European Union News - Internal Market

As announced in the Single Market Act, the European Commission is consulting stakeholders in all EU Member States for their views on a new policy on access to the EU's public procurement markets. The EU has shown strong advocacy for an ambitious opening of international public procurement markets, through international commitments, such as the WTO Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) and trade agreements concluded with third countries or regions.

MEPs and Council agreed provisionally in an EU-wide right for consumers to change their minds about purchase decisions within two weeks and clearer pricing rules for internet sales. The MEP responsible for the Parliament's report, Andreas Schwab, stated that more safety for consumers shopping on line and common rules for businesses will improve the Consumer Rights Directive.

The proposal on the creation of a unitary patent protection system, which has been introduced by the enhanced cooperation procedure, has now to deal with the complaint lodged by Italy and Spain to the European Court of Justice before pass to the Council and European Parliament final approval.

The European Commission approved under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of sole control of Unilever's Sanex business (Sanex) by Colgate-Palmolive.

According to the latest report published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), cases on the shiga toxin-produced E. coli in Germany, the vehicle of the outbreak has not yet been identified and intensive investigations are ongoing. The results of these investigations will determine the assessment of this risk. Rapid identification of potential cases linked to this outbreak, within Germany or among persons who have travelled to Germany since the beginning of May, is essential to prevent the development of severe disease.

European Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas is challenging industry to come up with a truly European journey planner that includes all countries and transport modes. The Commissioner stressed that while we are supposed being in one European market, there is too many journey planners. He also added that although the technology already exists, travellers still have to switch tickets from air to rail or sea, to urban or road transport.

The Fourth Review Mission to Greece was integrated by staff teams from the European Commission, European Central bank (ECB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF). Its main goal was to discuss recent economic developments and policies needed to keep the country’s economic program on track. The mission has reached staff-level agreement with the authorities on a set of economic and financial policies needed to meet program objectives.

According to a flash estimate issued by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, the Euro area inflation is expected to be 2.7% in May 2011. In April, was 2.8%.

The European Commission protested to the Russian Federation against the Russian ban imposed earlier on all EU vegetable exports to Russia, and requested the immediate withdrawal of the measure.

The creation of a joint venture between France's Axa and equity firm Permira will concentrate their proposed acquisition of Opodo as well as their respective existing on line travel agency subsidiaries, GO Voyages and eDreams has been approved by the European Commission. The deal will create one of Europe's largest company in the online travel agency sector.

The European Council of 4 February, in its conclusions on the "Innovation Union", invited the Commission to make proposals to accelerate, simplify and modernize standardization procedures, notably to allow standards developed by industry to be turned into European standards. Now, the European Commission proposes a package of legislative and non-legislative measures to develop more and faster standards.