European Union News - Internal Market

The Irish Presidency of the Council confirmed that on the 27 February, it reached a breakthrough in talks with the European Parliament on an overhaul of banking rules increasing EU financial stability. According to the Irish Presidency, the provisional deal includes restrictions on bankers pay to make sure that pay practices do not lead to excessive risk-taking. It also includes new provisions to making European banks more transparent.

The European Commission announced the prohibition, on the basis of the EU Merger Regulation, of the proposed takeover of the Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus by the low-cost airline Ryanair. The Commission concluded that the merger would have harmed consumers by creating a monopoly or a dominant position on 46 routes where, currently, Aer Lingus and Ryanair compete vigorously against each other.

A World Trade Organization panel report shows that China's anti-dumping duties on imports of X-ray security scanners from the EU were in breach of WTO anti-dumping rules. Thus, China will be expected to remove its anti-dumping duties on EU imports of X-ray security scanners, if the report is not appealed within 60 days.

The informal agreement reached between the Council and the European Parliament on safety of offshore oil and gas operations was backed by the Permanent Representatives Committee of the Council. To enter into force it still needs to be formally approved by the Parliament and by the Council - after the plenary vote in the Parliament.

The European Commission is gathering views with regard to the new open data portal recently launched in beta version. According to this European institution, this new Data Portal provides access to open public data from the European Commission. The Commission also highlights that this Data Portal promotes and builds literacy around Europe’s data.

The European Commission is claiming a total of €414 million of EU agricultural policy funds unduly spent by Member States. Under this latest decision, funds will be recovered from 22 member states. Because some of these amounts have already been recovered from the Member States the net financial impact of this decision will be some €393 million.

EU ministers held two policy debates within the framework of the common agricultural policy (CAP) reform. In addition many of them supported the proposal of the Austrian delegation for launching initiatives allowing the development of a protein supply system specific to the EU. The Commission also gave an overview of the current situation regarding food products containing horsemeat mislabelled as beef.

Following a first reading agreement with the European Parliament, the Council adopted regulations laying down specific measures for agriculture in the outermost regions of the EU and in the smaller Aegean islands. Among other things, a specific provision has been added to the regulation allowing a one-off payment of €40 millions in 2013 in order to allow the sector of banana production in outermost regions to adapt to the reduction of banana tariffs following the latest trade agreements.

The European Commission launched two public consultations on specific measures which could improve tax collection - EU Tax Identification Number (EU TIN)- and ensure better tax compliance across the EU - the EU Taxpayer's Code. The consultations will run until 17 May 2013.