European Union News - Internal Market

The European Union has published, on the 30th May 2008, advert for a job vacancy as Administrative Director to Eurojust with a five year basic contract which shall be renewable.

Information from the European Union institutions and bodies was published on 30th May 2008 concerning Authorisation State Aid to various member states under Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty. One Aid scheme authorised was the Bioheat Boiler and Combined Heat and Power Deployment Programme in Ireland.

After a drop in April, the Business Climate Indicator (BCI) for the euro area picked up slightly in May. Nonetheless, the downward trend of the BCI and the deceleration in industrial production registered in March point to a weakening of industrial activity in the second quarter of 2008.

The EU Competitiveness Council is meeting in Brussels on Thursday 29 and Friday 30 May under the chairmanship of Mr Andrej Vizjak, Minister for Economy of Slovenia, Mr Gregor Virant, Minister of Public Administration, and Ms Mojca Kucler Dolinar, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology of Slovenia. The European Commission will be represented by, Vice President Gunter Verheugen, responsible for Enterprise and Industry, Commissioner Charlie McCreevy responsible for the Internal Market and Services, Commissioner Janez Potocnik for Science and Research, Danuta Hubner, Commissioner for Regional Policy and Jan Figel Commissioner for Education, training, culture and youth.

On 22nd May 2008, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration by which the undertakings Sociedad Estatal de Participaciones Industriales (‘SEPI’, Spain), Centro de Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial (‘CDTI’, Spain), Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aerospacial ‘Esteban Terradas’ (‘INTA’, Spain) and Abertis Telecom, SA (‘Abertis’, Spain) acquire joint control of the undertaking Hispasat, SA (‘Hispasat’, Spain) by way of a contract of management.

On 22 May 2008, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration by which the undertaking Apax Partners
Worldwide LLP (‘Apax’, United Kingdom), through Apax Europe VII Fund, acquires control of the whole of the undertaking D + S europe AG (‘D + S’, Germany), by way of public bid announced on 15 April 2008.

The Industry Committee is insisting that the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators - proposed as part of the energy package - should have regulatory powers, contrary to the Commission's original plan. On Wednesday 28th May 2008, Committee voted on three related first-reading reports, overwhelming majorities on the committee backed a strong decision-making role for the Agency.

The Commission presented on the 27th May 2008, its Communication on "Better Careers and More Mobility: A European Partnership for Researchers". This Communication aims at establishing a partnership between the Member States and the Commission to ensure that the necessary human resources in research are available to sustain and enhance the contribution of science and technology to a dynamic, knowledge based European society.

To improve the internal market for construction products, the European Commission has today proposed to replace the “Construction Product Directive” (89/106/EEC)  by a new Regulation aiming to remove all remaining regulatory and technical obstacles to the free circulation of construction products in the European Economic Area. With 15% of EU manufacturing added value, but only 5% of intra-community trade, the construction sector is less open than other sectors of manufactured goods.

On the 26th May 2008, the European Commission published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJ) a directive of the European parilment and of the Council from the 21st May 2008 on certain aspects of mediation in civil and commercial matters. Member States will have until 21st May 2011 to bring into force the laws, regulations, and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive.

On the 24th of May, the European Commission published in the Official Journal its decision dating back to 29 April 2008 when the Commission decided not to oppose the notified concentration between Delta Lloyd and Swiss Life Belgium. The concentration was declared compatible with the common market.