European Union News - Internal Market

The Commission has presented a number of suggestions for revision of the current Block Exemption Regulation, which expires in May 2010 as well as the Guidelines on supply and distribution agreements (vertical restraints). The amendments suggested by the Commission take into account two major changes in the distribution sector in recent years: the increasing buying power of large retailers and the development of on-line sales . To seek the opinions of stakeholders, Commission launched a public consultation, which will be opened until September 28th 2009.

The Directorate General for Internal Market and Services Commission has published a tender notice for which calls for nominations for the preparation of a study on the overall functioning of the trademarks system in Europe

The European Commission will continue do all it can to support milk farmers and stabilise the dairy market. In its dairy market situation report, the Commission sets out the catalogue of measures available to help alleviate the very difficult market situation. The Commission will continue to use instruments such as intervention, private storage aid and export refunds. It will allow direct payments to farmers to be paid early and has just launched a new round of dairy promotion programmes. In line with the conclusions of the June European Council, the Commission will not reverse decisions already taken on the quota system.

The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) –an important tool in the EU efforts to ensure food safety– turns 30 this year. Figures indicate that now it is more efficient than it has ever been.

The European Commission has adopted a new regulation to improve security of gas supplies in the framework of the internal gas market. The proposed Regulation would strengthen the existing EU system for gas supply security by ensuring that all Member States and their gas market players take effective action well in advance to prevent and mitigate the consequences of potential disruptions to gas supplies. It also would create mechanisms for Member States to work together to deal effectively with any major gas disruptions which might arise.

The Directorate General for Energy and Transport of the European Commission has published a notice by which it intends to undertake an analysis of the financing of renewable energy in the European energy market in the face of energy goals by 2020.

To finance the economic recovery plan, €2.4 billion will have to be found in the 2010 EU budget. Parliament backs the plan but is refusing to let it be funded at the expense of other policy priorities. This is one of the issues in the budget negotiations between Parliament and Council that began on 10 July.

The Official Journal of the European Union has published the Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18th June 2009 on the establishment of a European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET). The text is not binding, but offers six recommendations to all Member States on ECTVET.

The European Commission has proposed to set up a new microfinance facility providing microcredit to small businesses and to people who have lost their jobs and want to start their own small businesses. The instrument also offers support for young people wishing to establish or expand their own business.

The European Commission decided not to raise any objections to a new aid scheme which will encourage modal shift of freight from road to rail and inland waterway within the UK.

The Official Journal of the European Union C 150/17 has published on the 2nd July the prior notification of a concentration Fiat/Chrysler (Case COMP/M.5518).