An international criminal network involved in the trafficking of 167 people for labour exploitation was taken down by the national authorities of France and Bulgaria in several joint action days. One French and three Bulgarian suspects were arrested and heard in France, and numerous searches were carried out in Bulgaria. Eurojust, the EU’s Judicial Cooperation Unit, supported the simultaneous operations through real-time coordination of the national judicial and law enforcement authorities, and by setting up a joint investigation team (JIT). The JIT allowed the authorities to safely and rapidly exchange vital information on the national investigations, and agree on and implement a common strategy.

In February 2019, the Specialised Jurisdiction (JIRS) of Lyon undertook an investigation into an organised crime group (OCG) and its leaders, involved in trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labour exploitation, as well as in money laundering. At the same time, a parallel investigation into the same criminal gang was initiated by the Bulgarian Specialised Prosecutor’s Office. Due to the transnational dimension of the case, the Public Prosecutor of Lyon immediately referred the case to Eurojust to coordinate and advance the national investigations, leading to the successful joint action days.
The members of the criminal network, which is composed of Bulgarian and French nationals, used a Bulgarian recruitment agency to attract underprivileged Bulgarians to perform allegedly well-paid jobs as seasonal workers in French vineyards. The aspiring workers were also promised free accommodation and transport, the costs of which were unknowingly deducted from their salaries, along with other high charges. The victims of the gang ended up receiving only two thirds of their income, which was not even sufficient to finance their transport back to Bulgaria. The human traffickers are also suspected of using properties in France to launder their ill-gotten gains.
The operation mobilized more than 80 French investigators, as well as several Bulgarian police officers, with the support of Europol  providing analytical and operational support.
Compliments of Eurojust

A joint statement following the third annual EU-US Privacy Shield review stressed the need for strong and credible enforcement of privacy rules to protect citizens and ensure trust in the digital economy.
Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and EU Commissioner for Justice, Consumers, and Gender Equality Věra Jourová made the following statement regarding the third annual joint review of the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework:
“Senior officials from the United States Government, the European Commission, and EU data protection authorities gathered in Washington, DC on 12 and 13 September to conduct the third annual joint review of the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework. The broad and senior level participation from both sides underscored the shared and longstanding commitment of the United States and the European Union to the Framework.
The U.S. Department of Commerce hosted the two-day review, which covered all aspects of the functioning of the Privacy Shield Framework from its administration and enforcement to broader U.S. legal developments regarding matters related to commercial data protection and national security data access. The review benefited from input from Privacy Shield participants and civil society stakeholders.
Privacy Shield ensures that participating companies and relevant government authorities provide a high level of protection for the personal data of EU individuals.  Since the Framework’s implementation on 1 August 2016, more than 5,000 companies have made public and legally enforceable pledges to protect data transferred from the EU in accordance with the Privacy Shield Principles.  The rapid and continued growth of the program demonstrates Privacy Shield’s vital role in protecting personal data and contributing to the $7.1 trillion economic relationship between the United States and Europe.
The EU and U.S. welcomed the appointment of several key U.S. officials with Privacy Shield responsibilities. The United States Senate confirmed two additional members to the independent, bipartisan U.S. Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, as well as Keith Krach, who in his Under Secretary role at the U.S. Department of State serves as the Privacy Shield Ombudsperson.
EU and U.S. officials both stressed the need for strong and credible enforcement of privacy rules to protect our citizens and ensure trust in the digital economy. As provided for in the Framework, the Department of Commerce will revoke the certification of companies that do not comply with Privacy Shield’s vigorous data protection requirements.
The European Commission will publish a report on the functioning of the Privacy Shield. This report will conclude this year’s review process.”
BackgroundOperational since 1 August 2016, the EU-US Privacy Shield protects personal data transferred from the EU to the U.S. for commercial purposes. It brings also legal clarity for businesses relying on the transmission of personal data across the Atlantic. By now, more than 5000 companies are certified under the Privacy Shield and thereby committing to comply with the data protection requirements.
As agreed at the time of its launch, the EU-US Privacy Shield is reviewed on a yearly basis, to assess that it continues to ensure an adequate level of protection of personal data. On 12 September 2019, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Věra Jourová, launched with the US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross the discussions over the third annual review of the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield. The reports on the first and second review can be found here. The report of the third review will be made available at a later stage.
Download the full PDF here.
Compliments of the European Commission

Christine Lagarde obtained Parliament’s approval to be the ECB’s next President, in a plenary vote on Tuesday.

In the secret vote, MEPs voted 394 in favour, 206 against and 49 abstentions to recommend Ms Lagarde to head up the European Central Bank.
The European Parliament gives a non-binding opinion on whether or not a candidate is suitable to fill the role of President of the ECB, with the final decision taken by the European Council. She is due to replace the current incumbent, Mario Draghi on 1 November.
Earlier on Tuesday, the plenary held a debate on her suitability for the position.
Next steps
Ms Lagarde’s candidature will now be put on the agenda of October’s European Council summit.
Compliments of European Parliament

Climate change is a defining challenge of our generation and the European Union (EU)  has been at the forefront of negotiating a multilateral framework to respond to this global challenge. In 2015, the EU diplomacy played a leading role in brokering the historic and global Paris Climate Agreement. 195 countries agreed on a simple goal: to hand over to future generations a healthier planet and more prosperous, modern and fair societies.

The EU has acted domestically with speed and decisiveness to put real actions behind the Paris Agreement commitments. Today, the EU has arguably the most comprehensive and ambitious legislative framework in place, underpinned by its long-standing democratic and inclusive decision-making process.
The rapidly changing climate is a global problem and it calls for global responsibility. We in Europe have claimed leadership in this and we assume it in full. We have acted, we continue to act, but to meet our long term temperature goals we know we must do more and act faster in cooperation with our partners.
The EU will therefore call for greater climate ambition at the Climate Action Summit in New-York (September 23rd) and throughout the Climate Diplomacy Week (September 24th-October 6th).

Compliments of the European Commission

Good afternoon, let me start by thanking our Finnish friends for hosting us here in Helsinki.
Today we welcomed two newcomers in our group. Christos Staikouras from Greece and Roberto Gualtieri from Italy. We heard their policy priorities for the near future and their commitment with policies that contribute to preserving the stability of the euro. I should note that Roberto is no stranger to the group as he attended the Eurogroup before in his previous capacity as ECON Chair in the European Parliament.
Today was not the moment to discuss details of their presentations. We will discuss Greece again in December when we look at the fourth enhanced surveillance report. Italy will only come up in the context of the Draft Budgetary Plans, together with all other countries.
Still on new names, I launched today the call for candidates for the upcoming ECB Executive Board vacancy. We want to ensure a smooth succession of Benoit Coeuré, whose term ends on 31 December. Countries should present their names until 25 September and we will aim to agree on a name in our October meeting.
For our first discussion item today we welcomed Dag Detter, who is an expert in the management of public assets. He joined us for one of our regular exchanges of best practices on spending reviews. Our discussion this time focused on boosting the efficiency of public investment. Euro area governments are making increasingly better use of spending reviews but investment spending remains a difficult area to review, due in part to the long timespans of projects.  
We moved on to a valuable discussion about how we work, in the Eurogroup, so that our proceedings are as transparent as possible. Last year I launched a review of the transparency arrangements that were put in place in 2016. Many good practices are already in place, such as the publication of draft annotated agendas, summing-up letters and relevant meeting documents, not to mention these press conferences. Following this review, we considered next steps today.
We need to strike a balance between sharing with the public what we discuss and decide upon and, at the same time, protecting candid and open discussions both at the Eurogroup and at our preparatory body, the EWG. I think we reached that balance and there was broad support to this initiative.
Let me outline some examples:
We agreed to the creation of an online repository of publicly available Eurogroup documents;
We will expand – whenever possible – the summing-up letters, which is a detailed description of our proceedings.
We will also increase the transparency of our preparatory work in the EWG, by publishing the EWG meeting calendar and improving its webpage.
Overall, this is another step in increasing the transparency of the Eurogroup. It will be important to review these arrangements at regular intervals to ensure they remain fit for purpose.
Next up, we discussed the post-programme surveillance of Ireland. The European Commission, the ECB, the ESM and the IMF debriefed us on the main findings of their respective missions.
Ireland continues to show a very strong economic and fiscal performance. We encouraged Ireland to keep pursuing sound policies to enhance protection against downside risks, such as Brexit.
I will let Valdis and Klaus expand on the outcome of the mission.
Back in July, I attended the G7 Finance Ministers’ meetings in Chantilly, France, and today I reported briefly to Ministers on these discussions. That led the way to a forward-looking exchange on the economic outlook, going into the autumn. I asked the ECB to present its staff macroeconomic projections from yesterday.
On the G7 agenda, ministers highlighted the risks of digital currencies and Libra in particular, calling for a reflection on how we can take advantage of technological developments to reduce the costs of international financing transactions.
Regarding the economic situation, we are following developments very closely and stand ready to act if risks materialise and things get worse. At the Eurogroup we will coordinate our response. I should add that overall, and despite all the uncertainty looking, we remain positive about the euro area economy, which is still growing, albeit at a slower pace.
In the last crisis, we were able to find a balance in our comprehensive response, combining fiscal policy, structural reforms at national and EU levels and also monetary policy. Going forward, in the face of a downturn, we need to find a new balance and fiscal policy will surely play a part on this.
Another important element of a new balance of policies is the need to reinforce our institutions. This is why we have been reforming the euro area. A key innovation in that debate is the Budgetary Instrument for Convergence and Competitiveness for the euro area, which by now we call BICC – yes, another acronym.
Last June we agreed on a term sheet describing the main features of this tool. Leaders asked us to further work on some open issues, specifically on financing, asking us to report swiftly on appropriate solutions. Swiftly means October, with a view to integrate the broader debate on the next EU budget that will ensue.
Today we reviewed all the open issues under the BICC on the basis of work developed by the Commission during the break: the governance aspects, the financing, the allocation methodology, the modulation procedure and arrangements for the non-participating Member States.
Let me go through, briefly, each of these issues one-by-one.
On the governance, what we want to achieve is a Euro Area governance framework for the BICC, which will be linked with our well-tested European Semester.
One distinctive feature of the BICC is the prominent role of the Eurogroup and the Euro summit in particular in providing strategic guidance and identifying the priorities for investment and reform . Further work will take place at technical level on this subject.
Second, the financing of the BICC. This remains a tricky issue. While some would like to use only the EU budget own resources for the time being, many others reiterate the importance of adding external assigned revenues via an intergovernmental agreement.
We would need to insert a specific enabling clause in the underlying BICC legislation to foresee the possibility of such additional revenues.
Today, I heard broad support to pursue this option of an enabling clause, without prejudging an agreement on the actual intergovernmental agreement.
Third, we also reviewed various options for the allocation key. By this I mean the way the money will be distributed among member states. Given the goal of the instrument, its legal basis and the guidance we got from Leaders, the allocation key must reflect the size and the income or the economic position  of each member state. We should be able to come to an agreement by October, following further technical discussions.
Fourth, we also discussed the idea of “modulation” – this is a process whereby national co-financing rates may be reduced. The specific cases where this could happen have yet to be agreed and clarified .
Finally, there is consensus that the BICC should not come at the expense of non-euro area members. We are exploring several options for making this possible, including a different and dedicated instrument.
We will come back to all this at our next meeting in Luxembourg in October to deliver solutions as was requested by Leaders. That means it will probably be a longer meeting.
Compliments of the European Commission

The World Bank today announced the 28-month debarment of Spanish engineering company Ingeniería Especializada Obra Civil e Industrial S.A.U. in connection with corrupt, collusive and fraudulent practices in the World Bank-financed National Roads and Airport Infrastructure Project in Bolivia. At the time of the misconduct, the firm’s name was Acciona Ingeniería S.A., and it operated in Bolivia through a branch office.

The debarment makes Ingeniería Especializada Obra Civil e Industrial S.A.U. ineligible to participate in World Bank-financed projects. The debarment is part of a settlement agreement under which the company does not contest the findings of the World Bank’s investigation. The firm agrees to meet specified corporate compliance conditions as a condition for release from debarment.
The project was designed to improve year-round use of the San Buenaventura–Ixiamas National Road, and the safety, security and operational reliability of the Rurrenabaque Airport in Bolivia. The World Bank’s Integrity Vice Presidency (INT) found that Ingeniería Especializada Obra Civil e Industrial S.A.U. engaged in a corrupt practice to secure the award of a World Bank-financed contract for the supervision of a road construction under the project. The company engaged in a collusive practice when arranging to replace a bid form following bid submission. Finally, while executing the contract, the Bolivian branch engaged in a fraudulent practice by approving certificates inflating the progress of work.
The settlement agreement provides for a reduced period of sanction in light of the company’s extensive cooperation and voluntary remedial actions. These actions include conducting independent internal investigations, voluntarily restraining from bidding on new World Bank-financed projects, and taking internal action against responsible employees.
As a condition for release from sanction under the terms of the settlement agreement, the company commits to developing an integrity compliance program consistent with the principles set out in the World Bank Group Integrity Compliance Guidelines. To that end, Corporación Acciona Infraestructuras S.L., a related entity responsible for overseeing compliance at Ingeniería Especializada Obra Civil e Industrial S.A.U., also signed the settlement agreement. Ingeniería Especializada Obra Civil e Industrial S.A.U. commits to continue to fully cooperate with INT. 
The debarment of Ingeniería Especializada Obra Civil e Industrial S.A.U. qualifies for cross-debarment by other multilateral development banks (MDBs) under the Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of Debarment Decisions that was signed on April 9, 2010.
Compliments of the Worldbank

Demand for tertiary education continues to rise, but its further expansion will only be sustainable if it matches the supply of graduates with labour market and social needs and gives them the skills required to navigate the future, according to a new OECD report.
Education at a Glance 2019, which is part of the Organisation’s “I am the Future of Work” campaign, finds that 44% of 25-34 year-olds held a tertiary degree in 2018, compared to 35% in 2008, on average across OECD countries. The employment rate of tertiary-educated adults is 9 percentage points higher than for those with upper secondary education and they earn 57% more.

However, some sectors in high demand may struggle to find the skills they need. Less than 15% of new entrants to bachelor’s programmes study engineering, manufacturing and construction and less than 5% study information and communication technologies, despite these sectors having among the highest employment rates and earnings. Women are particularly under-represented, making up fewer than one in four entrants, on average, across OECD countries.
“It is more important than ever that young people learn the knowledge and skills needed to navigate our unpredictable and changing world,” said OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría, launching the report in Paris. “We must expand opportunities and build stronger bridges with future skills needs so that every student can find their place in society and achieve their full potential.”
Many institutions are evolving to meet changing job market demands by promoting flexible pathways into tertiary education, balancing academic and vocational skills, and working more closely with employers, industry and training organisations. But they must also balance larger enrolments with the need to contain costs, while maintaining the relevance and quality of their courses, says the report.
Between 2005 and 2016, spending on tertiary institutions increased at more than double the rate of student enrolments to about USD 15 600 per student on average across OECD countries. Private sources have been called on to contribute more as countries introduce or raise tuition fees.
This year’s edition of Education at a Glance also assesses how youth are moving from education into work, as part of its ongoing analysis of where OECD and partner countries stand on their way to meeting the Sustainable Development Goal for education by 2030. It finds that some countries have made significant progress in reducing the numbers of out-of-school youth in the past decade. Rates fell by 20 percentage points in the Russian Federation, 18 percentage points in Mexico, 16 percentage points in Portugal and 10 percentage points in Australia and New Zealand between 2005 and 2017.
The report finds that, on average across OECD countries, about one in six 15-24 year-olds are enrolled in vocational programmes. The attainment gap among young tertiary-educated adults and those with upper secondary has narrowed. In 2018, the share of young adults with an upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary qualification, 41%, is almost equal to the share attaining tertiary education, 44%.
Education at a Glance provides comparable national statistics measuring the state of education worldwide. The report analyses the education systems of the OECD’s 36 member countries, as well as of Argentina, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Indonesia, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia and South Africa.
Other key findings:
Educational attainment and outcomes
 
The proportion of tertiary-educated 25-34 year-olds increased by 9 percentage points, on average, across OECD countries between 2008 and 2018, while the share of adults with less than upper secondary education fell from 19% to 15%. (Indicator A1)
The gender gap in earnings persists across all levels of educational attainment and the gap is wider among tertiary-educated adults. Women earn less than men, even with a tertiary degree in the same broad field of study. (A1)
On average across OECD countries, 14.3% of 18-24 year-olds are neither employed nor in education or training (NEET). In Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Italy, South Africa and Turkey, over 25% of 18-24 year-olds are NEET. (A2)
 
Access to education
 
On average across OECD countries, around 70% of 17-18 year-olds are enrolled in upper secondary education and more than 40% of 19-20 year-olds are enrolled in tertiary programmes in almost half of OECD countries. (B1)
In almost all OECD countries, the enrolment rate among 4-5 year-olds in education exceeded 90% in 2017, with about one-third of countries achieving full enrolment for 3‑year‑olds. (B1)
Current estimates indicate that, on average, 86% of people across OECD countries will graduate from upper secondary education in their lifetime, and 81% of people will do so before the age of 25. (B3)
 
Education spending
 
Across the OECD, countries spend, on average, USD 10 500 per student on primary to tertiary educational institutions. Average spending is 1.7 times more per student at the tertiary level than other levels. (C1)
Expenditure continues to increase at a higher rate than student enrolments at all levels, particularly tertiary since 2010. Average spending per student at non-tertiary levels increased by 5% between 2010-2016 while the number of students remained unchanged. At the tertiary level, spending increased by 9% while the number of students rose by 3%. (C1)
Total public expenditure in 2016 on primary to tertiary education as a percentage of total government expenditure for all services averaged 11% in OECD countries, ranging from 6.3% in Italy to 17% in Chile. (C4)
In the classroom
Students in OECD countries and economies receive an average of 7 590 hours of compulsory instruction during their primary and lower secondary education, ranging from 5 973 hours in Hungary to almost double that in Australia (11 000 hours) and Denmark (10 960 hours). (D1)
The proportion of the compulsory curriculum devoted to mathematics at the primary level ranges from 12% in Denmark to 27% in Mexico; at the lower secondary level, it ranges from about 11% in Hungary, Ireland and Korea to 16% in Chile, Latvia and the Russian Federation (and 20% in Italy, including natural sciences). (D1)
On average across OECD countries, there are 15 students for every teacher in primary education and 13 students per teacher in lower secondary education. The average school class has 21 students in primary education and 23 students in lower secondary education. (D2)
The teaching workforce is ageing: on average across OECD countries, 36% of primary to secondary teachers were at least 50­ years old in 2017, up 5 percentage points from 2005. Only 10% of teachers are aged under 30. The profession is also still largely dominated by women, who comprise seven out of ten teachers, on average, across OECD­ countries. (D5)
Further information on Education at a Glance, including country notes, multilingual summaries and key data, is available at: http://www.oecd.org/education/education-at-a-glance/
Compliments of OECD