Brussels, 28/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - With the presentation of an own initiative report by Morten Lokkegaard (ALDE, Denmark) on Wednesday 27 November, MEPs from the internal market committee reopened the SOLVIT dossier with the impression that they had already seen something similar before.
The text addresses the recommendations on the online network for the informal resolution of cross-border disputes involving the application of the single market rules, as presented by the Commission last September (see EUROPE 10924). The rapporteur recommends that they now move onto the next stage and SOLVIT 2.0. He believes that the tool has proved useful for European companies as borne out by the increasing number of cases, despite recurring problems. He calls for improved funding and better trainers, with greater knowledge of European legislation. He also believes that the way in which information about SOLVIT is provided to the business world should be improved. In the context of the recurring problems, he believes that the Commission should not hesitate to identify the guilty parties. Lokkegaard is calling on the Commission to set out quantifiable criteria to measure how the instrument is developing. If these criteria are not met, the rapporteur believes that the introduction of a clear legislative framework should be looked at. (MD/transl.fl)