Brussels, 01/12/2006 (Agence Europe) - The last Competitiveness Council under the Finnish Presidency will be held on Monday 4 December. It will include two public debates - one on the strategic priorities of the innovation policy and the other on updating the EU customs code.
Innovation Policy - Industry and/or competition ministers will hold a public debate on the European Commission's ten point action plan for boosting innovation (see Communication published on 13 September 2006, EUROPE 9264), the outcome of the 25 September 2006 Competitiveness Council (EUROPE 9272) and the July 2006 Competitiveness Council in Jyväskylä (EUROPE 9229 and 9230) and the Lahti European Council (EUROPE 9291) before adopting conclusions to be submitted to the 14 and 15 December European Council. EU Industry Commissioner Günter Verheugen will present the 2006 competitiveness report, and Finnish minister Mauri Pekkarinen will give a progress report on the European Technology Institute (ETI).
EU Customs Code - The ministers will hold a public debate on the draft regulation establishing an EU customs code (see EUROPE 9079), updating current EU legislation dating back to 1992 to bring it into line with changes in international trade. At this stage, ministers need to decide on political guidelines for three issues: the One-Stop Shop, centralised customs declarations and representation at customs. One stop shops already exist in the United States and Canada and are becoming increasingly important in the current debate over the necessary balance to be struck between security measures and facilitation of trade. Ministers will consider measures to boost cooperation among customs offices and other services and authorities. Optional centralised customs declarations enable importers and exporters to send in customs declarations online from their offices regardless of where the goods will be crossing the EU borders. Ministers will have to indicate whether they will be following up on centralised customs declaration measures and will be asked to agree on scrapping representation at customs, which is seen as being incompatible with the Common Market - it gives customs agents in some Member States the right to lodge customs declarations on behalf of other parties.
Better Regulation - The Council will take note of the strategic review of the Better Regulation initiative launched in March 2005 (the mid-term review is discussed in EUROPE 9306) and a progress report by the Finnish Presidency on implementation of Better Regulation in the legislative process at the Council. Ministers will then discuss the issue and consider priorities for cutting red tape.
Consumer Credit - Since the EU has not yet managed to reach political agreement on consumer credit, the Council will look at issues surrounding the draft directive on credit agreements for consumers, to amend Council Directive 93/13/EC. During the first debate of the amended draft directive on consumer credit unveiled by the European Commission in October 2005, most Member States backed the idea of harmonising consumer credit as far as possible in the EU (EUROPE 9200). (eh/mb)