expression. The organization helps these authors collaborate with the artistic scene in France.
Artists: Majd Abdel Hamid, Rada Akbar, Bissane Al Charif, Ali Arkady, Cathryn Boch, Tirdad Hashemi, Fati Khademi, Sara Kontar, Nge Lay, Randa Maddah, May Murad, Armineh Negahdari, Hadi Rahnaward, Maha Yammine, Misha Zavalniy
The transcontinental history of political and social solidarity was at its peak in the decades between 1960 and 1980. In the movement of anti-imperialism, whole peoples try to erase the traumas of the past, build a new identity and win their place in the world. The exhibition “Past Disquiet” is an archival-documentary curatorial study by Kristine Khouri and Rasha Salti – a “museum of exile” or a “museum of solidarity”. From the Palestinian struggle for freedom to the resistance against the Pinochet dictatorship in Chile and the apartheid regime in South Africa.
“The International Art Exhibition for Palestine” held in Beirut in 1987 is the starting point of the current “Solidarity Museum”. The curators gather documentary materials from Jordan, Syria, Morocco, Egypt, Italy, France, Sweden, Germany, Poland, Hungary, South Africa and Japan to piece together the puzzle of activism, unique artistic events, collections and demonstrations around the world related to anti-imperialism twentieth century movement.
The Palais de Tokyo’s peculiar cycle of exhibitions in which the ghost of colonialism is present and in which the traumas of the past find their reflection in the tensions and provocations of the present, ends with the SIGNAL exhibition by Mohamed Bourouissa. A central theme in the exhibition is the restriction of thought – control over language, music, forms – and alienation from the environment. The artist’s world stretches from his hometown of Blida in Algeria, through France, where he now lives, to the skies over Gaza.
Photo by Biserka Gramatikova. Exhibition “Dislocations” at the “Palais de Tokyo”.
The easily consumable format of videos makes them a great tool to communicate with your target audience. Search engines also acknowledge the importance of video content, pushing them higher in the search results. However, simply adding a video to your website will not boost your rankings. You require a more nuanced approach to push your search rankings with a video.
Using Google Search. Image credit: Firmbee via Unsplash, free license
If you haven’t tried video search optimization for your business before, it is better to hire an expert, like this Spring Hill SEO agency to gain their strategy. But first, you need to know how videos affect your search engine rankings.
Whenever a new visitor lands on your website, you hope that they stay on the site longer. Having videos on your landing pages helps your website quickly capture the attention of your visitors. When your visitors start spending more time on your website, search engines like Google take note of it and start promoting your pages to more people by boosting their rankings. Moreover, people are more likely to explore your site when they spend a significant amount of time on your content, lowering the bounce rate of the website.
Better Click-Through Rate
Google often updates its SERPs to offer users more information about websites and their content. These rich snippets are designed to help people understand what they can find on a page before they click on it. When you add videos to your pages, Google displays them as rich snippets for relevant searches, increasing your chances of getting clicked on. While you put textual information about the video, you should also add visually appealing thumbnails for the video content. This, again, improves your click-through rate on the SERPs.
Improved Backlink Profile
When a user finds useful or interesting content on the internet, he/she tends to share it with others. If you publish quality video content on your website, the viewers are more likely to link to it. As the content starts to circulate on the internet, it will naturally get backlinks to the page where you have hosted the video. If you publish the content on third-party platforms like YouTube, you can earn backlinks and referral traffic by adding your website link to your channel information or video description.
More Appealing Google Business Profile Listings
Local business listings that have posts, images, and messages usually get a higher ranking as Google promotes brands that use Google Business Profile listings to their advantage. The search engine also rewards such brands with a spot in the Local Pack. Adding a video to your profile can get your Google business listings ranked in the Local Pack. You can take advantage of this opportunity by creating a compelling video that explains what your business is all about and describes your offerings in less than 30 seconds.
Where Should You Host a Video?
Consider the following factors while deciding whether you should host your video on YouTube or your website:
Control over Your Content
When you host the video on your website, you can customize the video player, include your branding, and regulate the user experience. On YouTube, you get less control over the branding and user experience and also need to comply with their policies.
Since YouTube is one of the largest search engines in the world, you can reach a broader audience on that platform. Hosting a video on your website may limit your reach.
Hosting your video on YouTube can help increase traffic and backlinks to your website, improving its SEO. YouTube videos often get a higher rank in search engine results.
While hosting videos on YouTube technically costs zero amount, hosting them on your website can be significantly costly due to the additional server resources and bandwidth requirements.
Conclusion
Due to the immersive nature of video content, they have the potential to engage your audience and offer SEO advantages. Over the years, videos have proven their ability to boost the online visibility of brands, drive more traffic, and boost search engine rankings. So, if you haven’t considered using videos for SEO, you should start doing it now.
Today’s pre-electoral publication reveals a positive, upward trend on key election indicators with just a few weeks to go until EU citizens cast their ballots 6-9 June. Interest in the election, awareness of when it will take place as well as likelihood to vote are all on the rise since the last survey in autumn 2023, when they were last measured. Increases are even more striking in comparison to the Spring 2019 survey (three months prior to the previous European elections).
60% now say they are interested in voting in June (+3 pp compared to autumn 2023 and +11 pp compared to February/March 2019). 71% say that it is likely that they will vote (7 to 10 on a scale from 1-10), representing +3 pp in comparison to autumn 2023 and +10 pp compared to February/March 2019. Findings suggest that EU citizens are very much aware of the importance of the elections in the current geopolitical context, with eight in ten (81%) respondents agreeing that it makes voting even more important. Large majorities in all Member States endorse this statement.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, commenting on the results of the survey, says: “Europeans are aware that the stakes are high at the ballot box, and that voting is even more important in the current geopolitical context. I call on our citizens to cast their vote in the upcoming European elections, to reinforce European democracy and to shape the future of Europe.”
As this legislature concludes, 81% of EU citizens hold a positive or neutral image of the European Parliament, while only 18% are negative. What is more, a majority in the EU (56%) would like the EP to play a more important role, while only 28% would like to see the opposite and 10% would keep the role as it is now.
President Metsola adds: “The Parliament and the European Union have delivered in an unprecedented way in the past years. We have been confronted with exceptional and challenging circumstances yet we have come out even stronger and more united as a result. Parliament has been and will continue to be the citizens’ voice and advocate in the EU.”
European citizens would like to see the fight against poverty and social exclusion (33%) as well as supporting public health (32%) as the main issues under discussion during the electoral campaign. Support to the economy and the creation of new jobs, as well as EU defence and security are both in third place (on 31%). The importance citizens attach to EU defence and security has increased over the course of the parliamentary term, particularly in light of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. It is now mentioned as a first (or joint first) electoral campaign priority in nine countries, with highest results in Denmark (56%), Finland (55%) and Lithuania (53%).
Likewise, looking to the future, EU citizens put defence and security (37%) as first priorities in reinforcing the EU’s position globally, energy issues and food security/agriculture follow (both on 30%). While four in ten citizens say the role of the EU has become more important over the past years, 35% think it has stayed the same and 22% that it has diminished. At the national level, relative majorities in 15 countries believe that its role in the world has become more important over the years, with proportions reaching 67% in Sweden, 63% in Portugal and 60% in Denmark. Meanwhile, Slovenian and Czech citizens are the most likely to say that the EU’s role has become less important (32% and 30%, respectively).
Almost three quarters of citizens (73%, +3 pp in comparison to autumn 2023) say that EU actions have an impact on their daily lives, including a fifth (20%) for whom they ‘very much’ have an impact. In addition, a large majority of Europeans agree that their country, on balance, benefits from EU membership (71%). These results are stable in comparison to autumn 2023 and continue enjoying high levels across the EU.
The European Parliament’s Spring 2024 Eurobarometer was carried out by Verian (previously Kantar) research agency between 7 February and 3 March 2024 in all 27 EU Member States. The survey was conducted face-to-face, with video interviews (CAVI) used additionally in Czechia, Denmark, Finland and Malta. 26,411 interviews were conducted in total. EU results were weighted according to the size of the population in each country.
On 28 November 2023, just after 6 a.m., a SWAT team of around 175 policemen wearing black masks, helmets, and bullet-proof vests, simultaneously descended on eight separate houses and apartments in and around Paris but also in Nice, brandishing semi-automatic rifles. They smashed in the entrance doors and ran up and down the stairs, shouting orders.
These searched places were used by practitioners of yoga connected with MISA yoga school in Romania for spiritual retreats. On that fateful morning, most of them were still in bed. A few were in the kitchen boiling water for herbal tea. The masked police handcuffed a number of them, made them stand outside without coats or shoes in the freezing courtyard, then took them by bus to the police station.
Results of this vast operation: a few dozens of people were arrested, 15 of whom – 11 men and 4 women, all of Romanian nationality – were indicted for “trafficking in human beings”, “forcible confinement” and “abuse of vulnerability”, in organized gang.
Gregorian Bivolaru (72), one of the founders and the spiritual leader of MISA, was among the arrested people but in his case, he was wanted by Finland under the accusation of sexual abuse of Finnish women in France several years ago. In the framework of a research paper titled “The Controversies Around Natha Yoga Center in Helsinki: Background, Causes, and Context”, late Prof. Liselotte Frisk (Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden) solidly investigated the allegations against Bivolaru in Finland (pp 20, 21, 27).
As long as a court decision has not confirmed the said accusations, Gregorian Bivolaru must continue to enjoy the presumption of innocence, as any ordinary citizen or famous public personality.
No woman interrogated in the framework of the SWAT operation on 23 November 2023 has filed a complaint against him.
Since the raid, Bivolaru and five other people have remained in pretrial detention in France.
Human Rights Without Frontiers contacted Ms C. C. (*), a MISA practitioner for 20 years. She was at the yoga center of Villiers-sur-Marne at the time of the raid. In 2002-2006, she studied at the Faculty of History and Philosophy from Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca (Rumania). In 2005-2006, she was a journalist at the national daily Romania Liberă. Here is her testimony about the SWAT operation:
Q.: You have been practicing yoga in the MISA group in Romania for 20 years but while you were in a spiritual retreat in Villiers-sur-Marne, there was a Swat operation against the group. Can you tell me what happened?
A.: I have been a lot of times in France for such retreats since 2010 and I like it very much. That is why last year I had planned to stay for two months again in Villiers-sur-Marne, from late September until the end of November. I booked a flight to Paris and friends picked me up at the airport to take me to the yoga center.
In early morning, a SWAT team made a spectacular entry in our center where dozens of yoga practitioners were hosted for their retreat. The policemen put everything upside down, creating an awful mess and even breaking a lot of things.
In my case, they took away my bags, my papers, my phone, my tablet, my computer, an envelope with 1000 EUR and my wallet with about 200 EUR. Four months later, I still have not been given my money back and my material. It was freezing in my room because the door was open and I was just in pyjama. The officers took me and many others to the police station.
Q.: What happened at the police station?
A.: First of all, I must say I was just wearing my pyjama, a coat and a pair of street shoes. When we arrived at the police station, nobody explained me anything about the procedure, access to food and water or other basic things. I often needed to drink but only got a very small plastic glass of water. There was also misunderstanding about the food. They put me in a cold cell with a concrete floor. On the bed, there was a thin mattress and I just got one thin sheet. There was no toilet in the cell, I could not wash in the morning or brush my teeth.
Every time I needed to go to the bathroom, I had to wave at the internal surveillance camera but quite often I had to wait for one or two hours before I was being taken care of. The toilet could not be closed properly and a policeman was standing outside.
I was told I was suspect of complicity of rape and trafficking. I wanted to be assisted by a lawyer but they answered it was impossible because too many people had been arrested and after two hours they could start the interrogation if no lawyer was available.
On the second day of my detention, they took my fingerprint and my photo. During the interrogation, it was clear that they wanted me to say I was playing an important role in MISA but I was not. They released me at 9.30pm but first, I had to sign a release form which did not mention any list of seized items or the amounts of confiscated money. Unfortunately, I did not get a copy of it.
Without money and any telephone, I was left outside the police station in that cold late November night for almost 9 hours, until 6am, when I finally could reach someone who could help me.
Q.: Franck Dannerolle, the head of the Central Office for the repression of violence against people (OCRVP) in charge of the investigation,was quoted by some French newspapers as saying that the yoga practitioners were “housed in difficult conditions, with significant promiscuity, no privacy.” (**) Can you tell me more about your living conditions in Villiers-sur-Marne?
A.: It is not true at all. In my case, I had chosen to live in a small comfortable pavilion (about 7 square meters) outside the main building because I wanted to practice my yoga retreat alone and meditate in silence, sometimes without sleeping or eating for 24 hours.
Spectacular simultaneous SWAT raids on Romanian yoga centers in France: Fact checking 7
Others had chosen to share a bedroom in the main house: 2, 3 or 4 together, men and women separately. The building belongs to Sorin Turc, a violinist who played with the Monaco orchestra and is a supporter of MISA. It is spacious and comfortable: there are enough bathrooms and showers for the yoga practitioners. There is a big room for the collective practice of yoga. There is a large kitchen with cookers, two big freezers, a drink dispenser of fruit juicers, toasters and other facilities such as washing and drying machines.
Spectacular simultaneous SWAT raids on Romanian yoga centers in France: Fact checking 8
For our own meals, we were going to a local supermarket for shopping and we were preparing our food ourselves.
If the living conditions were so bad as Dannerolle was saying, there would not be so many practitioners and I would have never come back so many times to Villiers-sur-Marne.
At the time of the raid, Christmas was in the air and lots of decoration had already been installed. Everything looked nice but after the SWAT operation, the premises were left in a desastrous mess.
Q. How comes that you joined the MISA yoga group?
A.: I am now 39 but when I was a teenager, I was, and I am still, in search of truth about the meaning of life and the existence of God. At the age of 16, I even made a retreat of two months in an Orthodox monastery and I wanted to become a nun. Then, I met the Baptists. Afterwards, Hindus and Hare Krishna followers before coming in contact with MISA yoga group. I was attracted by meditation and spirituality. I believe in God, I am Orthodox and I feel well with MISA.
About some media coverage: the presumption of guilt
A number of French media outlets went wild in the coverage of this whole affair and held their own tribunal, as some of their delusional headlines can show, although no French court has established the truth about the alleged facts at this stage:
L’homme qui a contribué à faire tomber la secte de yoga tantrique / The man who helped bring down the tantric yoga sect
Viols, lavage de cerveau, yoga tantrique: l’effrayant parcours de Gregorian Bivolaru, le gourou roumain mis en examen et écroué en France / Rape, brainwashing, tantric yoga: the frightening journey of Gregorian Bivolaru, the Romanian guru indicted and imprisoned in France.
Secte Misa : « Le gourou Bivolaru aurait pu faire de moi ce qu'il voulait » / Misa Cult: “Guru Bivolaru could have done with me what he wanted”
Viols, fuite et yoga ésotérique: qui est le gourou Gregorian Bivolaru arrêté ce mardi? / Rape, flight and esoteric yoga: who is the guru Gregorian Bivolaru arrested this Tuesday?
Agressions sexuelles sur fond de yoga tantrique : un gourou interpellé en France. “Il préférait les vierges": des victimes du gourou Bivolaru témoignent / Sexual assaults against the backdrop of tantric yoga: a guru arrested in France. "He preferred virgins": victims of guru Bivolaru testify
Two common points of all these articles. First, the authors failed to meet and interview the yoga practitioners who were arrested and detained for questioning (“garde à vue”) for up to 48 hours. Second, they echoed gossip and unproven assertions, which is not journalism and disfigures the noble image of journalism.
There are ethical standards in journalism and there is a higher authority in France responsible for ensuring they are respected.
Human Rights Without Frontiers defends freedom of the press and freedom of expression of journalists but also combats hate speech, fake news and stigmatization. Human Rights Without Frontiers defends the respect of the principle of presumption of innocence and recognizes final court decisions as the judicial truth.
(*) Out of respect for the privacy of the interviewee, we only put her initials but we have her full name and contact data.
(**) The spiritual retreat center in Villiers-sur-Marne was never accused or even suspected of unsanitary conditions. See the gallery of pictures of the place.
As crises continue to unfold, there has been a lack of unity among world leaders in solving challenges for the “collective good”, the Youth Office said in a letter kickstarting the campaign.
The office says it deems it important to have leaders and institutions include young people in roles where their voices can be heard, or a common future might be at stake.
“Putting more diverse perspectives around the decision-making table is the only way to ensure we don’t continue to repeat past mistakes,” the office said in their open letter.
“By championing intergenerational solidarity and finding innovative solutions even in the most challenging of circumstances, young people remind us that a better world is still possible.”
The office says that hope and trust will be rebuilt and restored when significant youth engagement becomes the norm with the backing of “dedicated resourcing everywhere around the world.”
As the time for the landmark Summit of the Future in September at UN Headquarters draws nearer, the Youth Office is extending an open letter to young people across the globe where they can pen a message to world leaders.
During the summit, world leaders will focus on coming to an international consensus on safeguarding the future and tackling the best solution for reclaiming the path of the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
The office hopes there will be a positive and large response from youth around the world that will push leaders attending the summit to “commit to finally giving young people their rightful seat at the table.”
Youth and the UN
UN Secretary-General António Guterres supports the campaign’s efforts, saying, “I am absolutely committed to bringing young people into political decision-making; not just listening to your views, but acting on them.”
Just last year, at the UN’s annual Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum, Mr. Guterres said that young people are key to building a better future, urging governments to consult more with young people – pointing to his UN policy brief, Our Common Agenda, that calls for “inclusive, networked, and effective multilateralism to better respond and deliver for the people and planet.”
UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs, Felipe Paullier, also supports this advocacy campaign. He said the inclusion of youth in decision-making roles at all levels, “is one of the most powerful tools at our disposal to address the ongoing conflicts, rising geopolitical tensions and increasing uncertainty facing our world today.”
ECOSOC 2024 Youth Forum
Conversations about this campaign and further discussions about how to create a better tomorrow will begin at this year’s three-day ECOSOC Youth Forum running from, April 16-18, involving a wide range of stakeholders including young people and senior politicians.
“We are watching. Don’t let us down”, is the overarching message to governments worldwide.
