The EU Ministers for Industry and the Internal Market will meet in Brussels on Thursday 2 March to discuss, among other things, the short and long-term competitiveness of EU industry. They are also expected to adopt two political agreements on financial services at a distance and on short-term rental accommodation services.
Industrial competitiveness
The ministers will have two moments to discuss the EU’s industrial strategy. They are expected to focus primarily on long-term competitiveness. The Swedish Presidency of the EU Council prepared the discussion with a document in which it listed the pillars of “a European model for long-term competitiveness” (see EUROPE 13126/5). On this basis, the ministers will have to give their vision of an effective single market.
These exchanges will also help to prepare the discussion of the European Council on 23 and 24 March.
Afterwards, the meeting will continue with a working lunch that will focus more on short and medium-term measures, i.e. the European Commission’s proposals for a ‘Green Deal Industrial Plan’.
The Commission presented the outline of such a plan on 1 February (see EUROPE 13112/1) and intends to follow up with the presentation of a regulation for a ‘net zero’ industry in mid-March. The Swedish EU Council Presidency therefore expects the ministers to comment on the Commission’s plans in this regard, but also on a potential relaxing of the rules on State aid.
Consumer financial services concluded at a distance
The EU Council will adopt its position (general approach) on the proposed modernisation of the Directive on distance marketing of consumer financial services to bring it into line with the digital age and repeal Directive 2002/65/EC.
The aim is to strengthen consumer protection and the right to information (amendment of Directive 2011/83/EU) and to create a level playing field for financial services providers. The expected general approach, which will define the EU Council’s negotiating position, was widely supported by the Member States (see EUROPE 13131/8).
The European Parliament has not yet taken a decision, but the vote in the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) on the report by Arba Kokalari (EPP, Swedish) is expected to take place at the end of March.
Short-term accommodation rental services
During the ‘Competitiveness’ Council, the competent ministers will also discuss the issue of short-term accommodation rental services and will try to reach a general approach for future interinstitutional negotiations.
The text is intended to improve the collection and sharing of data on short-term rental accommodation services which account for nearly 25% of the EU’s supply of tourist accommodation. This topic is one of the two priorities of the Swedish Presidency of the EU Council in the field of tourism (see EUROPE 13111/4), together with the implementation of the 2030 Tourism Agenda (see EUROPE 13080/13).
Other topics
The Swedish Presidency of the EU Council will also inform the Member States about the latest developments in the Unified Patent Court. Following Germany’s ratification of the agreement establishing this unified court it will enter into force on 1 June (see EUROPE 13125/19).
Finally, the EU/Ukraine summit on 3 February will also be briefed by the Swedish EU Council Presidency and the European Commission. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal, Aminata Niang and Thomas Mangin)