Luxembourg, 12/10/2005 (Agence Europe) - On 11 October, the Commissioner for Industry, Günter Verheugen, told the ministers of industry and/or research, meeting in Luxembourg as part of the competitiveness Council, of the state of play with work on the "Better Regulation" initiative launched by the European Commission (see EUROPE 8911). Mr Verheugen acknowledged, amongst other things, that the first pillar of the initiative- the screening of legislative proposals pending in the inter-institutional system with a view to their possible withdrawal, if they do not fulfil the competitiveness criteria of the Lisbon Agenda- constituted a "delicate point". On the 27 September, the Commission drew up a list of 68 legislative proposals which it hopes to withdraw from the inter-institutional circuit (EUROPE 9036). Despite criticism from the European Parliament, which feels that in virtue of its inter-institutional agreement with the Commission, it, like the Council, has the right to be consulted before the definitive withdrawal of proposals pending- the Commission can, in virtue of its right of initiative, unilaterally take a formal and definitive decision to withdraw these texts.
In common with all of the Member States, France lent its support to the Commission's initiative (on Tuesday, Luxembourg and the Netherlands pledged their full support to Mr Verheugen), but it voiced its wishes to keep certain texts on the Commission's list in the inter-institutional circuit. These are, amongst others, proposed directives on: - driving bans for heavy goods lorries at the weekend (the EP's rapporteur, Gilles Savary, spoke out in the strongest possible terms against the withdrawal of this dossier: Ed); - the labelling of foodstuffs; -temporary employment (which the Commission would, however, like to re-examine, before it is withdrawn, in light of future discussions on other proposals). France would also like to maintain the proposed regulation on the status for the European mutual society.
Moreover, the Commissioner for Industry promised a communication on the second pillar of the initiative, the simplification of legislation, for 25 October. The Commission's approach will be sectorial and aim mainly to modernise the community acquis sector by sector, starting with areas in which there is over-regulation (automotives, construction and waste).