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You can read here the article on recent tensions in the Balkans, which was written by Director General of ELIAMEP Dr Thanos Dokos. This commentary was published in the Greek daily Kathimerini on 4 June 2015.

The Permanent Representatives Committee on 4 June 2015 approved, on behalf of the Council, a compromise agreed with the European Parliament on a directive aimed at further developing an EU-wide market for electronic payments. 

The directive incorporates and repeals an existing payment services directive (directive 2007/64/EC), which provided the legal basis for the creation of an EU-wide single market for payments. 

Catering for changes in e-commerce 

The revised directive adapts existing rules to emerging and innovative payment services, including internet and mobile payments. It establishes a comprehensive set of rules with the aim of ensuring a more secure environment for payments, in particular for those using remote channels. The directive also sets up a more harmonised and effective framework for supervision by national authorities.  

Since adoption of the original payment services directive in 2007, innovative methods for the initiation of payments in the field of e-commerce have evolved. They usually form a software "bridge" between the website of the merchant and the online banking platform of the payer's bank in order to initiate internet payments on the basis of a credit transfer. These services will now be covered by the directive. They enable the payment initiation service provider (who never holds the user's funds) to give assurance to the payee that the funds necessary for a specific payment transaction are available on the account and the payment has been initiated.  

A regulatory regime to cover the activities of account information services will also be provided for. These services offer the payment service user, for example, with aggregated online information on one or more payment accounts held with one or more other payment service providers. This enables the payment service user to have an overall view of his/her financial situation at any given moment, within a secure environment.  

Secure internet payments 

At the same time, the directive promotes the strengthening of security measures for internet payments and for the use of services provided by new market players. It will ensure strong customer authentication to identify the client for each transaction. The new and strengthened supervisory regime will further increase the security level and consumer protection in this field. 

Next steps 

The Council presidency reached a compromise with the Parliament on 5 May 2015. The Council had set out its position in December 2014. The directive will now have to be approved by the Parliament at first reading, so as to allow adoption by the Council once the texts have been finalised in all languages. 

Once adopted, member states will have two years to transpose the directive into their national laws and regulations. 

A l’occasion du Festival Nollywood qui tient sa troisième édition du 4 au 7 juin au cinéma L’Arlequin à Paris, rencontre avec OC Ukeje, acteur « bankable » du cinéma nigérian.

PRÁGA. Csehországban az idei év első négy hónapjában 569-en kértek menedéket, többségük ukrán, kubai és vietnami állampolgár volt. A negyedik helyen a szír állampolgárok vannak - mondta Martin Rozumek, a menekülteknek segítséget nyújtó szervezet (OPÚ) igazgatója pénteken a Novinky.cz cseh hírportálnak.

In the context of EU sanctions related to the misappropriation of Ukrainian state funds, the Council decided on 5 June to extend the asset freeze for three of the four persons covered by measures applying until 6 June 2015. The measures are extended by 9 months for two of the persons concerned and by 4 months for the third. 

Csökkenő piacon helytállni, amikor a trendhajhászok egyre riasztóbb számokat sorolnak arról, hogy befellegzett a könyvkiadásnak, szimpla merészségnél több, kalanddal felérő vállalkozás. Olvasom az egyik elismert hazai könyvesház vezetőjével készült interjút – véletlenül a Kolozsváron és Budapesten p...

Le 3 juin 2015, le Colonel Tassel, chef de corps du 8ème régiment de parachutistes d’infanterie de marine (8ème RPIMa) a succédé au Colonel Meunier, chef de corps du 2ème régiment étranger de parachutistes (2ème REP), à la tête du groupement tactique désert Est (GTD-E). Le GTD Chimère succède ainsi au GTD Altor.

The 4th European Standardization Summit on 4 June served as a platform for discussions on how standardisation can contribute to a cleaner and smarter economy in Europe focusing on the construction sector.

L'adjudant Mickael est déployé en Guinée Conakry dans le cadre de la lutte contre Ébola en tant que responsable de la logistique du centre de traitement des soignants (CTS).

Azt követően kérte az átszervezési eljárás beindítását, hogy múlt hónap végén bejelentette a fizetésképtelenségi állapotot, miután tavaly jogerős ítélet révén kötelezték egy 58 és fél millió dolláros köztartozás és kamatai kifizetésére. Az átszervezés révén lehetővé válna a Rompetrol gazdasági tevékenységének folytatása külföldön és Romániában is. A Rompetrol sajtóközleményében kiemeli, hogy saját forrásokból a közelmúltban több mint 50 millió dollárt fordított romániai lelőhelyek felkutatására és olyan kőolajipari berendezés vásárlására, amellyel Marokkóban is nyereséges tevékenységet folytathatna, ott kötött ugyanis szerződést, miután Líbiában kénytelen volt felfüggeszteni tevékenységét a politikai válság miatt. A Rompetrol részvénytársaság a kazah nemzeti kőolajtársaság, a KazMunayGas által irányított KMG International cégcsoport tagja. Ezt a tavaly elhunyt Dinu Patriciu üzletember építette ki, ő is adta el a kazah nemzeti kőolajtársaságnak.

VIENNA, 5 June 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today said recent attacks and threats against journalists in Albania are unacceptable.

On 2 June, Aurora Koromani, journalist with the Gazeta Shqiptare newspaper, received a threat from an alleged Islamic militant. She reported the threat to the police who deemed it as serious, and the police are now providing protection for Koromani.

In another incident on 4 June, a car belonging to Enver Doci, a television journalist with News 24 TV, was set on fire and destroyed in the town of Burrel in northern Albania.

“These attacks are totally unacceptable and they constitute a direct threat to free media,” Mijatović said. “I welcome the fact that the authorities quickly have launched investigations of these incidents, and that the police are providing protection for Koromani. There must be no impunity for attacks or threats against journalists.”

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.  

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• OSCE Representative condemns attacks and threats against journalists in Croatia, welcomes quick arrests
• OSCE Representative condemns attack on journalist in Skopje
• OSCE Representative lauds UN Security Council Resolution on protection of journalists

This cool footage was filmed from a Finnish Air Force F/A-18 Hornet pilot.

Nine nations have taken part in Arctic Challenge Exercise 2015, a multinational flying exercise that included approximately 115 combat aircraft deployed at several airbases in Sweden and Norway.

Among the air arms that attended ACE 2015 there is the Finnish Air Force that took part in the drills with F/A-18 Hornet jets based at Rovaniemi (Finland) and Bodø (Norway).

On Jun. 4, at the end of their ACE 2015 mission, two FiAF Hornets returned to Bodø flying over the Norwegian coastline, mountains and fjords: here below you can see the view those pilots enjoyed from their cockpits.

If you can’t see the video below, click here to watch it on FB.

H/T Giuliano Ranieri for the heads-up

Varvara Karaulova was detained in the city of Kilis while trying to cross the Turkish-Syrian border.

Sébastien est déployé en Guinée Conakry dans le cadre de la lutte contre Ébola en tant qu’énergiste.

La 29e session plénière de l'Assemblée parlementaire paritaire ACP-UE se tient à Suva du 15 au 17 juin 2015. La session sera officiellement ouverte par ses coprésidents, Louis Michel pour le Parlement européen, et Fitz A. Jackson (Jamaïque) pour les pays ACP.

Source : © Union européenne, 2015 - PE

KOTA KINABALU. Hatos erősségű földrengés miatt legalább 145 ember rekedt Délkelet-Ázsia egyik legmagasabb hegycsúcsán pénteken a malajziai Borneó szigetén, többen megsérültek.

Si elle ne va pas de soi, l'idée que se fasse un peuple européen n'a rien non plus d'essentiellement absurde. Mais, comme les autres communautés politiques et nationales, un tel peuple devrait être rassemblé par un puissant affect commun. / Allemagne, Europe, Économie, Idées, Identité culturelle, (...) / Allemagne, Europe, Économie, Idées, Identité culturelle, Monnaie, Nationalisme, Politique, Solidarité - 2014/04

Iran, Syrie, Russie, Israël-Palestine : la diplomatie française semble s'être placée à la remorque des néoconservateurs américains. M. Dominique de Villepin, qui inspira l'opposition de la France à la guerre d'Irak, récuse cette orientation générale et suggère un autre cap. / Asie, États-Unis (affaires (...) / Asie, États-Unis (affaires extérieures), Europe, Europe de l'Est, France, Russie, Ukraine, État, Géopolitique, Idées, Relations internationales, Stratégie, Diplomatie - 2014/12