Brussels, 06/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament has once again tackled the issue of the completion of the single market, on the basis of proposals put forward by European Commissioner Michel Barnier, which were by and large well received. EUROPE will return on Friday to the results of the vote on the three reports of the EP on the single market.
In the view of Latvian Sandra Kalniete (EPP), the rapporteur on governance and partnership within the internal market, there is still much to be done to consolidate the single market, as regards innovation, the mobility of labour, intellectual property and taxation. She added that: the member states must act under the aegis of the Commission; - the fight against protectionism remains a priority; - extra-territorial disputes must be resolved efficiently and avoiding excessive costs. The rapporteur on a single market for the Europeans, Antonio Correia de Campos (S&D, Portugal), argued that workers should not be “engulfed by the market logic”; the same applies to the services of general interest, which must not be allowed to become a private oligopoly.
The single market is one of the great success stories of European integration, but it is showing signs of fatigue, said Romanian Silviu Busoi (ALDE), rapporteur on enterprise and growth. Michel Barnier's proposals come just at the right time to give it a shot in the arm, he said.
Barnier announced that he is to make a proposal to the College next week to choose “twelve levers” to improve the functioning of the single market. Each of these will be accompanied by “a key, efficient action which can be delivered within two years”, in other words in time for the 20th anniversary of the single market. Barnier hopes that the institutions will be able to commit to deliver the Single Act by the end of June or early July.
The Hungarian Secretary of State for European Affairs, Enikö Györi, agrees that there is a need to relaunch the single market. The citizens must be able to feel the reality of this market each and every day, through the opportunities it offers in terms of innovation and mobility, said the President-in-exercise of the Council.
During the debate, Michel Barnier was praised to the skies. According to French member Sophie Auconie, he “embodies the ambition which must inspire the completion of the single market”. Othmar Karas (EPP, Austria) pointed out that everything which reinforces the single market contributes towards Europe's competitiveness and independence.
The battle for the inclusion of the social clause in the Parliament's opinion was “tough”, commented Evelyne Gebhardt (S&D), but the European Commission appears to have understood how important the concept of social cohesion is to many members of the European Parliament. To differing degrees, most of them expressed their satisfaction with the compromise achieved on the notion of social protection within the single market. Gebhardt stressed the need for the directive on secondment to be reviewed. It is the “services” directive which needs work, said Danish MEP Morten Løkkegaard, on behalf of the ALDE, as well as dispute settlement and raising awareness among the citizens of the advantages of the single market. His fellow Dane Emilie Turunen, speaking on behalf of the Greens, said that the single market should be socially just and green, which will entail funding possibilities for ecological overhaul. UK member Michael Harbour (ECR) shares the concern of creating a “competitive and social” single market. The Cypriot Kyriacos Triantaphyllides (GUE/NGL) stressed the need for better social justice within the single market. The services of general interest cannot be subjected to market rules and the fundamental rights must be defended, he argued. (L.G./transl.fl)