Brussels, 01/07/2015 (Agence Europe) - Putting the finishing touches to the directive on business secrecy will be among the Luxembourg Presidency objectives next week, according to its priorities published on Wednesday 1 July.
In its document, the Presidency explains “the development of a genuine, fully integrated internal market is being hampered by persistent obstacles of a legal and administrative nature, as well as a lack of confidence on the part of market actors”.
Business secrecy. The Luxembourg Presidency is therefore seeking to develop further reflections on the modernisation of intellectual copyright in an effort to clarify existing legal ambiguities and adapt these laws to the digital age. This dossier is creating many concerns among large numbers of NGOs and journalists. The latter consider that this legislative draft could undermine the principles of freedom of expression and information. The European Commission proposed the rules in 2013. Recently, the Parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) adopted the draft report by Constance Le Grip (EPP, France), who will be negotiating with the Council on the draft directive (see EUROPE 11336) during the future trialogue meetings.
Goods and services. Among other priority dossiers, the Presidency will examine the future package on the internal market of goods and services, whose main aim is to improve mutual recognition and get rid of cross-border barriers through the harmonisation of legal frameworks and reducing regulatory costs on enterprise and subsequently providing European citizens with greater choice (see EUROPE 11265). The Commission is expected to present its strategy by the end of October and an initial debate should take place at the Competitiveness Council on 30 November next.
REFIT. The legislative streamlining programme “REFIT” (see EUROPE 11211) is also included in the Presidency priorities, which is also calling for a reduction in the legal-administrative fragmentation that is occurring between member states, which will help to ensure a more securitised environment that is more conducive to the different economic actors involved in this area.
Retail trade. Similarly, Luxembourg would like to make progress with the action plan for the retail trade and tackle unfair trade practices in the production and distribution chain at a cross-border level.
SMEs. Finally, the Luxembourg Presidency is highlighting the need to focus European action on SMEs, according to the “Think Small First” principle and, in this perspective, treat the Small Business Act as a priority (see EUROPE 11240).
Transversal issues. A source close to the Presidency informed EUROPE that “at a more general level, the Luxembourg Presidency will be paying particular attention to the horizontal treatment of European policies impacting on industrial competitiveness”. In this connection, it will be seeking to implement the Commission “roadmap” on industrial competitiveness, as well as the sectoral action plans (particularly in the steel sector) and the promotion of innovation and research in the context of the COSME and Horizon 2020 initiatives. (Pascal Hansens)