22/09/2022 (Agence Europe) – Eurochambres, the association of European chambers of commerce and industry, wants to clarify the European Commission’s proposals on the Single Market Emergency Instrument (SMEI), presented on Monday 19 September (see EUROPE 13024/1). According to the association, the Commission is introducing “a host” of measures that risk going beyond the objectives, notably the “vigilance mode”. For the association, there are too many unknowns as to how the different emergency modes will be decided. It rejects the proposal to impose fines on companies that do not respond to the European Commission’s requests for information. This provision of information must be voluntary, Eurochambres insists. BusinessEurope also expressed strong reservations about the instrument (see EUROPE 12025/12). (PH)