OpenLobby.EU
Explore

Making Europe Again

MEA

MEA is a registered Non Profit Organisation (NPO) in Italy and a registered NGO under the European Transparency Register.

Lobbying Activity

Response to Proposal to create a cybersecurity competence network with a European Cybersecurity Research and Competence Centre

10 Nov 2018

We acknowledge and strongly support the proposal made by the EU institutions to create a cybersecurity competence network with a European Cybersecurity Research and Competence Centre. In particular, MEA is in favor of Option 2 - a Centre based on Art.173 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU and Art.58 and 208 of Regulation 966/2012 (Financial Regulation). We believe that it is of utmost importance to boost the European cybersecurity research. Whereas at the National level, countries like the United Kingdom - leader in the sector - relies on a strong and cohesive academic sector, the very same cannot be said at the Union level. At this point, it is a matter of choosing the degree of action which the EU wants to grant to the European Cybersecurity Research and Competence Centre. With reference to this, we raise three issues. First of all, the proposal does not specify enough the role of these competence centres - and the network itself - in terms of the degree of participation and involvement of Member States. Secondly, the proposal does not fully explain the role of the competence centres in terms of its research aspect. In this regard, it would be interesting to consider a policy-making consultant role in addition to competencies within the research and innovation fields. Lastly, the proposal does not include the multifaceted and transversal nature of the cyber sector, which leaves space to research on topics - such as the development of the Digital Single Market - and not only those merely linked with the security sector.
Read full response

Response to The New European Agenda for Culture

16 Apr 2018

The 2007 European Agenda for Culture was based on three main axes: society, economy, and external relations. Today, we are witnessing profound changes in all three of these areas. The victory of populist movements in the elections of several member countries demonstrates the presence of strong Euro-skeptical feelings and Member States are increasingly looking inwards, turning away from Brussels. Moreover, a strong will to close the borders to the passage of goods and people, by a group of member countries, undermines the cardinal principle of the Union that regards freedom of movement. 2018 is the European Year for Cultural Heritage. It is interesting to note that the "worst" in terms of participation in cultural activities are precisely Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia. It is therefore necessary to inquire on what are the common cultural values of the European Union today and how much these are really shared by all of its member states, old and new ones. In this regard, we believe it is necessary both to communicate the many achievements of the EU in the cultural field and to emphasise its role in relation to activities in this sector as of the following: - A major role is played by EU funds, which are massively employed in projects of social nature. It is necessary to ensure that these are spent appropriately. - To promote the artistic heritage of the various Member States in order to develop the soft power capacity of the Union, in the awareness that the old continent enjoys a world record for cultural heritage. - To promote collaboration with specialized organizations in the sector, such as UNESCO and the Council of Europe. To also include the various national services involved, such as - in the Italian case - the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, and highlight excellence in the world of protection and conservation of artistic and cultural heritage. - To further develop catalogues of works and artistic heritage of the Member States in digital form and free online consultation. - To fund recruitment of young people in the field of culture with the aim of encouraging the study of artistic-historical subjects and promote the conservation and promotion of the cultural heritage of member countries. - To introduce European exchange for workers in the cultural sector. - To create days and events dedicated to culture that provide for discounts and promotions for visiting archaeological sites and museums.   Moreover, as already suggested when highlighting the lower participation of certain countries, we strongly promote a culture policy based on the acknowledgment of nowadays social and political environment of the Union. In fact, the worrying rise of populist political parties and movements, foremost in southern and eastern Europe, should lead to a perspective change. In fact, one of the main factors which functions as an engine for the extremist ideologies of the 21th century in our continent may be identified, in our opinion, in the substantial lack of an “European cultural identity”. This absence of a common cultural character surely encourages people to take refuge under the umbrella of nationalistic tendencies, as national categories are still seen as an ideological “safe harbour” in a time where many Europeans feel threatened by international terrorism and economic crisis. Therefore we strongly and firmly hope that, in the near future, the competent authorities at community level will undertake a path to strengthen the competences and the role of the European Union in the fields of culture and education and to consequently decrease the powers which may be exercised by the Member States in that area, with the aim to implement policies that encourage and highlight the cultural roots on which political and economic cooperation are founded.
Read full response

Response to Measures to further improve the effectiveness of the fight against illegal content online

30 Mar 2018

We acknowledge and strongly support the efforts made by the EU institutions to strengthen the protection of privacy online. We optimistically await the concrete effects of the new Regulation which will enter in to force in May 2018. We see, on the other hand, that there should be a better coordination between data protection and the activities concerning the suppression of illegal content online, especially with reference, on one hand, to illegal sexually explicit content with the primary goal to protect children, minors and human beings in general from abuse and, on the other hand, taking into account the worrying increase of politically extremist factions within the Member States. Therefore, by acknowledging the fact that the EU has no competence for what concerns harmonization of criminal law, we nevertheless propose that steps forwards should be undertaken through the following activities, which should be carried out by the competent authorities both at community and at national level: (1) Creation of a clear and detailed definition of "illegal content online" on which the authorities of the Member States agree upon; (2) Creation of a list of typical illegal contents online; (3) Creation of a list of keywords to be used in the online search for illegal contents online; (4) Development of increasingly intelligent information technology and tools for automatic content search and identification of the origin of illegal content online; (5) Opening of automatic channels for reporting content to national law enforcement agencies of the Member States; (6) Creation of partnerships with social media and large web platforms for searching and reporting illegal online content; (7) Implementation of best practices for companies to search for and report on illegal online content; (8) Implementation of cyber safety courses for users to search for and report illegal online content; (9) Identification of penalties for the production of illegal content online through consultation between the Member States; (10) Identification of penalties for the diffusion of illegal content online through consultation between the Member States; (11) Identification of penalties for failure to report illegal content online through consultation between the Member States. AUTHORS Gabriele Pierini, Ludovico Lenners and Leonardo Pasqui, Assistants - Presidency Office; Federico Pieri, President. PEER REVIEWERS Ted Oakes, Assistant - Public Relations Unit. LEGAL NOTICE More information on Making Europe Again is available on the Internet (https://www.makingeuropeagain.eu). Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.
Read full response

Response to EU Youth Strategy Joint Report and new framework post 2018

5 Mar 2018

In accordance with the most recent experiences and stats, we welcome the huge progress which has been made in the development of integration programmes applied to youth and sport at EU level. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the partial disregard for what concerns the issue of employment concerning youth for what concerns the strategy mentioned in the perceived roadmap. True it is, as clearly stated in section A of the submitted document, that the whole framework is based on art. 165 TFEU, which exclusively deals with the activities carried out - or which should be carried out – by the Union in the fields of Education and Sport. However, as also the most established jurisprudence of the CJEU may suggest, the policies carried out by the EU institutions shall better be analysed from a unitary point of view; especially for what concerns the factually existing relationship between the social policies and the fundamental freedoms of the internal market contained in art. 26 paragraph 2 TFEU. Under this assumption, given that the first pillar of European integration concerning natural persons is represented by the free circulation of people with a main sociocultural aim represented by the Schengen agreement, the illustrated plan tends, in our opinion, to partially ignore the implications concerning the second pillar: the free movement of persons ex art. 26 TFEU. Surely, the free movement of workers, as also the freedom of establishment and the other three fundamental freedoms were not thought to be applied to the field of education, as the “economic” counterpart to this issue may better be represented by the passive (and active) freedom to provide services concerned in the Treaty. Nevertheless, there are surely forms of employment-like activities - such as mandatory interns or other kind of stages, differently regulated by the domestic law of the Member States - which are extremely important for professional education; especially in a globalized economy such as we live in today. Therefore, being convinced of the fact that primary and secondary education are principally to be conceived as deeply individual experiences, education programmes and structures which are carried out through work-like relationships should be better supported by the Union, for they represent even a better opportunity for a real practical cooperation between young citizens of different Member States; in the intention to achieve a greater and deeper integration among the European youth. For this reason, given the success in education of “Erasmus+” program, the EU Youth Report Strategy 2019-2024 should touch the theme of youth employment. > Our policy recommendation Rather than focusing on the Youth Solidarity Corps (YSC), the EU should enhance and boost its activities within the European Voluntary Service (EVS). While the YSC should still go ahead with a charitable format, the Union should set up some kind of model of European civil service for recent European graduates. Exempli Gratia: from 9 to 12 months; 35/40 working hours for 5 days a week; board and lodging paid; two outward and two backward flight paid; between € 500 and € 1.500 per month in accordance with the standards of living of the host country. The Service should include European and non-EU host countries and expand the sectors involved in addition to the social and the environmental ones. A good initiative which might be extended and reorganised following our guidelines is the EU Aid Volunteers initiative. We expect this system to be very successful both for young people wishing to take an active gap-year and for those wishing to engage in such an experience. AUTHORS Ludovico Lenners and Gabriele Pierini, Assistants - Presidency Office; Federico Pieri, President. PEER REVIEWER Ted Oakes, Assistant - Public Relations Unit. LEGAL NOTICE More information on Making Europe Again is available on the Internet (https://www.makingeuropeagain.eu).
Read full response