The Industry and Internal Market Ministers of the Member States are scheduled to discuss competitiveness with concrete proposals on the table. On the agenda for their meeting in Brussels on 12 March are the Clean Industrial Deal, the two ‘omnibus’ packages, secure and sustainable e-commerce and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The European Commission has put forward proposals in all these areas in recent weeks.
Only the horizontal strategy for the Single Market has not yet been published, but the ministers will return to the subject to reiterate their priorities.
‘Clean Industrial Deal’. The Member States will give their first impressions of the European Commission’s proposals for a ‘Clean Industrial Deal’ (see EUROPE 13588/1).
The Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU has put three questions to the ministers to frame the exchange: - Which ‘Clean Industrial Deal’ initiatives should be given priority? - Are these sufficient to reinvigorate the competitiveness of European industry? - What measures in the package will ensure a level playing field between European regions in terms of innovation and the production of clean technologies?
The question of the special framework for State aid should therefore be widely addressed (see other news).
‘Omnibus’. The European Commission’s long-awaited initial simplification proposals (see EUROPE 13588/4) will be the subject of a public debate between ministers. According to several European diplomats, they should welcome these proposals as a step in the right direction.
As part of the exchange, the Polish Presidency asked them if there were any areas other than those addressed by the Commission that would also benefit from simplification.
At the Council, the subject of simplification is taken very seriously. A dedicated horizontal working group meets twice a week. This is why the Polish Presidency believes that work should progress rapidly on the ‘omnibus’, but not to the point of hoping to have a position before the Danish Presidency of the Council in July.
Single Market. Pending publication by the Commission of the horizontal strategy for the Single Market in June, the Member States will be reiterating their priorities in this area. The removal of barriers to workers, products and, above all, services, appears to the Council to be crucial if we are to become more competitive.
This same subject is also the subject of a ‘miscellaneous’ item at the meeting, requested by sixteen Member States, who have also produced a non paper. In it, the signatories take stock of the barriers to the internal market and put forward practical solutions that they hope the Commission will take on board.
To see the sixteen-country document, go to https://aeur.eu/f/fvf
Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Although it is part of the ‘omnibus’ package, the ministers will not be discussing the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) from the point of view of simplification on Wednesday 12 March. Instead, they want to look at the effectiveness of the instrument in the broadest sense, with a view to its revision next year.
E-commerce. During their lunch, the ministers will discuss online commerce and its challenges. Participants will react to the Commission’s communication on secure and sustainable e-commerce (see EUROPE 13572/5).
Under ‘other business’, France will present a non paper on the chemicals sector, which should be the subject of an action plan by the end of the year. France, as well as Spain, Hungary, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia are proposing a list of 15 basic molecules which, in their view, play a key role in all European strategic value chains and whose production should be supported.
To see the non paper, go to https://aeur.eu/f/fvh
In turn, Spain will propose a ‘miscellaneous’ item on the EU’s industrial future, with a particular focus on public funding. Alongside Portugal, Slovakia and Slovenia, Spain is calling for an ambitious multiannual financial framework to boost competitiveness.
To see the document submitted to the Council, go to https://aeur.eu/f/fvg
Finally, the ‘Competitiveness’ Council will be the first opportunity for the Member States to discuss the European Commission’s action plan for the automotive industry (see EUROPE 13593/14). (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)