In order to avoid speculative rights purchases with a view to circumvention of national measures, it is necessary to apply those provisions to contracts entered into after the publication of Directive 97/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and concerning events which take place after the date of implementation.

In order to avoid speculative rights purchases with a view to circumvention of national measures, it is necessary to apply those provisions to contracts entered into after the publication of Directive 97/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (21) and concerning events which take place after the date of implementation.

However, to ensure that action takes place, the European Union could enforce the principle of food sovereignty for all peoples, could help implement farm work remuneration systems with guaranteed prices for every country and every continent, could respect and enforce the commitments to grant official development assistance to the countries of the South, could cancel the debt of poor countries, could stop the purchase of land by multinationals and hedge funds, and could recognise that agriculture and food cannot be part of the hard bargaining of the World Trade Organisation.

1. Emphasises that employees can influence decisions, and thereby participate in a positive way in achieving the undertakings’ profitability targets, only if they are informed and consulted in good time, so that, for example, in connection with restructuring measures, mergers, the purchase and sale of undertakings and takeovers by investors, such as hedge funds, private equity funds and sovereign wealth funds, they must be informed and comprehensively consulted in good time before the corresponding decisions are taken; takes the view, therefore, that when Directive 2002/14/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 200 ...[+++]2 establishing a general framework for informing and consulting employees in the European Communityis revised, a clear definition of the right of employees to be informed and consulted should be established;

However, the definition of investment in the agreement includes direct investment, real estate and purchases of securities, and therefore seems to open the door to speculative movements and thus to further financial instability.

(20) Whereas, in particular, it is appropriate to lay down in this Directive provisions concerning the exercise by broadcasters of exclusive broadcasting rights that they may have purchased to events considered to be of major importance for society in a Member State other than that having jurisdiction over the broadcasters, and whereas, in order to avoid speculative rights purchases with a view to circumvention of national measures, it is necessary to apply these provisions to contracts entered into after the publication of this Direc ...[+++]tive and concerning events which take place after the date of implementation, and whereas, when contracts that predate the publication of this Directive are renewed, they are considered to be new contracts;