Brussels, 18/09/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 17 September, the European Commission presented an action plan for the Your Europe online portal, and recommendations for the cross-border assistance network SOLVIT. Both of these tools aim to help European citizens find answers to questions or problems which may be raised by the internal market, whether to do with the free movement of goods, people or capital.
The action plan for Your Europe provides for a development of the portal, to make it easier to use and to ensure that it responds to more situations, particularly regarding national procedures and rules which still vary greatly between member states. It already exists in 24 languages of the Union and provides information in simple terms.
The recommendations for SOLVIT provide the member states with suggested courses of action, with the cooperation of the Commission, to improve the system. There is a need to clarify the purpose of the tool, case resolution procedures and to increase the visibility and resources of the network. This tool has resolved many cross-border issues without having to seek legal redress, for thousands of European citizens who felt that they had been short-changed in the application of their rights in another country of the Union. (MD/transl.fl)