The Ministers of the Member States responsible for the Internal Market and Industry will finally have only one topic to discuss at the Competitiveness Council to be held by videoconference on Friday 18 September: the deepening of the single market.
Initially, two topics were planned by the German EU Council Presidency, namely the deepening of the single market and industrial resilience in the aftermath of the pandemic (see EUROPE 12533/10), with a public debate on the first.
However, due to the progression of the pandemic and the restrictive health measures, the decision was taken to keep only the first topic on the single market, moreover in camera, in the presence of Peter Altmaier, the German Federal Minister of Economy and Energy.
During this debate, to be held in the morning, the German Presidency will seek to determine whether the March 2020 package, which includes the presentation of an action plan on the implementation and enforcement of single market rules, is still adequate to strengthen the single market. It will seek to prioritise the actions in the package to respond most effectively to the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic and to achieve a rapid economic recovery.
The point on industrial resilience was therefore postponed by the German Presidency to the Competitiveness Council on 20 November. The conclusions approved at the meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives on Wednesday 16 September will be formally adopted without debate at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on Monday 21 September. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)