European Union News - 21 March 2012

The European Commission presented a proposal which aims to ensure that all companies (both European and non-European firms) are on an equal footing when it comes to competing for business in the EU's lucrative public procurement market. According to the Commission, the main objective of the initiative is to help open worldwide public procurement markets and to ensure European businesses have fair access to them.

The Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee approved the text which proposes that corporate taxation should be a compulsory common base to reduce tax shopping and red tape. This amends the Commission's proposal on this matter which indicated that should be applied as a voluntary scheme.

Cecilia Malmström, the Home Affairs Commissioner, inaugurates for managing large-scale EU information systems, a new EU Agency in Tallinn, Estonia. The Agency will ensure the Visa Information (VIS) and EURODAC systems operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

In a joint statement of Vice President Joaquín Almunia and UEFA President Michel Platini, confirmed that, with a view of promoting fair competition between football clubs, the interaction between the application to professional football of Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules by UEFA are in line with the state aid control in professional football by the Commission. Mr Almunia also expressed his concern regarding the increasing level of indebtedness of many European clubs.

The responsible of the drafting the opinion for the Committee of the Regions on the Commission proposals for the "Re-use of public sector information" and "Open data – an engine for innovation, growth and transparent governance", Ms. Anne Karjalainen, will meet all the stakeholders in 26 of March with the aim to gather views on such proposals.

The public consultation now launched by the Commission is aimed at gathering views on the transparency and comparability of bank account fees, bank account switching and access to a basic bank account. The consultation, which will be available in all EU official languages, will run until 12 June 2012.

According to many delegations which met at the latest meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council, the CAP reform package presented by the Commission does not take very much into account the six principles outlined in March 2011. Most of European Ministers also were agreed that the introduction of a definition of active farmer could significantly increase the administrative burden. Ministers also were briefed on the Russian ban of EU livestock and about the current drought situation in the Iberian Peninsula.