European Union News - Internal Market

The Communication adopted by the European Commission urges industry to deliver innovative solutions for greater access to online content. In parallel, the Commission is undertaking the review of the EU framework for copyright legal to be completed in 2014.

The Internal Market Committee approved the new rules on public procurement. MEPs agreed that public procurement should be greener and more socially responsible. They also proposed to establish a "procurement passport" to show that a firm fulfils the criteria without having to send in documentation every time they make a bid.

The European Commission underlined that new EU VAT rules enter into force from 1st January 2013. These rules are aimed at making life much simpler for businesses across Europe. Also, from 1st January 2013 enter into force stronger rules to fight tax evasion.

The Council adopted the regulation with a view to implementing enhanced cooperation in the area of the creation of unitary patent protection and the regulation on its translation arrangements.

The European Commission presented a Communication with measures aimed to minimize the problems encountered by citizens and businesses moving cars between Member States and to remove obstacles for cross-border rentals, among other issues related to the car taxation.

In the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC), the European Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas called for full engagement on the implementation of the Single European Sky, and for a positive cooperation between ECAC and the EU.

The European Commission presented a major package of measures to strengthen and improve the European regulatory framework and ensure the EU's "regulatory fitness". This package is aimed at making it easier and cheaper for enterprises to do business and for citizens to enjoy the benefits of the Single Market.

The European Parliament approved new rules governing decisions on how best to protect local residents against aircraft noise and allocate take-off and landing fairly and flexibly. However the proposal to further increase competition among groundhandling service suppliers at key airports was referred back to the Transport and Tourism Committee for further discussion.