European Union News - Internal Market

The European Commission published a report which shows that the EU budget fell by 35% in 2011, and this fall responds to stronger measures and better controls implemented for EU funding; there are also a number of technical explanations for the drop in fraud rate in 2011. In total, €295 million in EU funds were affected by fraud, or 0.2% of the budget.

The European Commission approved national performance plans to improve air traffic management under the period 2012-2014 of the Single European Sky Performance Scheme. The plans are accepted as broadly in line with legally established European Union-wide targets. However, the Commission also adopted recommendations to Member States for further improvements.

The new Regulation on biocides that has as main aim to ensure that only safe products are made available and that the most dangerous substances are kept out of our market, entered into force on the 17 of July 2012.

The European Commission announced the opening of proceedings against Microsoft in order to investigate whether the company has failed to comply with its 2009 commitments to offer users a choice screen enabling them to easily choose their preferred web browser. In particular, the Commission believes that Microsoft may have failed to roll out the choice screen with Windows 7 Service Pack 1, which was released in February 2011.

The European Commission has launched a public consultation in order to gather inputs from stakeholders and citizens on the scope of possible future actions at EU, national and regional level in promoting entrepreneurship. The contributions can be send until 1 of October 2012.

The new measures proposed by the European Commission have as main goal to enable researchers, research institutions and businesses to better move, compete and co-operate across borders. Almost 80% of the research community indicated that lack of open and transparent recruitment hinders international mobility.

The European Commission invites comments on use of state aid rules for supporting risk capital investments. The review of the risk capital guidelines starts with this public consultation, seeking stakeholders' views on the functioning of the guidelines since their adoption in 2006 and in particular on market developments concerning the supply of equity and debt finance to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Submissions can be made until 5 October 2012.

The European Central Bank published its biannual report on euro banknote counterfeiting which shows that the overall quantity of counterfeits withdrawn from circulation from January to June 2012 was 15.2% lower compared with the figures for the same period in 2011.

The European Commission launched a public consultation on the application of procedural rules in state aid investigations. In the context of the State Aid Modernisation (SAM) initiative, the Commission invites to comment to clarify and simplify the current regime. Replies to the public consultation can be submitted by 5 October 2012.