European Union News - March 2013

The European Parliament voted in plenary session its position for negotiations with EU member states on the CAP reform. This will be the first EU farm policy reform shaped by Parliament as a full co-legislator with EU member states. Among other things, the Parliament voted in favour of the publication of beneficiaries of EU agricultural funding and inserted a list of land-owners.

The European Commission presented a project of Directive aimed at establishing a common European framework for maritime spatial planning and integrated coastal management in EU Member States, with a view to ensuring that the growth of maritime and coastal activities and the use of resources at sea and on coasts remain sustainable.

The European Parliament rejected the agreement reached among member states on the EU budget for 2014-2020. In addition to sets out its stance on this topic for negotiating with the Council, MEPs want a political undertaking from the Council that all bills falling due in 2013 will be paid in 2013, so as to avoid "rolling over" a deficit into the new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

The Directive that obliges public authorities to pay for goods and services within 30 calendar days or, in very exceptional circumstances, within 60 days, has to be integrated into member states national law by 16th March 2013. In particular, the Directive intends to end late payments.

The European Parliament adopted in plenary session the agreement reached with the Council on the next round of EU economic governance legislation, the so called “two pack”. According to MEPs, these new rules will do more to deliver growth and the European Commission's new powers to vet Eurozone countries' budgets will be better democratically controlled.

EU ministers on Transport held a debate on the fourth railway package which mainly focused on the proposal for a recast of the 2008 directive on the interoperability of the EU rail system. According to the Council, ministers broadly acknowledged the need to increase the efficiency of the authorisation process. However, misgivings were expressed about the transfer of competences from national authorities to the European Rail Agency as proposed by the Commission.

A resolution adopted by the European Parliament in plenary session highlights how women are suffering most from the effects of budget cuts in social policies. Along with this resolution, MEPs also approved two more texts introducing the need to fight gender stereotypes in the EU and about the protection of the rights of women in North Africa.

The agreement reached between the Council and the European Parliament on the so-called "Two-Pack" is an essential step towards ensuring fiscal stability in view of the 2014 budget cycle. Once these measures have been approved by the Parliament in plenary session, the European Commission stress on the need to take next steps in the short term in order to complete the Blueprint for a Deep and Genuine EMU.

The European Parliament has approved new EU legislation that will allow European consumers to access faster and cheaper ways to solve their disputes concerning the goods and services traded within the single market. These new rules aim to avoid customers the need to engage in long and costly legal procedures which are particularly cumbersome in cross-border or on-line shopping.

The selection of the first pre-seleted sites to receive the European Heritage Label is reserved in 2013 to Austria, Estonia, Denmark, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, who did not take part in the previous intergovernmental and have expressed their will to participate in the new Label.

Ministers meeting at the General Affairs Council reached a political agreement on the draft regulation aimed at strengthen the conditions and procedures for action by customs authorities in the EU in order to protect intellectual property rights. Among other measures, the draft regulation provides for a simplified procedure that will to facilitate the destruction of counterfeited and pirated goods seized by customs authorities.

From 11 March, it enters into force the last deadline to phase out animal testing for cosmetic products in Europe, which consist in that cosmetics tested on animals cannot be marketed any more in the EU.