HOME | WHAT IS SOCIO TIMES? | CONTRIBUTE | ARCHIVES |
Pete Kendall's Socio Times: A Socionomic Commentary
CULTURAL TRENDS | SOCIAL CHANGE | MARKETS | ECONOMY | POLITICS


BREAKING NEWS
February 7 2007
Criminal Code Raises Fear Over EU Powers
For eurosceptics, the European Court of Justice ruling in September 2005 was like giving a child a loaded gun. It opened the way for the European Union to designate a new class of pan-European crimes, and how they should be punished.

In Britain there was an outcry. In future decisions taken in Brussels could be applied to the British courts, denying parliament the right to determine what constituted a crime and levels of sentencing.

Concerns grew when the European Commission interpreted the ruling as being far wider than the case at issue: environmental crime. It produced a list of offences it believed should also be covered by the new rules, including counterfeiting, money laundering and computer hacking.

The Commission's decision this week to create common criminal rules for environmental crimes is seen by some as a sign that Brussels will take full advantage of the court ruling to stealthily advance EU powers. Franco Frattini, the EU's justice commissioner, is said by aides to be fully aware that the court has handed him a powerful legal weapon, but it is one that he will use with restraint.

But what is to stop zealous Brussels officials fulfilling the Napoleonic tendencies often ascribed to them by eurosceptics and laying down the law to member states? Last night British lawyers said the 2005 European Court ruling did not appear to have had any significant practical consequences.

But the sceptics argue that these are early days. They fear that in time Brussels might forget the court's reminder that as a general rule "neither criminal law nor the rules of criminal procedure fall within the Community's competence."
Financial Times


April 2007
S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30          

« Previous | Main Page | Next »

Just In Time for a Top, EU Gains Planet Saving Powers
Category: NEWS
By: Pete Kendall, February 7, 2007

The socionomically significant aspect [of global warming] is the mass acceptance of the phenomenon and belief that “something has to be done.”
Socio Times, Yesterday

As traders will sometimes say with respect to price, it’s not just the change of direction but the speed of the move that tells you it of its potential. We see that speed here with respect to the global warming debate. Just yesterday Socio Times explained that the bear market should bring a character shift in which the global warming debate lurches from “positive concern” to an angrier effort to do something about it.

The market certainly believes politicians are moving on to the action phase as shares of the Climate Exchange Plc, an emissions trading exchange, are up almost five times since September and almost 150% since January 1. Trading in carbon dioxide permits has soared as the European Union just passed laws capping the amount of greenhouse gases utilities and manufacturers can emit. Australia is considering similar restrictions and, “It looks increasingly likely the U.S. will adopt emissions trading.” As the article explains, a 2005 court ruling opened the door to all kinds of new Euro-laws and regulations, but the only place the EU has shown any inclination to act on the opening is in the environmental realm. Still, the feeling is that the EU will show restraint, but that’s probably because the mood is still elevated by a social mood that continues to drift higher. As the article also notes, however, “these are early days,” f or the European community's new rights and the bear market in social mood that will give them teeth. 
 

Post a comment




(you may use HTML tags for style)

RECENT ARTICLES
April 16, 2007
Does Imus Cancellation Radio a Bear Market Signal?
read more
April 12, 2007
One Small Coffee Shop Uprising for Starbucks, a Grande Leap for Labor
read more
April 11, 2007
Dazzling Finish: Cars Bring Once-Boring Shades To Life
read more
April 10, 2007
T in T-Line Stands for Top
read more
April 5, 2007
The Fight for a Free Vermont? Must be a Big, Big Turn
read more

ARTICLE COMMENTS


HOME | WHAT IS SOCIO TIMES? | CONTRIBUTE | SEARCH    Copyright © 2024 | Privacy Policy | Report Site Issues