Brussels, 30/08/2007 (Agence Europe) - The own-initiative report of Jacques Toubon (EPP-ED, France) on revision of the internal market strategy is not expected to be subject to bitter discussions between the main political groups of the European Parliament (EUROPE 9489). The EPP-ED group is giving full support to the rapporteur. Putting more emphasis on the social dimension of the internal market, the PES group welcomes Toubon's balanced position, notably his efforts to enhance legal security for services of general interest (SGI). The liberals group did not submit any amendments to the thirteen to be voted on next week in Strasbourg.
Malcolm Harbour, the coordinator of the Christian Democrat group at the internal market and consumer protection group told EUROPE on Wednesday 29 August that the, “high quality report was fully endorsed by the group”. Harbour added that he was, “expecting very little change, nothing fundamental” during the plenary. He regarded the consensus surrounding the report as encouraging and “providing a very strong input” to the work of the European Commission in view of presenting a new internal market strategy in November. The British Conservative underlined the need for a “dynamic market with consumer choice” stimulated by competition and participation by Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, which was “at the heart of the major economic advantage for the EU at an international level”. He also said that he wanted more efforts to, “engage in citizens who have rights as consumers” when they cross borders.
The Socialist group adopted a specific position on revision of the single market strategy for the 21st century, a position that British Labour Party members were unable to accept due to the elements linked to tax. On Wednesday 29 August the Luxembourg Socialist Robert Goebbels informed journalists that, “We support the internal market but at the same time want to safeguard the European social model. There is no contradiction between an open market and consumer protection”. Socialists are claiming the mantle of Jacques Delors: the single market has to be based on the triptych of competition stimulating, cooperation strengthening and solidarity uniting. Goebbels therefore said that he wanted the Commission to proceed to a systematic “social impact assessment” of what the single market had accomplished. According to Goebbels, “the EU will not escape from a regulatory framework for public services” and the Commission should present its approach on SGI as soon as possible, even before there is a new European treaty. Next week the EP will be voting on an amendment from Mr Toubon on behalf of the EEP-ED group calling on the Commission to identify “how to overcome the legal uncertainty affecting the status of SGI, particularly rules on state aid and public procurement” in agreement with the Protocol on SGI inserted in June by the European Council acting on the mandate of the Intergovernmental Conference in charge of finalising the future European treaty. The Luxembourg Socialist also appealed for more, “tax convergence…which does not mean general harmonisation of the national tax systems”. He said that some tax competition is useful and remains healthy. He called for, “harmonisation of the tax bases” for corporation tax so that they could compare what was comparable. (mb)