At which stage are we under the Rule of Law Framework?

The introduction of new schemes, the sustainability of existing schemes and the expectations and rights of current pension scheme members should be adequately protected.

15. Stresses that investment agreements on large-scale land acquisitions or leases should duly take into account the right of current land-users, as well as the rights of workers employed on farms; takes the view that the obligations of investors should be clearly defined and should be enforceable, for instance by means of the inclusion of sanction mechanisms in cases of non-compliance with human rights; considers that all land deals should also include a legal obligation whereby a certain minimum percentage of crops produced should be sold on the local market;

Whilst fully recognising the unanimity rule in this sensitive area and the sovereign right of Member States to set their own tax rates, the current VAT and excise duty systems clearly prevent full realisation of the single market and of its benefits for consumers and businesses. We, therefore, urge the Commission to come forward with practical proposals for facilitating EU citizens’ full rights to the free movement of goods, in particular concerning the tax regimes for Internet and cross-border shopping.

Another important tool for increasing consumer confidence in the digital environment will, in the view of the rapporteur, be provided by the creation of a European charter of users’ rights in the information society that would clarify not only the current rights and obligations of information society actors, including consumers, but would also put forward new European rights and obligations (e.g. users’ rights relating to digital content, i.e. clarification of users’ rights when using intellectual property, users’ rights guaranteeing basic interoperability standards, and the rights of particularly vulnerable users, i.e. improving accessi ...[+++]bility of internet pages for handicapped persons).

23. Stresses that consumers often face various limitations and the notion of consumers’ rights in the copyright framework is very often absent; calls on the Commission to assess the effectiveness of the current copyright law from a consumers’ perspective and to develop a set of clear and comprehensive consumers’ rights;