Brussels, 27/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - Speaking on Wednesday 27 October on the date of publication of a communication on the Single Market Act (see details in EUROPE 10243), EU Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier said that if it works well, the single market provides an opportunity to build or recover competitiveness and growth but growth today had to be different from the experience of the past 15 years because it must now be greener, fairer and of a higher quality. The communication sets out 50 ideas to be implemented by 2012 to improve the functioning of the single market and make daily life easier for everyone - companies, consumers and workers alike.
At a press conference, Michel Barnier said that 13 EU commissioners had worked together to detect bottlenecks and potential areas of improvement to ensure the single market works better for companies and everyone in Europe. He said the action plan of 50 measures was not optional and would open a genuine public debate in Europe. He said he wanted debate to be as wide as possible to validate the proposals, asking whether the 50 were enough or whether further measures would be needed. After four months of debate, the Commission will publish the definitive list of commitments in February 2011 and each commissioner will pledge to deliver the proposals coming under their remit in 2011 and 2012.
The proposals include areas of interest to companies (risk capital, social entrepreneurship and taxation), workers (root-and-branch review of the professional qualifications directive) and consumers (in 2011, the Commission will unveil draft rules on enabling artists and creators to sell their work across Europe via a one-stop shop which will issue authorisations and help the artists receive payment for their work).
Barnier said that in February 2011 he aims to publish a raft of suggested indicators in the form of figures to assess progress in the single market from now until 2020 (measuring how many people have personalised access to a bank account, how many disabled people can access the single market through audiovisual books, the role of electronic commerce, how many women are members of the board of financial institutions, the proportion of intra-European trade in goods and services, the proportion of public contracts won by small businesses, whether China and Japan are genuinely matching the EU's opening of public markets, and more). We shall leave no stone unturned, promised Michel Barnier.
“Social clause”. In response to questions, Barnier said that the college of commissioners had discussed issues like idea number 29 of the action plan, known as the “social clause”, guaranteeing fundamental rights like collective social rights, which will never be undermined by any single market proposals or legislation. He said the Commission pledged to carry out a social impact study ahead of any new proposals in such areas. Other important proposals for workers include a communication in 2011 on access to and the quality of public services and services of general interest, and highlighting European social dialogue (between trade unions and employers). (L.C./transl.fl)