Sommarju : This report reviews EU legislation and procedures to secure air cargo and mail (including express delivery services) and recommends measures to strengthen security especially for, but not limited to, flights originating in third countries.

Awturi : Rosário Macário, João Vieira and Pedro Mano (TIS.pt) Eddy van der Voorde, Tom Pauwels, Sérgio Domingues and Sonja van Renssen (Antwerp University) Ross Dawkins and Jonathan Todd (Europe Economics)

Il-Kumitati : It-Trasport u t-turiżmu

Sommarju : This note highlights the characteristics and determinants of gender differences in mobility patterns emerging from the literature and presents an overview of how transport policies have been adapted to support women’s mobility needs, focusing on examples of practices implemented in four European countries. The results show significant, albeit declining, gender differences related to gender roles within households and the labour market as well as demographic trends. The policy recommendations underline the need to consider gender and environment mainstreaming in transport policies.

Awturi : Manuela Samek Lodovici and Flavia Pesce (Istituto per la Ricerca Sociale - IRS, Italy) Patrizia Malgieri, Silvia Maffi and Caterina Rosa (TRT - Italy)

Il-Kumitati : L-ugwaljanza bejn is-sessi

Sommarju : Cloud computing has, on an unprecedented scale, improved possibilities to share information and internet content as well as access to them. It has enhanced e-commerce and e-government through ubiquitous and omnipresent computing, where access to rich and multi-layered content is based on individual e-identification rather than the device used. The study examines the benefits and challenges of cloud computing, with focus being placed on delivering internet content through an unfragmented Digital Single Market, whilst at the same time protecting consumers. It looks at the special role of the European Union in coordinating cloud computing related policies, in order to avoid 27 different solutions where coordinated efforts could optimise results and lead to considerable savings.

Awturi : Frank Alleweldt, Senda Kara, Anna Fielder, Ian Brown, Verena Weber and Nicholas McSpedden-Brown (Civic Consulting, Berlin, Germany)

Il-Kumitati : Is-Suq intern u l-protezzjoni tal-konsumaturi

Sommarju : The Sahel region constitutes Europe’s southern geopolitical border. Any instability there will eventually find its way into the European neighbourhood and Europe itself. The present study examines the main challenges affecting the region and offers a critical evaluation of the 2011 EU ‘Strategy for Security and Development in the Sahel’. The strategy identifies the lack of governmental capacity and systemic poverty as the key challenges the region faces and rightly points to concerted action in the security and development domains as the way forward. As such, we take a generally positive view of the diagnosis and the lines of action it envisages. However, we argue that one year after its adoption, the EU’s Sahel strategy has not lived up to expectations. For all the praising about the need for comprehensiveness, the EU’s efforts in the realm of security and development remain significantly disconnected. But ultimately, it is national caveats that pose the greatest threat to a more political implementation of the Sahel strategy. These include a denial of the strategic importance of the region, a lack of willingness to engage with Algeria and a resistance to incorporating military assistance into the EU’s toolbox.

Awturi : Luis SIMON, Alexander MATTELAER and Amelia HADFIELD (Institute for European Studies, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium) with research support provided by Marc-Antoine MORIN (Institute for European Studies, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium)

Il-Kumitati : L-Iżvilupp

Sommarju : The present study analyses the potential impact of the EU targeted sanctions against Belarus imposed in the aftermath of the presidential elections of 19 December 2010, following the Belarusian authorities' crackdown on the political opposition. It reveals that a broader sanction approach to Belarus, implying targeting key state-owned enterprises with high export potential (chemical and petrochemical industry) and contribution to the economy, or imposition of restrictions on capital flows, may potentially cause higher economic damage for the economy as a whole, affecting vulnerable populations in the first instance, but be less efficient in facilitating a regime change. This may lead to further political and economic isolation of Belarus in the international arena and to the intensification of economic ties with Russia. EU sanctions are more likely to have the desired impact in Belarus if they target representatives of Belarusian the business elite actively supporting the regime. These businessmen have a strong lobbying power and their influence could be strengthened as a consequence of adverse effect of sanctions on their welfare status. Sanctions are likely to force them to negotiate their interests in the government and may thus lead the government to make some political concessions.

Awturi : Julia Korosteleva (School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London)

Il-Kumitati : Affarijiet barranin

Sommarju : This briefing note deals with some data protection aspects of Proposal of the European Commission for a Regulation on administrative cooperation through the Internal Market Information System (“the IMI Regulation). In particular Article 13 of the Proposal extends the data retention period from 6 months, as it is now, to 5 years. The briefing note investigates whether there are any grounds which justify the extension and assesses the compliance of the Proposal with the existing legal framework.

Awturi : Hans Schulte-Nölke and Shaun Charlton (European Legal Studies Institute, Osnabrück, Germany)

Il-Kumitati : Is-Suq intern u l-protezzjoni tal-konsumaturi

Sommarju : After 18 years of negotiations, Russia is in the process of joining the WTO and is seeking membership of the OECD. On 1 July 2012 it will take over the chairmanship of the G20 for a year. Russian policies, institutional developments and government and corporate conduct will continue to be influenced mainly by domestic events. Of all external influences, the world oil price will remain the most significant. There is unlikely to be much change in Russian foreign policy. Russia has made the Customs Union (CU) with Kazakhstan and Belarus a political priority. As regards a possible free trade area (FTA) between the EU and Russia, most EU officials doubt this could be a serious agenda item for the foreseeable future. Accession to the WTO should assist, at the margin, in promoting transparency and openness to foreign investment, and hence competition in the Russian economy. The direct, medium-term consequences of WTO accession on the Russian economy, and therefore on employment, Russian households and the regions are likely to be modest.

Awturi : Philip Hanson (Chatham House) and Fraser Cameron (EU-Russia Centre)

Il-Kumitati : Affarijiet barranin

Sommarju : This study focuses on the key issues related to the future of Eurojust in the light of the new framework established by the Treaty of Lisbon. The study evaluates the current structure and functions of Eurojust and on that basis describes the three main paths that Eurojust’s future can take: (1) gradually building on the current legislative framework; (2) invoking the new treaty base; and (3) co-existing with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Awturi : Petra Jeney (uropean Centre for Judges and Lawyers, European Institute of Public Administration - EIPA, Luxembourg)

Il-Kumitati : Iz-zona ta' libertà, sigurtà u ġustizzja

Sommarju : The proposed Erasmus for All programme (2014-2020) envisions bringing together a wide range of EU activities in higher, school, vocational and adult education, youth policy and grassroots sports. This briefing note presents and reviews the proposed context, architecture, content, and management structure. Further, it makes ten recommendations to ensure that the proposed programme not only seeks to streamline management efficiency but also pays sufficient attention to the individual policy needs of the various sectors. Finally, it gives a detailed outline of the planned action and budget allocation.

Awturi : Guy Haug and Bernd Wächter

Il-Kumitati : Il-Kultura u l-edukazzjoni