Press Release: 3313th Council meeting, General Affairs, Brussels, 13 May 2014

Efficiency of EU financial markets:
The Council adopted new rules to promote the efficiency of EU financial markets, amending and replacing the existing directive on markets in financial instruments ("MIFID").

Border surveillance - Frontex:
The Council established new rules for the surveillance of the external sea borders in the context of operational cooperation coordinated by FROTEX. The rules aim to improve effectiveness and legal certainty in operations, and constitute one of the key tools which the EU has at its disposal to contribute to preventing, for example, tragedies at sea such as the recent ones in the southern Mediterranean.

Legal migration - Intra-corporate transferees:
The Council adopted a directive on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals in the framework of an intra-corporate transfer. The directive will make it easier and quicker for multinational companies to temporarily assign highly skilled employees to subsidiaries situated in the EU.

Enlargement - ceremony:
The Council also marked the occasion of the ten-year anniversary since the 2004 enlargement that brought ten new countries into the European Union.

ESO: Background information: Commemoration http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-commemoration-10-years-after-the-fith-eu-enlargement-in-2004/

ESO: Background information: Conclusions adopted by the EEA Council at its 41st meeting of 13 May 2014 http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-conclusions-adopted-by-the-eea-council-at-its-41st-meeting-of-13-may-2014/

ESO: Background information: Conclusions on EU-China customs cooperation, General Affairs Council meeting, Brussels, 13 May 2014 http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-conclusions-on-eu-china-customs-cooperation-general-affairs-council-meeting-brussels-13-may-2014/

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