Zwei Entwicklungen der letzten Jahre haben zu einem Problem geführt, dem bisher noch kaum Beachtung geschenkt wird: Die Analyse und Ausbeutung von Geodaten, die durch die zunehmende Ausstattung mobiler Geräte mit GPS-Sensoren ermöglicht werden, und die steigende Durchdringung des Marktes mit Smartphones, deren Funktionsumfang mit Apps erweitert wer-den kann.

Consumers need more protection: Put a stop to data-hungry mobile phone apps.

This week, the EU Commission presented two Directive proposals to help it to attract seasonal and highly skilled migrants to Europe. In doing so, the EU Commission is pursuing a clear target. The admission criteria are supposed to be unified throughout Europe and the rights, associated with this admission, should be stipulated. These proposals, however, did not exactly inspire great enthusiasm.

This week, the European Commission has proposed changes in two Directive proposals and a White Paper on existing regulations in the banking and insurance sector. This move shall help to improve the protection of investors and bank account holders in future.

This week, the Commission presented the long awaited Green Paper on adequate, sustainable and safe European pension systems. A field day for all those, who now feel vindicated, as they had said all along that “a comprehensive pension reform” would be an unavoidable necessity. Once again, the EU perfectly embodies the role of the bringer of bad news.

Important dossiers for the financial market came to the vote during the last plenary week before the summer break of the European Parliament. Excitement was provided by the fact that right up to the last minute, Parliament and Member States were not able to agree on the planned financial supervision package.

Right on time at the start of the summer holidays and the most popular travel season of most Europeans, the Commission started an information campaign on 29th June to make passengers in the EU aware of their rights. Under the motto “Your passenger rights at hand“, posters and information leaflets, translated into 23 languages, are promoting the campaign at airports and railway stations across the EU and at travel and tourism fairs. Relevant short and informative video clips can also be watched on various TV channels and online.

A recently published study by Eurostat on the price levels of food within the EU revealed big price differences between the Member States. Although Austria is among the countries, where an above-average price has to be paid for bread, meat or fish, there are also consumer goods, which are below EU average.

During the Euro crisis, the lack of economic coordination at European level became the focus of the debate. If prior to the introduction of the Euro the individual states had still been able to control their competitiveness individually by currency adjustments, this is now no longer possible. Countries like Germany that adopt an aggressive export strategy to keep wages at a low level, now put the rest of the Eurozone massively under pressure.

Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, proudly reports that between 2000 and 2008 the tax and contribution ratio in the EU27 has fallen. In particular concerning the corporation tax, there would be a continuous decline of the top tax rate. What Eurostat regards as hardly worth mentioning: taxes on consumption during the same period have risen from 20.9 and 21.5 percent. Good news for business, bad news for consumers.