European Union News - Internal Market

In order to make easier for foundations to support public benefit causes across the EU, the Commission has presented a proposal for a European Foundation Statute. On this way, it can be created a single European legal form - the ‘European Foundation’ (FE) – which would be fundamentally the same in all Member States and would exist in parallel with domestic foundations.

The proposed acquisition of joint control of the Spanish company MaxamCorp Holding S.L. by US based Advent International Corporation and approximately 110 individuals including Maxam's current managers, technical experts, other employees and co-investors, has been approved by the Commission.

The European Commission announced that one of their most longstanding WTO disputes concerning the US calculation practice of so-called "zeroing" in anti-dumping investigations, is ended. From now on, the excessive American anti-dumping duties will have to be down to WTO level. As a result, no EU exporter should be subject to an anti-dumping duty affected by zeroing in the future.

The European Commission service that allows citizens and businesses to ask questions about their EU rights has received its 100,000th enquiry. Also in 2011 YOUR EUROPE ADVICE replied to more than 15,000 enquiries. 8 out of 10 questions deal with social security issues, residence rights, work-related issues, migration and cars.

Eurostat publishes for the first time the quarterly data on government debt. According to the figures, at the end of the third quarter of 2011, the government debt to GDP ratio in the euro area stood at 87.4%, down compared with 87.7% at the end of the second quarter of 2011. In the EU the ratio increased from 81.7% to 82.2%. Compared with the third quarter of 2010, the government debt to GDP ratio rose in both the euro area (from 83.2% to 87.4%) and the EU (from 78.5% to 82.2%).

The EU competition "Hands off my Design" has announced its winners for this edition. The competition is organised in order to draw attention on the cost that piracy has for the creative industry that estimates in €10 billion and more than 185,000 jobs in 2008 alone. The awards has been granted at an Award Ceremony held in the European Parliament.

Scientists concluded on the safety of silicone products manufactured by the Poly Implant Prothèse (PIP) Company that data available was insufficient to lead to firm conclusions regarding the health risk for women with PIP silicone breast implants. However the Commission will discuss with the Member States a series of immediate measures to strengthen the existing surveillance and safety controls on medical devices already on the market.

The European Parliament approved a resolution on the newly-agreed governance treaty which insists that the treaty was unnecessary and economic recovery requires specific measures to promote solidarity, employment and growth. The resolution welcomes that the risk of a two speed EU was lessened and that there will be more parliamentary oversight than initially envisioned.

José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, stressed at the European Competition Forum that the European competition policy has a key role in order to combat monopolies and protectionism, especially in the context of the currently economic crisis. He also underlined that Europe's future growth prospects depend on a rules-based Single Market that fosters openness and innovation.