April 15, 2019 UPDATE
New copyright law, passed by the Council of the EU
Newsroom, 15.04.2019, 19:49
LAW – The Council of the European Union green lighted the EUs new copyright law on Monday. Member states have 24 months to transpose the directive into national legislation. Under the law, the first major revamp of EU copyright rules in 18 years, online platforms will have to sign licensing agreements with authors and publishers to use their work. They will also be required to use filters stopping users uploading copyrighted material. European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said: “With todays agreement, we are making copyright rules fit for the digital age. Europe will now have clear rules that guarantee fair remuneration for creators, strong rights for users and responsibility for platforms. When it comes to completing Europes digital single market, the copyright reform is the missing piece of the puzzle.”
MEETING— Prime Minister Viorica Dancila hosted on Monday in Bucharest her Vietnamese counterpart, Nguyễn Xuân Phúc. Their two countries have had consistent economic exchange growth in the last few years, with multiple opportunities for cooperation in areas such as oil, gas, automotive building, IT, and agriculture. PM Dancila said that Romania wants to become a major partner for Vietnam. The two heads of government signed a memorandum of understanding between the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the main food safety authority in the Republic of Vietnam.
COURT — Magistrates with the High Court of Cassation and Justice postponed, on Monday, for May 20, the ruling in the case of fictitious jobs at the child assistance department in the county of Teleorman, a case in which the leader of the Social Democratic Party, Liviu Dragnea, got a definitive sentence of 3 years and 6 months. The case has been postponed several times, due to controversies regarding the panel of five judges. In June 2018, the court issued a guilty verdict for Liviu Dragnea for instigation to abuse of office. Anti-corruption prosecutors accused Dragnea of spuriously employing two party members, from his position of president of the Teleorman County Council. The two were granted public wages, even though they worked exclusively for the Social Democratic Party. Liviu Dragnea denies all charges.
INFRASTRUCTURE — Three infrastructure project contracts were signed Sunday night in Bucharest, according to PM Viorica Dancila. The contracts were granted for a 13 km stretch of the Pitesti- Sibiu motorway, the first to cross the Southern Carpathians, an 18 km stretch of the Bucharest beltway, and the third for the M5 branch of the Bucharest metro.
HEALTHCARE — As part of Romanias presidency of the Council of the European Union, Bucharest hosted on Monday the informal meeting of health ministers. The first session of the meeting was dedicated to access to medication, innovative and expensive treatment, while the second session was dedicated to cross-border medical assistance and patient mobility. The Romanian presidency of the Council believes that guaranteeing access to healthcare for all European citizens is a central pillar of the healthcare policy of the EU, and that investments in healthcare are a crucial element in reducing social and economic disparity. (Translated by Elena Enache)
