Brussels, 20/11/2001 (Agence Europe) - By adopting, last week, the report by Klaus-Heiner Lehne German Christian Democrat, on the approximation of the Member States' civil and commercial law, the European Parliament insisted, in particular, over the importance of a strict implementation by the Member States of the Directive on electronic commerce and underlined the need, to facilitate cross-border transactions within the Single Market, of going further ahead in the harmonisation of contract law. According to the EP, it is necessary to notably act in the following fields: - designation of the competent jurisdiction; - procedural costs; - effectiveness of legal protection; - international legal problems.
Moreover, the Parliament notes that in an enlarged EU of 500 million inhabitants, it will become increasingly difficult to guarantee a uniform adaptation of European law, and calls for an accessible law and in respect of traditions, while taking into account the requirements of the Internal Market. According to the EP, Directives set out on specific aims such as consumer protection and product responsibility must include a few details provisions and be procedurally neutral, in order to be easily integrated within the national legislation.
Finally, the EP invites the Commission to present, as the next step in the approximation of the Member States' civil and commercial law and after a in-depth scientific consultation, an action plan, including various steps including the establishment, by the end of 2002 of an institute for European law.
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