Latest news with #European-level
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Shein to face fines if it fails to fix EU consumer law issues
Ultra-fast fashion online retailer Shein has been told to resolve the consumer law issues raised by the European Commission (EC) and the network of national consumer authorities, known as the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network, or face fines. This follows a comprehensive European-level investigation into practices that consumers encounter on the Singapore-headquartered retailer's platform, which violate EU law. The alleged infringements identified include presenting false discounts, employing pressure selling tactics, providing missing or incorrect information that is also misleading, using deceptive product labels, making unfounded sustainability claims and concealing contact details. The CPC Network has mandated that Shein align these practices with EU consumer laws. The current scrutiny includes requests for additional information to be submitted to the CPC Network. Coordinated by the EC, the action against Shein involves authorities from Belgium, France, Ireland, and the Netherlands. The CPC Network seeks further details from Shein to evaluate its adherence to additional EU consumer law requirements. These include ensuring that rankings, reviews and ratings are not misleadingly presented to consumers. The network is also examining whether Shein properly informs consumers about contractual obligations between third-party sellers and Shein where relevant, and clarifies when consumer rights are not applicable in transactions involving third-party sellers who are not traders. EC tech sovereignty, security and democracy executive vice-president Henna Virkkunen stated: 'I welcome this coordinated action with consumer authorities - complementary to the commission's ongoing request for information sent to Shein under the Digital Services Act. 'In line with the commission's recent communication on e-commerce, the action demonstrates our resolve to deliver a coordinated and effective enforcement response when e-commerce platforms and e-retailers don't respect our laws. We come together to keep consumers safe and the e-commerce sector competitive.' Shein has been given a one-month period to respond to the CPC Network's findings and to suggest how it plans to resolve the issues related to consumer law. Should Shein fail to do so, national authorities may enforce measures to ensure compliance, including potential fines based on Shein's annual turnover within the EU member states involved. EC democracy, justice, the rule of law and consumer protection commissioner Michael McGrath stated: 'EU consumer protection laws are not optional — they must be applied in all cases. It's now for Shein to step up, respect the rules and bring its practices fully in line with EU consumer standards.' In April 2025, Shein was designated as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) under the Digital Services Act (DSA) regulation in EU law. "Shein to face fines if it fails to fix EU consumer law issues" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'What they want is your rights': What you need to know about the anti-abortion movement's new tactics
Little-known fact: abortion is technically a criminal offence in England and Wales, governed by a law from 1861, before women got the right to vote. As powerful anti-choice groups seek to roll back reproductive rights here - as we've seen in the US and Europe - we've joined forces with BPAS, the UK's leading abortion care service, on new campaign End 1861, to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales. Head here to take action to raise your voice for choice and fight for bodily autonomy. It's easy to think that wouldn't happen here. That we're not the US, and their policies do not impact us. But while the UK is overwhelmingly pro-choice (in a 2023 YouGov 87% of Britons said that abortion should absolutely be allowed) it doesn't mean we're safe from manipulative tactics from incredibly powerful (and rich) anti-choice groups. As author and podcaster Deborah Frances-White discovered through a range of interviews, there are powerful forces at play, working hard and strategically behind the scenes, to take your rights away – and they're not just going for abortion, but and the right to contraception, too. They're using distraction tactics and ancient laws to get their way… and they're succeeding. It's scary. But it's also why we all need to come together and fight back, and why Deborah is supporting , in collaboration with BPAS. Here, in an extract from her new book , she outlines what she's learned and what we need to do about it… You will know that in the US, Roe v. Wade, the ruling that guaranteed the right to an abortion, was overturned in 2022. This means that in many states abortion access is now limited and, in some, illegal. What you may not know is that the religious far-right have also been getting organised and strategic right here, specifically targeting the UK and Europe, with the mission of diminishing and eventually eradicating abortion rights. I interviewed Neil Datta, the Executive Director of the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights, a pan-European network which brings together legislators from all democratic parties to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights. The Forum focuses on access to contraception, abortion rights, reducing maternal deaths, improving cervical cancer treatment and prevention. Because of this work, Neil has done research into religious extremists who are working to undermine women's rights to healthcare. He explained that there were well-known 'pro-life' groups who started out picketing abortion clinics. Then in 2013, they 'rebranded' and expanded their remit: 'They invested time in hiring lawyers and political scientists so that they understand how power works. And we saw them gradually, between 2013 and 2018, really develop that skill so that they were able to write draft laws and bills, they were able to initiate proceedings in front of national and European-level courts, and they were able to start petitions, which then provoke a certain reaction from public authorities, such as a referendum . . . They style themselves as NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and think tanks, or in some cases political parties. In Europe, they usually mask their religious ties. But when you scratch beneath the surface, you see religious connections in almost all of them. We also have a number of organisations coming from the United States, from the US Christian right, setting up permanent offices in different European countries and specifically certain cities, such as Brussels, Geneva, Strasbourg, Vienna, and London. These are all the centres of decision-making power. They decided to organise, get pragmatic and, crucially, harness the tools of influencing empathy to get what they want. And what they want is your rights. These organisations make up what is known as the 'anti-gender movement'. Gender here is shorthand for 'women's issues'.'This anti-gender - or anti-'women's issues' - movement is also against LGBTQ+ rights, including equal marriage. There are numerous academic studies and symposiums on the anti-gender movement and reports show the groups within it have spent $78 million (US), that we know of, in the last decade. They have decided to get what they can now, with the aim of getting what they want eventually. Are their efforts working? Shockingly, yes. We have seen the huge uptick in women being investigated by police on suspicion of illegally ending their pregnancy. Abortion provider MSI says it knows of up to sixty criminal inquiries in England and Wales since 2018, compared with almost zero before. In contrast, between 1861 and November 2022, just three women in Great Britain were convicted of an illegal abortion. Since December 2022 (at the time of writing), one woman has been convicted and six women are awaiting trial. Also, at the time of writing, there are three new bills in the House of Lords that would potentially restrict women's ability to have legal abortions in the UK. By comparison, the last anti-abortion bill presented to the Commons was in 1990. Dr Jonathan Lord, co-chair of the British Society of Abortion Care Providers, has warned that police are seizing women's phones, searching for period apps and combing through their internet history. Health care providers are reporting that police are also testing 'distressed' women, who have suffered miscarriages, for abortion drugs. Some have called an ambulance for late-stage pregnancy loss and the police have arrived first. Those anti-abortion campaigners who were previously just using anger, have now learned to use seemingly rational and empathetic techniques to influence our policymakers and those working in our communities. If all this sounds to you like a flashback scene in The Handmaid's Tale, then you'll be as worried as I am about how organised and well-funded this 'anti-gender' far-right religious movement is. Those of us who are pro-choice need to get equally (if not more) organised to properly decriminalise abortion in the UK, the way France has responded to the anti-gender movement by enshrining the right to abortion into the constitution. We can't just ignore these people, or block them out. If we do they will organise. They will galvanise. And we will end up living in their world. We have to get savvy, and get sorted, and that will mean compromise. Remember, ten years ago, the people now challenging our right to choose were shouting outside abortion clinics with homemade signs. Now, they've become influential by having conversations they didn't want to have and working with people they don't agree with – and they're getting things done. Things we need undone as soon as possible. If we do not organise, strategize, upskill, rethink and make connections with people we don't wholly agree with, we may find ourselves – and our human rights – hurtling back into the past. Agenda Europa was created in January 2013 out of a meeting that took place in London involving approximately twenty North American and European anti-abortion leaders and strategic advisors who aimed to 'develop a Christian-inspired European think tank' and 'devise new strategies for European anti-abortion movements'. Why 2013? Because both the UK and France were in the process of legalising same-sex marriage and that was the breaking point. The anti-gender movement's decision to act was born out of fury, but their focus was achievable goals. They started to ask not 'what do we want?' but 'what can we have?' Once we allow the anti-gender lobby to shape our policy and become people of influence in our society, they will use that position to get the other things on their agenda. Documents have been uncovered that reveal a detailed, extremist strategy called 'Restoring the Natural Order: an Agenda for Europe', which seeks to overturn existing laws on basic human rights related to sexuality and reproduction, such as the right to divorce; for a woman to access contraception, assisted reproduction technologies or have an abortion; equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or intersex (LGBTI) persons; and the right to change one's gender or sex without fear of legal repercussions. The latest High Court ruling, which says the legal definition of a woman for the purposes of the Equalities Act 2010 is based on biological sex, is a worrying sign that they are beginning to get their way. Neil Datta and his team predict that the next issues they attack in the UK will be surrogacy and sex work because there is already some dissent in the feminist community on these things. Their arguments about the sacredness of women's bodies as far as surrogacy and sex work goes will lead neatly into abortion: 'While we're up in your uterus anyway, we've got some notes.' The anti-gender movement is driving hard to roll back queer rights and abortion rights, and they are making small incremental gains that will turn into large strides forward if we don't get organised ourselves. We need to use our voices, start having conversations and not sleepwalk our way into their Might Also Like A ranking of the very best hair straighteners - according to our Beauty Editors Best party dresses to shop in the UK right now 11 products you'd be mad to miss from the Net A Porter beauty sale
Euronews
07-04-2025
- Health
- Euronews
What are the risks of health tourism? Why MEPs are calling for better protection of patients abroad
ADVERTISEMENT Lower costs, a more comfortable experience, and the lack of availability of certain treatments closer to home are some of the reasons Europeans seek healthcare abroad. However, this so-called 'health tourism' comes with unpredictable risks. 'More and more European citizens are traveling abroad to receive medical treatment, attracted by lower costs and shorter waiting times, but often without proper awareness of the associated risks,' MEP Michele Picaro (Italy/ECR) told Euronews. He wants a European-level discussion on the need for minimum safety and quality standards even in non-EU healthcare facilities, to protect citizens by giving them more information about what's at stake. Countries such as Turkey, Thailand, and South Korea have become popular destinations, offering low prices and experiences that resemble five-star hotel services. 'Healthcare is getting more and more expensive and getting difficult to access in some countries across Europe. So, it's only reasonable to expect that some of our citizens will travel to wherever they can to get the best value and a timely service for their money,' said MEP Billy Kelleher (Ireland/Renew Europe) during a recent debate in the European Parliament. However, despite the initial appeal of seeking treatment abroad, there are significant risks linked to aftercare and potential side effects that pose problems once patients are back in Europe. High price to pay There have been several reports in the EU of patients returning from treatment abroad with complications. In March 2023, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) linked 87 cases of botulism - an illness caused by a toxin that attacks the body's nerves causing breathing difficulty, muscle paralysis, and even death in some cases - to intragastric injections of botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT), commonly known as Botox, carried out in Turkey. Private clinics in Turkey advertise the local affordability of such procedures compared to elsewhere, with prices often around half of equivalent costs in Europe. 'In the beginning, patients come back feeling quite pleased because they think that their problems have been solved at half the price. But six months later there are often relapses, serious infections, and sometimes then the treatment is even more complex and more costly,' said Valentina Palmisano (Italy/The Left). Another concern raised is the lack of access to up-to-date medical records for treatments conducted abroad, which makes aftercare in Europe more difficult. Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi also warned of the risks of relying on clinics in third countries that may not uphold the same standards as those in the EU. "In many cases, there is little or no legal recourse if something goes wrong. and patients may be exposed to unregulated medical practices", he told MEPs in Strasbourg. He added that while EU medical facilities must comply with strict health and safety regulations, ensuring treatments meet high standards, regulations in non-EU countries vary significantly. European cross-border healthcare The EU has already tools in place for citizens who need to seek medical treatment outside of their country, but within European borders: the cross-border healthcare directive. ADVERTISEMENT However, MEPs warned that its implementation remains inconsistent. "Cross-border medical care enables patients in the EU to seek medical treatment in other member states, but the rules are still too complex and not used enough,' said Tomislav Sokol (Croatia/EPP). He added that, although these rules are in place, many patients are unaware of their rights or how to benefit from them, and called on the Commission to simplify the rules and ensure easier access to cross-border care.
New York Times
06-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How Hansi Flick finally turned Barcelona into a resilient Champions League side
Barcelona's recent European-level adventures have often involved shooting themselves in the foot. So, when Pau Cubarsi received his marching orders in the 22nd minute of their Champions League last-16 first leg against Benfica, years of disappointment must have flashed before anyone with a Barcelona disposition. Advertisement However, Hansi Flick's team battled to a 1-0 win on Wednesday at Lisbon's Estadio da Luz — the ground where Barcelona lost 8-2 to a Flick-managed Bayern Munich in the same competition's 2019-20 quarter-finals (when the Covid-19 pandemic led UEFA to stage a single-elimination eight-club mini-tournament in the Portuguese capital instead of the usual two-leg, home-and-away format) and shipped four goals while scoring five to beat Benfica in the league phase just six weeks ago. But on Wednesday, Barca displayed the kind of resilience they have seldom shown on the UEFA stage since their most recent Champions League title success in 2015, and combined it with tactical flexibility (as illustrated below by the lopsided shape in their match dashboard). This was not Barcelona's first attempt at adjusting their play style under Flick since his appointment last summer. They ditched the ball-dominant, high-intensity pressing in the 4-1 league-phase home win against Bayern in October — one of their best performances of the season — using man-marking with their signature risky offside trap instead. Barcelona ended that match with 39 per cent possession and a PPDA (passes per defensive action, a metric that measures the intensity of a team's press) of 16.1, suggesting they stayed relatively patient instead of forcing turnovers high up the pitch. Against Benfica on Wednesday, Barcelona began with a high press, recording a PPDA of 7.7 between kick-off and the 22nd minute. Their offside trap was evident, too. In this example from the 16th minute, Kerem Akturkoglu tries to slip in Vangelis Pavlidis, with Inigo Martinez jumping in the opposite direction — a move he has perfected this season — in an attempt to catch Pavlidis offside. But Pavlidis, who scored a 30-minute hat-trick in January's league-phase meeting, kept himself onside and made it into the box before blazing a shot over. Cubarsi's red card brought an understandable shift in approach. Ronald Araujo was brought on for Dani Olmo and from then on, Barcelona's closing down dropped to a PPDA of 24.3, their highest (ie, least intense) figure in either La Liga or the Champions League this season. Advertisement Out of possession, Barcelona shifted to a 4-4-1 when Benfica advanced beyond their own defensive third, with Raphinha and Lamine Yamal joining Pedri and Frenkie de Jong in midfield. Robert Lewandowski, who some would argue could have been taken off instead of Olmo given the latter's greater ability in tight spaces, stayed higher up the pitch as an outlet, resulting in the shape below. This cut out easy passes into Benfica midfielders Orkan Kokcu and Fredrik Aursnes, forcing that duo to drop deeper. The home side had to work their way around instead of through Barcelona's 10 men, while balls over the top were ineffective with the visitors' back line sitting deeper. Benfica could not penetrate the box with crosses either as Araujo, a reactive defender better suited to this approach than to playing in high lines, and Martinez anticipated well to intercept. In the second half, the shape changed to a 5-3-1 as Raphinha moved to left wing-back. This meant Pedri and De Jong had to cover more ground, but they were up to the task, winning 10 duels and making 15 recoveries between them (highlighted by Pedri's defensive actions figure in his player dashboard below). Flick displayed his in-game management skills again when Benfica channelled more attacks down the left at the start of the second half. Left-back Alvaro Carreras troubled Jules Kounde, prompting Flick to replace Yamal with Ferran Torres and shift Raphinha to the right wing. Carreras' impact was reduced, while Torres took over left wing-back duties. That meant Raphinha could push higher up the pitch and led to the game's only goal after he intercepted centre-back Antonio Silva's loose pass. Barcelona's change in setup was most evident in the 74th minute during a Benfica transition. As the pass is played, Martinez runs towards his own goal rather than performing his trademark jump forward. That eliminates substitute Andrea Belotti as a passing option, with Benfica eventually going out wide. Five minutes later, Flick replaced Lewandowski and De Jong with defender Gerard Martin and midfielder Marc Casado. That saw Raphinha become Barcelona's most advanced attacker in their 5-3-1 shape without possession. When Benfica threw more players forward in the closing stages, Barcelona reacted by adding another body to their defence. Wojciech Szczesny made multiple important saves, including one to keep out Renato Sanches in the dying seconds of stoppage time. But Barcelona's adaptability and patience, which they failed to show in January's 2-2 league-stage-finale draw at home against Atalanta and, just a week ago, the 4-4 draw with visitors Atletico Madrid in the first leg of a Copa del Rey semi-final, were crucial. Flick altered Barcelona's in-possession approach after the red card, too. Szczesny attempted 27 long passes, the most by a Barcelona goalkeeper in their past two league and Champions League campaigns. The ploy gave Barcelona time to re-organise themselves while their forwards fought for first and second balls with Benfica defenders. There were subtle variations in both halves. In the first, Szczesny used flatter passes towards striker Lewandowski, who was tasked with winning the header and finding Pedri, who was prepared to carry the ball forward like in the image below. Yamal and Raphinha made runs ahead of Lewandowski, giving Pedri options for a pass either over the top or through the defence. Barcelona changed that approach in the second half. Szczesny began arcing his balls higher and more towards the wings, where Lewandowski and Raphinha (and later Torres) fought for headers. In the image below, Pedri has his back to goal, prioritising possession over advancing up the pitch. In this instance, in the 78th minute, Lewandowski jostles for the ball while Torres occupies right-back Samuel Dahl. Lewandowski beats two defenders to win the header on the bounce and finds Pedri, who runs wide after Torres pulls Dahl with him. Barcelona can then recycle possession to kill a few more seconds. These sequences justified Flick's decision to keep the 36-year-old Lewandowski on the pitch. Barcelona contested 36 aerial duels, their joint-highest figure in the league and Champions League this season (tied with the 1-1 draw at Getafe in January and 1-0 win against Alaves a couple of weeks later). Lewandowski alone engaged in 13 and won six, including a couple while defending corners. After the match, Szczesny explained the change in tactics while speaking with CBS Sports Golazo. 'We understood that we cannot play open and high, because it would be difficult to have pressure on the ball with one man less. We stayed very compact, a little bit deeper, waiting for our chances on the counter-attack,' he said, before adding, 'It was a good test of the maturity and character of the team.' It was a test Barcelona passed with flying colours. GO DEEPER Champions League projections 2024-25: Who will lift the trophy in Munich on May 31?
