EU News - Internal Market

Member states' representatives endorsed EU Open Data rules

The EU Council's 'Coreper' committee (EU Committee of Member States' Permanent Representatives) backed the EU Open Data rules as proposed by the European Commission. The revision of the 2003 Public Sector Information Directive would make all generally accessible (that is, non-personal) public sector information available for re-use.

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Commission warns about excessive macroeconomic imbalances in Spain and Slovenia

The European Commission has presented its conclusions on the in-depth reviews conducted in thirteen Member States economies. These findings indicate that both Spain and Slovenia show excessive macroeconomic imbalances which can represent a serious risk for growth and financial stability.

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Commission proposed to the Council the conclusion of the Protocol amending WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA)

The formal conclusion of the Protocol amending the Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA), the only legally binding agreement in the WTO on the subject of government procurement, was proposed by the Commission to the Council. The European Parliament will also be called upon to give its consent to the conclusion of the Protocol.

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The volume of retail trade decreased by 0.3% in euro area in February 2013 compared with January 2013

Eurostat published that in February 2013 compared with January 2013, the volume of retail trade fell by 0.3% in the euro area and remained stable in the EU. The largest decreases were registered in Estonia (-2.6%), France (-2.2%) and Slovenia (-2.0%), and the highest increases in Luxembourg (+4.1%), Denmark and Malta (both +1.5%).

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Commission highlights that efficient buildings, vehicles and equipment are crucial for boosting the economy

Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, stressed that efficiency is crucial not only for achieving our energy security and climate goals, also to give a real boost to the economy by bringing important savings and job creation, in addition to environmental benefits, during her speech in a conference held that focused on the role of efficient buildings, vehicles and equipment as an essential driver to economic success.

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Second call for proposals under the NER300 programme for innovative low-carbon technologies launched

The European Commission launched the second call for proposals under the NER300 programme. This major funding programme promotes the commercial demonstration of environmentally safe carbon capture and geological storage (CCS) and innovative renewable energy (RES) technologies.

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The Commission adopted a measure to reinforce requirements for GM food/feed applications

The European Commission adopted a measure on requirements to be fulfilled by companies when submitting applications for the authorisation of new GMOs for food/feed uses. With this Regulation, the Commission seeks to reinforce and improve the authorisation process of GM food and feed and to clarify the requirements for submitting a request. The new rules will apply 20 days following publication in the Official Journal of the EU.

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Nine EU-based companies won the 2013 GreenLight Awards

The Joint Research Centre announced that nine EU-based companies have been recognised for their energy-saving efforts, thanks to the installation of energy-efficient lighting technologies. The majority of energy saving was due to introduction of the new T5 efficient fluorescent lighting, among other measures, which replaces conventional magnetic ballasts with electronic ballasts.

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The Business Climate Indicator (BCI) and the Economic sentiment worsened for the euro area

In March 2013, the Business Climate Indicator (BCI) for the euro area decreased by 0.14 points to 0.86. The European Commission confirms that the assessment of the adequacy of stocks of finished products also worsened, albeit to a lesser extent. The Commission's figures also show that for March 2013, the Economic Sentiment Indicator in the euro area also declined. The Commission highlighted that the decline was driven by decreases in all business sectors, while consumer confidence remained broadly stable.

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An extra €11.2 billion is required for the EU budget to cover unpaid claims from 2012

The European Commission confirmed that an extra €11.2 billion is required for the EU budget to reimburse beneficiaries of EU funded programmes completed across Europe in 2012 as well as to honour the Cohesion Policy claims that will fall due in 2013. The MEP chairing the Budget Committee in the European Parliament, Alain Lamassoure, stressed that the Commission proposal to settle only part of the EU's €16.2 billion debt rolled over from 2012 threatens the EU with insolvency later in 2013.

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