Online music service providers encounter big hurdles when they want to provide music for download or streaming in several countries in the EU. The Commission wants to change this situation with a Directive proposal which shall facilitate the granting of multi-territorial licenses for online use of copyright protected music.

Millions of investors suffered sometimes heavy losses during the EU-wide financial crisis. The Commission now tries, based on a package of three legislative proposals, to increase consumer protection on financial products and to regain the trust of consumers. Forms of investment shall be explained better and risks made more transparent. Sales practices in the insurance sector shall be better regulated and provisions on investment funds revised.

It is now official: after five committees of the European Parliament have already recommended to the plenum to reject the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement ACTA, this week, the plenary session of the Parliament has finally voted against the agreement. This is a heavy defeat for EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht, who right to the end tried to lobby for support for ACTA.

This week, the EU Commission presented two studies on the subject of apprenticeships and traineeships. They recommend to orientate both training programmes more towards the demand on the labour market and the requirements of the economy and to structure them in such a way that they provide young people with higher standards of education and training as well as better perspectives.

On 1 July 2012, Cyprus has taken over the Presidency of the European Union. For the first time since its EU accession in 2004, the island state is assuming the role of organiser and motor of ministerial meetings. As a side note: for the first time in the history of the European Union the Presidency is also in the hands of a Communist government. In the midst of economic turbulences, the Cypriot Presidency presents an ambitious programme for the next six months.

In a resolution this week, the European Parliament has urged the European Commission to present a legislative proposal on access to basic banking services by the beginning of 2013. About 30 million people in the European Union do not have access to a current account.

Consumer and business organisations are still not happy with the EU proposal on a Common European Sales Law. During a hearing in the Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, the Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour was for the first time given the opportunity to take an official position on some aspects of the Common European Sales Law.

The list of criticisms concerning the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is long. In addition to the dissatisfaction with non-transparent negotiations there are also concerns about ambiguous provisions. Many critics fear that ACTA could result in limiting the freedom on the internet. Now the trade committee of the European Parliament has voted to reject the treaty.

It looks as if the patience of the European Commission and the European Parliament with the Council and its crisis management has almost run out. EU Commission President Barroso and most of the MEPs are reacting increasingly indignant to the cloak-and-dagger operations of the Council within the scope of tackling the crisis at EU level. Barroso is obviously fed up that Commission and European Parliament have recently been side-lined by representatives of the Council.

If the EU Commission had its way, one would soon see the creation of a comprehensive banking union within the EU - and much faster than previously thought. Last week already, the authority suggested EU-wide provisions to restructure and liquidate banks. Taxpayers should no longer have to foot the bill for failed banks.