European Union News - Internal Market

According to the European Commission, differences in national VAT rules on vouchers lead to serious market inefficiencies. For this reason, it proposes new rules to ensure the uniform tax treatment of all types of vouchers across all Member States.

The Institute of European Environment Policy (IEEP) published a study financed by the European Commission that shows the need to change to be able to meet the new 2020 biodiversity targets for agriculture, and this requires action on several different fronts. Indeed, the report suggests to address five main issues.
 

The Communication on State Aid Modernisation (SAM) adopted by the European Commission proposes focusing state aid policy on facilitating well-designed aid targeted at market failures and objectives of common European interest. It sets objectives of an ambitious reform package. The main elements of the reform shall be in place by the end of 2013.

Although China remains the number one country for the number of notifications on products, there has been a decrease from 58% in 2010 to 54% in 2011. According to the 2011 report of the EU's rapid alert system for non-food dangerous products ("RAPEX") dangerous, these products are detected earlier and more effectively.

The European Commission launched a call which is targeted particularly at SMEs that have developed an innovative green product, process or service, which is struggling to find its place in the market. Therefore, businesses and entrepreneurs from across Europe can apply for funding to help bring novel environmental projects to the market.

The European Commission asks to Spain to recover €265 million public funding granted by the Valencia Regional Government to the Ciudad de la Luz film studio. According to the Commission, no private investor would have accepted to invest on the same terms and that the public funding massively distorts competition between major European film studios.

The European Union and the United States of America formally agreed to recognise each other's safe traders, thereby allowing companies from EU and US to benefit from faster controls and reduced administration for customs clearance. The EU and USA are strategic trade partners, with imports and exports accounting for almost €500 billion in 2011. The joint decision will start to be implemented from 1 July 2012.

The European Commission will run between May 4th and July 27th 2012, a public consultation concerning the the future of the Maritime Antitrust Guidelines. This consultation aims at gathering views from affected stakeholders as regards to the eventual phasing out of the specific regime of maritime transport sector.