COMECON MEDIA

Link:  Public Consultation on reduced VAT rates for electronically supplied publications Title: Public Consultation on reduced and super-reduced VAT rates for electronically supplied publications Policy fields: Taxation Target groups: The open public consultation will seek the views of business, the public and representative organisations Period of consultation:  From 25.07.2016 to 19.09.2016 Objective of the consultation Member States have the options to tax printed books, newspapers and publications at a reduced rate (minimum 5%) and some Member States were granted the applications of VAT rates lower than 5% (super-reduced rates) including exemptions with a deductions right of VAT at the preceding stage (so called zero rates) to certain printed publications. On the other hand, digital publications that are electronically supplied have to be taxed at the standard VAT rate. A harmonisation of VAT rates for electronically supplied services and in particular electronically su

IEU.MONITORING: IEU DIGITAL Telegram 22 July 2016 # NET NEUTRALITY BEREC: Public Consultation on Net Neutrality closed: almost half a million contributions received # DSM EU Commission Consultation: Single Digital Gateway # FINTECH Call for tenders: Overview of the European Fintech sector - SMART 2016/0045 # SPECTRUM UK Ofcom: Fees payable for 900 MHz and 1800 MHz spectrum # CONNECTED DRIVING Deutsche Telekom moves the motor car onto the data highway # ROBOTICS Brain-inspired navigation in robots # ITU ITU releases 2016 ICT figures High Level Speakers to lead ITU Telecom World Forum discussions on importance of collaboration for digital growth # FILM INDUSTRY Updated: The film industries of the Eastern Partnership countries to be discussed in Odessa # EU REGISTERS # EU COMMISSION Commission Decision concerning Case ES/2016/1878: Wholesale call termination on individual public telephone networks provided at a fixed location in Spain – R

Sometimes, an example talks louder than any great analysis: #Netflix fails in the #EU #DigitalSingleMarket : In Poland I watched #HouseOfCards IV (in German) yesterday - in Germany today: no way! — IEU.MONITORING (@IEU_Monitoring) 21 July 2016 When I asked the Netflix chatroom about this issue they admitted the case, but failed to explain why Netflix treats its German users worse than its Polish friends (as I am working across Europe, I can cope with it :-)). They just said that they are working hard to change their (own) policy. Seems they counted more on the fast money they can earn by selling licences to Sky than to us ordinary consumers. But whether this quick win serves Netflix in the long-run seems doubtful.  Like Amazon, they should treat the German market with more care. The TV competition here is immense. Next week -- back in Poland -- I will list the series I can watch there - and later test it in Germany. Perhaps, House of Cards is not the only case.... So

IEU.MONITORING: IEU DIGITAL Telegram 7 July 2016 # CONNECTIVITY New Commission app measuresinternet signal to map connection quality across the EU Vodafone Institute publishes study on impact of Gigabit transmission Bundestagsbeschlüsse am 7. Juli - Ausbau digitaler Hochgeschwindigkeitsnetze # 5G Vital support from industry for the EU 5G action plan -  Blog post by EU Commissioner Günther Oettinger Reminder: 5G targeted consultation - ending 11 July 2016 Huawei on 5G manifesto for timely deployment of 5G in Europe # NET NEURALITY EDRi: Traffic management: Where are the risks for online discrimination # ROBOTICS Draft opinion - Civil Law Rules on Robotics - PE 583.918v01-00 - Committee on Industry, Research and Energy "Das Verschmelzen von Mensch und Maschine: Fragen der Ethik im Umgang mit neuen Technologien" - MdEP Jan Philipp Albrecht (Die Grünen) # DSM Flash Eurobarometer 439: The use of online marketplaces and search engines by SMEs - European Union Open Data P

# DATA PROTECTION EU-US Privacy Shield: Bundeswirtschafts-Staatssekretär Machnig lädt zum Round Table DIGITALEUROPE responds to Commission ePrivacy Directive Consultation ECTA: Empowering trust and innovation by repealing the e-Privacy Directive EDRi: PROCEED WITH CAUTION: Flexibilities in the General Data Protection Regulation CCIA Europe, Industry Groups Request Repeal Of e-Privacy Directive # CYBERSECURITY Making progress on cybersecurity in Europe - Blog post by EU Commissioner Günther Oettinger Cybersecurity: new rules to protect Europe's infrastructure Network and information security across the EU: vote in plenary Updated: EU Commission signs agreement with cybersecurity industry to increase measures to address cyber threats Updated: EU Commission Decision to establish a contractual public private partnership on cybersecurity (cPPP) EU Commission Staff working document on cPPP and accompanying measures   EU Commission Staff Working Document on assessment