Activites

• 2004/03/11 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T5-0183/2004 summary

    The European Parliament adopted a resolution based on the own-initiative report drafted by Bill MILLER (PES, UK) on the Internal Market Strategy: Priorities 2003-2006. The Parliament strongly endorsed the Internal Market Strategy priorities 2003-2006, as set out by the Commission and commends the proposed policy framework as balanced and achievable and endorses the focus on strengthening the 'fundamentals' of the Internal Market. Parliament endorses the high priority given by the Commission to strengthening the 'basics' of the Internal Market, and strongly supports the package of initiatives that address the failure by Member States to transpose and enforce many Internal Market directives. It welcomes new ventures such as the SOLVIT project. It supports the Commission's view that the principle of mutual recognition is the cornerstone of the Internal Market and agrees that actions are needed to improve transparency in cases where mutual recognition is disputed. It considers that a new regulation to establish key principles could play a significant role in dealing with the frustrations expressed by many companies, particularly SMEs. Parliament emphasises the need for consistent and correct application of the CE mark, so that it can provide consumers with security in their purchasing decisions. It asks the Commission to intensify co-operation between Member States to combat fraudulent use. It calls on the Member States to give their strong support to the work of the Competitiveness Council in reviewing the barriers to improved competitiveness, and to place the completion of the Internal Market at the centre of their work. Parliament stresses that the social dimension of the Internal Market Strategy should be developed with the idea in mind that it should reinforce rather than hamper the effective and efficient functioning of the Internal Market. It considers that, in turn, the Internal Market should reinforce the social dimension by creating more and better jobs, wealth and social cohesion. It rejects efforts to make water and waste disposal services subject to a single market sectoral directive as it considers that liberalisation of water supply (including wastewater disposal) should not be carried out given the distinctive regional characteristics of the sector and local responsibility for provision of drinking water as well as various other conditions relating to drinking water. It notes that opening up of the market in the network industries sector has delivered major benefits for consumers and businesses, by way of increased competition, greater choice, improved technological innovation and lower prices and welcomes the proposals to continue liberalisation and opening up of markets in other sectors while always respecting universal service obligations. It insists that liberalisation of services should only proceed in a reasonable and flexible way that takes proper account of the realities of, for example, remoter parts of the Union and welcomes the potential for flexibility in relation to local transport services indicated by the recent Altmark judgment. Parliament welcomes the continuation of the benchmarking of liberalised services and calls on the Commission to ensure that benchmarking exercises are based on a broad set of criteria,including the protection of different groups of consumers, concentration of market power and any direct or indirect impact on employment or the environment. It believes that peer pressure, competition policy and benchmarking are effective instruments for the further completion of the Internal Market and for enhancing the EU's competitiveness in the global market place and that the continuing failure by Member States to fulfil their Internal Market obligations compounds the present economic difficulties and engenders disillusionment with the European Union among business people and citizens. It strongly criticises the Member States for allowing the transposition deficit to rise again and calls on the Commission to come up with new plans for dealing with infringements expeditiously and effectively. The EP notes that inconsistent national legislation, together with failure to respect the principle of mutual recognition, poses a major problem for the supply of goods and services across borders. It expresses, in this regard, the strongest possible support for the SOLVIT programme, but deplores the failure of Member States to provide adequate resources for this useful tool. The Commission is called upon to develop implementing guidelines on and tools for the new public procurement rules, in particular as regards the integration of social and environmental considerations. MEPs stress the importance of extending the benefits of the Internal Market to the accession countries and notes that there is a risk of market fragmentation unless Internal Market provisions are quickly enacted. It welcomes the proposals to provide support for accession countries in transposing and operating the Internal Market acquis. Parliament approves the Commission's insistence on administrative cooperation between existing and new Member States and urges that this cooperation be stepped up to ensure full and consistent implementation of Internal Market rules. It calls for coordination and cooperation also within the Commission so that other Directorates-General (DGs) concerned are involved and that social, environmental and consumer protection considerations are integrated into DG Internal Market proposals. It urges the Commission to conduct an inquiry into the 'gold-plating' of Community legislation, the imposition of unnecessary bureaucracy and the costs of non-application of the principle of mutual recognition and of requirements for local testing and certification and emphasises that European impact assessment could play an important part in alleviating the administrative burden created by European regulation. It calls on the Commission to evaluate the impact of Private/Public Partnerships on the democratic accountability of public authorities in providing public services, and the long-term viability of PPPs, to assess the social consequences for workers and users and to consult with relevant societal organisations, including the social partners, through the inter-sectoral and sectoral social dialogue structures. It welcomes the attention given to improving the climate for business, particularly in the area of regulatory reform and the intention of the Commission to adopt Parliament's proposal for an Internal Market 'compatibility test'. It endorses the new proposals to develop indicators to measure progress towards a better quality regulatory framework. The Commission is urged to step up its work to simplify the burdensome VAT system and to ensure that the real impact on business, in particular on SMEs, is more thoroughly evaluated whenever new legislation is proposed. MEPs underline the need to create a better legal framework for intellectual property rights in the Internal Market and look forward to the planned communication on the management of copyright and related rights. They point out that inconsistent data protection laws and data transfer restrictions remain a major obstacle to Internal Market development and call on the Commission and Member States to expedite agreement on a model contract for data transfer and transposition of the Data Protection Directive. Parliament notes that, of the four freedoms of the Internal Market, the free movement of workers is the least developed and that ambition is lacking with regard to increasing labour mobility in the enlarged EU under good conditions, although this is a key answer to the problem of an ageing European population. Lastly, Parliament urges the Commission to reinforce the EURES networks, to organise them into a real cross-border employment service, to promote a clear link with the accessible and swift problem-solving mechanism SOLVIT for citizens and companies, and stimulate SOLVIT's activities in the field of cross-border labour mobility (for example, in relation to qualifications or social security).�

• 2004/03/10 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 2004/02/19 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A5-0116/2004
• #2525
• 2003/09/22 Council Meeting
• 2003/09/04 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• #2510
• 2003/05/19 Council Meeting
  • 2510
• 2003/05/07 Non-legislative basic document published
  • COM(2003)0238 summary

    PURPOSE : to present an internal market strategy and to lay out the priorities for the period 2003-2006. CONTENT : this Strategy sets out what the European Union needs to do over the next three years to derive maximum benefits from the Internal Market after enlargement. The Commission has already described the achievements of the Internal Market over the last decade. This analysis shows the significant benefits that a properly functioning Internal Market can and does bring, but it also shows that the Internal Market does not yet function optimally in a number of ways and that sizeable benefits are therefore being missed. A fresh impetus is required to eliminate remaining weaknesses and allow the Internal Market to deliver its full potential in terms of competitiveness, growth and employment. There are three main reasons why Europe needs to improve the Internal Market. First, if the EU is to reach its goal of becoming the most competitive and dynamic economy in the world by 2010, it needs to act decisively now. Second, enlargement offers unprecedented opportunities for existing and new Member States alike. But for those to be realised, the EU needs to strengthen the foundations of the Internal Market and boost its performance. Third, the EU, in common with other parts of the world, is currently facing a slowdown in economic growth and job creation. This makes it all the more essential to press ahead with structural reforms in order to increase the capacity of our economies to grow. Removing the bottlenecks in the Internal Market will put Europe in a much better position to face up to the ever stiffer competition from emerging economies. It will also leave the Union better protected against future fluctuations in the economic cycle and provide it with a stronger economic basis to deal with the huge challenges of an ageing population. The Internal Market Strategy sets out ten main strands of action: 1) Enforcing the rules : not only the Commission, but also Member States, have a responsibility to ensure that EU laws are applied properly and made to work in practice. Yet the Internal Market Scoreboard has recently shown that national delays in implementing EU law are worsening and the number of infringements increasing. When things do go wrong, citizens and businesses need effective remedies. The Commission will, of course, continue to pursue infringement procedures where this is the most effective way to achieve a solution. Going before a national court is another option. But alternative means of problem solving such as the SOLVIT network - are often more effective, quicker, and less expensive. The Strategy proposes to study the setting up, for example, of national mechanisms that could monitor application of Community law. The Commission will also offer Member States its help in implementing Directives into national law, including through a Recommendation on best practice. It will urge the Council to set ambitious new targets for reducing delays in implementation at each Spring European Council and will invite the Council and Parliament to fix a standard period 24 months after adoption - within which all EU laws should be implemented. 2) Integrating services markets : services represent about 70% of EU GDP and employment but as the Commission's report of July2002 on the Internal Market for Services showed, integration is very limited and this is costing prosperity and jobs. The Commission will propose a Directive on services before the end of 2003, based on mutual recognition, administrative co-operation, harmonisation (where necessary) and encouraging European codes of conduct in service industries. The Strategy also emphasises the need to complete the Financial Services Action Plan and for more progress on creating an Internal Market in retail financial services. 3) Improving the free movement of goods : the Strategy proposes a more structured approach to mutual recognition, whereby conformity with national laws in products' Member State of origin allows them to be marketed everywhere else in the EU. It outlines a new Regulation the Commission will propose to introduce a range of new disciplines (e.g. mandatory notification in cases where mutual recognition is refused, procedures to allow companies to appeal). The Commission will consult Member States and industry before making any proposals. The Strategy also proposes linking EU funding for standardisation agencies to clear performance criteria, in order to ensure standards are produced quickly and well. It advocates boosting the "New Approach", whereby for some types of goods EU legislation sets essential requirements, but avoids technically detailed standards. 4) Meeting the demographic challenge : a more efficient Internal Market can help generate the growth and employment which will lead to higher government revenues and help pay for state pensions. Rapid adoption of the Pension Funds Directive will secure better protection for pensioners and allow multinational companies to run single EU-wide pension funds. The Commission will also consider action to help people who move between jobs in different countries to take their pension rights with them (following consultations with the social partners). And it will continue to tackle tax discrimination against pension funds established in other Member States. 5) Better essential services : "Network industries" such as energy, transport, telecommunications and post are crucial to all EU citizens, a significant part of business costs and enormously affect overall economic competitiveness. The Strategy focuses on further opening up markets to competition while ensuring that a universal service continues to be available to all citizens, wherever they live and whatever their income. The Commission will also study the competition situation in the water sector which remains fragmented and where there are potential gains to be had from modernisation. Following this study, all options will be considered, including possible legislative measures. The Commission will also clarify how competition and state aid rules apply to private/public partnerships and publish a Green Paper on ensuring that such partnerships are compatible with public procurement rules. 6) Improving conditions for business : most policy measures required to foster entrepreneurship and innovation are in the hands of Member States. But there are some areas where the EU must act. For example, the Council and Parliament need to adopt quickly the Community and proposed Directives on the patentability of computer implemented inventions and on the enforcement of intellectual property rights. The Commission's forthcoming action plans on company law and onstatutory audit will help ensure that businesses produce reliable accounts which give investors the confidence to provide the funds Europe's economy needs to grow. The Commission will also propose Directives to facilitate cross border mergers and transfers of company headquarters. 7) Simplifying the regulatory environment : the Commission will invite Member States to appoint representatives to work with it to implement its Better Regulation Action Plan. It will during 2003 consult on the best "legislative architecture" for the Internal Market, to ensure the EU chooses the right approach for each situation: for example, harmonisation or mutual recognition, "new approach" or more detailed rules, regulation or self-regulation, Directives or Regulations. The Strategy points out that the Council and Parliament, when they amend Commission proposals, and Member States, when they implement Directives in national law, also need to make sure that their lawmaking is clear, simple and effective. The Commission will develop the Parliament's idea of a "compatibility test" for all new national law, to prevent conflict with Internal Market rules. 8) Reducing tax obstacles : the Commission will propose revisions of the Parent/Subsidiary Directive and of the Mergers Directive, to eliminate double taxation within the EU and reduce certain tax charges. It will also explore different options for introducing a common consolidated corporate tax base at EU level and to simplify VAT rules so that businesses established in one Member State but supplying products and services in several others could pay VAT in their home country only. On vehicle taxation, the Strategy argues for registration tax to be replaced by increased road and fuel taxes. 9) More open public procurement markets : non-compliance with the procurement rules remains a serious problem. Across Europe, procurement still relies heavily on paperwork. The first step to improving the situation is for the European Parliament and the Council to adopt the legislative package proposed by the Commission in 2000 to streamline award procedures and encourage electronic procurement. The Commission will in 2004 propose an action plan aimed at ensuring that a significant part of procurement transactions are carried out on an electronic basis by 2006. Generalised e-procurement should be achieved by 2010. 10) Providing better information : for the Internal Market to work, citizens and businesses need to know about their rights and opportunities and how to exercise them in practice. The Commission will step up its efforts in this regard, particularly in the new Member States. It will set up a new web portal for citizens and businesses, as a "one-stop shop" for a wide range of practical information and advice. It will vigorously promote Europe Direct, a web and telephone service providing information on all aspects of the EU and which is accessible via a single freephone number across Europe (00 800 67891011). The Commission will convene regular meetings of high-level representatives of the Member States specifically to deal with information issues. The Internal Market Scoreboard will also regularly assess Member States' information efforts.�

  • DG [{'url': 'http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/internal_market/', 'title': 'Internal Market and Services'}],

Documents

• Non-legislative basic document published: COM(2003)0238
• Debate in Council: 2510
• Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A5-0116/2004
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T5-0183/2004

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)