Brussels, 26/05/2000 (Agence Europe) - In addition to the postponement of its decision on copyright, the Internal Market Council has allow moves forward in various fields. We give below an overview of the session, chaired by Francisco Seixas da Costa:
- Functioning of Internal Market. As a reaction to the bad results published during the week by the European Commission (see EUROPE of 22/23 May, p.10), the Council stressed the importance of strengthening Member State efforts to reduce their delay in transposing European legislation into national law. It also took a stance, in its conclusions, in favour of continuing the "Slim" initiative for simplifying the internal market legislation, on condition, above all, that the sectors are better targeted and that the process as a whole is speeded up.
- Copyright. Although there is a majority in favour of a compromise text, Mr Seixas da Costa gave way to the French request to delay the decision on the directive on copyright in the Information Society (see EUROPE of 26 May, p.8). "It is important to enlarge consensus to a maximum, and we have therefore agreed to make an additional gesture: work will be continued until the end of the Portuguese Presidency", he explained. A special Council could be convened on 15 June to formalise an agreement. "Unfortunately, the ministers did not show sufficient flexibility but I do not despair of finding an agreement, if necessary by qualified majority", commented European Commissioner Frits Bolkestein.
- Insurance. The Council gave its political agreement, with abstention from Greece, Ireland and Luxembourg, on a directive aimed at mutual recognition by Member States of measures that they accomplish to resolve financial difficulties of insurance companies (EUROPE will return to this).
- Clinical trials. The Council reached a political agreement, with counter vote from Austria, on a draft directive aimed at harmonising good clinical practices in trials on medicinal products for human use (EUROPE will come back to this).
- Food safety. The Council noted three candidate towns for the seat of the future European Food Agency (Barcelona, Parma and Helsinki, see EUROPE of 26 May, p.8) as well as the Presidency report on the Commission's White Paper on food safety, intended for the Feira summit. The Health Council on 29 June will then have the issue referred to it.
- Designs and models. The Council held an exchange of views on the draft regulation on Community legal protection of industrial designs and models, which aims to introduce a single registration procedure with the Internal Market Harmonisation Office. The opinion of the EP is expected for 16 June and the issue should move forward under French Presidency.
- Trademarks. The problem of parallel imports and the exhaustion of trade mark rights in the Community was tackled at the request of Sweden. The Fifteen, however, remain very divided on the question. Mr Bolkestein confirmed that he would not propose amending the current regime, which bans imports into the EU of brand name products bought at lower prices in third countries, without the authorisation of the manufacturer holding the brand name.
- Toy safety. The Council held an exchange of views on the draft directive aimed at the definitive ban, in time, of the use of certain phtalates in the manufacture of soft PVC toys that may be sucked by children of below three years of age. There is still division between the Fifteen and debates will continue at technical level pending the opinion of the European Parliament.
The Council, moreover, gave its political agreement on a draft directive on honey (see below) and adopted the directive on chocolate (see EUROPE of 26 March, p.14). The ministers heard the Commission present its e-Europe action plan and two draft directives for modernisation of the legislation on public procurement.
