European Union News - Internal Market

According to MEPs, the EU patent package is closer to final approval after the Legal Affairs Committee at the EP approved a mandate to open formal negotiations with national governments to agree to create unitary patent. The approval would reduce current patenting costs by up to 80%, and would help to avoid the legal confusion created when dealing with differing national patent laws.

In an Opinion, EDPS calls for strengthening of proposed Regulation on the Internal Market Information System. In particular, the EDPS supports a consistent approach to data protection in establishing an electronic system for the exchange of information, including relevant personal data.

The European Commission published its proposals for nine industry sectors in order to ensure better product safety. The sectors concerned are electrical and electronic products, lifts, measuring instruments, civil explosives, pyrotechnic articles and equipment for use in potentially explosive atmospheres.

The European Commission approved additional EU support for the promotion of fresh fruit and vegetables following the E-coli crisis on the internal market and third countries. The total budget for the 14 programmes approved, running for a period of three years, is €34.1 million of which the EU contributes €17.0 million (50%).

The first quarterly report of Commission's Task Force for Greece summit for approval to the Commission and the Greek Government focuses on finalising, with the Greek authorities, a comprehensive road-map of technical assistance. In a number of priority areas such as tax administration and administrative reform, the report shows how work is already moving into the implementation phase.

The European Parliament approved a resolution which defends to keep the internet open and neutral. MEPs agreed that EU telecoms rules must be enforced and called on the European Commission to monitor internet traffic management practices.

Staff teams from the European Commission (EC), European Central Bank (ECB), and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) visited Lisbon during November 7-16 for the second quarterly review of Portugal’s economic program. Among the conclusions raised by them, overall the program is off to a good start. However, its success crucially depends on continued implementation of a wide range of structural reforms.

The European Parliament adopted the new rules on sovereign debt speculation and short selling limitations. According to MEPs, the rules will impose much more transparency and virtually ban certain CDS trades, thereby making speculation on a country's default more difficult. Both law intends have been pushed by the Commission to tackle the financial crisis.

The European Parliament approved a resolution which ask for a faster recognition of professional qualifications. In particular, MEPs seek to make it easier for doctors, dentists, architects and other professions to work abroad within the EU.

The European Commission adopted a new proposal which intends to reach a more efficient cooperation in collecting excise duties. The new Regulation would replace the existing rules, to better reflect the introduction of the computerised Excise Movement and Control System (EMCS) in April 2010.