European Union News - Internal Market

The European Parliament has adopted a report by the Budgetary Control Committee which asks the Commission and Member States to improve their efforts in the supervision of the use of European funds

European Parliament has voted to allow 18 new Members of the European Parliament to take their seats during the current legislature. MEPs approved an amendment to the Lisbon Treaty that would enable this change, but they did not deem it necessary to call a Convention to discuss the treaty amendment.

The European Commission has published draft Regulations and Guidelines for the assessment of co-operation agreements between competitors, so called horizontal co-operation agreements. The objective of these proposals is to update and further clarify the application of competition rules in this area and to ensure their continuing relevance in the current economy.

EP Internal Market Committee approved on Wednesday several amendments to a planned EU directive designed to tackle the problem of late payments. They believe that deadlines for paying bills in the business world should be laid down by law for both the private and public sectors,

Brussels will host a summit among the highest representatives of the European Union and Canada Prime Minister and Minister of International Trade on 5 May 2010.

Europeaid has published an announcement on its website which warns of the modification of the deadlines for submitting applications to certain procuremente notices because of the ash cloud

The European Commission has announced a review of public procurement laws. The Commission has said change is necessary to cope with new e-procurement practices and to respond to more demand for public-private partnerships.

Consisting of 12 main proposals, the plan touches on areas as different as cybercrime, border control, asylum, and fair trials. It fleshes out the wide-ranging political objectives set out in the law-and-order agenda adopted by EU leaders in December.

The European Commission has adopted a Regulation block exempting agreements between manufacturers and distributors for the sale of products and services. The Regulation and accompanying Guidelines take into account the development, in the last 10 years, of the Internet as a force for online sales and for cross-border commerce, something that the Commission wants to promote as it increases consumer choice and price competition.

Brussels hosted last March a meeting of experts and stakeholders in public procurement and innovation in Europe. They have now been published on the website of DG Enterprise of the European Commission.