With less than 2 weeks to go before a Competitiveness Council devoted to the issue of the internal market and industry, the Netherlands has published its vision of measures to improve the EU's competitiveness on the international scene and improve the functioning of the internal market.
On the internal side, the Dutch Permanent Representation to the EU proposes to strengthen the Capital Markets Union, to relaunch the European political agenda for services and also to take into account the social dimension of the internal market. In addition, The Hague considers it necessary to review the competition rules also in the field of State aid and to strengthen the role of the Strategic Forum for Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI). Finally, the authors of the document stress the need to have the European unitary patent system available as soon as possible.
On the external side, European action must take place in two areas: ensuring fair competition at international level and the security of the European economy. For the Netherlands, the World Trade Organization (WTO) must be reformed and the content of bilateral agreements strengthened, covering in particular the issue of industrial subsidies, state enterprises, technical transfers and the trade defence mechanism.
A significant shift from its traditional line, The Hague believes that the current multilateral rules are no longer sufficient to cope with the dynamism of non-market economies, particularly China. The Netherlands therefore calls on the Union to make better use of its 'soft power' to “impose a level playing field”. Rather reticent about the international procurement instrument, the Dutch authorities reconsider their position here, wishing “to leave the same flexibility to parties from third countries not included in the General Agreement on Government Procurement”.
To consult the document: https://bit.ly/30mofwH. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens and Hermine Donceel)