Brussels, 05/01/2005 (Agence Europe) - Listing its priorities for the common market, services and consumer protection, the Luxembourg Presidency explained that it hopes agreement will be reached to formally adopt the professional qualifications directive by July and a degree of calm will have returned to the negotiations over the services directive. The Luxembourg Presidency will also try to get the ball rolling for the Community patent and find a good solution for the patenting of software. Progress is also expected over the REACH chemicals directive and simplifying EU rules.
The draft directive on professional qualifications will allow strict controls of diplomas for people working or studying in other countries. It is currently in second reading at the European Parliament, following agreement in principle in May 2004 at Council level, and hence could be formally adopted during the Luxembourg Presidency. It is connected with the services directive (see Europe of 8 December 2004), which is only at the start of the legislative process. The Luxembourg Presidency notes that the services directive is a key initiative for growth in the European economy, but adds that it has been subject to misunderstandings. The Presidency will therefore attempt to restore a level of calm. The European Parliament is not expected to vote on it in first reading until June, but the Luxembourg Presidency will be producing a working document on the directive in January.
In terms of intellectual and industrial property rights, the Luxembourg Presidency is planning to continue to promote the spirit of enterprise and examine whether it will be possible to get the ball rolling again on the Community patent because there is no better economic alternative to the Community patent. The issue has been on the negotiating table for thirteen years but was blocked by four Member States (Germany, Spain, France and Portugal) at the Competitiveness Council in May 2004 (see Europe of 20 May). On the patenting of software, the Luxembourg Presidency hopes the directive can be brought to a satisfactory end. Political agreement on the issue at Council level has not yet been formally adopted since Poland wants more time for reflection (see Europe of 24 November 2004).
On consumer policy, the Luxembourg Presidency wants to make progress with the draft chemicals directive REACH (see Europe of 26 November 2004). It says the dossier will reach an important stage in the first few months of 2005 following the publication of the joint impact study carried out by the Commission and the chemicals industry. The Commission may decide to make adjustments to REACH without changing the overall thrust, noted the Presidency. The European Parliament is expected to give its opinion in the autumn of 2005.
The Luxembourg Presidency plans to continue and boost the integrated approach to competitiveness and growth, with the support of the reorganised European Commission, by integrating policies, exploiting synergies and assessing the impact of legislation on competitiveness. Stimulating growth also requires better regulation and work has been underway in this field for a year now. The Luxembourg Presidency will focus on simplifying existing EU legislation and carrying out impact studies of legislation currently being drafted or negotiated. It will be consulting Member States before drawing up a list of legislation to be simplified in the first half of 2005. The last Competitiveness Council adopted an initial list of 17 pieces of legislation (see Europe of 26 November 2004). The Luxembourg Presidency will take account of work being carried out by the Commission to develop an integrated impact assessment methodology.