15/02/2019 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 14 February, MEPs adopted the report drawn up by Matthijs van Miltenburg (ALDE, Netherlands) at first reading (with 489 votes in favour, 55 against, and 62 abstentions) MEPs strengthened the voluntary aspect of the mechanism and created a system for setting up cross-border coordination points (see EUROPE 12143). There will be no inter-institutional negotiations on this report under this mandate, as the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU wishes to focus on the Regulation laying down common provisions. This mechanism is a new voluntary instrument for resolving legal and administrative obstacles in a cross-border context by allowing a Member State’s regulations to apply in a neighbouring Member State. (PH)