In a sheriff's office, the directive was passed out at roll call, by officials anxious to quickly comply.
The EU directive was passed in 2004 in the wake of a number of cases of serious harm caused by herbal medicines, which were freely available to buy.
Criticized by groups like Amnesty International as "severely flawed" and an erosion of human rights standards, the so-called return directive was passed in the European Parliament here by a 369-to-197 vote, with 106 legislators abstaining.
In fact, a recent study by Avi Goldfarb and Catherine Tucker found that "after the [European Union's] Privacy Directive was passed [in 2002], advertising effectiveness decreased on average by around 65% in Europe relative to the rest of the world".
Some courts embraced advance directives even before advance directives legislation was passed.
Mr. Dalli also said his ouster had jeopardized chances for the revised directive to be passed before the current term of the European Parliament, which must approve the legislation, expires in 2014.
The directive could be passed by early next year though it will take longer to be transposed into national law.Investment banks, aware that the margins of the 1990s may have gone for good, are fighting against the erosion of their businesses by exchanges, clearing counterparties, and central securities depositories.
The E.P.O. will eventually have to bow to the directive, if it is passed, as expected.
Still, trying to make sense of the directive, which has been passed down only by word of mouth so far, is a bit like reading a cloud.
However, the sources said the new rules would be effected by amending one of two existing directives, meaning they can be passed by a qualified majority, or 16 of the 28.
