The European Commission is expected to present a Single Market Emergency Instrument (SMEI) and an initiative on the fight against forced labour at the beginning of the new school year on Tuesday 13 September, in the wake of the European Commission President’s State of the Union speech in Strasbourg.
The Single Market Emergency Instrument has been expected for more than a year following the announcement by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in her 2021 State of the Union speech (see EUROPE 12664/29).
This text was originally planned for the beginning of 2022. However, it was postponed due to the new difficulties caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine (see EUROPE 12997/7). The structure of the initiative is known. It should consist of a Regulation, to address the medium and long term issues, and a recommendation, to enable European action to be taken as soon as possible, following the example of what has been done in the context of semiconductors (see EUROPE 12936/3).
Another important issue, which has been awaited for a year following the State of the Union speech, is the legislative initiative to combat forced labour. It should be a Regulation and should strengthen the implementation of EU rules both for products manufactured in the EU and those imported from third countries (see EUROPE 13001/8).
At the end of September, the European Commission will present the revision of the Directive on Liability for Defective Products to adapt this rather old text (1985) to the new challenges linked to the rise of artificial intelligence and those raised by the circular economy. In mid-October, the institution will present a new legislative initiative to regulate vehicle emissions with the new Euro 7 standard (see EUROPE 12964/10).
In addition, according to our information, the Commission should present in mid-October a Regulation to better regulate short-term rentals. The raw materials initiative is expected to be presented by the institution in the first quarter of 2023.
At the end of March 2023, the European Commission intends to stop presenting new initiatives in order to leave enough time for the co-legislators to close the legislative files on the table before the end of the mandate.
Two political agreements in sight
As for the legislative acts under negotiation, the European Parliament is expected to adopt its position on the constellation at the beginning of October, which should allow the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU to start the interinstitutional negotiations (trilogues) in order to possibly find a political agreement between the two institutions by the end of the year.
On the Chips Act, the Czech Presidency will seek a political agreement (general approach) also by the end of the year (see EUROPE 12959/20). An interinstitutional agreement is expected to be reached on the legislative text concerning the reform of the governance of the European standards organisations, as both institutions have agreed on their position (see EUROPE12991/13).
As for the text revising the Regulation on construction products (see EUROPE 12959/20) and that of introducing geographical indications for industrial and artisanal products (see EUROPE 12991/13), no agreement is in sight in the coming months, according to our information. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)