Brussels, 22/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - Meeting in Brussels on 21-22 June, the European Council notes in the conclusions, to be adopted after its work ,that progress has been made within the Council on the draft directive relating to completion of the internal market for postal services. The legislative proposal on the table, which aims to open the handling of mail weighing under 50 grams to competition, should, according to the heads of state and government, ensure the financing of an effective and top quality universal service. The leaders invite the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission to expound upon, and rapidly conclude, the discussions on this subject with a view to reaching an agreement on the directive in good time. At the beginning of June, telecommunications ministers restated their intention to complete liberalisation of the postal services, many of them rejecting the timetable proposed by the Commission. They call for guarantees with regard to the funding of the universal postal service within a competitive environment (see EUROPE 9441). Early this week, the EP's transport and tourism committee postponed the deadline for total liberalisation of the postal sector until early 2011, and granted two more years to the member states that joined the EU in 2004 or that have to face up to difficult geographical conditions. It also brought in a reciprocity clause to prevent public operators responsible for the reserved area from competing in member states that have totally opened up their postal market (see EUROPE 9449).
On the subject of the general internal market policy, the European Council considers that continued strengthening of the four internal market freedoms - free movement of goods, persons, services and capital - and the improvements made to the way it works continue to be of vital importance for growth, competitiveness and employment. It awaits with interest the presentation, this autumn, of the new European strategy for the internal market, as well as the proposals that accompany it. At the end of February, the Commission adopted a specific interim report resulting in the definition of a renewed vision of the internal market based on 50 years' experience and the socio-economic challenges of the 21st century (see EUROPE 9371). Finally, the EU27 call on the Council and European Parliament to move rapidly forward when it comes to regulations on the new approach and mutual recognition, without this being detrimental to the harmonisation of national technical rules. At the end of May, the German EU presidency presented a progress report taking stock of real progress made in discussions in the Council on the legislative package concerning the free movement of goods (see EUROPE 9366/9429). Adoption of the package is expected for the end of the year. (mb)