Strasbourg, 16/02/2006 (Agence Europe) - At the 13 February plenary session, MEPs called on the Commission to be more committed in its support for SOLVIT, the on-line problem solving network. Member States use this system for finding pragmatic and rapid solutions to problems that arise from the public authorities' mistaken application of internal market legislation. At this plenary, Malcolm Harbour, British Conservative, strongly supported Parliament's request to increase SOLVIT's human resources substantially and to further develop it into a system of administrative cooperation between Member States. the MEP stress that, “We therefore ask the Commission to agree to these measures given the success of the network, which has solved as many as 300 cases in 2004 along, a figure to increase sharply in 2005”. MEPs are suggesting that the Commission publishes a report to encourage better use of SOLVIT, including the necessary financial resources.
Mr Harbour insists that the network “serves as an important link to the citizens and plays an important role in the finalisation of the European Union's internal market”. With the prospect of a vote in first reading on the “Services Directive” (see other article), Arlene McCarthy (British Labour Party), the president of the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee explained that SOLVIT could help towards implementation of new legislation on services by helping companies' market access and “by supporting the role of the single point of contact”. European Commissioner for the Internal Market, Charlie McCreevy declared that the European Commission, “inspired by the success of SOLVIT” is currently developing “an internal market information system…aimed at supporting administrative cooperation between Member States”. However, according to McCreevy, SOLVIT's image should be raised at the political level but that this did not have to involve securing a binding legal basis for SOLVIT.
The SOLVIT network has been up and running since July 2002 and provides real solutions to legal problems (mostly recognition of professional qualifications, market access and social security) within ten weeks, free of charge. It is managed by Member States but coordinated by the Commission.