Brussels, 02/09/2010 (Agence Europe) - In October, EU Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier will unveil a new strategy for the single market, entitled the Single Market Act, comprising around 50 initiatives to be implemented by 2012. Following up on the EUROPE 2020 strategy, the Single Market Act aims to introduce structural reforms at EU level that the European Commission feels are necessary if the EU is to avoid weak growth and loss of competitiveness against a backdrop where the economic crisis has put state coffers in a parlous state. The act will try to get Europeans to make peace with the single market, whose existence they often ignore or mistrust, as was shown in a report published by Mario Monti in May (see EUROPE 10137). The European Commission has announced annual reports on implementation of the Single Market Act and hopes that the European Council will give a positive signal about the strategy's political importance.
An earlier version of the Single Market Act has been obtained by this newsletter. It sets out around 50 initiatives for companies, small business and ordinary citizens. The strategy is accompanied by a working document from the Commission describing bottlenecks that prevent interested parties from taking full advantage of the single market. To deal with the bottlenecks, some 130 different areas of action are identified at EU level.
Companies. In order to simplify business for companies within the single market, the European Commission will initially focus on simplifying red tape, protecting intellectual property rights (IPR), and tax coordination. Later this year, it will publish a report on what it calls “smart regulation”, will assess implementation of the Small Business Act and suggest in 2011 a review of the EU's accounting directives. In the field of innovation, it hopes that the first EU patent applications can be lodged in 2014 if the various plans on the table (for the EU patent's language system and the dispute settlement rules) are passed in the meantime. An action plan will be introduced to combat counterfeiting and piracy, which will include a review of EU Directive 2004/18/EC on respect of IPR. When it comes to taxes, the Commission will follow the recommendations set out in the Monti report for better coordination of national policies at the EU level. By the end of next year, a draft directive will be unveiled to harmonise the corporate tax calculation basis (CCCTB), along with a new strategy for value-added tax (following an initial Green Paper).
In order to make it easier for companies to get loans, the Commission will take action to encourage the introduction of a European risk capital area by 2012 and will look into the feasibility of a network of regional stock markets. For public tender, it will introduce guidelines on groups of calls for tender and the promotion of sustainable public purchasing. It has not yet been decided wither EU legislation is required on service contracts. For utilities and transport, the Commission will be publishing a White Paper later this year on transport and will introduce a strategy next year for the funding of infrastructure. It will unveil a package of legislation on energy infrastructure and rules governing the access to EU energy grids. A new initiative will be introduced next year to promote companies engaged in social or charity work.
Citizens. The single market should not be of benefit solely to companies but also to ordinary people, be they consumers, workers, pensioners or patients. With the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the single market must fully guarantee legal security for services of general economic interest, explains the Commission, which will be publishing a report before the end of next year on changes in the EU approach in this domain. The European Parliament and the EU Council of Ministers are urged to rapidly endorse the draft directive on cross-border health care. Europeans should also be able to benefit from initiatives in the following domains: - access to basic banking (2010), responsible lending and transparent bank charges (2011); - dispute settlement including class actions (2011). Moreover, the Commission is planning to change the EU rules on the recognition of professional qualifications and the secondment of workers.
The Single Market Act includes initiatives to ensure proper ownership of the single market by the various stakeholders at EU, national and local level. An internal market forum will be organised each year to give the action greater visibility. The Commission will organise investigations of the various industries to ensure the single market is being properly applied and to detect any shortcomings, and will beef up action to ensure EU rules are respected. The Commission will promote the various measures available to help consolidate the single market (detailed on the SOLVIT portal, Your Europe, Single Market Information System). (M.B./transl.fl)